My fondest recollections of childhood July 4 celebrations were spent at my grandmother Lucille’s in Miami, Oklahoma. My counsins and I were each given about $25 to spend at the nearest fireworks stand (and in Oklahoma, that wasn’t far). After, we’d go back to the house and shoot them off to our hearts’ content. I liked burying Blackcats to watch the dirt fly when they exloded. My brother recalls how a local police officer showed up to remind my grandmother that this activity was illegal in the city limits. She told him to start writing tickets because her grandchildren were going to shoot fireworks. She and my grandfather were pillars of the community, so she got away with that kind of thing. I wouldn’t expect such flouting of the law to get a blind eye here in Durango. Capt. Micki Browning in her column Sunday discusses enjoying the holiday safely and responsibly. Fun as blowing a hole to China was, I don’t anticipate making the same opportunity available to my kids. But the grandparents may have other ideas.