Monday, Sept. 3

Hope everyone had a relaxing Labor Day, the last unofficial day of summer. But since temps have risen back into the 100s, it certainly doesn't seem that summer is quite ready to relinquish its hold.

Labor Day, of course, celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers. It became a federal holiday in 1894. Federal offices, state offices, schools, some colleges, and some businesses close for the day, and folks hang American flags (as we did), and fire up the grills (which we didn't).

As for our day, we were up at 6:30, so I could get ready to go to water aerobics, since the private college pool was open. I was surprised that 20 members showed up. I guess like me, they had no big plans for the day.

The community college was closed, however, so I did not meet my ESL student this afternoon.

At home, while I got ready for the day, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house. We accomplished nothing today beyond finishing the movie, "Mansfield Park." We're now ready to return the four DVDs we borrowed from the library, and select four more. Until the new season of TV shows comes on later this month, we'll enjoy what the library has to offer.

Following the movie and lunch, Mother retired to couch for a nap, as usual. I spent the rest of the afternoon playing on my laptop, basically exploring the Ancestry.com site.

Mother finished her nap around 3 p.m., and relaxed for about an hour reading the local paper (which published today), and the parts of the Sunday newspaper that she enjoys...the comics, magazine, style section, and the regional edition. World and state news no longer interest her, since she gets all she wants of that on the nightly TV news.

I was interested in an article in the opinion section that puts forth the idea that not every child should have to suffer algebra in school. I tend to agree, since it was the subject I hated most in high school (made the only "D" of my school career in that class, and it just about undid me from embarrassment. I went on to get an "A" in college algebra, however, though I still hated the subject). I'm sure my niece, who is a math genius, would not agree with this writer.

Later this afternoon, Mother mixed coleslaw dressing into angel hair slaw, and I heated leftovers from yesterday in the oven...country ribs, sweet potatoes, and canned corn from another meal, along with slices of Sis's homemade honey wheat bread.

After supper, I accompanied Mother to her house, and waited until she took a shower before returning home. Hubbie and I watched TV for the evening, including a murder mystery from the PBS channel.

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Funny: I decided to add a niece's birth announcement, and a thank you note, to a scrapbook album. Found the album on the shelf, backed up, sat down on a nice warm cushon on the couch, added the materials to the album, got up, and returned the album to the shelf. Turned around and glanced at the couch...I hadn't sat on a nice warm cushion. I'd sat on one of the cats! I can't believe she never moved or made a sound!