Labour Day holiday is here in New Zealand, and I love a good long weekend! I realise that a long weekend for some people is different to how it is for other people though, particularly those in retail. Yes, I have a place where I sell from but I am my own boss in a place that does not open for 7 days a week and that tempers the experience somewhat.
A long weekend is definitely a chance to catch up on life. New Zealand's Labour Day is particularly significant in relation to this. It was originally conceived to celebrate the battle for an eight hour working day, which was won by a carpenter Samuel Parnell, in the nineteenth century. Although there were, and are, industries where eight hour days are not the reality, at least there are employment laws which support the ethos of fair working conditions.
As an artist, amongst the other work that I do to support that, my weeks can be quite varied in content and hours! When I see a long weekend, I breathe a sigh of relief. Not because I will have three days off but because my husband works regular hours and has a 'normal' long weekend, which means that we make plans to go and do thing, which forces me to take time away from the background projects which I potter about on endlessly at other times.
I guess the long weekend will bring different experiences for everyone but I hope that you all make the most of them.