Labor Day is a national holiday in the United States, and for the last 11 years I’ve gathered with the neighbors to have a cookout. I have no idea what an ideal celebration of the day would entail. The day is often the beginning of autumnal events – the start of the new school year and easing into pumpkin season. For me, it was just an excuse to party and enjoy family and neighbors.

This year was different. I’m laughing now that I canceled our cookout because I had tendinitis in my shoulder. If I had only waited two more days, I would have canceled because of Coffee Disaster Number Two! The first awful thing happened when daughter Lise was here. I wasn’t paying attention and failed to put the cup under the drip of the coffee machine. I saw a pool of brown on the floor and knew my carelessness was to blame. Lise kindly helped me clean up the mess. It’s a shame I didn’t swear off coffee that instant (but I don’t want to have anything to do with instant coffee).

Two days ago I was putting away clean mugs and didn’t realize I’d left a mug full of coffee in the same area. I lifted two mugs with one hand and began to sling them toward the mug rack. I recognized the sound of liquid splashing on the floor and knew without looking that it was brown. Coffee Disaster Number Two!! At the very end of the cleanup, I reached a tiny bit too far and felt a muscle tearing in my upper leg. Thankfully, I didn’t fall down. After two days, I am perfectly fine as long as my right knee is always facing forward. With the least deviation, I will yelp and straighten the knee. No one needs that kind of drama, so it’s good that I am alone while waiting to heal.

If this was a holiday for you, I hope it was free of disaster.