A to Z: O is for Odd

Before i get to today's letter, O is for odd, i thought i would explain the note about the snake i showed yesterday for those who might want to know or who didn't read about it when it first happened last year.

#2 Son likes snakes.  When he was young, he would come in and tell me how many snakes he had caught at the creek.  He kept a pet snake for years.  No, this doesn't bother me, i had pet snakes as a kid, i like the critters.

On this occasion, though, i walked outdoors to find him with a poisonous snake, a cottonmouth, in a bucket in the yard.  He cheerfully said, "Hey, mom, guess what!  I caught a cottonmouth!  Oh, and I carried it home tied up in my jacket, so will you wash the jacket for me?"

Yes, i told him, and i added, i want that snake returned to the creek early enough for it to get to its hole, it's going to freeze tonight so it can't stay outdoors.  He agreed.

The next morning, i came down to find the note telling me the snake was still in the house, closed off in the big room downstairs, warning me not to let cats into that room or disturb the bucket.

The snake was returned to the creek that day, and he has learned it's not good to bring a viper to the house, it makes mom cranky.

Now, on to the letter of the day.

The kids around here are inventive, and come up with odd things.  Sometimes i'll see something and not know what i am looking at.

For example, this odd contraption:

A rather odd-loooking contraption.

Odd contraption set on its side.

Red-headed Alec came up with it.  You use it like this:

Uses odds and ends!

It makes a rather cheap set of speakers for your phone when you want to listen to music!


Today is 

American Academy of Arts and Letters Charter Day

Bat Appreciation Day -- sponsored by Bat Conservation International, at the time of year when bats begin awakening from hibernation

Blah, Blah, Blah Day -- sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

Ellis Island Family History Day -- US (by proclamation of the nations governors and in conjunction with the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, a day to celebrate the achievements and contribution of the immigrants and their descendants who came through Ellis Island; on the anniversary of the day, in 1907, when 11,747 immigrants were processed through the island, the most in one day)

Equality Day -- Canada (the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into force on April 17, 1985, guaranteeing equality without regard to race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability)

Feria Nacional de San Marcos -- Palenque, Mexico (through May 10; feast of San Marcos, with rodeos, bull fights, folk dancing, parades, mariachi and muchos mas)

Flag Day -- American Samoa

Ford Mustang Day -- International (on the "birthday" of the vehicle)

Global Youth Service Day -- annual campaign to mobilize children and youth to make a difference (through Sunday)

Independence Day / Evacuation Day -- Syria

International Day of Peasants Struggle

Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest -- Washington, MO, US (professional BBQ competition, plus music and fun; through Sunday)

Make a Quilt Day -- obviously begun by someone who has no idea how long the process really takes!

Mennonite Relief Sale -- Hutchinson, Kansas, US (Mennonite, Bretheren in Christ, and Amish congregations from all across the area auction quilts, grandfather clocks, furniture, tools and crafts to raise money for hunger relief worldwide, through tomorrow)

Natchitoches Jazz Festival -- Natchitoches, LA, US (what Louisiana is known for, food, music, and passing a good time! through tomorrow)

National Cheeseball Day

National Haiku Poetry Day -- US (sponsored by The Haiku Foundation)

New Year -- Myanmar (celebrated through the 21st)

Nimble Fairies' Scattering -- Fairy Calendar

Nosy Neighbor Appreciation Day -- to be celebrated, if you dare, by greeting and thanking your neighbor for being nosy

Nothing Like A Dame Day -- a day to pay homage to the unique wit, wisdom, style and strength of dames past and present, and to cultivate the dame in you or in your life

St. Kateri Tekakwitha's Day (Patron of ecologists, ecology, environment, environmentalism, environmentalists, exiles, people who have lost their parents, people ridiculed for their piety)

St. Stephen Harding's Day (Co-founder of Cistercian Order)

Thargelia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (two day festival for the birthday of Apollon and Artemis; date approximate)

Toothbrush Appreciation Day -- think of what it would be like without one!

