Saturday, June 30, 2018

Ten Things of Thankful, Big Boss Edition

(Because some people like Blogger and some like WordPress, i am putting the same content at both.  If you would prefer to read this on the other site, it is linked here.) 


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Has it been a week already?  It sure has, a whole week since i wrote a Ten Things of Thankful post.

A lot has happened, most of it involving The Big Boss, Sweetie's former employer.  They are both retired, yet The Big Boss keeps calling for work he needs done, which gives us another way to earn a few honest coins (and keeps a retired man busy, which can be very important).

My first thankful is that The Big Boss still uses Sweetie to do so many things.

The Big Boss and His Wife planned a week out of town, and i'm grateful Jalopy was fixed right in time for Sweetie to use it for house-sitting visits.

The Big Boss (TBB) has a way with plants, and grows an eating garden, not just a showing garden.  Sweetie is watering it while they are gone, and was told to bring home anything that was ripe.  We have as many home grown tomatoes as we want, and enough cucumbers that we will take the rest to church and give them away.

Then there's the fact that Sweetie has been taking care of cucumber plants and hasn't broken out in hives.  He's not allergic to cucumbers, but sometimes he breaks out in hives touching the leaves of the plants, and that has not happened (he's been very careful).

His Wife forgot some medication, and Sweetie found it in the house and overnighted it to them.  TBB was so thankful, he told Sweetie to take me out for a nice dinner and put it on his credit card.

When i went over there with Sweetie while we were running errands together, i went in the house to fill my water bottle (TBB used to have me clean his house sometimes before he was married, so he doesn't care if i come in).  They had left in a hurry and i saw enough of a mess that i did some snooping, found still damp clothes in the dryer in danger of mildewing, water still under the bath mats that was going to cause mold, and just crumbs and a general state of disarray.  So i decided to surprise them, especially His Wife, with a clean house and non-mildewed clothes.  It's nice to be in a business that can actually do something that is of service to others.

In a double thankful, there was a mini-crisis when the burglar alarm went off at TBB's house.  Sweetie made a beeline for the place and met the police there, and they were able to determine it was a false alarm.  Not only am i thankful it was a false alarm (no one deserves to be burglarized, it must be an awful feeling), i am grateful there was an officer able to meet up there just to be safe.

Sweetie has been able to be there in time for the mail delivery both times that a package came, and the one time he needed to let the handyman in the rental house TBB owns next door.  It's so nice when timing is just perfect!

TBB and His Wife are friends, and i am thankful for their friendship.  When TBB went through a very bad time a few years back and was pushed out of his job and forced to retire when he really didn't want to, we stuck with him and he has stuck with us.

Besides that, i am grateful TBB found a good surgeon to take care of his back, so now he can enjoy his retirement and take His Wife on nice vacations.

It's been, all in all, a very good, very busy week.

Counting up thankfuls is a great way to come up with a post, and it's good for your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.  Sharing it with others just spreads the joy.  Please consider posting your own list (it does not have to be ten, we don't count and don't fuss), and linking up with our lovely hostess Kristi at Ten Things of Thankful.  Never once have i heard anyone say, "I regret posting what I am thankful for!"   


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Today is:

Aizen Matsuri -- Shoman-in Temple, Osaka, Japan (celebration of Aizen Myo-oh, greatest of the 8 Buddhist guardian gods, and is also called the Yakuta Festival; through July 2)

Armed Forces Day -- Great Britain; Guatemala

Crab Races -- Fairy Calendar (Pixies, Elves, and some Fairies)

Day of Aestas -- Ancient Roman Calendar (culmination of the festival that begins the summer)

Feast of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome -- remembrance of the first Christians killed in Rome by order of Nero as scapegoats for the fire in Rome

General Prayer Day -- Central African Republic

Great American Picnic Day -- various dates given, with the most common being the final Saturday of June

Independence Day -- Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire)(1960)

