The Year Is Almost Over By Memorial Day

I always think of December 26th as one of the saddest days of the year.  Another long 365 (or 366) days to go until my favorite day of the year....Christmas Eve....... rolls around again.  When I was young, the time from 12/26 of one year to 12/24 of the next year took forever.

Now, it seems like in the blink of an eye and the holidays are coming around again.

I love the holidays from Halloween through Christmas....(New Years Eve has always been a let down for me unless one of my favorite college teams is playing New Year's Day).

In New York, we kept our tree up until the 12th day of Christmas (January 6th).  In the South, leaving the Christmas tree up into the New Year is bad luck. As I have adopted some southern ways, the tree usually comes down New Years Eve. Also a lot of people in the South put up their Christmas tree on Thanksgiving.  I used to think that was too early but then again in the South...... I see Christmas trees sitting by the side of the road on Christmas night......how sad......

Anyway back to the title of this entry......

Here is the way I see it....the year goes a little slow from Jan 1st though Memorial Day (unless the NY Giants are in the Super Bowl then the beginning of February can be a big event).  Then time flies.....it is a short 6 weeks from Memorial Day to July 4th and then another quick 6-7 weeks to Labor Day. And once the kids are back in school and Labor Day has passed it seems that before I know it we are putting up the Christmas decorations.

The days pass quicker as I get older.....kind of scary.......

This entry regarding the passage of time got me thinking about a column Erma Bombeck wrote years ago about "saving things"......

How many of you are like me and save things for special occasions?  I don't use the good china because I might break a piece.  I burn the seasonal candles sparingly instead of enjoying the aroma of McIntosh Apples or Christmas Wreath throughout the house. Up until recently, I could have died with a lingerie drawer filled with unworn unmentionables.  I am afraid to wear most of my good jewelry because I might lose it.

I finally thought...what am I waiting for???? I have started wearing them items I mentioned above.  I will burn those damn candles.....after all I can buy more.  The good china.....at some point I will use it for a dinner in the middle of the week....maybe for a sandwich or salad.

With the quick passing of each season......I find myself thinking "where has the year gone or where has the time gone?"

Jenn read me something the other day that said incoming High School Freshman (I think it is still OK to use the term Freshman except at Princeton where they are now called First-Year Students).  The piece Jenn shared with me said 9/11/01 would be taught as part of history since the Freshman were not alive when that event took place. To the class of 2020, Wayne Gretsky and John Elway have always been retired.   Jenn's University 101 class was not familiar with Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.

I am grateful I grew up in a time of playing outside until the street lights came on, where 50 cents could buy me 2 slices of pizza and a soda, where you could sit through a movie more than once(and not have to pay again) and any given Saturday or Sunday could include the family piling in the car to go for a ride......yes, a simple ride in a car. I can still remember sitting in the back seat of the station wagon facing backwards as we rode to nowhere in particular........maybe the fact that these events took place close to 50 years ago makes them seem better in my memory than they actually were......

As I sit here looking toward another autumn followed quickly by the balance of 2016, I would like time to slow down just a bit........too bad that is something I can't control.......and before we know it......it will be Memorial Day again and another year gone.......

In my head though..... will be the thoughts and memories of a little girl laying her head by the open window of a Kingswood Estate station wagon enjoying the warm breeze as we would ride to points unknown on a Labor Day weekend.......

See you next week........