Our Quest for Fireworks...

We had an odd 4th of July, not that it was a bad 4th of July, just a different 4th of July...

We planned to go to the beach, Anze the Dog wanted to build his sand condo complexes. Cakes and I needed some sun. We wanted some seafood from Neptune's Net. Then we were going to cook a couple of steaks on the grill. We were going to have a cocktail or two and a nice bottle of wine with dinner. We were going to have some apple pie.

We did none of the above.

Instead, I wrote "Aftermath" cooked a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs, Cakes did some 4th of July posts for her clients and some planning for the balance of the week. The three of us took a nice long nap.

Awake in the late afternoon, we looked at each other. We decided that we were too damn lazy to do much of anything. I didn't feel like grilling either. An hour passed pleasantly on the porch, now it was 5. We had a cocktail. Cakes had a screwdriver, I had a Jack on the rocks. I looked at her, she looked at me

We ordered take out from Red's Barbecue. Free delivery on orders over $25,00. Combo dinner with three sides, $28,95 with tax and delivery, I added a 7 buck tip for the kid who drove it to us. he was a nice kid, too. His parents have a ton of money invested in his braces. He complimented us on the house and the flowers, should have tipped him more.

In the huge bag from Red's there were baby back ribs, a chunk of smoked tri tip and a chicken breast, mashed potatoes, baked beans and cole slaw. A lot of food for two. There are left overs in the fridge.

We finished dinner and decided to drive the twisting, turning road to the top of the mountain (big hill) to watch the fireworks from Canoga Park, Agoura, Thousnad Oaks, Simi, and Moorpark, the summit is over 2 thousand feet and once you get there the view is hellacious. The big hill is in the Santa Monica Mountains Preserve, so there are a few rangers around.

Our ranger was a nice, thin, middle aged guy, who politely suggested we were nuts to think we would enjoy 4th of July fireworks from up there, explaing, "All you'll see is some flashes in the sky, no sound none of the punch you get when you're close, know what I mean?"

Anze the Dog did his business and we left.

Back down the twisty road with steep drop offs. "Don't get so close to the side, it scares me." Cakes said. She wasn't polite about it either.

She suggested we just go home and watch fireworks on PBS. I said "No! I want to see some fireworks, it's the 4th of July!" I was as polite as she had been.

We get on Los Angeles Avenue, a pretty busy street, but tonight it's like the 405 at 5 on a Friday afternoon, we're a mile from the Community Center complex, the traffic is bumper to bumper and cars are parked on both sides of the 6 lane divided street. The sidewalks are filled with people hauling coolers, lawn chairs, kids in strollers, kids with balloons, we're crawling along at 5 miles an hour. My idea is to park across the street from the Community Center in the train station parking lot, we're about two blocks from the turn off to the lot. There are cops every where, lights flashing, they can't get the traffic moving so they are standing around by their cruisers, shooting the shit under the flashing lights. Nice.

I'm stuck in the right hand lane so I hang a right into a grocery store parking lot ignoring the huge sign saying "No Event Parking" we creep, bumper to bumper in the lot for 10 minutes hoping against hope we can find a spot to park and walk to the community center. I finally find a spot behind the Smart and Final grocery store. I park across from the loading dock, there are a couple of mugs with their truck blocking the driveway right behind where I park, they have dayglo vests on, they must be official because nobody wears a dayglo vest just for the hell of it. I ask them if it's okay to park there, the fat guy shrugs and says, "I don't give a shit." We stay put and parked. We can hear music from the event, the girl singer talks too much between songs, but other than that...the band isn't too bad. More cars and people show up. People are putting blankets down on the asphalt for chrissakes! Kids are running around, there's drinking going on in violation of the law, nobody is worried because the cops are standing around in bullet proof vests telling each other cop jokes.

I hook up Anze the Dog to his leash and walk him around, he makes friends with a dozen people, licks a few faces and falls in love with a little Asian girl.

Back in the Jeep, we roll back the sun roof. Cakes take off her sandals, stands up on the seat, gets her camera ready as the countdown to the show starts, 9-8-7-6. There's a hedge and a wall next to the car. 5-4-3-2-1. We hear a whump on the other side of the wall and then the sky lights up.

Whump, whump...

Whump, whump, whump...

The fireworks are exploding right over our heads...what the hell!

The guys shooting off the display are right on the other side of the wall! After all the bullshit we've gone through to see fireworks this year, we end up right  next to them, wow. We are not only stunned, but amazed! Not only do we get the full treatment up close, the back wall of the grocery store bounces the sound right back at us and it it's loud enough to give you a punch in the guts and a kick in the ass! And it doesn't bother Anze the Dog a bit!

BLAM!

It took us forever to get out from behind the store and out of the parking lot. Everybody was courteous except the asshole in the old Bronco that obviously can't pass the emissions inspection, the exhaust stink was so bad, I had to roll up the windows, close the sunroof and turn the AC on recirculate so we could breath. We made in home with smiles on our faces, in bed and asleep by 11:30. A good 4th of July after all.