Ladies of Country and Bluegrass Music Show -- Waretown, NJ, US (at the historic Albert Music Hall)

Leap Second Time Adjustment Day -- if one is needed

Meteor Day -- because of the Tuskunga Event

National Corvette Day -- US (vehicle introduced this day in 1953)

National Ice Cream Soda Day

Pridie Kalendas July (Day Before the Kalends of July) -- Ancient Roman Calendar (a day when dies comitiales -- citizen committees -- voted on political and criminal matters)

Revolution Day -- Sudan(1989)

St. Theobald of Provins' day (Patron of bachelors)

Tech Support Appreciation Day -- if you can get a hold of them, they can be great to have around

The Dam Experience -- Warsaw, MO, US (fireworks viewed from land and boat at the Truman Dam)

Tom Sawyer Days -- Hannibal, MO, US (frog jumping, mud volleyball, Tom and Becky Contest; parade, Tomboy Sawyer Contest, fireworks, and more, with the highlight being the National Fence Painting Contest; through July 7)

Veteranendag -- Netherlands (Veterans Day)


Anniversary Today:

Greg Allman marries Cher, 1975


Birthdays Today:

Michael Phelps, 1985
Fantasia Barrino, 1984
Ralf Schumacher, 1975
Michael Gerard (Mike) Tyson, 1966
Rupert Graves, 1963
Vincent D’Onofrio, 1959
David Alan Grier, 56, 1955
Leonard Whiting, 1950
Patricia Schroeder, 1940
Nancy Dussault, 1936
Harry Blackstone, Jr., 1934
Susan Hayward, 1919
Lena Horne, 1917
Czeslaw Milosz, 1911
William Almon Wheeler, 1819


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Johnny Carson Show"(TV), 1955
"Guiding Light"(TV), 1947
"Brenda Starr, Reporter"(Comic strip), 1940



Today in History:

Jews are expelled from Berne Switzerland, 1294
The Spaniards are expelled from Tenochtitlan, 1520
Native American forces under Blue Jacket attack Fort Recovery, Ohio, 1794
French  acrobat  Charles Blondin crosses Niagara Falls on a tightrope, 1859
The 1860 Oxford evolution debate at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History takes place, 1860
The first transcontinental train trip across Canada departs from Montreal; it arrives in Port Moody, British Columbia on July 4, 1886
Albert Einstein publishes the article "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies", in which he introduces special relativity, 1905
The Tunguska event, probably caused by a meteor or comet fragment, occurs in remote Siberia, 1908
The Regina Cyclone hits Regina, Saskatchewan, killing 28; it remains Canada's deadliest tornado event, 1912
Congo gains independence from Belgium, 1960
The first leap second is added to the UTC  time system, 1972
The Royal Canadian Mint introduces the $1 coin, known as the Loonie, 1987
East Germany and West Germany merge their economies, 1990
The United Kingdom transfers sovereignty over Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China, 1997
After nearly 7 years in space, the Cassini spacecraft becomes the first to orbit the planet Saturn, 2004
The Molecule of the Year 2011 is announced, BMP7 (Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7), a potential therapeutic utility for recurrent metastatic disease, 2012

Friday, June 29, 2018

Grand Dames (Feline Friday) and Friendly Fill-Ins

(Because some people like Blogger and some like WordPress, i am putting the same content at both.  If you would prefer to read this on the other site, it is linked here.)


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Feline Friday was started by Steve, The Burnt Food Dude, and i'm going to believe it's because he likes cats.
He has handed hosting duties off to Sandee, of Comedy Plus, and it's simple to join, just follow the link to Sandee's page for the rules and the code.

The two Grand Dames of our cat family are the fourteen-year-olds, Little Girlie and Tripod SissyCat.  Sometimes they argue with each other.

Little Girlie thinks Tripod needs to lose weight (she does) and Tripod thinks Girlie needs to mind her own business!






