Well, When You Put It Like That...

"Hey, mom, do we have any more chopped garlic?" Bigger Girl asked, holding out the jar that still had at least two cloves worth in there, as she cooked herself something she had bought at Whole Paycheck.

Sure, here's a new one, but do you really need more?

With a huge grin, she answered, "Well, why not? After all, I'm not kissing anybody tonight!"


Today is:

Batik Day -- Indonesia

Blessing of the Fishing Fleet -- San Francisco, CA, US

Buttering-Up Quarter Finals -- Fairy Calendar (I have no idea what this means, but anything to do with butter sounds good.)

Change a Light Day -- US, sponsored by EntergyStar, promoting energy saving light bulbs

Dasain Festival -- Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan, Nepal (through the 10th)

Day of Appearance of the Primordial/Eight Great Netjers -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar

Erntedankfest -- Germany, Thanksgiving/Harvest fest

Fast of Gedalya -- Jewish (begins at first light, to commemorate the 6th Century BC assassination of Gedalya Ben Achikam; on Tishri 4 this year because the 3rd falls on the Sabbath)

Feast of Guardian Angels -- Spain (patrons of the police force)

Gandhi Jayanti -- India

Great Books Week begins -- sponsored by Excellence in Literature

Independence Day -- Guinea

Intergeneration Day -- sponsored by the Intergeneration Foundation

International Day of Non-Violence -- in honor of Gandhi's birthday

Mehregan -- Iran (pre-Muslim festival of Persia to honor Mehr, which means friendship, affection, and love; also called Persian Festival of Autumn)

Name Your Car Day

National Custodial Workers Day -- US (some will celebrate on Monday)

National Fried Scallops Day

Old Man's Day -- Braughing, Herts, England (in honor of a 16th-Century man's escape from premature interment; he left money for a street sweeping and celebration on this day which is still observed)

Pulaski Day Parade -- Philadelphia, PA, US (honoring the Polish patriot who was "Father of the American Cavalry")

Phileas Fogg's Wager Day

Qatar L'arc de Triomphe -- Longchamp Race-course, Paris, France (one of the world's greatest horse races, since 1920)

St. Leger's Day (a/k/a Leodegar; Patron against blindness)

World Communion Sunday -- Christian

World Farm Animals Day


Anniversaries Today:

Redwood National Park established, 1968


Birthdays Today:

Lorraine Bracco, 1955
Sting, 1951
Annie Leibovitz, 1949
Donna Karan, 1948
Don McLean, 1945
Rex Reed, 1938
George "Spanky" McFarland, 1928
"Sheriff John" Rovick, 1919
Bud Abbot, 1895
Groucho Marx, 1890
Mahatma Gandhi, 1869
King Richard III of England, 1452


Today in History:

Saladin takes Jerusalem from the Crusaders, 1187
Jacques Cartier discovers Mount Royal (Montreal), 1535
Kazan is conquered by Ivan the Terrible, 1552
Jan Lippershey completes a prototype of the modern reflecting telescope, 1608
George Washington transmits the Bill of Rights to the States for ratification, 1789
The Texas Revolution begins with the Battle of Gonzales against Mexican troops attempting to disarm the people of Gonzales, Texas, and meeting with stiff resistance, 1835
J Osterhoudt patents the tin can with key opener, 1866
John Logie Baird performs the first test of a working television system, 1925
The "Prelature of the Holy Cross and the Work of God", commonly known as Opus Dei, is founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá, 1928
Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz is first published, 1950
The anthology series The Twilight Zone premieres on CBS television, 1959
Thurgood Marshall is sworn in as the first African-American justice of United States Supreme Court, 1967
NATO backs US military strikes following 9/11, 2001
American Samoa joins the North American Numbering Plan, 2004
NFL plays first regular season game outside United States when the Arizona Cardinals defeat the San Francisco 49ers 31-14 in Mexico City, Mexico, 2005