Well, my parents did come yesterday, and we had a great time, and now my library has exploded again. Seriously, it looks like someone's closet and dresser had a gastrointestinal problem in there!
My mom loves to shop, and when she has too many clothes for her closet, she brings stuff here. Then we take what we can use, and find homes for the rest.
Until we get through the 5 boxes (yes, that's how much she brought this time, 5 boxes!), our library will look more like the back of a messy clothing store.
Today is:
Ballet Day
Charles Dickens Day
Daniel Boone Escape Day (He escaped from the Shawnee tribe which had captured him.)
Daytona Pole Day
Festiglace du Quebec, through the 14th
Homstrom, Switzerland (celebration of the end of winter in which straw men, symbolizing old man winter, are burned)
Independence Day, Grenada
International Mountain Climbing School Ice Festival
Man Day
Meatfare Sunday -- Orthodox Christian Calendar (begins Meatfare Week, a time of abstaining from meat in preparation for Lent. Some Orthodox communities call this Butterweek)
National Fettucini Alfredo Day
National Run-For-Your-Life Day
National Hangover Awareness Day
No Talk Day
Send a Card to a Friend Day - obviously created by a card company
Super Bowl XLIV
Wave All you Fingers at Your Neighbor Day
Birthdays Today:
Tina Majorino, 1985
Ashton Kutcher, 1978
Chris Rock, 1965
Garth Brooks, 1962
James Spader, 1960
Keefe Brasselle, 1923
Eddie Bracken, 1920
Larry "Buster" Crabbe, 1908
Sinclair Lewis, 1885
Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1867
Charles Dickens, 1812
John Deere, 1804
Sir Thomas More, 1478
Today in History:
The Mongols burn the Russian city of Vladimir, 1238
Edward of Carnarvon,later Edward II, becomes the first English prince to hold the title Prince of Wales, 1301
King Philip II forms an Inquisition in South America, 1569
Academie Francaise begins a Dictionary of the French Language, 1639
An 8.2 magnitude earthquake shakes New Madrid, Missouri, 1812
The colonial Tasmanian Parliament passes the Electoral Act of 1856, the first piece of legislation anywhere in the world providing for elections by way of a secret ballot, 1856
The Battle at Ingogo, Transvaal: the Boers defeat superior British forces, 1881
The Great Blizzard of 1891 begins, 1891
Baltimore catches fire; 1500 buildings are destroyed in 80 blocks, 1904
The Mud March, the first large procession organized by the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), 1907
Charlie Chaplin debuts "The Tramp" in "Kid Auto Races at Venice," 1914
The first wireless message sent from a moving train to a station is received, 1915
Bert Hinkler begins the first solo flight from England to Australia, 1928
Did you know that catnip has gone gourmet? Wine has been that way for years, coffee has caught up, and chocolate has those who discuss the merits of this region and variety versus that one, but catnip?
#2 Son, the 13 year boy, is apparently an expert. He says that the best is grown in Alaska and Canada, and that you can tell the region of origin and quality by the cut and smell. Apparently the better varieties are almost powdered.
He stood in the cat shelter, looking at their "stash" (his word) of catnip, and identifying the types in unmarked packets, by cut and smell. It was so funny, a boy his age talking about catnip the way a sommelier would discuss fine wine!
The funniest thing about it is that I don't know if he was being serious or just pulling my leg. He has always enjoyed giving catnip to our cats once in a while, and takes delight in introducing it to the kittens when they are weaned, but a catnip expert? Who knew?
Meanwhile, the grandparents are coming today to take the whole family out for lunch (a huge treat for mom, it means I don't have to cook dinner tonight, they can have leftovers!), then on to the big box store to buy bicycles for Bigger Girl, Little Girl, and #2 Son. #1 Son, of course, is 18 and in college and beyond bicycles, so will only come for lunch. After all, there is no such thing as a boy in his teens/early 20's who is actually full.