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Friendly Fill-Ins are easy to do. There are four statements: the first two statements are provided by Ellen of 15AndMeowing, and the final two are offered by the new cohost of the Fill-Ins, Lorianne The Menagerie Mom of Four-Legged Furballs. They try to make sure the statements will be fun to both answer and share. The linky will be posted at or about 12:00 AM on Friday. Please head over to one of their sites, link up, and share your thoughts!      

Here are this week's statements with my responses underlined:


1. Fireworks ______________________.

2. My favorite 4th of July picnic food is _____________________.

3. I begin every day with _________.

4. _________ is the best thing since sliced bread.


1. Fireworks are lovely when professionally done, and dangerous when the kids up the street are setting them off, firing at cars coming down the road.

2. My favorite 4th of July picnic food is vegan mayonnaise and home grown tomato sandwiches on a whole grain seed bread.  Yes, i embrace my weirdness.

3. I begin every day with prayer and Bible study.  If i read your blog (or you have read mine), you have been prayed for.

4. Internet access is the best thing since sliced bread.  After all, without it we wouldn't have our online friends and communities.


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Today is:

10,000 Crestonians 4th of July Celebration -- Creston, IA, US (lots of history and fun, through the 4th)

Autonomy Day -- French Polynesia

Camera Day -- internet generated, but a fun one to celebrate

Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul -- Christian
    St. Paul, Patron of Greece, Malta, rope makers, tentmakers, upholsterers
    St. Peter, Patron of clockmakers, fishermen, Russia; against fever, foot trouble, wolves
    a recognized holiday in Chile; Holy See; Italy; Malta[l-Imnarja]; Peru; GR and TI, Switzerland; Wallis and Fortuna
    Haro Wine Festival -- Haro, LaRioja, Spain (a festival that includes a Battle of Wines, where wine is thrown from buckets at opposing teams; on the feast day of the city's patron, San Pedro)
    Rat-Catcher's Day -- often cited because some of the earliest legends of the Pied Piper claim he took the children on the Feast Day of Sts. Peter and Paul

Gettysburg Civil War Relic and Collectors Show -- Gettysburg, PA, US (featuring leading collectors and dealers; through tomorrow)

Hug Holiday -- while the National Hug Holiday Week has been moved to the beginning of May, this is the original day, and was for quite a while, so go give someone a big hug!

Independence Day -- Seychelles

Montreux Jazz Festival -- Montreaux, Switzerland (a premier jazz event for music lovers from around the world and one of the world's greatest music festivals; through July 14)

National Almond Butter Crunch Day

Oharai/Grand Purification Festival -- Shinto

Purple Hull Pea Festival and World Champion Rotary Tiller Contest -- Emerson, AR, US (the tiny town of Emerson, population 368, puts on a big show that also includes a World Cup Purplehull Pea-Shelling competiton)

Runic Half-month Feoh (wealth) commences

Waffle Iron Day -- don't know why today, but it's a great gadget, and if you have one, pull it out and use it today

Wicked Fairies Summer Debate -- Fairy Calendar (i'd love to hear this!)


Birthdays Today:

Prince Aristide Stavros of Greece and Denmark, 2008
Amanda Donohoe, 1962
Sharon Lawrence, 1962
Fred Grandy, 1948
Richard Lewis, 1947
Gary Busey, 1944
Robert Evans, 1930
Ray Harryhausen, 1920
Slim Pickens, 1919
Bernard Herrmann, 1911
Nelson Eddy, 1901
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, 1900
James Van Der Zee, 1886
William James Mayo, 1863
George Washington Goethals, 1858
Julia Clifford Lathrop, 1858


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Moonraker(Film), 1979


Today in History:

