shift work – Michael Seidel, writer

Daily writing prompt

What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?

When I saw the prompt, I laughed and wondered, what traditions? Then I thought about it more seriously.

Dad doesn’t have traditions. He and Mom divorced in the early sixties. I moved in with him when I was fifteen. Well, he did have two traditions in those years: partying and working. Still on active duty in the U.S. Air Force when I moved in, he also had a parttime job, running a base all-ranks club. I have never seen Dad cook. Nor have I seen him clean house. Both of those duties fell to me when I moved in. I confess: I went back home to Mom’s house for Thanksgiving and Christmas for the next few years. Then I graduated high school, joined the military, and was off in my own life.

Back at Mom’s house, traditions gravitated around Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. I guess there was also traditions for Memorial Day and the 4th of July: we always grilled out. Mom’s Christmas traditions were digging out decorations, putting up a tree, and that sort of thing. Easter meant baskets for the children and baked home for dinner. Thanksgiving was a lavish meal, turkey with stuffing, a bunch of fixings, and apple and pumpkin pie with whipped cream for dessert.

Well, it’s just my wife and me. Married for fifty years, we never had children. We did make Easter baskets for each other for a while, but neither of us claim a religion or a belief in God. I was also a shift worker for the first dozen years of my military career and often worked on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc. And my wife became a vegan over thirty-five years ago.

The bottom line is, my Dad had no traditions, and Mom’s were limited. Now we have a tradition of going to a friend’s house to celebrate spring. We all bring a dish, hunt for easter eggs, and play cornhole. Once a year during the summer, we go to a local lake and dance to a local band with friends. There were fifteen of us this year. For the 4th of July, we always go to Pam’s house for a potluck branch and to watch the parade. A friend opens their farmhouse for all of us on Thanksgiving, another potluck affair, but they always provide a turkey.

I guess we have a new tradition of finding friends and celebating with them.

Sunday used to be the day for going out and doing things fun. Might not be so for your culture or region. I know Sunday was held back by many families for worship and visiting with other families, or for quiet days at home. But for mine, a day of rest meant going on picnics, hitting the beach, grilling out, or going to movies or amusement parks. If not that, it was back to playing ball, some kind, somewhere.

I was a shift worker for the first ten years of my military career, which diluted Sunday’s importance. As hourly and shift workers know, your schedule dictates the day of the weeks for your personal agenda. Monday is the first day of work and Friday is your last, regardless of the true date. Naturally, there were clashes between my work week and the real world work week. If real Sunday is my Friday, work would be generally quiet in the military but the urge to cut loose and relax was there. Really didn’t happen on Sunday. Also, I worked rotating shifts so my Friday ended at 6 or 7 AM, after an 8- or 12-hours shift.

Today is Sunday, April 23, 2023. 56 F, we expect 68 F. Rained during the night, and the ground is drying as clouds cut out the sunshine and its effects. But after entering Ashlandia’s air at 6:17 this morning, the sun has tangoed around the clouds, limning gray edges with silver. It is spring out there, to which I say, huzzah. Sunset will take Ashlandia’s sun away at 8:02 PM. The cats are certainly enjoying it, luxuriating in sunshine whenever they stop to wash, watch, play, or sleep.

Having just returned from a short vacay, I’m already contemplating another. Getting into the spirit, The Neurons (TN, as they like to be called) brought up Weezer’s 2001 medley, “Island in the Sun”. I like the mellow tune about being relaxed. It’s a keeper.

Hit the refresh button. Begin again, another day, another effort, another chance, another outcome. Stay pos. Here we go with Weezer. Hip, hip. I’m off for coffee. Hip, hip. Cheers

Note or two: Saving or publishing this post today was a pain. WP wouldn’t load. Wouldn’t save a draft of this. Hung while trying to publish, once, twice, thrice. MW, other posts were created. Just this one wouldn’t go up. Drove me nuts. Of course, most things drive me nuts when they won’t work as expected. Was finally able to publish by not putting in any tags, etc. So it was published in stages – post, a few categories, added words and changes, next a few tags, finally the last of the tags.

Tag: shift work

Traditions?

Funday’s Theme Music

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