Where in the world did that cup come from? is a frequent question around here.
With the number of people who come in and out, and who sometimes bring food or drink with them, i seem to be always inheriting stray cups and dishes, just as i am always looking for stray silverware and plates. It's an epidemic.
"I think it came from Festus' house," #2 Son might reply.
So, do you think you should take it back there? i ask.
"Why? They have some of ours, too!"
Somehow that doesn't surprise me.
Maybe i need to start patting the kids down before they leave, we are running low on forks. Why they feel they have to take the stuff with them when they sit to watch TV or go to their rooms to do homework i can understand. Why they have to take it to each other's houses, i don't get.
Anyway, if my kids ever travel to the ends of the earth, i'll probably have to re-outfit the whole kitchen. If you come by the house some time, keep your eyes peeled for stray cutlery.
In other news, it's Vacation Bible Camp days. Three days of trying to make sure i feed our volunteers well, which isn't easy with Mr. Chip working there. The man will eat anything that isn't nailed down or clearly marked as belonging to someone or set aside for something. Nice guy, great talent in running a lot of tech stuff, fabulous at the sound board, voracious appetite.
Today is
Autistic Pride Day -- an Aspies for Freedom initiative; shifting the view from "disease" to "different"
Birth Anniversary of Guru Rinpoche -- Bhutan
Constitution Day / National Day -- Seychelles
Eid el-Galaa -- Egypt (Evacuation Day; final withdrawal of British this date in 1956)
Foundation Day -- Benguet, Philippines
Going Forth of Neith Along the River -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (goddess of war and hunting; date approximate)
Go Fishing Day -- anniversary of the first American fly-casting tournament this day in 1861 in Utica, NY
International Picnic Day
International Sushi Day
Inti Raymi Festival -- Cusco, Peru (traditional Inca sun worship festival, through the 24th, which is the biggest and best day)
National Cherry Tart Day
National Splurge Day -- you deserve one a year, says Adrien Sioux Coopersmith
Queen Mother's Birthday -- Cambodia (Ex-Queen Norodom Monineath)
Royal Ascot -- Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire, England (a unique event bringing together the best of fashion, style, sport, and entertainment for five days)
St. Gregory of Fragalata's Day (Patron of Fragalata, Sicily)
St. Osanna Andreasi's Day (Patron of school girls)
Swedish Days—a Midsommar Festival -- Geneva, IL, US (celebrating Swedish heritage in the granddaddy of all Illinois festivals with fun for the whole family; through Sunday)
Tiger-Get-By's Birthday -- Fairy Calendar
Waterloo Day -- UK (no longer an official holiday, but still of historic importance)
Western Days -- Elgin, TX, US (music, carnival, parade, live music and more; through Saturday)
Birthdays Today:
Nathan Morris, 1971
Carol Kane, 1952
Isabella Rossellini, 1952
Roger Ebert, 1942
Paul McCartney, 1942
Red Adair, 1915
E.G. Marshall, 1910
Bud Collyer, 1908
Jeanette MacDonald, 1903
Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicolaievna Romanova of Russia, 1901
E.W. Scripps, 1854
Today in History:
Li Yuan becomes Emperor Gaozu of Tang, initiating three centuries of Tang Dynasty rule over China, 618
Five monks from Canterbury report seeing "two horns of light" on the shaded side of the moon, probably witnessing the meteor impact formation of the Giordano Bruno crater, 1178
The Parliament of Ireland meets at Castledermot in County Kildare, the first definitively known meeting of this Irish legislature, 1264
French forces under the leadership of Joan of Arc defeat the main English army under Sir John Fastolf at the Battle of Patay, 1429
Samuel Wallis, an English sea captain, sights Tahiti and is considered the first European to reach the island, 1767
The U.S. Congress declares war on the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 1812
The Battle of Waterloo leads to Napoleon Bonaparte abdicating the throne of France for the second and last time, 1815
Charles Darwin receives a paper from Alfred Russel Wallace that includes nearly identical conclusions about evolution as Darwin's own, prompting Darwin to publish his theory, 1858
Susan B. Anthony is fined $100 (US) for attempting to vote in the prior year's US presidential election, 1873
Empress Dowager Longyu of China orders all foreigners killed, including foreign diplomats and their families, 1900
Aviator Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly as a passenger in an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean, 1928
The "Finest Hour" speech is delivered by Winston Churchill, 1940
The Republic of Egypt is declared and the monarchy is abolished, 1953
Governor of Louisiana Earl K. Long is committed to a state mental hospital; he responds by having the hospital's director fired and replaced with a crony who proceeds to proclaim him perfectly sane, 1959
The AIDS epidemic is formally recognized by medical professionals in San Francisco, California, 1981
Astronaut Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space, 1983
Kazakhstan launches its first satellite, KazSat, 2006
"Really? Are you serious? You called me for that!" Little Girl was yelling into the phone in the kitchen when i walked in, with an incredulous look on her face.
