The Gratitude Journal

Well, as anyone who reads The Gratitude Journal knows, I work a lot — and play a lot — in my bib overalls.  I would blame my affinity for this easy to wear attire on my age but there is no need to attribute my love affair with bib overalls on age.  I have been wearing them since I was in high school.  Back then we called them “hog washers.”

I suppose the name “hog washers” is enough to let any reader know that I grew up in a rural area.  I didn’t have a hog to wash, but once upon a time my mom had a pet pig — and not one of those small pot belly types, either.  When she was growing up she adopted a piglet and by the time she was older and bigger so was the pig.  Maybe that’s why she called my overalls “hog washers.”  Well, never mind the pet pig.

Today I “met” BibProfessor.  He must be a real character.  And, he has an interesting purpose — to establish a national or international Overalls Day on November 20th.  Well, for those who are interested — and I know you are out there — I have committed to wearing my overalls on the special day.  By the way, I suggest that you visit BibProfessor’s site.

Of course, I cannot give up my overalls until then.  I will probably wear them as frequently as I do now.  Maybe I will use Overalls Day as a reason to purchase a new pair.  I am in need of some new ones.  But, then I would have to decide among Cherokee, Liberty and OshKosh.  I’m too tired to make the decision today and I do have plenty of time.  Makes me think of Shakespeare — “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow….”

And for those who do not believe that overalls are year ’round attire, I’ll let you in on a little secret.  They are.  In the winter you button the side buttons and in the summer you don’t!  That’s how you know the seasons and that’s what makes year ’round wear — the versatility.

Okay, so enough of my pledge to wear overalls on November 20th.  For all you brave souls who don’t really care about beauty as compared to comfort, get out your overalls and get them broken in before November.  And, for all you folks who haven’t experienced overalls, learn to live free!

So, today I am thankful for BibProfessor and for overalls.

I guess old hippies needed the revival of “Hair” at this time in our lives.  The baby boomers have gone through so many changes — some of them not so good and some of them very good.

Some of the kids and a few parents made the trip to New York to see the Broadway revival of “Hair” and the matinee performance of “Billy Elliott.”   The results of the short trip were rather interesting.  Of course, the play was excellent according to everyone.  But, more importantly the reactions of the the kids who made the trip were awesome.

Some of the kids had never been on an airplane.  Others had never been to New York.  All but two had never seen a Broadway play.  The past couple of days were days of discovery.  The excitement of seeing youngsters finding life beyond our little town was almost overwhelming for me.  Of course, it is going to take some time to hear the whole story of the trip.  The kids are babbling, talking over one another, and occasionally snickering at some “inside” joke.

So far, one of the younger girls informed me that I am back in style.  I guess my occasional peasant dress and my jeans are back.  I promised that I would teach them to tie dye.

Jason, the oldest of the young travelers, feels that he has experienced a taste of life now.  He confessed that he had seeing a Broadway play on his “to do” list before heading off to the university.  I was surprised.  But, he knows that there is so much of life to experience.  I think he has created a big “to do” list.  For that I am pleased.

And, one of the boys who is of middle school age informed me that he was going to learn the words to “Let the Sun Shine In.”  I am guessing that some of my favorite songs (from the musical) will no longer be on the “music old people play to embarrass the kids” list.

My weekend was busy.  The community garden is requiring quite a bit of attention these days — more than I really wanted to put in considering the heat and humidity.  But, filling in for the kids for a few days was worth it.  There is no greater joy than seeing the eyes of young people when they have discovered a bit of the world that lies just beyond their awareness.

Today I am thankful for Broadway plays, not to mention the fact that my old clothes are making a come back.

Well, I suppose the days really are not getting any shorter.  There are still 24 hours in a day.  But, the sunlight is not lasting quite as long as it did yesterday.  And, tomorrow there will be even less.  The first day of summer is the longest day of the year and that mark just passed.

I’m not against summer by any means.  I do like being outside.  But, to be very honest I am not particularly fond of humidity.  I guess I got spoiled when I lived in Colorado.  At the beach in North Carolina where I used to live it wasn’t as hot as Chattanooga — and certainly not as humid.  Some say it was the ocean breeze, but I really do not think it was as hot as Chattanooga.  Or, maybe I’m just getting old.

And, for heaven’s sake anyone who has lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina knows that the heat there — and the humidity — must rival hell.  That reminds me of my first trip to Hawaii.  One of the waitresses asked where I was from.  I said, “Southern Pines.”  That was my home at the time.

She laughed.  “Too hot there.  Too hot!”

Now, you would think that Hawaii would be a little warmer than Southern Pines —Fayetteville’s next door neighbor.  It isn’t.  I must admit that I was humored by Hawaiians telling me how hot Fayetteville is.  I think every native Hawaiian I met had been to Fayetteville.  Must be a military thing.

Anyway, I always look forward to the first day of summer.  For me it means the pollen should be out of the air.  That means I can breathe again.  I really enjoy spring.  Everything looks so fresh and green — and with the beauty comes the pollen and headaches.  But, I can overlook the headaches and blow my nose to enjoy the beauty of spring.  By the time summer arrives the green is set.  It is hardened and dark.  Of course, I hear it is the humidity that keeps us so green into the fall.

As much as I look forward to the first day of summer, I dare not complain about the heat.  I can always go inside.  But, there is something about knowing that the longest day of the year has come and gone that seems to put us on the downhill side of the humidity.  Now, I’m not totally crazy — well.  I know the heat will hang around with the abundance of humidity until well into September.  August and September are the hottest months, always.

But, knowing that the 4th of July marks the beginning (for me) of holidays.  In Europe, August — the whole month — was a holiday.  Then, we get to have the long Labor Day weekend.  From then until Easter we are in the holiday mode.  There is a holiday of some sort every month.  I bet it was planned that way.  And, for that I am thankful.

But, seeing the sun set before bedtime seems right to me.  There is something about walking Boo at 9:00 pm and still not needing the assistance of a street light that seems strange.  I’m not wishing my year away — or my life.  I just love the quiet of the night — when it is dark.

So, for today I am thankful that the days are getting shorter.