Life in My World--The End of Summer

photo courtesy of Alyson Keeley

One night this week we went to some friends for supper. Linda mixed two packets of Au ju, water and sliced onions in a pan and brought it to a boil, then she added deli-sliced roast beef and served it on toasted buns. It was a quick, easy and good supper. Then they gave Ande the keys to their old blue Chrysler . . . for free. Ande was given a blue, 1987 Oldsmobile a couple of years ago, but twenty-two car years is like one-hundred people years and it died this summer. Knowing Ande was going back to college next week carless, Travis and Linda gave her their old, blue car. Linda kept telling Ande that Ande was doing her the favor by getting it out of the garage, but the truth is it was kind and generous and a great blessing. And, it's only like 85 people-years old.

The night before school I put all the leftovers on the cupboard for supper—shredded beef for burritos, manicotti, chips, mashed potatoes and gravy. It was quite an assortment, but it just wasn't winning Calvin over so in desperation I pulled out eggs. Still no good, even when I promised to scramble them with chilis. I suggested Woody’s (a local landmark drive-in that serves fry sauce) and that offer was immediately taken. So we went to town. We even talked Calvin into eating under the sunbrellas on the picnic tables. It wasn't too hot, it wasn't too cold and the asphalt had that warm summer smell to it. It was a fun way to close out the summer, I think we started a tradition.

One morning Cali, Grace, Ande and I went walking. We hadn't ever had all four of us on the same walk yet. The road is plenty wide and so was the conversation. Everyone shared something new they had learned this year and then Cali and Grace told us what they thought the easiest thing was about marriage and what the hardest thing was. The conversation spawned several topics and it just felt good to walk in the early morning with all of us. We stopped and talked to a neighbor for a few minutes and then walked over to the chocolate factory. (Though we live in the country, two good friends dip their chocolates in a little-house-converted-to-a-candy-kitchen just a mile or so from us.) As we walked I thought, "This is one of those moments you never forget. It is one of those memories that truly can not be improved upon." It. was. perfect. and completely ordinary.

I’m glad it’s Labor Day weekend. I have the goal to make a plan for Labor Day before I die. We always use it as a catch-up day or a do-whatever-we're-supposed-to-do-that-day day (like go to Parent's Weekend at Air Force, Ring Weekend at West Point, etc.), but we've never said, "Hey, it's Labor Day, whaddayasay we celebrate we're good workers and go do __________."

Do you celebrate Labor Day?

Did you have a moment that couldn't be improved upon this week?

If you would have had to pick out of our leftover pile what would you have chosen? (Be honest. I can take it. You'd have chosen Woody's, too, wouldn't you?)

Have you been given or given a gift that really helped this week?