Do i have to?

Yes, i have to.

Saturday awakened with a headache, a balky computer (took 5 restarts and over an hour just to read email), and fielding so many phone calls at the same time i forgot how many people i talked to.

Yes, Grandma is coming up.  Never mind, no, she isn't.  Check the kids out of the hotel, she and Grandpa will spend days working at their house and nights at my brother's house until their generator is fixed.

Oh, the generator is fixed.  Okay, so brother will come and bring us tickets for the game.  No, he won't.  He can't get up here.

Yes, he will try to come on the back roads.  Oh, help, he's not sure he can get there, can i meet him half way, in the middle of nowhere, to get our tickets.

Do i even want to?  At this point, no.

Sweetie is at work, come get his car so he won't have to worry about getting it home after the game, since we aren't allowed to drive to that area to get it once the roads shut down.  No, leave it, we may not get to the game and he will have to have a ride home.

Grandpa wants programs from the game, if we can't go, make arrangements to have someone else buy them.

Is everything complicated enough yet? 

Over an hour late, we finally get our tickets and make it to the game.  The home team won, but with a mostly lackluster performance and lots of penalties.  That's fine in the season opener, but it later games, the habits formed by such play will betray them and they will have their hindquarters handed to them on a silver platter if they are not careful.

My kids are not happy with me talking like that.  It's what i try to ingrain into them, and as kids they don't like it, but they will once they grow old enough to understand.  Making a habit of striving to be effective and therefore achieving excellence will serve you well in the long run.  Making a habit of being sloppy when you think "it doesn't count" means that when it does count, you won't have your good habits already formed and behind you to back you up.

Anyway, it was late when i finally got home to find Kida the Mosquito had sneaked into our bedroom and baptized our bed again.  Feed the kittens, change the sheets, and to bed, finally.

Sunday with The Mouth should be easier.


Today is:

Bison-Ten-Yell Day -- celebrating the imaginary Bison-Ten-Yell, inventor of 10 battle yells now used as American football signals

Celtic Tree Month Muin (Vine) begins

Coughing and Spluttering Convention -- Fairy Calendar

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

Giostra del Saracino -- Arezzo, Italy (tilting contest dating back to the 13th century, with knights in armor)

Harvest Wine Celebration -- Livermore, CA, US (open-house visits to 43 wineries; through tomorrow)

Historical Regatta -- Venice, Italy (competition among two-oar racing gondolas, preceded by Venetian ceremonial boats)

Independence Day -- Transdniestria

National Blueberry Popsicle Day

National Day -- Vietnam

Running of the Sheep -- Reed Point, MT (matched only by the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, hundreds of sturdy Montana bred woolies charge down the six blocks of the main street in town, plus there is a parade!)

Sacrifice to Hekate and Artemis -- Ancient Greek Calendar (date approximate)

Sedantag -- Germany

St. Agricola of Avignon's Day (Patron of rain -- for or against, whichever you need! -- of good weather and storks; Avignon, France; against misfortune and plague epidemics)

VJ Day -- Surrender Ceremony took place on this date aboard the USS Missouri


Anniversary Today:

Beginning of the Marathon Runs during the Persian War, Sept. 2-9, 490BC



Birthdays Today:

Lennox Lewis, 1965
Keanu Reeves, 1964
Jimmy Connors, 1952
Mark Harmon, 1951
Christa McAuliffe, 1948
Terry Bradshaw, 1948
Cleveland Amory, 1917
Lili'uokalani, 1838


Today in History:

Cicero's first Philippic (oratorical attack) on Marc Antony, BC44
Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion, BC44
Octavian's troops win the Battle of Actium which ends the Final war of the Roman Republic, BC31
The Great Fire of London breaks out and burns for three days; it ends with 8 dead and 13,000 houses destroyed, 1666
Great Britain adopts the Gregorian calendar, nearly two centuries later than most of Western Europe, 1752
US Treasury Dept. is established by Congress, 1789
The solar super storm continues to affect electrical telegraph service, 1859
Theodore Roosevelt adivses the US to "Speak softly, and carry a big stick." 1901
President Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam becomes the first foreign head of state to make a state visit to Australia, 1957
The Principality of Sealand is established, ruled by Prince Paddy Roy Bates, 1967
Swissair Flight 111 crashes near Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia; all 229 people on board are killed, 1998
Pope Benedict hosts an eco-festival, "Save Creation Day," in Loreto, Italy, to encourage Catholics to live an eco-friendly lifestyle, 2007