Labor Day..a holiday to honor the American worker. A well-deserved day off for many. The unofficial end of summer.
It's been such a humid and rainy summer, this is one year I'm actually looking forward to the crispness of fall. But for many, it's a sad time, the end of good weather, with a long, cold winter staring us in the face.
For me Labor Day brings back many memories, such as..
- Jerry Lewis Telethon- Always a staple of the Labor Day weekend. Watching Jerry late on Sunday night, then seeing him pretty haggard-looking on the holiday was always fun. Never knew who would be on the show. Ed McMahon co-hosted ever year. The best was the time Frank Sinatra arranged for Dean martin to appeared with Lewis. They had been at odds for years so it was nice to see them together again.
Surprisingly, I remember Lewis getting a lot of flak from the press about his attitude and intentions every year. True, Lewis could have a sharp tongue, bad thought he was more important than he was, using the pulpit of the telethon to pontificate and criticize.
But you had to give Lewis credit for wanting to do the telephone every year. He seemed to care.
- Start of school- Back when I was a kid we never started school before Labor Day. It was usually the Tuesday after the holiday. Getting new school supplies was a big deal. Didn't look forward to getting up early again but summer usually grew boring at the end, so it was fun seeing old friends and meeting new pals.
Memorial Day brought hope of a summer ahead. The 4th of July, always blazing hot, was generally the halfway point of summer. But Labor Day was like the finale, soon to be forgotten once the routine of school began and we realized it really wasn't that far until Halloween, Thanksgiving and the holidays.
- Cooler weather- Usually welcome after a hot summer.. Chance to wear comfy sweatshirts and hoodies again. Soon gone would be the easy, carefree days of going outside without a jacket. What I probably hated the most was it getting darker so early. It totally didn't kick in until we changed the clocks around Halloween, but Labor Day also marked a noticeable change in how bright the days were, and how soon night would arrive.
Sports- I love baseball, and Labor Day meant doubleheaders when I was a kid. It also meant a September pennant race, with the World Series not far behind. But when I think of Labor day I think of football. College games often start in August now, while the NFL kicks off their season around the Thursday after the holiday. Even basketball and hockey aren't far away. One of my favorite sports times of the year.
- September and Autumn- September is a transition month, alot like April, as the nights get cooler, the days are still warm, but the mugginess is gone. Hurricanes pop up in September. I love the leaves changing color. This year, with all the summer rain we've had, should be a vibrant season of color.
The music is memorable. Songs such as "September Morn" ( Neil Diamond), "September" ( Earth, Wind and Fire) and 'See You In September" ( The Happenings).makes the month one of the most musical.
Ah, the food! September brings more pumpkin-themed spices, foods and drinks. Earthy colors abound, such as oranges and yellows and browns. Apples abound. Trips down the Jersey shore are fantastic in September. Less crowded, the weather is still gorgeous.
One of my favorite things about September now is my dog, Bud. He was a rescue dog from Alabama, whom I adopted after mom died 5 years ago. No one knew when his birthday was, so I celebrated Bud's birthday the same day we met- the Saturday after Labor Day. ( When we first met he promptly lifted his leg and peed on my wheelchair, marking his territory already).
All in all, September isn't so bad. Not all doom and gloom, if only you look ay the bright sides of the wonderful month of September.
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