Wow. I've been quiet here.

And I wasn't even trying. The past couple days were busy at work. Good, overall (for one thing, the hire for the other position was confirmed, so soon instead of an opening we shall have a programmer). But busy.

I've been vegging terribly in the evenings, mostly reading (14-day loans tend to make you want to focus on the book). I've finished that book now.

Happy fourth of July. I'm not always proud of my government. And yet...there is so much that is beautiful and good in this country, as well as so much that is insular, or hateful, or careless, or unkind. It's not perfect. I'm not even convinced it's the best out there. But it's home, and in my own silly way, I love it.

Besides, I get to see shiny things in the sky tonight. That's got to be good, right?

Mmmm, fireworks.

We went up to watch fireworks in Lake Oswego. Since the notice about them was vague, we (along with a bunch of other people) ended up at the wrong end of the lake.

I'd be more upset, but if you moved over to the bank's parking lot (we did), you could see them, and they were pretty. And meanwhile, the folks living nearby were setting off fireworks next to and over the water. Some of them notably illegal for private use in this state....

I'm not sure this was private, though. Most of those came from one big building that might have been some sort of organization, and it might have been a private (but sponsored) show. At any rate, it wasn't 100 feet from us and going up over the lake, just clearly not intended for the public (as they were alternating with fountains and sparklers, and I've never seen a public show with roman candles, either).

Pretty. Very, very pretty. And we got to sit on the steps by the lake before the sun went down, and watch the ducks.

And a pair of enterprising lads who deserve to be turned over someone's knee (except I think they were college-age, making that unlikely) were lighting fire crackers and those spinning flower things...and then throwing them in the lake.

I was disgusted. It wasn't near where the ducks hang out, and I assume any fish or fowl in the vicinity had the sense to get away. But they shouldn't've. And at the same time...it would be worth having your own, unstocked, pond. It's amazing how funny those things are in the water. The firecrackers make a dull thump and are yellow. The spinning things...uh, spin, and turn colors, and gurgle interestingly. Really bizarre.

What makes people experiment with such things? And what makes them think it's okay? I'm partly annoyed at myself for being amused, and I only hope nothing was hurt. But they were silly.

Had to wait for a pair of fountains in the intersection to finish, when we drove home. I didn't mind. They were pretty.