A to Z Challenge: B is for Boudreaux and Burial

Boudreaux and Clothile's daughter, Marie, hated going to weddings.  When there is a Cajun wedding, everyone comes, all the family and friends for miles around.  Boudreaux noticed that his daughter got more and more upset after each wedding, so the day after a particularly big one where she came home markedly upset, he decided to find out what was up.

"Marie, I done seen dat you don' seem to like dem weddings.  What's wrong?" he axed.

"Mais," she answered.  "It's all dem old ladies.  At ever' weddin', dey come up to me and poke me in de ribs and say, 'You's next!' an' I's tired of dat!"

Well, Boudreaux, he t'ink about dat for a minute an' den he say, "Well, at de nex' funeral, you go up to dem and do the same t'ing!  Den dey'll stop!"

Later on, Boudreaux was talking to his wife, Clothile, about his funeral.  He had been going on in detail for a while.  Then he summed up.

"An' I wan' be buried wit' my fiddle!" he say, "dat's my las' instruction!"

Clothile look at him, and he say, "Mais, why you look at me so funny?  You t'ink I's wrong to be buried wit' my fiddle?"

"No," Clothile answer.  "I jes' t'ink I's glad you don' play de piano!"

And for you fans of Boudreaux and Thibodeaux, i have a sad announcement.  There will be no more jokes.  You see, Boudreaux died the other day, and he wanted to be buried at sea.  Thobodeaux then died trying to dig the grave.




Today is

Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia -- Philadelphia, PA, US (in conjunction with the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia; through the 13th)

Dia Feriado Con Fines Turisticos -- Argentina (Public Holiday for Tourism)

Feast of Acan -- Ancient Mayan Calendar (god of wine, whose name means either "belch" or "groan", depending on your source -- although both seem apt, one during the celebration, the other after; date approximate)

Great Lovers Day -- you don't have to be a Cassanova to celebrate the great lovers in your life!

International Children's Book Day -- on the birth anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen, sponsored this year by the USA division of IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People); this year's theme is "Bookjoy around the World"

Malvinas Day -- Argentina (honors veterans of the Falklands War)

National Day of Hope -- US; recognizing victims of child abuse and neglect, a day to recommit to make the world safe for children

National Ferret Day -- US (The American Ferret Association)http://ferret.org/nationalferretday/index.html

National Love Your Produce Manager Day -- ???

National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

National Walking Day -- US (sponsored by the American Heart Association)

Paraprofessional Appreciation Day -- honoring the contributions of paraprofessionals everywhere

Quingming Festival begins -- China; Taiwan (a/k/a Pure Brightness Festival or Tomb-sweeping Day; through Apr. 4, which is the main celebration)

Reconciliation Day -- as recommended by columnist Ann Landers, use today to reach out and mend a broken relationship

Shangsi Festival -- China (ancient Double Third festival, on the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month)

Sizdehbedar -- Iran (Nature Day)

Spring Fever and Medical Aid Appeal -- Fairy Calendar

St. Francis of Paloa's Day (Patron of boatmen, mariners, naval officers, sailors, travellers, watermen; Amato, Italy; Calbria, Italy; Fossato Serraita, Italy; Sant'Agata di Esaro, Italy; against fire, plague, and sterility)

St. Urban of Langres' Day (Patron of barrel makers/coopers, gardeners, vine dressers/vine growers/vintners; Dijon, France; Langres, France; against alcoholism, blight, fainting, frost, storms)

Taily Day, Scotland (engage in pranks related to your tail end, a second day of April fooling)

Thai Heritage Conservation Day -- Thailand

Unity of Peoples of Russia and Belarus Day -- Belarus

Whole Grain Sampling Day -- sponsored by the Whole Grains Council

World Autism Awareness Day -- UN



Anniversary Today:

Napoleon Bonaparte marries the Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria, 1810


Birthdays Today:

Bethany Joy Galeotti, 1981
Christopher Meloni, 1961
Pamela Reed, 1953
Ron "Horshack" Palillo, 1949
Camille Paglia, 1947
Emmylou Harris, 1947
Linda Hunt, 1945
Leon Russell, 1942
Dr. Demento, 1941
Marvin Gaye, 1939
Jack Webb, 1920
Charles White, 1918
Alec Guinness, 1914
Buddy Ebsen, 1908
Max Ernst, 1891
Walter Chrysler, 1875
Emile Zola, 1840
Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, 1834
Hans Christian Anderson, 1805
Giovanni Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, 1725
Charlemagne, 742


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Nickelodeon(TV Cable Channel), 1979
"Dallas"(TV), 1978
"2001: A Space Odyssey"(Film), 1968
"As the World Turns"(TV), 1956
"The Edge of Night"(TV), 1956
Symphony No. 1 in C major(Beethoven Op. 21), 1800


Today in History:

Mehmed II begins his siege of Istanbul/Constantinople, 1453
Juan Ponce de Leon becomes the first European to set foot in Florida, 1513
"American Farmer," the first successful agricultural journal, begins publication, 1819
Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for president of the US, 1870
The first Easter egg roll is held on the White House lawn, 1877
Puerto Rico is given limited self rule by the US Congress, 1900
The first full time movie theater, the "Electric Theater," opens in Los Angeles, 1902
The Titanic undergoes sea trials under her own power, 1912
President Woodrow Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Germany, 1917
Haile Selassie is proclaimed emperor of Ethiopia, 1930
Charles Lindbergh turns over the $50,000 ransom for his kidnapped son, 1932
The first official Panda crossing is opened outside Waterloo station, London, 1962
Argentine forces sieze the Falkland Islands, beginning the Falklands War, 1982
Rita Johnston becomes the first female Premier of a Canadian province (British Columbia), 1991
Israeli forces surround and besiege the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem into which armed Palestinians had retreated, 2002
Three widows and two daughters of Osama bin Laden were charged with illegally living in Pakistan; they were sentenced with 45 days in jail and fined $114 each, 2012
The Arms Trade Treaty, the first-ever bill to regulate the global trade in conventional weapons, is passed by the U.N. General Assembly, 2013