Happy Fourth of July to everyone on our blog and other blogs. The Turleys held our annual Fourth of July celebration with fireworks last night (tonight we are going to see the Washington fireworks). We had a ball at the end of our street with our neighbors in a perfect celebration of our Independence Day . . . apple pie, burgers, and a huge box filled with fireworks.

Leslie serves as the adult supervision on these occasions. I am known to have an insatiable appetite for fireworks. This year, I pulled into a huge warehouse in Pennsylvania and purchased some really amazing fireworks (though Leslie made me put back the commercial quality mortars etc). This place looked like a Russian blackmarket arms bazaar. I am very careful, however, and I hope everyone exercises great caution for a safe holiday.

We have already seen our annual stories of terrible accidents.In one report, a man in Long Island, N.Y., had his arm blown off at the shoulder after he fired a mortar firework. Eric Smith, 36, was using a 3-foot metal tube to launch the fireworks near his home when he leaned over the explosive.

I hope that everyone has a fun time this weekend to celebrate our Republic.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!