Thursday, September 12, 2013

The end of summer

Labor Day weekend officially marks the end of summer for me even though the calendar says we have a few weeks left, but school has already started and most people have returned from their summer travels and holidays. It's when I start thinking about when I am going to close up the garden, and if I am going to take any courses this fall. And I even start thinking about Christmas. Not only what I am going to plan for Christmas, but I start putting Christmas items in the shop.

It has been an amazing summer this year, one of the best, and even though I hate to see it end, I like to compartmentalize things and now summer will be put in its compartment and we now work on the fall compartment.

 The end of this summer also saw the husband attending a gasshuku (look it up) which was 4 full days of karate except for an afternoon when he took his nidan exam. Only 40% of exam takers passed the exam and I'm very proud to say that the husband was one of them. He worked hard this summer preparing for this exam and he can say that he received his second dan from the best. It was the first time that he allowed me to watch him take an exam and I'm glad that it was one of the most important that he has taken so far.


Then the following weekend, Shel took his last brown belt exam and also passed. Next exam for him is for the first dan (black belt). I'm really proud of both of them.


Labor Day also sees the official closure of the Saratoga Springs race track for the winter. We usually go down this weekend for a final look at the horses and to try our luck.




(He looks like he's smiling)

 Shel and Seabiscuit

We've been to the Horse Racing Museum several times, but this time I actually took the time to look at everything (much to the husband's chagrin) and they have the actual contract that was signed by Seabiscuit's owner, Charles Howard, and his jockey, Red Pollard. Not to mention the saddle he wore to ride Seabiscuit and Red's St Christopher medal, and much more..

And of course dinner at Hattie's. Upstairs from Hatties is the cafe where Don McLean wrote American Pie. Although now it seems as it is the French Quarter Lounge that is part of Hattie's (is nothing sacred?).


 (Random customer)


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