Laboring on Labour Day

by Mary Jo

It's Labor Day, and I'm laboring. <G> I need to complete a late book in the next few days (there's a plague of that amongst the Wenches!) so that means typing as fast as my inaccurate fingers can manage and hoping it makes sense.  After I've transferred the book from my computer to my editor's, I shall quietly slink off the grid for a couple of weeks and not look at any electronic screens and not labor at all.

The labor of many, many people is what has built civilization and as such, it's well worth celebrating labor in genera.  However, our holiday of Labor Day (Labour Day in Canada) is specifically a celebration of organized labor, which is to say unions.  In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed into law the bill that made Labor Day an official national holiday, though by this time, 30 states had already established Labor Day as state holidays. (Oregon was the first to do so.)  The parade shown here was in 1882 in New York City.  

The traditional ways of celebrating Labor Day are parades, picnics, backyard barbeques, and shopping.  The drawback of it being a major shopping holiday is that people who work in retail tend to labor rather than relax but with luck, they at least get time and a half pay for working on a holiday.  

Labor Day is also one of the endings to summer and beginnings of autumn.  There are several ends, actually.  Astronomical autumn is the fall equinox, generally about September 22, when day and night hours are virtually equal around the world.  (Of course, the autumnal equinox is the spring, vernal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere, but the day and night hours are still equal.

There is also meteorological autumn, which begins September 1st.  That date belongs to the weather folk and it's when the weather starts tilting from summer to fall.  (Though usually not until one last heat wave has passed!)  

Gardens are making their last wild display before autumn sneaks in.  My deck flowers look like vaudeville floozies, beautiful and overdone.  

And then there is Labor Day, which could be called the social end of summer. Vacations are ending, students are returning to school, traffic gets heavier, and there is generally a greater sense of purpose as we settle down to Real Work.

So what are you doing this Labor Day?  Laboring, shopping, marching, or best of all, spending time with friends and family even if the burgers are maybe a little charred?  

And is there anything you'd rather be doing?  <G>

Mary Jo, returning to her labors because "Happily Ever After" doesn't come easily!

Comments

[Joriestory]

Hallo, Hallo Ms Putney!

I've been reading your lovely blog by email for most of the year, except I missed a few key moments of the Wenches lives and let's just say, I had a box of tissue nearby. I meant to return soon after, but time flew off the clock, Summer began, and the lightning storms that vexed me last year, had that cheeky way of interfering with my life once more! Last year I lost minor electronics, this year my computer couldn't take it; thus, part of my Labouring on Labour Day is sorting out a whole new interface & computer!

I'm also reading my final Clan novel (The Clan Chronicles by Julie E. Czerneda) which has at it's heart spread over three trilogies two of the best romances I've ever read! :) In her prequel it's about Ayrl and Enris; in the Trade Pact & Reunification your heart-tied to Sira and (Jason) Morgan! There is so much happening with the Clan, it's hard to find the ability to take a step away from where your leaving your bookmark!

For levity, I've been watching the original Ninja Warrior series; the American Ninja Warriors & AGT. I won't be cooking out - we're rained out honestly! I will simply be overjoyed to know what becomes of Sira & Jason; whilst eagerly awaiting DARK the 9th novel which comes out next Autumn. Blogging my thoughts has been a joy - I never expected to find such convicting Rom inside Hard Science Fiction!!

Anything I'd rather be doing!? Hmm. Honestly? No. I'm so overly excited to be reading this book series, I cannot imagine doing anything else right now!! :)

... As you mentioned everyone is under tight deadlines, I hope each of you in turn will find the bliss after you finish to simply unwind & relax! Sounds like you've all been working hard & I know the payoff will be once your stories reach the hands of your readers! Til then, sending my hugs & gratitude for everything you put into your blog whilst giving us all a lot of inspiration throughout the year!

[Kathy K]

When I read your description of the clan chronicles I went to B & N to find it for myself. There are a lot of books by that author and several different series. What is the title of that first book in the clan series?

[Karen W]

Yesterday was apple sauce. Canning more of it. It's been a bumper crop all this season for apples and plums and I've had some wonderful, generous friends give me tons of them! I have jam and chutney, dried plums, frozen apples and jars and jars of apple sauce. It's been a hot, steamy summer. I like the idea of finally being able to open the doors and cool the house down while I work!
September, after Labour Day here usually means learning a new bus schedule - though fortunately, my morning run is at the same time instead of changing again. I don't do mornings well to start with, don't make me have to actually think! That could be disastrous!
My oldest is starting a new course, hubby's hoping to hear about a possible change also and my frenetic work hours may go back to something resembling normality.
Hubby's going to work today and I'll probably be making more apple sauce as I still haven't managed to get through all the apples yet. Or I may decide to dehydrate them as my glass jars are running out!
I think I'm looking forward to autumn just to get a rest! And settling back with a cuppa and a good book! Always my favorite way to spend a day - or a week - or a month - well, you get it!

