Long Weekends

"The Long Weekend" of September is upon us.  This peculiar phrasing, with a mere nominal cognizance of the significance of the actual holiday, has become mundane in colloquy today.  A weekend hitherto referred only to the Sunday that occurred at the end of a six-day work week.  Today however, a five-day work week followed by a two-day weekend has become a global norm.  Ergo, "The Long Weekend" refers to any weekend that exceeds the customary two-day recess from job-related duties.

Taking family excursions during long weekends is a well established social tradition, to the point of non-compliant families being unfairly subject to supercilious prejudices.  I for one question the constitutionality of this so-called tradition, especially when I recall what my family has endeavored (and endured) in the last few long weekends.  Take for instance the time we dared a road trip down south to visit some famous caves, armed with an abundantly sick seven month old infant and an incongruously merry six year old.  Mother and infant ended up nursing particularly intense RSV symptoms in a hotel room with humidifiers and tissues, while the remaining family members unsuccessfully tried to make good on a half a dozen pre-paid cave tour tickets.  Ultimately, we decided to cut the trip short and return home.  I remember another instance, albeit slightly less disastrous, when after many contentious planning sessions coupled with a strong resolve to take more family trips, we ended going shoe shopping at the local Walmart.

Admittedly, we have had a few fruitful long weekends like the time we flew west to visit the bay area, the canyons of Navajo Nation, Las Vegas etc.  Howbeit, I cannot deny experiencing mild anxiousness in the face of an imminent long weekend.