Clean Around Me (Awww Monday), Inspiring Quote of the Week, and Money (Poetry Monday)

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Awww Monday is hosted by Sandee at Comedy Plus.

Join us every Monday for Awww...Mondays.  Post a picture that makes you say Awww... and that's it.

Make sure you get the code from Sandee's site, linked above, and leave a link to your post so we can visit you.  What better way to start the week than with a smile!

Abigail, Mr. BA and Ms. GA's cat, snuggled while we clean around her: 

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Sparks, the brainchild of Annie of McGuffy's Reader, is on hiatus, so here's an Inspiring Quote of the Week in her honor.

EverydayPower

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Poetry Monday was started by Diane at On The Alberta/Montana Border.  She and Jenny at Procrastinating Donkey take turns providing a theme each week.   Charlotte/Mother Owl almost always participates, too.  This week the theme is Money.          

Why do we work so hard?

Money.

Why mow my own yard?

Money.

How to buy the food we need?

For what do your children plead?

How to pay bills as agreed?

Money.

Of what is there ne'er enough?

Money.

If we have to pay for stuff --

Money.

Pinching pennies, hold on tight!

To charity give, as is right!

Yet what keeps us up at night?

Money.

What tries to run the show?

Money.

Tries to enslave and keep us low?

Money.

It tries so hard to cause you strife,

Tear apart a husband, wife,

But don't give it your whole life!

Money.

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Today is:

Act Happy Week begins -- acting happy releases the body chemicals that aid health, mental and physical

Birthday of Sparky the Fire Dog -- can't confirm the exact date, but Sparky became an official fire prevention mascot in Mar. 1951

Brain Awareness Week begins-- the global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research    

Curlew Day -- Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge, OR, US (traditional date the long-billed curlew arrives, with up to 500 reported during their nesting season)

Day of the Book Smugglers -- Lithuania (recognizing the brave people who smuggled Lithuanian language books in the Latin alphabet into the country from 1866-1904, when the Russian Empire had banned such books)

Day After Dumbstruck Day -- Fairy Calendar

Dia de Benito Juarez -- Mexico (a Fiestas Patrias)

Elaphebolia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (festival of Artemis; date approximate)

Everything You Do is Right Day -- another internet generated holiday designed to get you into trouble if you aren't careful

Feast of Heru and His Companions -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Festival of Bacchus / Bacchanalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (through tomorrow)

Freedom of Information Day -- on the birthday of James Madison, Father of the US Constitution and an advocate for openness in government

Latvian Legion Day -- Latvia (no longer a formal national holiday, still celebrated by many in the region)

Lips Appreciation Day -- after all, where would you be without them, and how would you give kisses?  sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

National Artichoke Hearts Day

St. Heribert of Cologne's Day (Patron against drought)

St. Urho's Day -- Finnish communities in Canada and the US (a made up saint, the Finns answer to St. Patrick, who supposedly drove the grasshoppers out of Finland)

Wellderly Day -- and the start of Wellderly Week, focusing on the health of the elderly

Anniversary Today:

The United States Military Academy at West Point is established, 1802

Birthdays Today:

Judah Friedlander, 1969

Lauren Graham, 1969

Kevin Tod Smith, 1963

Isabel Huppert, 1955

Alice Hoffman, 1952

Kate Nelligan, 1951

Erik Estrada, 1949

Victor Garber, 1949

Chuck Woolery, 1942

Bernardo Bertolucci, 1940

Jerry Lewis, 1926

Mercedes McCambridge, 1916

Patricia Nixon, 1912

Henny Youngman, 1906

Rosa Bonheur, 1822

Georg Simon Ohm, 1787

James Madison, 1751

George Clymer, 1739

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The Gumby Show"(TV), 1957

"1776"(Musical), 1969

"Der Unbestechliche"(Comedy), 1923

"In the South / Alassio"(Elgar, Op. 50), 1904

"Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen"(Mahler Song cycle), 1896

"Thaïs"(Opera), 1894

"Freedom's Journal"(first African American newspaper in the US, in New York), 1827

Today in History:

The Babylonians capture Jerusalem and replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king, BC597