Today is:
Aldus Day (Aldus Manutius invented italics)
Bob Marley Day, Jamaica
Dump Your Significant Jerk Day (Shame this doesn't work when it is your brother-in-law!)
Lame Duck Day
Mid-Winter's Day
MOBIUS Awards Day
National Frozen Yogurt Day
Orchid Festival/Tropical Extravaganza, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, London -- through March 7
Pay-A-Compliment Day
Royal Hobart Regatta Day, Tasmania (through the 8th)
Rubik-Cube Muddling Championships -- Fairy Calendar
St. Dorothy's Day (patron of brides, gardeners, florists, newlyweds; against lightning, fire, and thieves.)
Waitangi, Maori, New Zealand (treaty with Britain, 1840)
Anniversaries Today:
The College of William and Mary in Virginia is founded by royal charter, 1693
Birthdays Today:
Axl Rose, 1962
Natalie Cole, 1950
Bob Marley, 1945
Michael Tucker, 1944
Fabian, 1943
Tom Brokaw, 1940
Mike Farrell, 1939
Rip Torn, 1931
Mamie Van Doren, 1931
Zsa Zsa Gabor, 1919
Mary Leakey, 1913
Ronald Reagan, 1911
Babe Ruth, 1895
Aaron Burr, 1756
Nicolaus II Bernoulli, 1695
Chongzhen, Emperor of China, 1611
Christopher Marlowe, 1564
Today in History:
The United States signs its first treaty, in which France recognizes the US and promises aid, 1778
New Jersey issues the first US railroad charter to John Stevens, 1815
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founds Singapore, 1819
Harper's Weekly publishes the first picture of Uncle Sam with chin whiskers, 1869
The Young Women's Hebrew Association organizes in NYC, 1902
The "Monopoly" board game goes on sale for the first time, 1935
Turkey holds its first election in which women can vote, 1935
K Elizabeth Ohi becomes the first Japanese-US female lawyer, 1937
I seem to be relegated to writing weather related posts this winter, even though you can't do a thing about it.All you can do is observe it, and that is exactly what John Jeffries did. He was born on this day in 1744, and grew up to be a physician, aeronaut (he was in the balloon with Jean-Pierre Blanchard in 1785 when they were the first to fly across the English Channel ), and weather observer.Dr. Jeffries kept a diary of the weather he observed, mostly in Boston and London, from 1774 until his death in 1819. He also took the weather measurements from the balloon flights he made. In his honor, today is National Weatherperson's Day.I just hope, after the steady rains of the last 36 or so hours (and yes, there is some water leaking into the house again, but by God's grace, not much), that today we will observe some sunshine.Today is:Bon Soo Winter Festival, Northern Ontario, through the 14thBubble Gum DayConstitution Day, MexicoCordova Ice Worm Festival (through the 7th)Disaster DayLailatul Quadr (Night of Power)Move Hollywood & Broadway to Lebanon, PA Day (Why would they want it?)National Chocolate Fondue DayNational Weatherman's DayPrimrose DaySapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri), Japan, through the 11thSt. Agatha's Day (patron of Malta, nurses, jewelers, bell makers, bell ringers, wet nurses; against fire, breast cancer)Wear Red DayWinterlude, Ottawa winter festival, weekends through the 21stWorld Nutella DayWyrd's Day (Celtic goddess of fortune telling)Birthdays Today:Jeremy Sumpter, 1989Michael Sheen, 1969Jennifer Jason Leigh, 1962Christopher Guest, 1948Barbara Hershey, 1948Roger Stauback, 1942H.R. Giger, 1940Alex Harvey, 1935Henry "Hank" Aaron, 1934Andrew Greeley, 1928Red Buttons, 1919William Burroughs, 1914Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr., 1900Andre' Citroen, 1878Belle Starr, 1848Dwight Lyman Moody, 1837Ole Bull, 1810Sanjo, Emperor of Japan, 976Today in History:King Alfonso V orders Sicily's Jews to attend conversion sermons, 1428A group of early Japanese Christians are killed by the new government of Japan for being seen as a threat to Japanese society, 1597The first US livestock branding law is passed, in Connecticut, 1644Methodists Charles and John Wesley arrive in Savannah, Georgia, 1736Georgia becomes the first state to abolish both entail and primogeniture,1777Sweden recognizes US independence, 1783Hannah Lord Montague of New York creates the first detachable shirtcollar, 1825The "Oregon Spectator" is the first newspaper published on the AmericanWest Coast, 1846An adding machine employing depressible keys is patented in New Paltz, NY, 1850Two innovations which helped pave the way for motion pictures are pateneted, a hand turned stereoscope by Samuel Goodale of Cincinnati, andthe Kinematoscope by Coleman Sellers of Philadelphia, 1861Four inches of snow falls in San Francisco, 1887The loop-the-loop centrifugal railroad (a/k/a the roller coaster) ispatented by Ed Prescot, 1901Reader's Digest magazine is first published, 1922
It is one of those blah, wet, dreary days that will bring in more cold. Proof that Punxsutawny Phil was right, winter is not yet over. It is on its way out, but still has fight left.