"Okay," she said into the phone a moment later, then hung up. As she turned to me, she said, "I can't believe it!"
Who was that?
"It's Festus, calling me from downstairs to tell me to make them some mac' and cheese! Can you believe it, too lazy to either come up here and make their own or even to come up here and ask me in person!"
Sounds like them, all right, i muttered drily.
"Well, I'm going to fix them, that's for sure. They want mac' and cheese, and that's what they will get!" With this dire threat, she disappeared from the kitchen to go find her older sister and hatch a conspiracy of some sort.
When i saw her next, she walked into the kitchen and grabbed a slice of American cheese out of the refrigerator.
"We went to McDonalds," she said, holding up a Big Mac and the slice of cheese. "I'm giving them exactly what they asked for, Mac, and cheese!"
She stalked down the stairs and handed them the items, and the next thing i heard was roars of laughter coming up the stairs.
"One of my best pun tricks ever!" she noted as she came back up.
Agreed.
Today is
Bake Your Own Bread Day -- it's really not that hard
Bunker Hill Day -- Suffolk County, MA, US (actual date)
Celebration of the Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen -- Antigua
Eat All of Your Vegetables Day / Fresh Veggies Day -- yes, i have this listed yesterday, too; internet sites disagree about the actual date, and you need your veggies today, as well!
Independence Day/National Day -- Iceland
International Violin Day -- Stravinsky's birth anniversary
National Apple Strudel Day
National Cherry Tart Day
National Heroes' Day -- Bermuda
National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival -- Weiser, ID, US (through Saturday)
Okinawa Day -- Japan/US (remembrance of signing the treaty, in 1971, to return Okinawa to Japan)
Organic Act Day -- US Virgin Islands (commemorates the organization of how the islands are governed)
Pirate Radio Day -- no actual pirate (i.e., unlicensed) radio stations will admit to declaring this a holiday, but what do you expect?
Queen's Birthday -- Cayman Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Norfolk Island
Ride to Work Day -- ride your motorcycle! if you don't have one, watch for otherswww.ridetowork.org
Soviet Occupation Day -- Latvia
St. Botulph of Ikanhoe's Day (Patron of agricultural and farm workers, sailors, travellers; Bossal, England; Boston, England; Boston, MA, US; Botesdale, England; Botolph Bridge, Huntingdonshire, Englad; Botolph's Bridge, Kent, Englad; Botolph, Sussex, England)
St. Herve's Day (Patron of the blind; against eye diseases and problems)
Toadstool-Squatting begins -- Fairy Calendar (Leprechauns)
Vice President's Remembrance Day -- not officially, just a day to see how many vice presidents you remember
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought -- UN
Anniversaries Today
Orpheus marries the nymph Eurydice, Ancient Greek traditional date
Birthdays Today:
Mark Walker, 1999
Lee Ryan, 1983
Venus Williams, 1980
Dan Jansen, 1965
Joe Piscopo, 1951
Barry Manilow, 1946
Art Bell, 1945
Newt Gingrich, 1943
Gene De Paul, 1919
Ralph Bellamy, 1904
M.C. Escher, 1898
Igor Stravinsky, 1882
Today in History:
Vlad III the Impaler (a/k/a Vlad Dracul or Count Dracula) attempts to assassinate Mehmed II (The Night Attack) forcing him to retreat from Wallachia, 1462
Matsunaga Hisahide assassinates the 13th Ashikaga shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, 1565
Sir Francis Drake claims a land he calls Nova Albion (modern California) for England, 1579
Mumtaz Mahal dies during childbirth; her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, then spends more than 20 years building her tomb, the Taj Mahal, 1631
The Battle of Bunker Hill, 1775
In the Kingdom of Hawaii, Kamehameha III issues the Edict of toleration which gives Roman Catholics the freedom to worship in the Hawaiian Islands, 1839
1,500 Sioux and Cheyenne led by Crazy Horse beat back General George Crook's forces at Rosebud Creek in Montana Territory, 1876
The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor, 1885
The College Board introduces its first standardized test, the forerunner to the SAT, 1901
"Barney Google" cartoon strip, by Billy De Beck, premieres, 1919
Iceland declares independence from Denmark and becomes a republic, 1944
The Wooden Roller Coaster at Playland, which is in the Pacific National Exhibition, Vancouver, Canada opens; it is still open today, 1958
The New Democratic Party of Canada is founded with the merger of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the Canadian Labour Congress, 1961
Five White House operatives are arrested for burglarizing the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Hotel, 1972
With the death of the last individual, the Dusky Seaside Sparrow becomes extinct, 1987
The South African Parliament repeals the Population Registration Act, which had required racial classification of all South Africans at birth, 1991
Australian scientists report that they have "teleported" a laser beam, breaking it up and reconstructing it in another location, 2002
A bit of a secret. Sweetie is a huge fan of the movie The Secret of NIMH.
