Labor Day Monday

[Lady Maverick]

Happy Anniversary Mr. & Mrs. Sherinjoy


Yesterday LO asked why we have a holiday called Labor Day. I stumbled around saying "to celebrate Labor". This morning I went looking for the answer at wiki.

Labor Day in the United States is a holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is a celebration of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country.
The equivalent holiday in Canada, Labour Day, is also celebrated on the first Monday of September. In many other countries (more than 80 worldwide), "Labour Day" is synonymous with, or linked with, International Workers' Day, which occurs on May 1.

To take advantage of large numbers of potential customers free to shop, Labor Day has become an important sale weekend for many retailers in the United States. Some retailers claim it is one of the largest sale dates of the year, second only to the Christmas season's Black Friday. Ironically, because of the importance of the sale weekend, some of those who are employed in the retail sector not only work on Labor Day, but work longer hours. Americans work in the retail industry than any other, with retail employment making up 24% of all jobs in the United States. As of 2012, only 3% of those employed in the retail sector were members of a labor union

In high society, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable to wear white or seersucker.

So to further explain to LO......we have a holiday celebrating labor that causes 25% of the people to work harder on that day. Clear as mud to me. However, any reason to celebrate is A-OKay with me.

How are you going to spend your Labor Day?

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Yes, you Americans have a strange way of 'celebrating' holidays. Think of how the 'family' holiday of Thanksgiving is celebrated!

Here, stores are shut except in tourist areas. No banks, no government office, no medical services beyond the ER (and for those already in hospital - but no testing and no regular rotation of the doctors.) Movie theatres are open, as are most restaurants. But aside from that, most everything is shuttered.

I'm up. The balloons managed to launch today and we could see 37 of the potential 48 of them at one time. They were to fly towards the Gatineau airport but the winds shifted and they blew over downtown Ottawa so I got some great shots of them over the Parliament buildings.

Unfortunately, it is a grey day at this point, so the the photos are a bit dull. Especially compared to the shots I took on Friday morning (but those were closer to me and it was a bright, sunny, day.) But it gives me hope that there will be an evening launch as well since it is their last chance. They've only got up 3 times so far. Even the on-ground event last night (the balloons inflated and illuminated but not flying) was cancelled due to winds.

New month but I'm not feeling optimistic at all. My weight is up dramatically since before our trip, although I don't think my eating patterns changed all that much (there were bad before, during and after the trip.) My poor capris this morning are busting at the seams since I bought them when I was 20+ pounds lighter. And I simply don't feel well.

My library books which I ordered 9 days ago have yet to arrive so my attempts at making changes seem stymied at every turn. When I ordered the books, I felt a sense of optimism and ability to try something new. In the week that has followed, all optimism has left me and I'm even deeper in despair about my health.

Poor dh didn't understand when I told him that I was feeling so unhappy. He took it personally. I had to point out that if he was uncomfortable day in, day out, and if he had to carry a 50 lb backpack around with him every second of every day perhaps he wouldn't be as happy as he could be. I get that I am blessed but that doesn't mean that I can be thankful for the extra 50 pounds and all the negative side-effects they carry.

It is haircut day tomorrow which traditionally means a trip to the chip wagon. So many of our routines involve totally unhealthy eating. And it means nothing to dh - he just doesn't eat lunch a following day and any weight gain from the pogo and fries magically goes away. It isn't as if I can choose something healthier when I order. There is nothing on the menu that is healthy or low cal since I can't have the diet Pepsi she sells. Oh, I guess I could order a water. But that's all she sells that I can have if I'm truly going to make a change in my eating. It isn't as if this is an anonymous food truck owner who will never miss us if we stop coming. She's watched the kids grow up, met their significant others, followed our travels, etc. So not going isn't really a good option - it is like saying to a friend, "I'm dieting now so can't hang out with you any more."

As for the haircut. I feel like I'm putting lipstick on a pig so really don't care about that either and would rather not go. Seems like a waste of money.

[DeeClutter]

Imagine it'll be fairly quiet here today as the general public gets ready for the end of 'summer'. Kids here start going back to school between Tuesday & Thursday.

Dh made breakfast on the grill this morning. Think that has to be the first time in a long while. He was obviously enjoying doing it.

Think I'll start the day by cutting up more of DS-A's papers. Think I can finish up today and then I can take the file bin they all were in, along with a few envelopes of records I kept (those from his payroll company). He can decide whether to get rid of those. I need to find out if they have a shredder -might make a good Christmas gift. Found out last night that they're leaving on vacation Oct. 9th for a week. So they'll be gone by the time I leave here. And I'm not sure about all that at this point. Dh said last night that the gal who was to ride with me to FL told him she'd go if I couldn't find anyone else. And I thought it was almost laid in stone.

Hope you're feeling more 'up' as the day/week/month goes on, Kathryn. My weight was also right back up there this morning. Did I really eat that much yesterday? Didn't think so. As a matter of fact I had to have a little sugar at 2:30 this morning. Could feel my BS was low -73. Also took a Benadryl at that point as I was very 'itchy'.

As a 'perhaps', I had read yesterday that solid deodorant was good for mosquito bites. I tried it last night and it seemed to work. How wonderful it would be to have something so handy that 'really' worked. I'm so bit up as are most people I know. Mosquitoes here are prevalent -as they are almost everywhere this year. All that rain we had.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I like going out with dh in mosquito 'weather' since they flock to him! That's a big advantage of the apartment, no mosquitoes on the balconies!

I'm going to start looking for my SAD light. No idea where it is and it might help with this stinkin' thinkin'. Mainly I just wanted to start trying something new and took steps to prepare for that and here it is the first of the month and I don't have the materials I need to make a change so I just want to sit down with a bag of chips and a Dr. Pepper and whimper.