An Irish monastic chronicler records a solar eclipse, 512
Jacques Cartier makes the European discovery of Prince Edward Island, 1534
The Globe Theatre in London, England burns to the ground, 1613
Alexander Macdonell and over five hundred Roman Catholic highlanders leave Scotland to settle in Glengarry County, Ontario, 1786
Coal is discovered on Vancouver Island, 1850
Ninety-nine people are killed in Canada's worst railway disaster near St-Hilaire, Quebec, 1864
France annexes Tahiti, 1880
The first known recording of classical music, Handel's "Israel in Egypt", is made on a wax cylinder, 1888
Street railway in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, commences operation, 1891
Doukhobors burn their weapons as a protest against conscription by the Tsarist Russian government, 1895
France grants 1 km² at Vimy Ridge "freely, and for all time, to the Government of Canada, the free use of the land exempt from all taxes," 1922
Joseph-Armand Bombardier of Canada receives a patent for sprocket and track traction system used in snow vehicles, 1937
Isabel Perón is sworn in as the first female President of Argentina, 1974
The Seychelles  become independent from the United Kingdom, 1976
The space shuttle Atlantis docks with the Russian Mir Space Station for the first time, 1995
Two car bombs are found at Piccadilly Circus, in the heart of London, 2007
News that European Union members agree on a deal to help some struggling Eurozone members causes world stock markets to soar, 2012

Thursday, June 28, 2018

What Manner of Contraption (Six Sentence Story) and Good Fences

(Because some people like Blogger and some like WordPress, i am putting the same content at both.  If you would prefer to read this on the other site, it is linked here.)  


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“What manner of contraption is that?” the older woman asked with such obvious curiosity that I knew she wanted to try it out for herself.

“It’s an iPad,” I told her, “it does a lot of what your computer in there does, but I can carry it with me.”

“Oh, look, it has a keypad, and it folds up just like a laptop, and — you say  you can carry it with you and get online anywhere?”

“Yes, it can use wifi or use my phone data, and I bought the bluetooth keyboard to go with it, that makes it more like a regular computer and easier to use.”

“May I try it, I need to send an email to those two young buck attorneys of mine, make sure they are keeping up with everything, and it’s too hard to do it on my tiny phone and the computer has been acting up again.”

“Sure,” I told her, and got her started on it, glad to see her enthusiasm for a new “contraption”.


Linking up with Denise at Girlie On The Edge Blog, where she hosts Six Sentence Stories, and the cue is Manner.       

(For those who might be wondering, yes, Dr. D is 80 and loves to learn new technology.)


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Gosia, of Looking for Identity, has taken over Good Fences, and it's now Good Fences Around The World.  Post a picture of a fence or gate, link back to her blog, and go visit others to see what interesting fences see what interesting fences there are out in this big world.    

Some fences are just for decorative purposes.


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Today is:

Constitution day -- Ukraine

Festival of Terrible Poetry -- according to The Daily Bleed, and since there is some hilarious, if terrible, poetry out there, go find some, and bust a gut

Freedom Days -- Farmington, NM, US (the Four Corners region celebrates freedom and The 4th in a big way; through July 4)

Full Strawberry Moon / Rose Moon; related observances
    Ancient Celtic month Equos (horse-time) begins
    Nayon Full Moon -- Mayanmar
    Poson Full Moon Poya Day -- Sri Lanka

Insurance Awareness Day -- now who do you think invented that!?!

International Body Piercing Day -- on the birthday of James Mark "Jim" Ward, "the granddaddy of the modern body piercing movement"    

International CAPS LOCK DAY -- a parody holiday created by Derek Arnold, a user on Metafilter, in 2000

Mnarja / L-Imnarja Festival begins -- Buskett Gardens, Malta (folk festival for Sts. Peter and Paul, begins this evening and continues through the 29th)

National Bomb Pop Day -- on the Thursday in June right before US Independence Day, to kick off the celebration with the original red, white, and blue bomb pops

National Ceviche Day

National Handshake Day -- US; sponsored by professional development companies on the last Thursday in June, encouraging everyone to develop a good, professional handshake

