Rocky Mountain Fireworks and Fur

I'm a firm believer in having that one job (or summer job) that helps you understand the value of hard work. Sure now I work hard, I just sit in front of a computer and use my brain, but I am talking about hard labor intensive work. That job for me was at a little (but famous) place called Rocky Mountain Fireworks and Fur. Jenn is sort of (by marriage in a way not really) related to the people who own it, so she worked there every summer since she was 16 I'm pretty sure, and it has had it's fair share of people that I know work there, but you can't really understand unless you've worked there. My first year working there I didn't really start until the 4th because they needed some extra people, I had been jobless all summer and was in deep depression until Jenn called me begging for help. So my adventures begin. There are SO many stories that happen that I wish I would have written them all down. The following years my little sister Mariah joined in the fun and that was even better. The worst part about it is during the week of the 4th you never sit down, and you don't know what the term "my feet hurt" even means. When people complain about their feet hurting I have ZERO sympathy for them. You honestly need a week to recover (or a wheel chair). Here are some of my favorite "stories" from working the 4th of July there. 


So Rocky Mountain is right off the exit of I-84, so we get a TON of business. Plus it has the best firework selection around. The line is always out the door to get into the "illegal" room. Anyway, we get all sorts of characters. My sister and Jenn also have good stories, but these are just some of the ones I remember:

"Where are your M-80's?" - This is a question we got asked at least every 15 minutes, what people don't realize is that is some serious dynamite and has been illegal for awhile, I mean they don't even make them to sell. Jesh people, what do you want to blow up?

"What is your longest firework" - customer, clearly meaning a long lasting firework
"Oh we have this firetruck over here, it's about this long (measure with her hands)" - Mariah
Funniest story ever. We still laugh about that.

"The field in on fire" - oh you know, burning weeds right next to the fireworks trailer isn't a good idea, and I'm sure there were swear words in there too. HA!

"It's in the trap trailer or try the stink room" - ok so this is also a trapping supply and fur trading store. Along with fireworks you can always buy fur, or lure for your animals. The trap trailer stored a lot of safe and sane things, as for the stink room, yup just that, a room that smelled like skunk and coyote urine.

"How do you get to Winnemucca?" - Everyone ALWAYS missed the turn to get to Winnemucca and have gone way too far, those oldies, trying to get to Nevada!

"DENISE" -high pitched voice... I know Jenn just laughed.

If you didn't get hit on my some old man shirtless in overalls who was drunk, well then you must not be female.

My boss offering me a Long Island Ice Tea, when clearly I could smell the alcohol a mile away.

Oh there are so many more stories and laughs, here are some pictures I found, I don't know why I didn't take more, probably because well I was too busy stocking those stupid Whistling Pete's...

 Some down time, remember when this song was popular?

 Nice hat Ry. Also that is a giant sparkler, and people would buy them thinking they were Roman Candles...

 See our awesome fireworks?!

Oh yeah... and Fur!

Happy Independence Day! Take a small moment tomorrow and be grateful that we can celebrate this birthday any way we want! Much love!