Labor Day 1953

I love 2016, so I am telling the stories of "in the day" , as clearly as possible to enrich the reader to the way of things in "Autre temps"  other times, in our world.  It is supposed to help my children and not bore them.

"Labor Day"  was created. only after  we'd worked  a hundred years to establish America,  Labor Day  represents a way of thought and action that gave us and our children the idea that all we need to do is work our best and  success happens automatically and happiness just greets us at breakfast because we are American!  

My parents, Pisces and Libra, were still euphoric over the end of WWII , and " all 'o' their own" safe and home in one piece.  Mother, one of eleven and Dad, one of eight - All of them  seemed always to be celebrating life , with gratitude and appreciation . And romance and industry for postwar life.  They would tell us the story of bad and painful days - Great Depression and then the horrible war.  It had been so bad that they could not help celebrating now, having won through it all with fine lives to live again!

So we understood why they seemed to think it all so grand - even on a cold and rainy day!  Soon we'd be grownup and it would be our turn - our responsibility to "cook up the grand" for our own children to whet their appetites for life.  That was our job.

l was six and absorbing all this, and my brother was four.  They made me a bit dizzy at times  ,but I DID understand and was 'at the ready' .    My nickname , in the home of nicknames, was Miss Memorial Day.  I could not wait to jump up each morning - some great thing was likely to be happening or it would be to me to do my part of making up the next family gathering or party or holiday duty and celebration.   I think I like parties - my late husband proposed on he Fourth of July / US Independence Day, and our Wedding was at Christmas. My art at the White House at Easter......hmmmm.

And now it was Labor Day.  Mother was laughing and threatening to "DO something" since Dad and his seven brothers and her five brothers, could not resist the Labor Day humor aimed at her , at the family picnic for the end of summer celebration.  

You see, our baby sister was due for birth 'about NOW'  and time to go into labor and deliver her.... it WAS, after all, Labor Day. Mother had delivered two healthy babies  in '47 and '49 and lost one in '51 , helping bail the basement after one of the old Connecticut floods...so this bit of hubbub about my sister's birth, was 'more so' to be sure she was sailing clear of the  miscarriage.  Normally, an expectant lady was treated with utmost respect.   But the "gang" was in their twenties, and bound to try to make a party of it.

Mother did not mind - it was a glorious , scorching hot day for the huge picnic get together at Auntie Em's and Uncle Smick's.  Mother, herself, felt unsettled , for days before:  was it the picnic and our part of the work for it, or was it the baby?    She  kept smoothing her skirts as best she could , wondering if her love of Theater would take over and put her in labor, ON Labor Day.  

Yep. With the hundred of the laughing, off she went to the hospital, in labor. But ....

False labor, she returned to the event and enjoyed the rest of the fete , with all the "gang' in very odd laughter over it, and a good time was had by allllll  and my baby sister born two week's later on September 18th.

What memories!  

Thanksomuch for them !

elle 

http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day/videos/history-of-labor-day