Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Cart Before the Horse

 "Hey, mom, guess what!"  When #2 Son says that, prepare to hear something odd, or to duck.

Yes, son?

"I've figured out what kind of car I want!  Here, come look at this!"

Approaching the computer, i was prepared to see some flashy sports car, but instead i saw this


 which you can read more about here, if you are so inclined.

It is called the "Carbeque," and it seems someone had the bright idea, in Australia, to put a full size BBQ pit in the trunk of a custom built car.

Okay, son, so you want one like this?

"Yes!  That is so cool, I could cater out of the back of a really neat car when I wasn't in my restaurant."

Um, son, you are forgetting a few things.

"Like what?"

Well, like the fact that you don't own a restaurant yet, you haven't even been through culinary arts school yet, and you don't have the $170,000+ that this vehicle costs.

"Ah, details.  It'll all happen soon enough."

One other small detail.

"What?"

You don't even have a driving license yet, and you won't come with me to get your permit so you can get a license.

"Well, now I have an incentive!"

 Let's hope so.  Let's also hope that, in time, he learns to keep horses and carts in their proper order.  Ah, sixteen.


Today is:

AFL-CIO Day (date of merger in 1955)

Bathtub Party Day -- celebrate how much fun it is to take a nice, long, hot bath in these days when showers prevail; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

Boycott Day -- commemoration of the city bus boycott begun this day in 1959 in Birmingham, AL, US in response to the arrest of Rosa Parks

Constitution Day -- Sudan

Day of the Ninja -- sponsored by Ninja Burger!

Dingle-Fritter, Gooseberry Humple, Tiger-Get-By, LoneFolding, and Zimbor-Quattor's (Multiple Squishing of) Celebration -- Fairy Calendar

Discovery Day -- Haiti

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development -- UN

King's Birthday -- Thailand, also National Day and Father's Day (for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birth anniversary, the founder and "father" of the nation)

National Sacher Torte Day

Nones of December -- Ancient Roman Calendar; also observed
     Faunalia -- rural festival of Faunus

Repeal Day, celebrating the repeal of Prohibition -- US

Special Kids Day -- a day to make sure special needs kids get to visit Santa with whatever accomodations they require

St. Bassus of Nice's Day (Patron of Nice, France)

St. Nicholas' Eve  -- Belgium; Czech Republic; Hungary; Netherlands; Romania; Slovakia; parts of the UK; special observances include
      Avond -- Leewvarden, West Friesland (St. Nicholas visits and, if you are good, promises to return with trinkets and candies, which are left in waiting shoes)
      Bonhomme Noel -- France (Celebration of "Goodman Christmas")
      Klausjagen -- Arth and Kussnacht, Switzerland (with a procession of mitre-wearing figures by the Lake of Four Cantons)
      Krampuslauf -- Austria (St. Nicholas celebration, which begins the evening before the Saint's day, involving chasing the Krampus, the imp who travels with St. Nick to punish the bad children)
      Zwarte Piet -- "Black Peter", the companion of St. Nicholas who keeps track of the good and bad children, arrives in many areas tonight

Swap a Christmas Cookie Recipe Day -- because it's fun to try new ones


Birthdays Today:

Gary Allan, 1967
John Rzeznik, 1965
Morgan Brittany, 1951
Jim Messina, 1947
J.J. Cale, 1938
Little Richard, 1932
Otto Preminger, 1906
Strom Thurmond, 1902
Walt Disney, 1901
George Armstrong Custer, 1839
Christina Rossetti, 1830
Martin Van Buren, 1782


Today in History:

Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations, BC63
An earthquake in Naples leave about 35,000 dead, 1465
All Jews are expelled from Portugal by order of King Manuel I, 1496
London auctioneers Christie's hold their first sale, 1766
Henry Knox begins the transport of Fort Ticonderoga artillery to Cambridge, Massachusetts, a key to later forcing the British Fleet out of Boston Harbor, 1775
C F Schoenbein obtains patent for cellulose nitrate explosive, 1846
President Polk confirms that gold has been discovered in California, triggering the next year's "Gold Rush", 1848
Daniel Stillson of Massachusetts patents the first practical pipe wrench, 1876
The first automated telephone switching system is patented, 1879
The first electric car makes its debut; it could go 15 miles between charges, 1893
University of Pittsburgh makes the first use of numbers on football jerseys, 1908
The American League for Physical Culture is founded in NYC, the first US nudist organization, 1929
The 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition, is ratified, 1933
Sister Elizabeth Kenny's new treatment for infantile paralysis receives approval, 1941
A cold fog descends upon London, combining with air pollution and killing at least 12,000 in the weeks and months that follow, 1952
The United Nations General Assembly adopts Pakistan's resolution on security of non-Nuclear States, 1976
The Civil Partnership Act comes into effect in the United Kingdom, and the first civil partnership is registered there, 2005

6 comments:

  1. I suppose having smoke and fire belching from your trunk will keep others from tailgating you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I remember 16 well. I'm not entirely sad that it's long in the past with my boys.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah, hell, if you do it right, you can cook on the carburetor of any car. Don't tell him that, though. You might end up with a pot roast under your hood that you were previously unaware of.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Stephen, there is that.

    Hilary, i'm enjoying it, although i'm glad it only comes once.

    Suldog, i know you can cook that way, but his specialty is steak, and you have to turn it over, and since i won't pull over in the middle of traffic and pop the hood for him i think we're good.

    ReplyDelete
  5. every day should be bath tub day- I love taking a bath!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kathe, i do, too, but so many people take showers now that even hotels are getting rid of tubs and going to shower stalls. Sad.

    ReplyDelete

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