Today is Labor Day in the United States — a day in which we are supposed to honor the labor movement and the contributions made by labor in the development of our nation. Like other holidays, it has long shifted to represent the last three-day weekend of summer.
Take a look at the featured photo. I tool that inside the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is a state in which county governments are more active than in many states. Connecticut, for example has no active county government structure. The photo is the Allegheny County Death Chart — "Each red cross stands for a man killed at work." The calendar is from 1906. Labor Day had been an official holiday for over twenty years at the time that chart was still being filled in.
Having been retired for almost five years, I no longer labor for wages. Instead, I live off the benefits accrued from having labored for over 50 years. That number includes some very low-wage part-time jobs I had while growing up, but physically, those jobs were harder than the "career" I had for 42 years. I know, it sounds like I walked up hill, both ways, every day.
I did not.
I was fortunate to have had the jobs I had. In all those years, other than some years when I was in college, I was never without a job. I was laid off once, for a two months before moving to Connecticut, but my severance package covered the period between the job I lost and my next job — I was lucky.
While I don't consider it labor, I get up early (5:15 am) each day to write. I sleep in until 6:15 on weekends and I will sleep in today. My work-in-progress can go a day without my attention. I was fortunate that Cee's Fun Foto Challenge called for squares and rectangles this week. It gave me an opportunity to share the Death Chart. That let's me remember the people who fought for better working conditions than those that existed in 1906. It also lets me think about the people who labor today and how their labor helps me. There are too many jobs to mention, but I appreciate all of them.
The topic this week is Square or Rectangles. Please feel free to use either new or archived photos for this challenge. Use your imagination and see what you can come up with. Be creative and have fun with this challenge.
Cee's Fun Foto Challenge
The photos in the gallery are from the archives. I hope those of you in the U.S. enjoy this day. I hope everyone else has a wonderful beginning to a new week.
The square has always been missing.
Looks like we're each going to need our own shelf.
Drawer - The slate drawer front appears to be framed in wood, but only the bottom is. The top and sides are part of the bookcase.
After renovating the room, we put the bookcase back in. MiMi likes empty spaces
The Russell Restaurant is on the first floor of an old commercial facility that has been transformed to apartments.
Apartments
More of a lid, but. I made the box while testing the device I used to cat the inlays
Boston and Maine metal boxcar.
My wife reorganized my money, but, as you can see, I don't have much. that's Faith being compassionate.
The Pittsburgh edition includes Eat'n Park - which Faith always buys.
Been there - done that - got the beer cozy.
I'd recognize that back end anywhere. Oldsmobile 442 - four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual, and dual exhausts
I ran a photo of this on Sunday, but it's worth repeating. Banner st sunrise
I couldn't tell if I captured the flag until I got home
The products of my current labor.
Bridge to Nowhere continues the tradition of character driven stories with strong female characters and well-researched scenarios and the return of a favorite character.
Pittsburgh reporter Rachael Todd has a hard deadline — and it's personal. Her friend is a murder suspect. He knew the victim. He had a strong motive and a weak alibi. Rachael's certain he is being framed, and she'll have to live up to her nickname "Rascal" to clear him.
Bridge to Nowhere
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