That's why his Father's Day gift today is a new DVD player for his small TV in the man cave (the old one died after 4 years of faithful service, and will be taken to the local BestBuy for recycling), along with a copy of the movie and the sequel (both on one disc, only a few dollars at the BigBoxStore).
My Dad, Dr. Born Organized Clean, or Doc, or Grandpa, or whatever title we wish to use, will get the fried sweet breads he loves next time he comes in town or we end up down there, but his cards were put in the mail already, so he knows we didn't forget.
For all of the fathers out there, a Happy Father's Day! May your children call, visit, or write, and if they call, may it not be collect.
(Several years ago, in the dinosaur ages when there were no cell phones and long distance charges weren't so cheap, i read that the biggest number of collect calls in the US were always made on Father's Day, and that always bothered me.)
Today is
Bloomsday -- commemoration of James Joyce and his novel, Ulysses
Bunker Hill Day -- Suffolk County, MA, US (parade date)
Day of Third-Hand Reports and Shaky Evidence -- Fairy Calendar
Father's Day -- El Salvador; Guatemala; Puerto Rico; US
Festival of Ludi Piscatari -- Ancient Roman Calendar (festival for fishermen; some sites say it was on the 17th)
Fresh Veggies Day -- before you have that fudge later
Husband Caregiver Day -- to honor husbands who give health care to family members (wives, children, or extended family)
International Day of the African Child -- Organisation of African Unity
Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev -- Sikh
National Fudge Day
National Morticians Day -- honoring the last people to ever let you down
National Vinegar Day
St. Benno's Day (Patron of anglers, fishermen, weavers; Dresden-Meissen, Germany; Munich, Germany)
St. John-Francis Regis' Day (Patron of embroiderers, lace makers, social workers; Sisters of Saint Francis Regis; against plague)
Sussex Day -- West Sussex, England (on St. Richard's Day as celebrated in this area [current feast day is April 3 elsewhere]; he was Bishop of Chichester from 1245 to 1253, and his shrine was an important pilgrimage site)
Youth Day -- South Africa
Birthdays Today:
Diana DeGarmo, 1987
Phil Mickelson, 1970
Joan Van Ark, 1943
Joyce Carol Oates, 1938
Erich Segal, 1937
Stan Laurel, 1890
Geronimo, 1829
Today in History:
The Zoroastrian Religious Calendar begins with the ascension of Yasdegerd III of Persia, the start of the Persian Era, 632
Battle of Stoke Field, the final engagement of the Wars of the Roses, 1487
British troops take Cape Breton Island, which is now part of Nova Scotia, Canada, 1745
The French surrender Fort Beauséjour to the British, leading to the expulsion of the Acadians, 1755
Abraham Lincoln delivers his House Divided speech in Springfield, Illinois, 1858
The Victoria Hall theatre panic in Sunderland, England kills 183 children, 1883
John Abbott becomes Canada's third prime minister, 1891
The Ford Motor Company is incorporated, 1903
The storming of the cockpit of the Miss Macao passenger seaplane, operated by a subsidiary of the Cathay Pacific Airways, marks the first aircraft hijacking of a commercial plane, 1948
Rudolf Nureyev defects at Le Bourget airport in Paris, 1961
Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space, 1963
The largest single-site hydro-electric power project in Canada starts at Churchill Falls, Labrador, 1972
Soweto uprising: a non-violent march by 15,000 students in Soweto, South Africa turns into days of rioting when police open fire on the crowd and kill 566 children, 1976
Israel complies with UN Security Council Resolution 425 after 22 years of its issuance, which calls on Israel to completely withdraw from Lebanon, 2000
The 9/11 Commission, contradicting White House claims, determines Saddam Hussein had no strong ties to al-Qaeda, 2004
British Petroleum agrees to finanace a $20 billion fund to compensate those whose livelihood was damaged by the Deepwater Horizon disaster, 2010
Prince Harry of Wales is cleared to return to active duty in the Afghan War, 2011
Thank Goodness It's Saturday.
"Mom, I am so glad it's the weekend," Bigger Girl said. "Too much went on this week, I need the break!"
It has been a week.
First, there was the paperwork Bigger Girl almost couldn't get to do because of the computer snafu that would have meant she couldn't work this summer.
Then, there was Tuesday, when she walked in and told me "Mom, we had an emergency today, three mares ovulated unexpectedly so we had to get a stallion to cooperate so we could take advantage of it and I love working with the horses but three in one day is too much and Badger wouldn't cooperate and we had to run down to the vet school to use one of their stallions!"
Of course, we can't forget the day Ms. Sonny was talking on her cell phone while simultaneously filling the liquid nitrogen tanks. She overfilled one and was spraying liquid nitrogen everywhere before she realized it and moved the hose to the next tank. Bigger Girl said, "I had to use the dipper to pull some out of the overfilled tank and transfer it to the other one so I could close it. Don't fill nitrogen tanks while talking on a cell phone!"
Good advice that all of us should heed.
