Labor Day Weekend 2009

 

Going into the weekend we had already experienced the anticipation and anxiety associated with the beginning of yet another school year. Joseph’s second year of high school has no where the buzz last year’s start had. Ho hums for our young sophomore. Meanwhile, the younger brother is closing out his Junior High years. Vincent and many of his classmates are starting their ninth year together at the same school. There is even a boy returning after spending the last two years in England.

I hope Vincent doesn't get short changed by us, his parents, in the hoopla and excitement departments. Oh, wow, this will be your time to be king of the hill-literally. One of the perks the 8Th graders garner is their exclusive area to congregate. It's a grassy area that slopes up towards the street and includes some shade trees. The shade happens to keep them cool and the location is adjacent to the 8Th grade private entrance and stairwell to their classroom.



Vincent is sporting the 8Th Grade Irish Green Sweatshirt. Each graduating class selects their own color in the last days of 7Th grade.
Yes, a year filled of earned privileges, routine moments performed one last time, high school selection angst, and finally relief- graduation! This year will be a last for us, too. We will join the ranks of graduating families, that is, no younger members left in the school. The routines and expectations developed over 11 years of grade school will completely transition to the much shorter high school years. Time will tell if "volunteer" work such as working the "Snoop Home Tour" and "Parish Fair" will indeed become voluntary in the future.

Although it represented an abbreviated vacation, Labor Day Weekend came not too soon. Friday I came home late having to work til 7:30 or so. [If you have any interest in what I am currently working on (VIIRS)go to the following NASA site http://npoess.noaa.gov/index.php?pg=viirs.] We were almost finished with our testing but had some unexpected results. Big noon time meeting lead to more testing and hence my staying late to help prepare for a 8 pm meeting. I did not stay for that one because once the analysts crunched on what we gave them the results would be compelling. We were done but will we go down path A or Path B? Fortunately either option was short and sweet and leads to a great outcome.

On Saturday worked from 6 am to 3 pm to supervise the end of the tests and schmooze with the customer folks. They were fairly content with how the test program was carried out. With all but the bow in place the various customer reps no longer felt compelled to watch over our shoulder every minute or send out hourly emails filled with progress reports, analysis, and predictions. With the return of calmness our overlords checked in briefly at 10 am with tickets to the airport in hand.

By being at work I missed out on the trip Connie and the kids took to the outlet mall near Palm Spring. The choice was wake up early and get grilled or go to the desert and fry. Hmmm. Turns out both locales brought welcomed results. After going home I really truly wanted an omelet for dinner. Must have something to do with not having breakfast with the family in the morning. However, a protracted search into the deep recesses of "the Fridge" turned up not one egg. Drats! Did I really want to drive to the market for some eggs. I could walk to Trader Joe's but the round trip will take more than an hour. Why not bike there, I thought. Be back in twenty five minutes. Off I went with a backpack to carry the eggs back and was locking my bike to a tree in the nearby lot within 7 minutes or so.

It wasn't long thereafter that I was back at the bike with the eggs, some soy chips, and crimini mushrooms. The mushrooms were for the omelet and the chips had a date with a cold beer. I was ready for a relaxing and tasty sendoff into the weekend. In 10 seconds the realization that the rear end of the bike was not cooperating broke through my happy mood. Was the tire that I repaired the week prior again leaving me "PHFFT" to be tied? I used the bike without incident all week and it did not need to be topped off with air at any time. In fact it was solid prior to the current undertaking. Was there a poky spoke-was the culprit working on the inside? There is construction occurring across the street from our home; did I pick up some nail or other sharp edge?

I ignored the lack support and rode off thinking that all would be okay for the lousy couple of miles it would take to get home. If I leaned forward the weight would all rest on the front tire. Yes, that's it. Was I feeling the rim ride on the blacktop? Was the bike really veering slowly to the right as the deflated tire collected itself on the left side of the rim? What I was was now walking my bike home with a load of eggs on my back. Was no longer longing an egg concoction but instead a cold beer and chips represented the inspiration to make it home quickly and without whining to myself (is that moping?).

Despite the bike glitch the rest of the day and evening were relaxing and uneventful. It was a little too quiet if you asked me but by 9 the far traveling shoppers were home showing off their bargains. There were even some dress socks for me that came with a lifetime guarantee. Did the 90% bamboo material composition ensure the manufacturer that no return would be forthcoming in the near future? I have to remember to keep away from hungry panda while showing off the footwear. More likely we were not going to drive 2 hours to make good on a $10 purchase.


FAST Forward through Sunday.  

Picked up Mother in law, Viola, went to church, sang in choir, went to Taco Bell, barbecued Tuna steaks, enjoyed making a fire, grilled some hot dogs, made angel food cake and topped with strawberries and fruit medley, low fat whipped cream.

Labor day had breakfast at Dinah's. I had a Spanish omelet (two for the weekend), Joseph had waffle combo, Connie chose eggs and bacon, Vincent selected biscuits & gravy, sausage, eggs, bacon. We put off for another visit the choices of fried chicken & waffles and the yummy apple pancake.

Fast Forward Labor Day. Went to fair in Hermosa, beautiful day,
music, arts and crafts, pet adoptions, lemonade, yada, yada, etc

Went to Torrance and briefly visited with kids, brought an extension ladder to change a light bulb in a second story fixture. Brian's buddy Willy was there. Great guy.

Went back to the homestead and barbequed sausuages and hot dogs, grilled squash, to complement Connie's refreshing salad of tomaotoe, cuke, onion. Can't forget the dish of mashed yams and the fresh guacamole.

Sometime over the weekend we completed the purchase of Joseph's school supplies. I only mention it because it included the requirement for a graphing calculator like the TI 84 plus. This electronic device was hefty along with the price tag. I did not know that a calculator could come with a CD for manuals and software drivers in addition to a USB cord for PC Connectivity.

Oh, by the way. I filled the tire with air and it has been rock solid for two days now. Some SOB must have let the air out of the tire. Perhaps a frustrated thief? Did I cut somebody off or otherwise cause some road rage?