For the past 6 years my wife and I have worked a local fireworks stand with our cousins. It has been a wonderful experience that has generated a nice chunk of extra income every year but that is no more. Last year was the final run of this 20+ year old stand. This year I get to have a good ol’ fashioned 4th of July with family and friends.
Tonight James and I went to the warehouse of a friend in the fireworks distribution business and we spent a great deal of money buying fireworks at wholesale prices. We were like kids in a…well, in a fireworks store! Monday evening promises to be fantastic if our purchases of today have anything to do with it. We filled up the back bed of my truck to almost overflowing. It was fun, to say the least.
I also have 2 or 3 years worth of stockpiled fireworks…things I picked up while working the tent but never had a chance to fire off. I went through these bags this evening, lining everything up like I was a kid again, seeing my Independence Day swag in all its glory.
Its going to be a wonderful 4th of July celebration with friends both old and new. I can’t wait to watch the kids, and be one of them, if only for a few hours!
Are you going to launch all of your fireworks from your backgarden?
We’re launching them from the parking lot of James’ countertop business which is directly across the street from their house.
I figured you’d be posting about this!!! Pyromaniacs! James very proudly showed me all the loot last night! He was out there rummaging around for quite some time!
I am looking forward to it as well. The fourth of July is to James what Christmas is to me!!
I love the 4th. We have an old home video on VHS tape of a 4th of July celebration when our neighbors, The Hedricks, came over to party! I was probably only 8 or 9 years old. My dad had boots on and stuck sparklers in the toes & lit them while lounging in his lawn chair. What a great memory! Thanks Dad!
By the way, Abby, the celebration begins at 5 p.m. on Monday! If you don’t remember how to get to James and Julie’s you can meet us at our house at 4:15ish.
Or you can wait till it’s dark and follow air signals.
It’s my goal to be the biggest and loudest in the neighborhood.
You’re already that! 🙂
Mom and I are going to my cousin’s on the 3rd. He usually has quite an assortment of fireworks, but I believe you have him beat by far.
You are going to be fun!
ah, to live in a state where fireworks are legal!
not that we won’t have them anyway, but still.
I’m glad that we won’t have to dodge the law on Monday…it is sad that this one fun thing that we all did as children is now illegal or strictly limited in some places.
Wish we would be around Monday nite! I remember you kids putting the firecrackers under cans for more BOOM! How come we always had a sack of firecrackers left over every year? You kids spent alot of time out in the driveway that week. I don’t remember to many accidents-probably because I told you a million times to be careful!?? Have a great time!
That or we hid the accidents from you so you wouldn’t take our fireworks away! 🙂
I remember playing with army men and fireworks and having tremendous wars. That’s one of theose ‘kid’ things that I would love to do again…it would be so much fun!
I also remember shooting bottle rockets at each other when we were a bit older…not wiser, but older!
Man, I’m so jealous! The law’s a lot stricter down here in Texas.
Those were some of my fondest memories, fireworks season. Even working for Steve and the distro business, as hard as that was, the payoff was SOOO sweet.
Seems that so many of the former employees (my parents included) have love/hate feelings about the season now. I kinda miss it.
Fireworks are like apple pie, your pet dog, the flag, Mom, christmas, and Abraham Lincoln all in one!
Speaking of army men….I got some really cool parachute tubes that have action figures on them!
I can’t believe how much we have to shoot off Monday night.
Thank goodness for company checks!
Yes, Monday nights entertainment is provided by my company.
Man, can I come over to help shoot the stuff off?!
Get up here!
We start at 5pm sharp Monday.
Sweet! Let’s see, if I start driving at 7am… carry the one, divide by pi…. yep, I just might make it!
We’ll keep the food warm and the pro punks lit for you Rob!
Rob, you should drive up tomorrow and be here Monday and just drive back Tuesday.
I’ll call your boss for you.
I thought of you tonight, there were fireworks at a track & field meet. It was fantastic. I hope you have loads of fun Monday.
Thanks Anne, we certainly plan to…just have to pray that the scheduled rain passes us by this time.
Fireworks are so ageless. It turns everyone into a five year old, me included.
thought you’d be pleased to know that there was no shortage whatsoever of neighborhood street fireworks round here. it was nonstop; apparently this has been the best year for it since the 80’s–what happened to the rules? who knows? but my cat must have thought she was suddenly in a war zone–had to say with all those M80s going off in nearby streets & backyards, & all the flashes & colors reflected off houses, i felt a bit like that too…not that i’ve ever been in a war zone or anything.
ah, the americans’ time-honored tradition of Blowing Things Up. we’re all patriots with a fuse in our hand…