🇺🇸 Happy Memorial Day from 1stwininsurance!

Today we remember the heroes who fought for our freedom… so you can legally eat 7 hotdogs, buy a new grill you don’t need, and tell everyone “I’m just resting my eyes” during the BBQ. 😂🍔🌭 Stay safe, enjoy the long weekend, and take a moment to honor those who made it all possible. ❤️🤍💙 📞 564-215-0713🌐 1stwininsurance #MemorialDay #BBQSeason #USA #1stwininsurance #HolidayWeekend #RedWhiteAndBlue

http://1stwininsurance.com/2026/05/25/%f0%9f%87%ba%f0%9f%87%b8-happy-memorial-day-from-1stwininsurance/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Fri. May 22, 2026: The Start of Memorial Day Weekend!

Friday, May 22, 2026

Waxing Moon

Pluto Retrograde

Partly cloudy and cold

A Friday before the long weekend. Woo-hoo!

Wednesday night, after I scheduled the blog post, I ran 20 Fearless Ink business cards and 10 Pages on Stages cards. I couldn’t imagine I’d need more than that.

Well, I could imagine it, but it wasn’t practical.

(I didn’t need more, but I gave out a good many of the cards, and was glad I had them).

I woke up at 4 (therefore not needing my alarm set for 5), did the morning routine, made breakfast, did the dishes, cleaned the litterboxes, got dressed and put some makeup on. Turning over the closet last weekend meant I was able to easily get dressed and accessorized in clothes I felt good in. I don’t think I’ve felt good in my clothes since early days on the Cape. I felt I hit the sweet spot between looking professional and pulled together without being corporate, in clothes that were also comfortable to sit, stand, drive, and move around. And comfortable shoes!

I was out the door a little after 7 AM, stopping to top off the gas, and headed to Dalton. Traffic in Cheshire was a nightmare, which makes no sense at all. Chesire? Really? In spite of it all, I somehow zoomed down to Dalton and arrived a full hour early at the Stationery Factory, before even most of the vendors showed up.

So I sat in the car and worked on the anthology story due at the end of the month.

On local radio, they stated that a lot of people were already leaving on Thursday, doing a 5-day weekend.

When the venue opened at 9, I wandered in, surprised the staff remembered me after two years. I haven’t been able to attend many of their events in the past year, so I think the last time I saw most of them was at this Expo in 2024. Still, I was greeted by name, and we all had a good catch-up.

I got my tote bag and program and nametag. I got a cup of coffee. No pastries, this year, unless one bought them at the café area. But I’d eaten breakfast before I headed out, and didn’t need any sugar.

I was happy to learn that Shire Tavern, which has become a popular regional hangout, was in the Factory. I knew it was in the area, but knowing exactly where it is makes me more likely to actually go there.

I made the rounds of the different table vendors, had some good conversations, exchanged a lot of business cards, gathered enough swag that I had to offload it into the car before continuing on my day. There were also several people who should be talking to each other, and I suggested that, and then some that would be good partners with other organizations I know, so I have a bunch of follow-up emails to do today to get people in touch with each other. The two best conversations I had were with an organization out of Springfield that supports women-operated businesses and Berkshire Film & Media Collaborative, which wants to encourage more filmmaking in the region, and to build a studio up here.

I attended the first two panel discussions, on grants (finally meeting someone I’d only dealt with through emails the past few months), and then on community business loans, which are different than bank business loans.

Then it was lunch time. I’d been looking forward to the amazing (but messy) burritos we had in past years. Sadly, we did not have them this year. We had dry bread with a choice of grilled chicken, turkey, ham, or veg, some arugula, separate packets of mayo and mustard, and stale BBQ chips. Not as engaging a meal as in previous years, shall we say. But they fed us, which was appreciated.

I’d spoken to everyone I wanted to speak with, and I already know the material from the final session, so I slipped out a bit early.

I ran my errands, which included checking out the Aldi’s in Pittsfield, which isn’t any more enticing than the Aldi’s in Bennington. I found a couple of things, but the prices really aren’t cheaper than the local grocery store (in spite of claims), except for a few of the canned goods. I had better luck at Adams Fresh Market, where I picked up some berries for today’s luncheon and a pie for us here at home.

At the thrift store, I found a trio of glassware to replace the glass that broke from a set from the 1970’s. They are coupe glasses, which used to be more prevalent for champagne than they are now, back in the day. (Those are the wider, shallower bowl shape, rather than fluted or tulip). We had a set of 8, and recently one broke. No one’s fault, things happen sometimes. I found one that’s a pretty close match, and two more that are similar, but with different stems. At 99 cents a pop, I grabbed all three. I tend to use them as dessert glasses for mousse or berry desserts and the like, rather than as champagne or cocktail glasses.

Home, unpacked everything and put things away. I snagged a second fancy silver plated business card case from one of the vendors (I got one two years ago, and they encouraged me to take another), so now I can carry my Fearless Ink cards in one and my Pages on Stages cards in another. They didn’t have the really good pens this year, though. Two years ago, they had the best pens I’ve ever used, outside of a fountain pen. When the ink ran out, I saved the case, so I can try to get another ink cartridge for it.

