Thankful Thursday

Yesterday, we got good news.

First, we got a call from the mechanic.  They actually found some time to get to Cicero, and they are thinking her transmission is fine.  There's a brake switch that, when it goes out, means the car doesn't register that you are pressing the brake and so won't let you put the car in gear.  It can also turn off the cruise control when it's malfunctioning.

Of course, Cicero wouldn't misbehave for the mechanic, so they will keep her a  bit longer to try to make sure, but it's looking like she will be a cheap fix.

Then, Pastor W. came by.  The family that is remodeling has sent us their only a couple of years old appliances:

Only a few years old, still plenty good!

Red-Headed Alec knows a guy who is a plumber and does side jobs.  He will come install the washer, dryer, and dishwasher on Saturday for only $70.  Can't beat that!  As Alec said, "I know this guy...."  He sure does.

And as for Red-Headed Alec, i took him for an eye exam and new glasses, the first he's had in 3 years.  He has a very, very strong prescription just like all of the males in his family, and he shouldn't go that long without an eye exam.  We gave him that as his early Christmas gift, and the good news is that while his prescription is even stronger than ever, his eyes are sound and healthy.  He just has a terrible astigmatism, but no actual damage or trouble with his retinas or anything else.

That's all good news, and we are very thankful.



Today is:

Bizarre Bazaar -- Richmond, VA, US (Christmas shop until you drop; through Sunday)

Christmas Festival at St. Olaf -- St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, US (600 student musicians perform sacred and folk songs from around the world; through Sunday)

Day of Shango -- Yoruba/Santería religion (various Carribean islands; ceremony for the Defender against Evil)

Day of the Artisans -- internet generated day to honor all who work

Extraordinary Work Team Recognition Day -- created in 2000 by QPC Inc., encouraging recognition of teams that "consistently work extraordinarily well together to produce significant results for their companies or organizations."

Festival for Minerva -- Ancient Roman Calendar

Grange Day -- US Grange (Order of the Patrons of Husbandry) founded, 1887

National Christmas Tree Lighting -- Washington, D.C., US

National Cookie Day

National Dice Day -- get together with friends and play a game today (instructions are here)

Navy Day -- India; Italy

Rake Leaves into the World's Largest Pile Day -- just so you can jump in, of course

Ribbons and Wrap Day -- according to the Elf Forum, which no longer exists; i'd suggest making sure you have enough now, anyway

Santa's List Day -- he completes the lists today, according to some people; which one are you on?

St. Barbara's Day (Patron of ammunition workers/bomb technicians/explosives workers/ordnance workers, architects, armourers, artillerymen, boatment/mariners/sailors/waterman, brass workers, brewers, builders, carpenters, construction workers, dying people, firefighters/fire prevention, fireworks, fireworks manufacturers, fortifications, foundry workers, geologists, gravediggers, gunners, hatmakers/hatters/milliners, martyrs, masons, mathematicians, military engineers, miners, prisoners, safety from storms, saltpetre workers, smelters, stone masons, tilers, warehouses; Amaroni, Italy; Barbara, Italy; Colleferro, Italy; Montecatini Terme, Italy; Paterno, Sicily; Rieti, Italy; Santa Barbara, CA; Syria; Toa Alto, Puerto Rico; against death by artillery, explosions, fire, impenitence, lightning, mine collapse, storms, sudden death)
     A young woman may place the twig of a cherry tree in a glass of water today. If it blooms by Christmas Eve, the girl is certain to marry in the following year.
     Barborka -- Poland (where Barbara is best known as Patron of Miners, thus "Miners' Day)
     Eid il-Burbara -- Lebanon; Palestine; Syria (where Barbara is celebrated with a holiday similar to Western Halloween)

St. Maruthas' Day (Patron of Iran; Persia)

Thai Environment Day -- Thailand

Wear A Beard of Bees Today Day -- a supremely silly internet generated one, if you ask me, and only for the bold and fearless, and not allergic!

Wear Brown Shoes Day -- internet generated, by someone tired of wearing black shoes all the time most likely

Wildlife Conservation Day -- International Union for Conservation of Nature   

Wind Whiling Bacchanalia -- Fairy Calendar


Anniversary Today:

Mission Santa Barbara is founded as a Franciscan Mission in California, 1786


Birthdays Today:

Tyra Banks, 1973
Fred Armisen, 1966
Marisa Tomei, 1964
Jozef Sabovcik, 1963
Cassandra Wilson, 1955
Patricia Wettig, 1951
Jeff Bridges, 1949
Dennis Wilson, 1944
Chris Hillman, 1942
Max Baer, Jr., 1937
Stewart Rawlings Mott, 1937
Wink Martindale, 1934
Victor French, 1934
Helen M. Chase, 1924
Deanna Durbin, 1921
Francisco Franco, 1892
Lillian Russel, 1861
Crazy Horse, 1840
Samuel Butler, 1835
Thomas Carlyle, 1795


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Broadway Bound"(Simon play), 1986
"Falcon Crest"(TV), 1981
"Beatles for Sale"(Album), 1964
"Tobacco Road"(Play), 1933
"Whoopee"(Musical), 1928
Ten Commandments(Film), 1923*


Today in History:

Upon the death of Carloman, Karel the Great (Charlemagne), his brother, becomes king of all France, 771
The Syrian harbor city of Saida (Sidon) surrenders to the Crusaders, 1110
After 18 years, the Council of Trent holds its final session, 1563
Father Marquette begins to build the first dwelling in what is now Chicago, 1674
Britain's Observer, oldest Sunday newspaper in world, first published, 1791
Britain abolishes the practice of the "suttee" in India, 1829
The American Anti-Slavery Society is founded in Philadelphia by Arthur Tappen and William Lloyd Garrison, 1833
Oliver Hudson Kelley founds The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, (the Grange), 1867
"Boss" Tweed escapes from jail, 1875
The first edition of the Los Angeles Times is published, 1881
Lucille Atcherson becomes the first woman legation secretary in the US Foreign sService, 1922
Cecil B. DeMille's first version of "The Ten Commandments" (the one in which he flooded Hollywood Blvd. without permit 3 times to get the Red Sea Scene right, and had to bail his crew out of jail 3 times, too!) premiers, 1923
The first Burger King is opened in Miami, Florida, United States, 1954
Suriname joins the United Nations, 1975
The Unity Module, the second module of the International Space Station, is launched, 1998
An adult giant squid is caught on video for the first time by Tsunemi Kubodera near the Ogasawara Islands, 1,000 km (620 miles) south of Tokyo, 2006
Political pressure and cyber attacks against WikiLeaks are condemned by Reporters Without Borders
In Koblenz, Germany, nearly 45,000 people wait to return home while bomb squads defuse WWII bombs still hidden under the Rhine River, 2011
In Egypt, a hundred thousand people gather to protest President Morsi's proposed constitutional amendments, 2012
A new island is discovered in the Arctic Ocean's Laptev Sea and initially called Yaya, 2013

*This was Cecile B. DeMille's first version, the one in which he asked for permission to flood Hollywood Boulevard for the Cross of the Red Sea scene.  He didn't get permission, but he did it anyway, three times, and all three times, he had to bail his film crew out of jail for it.  He still got the scene the way he wanted it.