Thursday there was an explosion at a plant here in south Louisiana. It's one of the chemical plants that is just a hop away from where Bigger Girl works, they could even see the fire from their location. It panicked one of her co-workers, as her husband works there, but he was one of the fortunate uninjured. They were also blessed that the highways that were shut down were about a mile up the road, so they were able to come home when the day was done.
The research center went on alert to evacuate if the winds shifted, which didn't happen. The biggest concern for the research center was that if the wind did shift, the people could evacuate, but the animals, many of which are valuable research animals, couldn't. Those cloned goats alone are worth a mint, as they have survived longer than almost any other animals ever cloned (the research center leaves them alone beyond monthly check-ups, instead of experimenting on them as other centers do, and that's probably why).
In other happenings during the week, Little Girl found Young Jacob's epilepsy medication in our downstairs room, the former TV room (we don't have a TV beyond the one hooked up to a game console any more, good-bye cable bill). He was thrilled that she found it, but it scared me and him that he had left it here. He's also lucky she happened to see it, with the angle it was sitting at just behind a couch, as well as blessed he was only late with one dose and he's not so hypersensitive to it that late for one dose will be a big deal. Late all the time or can't find it for a week would be a big deal, however, and he just got this bottle. It can take a week or so to convince the doctor and insurance company to let you have a new bottle when you just got one, so he dodged that bullet, and i'm going to get him one of those little pill holders you attach to your key chain so he only has to carry one day's dose with him.
My Thursday saw two small animal related events. The kids at the pool found a baby mockingbird that had fallen from the nest, so i played mama bird and plied it with wet cat food until one of the other mothers got there to take it to the wildlife hospital at the vet school. Yes, i would have taken it, but her son was set on his mom doing it, so i gratefully bowed out of having to go across town this time. It will happen soon enough again, i'm sure.
Then i got a call from another animal rescue person. The black kitten in yesterday's picture was the subject. It seems that a little boy had picked it up to play with it, and when he put it back next to the mama, the mama started to attack it. The boy's mother took it to a pet store, which called the animal rescue, and Ms. Chrisie went and panicked when handed such a tiny thing. She doesn't do well with bottle-feeds. And i about panicked when i met her up at the MomAndPop store parking lot and saw they had tried to feed it Esbilac, which is puppy formula. Amateurs -- the formulas are not interchangeable.
All in all, i think we are all happy it's the weekend.
Today is
A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed Day -- simply a good day to remember this, and thank a friend
Badger State Summer Games -- Appleton, WI, US (Wisconsin residents of all ages and skill levels can compete this weekend and the next two in a fun Olympic-style sports festival)
Bali Arts Festival -- Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia (a full month of daily performances, handicraft exhibitions, and cultural activities showcasing all Bali has to offer in dance, music, art, food, and more; through July 13)
Dia del Arbol -- Costa Rica (Tree Day/Arbor Day)
Fly A Kite Day (on the anniversary of Ben Franklin's kite experiment)
Global Wind Day -- to celebrate and encourage the use of wind energy
KCQ Country Music Fest -- Saginaw, MI, US (country music's hottest stars, classic car show, art fair, and great food)
Longest Dam Race -- Fort Peck, MT, US (a run that crosses 1.8 miles of the Fort Peck Dam, as well as a fun run, a bike race, and more)
Madame Lou Bunch Day -- Central City, CO, US (Old Flop House Celebration of the Madam who ran the city's most famous house of ill repute during the gold rush, complete with period costumes and a brass bed race!)
Magna Carta Day -- UK (King John set his seal on the document this day in 1215)
Mangaia Gospel Day -- Mangaia, Cook Islands
Native American Citizenship Day -- US (passage, in 1924, of the legislation recognizing citizenship of Native Americans in the US)
National Lobster Day
Nature Photography Day -- sponsored by the North American Nature Photography Association
Salvation Day/National Day of Salvation -- Azerbaijan
Separation Day -- Delaware, US (date of declaration of separation from England and Pennsylvania)
Smile Power Day -- test out smile power today, it's free!
