The Bleary Billings Morning after Independence Day

Hope everybody had a great July 4th holiday.

The morning after is a different story altogether.

Like holidays that are always on a Monday, maybe Independence Day should always be on the first Saturday of July.  This could give everyone Sunday morning to catch up on sleep.

What's causing the July 5th bleary eyes?  The neighborhood fireworks late at night on the 4th.

I can't really blame the neighbors.  Independence Day is a big holiday and a great opportunity to set off fireworks.  And those fireworks look best in total darkness.  That's why the big shows start nearly ten at night.

My neighbors in the Billings Heights love setting off fireworks.  They must spend hundreds each year for the biggest and brightest.  It's a delight for the kids.  And like the big shows in the air, the street displays start at 10 p.m. and continue well after midnight.

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The issue is for folks who have to get up early in the morning and go to work.  We're in bed by ten when the street show starts.  For the next 2-3 hours we hear the booms, pops, and yells.  Good luck trying to fall asleep to all that.

When it's mostly quiet and with an alarm set at three, I have to function on only a couple hours sleep.

And that's not necessarily the end of the festivity.  While driving in at 3:30 in the morning a large firework exploded in the air near MetraPark.  At 4:05 I heard a pop in the distant night.

So maybe a Saturday Independence Day with a totally closed up Sunday morning, where the only buildings open are churches, can be a workable solution.

Until then, as soon as I'm done with work, I'm going home and back to bed.  Pleasant Dreams.