We moved to Sedona over Labour Day weekend of 2017 just 2 days prior to Hurricane Harvey flooding Houston.

Lucky is an understatement.

Mr. Wannabe half expected me to wiggle my nose like Samantha from the show Bewitched since I had suggested that the move date be the Monday of the solar eclipse instead of Wednesday.

We brought our clothes, antique furniture, and medications in a 26 foot Uhaul truck. And I brought my fancy city fingernails with me.

That Saturday, one of my nails ripped and you can bet I let out a Texas-sized holler. That hurts because it rips the nail to the quick. The short-term solution is superglue and a bandaid. Like a junkie searching for the next fix, I needed a nail salon badly. And they were ALL CLOSED.

Notes on all shops, stores, and many restaurants: “Closed for the Holiday”

What?!

I was AWAY FROM THE 24/7 SERVICE CITY, and me and my poor ripped nails, two by Monday, were just flapping in the small town wind.

I did find a lovely lady by Tuesday who repaired my aching paws, but then was surprised how difficult it was to get follow-up appointments with less than 2 month’s lead time.

It turned out to be for the best since minor surgery every 2 months keeps me clawless these days.

Today, Mr. Wannabe and I went looking for a plant to join our patio family of us + birds. Maybe the drawf pine ball I’ve been eyeing or a tomato plant or flowers. Just as we pulled up Saturday afternoon at 3PM to the hardware store, happy-faced employees were exiting. “We’re closing!” they all beamed.

And I got it.

It reminded me of a time when I was a kid and stores closed for holidays and people enjoyed themselves and HAD TIME OFF on LABOUR DAY.

The plants and nails can wait.