Les Grandes Vacances

When I arrived in Paris in September 1974, the place was emptied of most of its people. I did not understand the cultural phenomenon of millions of French people flocking to the coast, countryside, and other vacation destinations, leaving urban areas almost deserted. A few shops were open in Paris that summer, although not many. Traditionally les grandes vacances happen in August, yet people were gone into the first week of September that year.

With my book at the printer, I’ve been taking an August hiatus from work on the second part of my memoir. Life goes on and for me there is no vacation. That’s mostly because there is no extra money to pay for lodging, meals and travel excursions. Vacationing is anathema to my current personality anyway. There are few destinations to which I am drawn these days.

Like the weekends during my trip to Brittany, les grandes vacances form part of my outlook while I spend more time in our Midwestern kitchen processing garden produce. August is about tomatoes, apples, leafy green vegetables and such. There are a few cucumbers and squash left in the refrigerator to be used. It’s not a bad tradeoff with traveling to the mountains or some such.

Saturday was the special convention to elect a nominee for Johnson County Auditor. Mayor of Swisher Julie Persons won on the first ballot. I know Julie from her involvement in the House District 91 campaign and believe she will make a good county auditor. In fact, all four of those running were qualified.

What I like most about the convention is the chance to talk to people I seldom see any more. In August 2024, there are way fewer of my cohort involved with county politics. Between deaths, retirements, and people moving away, I am becoming a survivor. If there were more interest in county politics in my precinct, I would have stepped down long ago.

I sat with a friend who recently published their memoir and is awaiting publication of another book. We talked about books and topics we choose to write about. They were an early reader of my memoir and we’ve done a lot together since we met in 2005.

Of course there were my local buddies. We are getting too old for this stuff, yet the fact is few younger people are willing to step up. We do what we want with regard to politics, hoping to advance Democratic causes and elect our candidates.

I commented to someone I watched more television last week than I have in the last ten years. It just felt right to have the Democratic National Convention on in the background. It seems good that Kamala Harris got the nomination and there are only 72 days left until the election. The excitement of a younger, energetic presidential candidate can be sustained that long without breaking pace. I plan to do two or three things daily related to the campaign. Before we know it, election day will be here.

In the meanwhile, there is kitchen and garden work to do today. Not before I take a long walk on the state park trail and consider the wonder that is August.