[Sonya Heaney]

I’ve only noticed recently that many people in North America don’t really follow seasons by the dates. I’ve never met anybody here who measures seasons other than the 1st of March, June, September and December.

Spring definitely hit us today, with gorgeous blue skies, sun, and blossoms everywhere. :) But it’s definitely not a public holiday in Australia!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Thanks for the good wishes, Jorie! And sympathies on the computer issues. Bad lightning! The Julie E. Czerneda books sound interesting--some of my favorite romance writers are sff, as you say.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Karen, people who grow things need willing victims to accept overflow crops, so you're performing an public service. *G* Have you considered apple butter? Maybe that's more of a traditional American thing than Canadian, but it's a lovely spread on toast and would use up a fair number of apples.

May normality come to your home soon!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Sonya, you have the May and August bank holidays, don't you? An equivalent!

[prema]

Always wondered about Labor Day holiday in the US. People the world over celebrate May 1st as Workers Day. I thought it was only in the US and Canada that working people celebrated at the end of summer. In any case, the labor unions historically changed the horizon for ordinary working people everywhere. Because of them, we do not have child labor, bonded labor and other evil traditions.
So no problem celebrating Labor Day at any time.

[Mary T]

You are so right perma! I never belonged to a union during my almost 50 years of work life. But because I have opened a history book or two, I was always aware that my life was so much better off because of the sacrifices made by union members. So, God bless the working man!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Yes, celebrating labor is thoroughly appropriate! I think reform of things like child labor was started before the unions came along--those Victorians could be pretty progressive--but unions made a huge difference. and it took strength and courage for improvements to happen.

[Sue McCormick]

Our family has mostly been farmers, merchants, or held professional jobs, but I am well aware of the improvements in all our lives from the gains in working conditions garnered by the unions. I am grateful all year round.

This past weekend my husband and I had the joy of a visit from my older daughter, with two "up the road" visits with my son, HIS son and wife, and THEIR son. We have been able to have such an intense family gathering for several years. It was truly wonderful!

[Joriestory]

Hallo, Hallo Ms Kathy K!

I am overjoyed you want to read The Clan Chronicles! :) Eek. This warms my heart! Truly, I've been with them twice in nine months; I read four last November & four recently (late August/early Sept) as I'm about to finish the latest release!

Here is my personal order of preference:

Prequel Trilogy: which I fondly refer to as Cersi but is really Stratification:

*Reap the Wild Wind, No.1
*Riders of the Storm, No.2
*Rift in the Sky, No.3

Original Trilogy: Trade Pact Universe:

*A Thousand Words for Stranger, No. 1
*Ties of Power, No.2
*To Trade the Stars, No.3

Final Trilogy: Reunification:

*This Gulf of Time And Stars
*The Gate to Futures Past
*To Guard Against the Dark (Oct 2017)

After you read through them, please know your wicked welcome to visit me on my blog! This is how you can find all my posts on the series, as I threaded all my reviews & the author interview via this tag: https://jorielovesastory.com/tag/the-clan-chronicles.

This is the order I read the series and I am wicked thankful I did! :) I am so attached to this series, I'm finding it hard to consume the last of GATE as I know I have twelvemonths til DARK. The author is celebrating right now; you might want to visit her website: http://www.czerneda.com!!

Thank you for such a wonderful surprise! I've been forsaking sleep - so I apologise my reply is coming so late! I had to take a small break today just to refuell and dig back into GATE!!

I truly hope you have a wonderful time spent inside the histories of the Clan!!

Happy reading!!!

[Joriestory]

Ooh my, Ms Putney!!

You made me so wicked curious!!

Could you suggest a few SFF authors who write wicked good Rom into their sci-fi? I have no idea where to go next - I know I'll be spending the next year reading more of the collective works of Ms Czerneda but I would love to find others who are writing similar heart-centred stories with convicting drama & such incredible romances threading through the sci-fi bits!!

The reviews I left behind are more 'notes of gratitude' and book showcases in sequence than anything else. I cannot believe my journey with the Clan is ending tonight...

I'm just now feeling more comfortable with my new computer; it was a learning curve to sort it out and re-learn where everything is located! Yes! Lightning is *beyond!* naughty! At least this time I have my files!!

[Joriestory]

I loved making apple butter when I was eighteen! I had the chance to go to a farm & pitch in with the harvest & canning! I did a little bit of everything in the process, including attempting to cut wood with an ax! That wasn't the best idea I ever had - nearly nicked a toe! Oy vie. I was so happy I could help the farm & the family run business; I learnt a lot and they sent me home with apple butter, so it was a delish evening for me!

I did what you said - made toast & rested!!

I was curious myself - is it more American? Hmm.