Sneak a Kiss Day -- usual litany of cautions with this internet generated holiday
Spirit of the Woods Folk Festival -- Brethren, MI, US (a family friendly good time in the park)
St. Vitus' Day (Patron of actors, comedians, dancers, dogs, epilepsy sufferers; against animal attacks, dog bites, epilepsy, lightning, oversleeping, rheumatic chorea, Saint Vitus' Dance, snake bites, storms, wild beasts; Badia Calavena, Italy; Czech Republic; Forio, Italy; Prague, Czech Republic; Recanati, Italy; Vacha, Germany; Wetsens, Netherlands; Zeven, Germany)
Trooping the Colour -- UK (military celebration of the monarch's birthday, one of London's biggest and most colorful celebrations))
Valdemar's Day and Reunion Day -- Denmark (an official Flag Day)
Vestalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (main and final celebration, in which the Temple of Vesta was swept clean)
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day -- because our elders deserve to be protected and cared for properly
World Juggling Day
Worldwide Day of Giving -- here for details
Anniversaries Today:
Arkansas becomes the 25th US State, 1836
Gustaf, Crown Prince of Sweden marries Princess Margaret of Connaught, 1905
King Hussein of Jordan marries Lisa Halaby (Queen Noor), 1978
Birthdays Today:
William Dean Martin, 1981
Neil Patrick Harris, 1973
Ice Cube, 1969
Lisa McCall, 1969
Dina Meyer, 1969
Courtneney Cox, 1964
Helen Hunt, 1963
Jim Belushi, 1954
Waylon Jennings, 1937
Mario Cuomo, 1932
Erroll Garner, 1921
Muzaffer Tema, 1919
Bob Wian, 1914
Edvard Grieg, 1843
Henry FitzRoy, illegitimate son of Henry VIII, 1519
Edward the Black Prince, 1330
Today in History:
The Assyrians record a solar eclipse that is later used to fix the chronology of Mesopotamian history, BC763
King John of England puts his seal to the Magna Carta, 1215
The first human blood transfusion is administered by Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys, 1667
Benjamin Franklin proves that lightning is electricity, 1752
Delaware votes to suspend government under the British Crown and separate officially from Pennsylvania, 1776
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, co-pilot of the first-ever manned flight (1783), and his companion, Pierre Romain, become the first-ever casualties of an air crash when their hot air balloon explodes during their attempt to cross the English Channel, 1785
Charles Goodyear receives a patent for vulcanization, a process to strengthen rubber, 1844
The Oregon Treaty establishes the 49th parallel as the border between the United States and Canada, from the Rocky Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, 1846
Crown Prince Wilhelm becomes Kaiser Wilhelm II and is the last emperor of the German Empire, 1888
The most destructive tsunami in Japan's history kills more than 22,000 people, 1896
A fire aboard the steamboat SS General Slocum in New York City's East River kills 1000, 1904
Tabulating Computing Recording Corporation (IBM) is incorporated, 1911
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signs a bill incorporating the Boy Scouts of America, making them the only American youth organization with a federal charter, 1916
A German expedition led by Karl Wien lost sixteen members in an avalanche on Nanga Parbat (9th highest mountain), the largest single day loss of life on an 8,000m peak, 1937
In the Saskatchewan general election, the CCF, led by Tommy Douglas, is elected and forms the first socialist government of North America, 1944
Israel and Vatican City establish full diplomatic relations, 1994
Near earth asteroid 2002 MN misses the Earth by 75,000 miles (121,000 km), about one-third of the distance between the Earth and the Moon, 2002
Two kittens, both from different litters, both alone. It's never good for kittens to be raised alone, they were meant to be with other cats when they are very little.
So now, they are with each other.
The black one is a boy about 2 days old, the cream is a boy about 7 days old. Dr. Penguin, one of our two adult fosters, is looking and sniffing with curiosity, as she always does.
Today is
Avon Heritage Duct Tape Festival -- Avon, OH, US (everything wacky and wonderful about duct tape is celebrated in the Duct Tape Capital of the World, home of the Duck brand of duct tape; through Sunday)
Bachfest Leipzig -- Leipzig, Germany (celebrating the great composer in the city where he composed some of his best-known works; through the 23rd)
Blues on the Fox -- Aurora, IL, US (celebration of the historical blues recordings made in Aurora, with blues musicians from around the country performing; through tomorrow)
Dulcimer Days -- Coshocton, Ohio, US (enjoy the restored 19th Century Roscoe Village and the charming music of dulcimers; through Sunday)
Family History Day -- sponsored by Wellcat Holidays, urging people to brush up on family history during summer family reunions
Feast Day of Elisha the Prophet -- Christian
Flag Day -- United States
Freedom Day -- Malawi
Goettafest -- MainStrasse Village, Covington, KY, US (a celebration of goetta, a favorite regional food, plus entertainment, and arts and crafts; through Sunday)
Huck Finn's Jubilee -- Mojave Narrows Regional Park, Victorville, CA, US (river-raft building, country and bluegrass music, an old-time tent circus, and more; through Sunday)
Leinapaev -- Estonia (Mourning and Commemoration Day; remembering those deported under Soviet rule)
Liberation Day -- Falkland Islands
Mourning and Hope Day -- Lithuania (remembering those exiled to Siberia under the Soviets)
National Day of Prayer for Law Enforcement Officers -- on the second Friday of June, sponsored the last couple of years by Wives Behind the Badge
National Strawberry Shortcake Day
Old Time Music Ozark Heritage Festival -- West Plains, MO, US (celebrating the unique culture and old time music of the Ozark Highlands; through tomorrow)
Pause for the Pledge Day -- US, in conjunction with Flag Day, all citizens are asked to pause at 7pm EDT to recite the Pledge
Pig Callers' Day -- no clue where this came from, or why; any pig callers out there want to weigh in?
