“I told myself that I was going to live the rest of my life as if it were Saturday.”
The morning is sunny and bright. The humidity seems to have disappeared for the meantime. A slight breeze blows every now and then and ruffles leaves on the highest branches. It is a lovely morning.
When I was a kid, Saturday morning was for eating cereal in the living room in front of the TV. I loved cereal. The only one I wasn’t thrilled with was Cheerios, but if it was the only one left, I’d eat it. Corn Flakes were a bit boring, but I ate them anyway. Adding a banana elevated Corn Flakes. Rice Krispies were my favorite. I used to lift the bowl to my ear so I could hear the snap, crackle and pop.
I loved Saturdays. The whole day was free, and I could what I wanted, but I sometimes fell back on a bit of a routine. In the winter it was the Saturday matinee at the movie theater. In the summer and on warmer spring and fall days, it was bike riding. Sometimes, though, I’d go to the zoo for the whole day. I brought my lunch, and my mother gave me one way bus fare. I usually walked there in the morning and took the bus in the late afternoon when I was tired.
My town had so many neat places for kids to roam and visit. The zoo, as I mentioned, was one of them. The best animal in the zoo back then was the elephant. I could also go to Weiss farm to check out the dairy cows. What I remember most about that farm was the route from the barn to the field. It was grassless and filled with hoof marks and was muddy when it rained. Saturday was my library day. I’d ride my bike, and when I was done checking out my books, my bike basket was filled.
Now that I’m retired it seems every day is Saturday. Sometimes I ride around with no destination in mind. Other days are sloth days. I have also spent whole Saturdays just reading. This Saturday, today, I have a book I need to finish. That’s about my only plan so far.
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August 24, 2019 at 1:14 pm
Hi Kat,
When I was a kid my Saturday mornings were similar to yours. That was until I turned 12. That was the year that I prepared for my Bar Mitzvah. In the past the a Bar Mitzvah was not a big deal. Jewish boys studied the Hebrew texts in school and their Bar Mitzvah was a small event in the synagogue followed by a lunch with some alcoholic libation. Mine required an enire year of memorizing a long obscure Hebrew passage from the Prophets and attending Saturday morning services every week. The Rabbi literally took attendance.
My Bar Mitzvah party was a formal Saturday evening affair with more food and booze than that served on a cruise ship including a dance band. Rabbis complain that Saturday morning services are poorly attended and I put the blame squarely on the Bar Mitzvah. It not only ruined my Saturday mornings but soured me to practicing my religion rather than strengthening my faith. If you can find the very funny movie, “Keeping Up With the Steins”, you will get the entire experience in 90 minutes without any of the pain. It’s a Gary Marshall film.
The triple digit temperatures are gone but the small chances of rain each day have raised the humidity making mid 90s temperatures as miserable as triple digit temperatures.
August 24, 2019 at 2:50 pm
Hi Bob,
I have seen Keeping Up With the Steins and enjoyed the movie. Their plans were over the top. I got a chuckle out of each set of parents trying to outdo the others for their sons’ Bar Mitzvahs.
Your parents weren’t as over the top as the movie, but they did your Bar Mitzvah up just fine. I love it having a dance band!
Today is just beautiful. There is still no humidity, and the air is cool enough not to need AC. It is going to be as nice for most of next week.
August 24, 2019 at 3:58 pm
I think that my father went all out on the party because he knew my mother had cancer. She passed away 7 months later. He never told us nor her but I think she figured it out.
August 24, 2019 at 6:53 pm
I think your father did a wonderful thing!
August 24, 2019 at 3:09 pm
Mostly cloudy up here and sky high humidity. It did get a bit better around noon but then it went back to nasty again. It’s quite nice oustide now when it’s getting dark though and I’ve had the kitchen door open until now.
Gothenburg has a huge park/ forest in the middle of town and I grew up just beside it. They still have a zoo with mostly Nordic animals but it was the forest that was interesting 🙂 Ponds with all kinds of animals and an observatory. I never went to the observatory though and I doubt they can see much now days when there’s so much light pollution.
Have a great day!
Christer.
August 24, 2019 at 6:57 pm
Christer,
I had to shut the front door as it got really chilly when the sun went down. It is still breezy which adds to the chill. I think today’s temperature was perfect.
My childhood zoo has been refurbished and expanded. It has a giant building with tropical birds and butterflies. The building is awful as it is so humid. At Christmas time, the whole zoo is lit up and is beautiful.
Have a great evening!
August 24, 2019 at 6:43 pm
It’s the last weekend before school starts so I enjoy open air music again and the weather is just perfect. Persian Jazz yesterday after I joined a literature rally against our local nazis, gypsy festival today with a guitar music and a brass band. Tomorrow I have to decide, either gypsy music or music from Italy which means either Hungarian goulash or kelewele at the world music festival. I love summer weekends 🙂
August 24, 2019 at 7:02 pm
Birgit,
School starts here in a week. Next weekend has a Monday holiday, Labor Day. School starts on Tuesday. That weekend signals the end of the tourist season except on weekends. The weather is still beach worthy so the tourists stay around until October, but during the week, I get to drive everywhere without traffic jams.
There is a growing Nazi movement here in the US. Luckily, the cape seems not to be a spot for the Nazis to rally.
I’d go with Gypsy music and kelewele.
August 24, 2019 at 9:24 pm
Hi Kat,
I used to go to that zoo and I remember the elephant. I’m pretty she gave me one of the worst colds I’ve ever had after she kissed me on the nose with her runny trunk. 🙂
That’s the same zoo where I became a tiger petter. Yes, I stuck my arm through the bars and patted the adult male Bengal tiger on his right flank. I was about 10. Adults watched me do this and didn’t say a word. It was extremely hot, though, and I suspect the tiger didn’t want to lose his relax because he barely lifted his head to look at me.
It took me a little bit of time, post retirement, to realize that if I didn’t get Saturday chores done on the day, it was okay because every day was Saturday and I could pick up where I left off the next morning.
I shut off the fan around 4AM this morning because it was very cool. A bit later I was thinking about wool socks but I didn’t want to lose my relax, either, so I pushed my feet under Rocky. Works every time.
Enjoy the evening.
August 24, 2019 at 10:24 pm
Hi Caryn,
We, my brother and I, got to know one of the zoo workers. He let us go behind the cages to feed the animals. He also let us feed the elephant. We went right inside where Babe was living. People could see us. It was a thrill. That was brave of you to pet the tiger. I guess you had a bit of luck with that.
I also did all my errands and chores on Saturdays. Sundays were for correcting papers and lesson planning. I used to have a to-do list for each weekend. Now I do my chores whenever I get to them. My laundry is still sitting by the cellar door, day 3. I keep saying tomorrow.
I didn’t have the air on last night. The day was cool and my house kept the cool. Tonight is quite chilly. I had to shut my front door as there was a cold breeze. Good sleeping tonight.
Have a wonderful night.