You can't have a first day of school without having Labor Day. Actually, this year, it seems that we couldn't have a first day of school without having a strike but that's a different matter and I didn't record that on film.

Our Labor Day picnic began when Adele and Chris IMG_1500 arrived through the haze and then a bike arrived IMG_1501 guided by Peter Kramer IMG_1502 who got Ben started on the back grass IMG_1503 IMG_1504 and then adjusted the seat IMG_1505 as Jan arrived IMG_1506 to see the last ride around. IMG_1507

By now, the McKeown/Williams family had arrived IMG_1508 with the tomato salad IMG_1509 and wine IMG_1510 and people greeted IMG_1511 over appetizers IMG_1512 while Jane IMG_1513 Kaylen IMG_1514 and Lucy IMG_1515 gathered on the porch but they couldn't resist the lure of grilled meat (and non-meat IMG_1516 and so dinner was served IMG_1517 on the main dining room table and some lucky person got to sit on the lucky chair. IMG_1518 with stuffing to share as another sued their burger IMG_1519 to save this chair. The assembled ate IMG_1520 and talked IMG_1521 IMG_1522 until Carolyn's wonderful dessert appeared IMG_1523 and survived a massacred first slice IMG_1524 that tasted much much better than it looked. Out came the grappa IMG_1525 which was maybe why Jane IMG_1526 Kaylen IMG_1527 and Lucy IMG_1528 seemed so grumpy the next morning.

Having made it through Labor Day and the day of the teacher's strike, Ben IMG_1529 IMG_1530 and Jane IMG_1531 IMG_1532 were ready fro the first day of school. Ben even had a new lunch box IMG_1533 to prove it.

We took the standard pictures IMG_1534 IMG_1535 IMG_1536 IMG_1537 IMG_1538 at the first day of school tree, watched Jane think IMG_1539 about getting her shoes on, said good bye to the books for the SVC IMG_1540 and looked down the foggy driveway IMG_1541 while the green car IMG_1542 was getting ready for the trip. We reviewed a little math IMG_1543 just in case as we made it through the 4 ton limit IMG_1544 to where Michael IMG_1545 was dropping off Lucy so that the fabulous four IMG_1546 IMG_1547 could assemble. On the way back, we recorded some patriotism IMG_1548 and caught the weight limit sign IMG_1549 to be ready for what came next.

What came next were the hand pictures of David IMG_1550 Ben IMG_1551 and Suzanne IMG_1552 who still had to get ready IMG_1553 for the trip to the bus stop.

Again we looked down the foggy driveway IMG_1554 and began our walk IMG_1555 to the bus stop where the Dobbs-Allsop's were approaching IMG_1556 and we caught Chip IMG_1557 then a reluctant Hannah IMG_1558 Laura IMG_1559 and Suzanne IMG_1560 before the boys gathered at the pole IMG_1561 and the Shea's arrived IMG_1562 IMG_1563 as the Dimaggio's began to cross the street IMG_1564 for this closeup fo Paul IMG_1565 and Carol IMG_1566 and these attempts to get a family picture IMG_1567 IMG_1568 with William looking up. Suzanne bade Benjamin farewell IMG_1569 Will looked around IMG_1570 and everyone waited for the bus IMG_1571 to finally appear so that school could begin.