Pop Goes the Weasel Day -- and just as no one knows for sure the origins of the song or it's meaning, no one knows why it is celebrated on this day
Prairie Villa Rendezvous -- Prairie du Chien, WI, US (learn about the fur trader lifestyle of days gone by, make Indian fry bread, learn how hard it was to load a rifle with gunpowder back in the day, learn about plants and medicines, and more; through Sunday)
Queen's Birthday -- Solomon Islands
Rice Planting Festivals -- Sumiyoshi Shrine, Osaka and Izawanomiya Shrine, Mie Prefecture, Japan (rice planting at sacred fields, some rites date back over 1,700 years)
Rumor Sunday -- Fairy Calendar (usually held on a weekday)
Runic Half-month Dag (day) commences
Sandpaper Day -- Isaac Fisher, Jr., of Vermont, was issued the first US patent for sandpaper on this day in 1834
Show-Me State Games -- Colombia, MO, US (Olympic-style sports festival for all ages and skill levels, to encourage people to develop their physical and competitive abilites to the height of their potential through participation in fitness activities; through Sunday, and again July 19-21 and 26-28)
St. Basil the Great's Day (traditional date in Roman Catholic Church, current date in Episcopal Church; Patron of education, exorcisms, hospital administrators, monks, liturgists, reformers; Cappadocia; Russia)
St. Castora Gabrielli's Day (Patron of difficult marriages, widows)
The Strawberry Festival -- Crawfordsville, IN, US (historic Lane Place hosts three days of fun, and all the city museums are open; through Sunday)
Work @ Home Fathers' Day -- special kudos to the dads who work from home by telecommuting, or care for house and kids while the wife works outside the home
World Blood Donor Day -- International (2013's host country is France, with a global event today in Paris)
Blood Type Awareness Day -- while donating, make sure you know your type, and that of your loved ones; in an emergency, it's good to know
Anniversaries Today:
Munich, Germany is founded, 1158
The United States Army is founded, 1775
Birthdays Today:
Daryl Sabara, 1992
Lucy Hale, 1989
Steffi Graf, 1969
Yasmine Bleeth, 1968
Boy George, 1961
Donald Trump, 1946
John F. MacArthur, 1939
Jerzy Kosinski, 1933
Joe Arpaio, 1932
Marla Gibbs, 1931
Che Guevara, 1928
Pierre Salinger, 1925
Gene Barry, 1919
Burl Ives, 1909
Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1811
Today in History:
Kublai Khan defeated the force of Nayan and other traditionalist Borjigin princes in East Mongolia and Manchuria, 1287
Richard II in England meets leaders of Peasants' Revolt on Blackheath and the Tower of London is stormed by rebels who enter without resistance, 1381
Margaret Jones is hanged in Boston for witchcraft in the first such execution for the Massachusetts colony, 1648
The Stars and Stripes is adopted by Congress as the Flag of the United States, 1777
Bounty mutiny survivors including Captain William Bligh and 18 others reach Timor after a nearly 7,400 km (4,000-mile) journey in an open boat, 1789
Whiskey distilled from maize is first produced by American clergyman the Rev Elijah Craig, who named it Bourbon because he lived in Bourbon County, Kentucky, 1789
Badi VII, king of Sennar, surrenders his throne and realm to Ismail Pasha, general of the Ottoman Empire, ending the existence of that Sudanese kingdom, 1821
The village of Henley, on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, stages its first Royal Regatta, 1839
Trade unions are legalized in Canada, 1872
Norway adopts female suffrage, 1907
John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown depart St. John's, Newfoundland on the first nonstop transatlantic flight, 1919
Action Comics issue one is released, introducing Superman, 1938
The Canadian Library Association is established, 1946
UNIVAC I, the world's first commercial computer, is dedicated by the U.S. Census Bureau, 1951
The European Space Research Organisation is established in Paris – later becoming the European Space Agency, 1962
The Vatican announces the abolition of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, 1966
The 1994 Stanley Cup Riots occur after the New York Rangers win the Stanley Cup from Vancouver, 1994
The Wallow Fire becomes the largest wildfire in the history of the US State of Arizona, 2011
"Ptui! Yuck!" Little Girl was not pleased with whatever-it-was, i could tell by the noises, and the funny faces.
What happened? i asked.
"Well, I wasn't sure what this was," she said, holding up a travel size bottle of hand sanitizer. "I thought it might by some kind of fragrance spray or something, but when I pushed this side, it opened toward me and I got a face full of sanitizer!"
"That's yuck, all right," Young Jacob commented, walking in wearing only one shoe and with a bit of blood on the other foot.
"Okay, what did you do this time?" Little Girl asked.
"I stepped on a piece of glass," he answered. "Could you get me a bandage?"
"Where is the other shoe?" she asked as she pulled out the first-aid kit and rummaged.
"I don't know. I lost it somewhere here yesterday."
So, you've been wearing only one shoe since yesterday? i grinned, knowing he had been at work, so he hadn't.
"No, I wore my work shoes, but now I'm trying to find the other one. It's your fault, because I think your house ate it!"
