Age

Breaking news, i said.  Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has just died.

"Oh, how sad," Little Girl noted, while Bigger Girl chimed in with "What did he die of?"

"I heard he had heart surgery a few weeks back," Sweetie said.

Yes, he did, and they don't note a cause of death; most likely either heart disease or complications from the surgery.

"How old was he?" Little Girl inquired.

He was 82.

"Oh, that's not old!" she said.

No, but average for men in this country is about 78, i think, so he did pretty well.

"Only 78?  How old is Grandpa?" Little Girl wanted to know.

"He's 75," Bigger Girl piped up before i could answer.

Yes, he will be 76 this November.

"Well, he better not go any time soon.  If he dies. I'll kill him!" Little Girl grinned at me.

They do love their Grandpa. 

Rest in Peace, Neil Armstrong.


Today is:

Be Kind to Humankind Week:  Sacrifice Our Wants for Other's Needs Sunday

Birthday of Set -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

First Thnork of the Year -- Fairy Calendar

Heroes Day -- Namibia

Ilmatar Day -- Finland (Water Mother, goddess of the heavens)

Make Your Own Luck Day -- for those who refuse to sit around and wait for it

National Cherry Popsicle Day

National Day of Repentance -- Papua New Guinea

National Dog Day -- sponsored by the Animal Miracle Foundation

Notting Hill Carnival -- Notting Hill, London, UK (through tomorrow, the 2nd largest street festival in the world)

Pony Express Festival -- Hollenberg Pony Express Station, Hanver, KS, US (reenacting life in the 1860's, including a real Pony Express ride)

St. Adrian of Nicodemia's Day (Patron of butchers, prison guards, soldiers; against plague)

Women's Equality Day -- US (commemorates Women's Suffrage)

Yoshida no Hi Matsuri -- Yoshida, Japan (fest to mark the end of Mt. Fuji climbing season; through tomorrow)



Birthdays Today:

Macaulay Culkin, 1980
Branford Marsalis, 1960
Ben Bradlee, 1921
Mother Teresa, 1910
Christopher Isherwood, 1904
Peggy Guggenheim, 1898
Albert "Bertie" von Saksen-Coburg-Gotha, husband of queen Victoria, 1819
Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, 1743


Today in History:

Michelangelo is commissioned to carve the Pieta, 1498
The Pennsylvania Ministerium, the first Lutheran denomination in North America, is founded in Philidelphia, 1748
John Fitch is granted a US patent for his working steamboat, 1791
Charles Thurber patents a typewriter, 1843
The first news dispatch by telegraph is made, 1858
Major eruption of Krakatoa, 36,000 dead, 1883
19th Amendment to the US Constitution, granting women the vote, takes effect, 1920
The first Major League Baseball game is telecast, 1939
The USSR announces the first successful test of an ICBM, 1957
The Charter of the French Language is adopted by the National Assembly of Quebec, 1977
John Paul I is elected Pope, 1978
The agreement on how to divide the Czech Republic and Slovakia is signed, 1992
Russia unilaterally recognizes the independence of the former Georgian breakaway republics Abkhazia and South Ossetia, 2008