New Holiday Traditions?
I admire people who celebrate holidays with traditional activities. Doesn’t matter what; anything they’ve done year after year. Of course, this appeals to me because I don’t have a lot of family traditions.
I share this with you at the risk it reveals some hidden character flaw. Holidays approach and I wonder what to do. Others know exactly what the changing of a season and the holiday that marks it means: a BBQ, a day at the beach, travel to visit loved ones near or far.
This year as Labor Day approached I wanted my bike advocate buddies to come over for a beach party. Would they come? Many would surely have annual traditions to keep. All the pressures of the end of the summer and the start of a new school year — I wondered how many would RSVP. Traveling anywhere on such a busy weekend — was it irresponsible of me to invite them to travel? Of course there are parking issues at the beach. Monday at 1 o’clock there won’t be a parking place anywhere near the beach. Worst yet, many cars will circle the neighborhood looking for one.
It is kinda fun to watch this automotive insanity and that’s part of why I’m hosting. It’s a total zoo at the beach and my bike riding pals will all see it first hand, while sitting under an umbrella with a cold drink. They’ll mostly come by bike. Some RSVP’d, “Great, we can walk!”
How did the RSVP’s go? Turns out some do feel the pressures of school starting the next day and excused. Others had previous engagements. No one spoke of a long standing tradition though, so maybe this party will become one.
For me this party is all ready a little anti-climactic. I bought all the beer and wine yesterday; Barbara has the crab cakes in the freezer, so this Friday afternoon wound down a little faster than I expected. What to do?
It only took me a few minutes; an idea popped in my head. The keyboards my fingers dance on could all use a bath. There’s alcohol in the garage, used mostly to clean the bikes; it would be just the thing to clean those tiny crumbs wedged into those function key wells. Q-tips were the essential tool; they leave every dust mite stuck to their wet tip, one step from the trash.
My wife is napping — I cleaned her keyboards, too — she’ll be surprised and a little concerned. It is a little compulsive, but 5 good-as-new, shiny keyboards now grace the home.
It feels like I might have two new holiday traditions starting right now.
I started a new holiday tradition this year