On a good note, the grandparents are coming into town Saturday with the intent to purchase new bikes for any of the grandchildren who want one! How amazing is this. It is a great blessing to have generous parents.
Meanwhile, I have to venture out into the wet cold (I'm glad I hung out the laundry yesterday!) to the bank. The best thing about that is the complimentary coffee. My favorite errands revolve around complimentary coffee -- that is the cheapskate in me.
Right now I am contemplating dinner. I think wet cold deserves either bangers and mash or creamy potato soup, mostly because I have lots of potatoes in the house right now. Either would make great comfort food.
Today is:
Create-A-Vacuum Day
General Thaddeus Kosciuszko Day, Poland
Independence Day, Sri Lanka
King Frost Day
Liberace Day
National Stuffed Mushroom Day
Obscurity Day
Quacker Day
St. Andrew Corsini's Day (patron against quarrels, sudden death)
St. John de Brito's Day (patron of Portugal)
Thank A Mailman Day
USO Day
World Cancer Day
Anniversaries Today:
The University of Wisconsin is established, with one classroom and 20 students, 1849
Birthdays Today:
Natalie Imbruglia, 1975
Oscar De La Hoya, 1973
Lawrence Taylor, 1959
Alice Cooper, 1948
Dan Quayle, 1947
George A. Romero, 1940
David Brenner, 1936
Betty Friedan, 1921
Ida Lupino, 1918
Rosa Parks, 1913
Clyde W. Tombaugh, 1906
Charles Lindbergh, 1902
Today in History:
The Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies, leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons, Caracalla and Geta, 211
Maximilian I assumes the title Holy Roman Emperor without being crowned, 1508
Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler meet for the first time near Prague 1600
In Edo (now Tokyo), The 47 Ronin commit seppuku (ritual suicide) after avenging the death of their master, 1703
The worst earthquake in 8 years in Calabria, Italy, leaves 50,000 dead, 1783
The first Anglican bishops of New York and Pennsylvania are consecrated in London, 1787
The French National Convention proclaims the abolishment of slavery, 1794
An earthquake in Quito, Ecuador, kills 41,000, 1797
J.W. Goodrich introduces his rubber galoshes to the public, 1824
The Mormons of Nauvoo, Missouri, leave to go west, eventually settling in Utah, 1846
The Codex Sinaiticus is found at the Greek Monastery of Mount Sinai, 1859
The first rolling lift bridge opens, in Chicago, 1895
The first Winter Olympics games close at Chamonix, France, 1924
The first tieless, soundless, shockless streetcar tracks open, in New Orleans, 1930
Radium E is the first radioactive substance to be produced synthetically, 1936
Having boys to raise is an adventure in itself.
