An Anoka County 4th of July

Happy 4th of July! Nothing quite compares to an all American 4th of July now does it? I’ve spent every July 4th celebrating with family and friends for as long as I can remember. I’ve watched fireworks going off over Norfolk, Virginia; Gills Rock, Wisconsin; the National Mall in Washington, DC; over the Potomac River in Mt. Vernon, Virginia; and at the fairgrounds in Neillsville, Wisconsin. Last night’s celebration on our cul de sac with good friends ranks right up there as a grand celebration. I can safely add our Anoka County celebration to my list.

We decided the best way to make this a true Anoka County 4th of July was to sit in our lawn chairs in front of the open garage enjoying a pitcher of homemade mojitos with the music cranked from the garage stereo while the kids lit sparklers, snakes, and other relatively “safe” fireworks. (Is there such a thing?!)  To top if off, we moved the fire pit onto the driveway and set it ablaze with a blowtorch. Why even bother with matches when you have a blowtorch handy?

As soon as the sun set and the mosquitos swarmed around us, we set off the first of many illegal fireworks brought into Minnesota from that rebel state of Wisconsin. The kids lit their sparklers in the dark and ran as fast as they could when a projectile went off. We were very lucky this year as only one firecracker tipped over and spun madly about shooting off flames and fireworks into the assembled crowd. Sort of a Russian roulette effect added an element of drama and terror to the evening. Luckily no one was hurt. Now we know how those careless adults always end up in the ER  with burned fingers every 4th of July!

As I write on the evening of the 5th of July, I can hear the neighbors shooting off the remnants of the arsenals. Gotta love the 4th!