Or it's under the chair you were sitting in yesterday, i noted drily as i pulled up the chair cover and pulled it out.
"Oops!" he grinned back at me as Little Girl stuck the bandage on.
Then he got up to walk away without putting the shoe on!
Sometimes i wonder about kids these days -- then again, i understand Aristotle thought the same sort of thing.
Today is
Ascension of Jesus -- Orthodox Christians on the Julian Calendar
Career Nursing Assistants' Day
Day of the Living Children of Nut -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)
Feast of Epona -- Ancient Celtic Calendar (Rhiannon in Wales, Macha in Ireland, guardian goddess of horses, stables, horse owners, agriculture, and transportation; date approximate, and disputed, she was the only Celtic goddess worshiped by the Romans, and they celebrated her on December 18)
First-in-Line and Queue-Jumping Tournament -- Fairy Calendar
Fort Union Trading Post Rendezvous -- Williston, ND, US (re-creation of the fur trade era; through Sunday)
Glenn Miller Birthplace Society Festival -- Clarinda, IA, US (come celebrate the music of an era; through Sunday)
Ides of June -- Ancient Roman Calendar; related observances:
Festival of Jupiter Invictus (Jupiter the Unconquered)
Lesser Quinquartrus/Quinquatrus Minusculae (festival for those who played flutes at religious ceremonies; through the 15th)
Kiamichi Owa-Chito Festival of the Forest -- Beaver's Bend State Park, Broken Bow, OK, US (celebration of Native American culture; through Saturday)
Kitchen Klutzes of America Day
Kuopio Dance Festival -- Kuopio, Finland (exotic dance art by familiar and new artists from around the world on the sunlit summer nights; through next Wednesday)
Roller Coaster Day -- the world's first "Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway", patented by LaMarcus Thompson, opened on this day in 1884 on Coney Island, at a cost of five cents per ride
Sam Steele Days -- Cranbrook, BC, Canada (fun for all, celebrating the life and legend of Sam Steele of the North-West Mounted Police in the 1880's; through Sunday)
Sewing Machine Day -- why this day is anyone's guess, but we must admit it's a useful invention
St. Anthony of Padua's Day, the "Hammer of Heretics" (Patron of amputees, animals, asses, boatmen, domestic animals, elderly people, expectant mothers, faith, fishermen, harvests, horses, mail, mariners, Native Americans, oppressed people, paupers, poor people, sailors, seeksers of lost objects, starving people, swineherds, Tigua Indians, travel hostesses, travellers, watermen; Amantea, Italy; Anzio, Italy; Brazil; Cianciana, Italy; Dorado, Puerto Rico; Favara, Italy; Ferrazzano, Italy; Giano Vetusto, Italy; Lisbon, Portugal; Nocolosi, Italy; Padua, Italy; Portugal; San Antonio Tiayacapan, Mexico; San Fulgencio, Spain; Sandia Indian Pueblo; against barrenness, shipwreck, starvation, and sterility)
a municipal holiday in Lisbon, Portugal and parts of Spain
Tano/Surinal -- North Korea (Spring Festival)
Weed Your Garden Day -- a reminder to get out there and do a bit each day, so the little buggers don't get out of hand
Anniversaries Today:
Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, 1525
Birthdays Today:
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, 1986
Raz-B, 1985
Rivers Cuomo, 1970
Jamie Walters, 1969
Ally Sheedy, 1962
Tim Allen, 1953
Richard Thomas, 1951
Malcolm McDowell, 1943
Siegfried Fischbacher, 1939
Christo, 1935
Paul Lynde, 1926
Ralph Edwards, 1913
Red Grange, 1903
Dorothy L. Sayers, 1893
Basil Rathbone, 1892
William Butler Yeats, 1865
Today in History:
Coronation of Alexander III as King of Scots, 1249
Ibn Battuta, who was to become the foremost world traveler of his day, seeing most of the known world in his time, begins his first hadj, 1325
Rhode Island becomes the first of Britain's North American colonies to ban the importation of slaves, 1774
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia is founded, 1798
Meriwether Lewis and four companions sight the Great Falls of the Missouri River, 1803
A fire devastates much of Vancouver, British Columbia, 1886
King Ludwig II of Bavaria is found dead in Lake Starnberg south of Munich at 11:30 PM, 1886
Yukon Territory is formed, with Dawson chosen as its capital, 1898
The University of the Philippines College of Engineering is established, the largest degree granting unit in the Philippines, 1910
Mir Mine, the first diamond mine in the USSR, is discovered, 1955
The United States Supreme Court rules in Miranda v. Arizona that the police must inform suspects of their rights before questioning them, 1966
Thurgood Marshall is nominated to become the first black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, 1967
Fahd becomes King of Saudi Arabia upon the death of his brother, Khalid, 1982
Pioneer 10 becomes the first man-made object to leave the solar system, 1983
President Kim Dae Jung of South Korea meets Kim Jong-il, leader of North Korea, for the beginning of the first ever inter-Korea summit, 2000
The US withdraws from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, 2002
The Al Askari Mosque is bombed for a second time, 2007
A capsule of Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa returns to Earth with particles of asteroid 25143 Itokawa, 2010
Around here, we call them 'gator tails.
