Holiday?

Several days ago I heard someone on TV talking about the upcoming holiday. I thought to myself what holiday? I actually had to check the calendar and saw... oh, Presidents' Day. I then said something to Becky about the upcoming holiday weekend and she replied what holiday? This is what it is like being retired.

It's been a little over five years now that we have both been retired and there are times when it is hard to imagine what our lives were like before the big change. In the past we would have been avidly looking forward to a three day weekend because of a holiday on Monday like today. The kids would be off from school and we would need to have some plans for the day or at least be prepared. Not anymore. 

It has been especially different not only being retired but also this ongoing pandemic experience where everything seems mixed up and out of sorts. Even something simple like planning to go out to dinner doesn't seem to work now. 

Presidents' Day has always seemed like somewhat contrived. I always remembered it growing up as George Washington's Birthday and it used to be always on February 22nd. Then in 1971, long after I was out of school, when it was moved to the third Monday in February and thus it was always to be a long holiday weekend.

Somewhere along the way the holiday became a celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday which was February 12th. Then it became a holiday for all presidents.

The photo here of Mount Rushmore reminds me that trump wanted his face carved into the mountain which he thought was "a good idea".