National Tapioca Day

Oregon Bach Festival -- University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, US (international gathering of musicians, master classes and performances, and family events so even the youngest music fans can fall in love with the works of J.S. Bach and other masters; through July 14)

Paul Bunyan Day -- the tall tale hero of the lumberjacks; celebrated at different times in some parts of the country, but most sites cite this date

Ra goes forth to propitiate the Nun -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Saint Ignace Auto Show -- St. Ignace, MI, US (parade, cruise night, and swap meet; through Saturday)

Stonewall Rebellion Day -- now seen as the start of the gay liberation movement in 1969

St. Irenaeus' Day (Patron of Mobile, Alabama)

St. Paul's Feast -- Kato Paphos, Cyprus (religious festivities with the archbishop officiating and a procession of the icon of St. Paul through the streets, through tomorrow)

St. Peter's Eve -- English Christian tradition, night of bonfires and continuation of midsummer celebrations

Telluride Wine Festival -- Telluride, CO, US (meet winemakers, celebrity chefs, experts and authors for an unparalleled educational and epicurian experience; through Sunday)

Thangka Unveiling at Tashihungpo -- Tibet (Buddha Exhibition Festival, in which the large Thangka with the image of Buddha on it is unfolded in public) related observance
   Zamling Chisang -- Universal Prayer Day (to the Tibetan Deities, especially Samye Dolde)

Thanksgiving for Useful Fairies -- Fairy Calendar

Vidovdan (Festival for St. Vitus) -- Eastern Orthodox Christian, based on the traditional Julian Calendar date
    a recognized holiday in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Watermelon Thump with World Champion Seed Spitting Contest -- Luling, TX, US (fun for all, and lots of juicy watermelon, bring lots of wet wipes, enjoy the music and food and crafts, too; through Sunday)


Anniversaries Today:

Harry S. Truman marries Bess Wallace, 1919


Birthdays Today:

Kellie Pickler, 1986
Steve Burton, 1970
Danielle Brisebois, 1969
John Cusack, 1966
Mary Stuart Masterson, 1966
Mark Grace, 1964
John Elway, 1960
Thomas Hampson, 1955
Alice Krige, 1954
Kathy Bates, 1948
Gilda Radner, 1946
Bruce Davison, 1946
Turkan Soray, 1945
Pat Morita, 1932
Mel Brooks, 1926
Maria Goeppert Mayer, 1906
Richard Rodgers, 1902
Clara Louise Maass, 1876
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1712
John Wesley, 1703
Peter Paul Rubens, 1577
Henry VIII, King of England, 1491


Debuting/Premiering Today:

The Nutty Professor(Film), 1996
"Amos 'n' Andy"(TV), 1951
"Quiz Kids"(Radio), 1940


Today in History:

Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul, 1098
Ottomans defeat Serbian army in the bloody Battle of Kosovo, opening the way for the Ottoman conquest of Southeastern Europe, 1389
Guadeloupe becomes a French colony, 1635
The coronation of Victoria of the United Kingdom, 1838
The Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique in Paris premieres the ballet Giselle, 1841
The first conformation dog show is held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, 1859
Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and his wife Sophie are assassinated in Sarajevo by young Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip, the casus belli of World War I, 1914
The Treaty of Versailles is signed in Paris, formally ending World War I, 1919
The Irish Civil War begins with the shelling of the Four Courts in Dublin by Free State forces, 1922
Israel annexes East Jerusalem, 1967
COMECON, as part of the last vestige of the Soviet Bloc, is formally disbanded, followed by the Warsaw pact 3 days later, 1991
Slobodan Milosevic is deported to ICTY to stand trial, 2001
The Republic of Montenegro is admitted as the 192nd Member of the United Nations, 2006
The U.N. reports 10 million people are effected by the worst drought in 60 years, 2011
A SpaceX cargo rocket explodes shortly after launch; the unmanned vessel was carrying over two tons of food, provisions, supplies and equipment for the International Space Station, 2015