I remember as a kid, a few weekends here and there travelling around. I distantly remember a camping trip, tents.  Sleeping bags.  Lots of bugs.  I remember trees and a swimsuit I had that was a little too small, but was bright purple, green and blue.  I remember thinking that I hated camping. There were no books there. Sweating was gross. And there could be some kind of... Animal out there that didn't want to play with me, but eat our hamburgers instead.

But I also remember weekends at the lake, sometimes at the Ozarks, sometimes at Truman Lake. I seem to remember my parents lost some things in the water.  Sunglasses, keys.  My Dad was never a swimmer, I think my Mom panicked once when he went into the water, even though he was okay. Seemed like a lot of trouble for some fun in the water.  I even got an eyeful of sand one year from my Sister that hurt like the dickens for hours.

So sure, I've done the Labor Day thing in the past.  But we kind of stopped doing it as we kids got older.  After I turned about ten or so, if we went on a trip it was to go with my Dad to deliver extra bread on the weekends.  That's where I discovered I have motion sickness on long trips if I'm not driving. It was hard for a kid to explain that you felt sick when you were moving but now that you're not moving you're not sick anymore.  But I know it can be fun.  And I can't say I've never been road tripping (there was an eventful drive from Arlington to Knoxville once).  But it's just something that's moved off my radar, especially in the last ten years or so.  Because I don't like doing it.  And I'm an adult now (stop laughing), I can do what I want to do.

So my Labor Day weekend will probably be indoors.  Doesn't seem like a lot of you will be, though.  If you're planning to take a road trip on Friday or Saturday for Labor Day weekend, well, good luck.  Hope you like traffic.

According to research by Cars.com, 60% of Americans are planning to travel this weekend - that's almost twice as many as Memorial Day weekend.  That's crazy to me. The whole idea.  Why do so many of you... LIKE this? It just sounds like inconvenience after inconvenience to me. You'd willingly put yourself in a car to drive several hours (surrounded by hundreds of drivers that you HOPE are sane and legal), spending a good chunk of change to do so,  to go and sit on a boat, getting eaten alive by bugs, while you're slowly getting third degree burns from the sun, eating bland food you burn yourself over a fire.  And to do what? Stare at water?  That'll give you a headache if you do it too long in the sun. Look at trees? I mean, I can appreciate nature. I've been on trails and hikes.  But these trees are not any more special than other trees. Drink beer?  I've seen North Woods Law.  I know the Game Wardens are going to be out and about with the Highway Patrol to watch out for everyone.  So to all that "fun" you can add a citation for  Drinking While Boating.

SOUNDS LIKE A FABULOUS WEEKEND. /sarcasm

Not me. I'll stay at home, thank you very much.  I don't begrudge you your trip, though, go for it.  That's your scene, not mine.  I'll be in the AC watching Veterinarians treat Feline Diabetes or Detectives gathering evidence to determine when a scheming wife finally decided to snap or maybe even the Game Wardens cut fishing nets on the Rio Grande.  Maybe I'll treat myself to a cold can of Dr. Choice. That's my scene.

You enjoy the traffic, though.  Treat yourself.

Laborly yours,
Behka

 

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