[Nancy]

I need to finish up a bit of clean up in the kit. Floors need attn. Store run is needed to return jeans.
Net was not working here last nite.

Hens are out I had breakfast. Bs was up today. But not way up so that helps. I am thinking of plants for along the house. It is cooling off here at night a lot this week.
We have a plan for dinner & lunch.

[DeeClutter]

Finished cutting up DS-A's papers and put his bin and folders from his payroll company -in the car. Now I can drop that off to him and that'll be one more thing outta here. Now to get dh to bring me a bin of our own papers for me to go through. Have lots of pictures from dShelley's to go through and split up between the dgks and our own dks. I'm sure there's some they will want -at least dd.

Quiet day here at the campground. Lots of people revving up to leave. Dh said there was quite a line early this morning at the dump station for the 'weekenders'. He did have 1 call from people in the middle that their septic was full. He measured it Wed and they still had over 300 gallons to go. So that was a lot in the tank in about 3 or 4 days! Someone had to leave the water running or something, I would think. Usually much more careful than that when 'camping'.

Watching to see if we have any humming birds. Know they usually are gone just about Labor Day. So I'll watch carefully over the next few days, before deciding to take down the feeders.

[Harriet]

Happy Anniversary sherinjoy and dh

It is the first day of the month, so new monthly threads are popping up - wonderful tools to use.

New - The Cleaning Focus thread in our Organization and Simplification Forum

New - our Holiday Planning, 2014 thread in The Creative Home Forum starts today

From the ranks of those who avoid shopping on "Busy Shopping Days", I notice lots of relaxation around this holiday. However, those who don't get many days off TO shop may count on today, so maybe shopping is welcome for them. Most at church yesterday seemed to be grateful for the holiday, and some were traveling. I know the schoolchildren are grateful to have some time to recoup more than usual right after getting used to all new experiences in the next grade. Educators probably need the extra mental reassessing time, since the new year probably doesn't look the same after the first week of reality hitting.

[BookSaver]

DH and I had a picnic again yesterday, and I am totally fine with how that has become our new Sunday afternoon routine. When we drove through the camping areas, I was shocked at how many sites were empty. It's a beautiful park, I expected them to be packed full for the long holiday weekend.

I don't know what kind of sign that is about the local economy. Are people doing so poorly that they can't even afford to camp, or doing so well that they're going to more expensive activities?

There were crowds at all of the picnic shelters, though, so we had to search for an open table. I had hoped to take a short hike, but it was too hot and muggy.

Not sure what we're going to do today. DH just got up.

(Kathryn) ~ Don't skip your haircut, because that will result in you having to spend extra time to style your hair before work.

Does your friend at the chip wagon serve child-size portions, that you could take your own fresh fruit & veggies but still have your fried treat? Or pack a picnic basket with yummy food for you, pick up DH's order from the chip wagon to go, and search for a new park to enjoy the nice weather before winter hits.

Is there a public garden anywhere near you? Don't turn it into a physical activity that will cause you pain, instead just sit and listen to the birds, or take a gentle stroll and walk slowly enough to really look at how the plants are starting to change. I wonder if you might already be feeling the effects of not having your own yard and green space between you and your neighbors.

Obviously I have nature on the brain this morning -- probably because the new Holiday Planning thread has made me realize that we're going to lose our warm days here very soon!

[Ramblinrose]

Morning ya'll....

Oh Bookie, you beat me to it again I was going to suggest to Kathryn that she just pack a healthy meal and eat it while her dh enjoys his. Guess great minds think alike

Dee...I always recommend using solid deodorant for mosquito bites. Learned to do that many years ago when I was living in Orange Beach, AL. The ocean was 200 yards from my condo, and my condo backed up to the Ol' River which runs into the ocean. Those pesky mosquitos really like to make a meal of me and i have terrible reactions to their bites.

This explains why, but it may be more information than you really want to know...

Mosquito bites are caused by female mosquitoes feeding on your blood. Female mosquitoes have a mouthpart made to pierce skin and siphon off blood. Males lack this blood-sucking ability because they don't produce eggs and so have no need for protein in blood.

As a biting mosquito fills itself with blood, it injects saliva into your skin. Proteins in the saliva trigger a mild immune system reaction that results in the characteristic itching and bump.

Here are some other suggestions on how to stop the itching...
http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Mosquito-Bites-from-Itching

Since I am heading to the beach, I know I'm gonna be running into these pesky critters and bug spray is already on the very top of my shopping list

I am feeling better after a really bad day yesterday. My head still hurts but sometimes its just sort of "sore" the day after from battling my headaches. I need to get my tooties done today and then must stop at t arget to buy a strapless bra...oh hooray for that... not. I have a dress that I can now wear and will be taking it with me on vacation. The only problem is that its been so long since I've been able to wear it, I gave up my strapless bra years ago. Not I need to find something to keep my "girls" in place so I can wear the dress and not look inappropriate in it.

Hope ya'll get to enjoy your day.... cya'll later.

[DeeClutter]

I had seen some of those methods, RR, but there's plenty there. Everyone should have SOMETHING in the house that will work. As long as the deodorant works, I'll keep at that -at least I always know where that is. And I do try to wash off as soon as I get inside. Need to start carrying some alcohol wipes with me too I guess. I too have horrible reactions for a long time (like in days & weeks). I'm sure much is just re-irritating them.

We just went to get corn and now I'm inside and the AC is on. Sure we won't need it much more this year. I'll get things cooled off in here and then turn it off.