Ground Hog's Day

Until I started doing Home Health, Ground Hog's Day was an off-work day for me.  Every year. My whole working life. When I first left home I worked in restaurants, in ski towns out west.  When you work in the food industry, you work Christmas and New Year's, especially if you live in a tourist town where skiing is the winter attraction.  So - I would take off on Ground Hog's day.  Baking cookies, relaxing, sending out cards and letters. It was truly my favorite holiday, and I always felt like it was MINE.

Then I got into the health care industry. My birthday is the 5th of July. Independence day makes my birthday week a short week, so there is really no way in good conscience that I can take an extra day off.  So - I fell back to the trusty Ground Hog's day celebration.


When I opened my own place, I took off Christmas, New Year's, Ground Hog's Day and my birthday.  Why not? I'm the boss. I was treating primarily chronic patients, when you have been in pain for 20 years, missing one day of therapy in a week will not cause a huge set back; plus, at that point, I was taking very few, very small vacations.  Ground Hog's day was a paid holiday for my employees.  I had a wonderful, dedicated, workaholic manger that would try to sneak in and get things done on Ground Hog's day.  I had to make a special rule for her that if I caught her working, she would not be paid, it was a day with pay only if you stayed home.


One fun thing about having your own special Holiday, is that people get really into helping you celebrate. Things I have learned over the years about February 2nd:

• Irish Catholics celebrate it as the Feast of Saint Bridgette (Brigit?)
• Other Catholics have Candlemas - sort of like a festival of lights
• Traditional beginning of the "lambing" for the Celts
• Neo-Pagan traditions celebrate Imbolg
• The Mexican War ended on Feb 2nd
• In 1990, Apartheid was officially abolished in South Africa

We could look at Ground Hog's day as a day of peace.

This information has expanded my celebration somewhat.  Brigit is my favorite Celtic Goddess. Goddess of Healing, of War, of Poetry. Sort of like Athena - but a little closer to my roots. So borrowing from what I know of traditions surrounding this Goddess, and cramming that information into my busy little life, for years, I have gotten up early on Ground Hog's day, baked country scones, served them warm to the Fam with home made whipped cream, fresh Blackberries (Brigit's sacred vine) and warm milk and honey - which is apparently what you feed bummer lambs whose mommy's aren't taking care of them, back in the day they did not have formula for abandoned farm babies.  For human  consumption honey (and vanilla) is a much better option.  What is the point of having a favorite holiday, if you don't fill it up with tradition and food?


Home Health sort of changed everything.  Winter is busy season, the acuity of the patient, combined with Medicare time constraints does not really allow for missed visits because I want to have a lazy day and eat fresh scones for breakfast. So I have worked Ground Hog's day for the last few years.  I do try to lighten up my schedule, and I still try to rush the family through breakfast before school, work, whatever.  This year I blew it. Scheduled the Girl's Orthodontist at 7:30 am (ugh - really?), promised her breakfast on the road.  Here my shame deepens.  We went to Starbucks. She loves it, it is convenient, I am weak.


So - today is my psuedo Ground Hog's day. The Girl Child has asked me to teach her to cook.  Of course, it is for a school project. Everything in her world is at least dual purpose, but whatever the reason, I am stoked!  Today we will cook scones and make whipped cream.  Together.  If she ever wakes up. I can hardly wait.