Sunday, July 6, 2008, Nashville, TN., 5:40 a.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

How are you?? I'm still sore from the other day:  walked all over hell and creation, got the world's worst sunburn *OW*, and one hell of a bruise on my side from where a wayward firework shell smacked me while the fireworks were going off.  No firework inside; just an empty shell; but still--I wasn't expecting it.

Looks like a horse kicked me. And it feels like it too.  I wouldn't be surprised if a rib was cracked.

Ma said if the pain is still bad later on, she'll take me to the ER, have it checked out.  If I do have a broken rib, I'll probably have to have it taped, so I can breathe a little better.  Oh, I can breathe, just not really deep without pain.

It's annoying at best.

We went to the city's annual Fourth of July BLAST! (renamed Red, White, and BOOM!!), and it was fun.  When I wasn't riding the carnival rides, I was entering contests (didn't win, but it was fun trying!), and just generally being a pain in the rear.  LOL  Not really, but I was having a great time.  We saw the parade in the a.m., lasted two hours; they even had a military flyover (B1 bomber and some F-16s; that was cool).  Saw lots of my friends at the parade, had to see what was going on with them.

After the parade, we went to the downtown area, where the bulk of the activities were held; stayed there all day.  Ma and pa went to do their own thing; me, I did mine.  We'd meet for lunch or once for supper; other than that, I was entirely on my own, doing my own thing.  It was great not having the parental units in my hair!  I felt as free as a bird!

Ran into the Sandusky crew; kind of hard not to, seeing they have all those kids! LOL  They are all getting so big; I remember Arjun when he was just adopted from Sri Lanka, and also from when Emir first came from Iraq.  Now they're three and two; they've really grown up!  They have two more, twin boys, aged nearly eight months, and they are cuter than cute.  Names of the babies are Ian and Isaiah.

After running into the Sanduskys, I started my time on the rides; rode the TopSpin, Orbiter, Storm, the Bullet, and the Booster.  Got sick, but managed to keep everything down; just got extremely dizzy, had to take a break until the scenery stopped spinning in front of me.  LOL  Also, my stomach was jumping around like a wayward toadie. LOL

That I didn't throw up was a miracle, especially since beforehand, I chowed down a pizza.  Had to; can't ride rides on an empty stomach.  I'm kinda weird that way.  :S

About five, I met my folks for supper; I told them of my escapades; they said for me to stick with them, as the patriotic concert was to start in less than an hour, which it did.  Right on time.  It was cool; everyone was diggin' the patriotic music; it made me feel alive, happy to know that I was an American and was free to do as I chose instead of listening to a dictator or being in a war, fearing for my very life!

After the music was the biggie: the F I R E W O R K S!!!!  They were nothing but spectacular!!  Over 15,000 shells; it was like one big finale, especially near the end; it made my ears ring.  All those cool colors exploding overhead like flowers.  That's when I got kicked in the side with the mule (shell); ever since then, my side's hurt like mad.  Still hurts.  Nothing short of annoying!

Who'd ever thought I'd get injured by an empty firework shell?? LOL Only me, Stinko, would! LOL

Well, I am going to try to get back to sleep; not going to church this morning; hurting too bad. If it's not my side, it's my sunburn; I got toasted! LOL  I will write in here again another day; until then, take care and God bless!

~Love,  your friend, Stinko. :)