I love you. Thank you.

Happy New Year, everyone! It's officially Januar 1 2003 in all of Europe. And it's snowing in this part of the continent. It's been snowing and blowing all day. Large flakes are coming down and currently it looks like we've got 4 or 5 inches of snow and not much visibility for the fireworks.

In Norway, small fireworks are sold for New Year's Eve and folks set them off themselves. I've been watching my neighbors tonight. Sparks have literally flown through the air, most upwards and high, some directly at buildings and bushes. I took my picture of fireworks through my living room window.

I watched some kids mess around with what I assume were some of the cheaper types of firecrackers.

1. Light a firecracker in your hand
2. Toss it a good 20 meters
3. Watch nothing happen
4. Light a firecracker in your hand
5. Hold it a bit longer, make a friend yell "Throw it" at you
6. Throw it
7. See a red dot light up in the snow (kinda cool)
8. Make a small mound of snow
9. Light a firecracker in your hand
10. Place it in the mound of snow
11. Watch it explode into zooming green lights [Oh, so that's what it does]
12. Place firecracker in mound of snow
13. Light firecracker
14. Watch it try to escape as it goes off with some zooming green lights
15. Place a firecracker deeper in mound of snow
16. Light firecracker
17. Watch mound light up bright red from inside and then blow out a side with a FWOOMP.

That last one was pure comedy and gave me a big laugh. The first of 2003! What promise for the new year!