Labor Day Thanks

It’s the first Monday in September, which has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1894, to celebrate American Workers.  Before its creation, many workers worked 12-hour days, 7 days per week for basic living expenses, sometimes with children working in the factories also.  Traditionally, Labor Day is a relaxed day to either travel before the school year gets intense, spend time with friends, or to have a last blast of summer activities, such as the pool and cooking outside.

This year, Mr. H. and I had the day off from work, and we had time to catch up on some household tasks we had wanted to finish for a while…with a house and a garden, there’s always something, car washing, weeding, pruning and gathering, touch-up paint.  We grilled some burgers, spent some extra time with the dogs, and went out for enchiladas (without the dogs).  We talked on the phone (or texted) with our daughters.  One daughter had gone to a party with friends.  We are thankful for having these choices.

The real heroes of Labor Day are the people who today, in 2018, still work those 12-hour shifts, meeting the needs of those of us who are fortunate enough to have the holiday off work.  Thank you to all the Police, State Patrol, Nurses, Doctors, Hospital and Clinic Staff, Fire Fighters, Highway Workers, and Emergency Response who work or stay “on-call” during holidays, keeping us safe or helping those who need help.  Thanks also to all the folks who work in stores or restaurants on holidays, often so cheerfully.

To all of you who read this blog, Happy Labor Day, and best wishes for the rest of 2018!