I walked outside one day to observe the fire they had going in the bbq pit, and #2 Son, the 13 year boy said, "Oh, by the way, mom, we built the fire so big, it burned the handle off the outside of the bbq pit."
This pit is old, covered in rust, was cheap to begin with, and has seen several years use. There is not much more that can be done to it that could make it look any worse, and it works just fine. So I just laughed when he told me that. His friends were amazed -- they expected some yelling at least.
Then there are all the things they find in the neighbor's garbage to bring home. Sweetie is an archaeologist by training, which means he digs through people's trash. The kids do it, too. I draw the line at anything rotten, but the chairs the neighbors threw out, 3 of which the kids can use outdoors, I let them keep in the back yard, along with tons of other miscellaneous items brought out there over the years. Most of it serves a term of boy abuse from various neighbors, then breaks down completely and gets hauled off. It's okay, it keeps them entertained.
Dad plays an interesting role in all of this. Yesterday I pulled up to the house after picking up Bigger Girl from school (20 mile round trip at 4:30-5:30PM), already tired and trying to face cooking dinner to hear #2 Son yell, "Hey, mom, dad needs a crowbar and a hammer. My friend dropped his cell phone in the storm drain and we have to pry up the manhole cover!"
It took 3 trips to neighbor's houses to round up everything, but with crowbar, hammer, long broom handle, and duct tape, they were successful in retrieving it, none the worse for the wear. That makes 2 skateboards, a cell phone, 3 footballs, a puppy and a kitten we have rescued from that storm drain. I would ask the parish to install an easier way to get down in there, but then I would have to be retrieving the kids from it all of the time.
Then there are the things the boy has said to me over the past few days that I just can't keep to myself.
"No, I'm not taking deodorant. It's only guys there, and I want to knock them over with my man stink."
Upon coming home from that particular guy gathering, "I'm going to do the world a favor and take a shower."
As we pulled into a gas station, "I don't like this Exxon. Me and Sam came here with his dad after we all had Cane's chicken one day, and I blew chunks all over. It was awesome!"
When he heard classical music on the radio, "Bach! Rock on, dude!"
At a restaurant where some of the adults were ordering drinks with dinner, "The rest of you can have your bourbon or fine wine -- I'll have a bottle of your best root beer, please!"
I would say I am very blessed. He is a typical boy, and yet he can't get through his day without several hugs from me, even in front of his friends.
Today is:
Day the Music Died (According to Don McLean, anyway.)
Four Chaplains Memorial Day
Magnolia and Fish Jubilee -- Fairy Calendar
Martyr's Day, Sao Tome
National Carrot Cake Day
National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Setsubun (Bean-Throwing Festival), Japan; the last day of winter according to the lunar calendar
St. Anskar's Day (patron of Denmark, Iceland, Norway)
St. Blaise's Day/Blessing of Throats Day (patron of throat health)
Wedding Ring Day
Anniversaries Today:
Wake Forest University is established, 1834
Birthdays Today:
Maura Tierney, 1965
Morgan Fairchild, 1950
Dave Davies, 1947
Fran Tarkenton, 1940
Shelley Berman, 19226
Joey Bishop, 1918
James Michener, 1907
Norman Rockwell, 1894
Gertrude Stein, 1874
Today in History:
The first paper money in America is issued by the colony of Massachusetts, 1690
Philadelphia establishes a "pesthouse" to quarantine immigrants, 1743
The Dutch States-General forbid the export of windmills, 1752
Spain recognizes US independence, 1783
The world's first commercial cheese factory is established in Switzerland, 1815
The sovereignty of Greece is confirmed in a London Protocol, 1830
The Wisconsin Supreme Court declares the US Fugitive Slave Law unconstitutional,1855
The 15th Amendment to the US Constitution, guaranteeing Black suffrage, is passed, 1870
Albert Spalding, with only $800, starts a sporting goods company, which eventually manufactured the first official baseball, tennis ball, basketball, golf ball, and football (American style football), 1876
Circus owner P.T. Barnum buys Jumbo the elephant, 1882
The 16th Amendment to the US Constitution, the income tax, is ratified, 1913
Canada's original Parliament building, in Ottowa, burns down, 1916
Percival Prattis becomes the first African-American news correspondent allowed in the United States House of Representatives and Senate press galleries, 1947
Today is one of my favorite "holidays," to use that term very loosely.
