Labor Day 2010

Labor Day traditionally marks the end of the summer season with a three-day weekend.

Saturday (last day of the work week) dawned wet and rainy and stayed wet and rainy all day and most of the night. Because of our location close to the equator, our weather is influenced by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ); the main source of rain showers and storms in the tropics. This is our rainy season, though October and November will probably be the months where it rains most. Needless to say, in a bicycle-oriented culture rain kills business, especially at the bars on island.

Sunday I attended a PCS party for a long time Kwaj couple (they were not affected by the layoffs). It was very well attended and the food was onolicious. Even tried poke for the first time. (Poke is a mix of chopped fresh raw fish with spices, shoyu and some chopped vegetables and limu, a form of seaweed.) There was one kind made with ahi (tuna) and another made with tako (octopus). The latter was a bit too chewy for my taste. Had a Romeo and Julieta Churchill (don't sic Customs on me; this was the in-exile brand) washed down with Glenlivet on the rocks. Like many PCS parties it was kind of subdued; it's hard saying farewell to a Kwajer or a Roi Rat who has spent a long time living and working here. (There is also another type of PCS party: the 'wheels up' - that's only held after a person (usually someone who isn't well liked in the community) leaves the island. It's the island's way of saying 'goodbye and good riddance; don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!')

Monday was the Labor Day beach party at Emon Beach. The traditional Roi chili cookoff moved to Kwaj for this weekend, benefiting the Enniburr Children's Christmas Fund, which provides Christmas gifts for children on the outer islands. I didn't go to it since I had other things to do.

Tuesday (the actual holiday) was also pretty quiet. Other than I didn't have to work that day it was pretty much just like any other day. (Except that the BX/BXtra/Shoppette operated on short hours and Surfway was closed.)