Happy Birthday!

Fireworks

Since no one else has said it on here, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the U.S.A.!

I hope everyone keeps safe today and tonight. Don't go blowing any fingers off, it makes it too hard to play pool! And, PLEASE take a minute or two to think about all those that have sacrificed so that we can have the country we do have!

It was 1967 and I was celebrating a holiday by exploding fireworks. My specialty was throwing Cherry Bombs in the air, trying to see how high I could make them explode.

After many successful attempts, one Cherry Bomb didn't light quite so well and instead of sizzling, the flame just kind of went up the fuse of the Cherry Bomb. Realizing that this could be dangerous, I moved quick as a mongoose and tossed the Cherry Bomb into the air, only a split second too late.

I lost the feeling in my hand and went into shock. I ran into our family home bathroom and turned on the cold water, watching the blood fill up the basin. For some reason, I could see the blood but I could not count my fingers so I called my mom who was a tough country girl to come count them for me. She counted and they were all still there and told me so but wanted to hit me upside my head for being so stupid but she like me was just glad that I hadn't lost more than all of the skin from my fingers and palm. Several weeks passed and during that time I had to wear my hand in a plastic bag to protect the hand. Took a lot of antibiotics and the skin eventually grew back and yes , I still have fingerprints, although it took a while for them to come back. My school work suffered a bit and migh opposite hand writing was the pits but it was a lesson learned and no, I never lit another Cherry Bomb again.
 
It was 1967 and I was celebrating a holiday by exploding fireworks. My specialty was throwing Cherry Bombs in the air, trying to see how high I could make them explode.

After many successful attempts, one Cherry Bomb didn't light quite so well and instead of sizzling, the flame just kind of went up the fuse of the Cherry Bomb. Realizing that this could be dangerous, I moved quick as a mongoose and tossed the Cherry Bomb into the air, only a split second too late.

I lost the feeling in my hand and went into shock. I ran into our family home bathroom and turned on the cold water, watching the blood fill up the basin. For some reason, I could see the blood but I could not count my fingers so I called my mom who was a tough country girl to come count them for me. She counted and they were all still there and told me so but wanted to hit me upside my head for being so stupid but she like me was just glad that I hadn't lost more than all of the skin from my fingers and palm. Several weeks passed and during that time I had to wear my hand in a plastic bag to protect the hand. Took a lot of antibiotics and the skin eventually grew back and yes , I still have fingerprints, although it took a while for them to come back. My school work suffered a bit and migh opposite hand writing was the pits but it was a lesson learned and no, I never lit another Cherry Bomb again.



Happy Birthday USA!:happy-birthday:

I give many thanks to all that have served and given so much that we may enjoy and cherish our FREEDOM!


Joey , I too as a very young boy almost had a terrible encounter with a cherry bomb, they looked almost like the old smoke bombs you would lite and hold in your hand.

Well I was at this old store with old people running it, they sold cherry bombs and smoke bombs, unfortunately a cherry bomb had gotten mixed up with the smoke bombs, I bought 4 or 5 smoke bombs and was having a good time along with my friends shooting fireworks and such, along came my brother Calvin as I was lighting the last of what I thought was the smoke bombs.

He grabbed it out of my hand as I lit it and tossed it away, it blew a very large hole in the ground, I was horrified, I am to this day thankful for my brother's quick actions.

We told the store owners what had happen and they never sold another smoke or cherry bomb.


David Harcrow
 
Happy fourth guys. We had our Canada day Friday and now its your turn.
Hope that the weather is great where ever you are, the bar b cues tasty,
the drinks cold with lots of family and close friends to enjoy it with.
And also hope the fireworks are spectacular too.

Damn Canuck government. We can get wimpy fire works kits here but no fire crackers anymore. I'm 53 and still love to get my mitts on some crackers when ever I can. I've been to a few fire work stores in my travels driving truck and I am like a kid at Christmas time.
 
Happy fourth guys. We had our Canada day Friday and now its your turn.
Hope that the weather is great where ever you are, the bar b cues tasty,
the drinks cold with lots of family and close friends to enjoy it with.
And also hope the fireworks are spectacular too.

Damn Canuck government. We can get wimpy fire works kits here but no fire crackers anymore. I'm 53 and still love to get my mitts on some crackers when ever I can. I've been to a few fire work stores in my travels driving truck and I am like a kid at Christmas time.

The city won't let us shoot fireworks where I'm at:frown:I wish I still lived back in the country!
 
Happy fourth guys. We had our Canada day Friday and now its your turn.
Hope that the weather is great where ever you are, the bar b cues tasty,
the drinks cold with lots of family and close friends to enjoy it with.
And also hope the fireworks are spectacular too.

Damn Canuck government. We can get wimpy fire works kits here but no fire crackers anymore. I'm 53 and still love to get my mitts on some crackers when ever I can. I've been to a few fire work stores in my travels driving truck and I am like a kid at Christmas time.

Back at ya and to the rest of our friends up north. I also grew up playing a dangerous game with many types of fireworks and I am still sporting the scars to show for it. M-80's and cherry bombs were the big dogs but inch and a half Black cats and even lady fingers were tons of fun. I don't even want tell you guys what we used to do with pop bottle rockets:eek:.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA!!!
 
By chance did frogs have anything to do with it?

A nasty trick some of the boatswain's mates I knew (back in the USN) used to do, because seagulls were universally despised by these guys: pull the stick off of the bottle rockets, light the engine, and while the fuse is still burning, immediately throw them up to some hungry seagulls flying overhead over the fantail of the ship. Result: instant whistling sideways-spinning pinwheel followed by a <pop!> with a burst of feathers.

Cruel, cruel, cruel, I know. But one knew better than to challenge a p!ssed off boatswain's mate.

-Sean
 

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