No Holidays for Writers

DEBORAH CROMBIE: From my early teens well into my thirties, Labor Day was a big deal in my family. My parents were golfers, and they first rented, then bought a house in a golfing development in the foothills of the Quachita Mountains, north of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Every Labor Day weekend, they hosted a golf tournament there, to which they invited all their golfing friends and any family that wanted to attend. The golfers were responsible for their own accommodation, but my parents threw a big party for the group every evening. For me, the non-golfer, there was canoeing on the lake, walking in the piney woods, bird watching, and helping with the party prep. When my daughter came along, she loved those weekends. 

Here I am with my daughter Kayti, circa 1988. Oh, the hair! The visor! The shorts! The glasses! And Kayti's little visor looked like a pith helmet. Such fun times, even if we were fashion challenged!

Here's the party boat out on the lake in Hot Springs Village.

But the golf tournament came to an end as my parents aged and sold the house, and by then I was too busy with writing and my own life to miss it much. But it did mark a turning point in the year--for those of us in south, Labor Day brings the hope that the temperatures will start to drop enough that we can stand to go outside again! And one of the downsides of work-at-home self-employment is that a holiday just seems like another day. The most I'm likely to manage is cooking burgers on the grill. If it's cool enough...

How about you, REDs, as we are all in the self-employed boat? Is Labor Day a THING for you? What will you be doing?

RHYS BOWEN: Coming from a country where we don't celebrate Labor Day I'm afraid we don't do much. I love barbecues and picnics but I have a husband who shies away from wasps, bees, etc etc. He's the only man I've ever met who insists on having a napkin and a side plate at a picnic. I think we have a friend coming into town and will take her for a meal or a drink but that's about it. And as for the rule about not wearing white after Labor Day. If the temperature remains at ninety plus, I'll keep wearing white! So there.

DEBS: But, Rhys, it's also Bank Holiday weekend!


JENN McKINLAY: I live in AZ, so it's just another hella hot day for us, which we'll spend in the pool most likely. When the boys were younger, we'd take off to San Diego to run around on the beach for a long weekend as a farewell to summer. Now that they're older and one is in college, we can't just throw them in the car and go. Darn it. As a kid in CT, it was just an extra day off to goof off and run amok in the neighborhood, which was always fun but I don't remember it being a big deal. I do think it would be pretty sweet to have a Labor Day once a month, because I really think we all work too much for too little and could use a day to catch our breath.

DEBS: Jenn, if you have two seconds, give us an update!

LUCY BURDETTE: Yes, I think we should have a labor day every month! But would we would pay any attention? Debs, your parents' party sounds like so much fun! Our golf course has their Labor Day club championship tournament every year and John will be playing. They throw a nice lunch party on Monday so we might go to that. or, we might go see WHERE'D YOU GO BERNADETTE, which I'm dying to watch!

HALLIE EPHRON: Labor Day never used to be special, but it is now. When I was pregnant with my first, my due date was August 15. But because I didn't want to be pestered about whether I'd gone into labor YET, I told everyone my due date was Labor Day. 

And that's when My lovely Molly Kate was born. An aside: my mother did have a thing about not wearing white after labor day... or black patent leather, either.  She was a New Yorker.

DEBS: Hallie, that is SO cute!


HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Labor Day was a joke in my family, because my sister and I thought we were the only kids in the world who wondered "Why is it called Labor Day when no one works?" Then we would go off into gales of laughter. But now, I actually do think about unions, and how our system of "work" has changed, and continues to change.  As for me, I will be on an airplane coming back from a crazy week of book tour, and I cannot begin to tell  you how much fun it will be to be home and see my dear husband  after 11 (very fabulous)  days on the road. The couch beckons. BUT. My book is due Tuesday.  So much for the couch.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: For those of us in the northeast, Labor Day also makes a climactic turning point - here in Maine, the temperatures start to drift down pretty soon after the holiday weekend. Time to order your firewood, if you haven't already, to start thinking about fall chores, and of course, the last hurrah before school gets into full swing. For years, my friend Mary and I would round up our kids and take them to Old Orchard Beach for the day - Maine's longest white-sand beach, with a small amusement park, and old fashioned boardwalk, and enough deep-fried foods to put you into the coronary care unit. This year, I'm doing at again, but with a more grown-up crew: the Smithie, Youngest (moving in day is Tueday at her uni!) and a special guest, the Sailor's sweetheart Veronique, who is getting her first glimpse of Maine in the summer while she stays with us for a mini-vacay!  I'm so glad she's here, because it's getting us all out of the house and actually doing fun things to mark the end of summer.

DEBS: Readers, are you taking a day off? And, if so, how are you spending it? 

And now our Monday feature--


HOT STUFF FROM THE REDS

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