The holidays are the worst. If you are a widow or a widower, you know what I mean. Thanksgiving and Christmas, there are other people around so they usually are not so bad. Then there is Labor Day. It can be a bit depressing anyway because it signals the end to summer. Twenty five or so years ago, how was I to understand that those mornings of getting up at an unholy hour and heading to Argyle Lake State Park for the Labor Day weekend would be one of the things I would look back on with fondness and would miss so much. My husband and I would have a 20 by 40 tent erected under the pines. We would then carpet it. I would spend all day on Thursday getting things arranged and set it up for the weekend. Ben, Georgette and I would head up to Argyle, always driving into the sun rise. We would often be so busy that we could not take a lunch break. One of the most memorable weekends, Ben hired a gentleman to sleep in the tent as it was loaded. When we arrived, the tent flaps were down and there were people in the tent. The gentleman said that people wanted to come in so he dropped the flaps and let them shop. We never did figure out what was missing. There was some money in the desk but he had no idea what they had “bought”. Anyway “Argyle” brings back happy memories with my husband and all the friends we shared the holiday with. There is still a small band of dedicated flea marketers that set up at Argyle but it is just not the same.
There was a wedding in the neighborhood this weekend. As a result the B&B was full both Friday and Saturday nights. The wedding cake also spent the night here. One of the gentleman was a groomsman. He really looked good dressed in his kilt. Asked him if he played the bagpipes but he said he did not. Looking back, it was probably a pretty dumb question. We are used to seeing the Nauvoo bagpipe band dressed in kilts, in this area, and that is the only time I see this attire. Anyway I got to see some great photos of the wedding.
This weekend was also my 58th High School graduation reunion. It was held at the Spotlight Center in Colchester. I think about thirty people attended, not all of whom were in the class. It is always good to see my classmates again. We had 57 in our class- it was the largest to graduate from Colchester. We have lost several and many chose not to attend the reunion. That is kind of sad. One of the best parts of the reunion was the parade today. We were six strong for the parade. Roger Hocker, Larry Lehr, Gary Powell, Dorothy Kipling Webster, Rex Hoyle and I were on the float. Thanks to Gary for remembering to bring candy! Everyone throws candy to the children. Many had a gallon or more in their bags and buckets. Though I threw some to children too it was more fun to try to lob candy to someone sitting farther back, sometimes in a wheel chair. When we connected, the smiles were wonderful and well worth the throwing effort. Someone mentioned that “I threw like a girl”, well seems about right. Eventually figured out I was more accurate with an underhanded lob. If your class has a reunion, go. You never know when you or someone you want to see may cross the rainbow bridge and you will have missed the opportunity to be with them.
Actually got some tomatoes from my garden this week.
Jim Martin wrote a very important book on Western Stoneware. His son stopped by the store on Saturday. Was glad to meet him. Was also glad they stopped as he bought three pieces of Western Stoneware.
Hope you had a great holiday. Hope it is not a sad holiday for you. Must say that though sad, I am so grateful to be on “the green side of the grass” and relatively healthy. There are so many dealing with the big C and loss. Keep all those people in your thoughts and prayers.