The Years Fly By

Happy Birthday!

Happy Labor Day

Who doesn't love a three-day holiday?

The symbolic end of summer has arrived. I don’t know why we celebrate the end of summer. I’m in mourning, plus we didn’t even have much of a summer this year. This was an unusually cold summer—at least here in Oregon.

Plus, why do we celebrate the return to school and the hurried life of families everywhere with baseball games, picnics, barbeques, hikes and apple pie—well that’s the traditional way to celebrate.

I prefer to spend my time in the garden and reading. After all, the “school” year is moving into full swing again and we’ll be rushing around from here on out.

Kids might feel a little depressed knowing this is the last weekend of summer vacation and parents might get a little depressed heading off to the store to pick up school supplies and clothes for the kids. But some people might find comfort in knowing Labor Day is the beginning of the NFL season.

Plus, we might want to remember to celebrate our fashion-forward-freedom. At least we don’t have to follow the same rules our parents did. Did you know, it used to be considered a fashion faux pas to wear white after Labor Day? Not today.

September 5, 1882 was the first Labor Day celebration in the United States and it started in New York City but it didn’t become a federal holiday until 1894.

It all started with the Pullman Strike and deaths of numerous workers. Labor Day was a way to end the conflict and help mend fences.

I say whatever reason we can use to have a three-day weekend, I’m all for it.

Anyway, I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY!

ENJOY THE JOURNEY

How long will it take
How much will I make

Are we there yet

When will I know
How far we must go

Are we there yet

When will I truly arrive
How will I ever survive

Are we there yet

I’ll put words on the page
No matter my age

Are we there yet

When does the journey end
Of a writer, parent, or friend

We are there now

There's Gotta Be More to Life

There's Gotta Be More to Life

In Memoriam

I've always been a dog person - not so big on cats...until Sparks. She was a smart cat--just look at her waiting for a feathered friend to appear.

Luke picked her out at the pet store. She was laying in the back of the cage, one big ball of fur--so calm and peaceful he just had to have her. The year was 1994 so he was only 5 or 6 at the time. And Sparks was always Luke's cat. Of course we all loved her but she was his favorite pet of all time.

Monday, Jacob found her. She'd gotten into a fight--probably with a raccoon during the night. And, Sparks probably thought she could take that raccoon because she was used to bossing two dogs around the house
but she couldn't. And, now we're all remembering . . .

SPARKS

Regift, Reclaim, or Regret...?

Have you ever gotten a gift for someone that they didn't like?

Well...I have, more than once. In fact, too many times to try to keep track of...and why would I want to keep a scorecard of my failures anyway...?

Anyway, I brought home a couple of skirts and a backpack for my daughter--from Paris, thinking she'd love and appreciate them because I thought they were OH-Là-Là

or oh-SO-AWE...dorable.

Not her.


After seeing them sit up in her closet with the tags still on them, I finally said, "If you're not going to use that backpack, I will."

She sorta shrugged like she couldn't care less. So, I've got a new backpack and my daughter has a little more room in her closet. Looks like we both win with this one.

September 1st - WHOO-HOO

Back-to-school is just around the corner: the official end of summer and with it is The Bike Commute Challenge here in Portland, Oregon. It's a friendly competition to see who can get the most people riding their bikes (or doing a "bike commute") to work during the month of September.

A "bike commute" can be:

* Riding both ways to work by bicycle
* Riding one way to work by bicycle (and the other way by any other mode)
* Riding part way to work by pairing biking with transit, driving or any other mode

I plan to be riding my bike to and from work and I'm hoping others will join me.