Of all the zany, wacky, crazy, and unique holidays I come across on the web, this one is my very favorite.
It is Groundhog Day, and I admit that I will very much enjoy it. If I lived in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, I would want to belong to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
It is a grand holiday, one that requires no special preparations unless you want to make Groundhog Day cookies (a sugar cookie with added molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and clove). It exists just to be enjoyed, in my mind, something to add a smile to a winter day.
To me, it does not matter whether the groundhog gets it right or wrong. I will feel cold until early May anyway, that is just me. (My standard statement is that if it is after October 1 and before April 30, then, yes, I am cold, thank you.)
The idea of the fun tradition of a furry little weather prognosticator just has a certain charm in my simple and abnormal brain. No pressure of guests, no decorating needed, just peep outside and look for clouds or sun, and read the news releases from around North America as locally famous rodents' predictions are reported. Maybe watch a few scenes from the movie, if I have time or inclination.
I wish all of you a Happy Groundhog Day! If you have a locally famous Marmota monax, let me know what he/she predicts.
Today is:
African American Coaches Day
Bonza Bottler Day
Brew Hog Day
Brigmid -- Druid Calendar, also called Feast of Imbolc, celebrated later as St. Bridget's Day, but originally a festival for Brigid, (also known as Brighid, Bríde, Brigit, Brìd) goddess of poetry, healing, and smithcraft. It is always halfway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, so some years it is on Feb. 1 with St. Brigid's Day
Candlemas -- Christian -- or Presentation of Our Lord (f/k/a the Purification of the Virgin Mary) - commemorates the presentation of Jesus in the Temple and purification of Mary on the 40th day after the birth of Jesus. Candles have been blessed on this day since the 11th century, and this was the original forecaster, “If Candlemas is fair and clear, there’ll be two winters in the year.”
Dia de la Candelaria, Mexico
Feast of Torches
Groundhog Day
Hedgehog Day
International Pancake Day
La Fete de la Chandeleur, France, Canada
National Heavenly Hash Day
Serpent Day -- Celtic (The tradition was that on this day, the Brigmid, snakes or badgers would come out of their winter dens and predict the weather; perhaps a precursor to North America's Groundhog Day.)
Sled Dog Day
Wand Dedication Day -- Fairy Calendar
Wives' Feast Day
World Wetland's Day
Yuma Crossing Day
Anniversaries Today:
Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) marries Olivia Langdon in Elmira, NY, 1870
Birthdays Today:
Shakira, 1977
Michael T. Weiss, 1962
Christie Brinkley, 1954
Farah Fawcett, 1947
Graham Nash, 1942
David Jason, 1940
Tom Smothers, 1937
Les Dawson, 1934
James Dickey, 1923
Ayn Rand, 1905
James Joyce, 1882
Solomom R. Guggenheim,1861
Toyotomi Hideyoshi,1536 (Japan's second "great unifier")
Today in History:
New Amsterdam (later New York) is incorporated as a city, 1653
The first leopard is exhibited in the US, in Boston (admission 25 cents), 1802
Russian settlers establish the Ft. Ross trading post north of San Francisco, 1811
Jonathan Martin sets York Cathedral afire, does £60,000 damage, 1829
The first Chinese workers arrive in San Francisco, 1848
The first public men's toilet in Britain opens, on Fleet Street in London, 1852
Samuel Clemens uses the pen name Mark Twain for the first time, 1863
James Oliver invents the removable tempered steel plow blade, 1869
The SS Strathleven arrives in London with the first frozen mutton imported from Australia, 1880
The Knights of Columbus forms in New Haven, Connecticut, 1882
The first official Groundhog Day is observed in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, 1887
The bottle cap with cork seal is patented by William Painter of Baltimore, 1892
The longest boxing match under modern rules takes place in Nameoki, Illinois; 77 rounds between Harry Sharpe and Frank Crosby, 1892
The first movie close-up, of a man sneezing, is made at the Edison Studio in West Orange, NJ, 1893
The Australian Premiers' Conference held in Melbourne decides to locate Australia's capital, Canberra, between Sydney and Melbourne, 1899
Queen Victoria's funeral takes place, 1901
Musher Gunner Kaasan and his sled team, led by Balto, finish the serum run from Nenana to Nome, Alaska, delivering the much needed diphtheria medication (inspiration for the Iditarod), 1925
Does anyone else feel like January just melted away?
