My parents bought the house they are in awhile ago. I was not born in that house but it is the only house I ever knew as a kid. So, like many folks, they paid for it month after month for what seems like an eternity. Just in the last few months they made their final payment and are now mortgage free.
We were in PA for a party (more on that another day) and had a little time to hang out with an old friend. You see, my brother was also in for this party so it was a pretty cool opportunity to hang out with a guy that we have both known since for as long as we can remember. Jefé(as we will call him here…to protect the innocent) has been a great friend, especially so to my brother. They went to school together since kindergarten (I went with Jefé’s sister since we were in kindergarten).
Anyhow, Jefé found himself in possession of a small cannon. Yes, a literal cannon. My parents had their paid-off mortgage papers, we had access to a cannon…do you see where this is going? Isaac, my brother and I spent the day target shooting with Jefé, so the cannon as grand finale was a perfect end to the day. Right after dark, Jefé loaded the cannon with powder and my Mom stuffed the mortgage down into the muzzle.
We stood around anxiously waiting for the fuse to burn down. It was only a few seconds but the excitement we all shared was so awesome! The cannon fired sending flames and smoke and the remnants of the mortgage flying through the air. The mortgage had met its match and lost!
;
Click here for a sideways video of the cannon (my software to rotate it properly is messed up…but you will get the idea!)
I can’t wait until my mortgage is paid off. The few seconds of excitement blowing Mom and Dad’s away was so much fun. I am sure they are relieved and proud and relieved. Honestly, every bank should be required to supply a cannon to folks when they pay off their mortgage. There is such celebration when you sign on for a mortgage but the best part usually goes by without even a mention. Not me dear friends…a cannon will be a part of many important celebrations in my life!
(By the way, shooting a cannon is incredibly dangerous so DO NOT try it on your own! You can’t pay off your mortgage if you’re dead!)
When I first read that you were shooting the mortgage out of a cannon, I thought you were referring to the 44 magnum!
A good and proper send off!
Congratulations to your parents… what a triumph!
(Love your warning.)
Now that is the way to celebrate! I can’t imagine how light and airy your parents feel with no mortgage : )
what a wonderful feeling that was, especially having our family with us. The best weekend in a long time. Thanks to all for making it so great. Love you.
Boy, I’m glad I wasn’t there and am officially innocent in all that occured. As an aside, I’ve already checked with the local machinist, Jefe’s design will soon be instituted in a more local version. Not that I’ll ever fire it…
The weekend was so much fun, I’ve got 100 comments lined up… 1000 rounds into a 10 foot section of dirt…
Good thing we hit the target (the dirt) and not those pesky orange roung things…
With that much noise, how did the neighbors get by without hearing protection?
Perfect catch with the camera, the shadow from the ejected shell, looks like a new mole. Should I have it checked?
Why doesn’t everyone have a cannon?
Do you see the explative deleted eating grin on mom’s face?
Why didn’t you play more of the video to hear everyone cheer? The excitement is palpable.
Again, why doesn’t everyone own a cannon?
Many more….
Ah the joys of canoniering. I made 2 when I was in High School shop class. One was a 12 gauge made from tool steel set in a naval carriage and the other was a .30 caliber brass imitation of a civil was cannon.
Both were fun to shoot. The civil war wooden field artillery carriage didn’t stand up to the test firing and was later added to a heavy naval carriage also. That test firing was stupidly made with rifle powder instead of black powder and sent the barrel back 100 feet and launched the cigarette filter wadding 3/4 of a block away where because of the extra long fuse it hit my dad’s windshield and got caught under the wiper blade as he was driving into the rear entrance of the trailer park we lived in. The beautifully handcrafted mahogany and brass carriage was in splinters, one of which painfully found it’s way into my leg. So yes shooting a cannon can be very dangerous. Especially if you don’t know what you are doing. But the lesson taught me to use a heavy naval carriage on the 12 gauge one and to use BLACK POWDER only when shooting a cannon.
After 35 years of use, especially on the Fourth of July, I finally passed them on to my son.
” every bank should be required to supply a cannon to folks when they pay off their mortgage”
LOL!!!!
Yeah Brother, why doesn’t everyone have a cannon??
This is such a Warren-ish thing to do!
Congratulations to your folks! Being mortgage free is a beautimous thing!
How did I miss this?!
Congratulations to your parents! It must be a load off their minds and pocketbooks.
Warren, I’ll bet if you think real hard, you can think of a reason to blow stuff up. You don’t need to wait til you pay off your mortgage.
Ed – the 44 magnum is a cannon…luckily my arm/hand is on par with my wallet because the ammo hurts a good bit to buy too!
brother – yes to all of your questions!