Please hop on over the Alphabet Salad and check out all the other gratitude lists this Monday. I love starting my work-week with Laurel and all the other gracious people who share their lists.
This weekend is Labor Day Weekend. Isn’t it wonderful that we have a whole weekend to say thank you for all who labor? Yes, we need more to protect laborers. As Pope Leo XIII said in 1891 (can you believe it? 1891.):
A workman’s wage be sufficient to enable him comfortably to support himself, his wife and his children… As a general principle it may be laid down that a workman ought to have leisure and rest proportionate to the wear ad tear on his strength…
Wow! 1891. That’s a long time ago. And we’re still working on a living wage.
So here’s my list, in no particular order:
- Labor Unions: I never worked in a unionized environment. I did see a bumper sticker that said, “Enjoy your weekends? Thank a Union Member.” Yes, not so long ago, people worked seven days a week and “overtime pay” did not exist. No national holidays, no holiday pay. Thank you! I do enjoy my weekend.
- Little Workers: Beanies four youngest came over and helped me lift and carry rocks from the retaining wall that needs repair. I wish I had a picture to show you, but we were too busy working. Wrestler #1’s son texted me asking if I had any chores for him to do. Yes indeed. I do.
- A nice size garage: Wrestler #1 stores his paddle boards in our garage. Little Workers trudged down to the lake to cool off after our labor. Me, too. I probably would have just taken a shower, if it weren’t for Little Workers. A jump in the lake is so much more fun.
- Frogs and bees: The bees hover over the water lilies this time of the year. If I’m patient, I can see a frog leap out and catch one. I swear the frog’s eyes bug out and his Adam’s apples bulges as he thinks, “What did I just catch?” Then he leaps for another. “Yikes!”
- Edging tools: A simple manual tool that really works.
- The Chicago Sky: We’re going to the playoff game tonight. I hope they win. Duckie is such a fan. She’s made me one, too.
- “Garfunkel and Oats”: Okay, they are sort of crass, but I will forever love them, for their “Sports Go Sports” alone. My sentiment exactly, Ladies.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fraSdN-PG8
(click on the picture to see the video)
- Labor Day Sales: Retaining wall bricks are on sale.
- Retaining wall bricks: These things really make building a wall (the good kind) easy. I already built one, with a flower bed, at the end of my water garden.
- A wedding at my house in 20 days: Such a motivator to get all the work done. These projects loitered in the conceptual stage way too long.
- A bumper crop of tomatoes. Loved-One and I juiced about 14 quarts last night. This morning we start canning.
There’s a whole lot more, but it’s already almost 8:30. I gotta get back to work, so I can rest from my labors this afternoon.