Verrazano Day -- New York, US (Celebrates discovery of New York harbor by Giovanni Verrazano, Florentine navigator)

Women's Day -- Gabon

World Hemophilia Day


Birthdays Today:

Victoria Beckham, 1974
Jennifer Garner, 1972
Liz Phair, 1967
Lela Rochon, 1966
Norman Julius “Boomer” Esiason, 1961
Sean Bean, 1958
Olivia Hussey, 1951
Don Kirshner, 1934
Cynthia Ozick, 1928
Harry Reasoner, 1923
William Holden, 1918
Thornton Wilder, 1897
Nikita Krushchev, 1894
Adrian Constantine “Cap” Anson, 1852
J.P. Morgan, 1837
Samuel Chase, 1741


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Caveman(Film), 1981
"McCartney"(Album), 1970 (first solo album)
"No Time for Comedy"(Play), 1939


Today in History:

Geoffrey Chaucer tells his Canterbury Tales for the first time, at the court of Richard II, ten years to the day after the pilgrimage actually began, 1397
Christopher Columbus signs his contract with Spain to find the Indes, 1492
Martin Luther stands firm and refuses to recant before the Diet of Worms, 1521
Sir Ralph Abercromby attacks San Juan, Puerto Rico in what would be one of the largest invasions of the Spanish territories in America, 1797
The first Sino-Japanese War ends with the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, 1895
A one day record 11,747 immigrants are processed at Ellis Island, 1907
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios is formed by the merger of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and the Louis B. Mayer Company, 1924
Cartoon characters Daffy Duck, Elmer J Fudd & Petunia Pig, debut, 1937
At midnight, 26 Irish counties officially break with the British Commonwealth and form the Republic of Ireland, 1949
The Bay of Pigs Invasion fiasco begins, 1961
Ford Motor Company unveils the Mustang, 1964
Jerrie Mock becomes the first woman to circumnavigate the world by air, 1964
The ill-fated Apollo 13 spacecraft returns to Earth safely, 1970
Patriation of the Canadian constitution in Ottawa by Proclamation of Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, 1982
The Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years' War between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly ends, 1986
NJ Devil Martin Brodeur becomes the 2nd NHL goalie to score in a playoff game, 1997
The 5th Summit of the Americas takes place in Port of Spain; Trinidad, thirty-four heads of government attend, 2005
An explosion at a fertilizer plant in the city of West, Texas, causes 15 deaths and major damage to nearby buildings, residences, a nursing home and middle school, 2013

Odds and Ends

Because there really isn't a lot going on right now.

#2 Son is coming to terms with his short term disability.  Not only does he have to ask for help tying his shoes, he has noted that "I never thought it would be so hard to eat!"  He has trouble holding a fork, and is mostly wanting sandwiches.  He's also stopped taking the pain medicine already, saying it really doesn't hurt now.

Bigger Girl came home from work very excited because "We got new goats today!  By the way, I don't smell like goat, do I?  I'm going to Vera's to study, and I'm taking them dinner, and I don't want to go smelling like goat.  Although these are really nice goats, I would rather not smell like them!"

#1 Son's odd new work schedule has him off duty for almost a week.  He isn't really enjoying it, though, as he wants to stay busy.  He knows better than to tell me that he's bored, though, because I will most certainly find stuff for him to do!

Little Girl has noted with despair that she only has 3 weeks to get her sleep schedule straightened out before school will begin again.  All four of the kids take after their father and are night owls, preferring to stay up late and sleep in.  Unfortunately for them, the world is run by morning people, so she's started making herself go to bed by 10pm.  She's not happy about it, though.

Our friend Young Jacob has a new set of wheels -- two wheels, to be exact.  The crazy guy went and bought a fancy moped (that's what he calls it, it looks like a motorcycle to me, though).  He said, "Well, work on my Tacoma isn't going so well, and I needed a way to get around, and this was cheap."

Yeah, $1,200 cheap.  For that, he could have fixed the Tacoma!

Also, the brake light came on again in the van, even though it had been checked out.  As soon as it did, i headed over to the shop, and pulled right up to one of the bays.

"What's up?" Kevin asked when he saw me jump out without shutting the engine.

That pesky light is on again, and i'm not going to shut the engine, so you can hook up your machine and get the code, and maybe we can get to the bottom of this! i said.

They got to the bottom of it, all right.  Wheel bearings on both sides were giving out, which could have caused the wheels to fall off while driving.  That has been repaired, to the tune of $900.  The Jalopy strikes again!

The good news is that it seems to have fixed both the brake light and the ABS light that wouldn't shut off, even though nothing's wrong with the ABS.  Time will tell, i guess.

And today, i am working.  It seems an acquaintance needs a new housekeeper, and heard through the grapevine that i am available.  If it goes well, that would be a good thing, to have another steady client.  You can't count on people who just need a one time cleaning for a party or event or whatever to keep business going, although i won't turn those down.



Today is

Afrma Fancy Rat & Mouse Display -- Riverside, CA, US

All or Nothing Day -- no history on this one, but it's supposed to be the day you decide to live as if it's going to be your last!

Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous -- Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT, US (pre-1963 power and sailing yachts, river parade, and Rum Runners Rendezvous celebration; through tomorrow)

Aunt and Uncle Day -- originally proposed on this day in 2005 by Florida State Senator Tony Hill; if you have aunts and uncles you love, why not give them a call today

Carousel Day -- Johnson City, NY, US (Kids won't want to miss all the fun at this family event, and grown-ups, come be a kid again for a day!)

Dia de la Rebeldia -- Cuba (Revolution Anniversary)

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

Festival of Sleipnir -- Norse Pagan (date approximate, honored Odin's eight-legged horse, Sleipnir)

Geneva Arts Fair -- Geneva, IL, US (a juried event that is becoming one of the top such events in the US; through tomorrow)

Green Corn Ceremony -- Native Americans (thanksgiving for the maize harvest; these are celebrated by many tribes in many different ways and are not generally scheduled as they depend on how the corn grows; some have with rites including a Thanksgiving Prayer, Confession Chant, and Feather Dance; the Santa Ana Pueblo holds an annual Corn Festival on this date each year that is open to the public)

Groovy Chicken Day -- don't ask, just enjoy

Hanover Dutch Festival -- Hanover, PA, US (celebrating the area and it's heritage)

Independence Day -- Liberia(1847); Maldives(1965)

Kargil Vijay Diwas -- India (Kargil Victory Day)

National Coffee Milkshake Day

National Dance Day -- US (begun by Nigel Lythgoe, now a congressionally recognized day to encourage dance education and physical fitness, so go out and bust a move on a Saturday night, but don't bust you, please)

National Day of the Cowboy -- US  (celebrating the heritage, and those who still work as cowboys/cowgirls today)

One Voice Day -- readings around the world of the Universal Peace Covenant, sponsored by the School of Metaphysics

Otaru Tide Festival -- Otaru Wharf, Otaru City, Japan (one of Japan's biggest sea festivals, through the 28th)

"Paddle for Perthes" Disease Awareness Day -- to promote awareness of the children's condition called Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

Racial Desegregation Day -- date in 1944 the US Army ordered training camp facilities desegregated, and the date in 1948 President Truman signed the order integrating the US armed forces

Shab-e-Qadar -- Bangladesh (Night of Destiny)

St. Anne's Day (traditional name given to the mother of Mary; Patron of broommakers, cabinetmakers, carpenters, childless people, equestrians, expectant mothers, grandmothers, grandparents, homemakers, horse men, horse women, housewives, lace makers, lace workers, lost articles, miners, mothers, old-clothes dealers, poor people, pregnancy, pregnant women, riders, seamstresses, stablemen, turners, women in labour; Canada; France; Micmaqs; over 20 cities around the world; against poverty and sterility)

