This past weekend was the Fourth, so I attended the annual party at Mike W.'s aunt's mansion. It was smaller this year and had fewer people present, which was a little disappointing, but I was glad to be invited regardless. Matt and a few others went to get fireworks earlier in the day - apparently Matt is a "preferred customer" or something at his local shady fireworks store, giving him the ability to BOGO any firework in the store. So he basically bought two of everything, which was great.

Anyway, he bought these M-86 firecrackers which were really powerful and quite loud. He kept saying they "had titanium in them" which was the reason for the noise. We used the firecrackers to blow up things like cans, glass bottles, food, and a Barbie doll (provided by Kara). Paul also used the flamethrower to torch the doll. I'm pretty sure he's a closet pyromaniac. At one point, one of the kids I didn't know decided it would be a good idea to lodge an M-86 inside the neck of a glass bottle and light it. The thing shattered the bottle, sending glass shrapnel flying everywhere. It was pretty tite/stupid.

When it got dark, the real fireworks show started and Matt, Paul, and Anderson set off some pretty large mortars and multiple-fire "bricks." At one point, one of the fireworks malfunctioned and a rocket blasted through the side of the case and exploded on the ground right by them. I can't believe no one got burned.

Later, people used the flamethrower to evaporate the water on the driveway to make designs. Mike W. began to draw something obscene, but then realized that the flamethrower was actually burning off a layer of dirt and the drawing would be visible even after the driveway dried off. He aborted the picture.

All in all, a fun party. I'll post pictures later tonight when I get home.