31 Ways to Have Fun This Summer

...or Big Boom Fun!

I've been giddy all day. Last night when I got home from work there was a note on my door that UPS had tried to make a delivery. I have so many things on back order, I wasn't exactly sure what it was, but I had a good idea. So I made my trek out to the UPS depot to pick up my packages. (I had received another notice earlier this week, but I knew I had more packages coming. I had them hold it for me so I only had to make one trip a week).

What is really funny was the guys reaction when I went to pick it up. I went in to the office and told the guy I was there to pick up two packages. He got my information and went looking, he was gone for a while, and I started getting worried that UPS had lost my package. (I have a strong dislike of UPS, I'll post on that another time.) The guy comes walking back in empty handed.

UPS boy, "Umm, Sir, was this a big package that was shipped to you?"

Me, "It shouldn't be. They should be a replacement part for a musket and 25 pounds of black gun powder."

UPS boy (looks at me blankly)

UPS lady pops out of back office before boy has a chance to say anything, "Boy's name, you wont find that in the truck, it should be at the base of the steps on the outside of the vehicle. We didn't want it getting jostled or bumped around. Just in case"

UPS Boy goes to look for powder, I think to myself: Black powder wont go off just being jostled or bumped, if it did I'd have blown up 10,000 times by now. eh, better safe then sorry I guess.

UPS boy comes in carrying package. Drops on counter from three inches up. Looks up wide eyed as he realizes he just dropped a package marked "Black Powder for Small Arms. EXPLOSIVE!" and multiple red and white hazmat stickers that say "Flammable Solid". It was rather amusing. I laughed carrying the box all the way to the van that held my family and most of the ride home. It was funny.

When I got home, it was like opening the Ark of the Covenant... a bright light shown down from the heavens, reflecting off of the tops of 25 polished cans of black powder. I pulled them out to separate them. I just had to take a picture of them to share with all of you. As well as my newly repaired Brown Bess Musket (Foreground) with new extra-strong main spring, My Queen Ann Pistol (Front), My Murdoch (Back), My Cohorn Mortar (Black artillery piece in the middle) as well as my favorite powder horn, which I discovered was full. Plus two pounds of powder I had left over from last season. So here you go folks. I hope you all appreciate this picture as much as I do.


Click to enlarge


Oh, and the bidding on the powder begins at $11.00 a pound! (GRIN).