For me, the 3rd of July was better than the 4th of July.

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July and for some of you who were not at Big Kev’s on the 3rd of July, you missed a great fireworks display. I would even say that it was better than the county display at the fairgrounds. Bratch and I went across the river to stock up and our friends hooked us up with about $750 to $800 worth of fireworks for a low, low price. Then on to Big Kev’s and after some of the best grilled meats you have ever tasted, courtesy of moi, we began the fireworks bombardment.

Brad and JoJo were the ones who were lighting all the bombs this year and it was an interesting time watching them dodge the fiery bursts coming out of the launches. What really made this year’s fireworks great was the fact that I believe that we, the crowd, sat too close. We go hit with shrapnel and flotsam and jetsam all night long. Also, we had a few new ones that we hadn’t tried before and I actually thought about fleeing the scene when one display had spinning fireballs that seemed ready to hurtle into the crowd at any moment.

We had a huge crowd for the fireworks and lots of kids, which also meant lots of kids freaking out. Some had to watch from the inside or about 100 yards away from the rest of us. Scattered throughout the beautiful showers of sparks were loud blasts coming from what is usually referred to as Small Festival Balls, although, this year we got a different kind.

For those of you who do not know what Small Festival Balls are, they are these tiny little balls of what can only be described as dynamite that shoot into the air and just explode. No pretty lights or sparks, just the loudest explosion you will ever hear. These things are dangerous and we have done experiments to prove it. Many a duck decoy and trash can have lost their lives in these experiments. This year there was a different set of these balls. We were told they were louder, but they weren’t, they were just as loud though. The big difference was that as they shot into the air, they had a nice colorful trail behind them, unlike the regular Small Festival Balls which had no trail and could be easily spotted as the shot out of the launch. I admit that I jumped several times as they exploded in amongst a group of colorful shots.

There is a short description of the festivities and if you haven't noticed, behind Christmas and Thanksgiving, the 4th is my favorite holiday. Mixing a little danger and a lot of fun and I am sure it is your favorite too. After the fireworks, this led to the many tales of danger and stupidity my family and friends are famous for when we get out hands on illegal fireworks. The destruction of federal property, the scaring of old ladies and their grandchildren, the near explosion of a white Chevy Blazer, not to be confused with the near explosion of a small town gas station are legendary throughout the USA, if not in our own minds. If you thought Tales of Halloween Mischief were interesting, then you just don’t know my crew. Maybe I’ll let you in on some of these stories, assuming the statute of limitations has expired.