Seeking Shelter

At the cat shelter, all is going rather well.

We only have one contagious room, with Fendi on the last of her eye/nose drops (thank heaven, she drew blood this time, she fights so much).

We are down to three being treated for ringworm, and it seems to be on the run.

Adoptions continue to clip along at a good pace.  Down a bit from before Christmas, which is to be expected but not bad for the time of year at all.

Danny is is usual self, glad to be the only wandering cat with the run of the place.  He's a bit stir crazy right now, because of the rain.  He sits and looks out of the open door in disgust, wanting to be out but not wanting to be wet.

Only a couple of cats in room 8 seem to be not getting along.  One may need to get moved.

And speaking of adoptions, i was looking for a good reason to smile, so i went to www.dogshaming.com, as it usually gives me a hearty laugh.  For some reason, i hadn't been on there on a Friday for a while, and so i didn't realize they are now doing "Adoptable Fridays," showcasing dogs in shelters and foster homes that need to find forever homes.

If you ever need a good smile, get on that site.  And if you want to find a dog to love, they are showcasing some great ones.


Today is:

Children's Day -- Thailand

Compitalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (slave festival to the Lares and Manes, household gods)

Curried Chicken Day

Eat Crackers and Try to Whistle Day -- just to see if it's as much fun as it was when you were young

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day -- an internet generated holiday with whatever purpose you decide to give it

Great Fruitcake Toss -- Manitou Springs, CO, US (what to do with leftover fruitcake?  toss, hurl, or launch it for fun and prizes)

Goblin Gala -- Fairy Calendar (Fairies not invited)

Hen Galan -- Gwaun Valley, Dyfed, Wales (New Year Celebration begins -- yes, they still use the old calendar)

Kayin New Year -- Myanmar (a/k/a Karen New Year)

Little League Girls Baseball Day -- girls were finally allowed to play this date in 1974

London Boat Show -- London's Docklands, London, England (worth a trip to England for anyone who loves boats; through the 20th)

Memorial Day -- Turkmenistan

National Marzipan Day

National Pharmacist Day -- US

National Western Stock Show and Rodeo -- Denver, CO, US (106th edition of the Super Bowl of livestock shows; through the 27th)

National Youth Festival -- India (through the 16th)

Rubber Band Veteran Day -- to commemorate the warriors and heroes of rubber band fights around the globe and in your very own school or office

Stick to Your New Year's Resolution Day -- because it's too soon to give up

St. Benedict Biscop's Day (Founder and Patron of English Benedictines, and Patron of musicians, painters; Sunderland, England)

Traditional Day of Offering -- Bhutan (first day of 12th month of Tibetan calendar)

Zanzibar Revolution Day -- Tanzania


Birthdays Today:

HAL, 1997 (according to A. C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey)
Jeff Bezos, 1964
Kirstie Alley, 1955
Howard Stern, 1954
Rush Limbaugh, 1951
Joe Frazier, 1944
Glenn Yarborough, 1930
Ray Price, 1926
Luise Rainer, 1910
Tex Ritter, 1905
Joe E. Lewis, 1902
Jack London, 1876
John Singer-Sargent, 1856
Charles Perrault, 1628


Today in History:

Tsarina Elizabeth establishes the first university in Russia, 1755
The first US public museum is established, in Charlestown, South Carolina, 1773
Mission Santa Clara de Asis is founded in California, 1777
The first cargo arrives in New Orleans by steamship, from Natchez, 1812
Anthracite coal is first used to smelt iron, in Mauch Chunk,Pennsylvania, 1839
The Royal Aeronautical Society is founded in England, 1866
The Dow-Jones closes above 100 for the first time, 1906
A long-distance radio message is sent from the Eiffel Tower for the first time, 1908
The University of the Philippines College of Law is formally established; three future Philippine presidents are among the first enrollees, 1911
The United States House of Representatives rejects a proposal to give women the right to vote, 1915
Finland's "Mosaic Confessors" law went into effect, making Finnish Jews full citizens, 1918
Hattie W. Caraway becomes the first woman elected to the United States Senate, 1932
Dr. James Bedford becomes the first person to be cryonically preserved with intent of future resuscitation, 1967
An act of the U.S. Congress authorizes the use of military force to drive Iraq out of Kuwait, 1991
A new constitution, providing for freedom to form political parties, is approved by a referendum in Mali, 1992
Nineteen European nations agree to forbid human cloning, 1998
The world's largest ocean liner, RMS Queen Mary 2, makes its maiden voyage, 2004
Deep Impact launches from Cape Canaveral on a Delta 2 rocket, 2006
The French warship Clemenceau reaches Egypt and is barred access to the Suez Canal, 2006
Comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) reaches perihelion becoming the brightest comet in more than 40 years, 2007
An earthquake in Haiti kills an estimated 230,000 and destroys most of Port-au-Prince, 2010