The Big C?

"Mom, I want to be tested for cancer."

#2 Son came into the kitchen and dropped that bombshell. It took me a moment to recover.

Why?

"Well, I've been exposed to uranium," he said.

Shaking my head, i asked How?

"Don't ask," he replied. "Just remember that I have crazy friends."

Like they don't say the same thing about him to their parents? But i digress.

Son, the best way to test to see if you have cancer anywhere in your body when you have no symptoms is an MRI that insurance will not cover for $800-$1000.

"Oh, never mind."

To quote Foghorn Leghorn, "Something the matter with that boy."



Today is:

Banquet of Fairies, Goblins, Pixies, and Elves -- Fairy Calendar

Burning of the Clavie -- Burghead, Scotland (ritual to ensure good luck through the year)

Carmentalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (festival of the goddess of childbirth)

Cuckoo Dancing Week begins -- in honor of Laurel & Hardy, "The Dancing Cuckoos"

Eugenio Maria de Hostos Day -- Puerto Rico

Feast of Sokar -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Independence Manifesto Day -- Morocco; Western Sahara

International Thank You Day -- as declared by Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith

Juturnalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (goddess of prophetic waters festival)

Kagami-Biraki, Japan (opening and eating of the New Year's rice cakes)

Kosrae Constitution Day -- Micronesia

Milk Day

National Hot Toddy Day

Republic Day -- Albania

Secret Pal Day -- no info found on the origin, it's a secret! do something nice for someone, secretly

Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day -- just don't do it to your secret pal

Sts. Paldo, Taso, and Tato's Day (founders of the monastery of San Vincenzo)

St. Theodosius of Cappadocia (Patron of file makers)

Tattoo Pride Day

Unity Day -- Nepal (Prithvi Jayanti)


Birthdays Today:

Kim Coles, 1962
Ben Crenshaw, 1952
Naomi Judd, 1946
Jean Chretien, 1934
Rod Taylor, 1930
Grant Tinker, 1926
Alexander Hamilton, 1755


Today in History:

Prophet of Islam Muhammad leads an army of 10,000 Muslims to conquer Mecca, 630
The first recorded lottery in England is drawn in St. Paul's Cathedral, 1569
Isaac Newton is elected a member of the Royal Society, 1642
Mt. Etna erupts, 1693
William Herschel discovers Titania and Oberon, the moons of Uranus, 1787
An earthquake in Martinique destroys half of Port Royal and results in about 700 deaths, 1839
Charring Cross Station opens in London, 1864
Milk is first delivered in bottles, 1878
Martha H. Cannon becomes the first woman state senator in the US, in Utah, 1897
The Hudson, the first sedan type automobile, goes on display at the 13th Auto Show in NYC, 1913
First use of insulin to treat diabetes in a human patient, 1922
Amelia Earhart flies from Honolulu to Oakland, California, 1935
The first recorded snowfall in Los Angeles, California, 1949
United States Surgeon General Luther Leonidas Terry, M.D., publishes a landmark report saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking nation- and worldwide anti-smoking efforts, 1964
The Gateway Bridge, Brisbane in Queensland, Australia is officially opened, 1986