Caligula becomes Roman Emperor after the death of his great uncle, Tiberius, 37

The Jews of York England commit mass suicide rather than submit to baptism, 1190

Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reaches Philippines, 1521

Samoset, a Mohegan, visits the settlers of Plymouth Colony and greets them, "Welcome, Englishmen! My name is Samoset," 1621

The US Army Corps of Engineers is established to found and operate the United States Military Academy at West Point, 1802

Prince Willem of the House of Orange-Nassau proclaims himself King of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, the first constitutional monarch in The Netherlands, 1815

New York Stock Exchange slowest day ever (31 shares traded), 1830

Susan Hayhurst becomes the first woman to graduate from a pharmacollogy college, 1830

Edward Clark became Governor of Texas, replacing Sam Houston, who was evicted from the office for refusing to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy, 1861

Joseph Lister's article outlining the discovery of antiseptic surgery is published in The Lancet, 1867

Hiram R Revels makes the first official speech by an African American in the US Senate, 1869

The Barnum and Bailey Circus debuts, 1881

Sir Arthur Evans discovers the ancient city of Knossus, 1900

Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket, at Auburn, Massachusetts, 1926

The Ford Motor Company produces its 50 millionth automobile, the Thunderbird, averaging almost a million cars a year since the company's founding, 1958

Gemini 8 is launched, the 12th manned American space flight and first space docking with the Agena Target Vehicle, 1968

General Motors produces its 100 millionth automobile, the Oldsmobile Toronado, 1968

Demolition of the radio tower Ismaning, the last wooden radio tower in Germany, 1983

Associated Press newsman Terry Anderson is taken hostage in Beirut; he will be held for 6 1/2 years, 1985

Pope John Paul II asks God for forgiveness for the inactivity and silence of some Roman Catholics during the Holocaust, 1998

Israel officially hands over Jericho to Palestinian control, 2005

Voters in Crimea vote overwhelmingly to leave Ukraine and rejoin Russia amid international condemnation of its design, 2014

Apple announces it will begin a web TV service in September, carrying 25 channels and including networks like CBS, Fox, and ABC, and costing less than most cable TV packages, 2014

A beached, dead whale in Mabini, Philippines, is found to have 88 pounds of plastic inside it, including 40 pounds of plastic bags, 2019

Favorite (Awww Monday), Inspiring Quote of the Week, and Faster Than Anything (Poetry Monday)

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Awww Monday is hosted by Sandee at Comedy Plus.

Join us every Monday for Awww...Mondays.  Post a picture that makes you say Awww... and that's it.

Make sure you get the code from Sandee's site, linked above, and leave a link to your post so we can visit you.  What better way to start the week than with a smile!

Dansig in his favorite chair:

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Sparks, the brainchild of Annie of McGuffy's Reader, is on hiatus, so here's an Inspiring Quote of the Week in her honor.

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Poetry Monday was started by Diane at On The Alberta/Montana Border.  She and Jenny at Procrastinating Donkey take turns providing a theme each week.   Mother Owl and Merry Mae almost always participate, too.  This weeks theme is Something That Goes Fast.                  

The money comes in

The money goes out

It does not help to

Scream or shout

Almost before you

Really do earn it

The bills require

To them you turn it.

No matter how you

Try to hold on

It gets to the bank

Then whoosh, it's gone!

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Today is:

Armed Forces Day -- Iraq

Befana -- Italy (Befana is the fairy who resides in chimneys, flies on a broom, and leaves toys and candy in stockings on Epiphany, their traditional day to exchange gifts.)

Bean Day (Bake a bean or penny into a cake, whoever gets the slice with the bean is king for a day.  A tradition continued in New Orleans and vicinity, especially, all the way through Mardi Gras Day, only now a plastic baby toy, representative of Jesus, is put in the traditional cakes.)

Blessing of the Waters -- Piraeus, Greece; Turkey; among Greek Orthodox worshippers worldwide (on the traditional date of the Baptism of Jesus)

Carnival Season begins -- Christian, through Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday

Children's Day -- Uruguay

Cuddle Up Day -- internet generated, an excuse to get close to your special someone

Daruma Ichi -- Takasaki City, Japan (the largest and most famous daruma market in the city where the good luck dolls originated; through tomorrow)

Deer Dance Ceremonies -- Taos Pueblo, NM, US (Native American celebration of the deer spirit)

Dezome-shiki -- Tokyo, Japan (fire fighters pray for a safe year, have a parade, help raise awareness of fire prevention, and men dressed as firefighters from the Edo period perform acrobatic feats from the tops of ladders to show agility)

Dia de los Reys -- Hispanic Christians(Three Kings Day)

Epiphany / Three Kings Day -- Western Christian

Epiphany of Kore (Persephone/Proserpina) -- Ancient Greek Calendar and Ancient Roman Calendar (a goddess of fertility and germination of seeds)

Feast of Ptah and Horus -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Feast of the Theophany -- Orthodox Christian

Four Freedoms Day -- US (commemorates the FDR speech about the four freedoms:  freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear.)

Greek Cross Day -- Tarpon Springs, Florida (as part of the Greek Orthodox Church celebration of Epiphany/Little Christmas)

Handsel Monday -- Scotland (traditionally a day to exchange small tokens of good luck with friends and neighbors; celebrated in rural areas on the Monday after Jan. 12, where they did not want to deviate from the OS/Julian Calendar)

Kayin New Year -- Myanmar (The Kayin, or Karen, are the second largest ethnic minority in the country, and their New Year is an extra holiday with traditional costume and lots of celebrating)

Little Christmas -- Ireland

Maroon Festival -- Jamaica (celebration of descendents of former fugitive slaves)

National Shortbread Day

Orthodox Christmas Eve -- Orthodox Christians following the Julian calendar

Prettandinn -- Iceland (the last Day of Christmas, Epiphany, with bonfires and Elven Dances)

Shorinzan Daruma-Ichi -- Shorinzan, Japan (Good luck daruma dolls are purchased, with no eyes.  One eye is painted on when you make a wish, the other when the wish comes true.  Largest and oldest Daruma doll festival in Japan; through tomorrow.)

Smith Day -- the Smiths and Smythes and Smithes of the world want a day to be recognized; if your name is Smith or one of the variants of it, have a celebration of your very common name today!

Sts. Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchoir's Day (Patrons of travelers)

Surb Tsnund -- Armenia (Armenian Christmas Day)

Take a Poet to Lunch Day -- listed on a few sites, and who doesn't want an excuse to go out to eat?

"Thank G-d It's Monday" Day

Turisi -- Slavic Pagan Calendar (holiday of the bull, Jar-tur; a fertility rite)

Wassailing the Apple Trees -- various parts of the UK (from the Old English "waes hael," meaning "be well," a ritual to bless apple trees to ensure a good harvest)

Anniversaries Today:

George H. W. Bush marries Barbara Pierce, 1945

New Mexico becomes the 47th US State, 1912

Henry VIII marries Anne of Cleves, 1540 (his 4th wife)

Birthdays Today:

Joey Lauren Adams, 1971

Susan Perabo, 1969

Nancy Lopez, 1957

Rowan Atkinson, 1955

Bonnie Franklin, 1944

Lou Holtz, 1937

E.L. Doctorow, 1931

Vic Tayback, 1929

Earl Scruggs, 1924

Sun Myung Moon, 1920

Eugene T. Maleska, 1916

Loretta Young, 1913

Danny Thomas, 1912

Kahlil Gibran, 1883

Tom Mix, 1880

Carl Sandburg, 1878

Sherlock Holmes, 1854 (As celebrated by the Baker Street Irregulars.)

Charles Sumner, 1811

Jedediah Strong Smith, 1799

Haym Salomon, 1785

Joan of Arc, 1412

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Wheel of Fortune"(TV), 1975

"Schoolhouse Rock"(TV), 1973

"Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom"(TV), 1963

"Hallmark Hall of Fame"(TV), 1952

Today in History:

The first Roman Catholic Mass is celebrated in the "New World," at La Isabela, Hispaniola, 1494

All Jews are expelled from Syria, 1497

The city of Lima, Peru, is founded by Francisco Pizarro, 1535

The first recorded boxing match of the style now called English Boxing is held -- the Duke of Albemarle's butler versus his butcher, 1681

Massachusetts slaves petition the legislature for freedom, 1773

Samuel Morse makes his first public demonstration of the telegraph, 1838

The most damaging storm in 300 years sweeps across Ireland, damaging or destroying more than 20% of the houses in Dublin, 1839

A patent for reducing zinc ore granted to Samuel Wetherill of Pennsylvania, 1857

The Washington National Cathedral is chartered bu the US Congress and signed by President Benjamin Harrison, 1893

The first telephone call is made from a submerged submarine, by Simon Lake, 1898

Maria Montessori opens her first school and day care for working class families in Rome, 1907

The Great White Fleet passes through the Suez Canal, the largest group of ships to pass through up to that time, 1909

Mother Teresa arrives in Calcutta to begin her work among the poor of India, 1929

The first diesel-engined automobile trip is completed, from Indianapolis, Indiana, to New York City, 1930

Thomas Edison submits his last patent application, for a  "Holder for Article to be Electroplated," 1931

Barbara Hanley becomes Canada's first woman mayor, of the city of Webbwood, Ontario, 1936

The Pacific Clipper lands at Pan American's LaGuardia Field, completing the first around the world flight, 1942

The Crown of St. Stephen (also known as the Holy Crown of Hungary) is returned to Hungary from the United States, where it was held after World War II, 1978

The Ady Gil, a ship owned by Sea Shepherd, is sunk during a skirmish with the Japanese Whaling Fleet's Shonan Maru, 2010

Californian Governor Jerry Brown declares state of emergency over methane gas leak on outskirts of Los Angeles, 2016

Money Matters (Cajun Jokes) and Sunday Selections

(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.) 

Just because Sandee of Comedy Plus is no longer hosting Silly Sunday does not mean i will quit telling Cajun jokes.

This past week has been difficult.  One of my paychecks bounced, causing a chain reaction that has me down $228 and counting.

Since you can only laugh or cry, i choose to laugh (while hoping we have enough to cover the insurance payment that is coming up).

One time when Boudreaux be leadin' a fishin' tour in de bayou, he get to talkin' to one de men an' fin' out de man be rich from de oil on his land.

So Boudreaux ax him 'bout why oil cost so much, an' de man say, "My oil isn't that expensive.  Now Van Gogh, he has the most expensive oil in the world!"

Boudreaux decide he goin' get him a job wit' de bill collector.  De man tell him if he can get de worst debtor to pay, he can have him de job.

So Boudreaux go him to de debtor, an' he come back wit' wads o' cash, an' de owner de collectin' agency say, "How did you get him to pay, I've been trying to get money out of him forever!"

An' Boudreaux say, "Mais, I jes' tell him if he don' pay us, I's goin' to all de udder people he owe dat he paid us!"

Boudreaux be goin' over his stock portfolio an' it don' be lookin' so good.  He done tol' de investin' advisor, "Mais, dis be worse dan a divorce because I done lost half my net worth an I still have the wife!"

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Sunday Selections was started as a way for bloggers to use photos that might otherwise just languish in their files.  It is now hosted by River at Drifting Through Life.  

Even Grandma's most mundane household items are decorative:

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Today is:

Anniversary of the Arengo and the Feast of the Militants -- San Marino

Annunciation of the Virgin Mary -- Roman Catholic Christian

    Lady Day/Quarter Day -- England; Ireland; Wales (traditional New Year's Day)

    Varfrudagen -- Sweden (waffle day)

Daylight Saving Time begins -- Albania; Andorra; Austria; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; Germany; Gibraltar, Greece; Greenland (some areas); Holy See (Vatican City); Hungary; Ireland; Isle of Mann; Italy; Jersey; Kosovo; Latvia; Lebanon; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia; Malta; Moldova; Monaco; Montenegro; Morocco; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; San Marino; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Ukraine; United Kingdom; Western Sahara

    European Union: Daylight Saving Time (Summer Time) Begins

Day of the Shining Ones of Heaven move Upstream -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Festival of King Amenhotep I -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (rituals depicting his death and burial, performed for the Deir-el-Medina workforce; date approximate)

Hilaria -- Ancient Roman Empire ("Day of Joy", honoring Attis)

Independence Day -- Cyprus; Greece(1821)

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade -- UN

International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members -- UN

International Waffle Day -- based on Sweden's tradition of having waffles on Annunciation Day

Medal of Honor Day -- US (first one awarded this date in 1963)

Mother's Day -- Slovenia

National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy -- Greece; US

National Lobster Newburg Day

National Pecan Day -- anniversary of George Washington's planting of Pecan trees at Mt. Vernon in 1775

National Waffle Day -- possibly also International Waffle Day, depends on the site you search

Numbskulls and Clodhoppers' Dance -- Fairy Calendar (i know a couple of people who qualify on both counts; i need to find out how to buy tickets!)

