I’m never quite sure what is and what isn’t with holidays.

When I lived in Boston, there was a holiday which was a holiday only in Suffolk County (where Boston is) and I think it may have been Bunker Hill Day, but I could be wrong.

Patriots Day is a holiday only in Massachusetts and residually, Maine, since we were part of the Commonwealth until 1820. So, by default, Maine has an April holiday. What is closed? Municipal offices, and I’m not sure about the banks – perhaps state banks are open but not federal.

I didn’t expect any mail on Patriots Day so didn’t mail anything on Monday, and now they’ll be a day later. Sorry, guys, I was wrong, because I did have a box of books delivered – the mailman even came up the stairs to the second floor – can’t beat the postal service here in Windham. All through the winter when the mailbox had been knocked down off its stilt legs, and was a whole lot shorter, the mailman (woman?) continued to leave the mail. High cost of postage aside, I think the crews at the Windham post offices (north and south) are the best.

But I do wish there was a manual for holidays. When they are, which ones were switched around to make more leisure time available for all the working folks; whether they are paid or non-paid holidays for workers in the public or private sector. It makes a big difference. Maybe Hallmark or one of the big card companies could produce such a guide for those of us who just can’t keep up!

Patriot’s Day was not without incident, even if I missed the Boston Marathon – again. (Actually, while I was living in Boston I did watch the marathon one year when Kip someone won.)

In 2007, however, what was watched was the Atlantic pounding the coastline from the Cape to Maine. Once again, the crack storm teams were on the scene from the local television stations; I hope they get paid plenty for standing in those 50 mph winds, being pelted by rain and broadcasting live without a monitor! Hazardous duty pay would seem in order. Or at least an extra holiday.

And on this 2007 Patriot’s Day, one event which knocked both Imus and the Nicole Smith baby off the TV screen and will rival even Columbine – the massacre at Virginia Tech. Already the talking heads are dissecting the reasons. Good luck on that.

April will soon be a bad memory, and we can pray that May will be a suitable May, the way it’s supposed to be, with Mayflowers, May baskets, Maypoles and Memorial Day.

See you next week.