When I worked at Sandestin Beach Resort, we always referred to Labor Day as one of the bookends of summer. Memorial Day was the other and, in between those two holidays, the summer was. If the resort had not made a major portion of its budget by Labor Day, the furrowed brow of the owner was much deeper.

School started back on the Monday after Labor Day and families would cram in one more trip to the beach. Nowadays, at least in our neck of the woods, school has already resumed so that little part of Labor Day history has gone by the way.

Still, the holiday that began, officially, in 1894 is upon us and continues to be one of the Big Ten. Those are official, federal holidays when all non-essential government workers are able to take the day off and get paid.

Labor Day means anniversary at our house. Donna Sue and I married on Labor Day weekend way back in 2000. Soon, I can take that string on my finger, tied to remember anniversary, off.

Labor Day means that football season has arrived. The preseason practices are over and the games we play begin to really mean something. Everyone has their favorite team from high school to the pros. My football interest begins and ends with the Dawgs.

In a way, Bainbridge has a “dog in the hunt” when it comes to UGA. Head coach Kirby Smart and his family lived here for many years and Kirby played for Bainbridge High School while Daddy Smart coached.

I understand, though, that not everyone is pulling for the Dawgs. In my own house, the cry is divided between “Go Dawgs” and “War Eagle.” That’s good for the television business. We have to have at least two; one for her team and one for mine. Of course, I get the big one!

In remembering Labor Day from my youth, it seemed that it brought a change of weather. That may be a faulty memory, but the wind felt a little cooler after Labor Day. It also ushered in the Hurricane Season way back then.

Now, the Weather Channel has moved the beginning of Hurricane Season back to sometime in June and they begin to chart every strong breeze that comes off the continent of Africa. Like “Invest-92.” Here is hoping and praying that there is no Michael this year.

As I drive around, looking at the crops, there is no doubt that the dark green of the cotton and peanut leaves has begun to fade a little. The bolls of cotton are opening on the bottom and there seems to be some rust-coloring on the leaves. Peanut combines and cotton pickers will soon begin to clear their throats.

There is one thing about Labor Day that is somewhat worrisome. It’s about wind-blowing, but not hurricanes. It’s more the hot air of politicians going back to work.

August is a refreshing month as Washington pols take the month off to go home and get in touch with their constituents. After Labor Day, they all go back to the Capitol to resume work. That makes me nervous. I always feel safer in August when they aren’t doing anything. Come to think of it, that’s most all the months.

Jay Leno joked, “According to a Washington Post poll, 84% of Americans do not approve of the way Congress does its job. The other 16% were not aware that Congress had a job!”

Here is an amazing statistic about Labor Day. Two-thirds of the year 2019 is history. Time flies when you’re having fun or not. Have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend.