The only Monday holiday that I recall in the 1950’s was Labor Day which was followed by the first day of school. Other single-day holidays included Columbus Day, Veterans Day (Armistice Day), Lincoln’s Birthday (notable in Illinois), Washington’s Birthday, and Memorial Day (Decoration Day). We enjoyed these breathers landing on various days in the week, rather like ice cream on a hot day.
I was lucky enough to work from home when the girls were growing up, but Monday holidays observed only by banks, government, and schools present dilemma to all working parents when childcare is not available. I was able to take off an occasional Monday holiday with C-boy, but there were days when other arrangements had to be made. I must admit that I had trouble keeping up with these holidays (and the many new ones) once my kids were out of school. Now that the grandkids live with us, I have to stay on top of them
Yesterday was Columbus Day (or Indigenous People, or Lost European Males Looking for India Day). ED went off to work, leaving the boys with us.
The weather has broken: it is beautiful with mild humidity and comfortable temperatures at last. We spent the morning at Top Golf, one of our favorite 
haunts. The price is reasonable until you buy food for two adolescent boys.
Returning home, Mike and Blue Boy retreated to their respective corners while Mowgli and I reviewed a short piano lesson. Mowgli wanted to see the movie “Small Foot”, and the boys being at variable stages where they don’t enjoy the same type of entertainment, the two of us took off.
It is fun to watch entertainment with Mowgli: he is a Laugh-out-Loud kind of spectator. It runs in the family, and I call it the Joe gene although our father also laughed out loud. Mowgli is also physical, twisting in his seat as if being tickled, curling up his legs, throwing his head back and bending over. He makes a 2-star movie into a 5-star.
If we didn’t live together, we would probably still spend these days together. Is there a little more joy, though, when we have to deal with sorting the laundry, brushing the teeth and hair, cleaning up the table, before heading out? We are sharing not just the fun outing but the life around it. It is a bit like those short single-day holidays in the middle of the week.
Have we lost the delight by moving all government holidays to Monday?
