Labor day...

...and I'm laboring.

It's already too hot -- it was too hot at 6:00 this morning -- and that makes energy vanish. As if I had any.

But I have cleaned two of the four windows in this dump so far this morning. The worst two, which overlook the scenic alley behind the building. It's a simple process: remove the sliding pane completely, lean out over said alley to clean the outside glass on the other pane, clean frames and the area around them, clean removable pane, and lift it back into place. Simple, and it doesn't take long.

Unless you're not in the mood to do it.

I am amazed by the amount of filth that collects on those windows. Dirt from the alley, particulate crap (diesel soot and the like) from the nearby port and heaven knows what else. Took six good-sized rags to get this far, and I haven't done the blinds yet....

The neighbors are planning a big BBQ blast for this afternoon. I'm not in the mood to be there. Could it be because everyone else is neatly paired off -- with or without offspring -- and I am the proverbial, perennial odd number?

Yup.

Once I decide I'm through with cleaning, I have work to do. I'm so far behind schedule now that some of what I'm doing now won't be published until 2008....

I feel a major rant coming on. It's been building up for days.

I'd better get back to the windows instead. That's a little less futile than ranting.

Hope all y'all are having a labor-free Labor Day.