Speck-"tock"-ular (Feline Friday) and Friendly Fill-Ins

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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.

Some bloggers who love cats declare this month to be "Tock-tober," letting the cats show off their "tocks."  So i wanted to take pictures of my cats and show off their "tocks," but only Enigma SissyCat, who routinely ignores me unless i have treats, was willing to stay in a position from which i could indeed photograph her backside.

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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 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. October is the perfect month for __________________.

2. The most recent purchase I made online was __________________.

3. If I turned invisible for a day, _________.

4.  _________ has gotten me in trouble in the past.

1. October is the perfect month for bonfires and hay rides, if you live where there are more than two seasons.  Down here in the swamps, it's perfect for finding a Halloween costume that won't make you sweat to death from the polyester and that won't melt when you douse it with mosquito spray.

2. The most recent purchase I made online was Sweetie's glucosamine.  The brand i found him online really does help his knees not to hurt.

3. If I turned invisible for a day, i would catch up on my sleep.

4.  Making assumptions about other people's motives has gotten me in trouble in the past.

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Today is:

Buttering-Up Final -- Fairy Calendar

Children's Day -- Singapore

Come and Take It Festival -- Gonzales, TX, US (celebrating the cry of Texans fighting for independence when the Mexican military demanded a cannon be returned; through Sunday)

Cowboy Hall of Fame Ceremony and Banquet and Rex Allen Days -- Willcox, AZ, US (the kickoff for Rex Allen Days, includes the Cowboy Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and celebrates Willcox's own silver screen cowboy; through Sunday)

Dalton Defenders Days -- Coffeyville, KS, US (honoring those who defended Coffeyville's banks against the Dalton Gang in 1892; through tomorrow)

Durga Puja -- Hindu (start of the five day celebration of the goddess Durga)

Festival of Hathor -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Golf Lovers' Day -- internet generated, enjoy if you love golf

Hull Fair -- Hull, England (a fair that dates back over 700 years, now one of the countries largest travelling funfairs; through the 12th)

Ieiunium Cereris -- Ancient Roman Calendar (fast for the goddess Ceres)

Improve Your Office Day -- and water that plant while you are at it!

Independence Day -- Lesotho(1966)

International Toot Your Flute Day -- an internet generated day for shameless self promotion

Kanelbullens Dag -- Sweden (cinnamon roll day)

Kingdom Come Swappin' Meetin' -- Cumberland, KY, US (through tomorrow; celebrating the rich heritage of mountain people, the purpose is to promote and preserve the diverse cultural heritage of the Appalachian region through the presentation of music, crafts, visual arts, theater, folk competitions, games and folklife demonstrations)

Lee National Denim Day -- US (but i'm sure they want this one celebrated anywhere jeans are sold and worn! proceeds from the day go to fight breast cancer) 

National Diversity Day -- US (vow tolerance, embrace how differences make the world a better place)

National Education Day -- Kiribati

National Storytelling Festival -- Jonesborough, TN, US (a three-day celebration of storytellers, stories, and oral tradition from around the country and around the world, all in Tennessee's oldest town)

National Ship in a Bottle Day -- another one i can't find a source for, but it's listed everywhere

National Taco Day

Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival -- Nihonmatsu, Japan (one of Japan's 3 largest lantern festivals; through the 6th)

Ozark Fall Farmfest -- Springfield, MO, US (largest agricultural trade show in the Ozarks; through Sunday)

Peace and National Reconciliation Day -- Mozambique

Springs Folk Festival -- Springs, PA, US (Amish crafts and food at the height of fall foliage; through tomorrow)

St. Francis of Assisi's Day (Patron of animal welfare societies, animals, birds, ecologists, ecology, environment and environmentalists, families, lace makers/lace workers, merchants, needle workers, peace, tapestry workers, zoos; Italy, especially Assisi, as well as several other cities around the world; against dying alone, fire)

    Blessing of the Animals Day -- at many Catholic Churches, in honor of the Saint

St. Petronius' Day (Patron of Bologna, Italy)

10-4 Day (C.B.'ers) -- fourth day of the tenth month, ten-four, good buddy, etc.

Tewa Deer Dance -- Tewa Native Americans (celebrating the cosmic duality of the feminine and masculine, and honoring male and female ancestors; through the 7th)

Vodka Day -- internet generated

World Animal Day -- International    

World Smile Day -- do one act of kindness, help one person smile, in honor of Harvey Ball, who created the Smiley face    

    some sites tag this as Send A Smile Day, or have it on different days

World Space Week begins -- International

Anniversaries Today

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, 1957

The Soviet Union launches Luna 3, 1959 (first satellite to photograph the moon's distant side)

Birthdays Today:

Rachael Leigh Cook, 1979

Alicia Silverstone, 1976

Abraham Benrubi, 1969

Christoph Waltz, 1956

Anita DeFrantz, 1952

Armand Assante, 1949

Susan Sarandon, 1946

Clifton Davis, 1945

Anne Rice, 1941

Jackie Collins, 1937

Alvin Toffler, 1928

Charlton Heston, 1924

Buster Keaton, 1895

Damon Runyon, 1884

Edward Stratemeyer, 1862

Frederic S. Remington, 1861

Rutherford B. Hayes, 1822

Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, 1807

Debuting/Premiering Today

"The Alvin Show"(TV), 1961

Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major(Shostakovich Op. 107), 1959

"Leave It To Beaver"(TV), 1957

Snoopy, in the Peanuts Comic strip, 1950

Dick Tracy(Comic strip), 1931

Today in History:

One of the largest naval battles in history, the Battle of Lake Poyang, ends when the Chinese rebel forces of Zhu Yuanzhang defeat Chen Youliang, 1363

The first full English translation of the Bible, sometimes called the Matthew Bible, which contained the work of translators William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale, is printed in Switzerland, 1537

Pope Gregory XIII's calendar adjustment that bears his name takes effect, with tomorrow being not Oct. 5, but Oct. 15, 1582

Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts drafts its first code of law, 1636

Peter Stuyvesant establishes America's first volunteer fire department, 1648

Christian Huygens patents the pocket watch, 1675

The state of Belgium is created after separation from the Netherlands, 1830

The New Orleans Tribune becomes the first black daily newspaper, 1864

The Orient Express, linking Turkey to Europe by rail, makes its first run, 1883

Norman Rockwell's Willie Gillis character debuts on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post, 1941

The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty is opened for signature, 1991

The Rome General Peace Accords ends a 16 year civil war in Mozambique, 1992

NATO confirms invocation of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, 2001

SpaceShipOne wins Ansari X Prize for private spaceflight, by being the first private craft to fly into space, 2004

What is believed to be the oldest high-altitude human settlement is found in Kokoda, Papua New Guinea, 2010

Nissan unveiled the NSC-2015 electric car prototype at the Ceatec 2012 show in Tokyo; the car drove and parked itself, 2012