A Time For Everything

 

For the first time in years, I'm not spending the 4th of July selling fireworks...

Instead, I'm staying home, being around for Mom. Even though the reason isn't what I would have chosen, there are a few silver linings. Not spending two days on my feet for the better part of eighteen hours is one of them. Not driving home in the middle of the night after two eighteen-plus hour days and sleeping on a blow up air mattress is another. An extra day off from work is a third. :0) 

I will miss seeing the friends I've made though--shout-out here to Robin and Sarah who will never see this...

It's the end of an era and it's kinda sad. DH posits that fireworks will be banned in the state of Texas (maybe the nation) within a decade due to the constant / increasing drought conditions--at least in terms of being available for purchase by all and sundry to light themselves. I'm sure fireworks shows will live on.

Well...

That got kinda maudlin and that wasn't my intent.

I hope you've enjoyed your long weekend as I have enjoyed mine.

Take care and catch you next Monday!

Have a wonderful, fun, safe day, whatever you're doing tomorrow.

Y'all know what I'm doing today and tomorrow...

Catch you on Monday.

I saw this tee shirt on Facebook and it made me laugh, so I thought I'd share it with you.

In the same spirit, there's these:






Have a great and safe Treason Day. Catch y'all on Friday.

Of course, the 4th we were busy selling fireworks, but we found a place to go shoot a show and so here is some photographic evidence that we did get to celebrate, albeit a day late...

First off, however, I generally try to purchase a new tee shirt for the occasion and this is what I found this year...I couldn't not buy it.

This is going to be a crazy week, what with Fourth of July on Friday, so I'm going take a vacation from blogging this week and I'll be back next Monday.

Have a great week and a wonderful holiday. Be safe!

Oh, yeah, I was going to talk about our 4th of July--it was super crazy busy. And when I say the 4th, I really mean the 3rd and the 4th as that's when I'm there helping out. The selling season begins June 24th and ends midnight on the 4th....

So DD and I went down to the store Wednesday, the 3rd. It was 2:30ish by the time we arrived and had to pretty much jump right into the fray. DH had hired five other workers bees and they were busy selling, selling, selling. DD and I brought two more helpers besides ourselves.

By three p.m. we were all in and we didn't slow down until close to midnight, when we lock the doors for the night.

Our biggest competition used to be another indoor store just up the block on the corner, and because of the placement of the exit ramp, people would blow right by our store and see that one first. Then they'd stop in on their way back by and say, "I wish I had stopped here first, your prices are cheaper." ARGH!!

Two things conspired in our favor, beginning last season.

One: they guy on the corner had to sell quite a few of his stores after the fireworks ban (as opposed to a burn ban, though those were in effect too) in 2010. He buys/bought his inventory straight from China. Because of the ban no one could sell, and subsequently he didn't make the money needed either to pay off what he owed for inventory or to buy more inventory for the next season. The chances of the ban were very high and we bought only what we could pay for out of pocket and we buy locally. The other guy, however, has to buy nine months in advance. No way to know about a ban that far out.

Now I'm not happy for his unfortunate circumstance, I'm really not, but I can't help be glad for our change of same.

Two: because of all the road construction around the state and the fact that I-35, right off of which our store is located, is being widened, the exit was moved a mile or so south from its original location.
This means potential customers are going much slower by the time they reach us and can actually see us.

Last Christmas was our first season without competition. In addition, DH rented the billboard space right above the exit *and* took out a half page ad in the Thrift Nickel. We doubled our best Christmas season. Fast forward to 4th of July where we generally do 2/3 more business than at Christmas. Yikes!

Okay, I'm getting tired of my topic now, and I bet you are too, so let me just say there were people in the store on the 4th from about 9am until midnight. We had (and I'm not exaggerating) a 30 to 45 SECOND respite at about 11:30ish (pm). The remaining customer walked out and I looked at someone and said, "Can you believe there's no one in the store." And not but a moment later another customer walked in, and we had at least one customer in the store until midnight.

HOLY SMOKES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best summer season ever. And last season we were able to pay off the person we bought the store from, so that huge expense is finally gone!

If only we could use our profits for getting out of debt, however, we're being audited, so we need to save it all in case we have to pay. Ugh! But watch out next season! We'll be well on our way to becoming debt free!!


Here are some of our helpers:

The title of this post is the instructions on many many fireworks. As you know, we sell fireworks. The reason we sell them is because we used to shoot them. The title also became a joke during the show. Not that you shouldn't get away after you light the fuse, however! Safety first, always.

No one else around here decorates for the 4th, but me. I'm the lone house with red, white, and blue paraphernalia draped all over. But that's okay!

