Land of the Free, Home of the Doggy Downers

Independence Day is two days before my birthday.  (Yes, this is a blatant reminder to family and friends not to forget.  My self-esteem can't take a "Sixteen Candles" kind of birthday).  When I was a kid, we used to go to a suburban fireworks display with my aunt and my cousins.  I had a very healthy ego and thought for years that people were coming to see fireworks not to celebrate the birth of our nation but rather to celebrate my birthday.  I used to go around thanking people for coming.  Now I think that borders on child actor obnoxious, but I've been assured it was very cute.

This year, I am at home because my dog is a lunatic and freaks out for hours after hearing any loud noise.  A couple of weeks ago, some kids were throwing Snaps down the block and Cooper shook uncontrollably for hours.  You should see how he reacts when the Chicago Marathon runs past my building.  If I could somehow harness his nervous energy, we could keep the Las Vegas strip lit up for several nights.

Anyway, he is thoroughly medicated and loopy, so hopefully that will do the trick.  I'm also bird-sitting for my sisters' cockatiel, who is twenty years old.

Please note Coop's glazed eyes.  I think he's seeing fireworks that have nothing to do with the 4th of July.

Hope everyone has a great day!  If you're like me, you get goosebumps listening to "I'm Proud to be an American" and your sisters make fun of you and call you a hillbilly because of it.  I bet you don't offer to sit at home on a holiday with their birds, though.  That takes a special kind of crazy.