Geographically challenged.

I admit it; before I moved to the East Coast I didn't really know where all the states were. I knew South Carolina was in The South but I didn't know it was on the coast. It's the same way that my coastal friends think of the midwest - or the flyover states if they're weren't playing nice. They don't know exactly which states are which, but they know the general area. Tonight I told a lady at the gym that I was headed to Kentucky Lake for vacation. She asked where that was. I replied "Kentucky, south of Paducah." She gave me a blank stare and asked if it was close. Seriously? You don't know where Paducah is? She's excused - kind of - because she grew up on the east coast and so Kentucky is just another flyover state.

PS, I was nice to her and explained it was a little over three hours and was actually created by damming up the Tennessee river and was quite pretty. The lake at least, I've never been to Paducah.

PPS Kentucky lake is in a dry county so we have to bring all our booze and beer with us. It's kind of surprising we haven't been to Paducah since they have bars. Clearly we're well planned drunks!

Competitive fireworking

So I grew up in North County where we didn't have legal fireworks. But I've found that working in a city is very different from living there as a kid. The lunch table and after lunch discussion today was about fireworks. Not about what city has better ones - no. The discussion was Illinoisians talking about how dangerous fireworks are and who in their right mind would shoot them off or spend money for an hour long "show" of big fireworks. The opposing view was from people who live in Missouri but outside St. Louis, talking about how awesome fireworks are and how lame it is to go to public shows.

Having done both, I see both points. I haven't lived somewhere before where there's such a strong division between fireworks factions. Each group wanted to prove themselves right - and really was into their side of the arguement.

Seriously, is that all there is to talk about after a three day weekend? Boring.....

Fair St. Louis

Fourth of July always holds good memories for me. When I was a little girl, my parents and I would have sparklers and snakes and smoke bombs in the back yard until it got dark. Then our back yard neighbors would have real fireworks; he was the chief of police so no-one came to his house to enforce the fireworks ban from the county. We lived north of the city on the riverbluffs and I can still remember hearing the fireworks downtown start and my parents going with me up to the top of the hill where the quarry was so we could see the fireworks. We'd see the big flash and then moments later hear the bang; it's about 8 miles as the crow flies.

When I got old enough to drive I'd go with girlfriends - or sometime boyfriends down to see the VP fair. I can remember parking in some sketchy alley north of laclede's landing and walking down to see the fair. It was always so hot and no-one carried water bottles back then - I don't know how I didn't pass out. Then we'd sit down on the cobblestones on the riverside of Lenor K. Sullivan and you could feel the booms of the fireworks. They'd hit you right in the chest with percussive force. If the wind was wrong, you sometimes got hot embers too - wow!

I got to see fireworks from three different municipalities at a time when I lived in Des Moines. We'd sit on a hill above a local grocery store and watch for the fireworks. We got a little wet one year when the sprinklers went off!

In Charleston, I could see the Isle of Palms ones if I walked out to the salt marsh behind my apartments. The best year was the year my boyfriend borrowed a boat from the floating plant at the dredge and we watched fireworks on the harbor. We got to see several different shows before we brought the skiff back. Ours wasn't a fancy boat, but we didn't have to wait at the boat ramp to take it out and then wash it off before bed. Tres convenient!

I think it's interesting that the VP fair is now Fair St. Louis. I try to remember to call it that; but it's still the VP fair in my heart. With all the mystery of the Veiled Prophet from Khorassan and the pretty young ladies that I wanted to - but couldn't ever - be. This year I'm going to a friend's brother's house in St. Charles to watch fireworks that they've choreographed to music. It won't be the same as turning on KMOX while standing on the top of the quarry; but it'll be fun. Even if there's not an arch and I'm not in my nightie....