I didn’t pick up direct freelance work from the day, as I have in other years, but I had conversations that could lead to future work. It was a worthwhile day. I was much more comfortable and relaxed this year than I’ve been in previous years, which was nice, too.

Bea was very happy to see me. Tessa took up residence in the computer chair while I was gone. Charlotte and Willa fussed. My mom was having a good day, which was also helpful.

Cooked dinner and had a quiet evening. I will miss Stephen Colbert’s show. My friend’s husband worked on the crew since the beginning, and I’ve only heard wonderful things about the experience of working on the show, as well as the quality of the work itself.

I realized I hadn’t written about the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown, which was last weekend. Three of the Derby runners, Great White, Ocelli, and Incredibolt, ran. The race was won by Napoleon Solo, a horse I didn’t know much about, but is grey, and I have a fondness for grey horses (part of the reason I enjoy Great White and another Preakness contender, Bull by the Horns). The race was at Laurel Park rather than Pimlico, so the details I use to look at horses in Pimlico didn’t really hold for Laurel Park. I don’t know that track as well. Honestly, I didn’t pay much attention to this race, since there’s no chance of a Triple Crown this year, with Golden Tempo skipping it.

To all those who whine about the Triple Crown being too hard – boo, it’s not supposed to be easy. That’s the point of it having meaning.

It’s a breeding issue. They’re breeding only for speed on matchstick legs instead of speed and  endurance, which would help build longer careers and be healthier for the horses. So when they talk about skipping the Preakness “for the good of the horse” I just roll my eyes. Owners and trainers want to force a schedule change because they are not breeding as well as they could be, and they’re more likely to drive the sport even further into oblivion than it’s headed.

Today, I’m making devilled eggs for the lunch, getting some ghostwriting done, and then heading for Lenox a little before noon for the 1 PM start time. I figure we’ll be eating and chatting until mid/late afternoon and hope that the holiday traffic won’t be too bad on the way back. When I get back, I should be able to customize next week’s CSA box.

I might go to the Farmers’ Market tomorrow for eggs, although I don’t really need anything else. Maybe I’ll just show up, hang out, and socialize for a while? Although I’ll have been social two days in a row, and I might be done.

But for most of the weekend, I  just want to chill out, and, if the light is good, get some sewing done. Sleep as much as the cats will allow. Cook some good food. Finish reading the scripts for the literary meeting next week. I’m presenting work by a playwright about whom I’m excited. This year, each of us on the committee gets to lead a session with a playwright we think it a good fit for the theatre.

I also need to finish setting up the back balcony, including the shelf unit that serves as a boundary to our side of the shared space. Because so many people live next door, they tend to spill over without it, and that can be a problem. They mean well, but they get careless sometimes.

Next week is a reasonably quiet week (at least so far) with lots of writing on several projects. Then it will be June the following week, and time for the reading of my play. It all goes very quickly.

It went down into the 30s overnight, and will be fairly temperate all weekend, which should be nice, even though this morning was a bit chilly.

Have a great weekend, and we’ll catch up on the other side.

CWNP Happy Victoria Day

A long weekend celebration filled with sunshine, good company, and comforting dishes. Victoria Day marks the unofficial start of summer the perfect moment to enjoy light, flavourful meals like rice stuffed favourites that bring warmth to any gathering. For more shelf stable inspiration, visit us at: #CWNP #CookingWithNonPerishables #VictoriaDay #HolidayWeekend #PantryEssentials

https://cookingwithnonperishablesdotcom.wordpress.com/2026/04/19/cwnp-happy-victoria-day/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

26 movies people love to watch with their families on Thanksgiving

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/26-thanksgiving-movies

When Is Labor Day 2025? 🇺🇸

Labor Day falls on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025 — the last three-day weekend of summer. Many Michiganders are already planning how to spend it, from family outings to holiday shopping.

👉 See which stores will be open or closed: https://bluewaterhealthyliving.com/news/local-news/michigan/when-is-labor-day-see-which-stores-are-open-or-closed-on-the-holiday-in-2025/

#LaborDay #Michigan #HolidayWeekend #LaborDay2025 #GBSMedia #NewMedia

Summer's on us now
Memorial Day the gateway
C'mon sunshine - shine!

#Haiku #OneHaikuADay #WritersCollective #writingcommunity #BackToHaiku #Memorial #MemorialDay #USA #US #Weekend #Holiday #HolidayWeekend #America #Summer #Sun #Sunshine #Gateway

May 27, 2025

A true remembrance
A living, giving honor
Memorial place

#Haiku #OneHaikuADay #WritersCollective #writingcommunity #BackToHaiku #Memorial #MemorialDay #USA #US #Weekend #Holiday #HolidayWeekend #America #Life #LIves #Reflect #Recall #Living #Giving #Honor

May 26, 2025