Labor Day Flashback

With the advent of Labor Day coming up it seemed only fitting to do the Labor Day BBQ thing. I had one of those chimney type charcoal starter thingies and if you add enough charcoal lighter fluid to it you can get some really tall flames shooting up incredibly high. (Kids, do not try this at home.) Not that I would do that, although charcoal, charcoal lighter and a grill always have the makings for a guy thing. Now, being safety conscious, I had the charcoal flames disappearing into the trees at least a foot below the tree branches a mere two to three foot high flames. At that time, my wife walked by on the way to the workshop. Now, she could have said “How’s it going Hon?” or “Nice big flames, they remind me of the torch I carry for you.” But, “don’t burn down the trees” was a potential moment killer. Now I realize that women never forget your mistakes, and I am sure she had in mind “The Great Bottle Rocket Fire of 85." In my defense how was I to know that an innocent bottle rocket fight would escalate into kin against kin bottle rocket Armageddon and grass fire…. Ok, to my wife’s credit, maybe we should have heeded her warning that day, and maybe 23 acres of brush and a two story house would not have been threatened. But to my credit no buildings were lost, just a little grass, and as far as chicken coops go….Well let’s just say if you have ever lived on a farm and butchered your own chickens, you know that the chickens have to be singed any way. Also to our credit the bucket brigade and the wet blanket handlers got the fire out eventually and the Orange Grove Volunteer Fire Department didn’t even have to get involved. As far as Great Grandma’s handmade quilt, it was very old and I don’t think it was going to last much longer anyway. Well then it was back to the task of grilling the burgers and the shrimp kabobs. Just so you will know, no trees were burned and I am pretty sure those tomato plants were dying anyway.

Thought for the day. When vultures fly, do they get one carrion bag free of charge?