Not the best picture, but we've all seem them. The pieces of tires from retreads that big rigs leave all over the side of the road.
Only a few times in my life have i been seriously afraid while driving. In each case, i've managed not to panic, keep a tight grip on the wheel, remember to take my foot off the gas and not brake, and get out of it.
Yesterday was another of those times. For the first time ever, i saw a rig actually throwing tire pieces all over the road. The noise startled me, and i'm glad i didn't jerk the wheel as i watched to see where the debris would fly. It happened right in the never-ending-construction-zone on the interstate, but it was right at the only exit and the driver managed to get off the road because the people in the exit lane realized what was happening and backed off to give him room.
None of the pieces that flew yesterday were as big as the one above (i pulled off to take a picture at an exit), but i think those retreads are dangerous. While i'm all for conservation, as long as we have to use the type of tire we have now, we need to find a better way to reuse the material.
In good news, it turns out that the teacher gave #2 Son a practice test, and he could most likely already pass and get his GED next week if he wanted. She wants him stronger in the math section, though, but it's looking good for the timeline we are working on to have him in culinary school either fall or next spring.
Today is
Crowded Nest Awareness Day -- for those whose problem is the opposite of the Empty Nest, a day to remind you to keep your sense of humor and get support when you need it
Duanwu Jie -- China; Hong Kong; Macao[Tung Ng]; Taiwan (Dragon Boat Festival Day, in which spectacularly decorated boats loaded with rowers and drums race)
Festival of Mut -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)
Ghost in the Machine Day -- the internet holiday that explains everything!
Helsinki Day -- Finland
Ice Cream Days -- LeMars, IA, US (the home of Wells's Blue Bunny Ice Cream calls itself the Ice Cream Capital of the World and has a parade, basketball tournament, children's activities, fishing derby, and more along with tons of ice cream; through Saturday)
Independence Day -- Philippines
International Cachaca Day
Loving Day -- US (commemoration of Loving vs. Virginia decision by the Supreme Court which struct down all anti-miscegenation laws)
Marrakesh Popular Arts Festival -- Marrakesh, Morocco (the country's best Folklore Festival, featuring art and music as well; through Sunday)
Midnight Sun Film Festival -- Sodankyla, Lapland, Finland (one of the world's most unique film festivals; through Sunday)
National Jerky Day -- begun last year, possibly by one of the jerky manufacturers (no one can track it down, sounds suspicious to me)
National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
National Time Out Day -- US, sponsored by The Association of Operating Room Nurses, which want everyone involved in surgeries to take time out before the procedure to verify the surgery site, type, and patient and decrease OR errors
Red Rose Day -- found all over the internet, with June 12 as the most common date cited; may have begun with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Australia, which has Rose Days as fundraisers
Russia Day -- Russia
St. Anthony's Eve -- Brazil; Portugal
Dia dos Namorados -- Brazil (Lover's Day, celebrated on St. Anthony's Eve)
St. Onuphrius' Day (Patron of weavers; Centrache, Catanzaro, Italy)
Tano Day -- Korea (summer food is offered at the household shrine of the ancestors, this is the final day of the three day Tano Festival)
Turtle Races -- Nisswa, MN, US (Wednesdays in June, go race a turtle, it's only $4 to adopt a turtle for the race and get a participation racing button!)
World Day Against Child Labour -- Education International and the International Labour Organization; this year, the spotlight is on child labour in domestic workhttp://www.ei-ie.org/en/events/event_details/62
Birthdays Today:
Marv Albert, 1941
Chick Corea, 1941
Jim Nabors, 1932
Anne Frank, 1929
Vic Damone, 1928
George Bush, 1924
Alexandre Tansman, 1897
Today in History:
Joan of Arc leads the French army in their capture of the city and the English commander, William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk in the second day of the Battle of Jargeau, 1429
The French begin their colonization of Algeria with the landing of 34,000 troops, 1830
The world's first Fingerprint Bureau opens in Calcutta, India, after the Council of the Governor General approves a committee report that fingerprints should be used for classification of criminal records, 1897
Shooting begins on Paramount Pictures' Dr. Cyclops, the first horror film photographed in three-strip Technicolor, 1939
Anne Frank gets her diary as a birthday present, 1942
The United States Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia declares all U.S. state laws which prohibit interracial marriage to be unconstitutional, 1967
The first man powered flight across the English Channel is performed by Bryan Allen in the Gossamer Albatross designed by Paul MacCready, 1979
At the Brandenburg Gate U.S. President Ronald Reagan publicly challenges Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, 1987
Russia Day – the parliament of the Russian Federation formally declares its sovereignty, 1990
Queen Elizabeth II reopens the Globe Theatre in London, 1997
A disputed presidential election in Iran leads to widespread protests, 2009
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