St. Joachim's Day (traditional name given to the father of Mary; Patron of fathers, grandfathers, grandparents; Adjuntas, Puerto Rico)

Sumidagawa River Fireworks Festival -- Tokyo, Japan (one of Japan's largest fireworks festivals)

Taylor Horsefest -- Taylor, ND, US (big enough to be fun, small enough to get you lots of time with the stars of the show, the horses! through tomorrow)

Whitstable Oyster Festival -- Whitstable, Kent, England (celebrating the areas famed and protected oysters, Ostrea edulis; through August 1)

Wonderful Drinks Day -- Fairy Calendar

World Congress of Esperanto -- Buenos Aires, Argentina; through next Saturday


Anniversaries Today

Signing of the American's With Disabilities Act, 1990
New York becomes the 11th US State, 1788
The United States Postal Service is founded, 1775


Birthdays Today

Taylor Momsen, 1993
Kate Beckinsale, 1973
Jeremy Piven, 1964
Sandra Bullock, 1964
Kevin Spacey, 1959
Angela Hewitt, 1958
Dorothy Hamill, 1956
Susan George, 1950
Roger Taylor, 1949
Helen Mirren, 1945
Mick Jagger, 1943
Dobie Gray, 1940
Stanley Kubrick, 1928
Blake Edwards, 1922
Jason Robards, Jr., 1922
Vivian Vance, 1912
Gracie Allen, 1902
Aldous Huxley, 1894
Carl Jung, 1875
George Bernard Shaw, 1856
George Catlin, 1796


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Alice In Wonderland(Animated film), 1951
The Babe Ruth Story(Film), 1948
"The Bob Howard Show"(TV), 1948
"Young Widder Brown"(Radio), 1938


Today in History

The first recorded women's cricket match took place near Guildford, England, 1745
The birth of what would later become the United States Post Office Department is established by the Second Continental Congress, 1775
The Surrey Iron Railway, often considered the world's first public railway, opens in south London, 1803
In California, the poet and American West outlaw calling himself "Black Bart" makes his last clean getaway, 1878
Premiere of Richard Wagner's Parsifal at Bayreuth, 1882
Publication of the Unua Libro, founding the Esperanto movement, 1887
United States Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte issues an order to immediately staff the Office of the Chief Examiner (later renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation), 1908*
King Edward VIII, in one of his few official duties before he abdicated the throne, officially unveiled the Canadian National Vimy Memoria, 1936
The Labour Party wins the United Kingdom general election of July 5 by a landslide, removing Winston Churchill from power, 1945
U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs the National Security Act into United States law creating the Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the National Security Council, 1947
U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs Executive Order 9981 desegregating the military of the United States, 1948
Fidel Castro leads an unsuccessful attack on the Moncada Barracks, thus beginning the Cuban Revolution, 1953
Syncom 2, the world's first geosynchronous satellite, is launched from Cape Canaveral on a Delta B booster, 1963
The National Assembly of Quebec imposes the use of French as the official language of the provincial government, 1977
A federal grand jury indicts Cornell University student Robert T. Morris, Jr. for releasing the Morris worm, thus becoming the first person to be prosecuted under the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, 1989
Mumbai, India receives 99.5cm of rain (39.17 inches) within 24 hours, bringing the city to a halt for over 2 days, 2005
Over 92,000 classified documents detailing incidents related to the war in Afghanistan are released by Wikileaks in the largest leak in U.S military history, 2010
President of France, Francois Holland finalizes a deal with Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara to forgive $4.7 billion dollars in debt incurred by the Ivory Coast when it was a French Colonial Power, 2012


*Yes, the grand-nephew of Napoleon I started the FBI -- I'm not sure why that seems so odd to me.