A wonderful Holiday Weekend is upon us. The celebration of Labor Day has many different fingers, but it is almost always a good time. Included among various paths are the end of traditional summer, back to school for the kiddoes, cookouts and family get-togethers, and every two years, including this one, the beginning of the political season. The weather is expected to cooperate this year, too. After some possible shower activity in some areas Saturday, Sunday and Monday look to be nice and sunny.
I like to avoid commenting on politics as much as possible during weekend posts, but Friday’s events will cause me to mention national scene. This is, after all, a weekend like no other before. We have a black presidential nominee and a woman vice presidential choice. I’ll save that for the end, though.
This weekend is the traditional end of the summer season. Actual summer will continue for another three weeks, but this ends that which Memorial Day began in May. Many folk who own lake camps will be generally buttoning them up for the winter. They may get a couple more visits, but “the season” will be over. Quiet peace will once again return to Maine’s lakes.
Some schools have already opened for the year and the rest will be welcoming students during the coming week. I saw a television news program a few days ago that showed cars driving at normal speeds through school zones. There was a policeman there directing traffic, but many of the motorists were oblivious to the walking students. I mention this only to remind you that schools are either open or opening and the streets around them will be teeming with students. School zones do have considerably reduced speed limits, especially when children are present. I hope you have adjusted your driving to accommodate students going to and coming from school.
Amusement places like Old Orchard Beach and other fun time places will shut down after this weekend. Many, and including OOB, will open weekends for some activity. Speaking of Old Orchard Beach Gator Wife and I took our annual trip there a few days ago to walk around to see the sights, enjoy some French fries, incredibly expensive onion rings, and a slice of pizza. We came home with a totally negative opinion this year. The fries and the pizza were reheated and the nine rings simply weren’t worth the price.
But the biggest disappointment was what we felt was an eyesore in the middle of town. A huge, monstrosity of a building completely overshadows the place. I’m sure the town officials, the building owners and the year round residents love having it there and consider it beautiful for the taxes it generates. But these two visitors found it overwhelming and ugly. The locals would probably tell us that if we don’t like it, don’t come. That’s a simple idea to consider next year.
Like many families, Gator Daughter will visit us this weekend and we’ll be enjoying our cookout feast. I’m not sure if that will be Sunday or Monday but Gator Wife is scheduled to work at her part time job on Mondays. If she indeed does put in a full day, we’ll have our cookout Sunday. GD will also be here Saturday so she and GW can have some fun playing in the gardens. I completed my weekly mowing Thursday, but I may put the bagger attachment on the mower and do a quick vacuuming of what is becoming a lot of hay.
Finally, Monday is Labor Day. I remember when the political parties used this day to gather the faithful to various parks for a big hamburger, etc., feast and make the political speeches that they hope will propel them to town governments or the state legislature. The candidates for national office usually stopped in, too, to make pleas for a case for their elections. I think, though, that’s a tradition that’s long passed, but, nevertheless, the campaign season will begin.
Now it’s that time for my brief political statement. Sen. John McCain announced Friday that he has asked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate in the November elections. McCain is the presumptive Republican nominee for President in November. I know very little about Gov. Palin and will have to do some research before I can comment fairly. Her speech accepting the offer, though, was mighty powerful after it got going. I am happy McCain did not appoint another Senator to be his running mate. It is just possible that the appointment of Gov. Palin will bring to him a huge number of women’s votes and it will make the next couple of months interesting. I can’t help but wonder what Sen. Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton are thinking this weekend.
What an historical weekend it is. The first black man to be nominated for President and a woman to be chosen the Vice President. (Gov. Palin is the first woman to be nominated for Veep in the GOP, but Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman in either party to get that call.) They are on opposite tickets, but we’ve never seen this before. I’m proud to be an American.
I hope you are, also, and I hope this Historic Labor Day Weekend is good to you and your family. Monday is a holiday so we’ll visit with you again on Tuesday.
GiM
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