Old New Year's Day -- until 1751, British Empire

Revolution Day -- Greece (anniversary of the revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1821)

Sacrifice to Kronos -- Ancient Greek Calendar (private sacrifices to Kronos; date approximate)

St. Dismas' Day ("Dismas" is the name given to the unnamed "Thief on the Cross", crucified next to Jesus according to Biblical accounts, and who repented; Patron of condemned/death row prisoners, funeral directors/undertakers, penitent criminals, prisoners, reformed thieves; Merizo, Guam)

Struggle for Human Rights Day -- Slovakia

The Tichborne Dole - in Alresford, Hampshire, UK; since 1150, a gallon of flour is given to every resident by the Tichborne family head on this day, to avoid a curse

Tolkien Reading Day -- sponsored by The Tolkien Society on the anniversary of the fall of Sauron

Birthdays Today:

Danica Patrick, 1982

Lee Pace, 1979

Sheryl Swoopes, 1971

Sarah Jessica Parker, 1965

Marcia Cross, 1962

John Stockwell, 1961

Mary Gross, 1953

Paul Miles, 1952

Bonnie Bedelia, 1948

Elton John, 1947

Bonnie Bedelia, 1946

Paul Michael Glaser, 1943

Aretha Franklin, 1942

Anita Bryant, 1940

Gloria Steinem, 1934

James Lovell, 1928

Eileen Ford, 1922

Simone Signoret, 1921

Howard Cosell, 1920

Norman Borlaug, 1940

David Lean, 1908

Bela Bartok, 1881

Arturo Toscanini, 1867

Gutzon Borglum, 1867

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Barrymore"(Play), 1997

"Cagney & Lacey"(TV), 1982

Today in History:

The first Easter, according to calendar-maker Dionysius Exiguus, 31

According to legend, Venice, Italy is born today at noon, 421

Richard I is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting France, leading to his death on April 6, 1199

Robert the Bruce becomes King of Scotland, 1306

Sir Walter Raleigh renews Humphrey Gilbert's patent to explore North America, 1584

Henry Hudson embarks on an exploration for Dutch East India Co., 1609

Lord Baltimore founds Catholic colony of Maryland, 1634

Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christian Huygens, 1655

Mount Etna in Sicily erupts, destroying Nicolosi, killing 20,000, 1669

The Slave Trade Act becomes law, abolishing the slave trade in the British Empire, 1807

The Swansea and Mumbles Railway in England, then known as the Oystermouth Railway, becomes the first passenger carrying railway in the world, 1807

Percy Bysshe Shelley is expelled from the University of Oxford for publishing the pamphlet The Necessity of Atheism, 1811

Greeks revolt against the Ottoman Empire, beginning the Greek War of Independence, 1821

In New York City, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 garment workers, leading to factory reform laws, 1911

The Georgian Orthodox Church restores its autocephaly abolished by Imperial Russia in 1811, 1917

The first successful tornado forecast predicts that a tornado will strike Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1948

The European Economic Community is established (West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), 1957

Canada's Avro Arrow makes its first flight, 1958

Civil rights activists led by Martin Luther King, Jr. successfully complete their 4-day 50-mile march from Selma to the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, 1965

The first fully functional space shuttle orbiter, Columbia, is delivered to the John F. Kennedy Space Center to be prepared for its first launch, 1979

The world's first wiki, a part of the Portland Pattern Repository, is made public by Ward Cunningham, 1995

The European Union's Veterinarian Committee bans the export of British beef and its by-products as a result of mad cow disease, 1996

Protesters demanding a new election in Belarus, following the rigged Belarusian presidential election, clash with riot police, 2006

In southwest China, environmental and health concerns among residents are raised when 1,000 dead ducks pulled from the Sichuan River, 2013