I managed to miss July 14th

Bastille day came in quietly and went out with a bang - literally, most of France was exploding with fireworks from dusk to well past midnight - I seem to have missed it all this year although Carole and Jack saw them at Pezenas, Clio was in Lyon where they have a fantastic show and Miranda was on the Mediterranean watching fireworks over the ocean.

The dogs and I were at home, me on the computer and the dogs were hiding in quiet dark places away from the bangs and bright lights.

I have never got into the spirit of July 14th - I like the free food and drink most towns put on and the parade in Paris is fantastic, the air of celebration and the tossing aside of inhibitions (more than is usual and that is saying a lot) can catch you up in a wild festive spirit - but the actual event (1789) seems to me to be an instance of a mob attacking an irrelevant and weak target. The clanging doors of terror they opened up still reverberate today.