Going, Going, Gone

This internet thing is quite funny, when you stop to think about it.

We connect with so many people through it, it shrinks the world in ways we couldn't even imagine just a few short decades ago.

Now, i get to go visit people all over the world in the comfort of my own home, and sometimes even in person.

Three years ago, a friend i made online named Pickles invited all of us on a particular website out to her place in Albuquerque.

Well, i've always wanted to go there. Being a Looney Toons fan, i wanted to see how Bugs Bunny always managed to miss his left turn there.

So i arranged to meet another online friend, Grace, in San Antonio, and drive the rest of the way out with her. We had a blast.

It was so much fun that Grace decided to host it in her home last year. That was convenient, i knew where she lived. In fact, i now know how to get to the store and a couple of other places from her house.

Then it came down to this year. Eagle has decided to open up her Aerie to the rest of us, so i am heading north to a small town in Illinois. It's not far from any of the Quad Cities, but i won't say exactly, just as i don't use their real names here, to help them keep their privacy.

The first year, Eagle, Grace, Script, LuckyLaura and i descended on Pickle's hospitality and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Last year, it was Pickles, Eagle, Mr. Eagle, BonBons, CanDo, and LittleNinja who joined me in the trek to San Antonio.

Now, it's going to be me, Dawn, Script, Westie, LittleNinja, and SleepyMom joining Linnie, Eagle, and Celestine, who all live in the area. In all the confusion, i may have lost track, but in 3 years we have about doubled the size of our gatherings.

While i do expect to be cold up there, i also expect to have fun.

Illinois, here i come. Swamp, i'm outta here.


Today is:

Arbor Day -- Brazil

Black Walnut Festival -- Stockton, MO, US (through the 24th; tour the world's biggest black walnut processing plant, along with a parade and other fun)

Breakfast, Dinner, and Supper Celebration Day -- Fairy Calendar (Goblins)

Chelsea Antique Fair -- Chelsea Old Town Hall, London, England (through the 25th)

Eleven Days of Global Unity -- Day 11, Peace (to coincide with the International celebration; sponsored by We, the World)

Founder's Day -- Ghana

Independence Day -- Armenia; Belize; Malta

International Day of Peace

Mabon begins -- Neopaganism

Miniature Golf Day -- golf the fun way!

National Pecan Cookie Day

Petit Jean Fall Antique Auto Swap Meet -- Morrilton, AR, US (through the 24th)

St. Matthew the Evangelist's Day

Student's Day and Spring Day -- Argentina

World Alzheimer's Day

World Gratitude Day


Birthdays Today:

Faith Hill, 1967
Darva Conger, 1965
Rob Morrow, 1962
David James Elliot, 1960
Dave Coulier, 1959
Bill Murray, 1950
Stephen King, 1947
Henry Gibson, 1935
Leonard Cohen, 1934
Larry Hagman, 1931
Chuck Jones, 1912
H.G. Wells, 1866
Maurice Barrymore, 1849 (family patriarch)


Today in History:

Richard the Lionheart captured, 1192
Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa orders Jews of Holland to wear a badge, 1451
John and Nicolaas van der Heyden patent a fire extinguisher, 1677
Nathan Hale arrested for spying, 1776
The Pennsylvania Packet & Daily Advertiser becomes the first successful US daily newspaper, 1784
Joseph Smith, Jr. claims that the Angel Moroni gives him the gold plates from which he translates the Book of Mormon, 1827
The Duryea Motor Wagon Company becomes the first auto manufacturer, 1895
"Kit Carson", the first cowboy film, premiers in the US, 1903
Publication of Tolkien's "The Hobbit", 1937
Bahrain, Bhutan and Qatar join the United Nations, 1971
Sandra Day O'Connor is unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate as the first female US Supreme Court justice, 1981
Brunei joins the United Nations, 1984
Deep Space 1 flies within 2,200 km of Comet Borrelly, 2001
The Galileo mission is terminated by sending the probe into Jupiter's atmosphere, 2003