Life on the Vine

Knowing my geographic bachelorette status, my friends Steven and Ally invited me to spend New Years Eve with them.  I'm a bit of a homebody when it comes to New Years...sometimes Tom and I are in bed before midnight (sad I know but it's the truth). I just figured we'd be staying in...watching movies, eating food and drinking French champagne.  Which would have been enjoyable enough, but fortunately for me...Steven and Ally had other plans.  Usually no later than 10 p.m., they drive up to one of the U.S. military installations, which sits on a hill and has great city views, and watch movies and eat snacks, waiting for midnight. You have to see it to believe it but we witnessed pyrotechnics gone wild.   On New Years Eve private citizens all over town, and surrounding communities, launch personal fireworks from streets, yards, pedestrian bridges, parking lots, parks, etc...basically any place with a flat surface and aerial access.  There is nothing organized about