Today, I'm preparing to head south to help DH man the store. I do miss the olden days when hubby just spent thousands of dollars on the fireworks and prepped everything in my living room, and then we went someplace and had us a three hour show, hanging out with friends and family, and actually celebrated the day. Oh, well... Maybe one day soon. For now, I leave you with these...



Have a safe and happy 4th, y'all.

It's that time of year again... You know--the 4th of July. In our house, thoughts turn to fireworks in April when it's time to begin preparing for the season (June 24 to July 4). Inventory needs to get re-done, orders placed, plans made, general preparations for DH's time away.

And now it's time to decorate the house! My bedroom is perpetually decorated, since we went with a red/white/blue theme, and the kitchen's getting there...blue paint, white counter tops, and red dishes and curtains. :)

Last night, I put up the bunting and the window clings and the flag/star banner. Woo hoo! I need to see if I can find some more garland though. (I really love that stuff!)





And you remember my planter I got for my birthday right??


We used to shoot off huge shows...hours-long shows with huge finales, but now we're selling, so DH and Sonshine have the store open 8am to midnight every day for eleven days. The girls and I usually pitch in the last two days since those are the biggest selling days. I miss the days of the shows.


Do you have a 4th of July family tradition? Do you watch a fireworks show somewhere? Do you put on your own?? Do share!!

It's been a crazy couple of weeks and I'm definitely ready for my life to return to normal.

The Fourth of July was not as busy as we'd hoped, which also translates into not as profitable. :( Usually the 3rd and the 4th are the *big* selling days and they still were this year, but since they fell on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, they were slow in comparison. And I mean really slow. Two years ago, we had customers pretty much from four pm until midnight. Not so this year.

We also thought the weekend just prior would be busier as well, since many people would probably celebrate then, but it wasn't as busy as we'd hoped or expected either.

We haven't counted the money yet, but when all is said and done, we'll be in the hole. I won't go into a lot of detail, but something's gotta give or we may as well sell the store and go back to just buying and shooting fireworks for our own enjoyment. Even at several thousand dollars a year, it'd be much less hassle and a lot more fun.

A few pics from the store...

We all sleep in the store bedded down on air mattresses:



On the 4th, I caught a catnap on the shelf under the counter:



Had I a blanket, I would have been quite comfy and could have slept much longer. I did get a bit of sleep, though; enough to keep me going through midnight and the 2-hour drive home.

We had someplace we had to be yesterday morning and I ended up taking the day off work. I guess I really needed it. After two weeks of going, going, going, I had worn myself out. After DH and I got home, we both took a nap--and I ended up napping for five hours when all was said and done. It felt so good, let me tell you.

There's no rest for the weary, however. Or very little. Sonshine turns back into Marching Band Boy next Tuesday, so I'll have to don my Band Booster president hat once more.

Speaking of weary, it's going to be a long day. After staying up an hour past my bedtime--which I only did because I'd napped--my dogs woke me up at 2:30ish. I tried to ignore them, hoping (against hope) that they'd settle down eventually, but I finally had enough and rolled out of bed shortly after 3. Yes, AM. This has been ongoing for months now and, let me tell you, I'm wicked weary of it.

I let them both out and then in again, hoping that was all they needed. But no. It turned out one water bowl was empty and the other was in the garage and the door was closed. Once that was rectified, there was still whining and carrying on. And then eventually a big puddle of puke. So after mopping that up, finally, they settled down.

I was hot and awake, so I went back to the book I'd stayed up late to keep reading. It's called Scarlet, written by A.C. Gaughen. It takes the Robin Hood legend and turns Will Scarlett into a girl masquerading as a boy. It's a really well-written, fast-paced read and I'm quite enjoying it.

And now, I've got to get some work done today, though I do think, I'm leaving early to catch another nap and get a start on my weekend chores. I have a feeling it's going to take me longer than usual to get them done.


I hope I didn't come across too whiny, but I am tired. Monday will be better. Have a great weekend and see you then.

 
Go out and celebrate! Shoot some fireworks. Have a great time and celebrate our country: the lad of the free and the home of the brave.


Sure we have problems. A lot of them. But, you know, we really still are the most free nation on planet earth.

The following picture, while not one of mine is what I see when DH shoots off his finale. The sky is filled with sound and color and smoke. If they seem close enough to touch, it's because they almost are. The air reverberates with the thundering of hundreds of artillery shells all going off at once. It's quite something.

Today, we celebrate America's 233rd birthday.

I hope your day is filled with family, friends, food, and tons of fireworks!!!

I wish I knew where some of my videos of our fireworks shows were--I'd share one with to get the day started right. But since I have no video, here's a picture, at least.

God bless America!