It has disappeared, and I didn't get much done, it seems. I feel like I have spent the whole month trying to get warm, and little else. I'm like one of those heat seeking missiles, I believe.
So, in order to try not to let February get away from me, I will attempt to have my taxes done by the end of this month. If I can accomplish that, and keep up with the usual day to day work, I will feel a little bit more in control.
At this point, I could go off on a philosophical discussion of the illusion of control, and fate, and determinism, ad nauseum, but I will refrain from doing that to anyone and sit on my heating pad and sort paperwork instead.
Today is:
Australia Day
Be An Encourager Day
Candlemas Eve
Cross-Quarter Day
Freedom Day
G.I. Joe Day
Give Kids A Smile Day
Hula in The Coola Day
Independence Day, Honduras
National Baked Alaska Day
National Enrolled Agent's Day
Robinson Crusoe Day
Spunky Old Broads' Day (also all month -- I hope I live long enough to qualify as one of these someday!)
Spring Mother Celebration -- Norse Calendar
St. Brigid's Day (aka St. Bridget; patron of dairy workers, dairy maids, poultry raisers, Ireland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand)
Women's Heart Health Day
Working Naked Day (Not me, I don't want to scare the natives!)
Birthdays Today:
Lisa Marie Presley, 1968
Pauly Shore, 1968
Sherilyn Fenn, 1965
Brandon Lee, 1965
Princess Stephanie of Monaco, 1965
Bill Mumy, 1954
Rick James, 1948
Sherman Helmsley, 1938
Don Everly, 1937
Garrett Morris, 1937
Boris Yeltsin, 1931
S.J. Perelman, 1904
Langston Hughes, 1902
Clark Gable, 1901
John Ford, 1895
Today in History:
Alexander Selkirk, the inspiration for Robinson Crusoe, is rescued from the uninhabited archipelago of Juan Fernandez, 1709
The Ottoman sultan orders the capture of his unwelcome guest, King Charles XII, resulting in the Kalabalik i Bender (Tumult in Bender), 1713
The first US steamboat patent is issued, by Georgia, to Briggs & Longstreet, 1788
The American Insurance Company of Philadelphia opens, the first such company managed by blacks, 1810
Volcano Mayon on Luzon, Philippines erupts killing 1,200, 1814
The first US dental school, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, is incorporated, 1840
Auburn University is chartered as the East Alabama Male College, 1856
Morris Raphall of NYC becomes the first rabbi to open the House of Representatives, 1860
Julia Howe publishes the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," 1862
Jefferson Long of Georgia is the first black to make an official speech in the House of Representatives (opposing leniency to former Confederates), 1871
The first volume of A New English Dictionary, later called the Oxford English Dictionary, A-Ant, is published, 1888
Thomas Edison completes the world's first movie studio, in West Orange, N.J., 1893
The first auto insurance policy is issued, by The Travelers Insurace Co., 1898
China's empress Tzu-hsi forbids binding woman's feet, 1902
The first US federal penitentiary is completed, at Leavenworth, Kansas, 1906
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police forms as Royal Northwest Mounted Police merge with Dominion Police, 1920
