Saturday

I think there’s a folk song about Saturday from several decades ago. I kind of remember a catchy tune and the word “Sat-ur-day” and maybe even the words “the-fourth-of-July”. But no more circuits will connect in my brain to bring it back to conscious memory.

If I told this to my wife, she’d be singing it instantly, as music – and a razor sharp memory – are parts of her persona. I’m really starting to get frustrated with this memory thing, but that’s really an aside.

What I started to blog about was Saturday and its “routine-ness”. Seems like nothing much exciting happens on Saturday, but I guess a lot of “stuff” gets done.

In my working years (in contrast to retirement) I looked forward to Saturday to hopefully get a respite from the weekday grind and maybe get a few things done around the house. My mental "to do" list for Saturday was always longer than could possibly be completed, however.

Often during those years, I have to admit to thinking about the Saturday list, realizing the futility of trying to finish it, and then deciding to invent something to do that was a lot more pleasurable but, in my mind at least, still had some “work value”.

These were the Saturdays I might have called a meeting to work on the Little League fields that either or both of my sons played on. Or take the car in to the shop for a needed check. Or maybe “plan” the steps needed to remove all the pine needles from the roof (special broom, gutter wash, new ladder, etc., etc.). That might take up most of the morning.

Today, even though it was “routine” in tone, was nonetheless fun. We’re working on “socializing” Buddy our new dog, and so we decided, with their concurrence, to take the dog to Doug and Jamie’s home for a few hours. Our son and his wife live about a half-hour drive plus a ferry boat ride away.

Not only were we able to do some shopping in the big city but also the report on Buddy was that his behavior was just fine. Then when we got home and picked up the mail, there was a letter from our three-year-old granddaughter containing a gorgeous picture she had painstakingly drawn for us in living color.

Of course we then had to phone Aubrey and thank her and tell her what a fabulous job she had done. We also had to congratulate our other granddaughter Hayley, whose term project went so well it ended up on display. She had, on her own, chosen and carefully constructed a Motte & Bailey castle (how did she even know what that is?). I’ll pretend I know.

And of course we also had to talk to Talli, the eldest, about what she’s reading in her book club and about school. And we even talked to Gregg, our son (who, along with Elaine is often at the short end of conversation when we’re on the phone with granddaughters).

Today was one of those days full of the things that make life worth living for us grandparents and parents. And it was a “routine” Saturday to boot.