The premise looked promising.
"6 Simple Changes That Could Help You Save $2,997" said the title.
Okay, so i'll bite, i thought. Maybe they will have something i can use to stretch my ever-tightening food budget.
Number one read, Eat Vegetarian a Few Nights a Week. This makes sense, of course, as the meat entree is usually the most expensive part of the meal.
Problem in my house? Sweetie will not eat vegetarian. When we first married, he told me he loved vegetables, and would be glad to make a meal of nothing but that. Then i took him at his word one night, and found out he was not so amenable to it. Next!
Minimize Waste. Well, who doesn't? We toss out nothing but peels, rinds, and parts that aren't edible. Everything else gets used, reused, frozen, and brought out again later in another form. Meals are planned so that what's left can be made into another meal, and part of it frozen for later. To paraphrase Calvin Trillin, i've served leftovers for almost 30 years, and the original meal will never be found.
Third: Plug in the Slow Cooker. It hasn't been unplugged in months, and not because i refuse to put it away. Right there, fixing dinner 5-7 nights a week, is where it belongs.
Discover Great Ways to Use Canned Fish read the 4th suggestion. Sweetie will only eat tuna, and only as tuna salad sandwiches, and only once a month at the most. My vegetarian daughters won't touch it, and #2 Son likes fish even less than his father does.
Don't Order a Pizza, Make One At Home. The kids wouldn't mind this, but Sweetie really doesn't like pizza much. Yes, i know, un-American, but it's true. The only two pizzas he likes are extremely thin crust sausage pizzas from the chain stores (any will do, as long as it's a thin, crisp crust), or a home made one made in the style of an old college friend of his. That means it has to be in a 9x13 pyrex dish, with a thick crust and at least 5 pounds of hamburger. In other words, an open faced cheeseburger, really, heavy on the meat and cheese. Trust me, that's not an inexpensive pizza.
Last and least: Pack a Lunch. Already doing it. That's part of the planned use for leftovers.
So, where do all these tips leave me? Feeling as cold as the leftover roast that will be turned into chunky chili with black beans tonight.
Today is:
Cayenne Festival -- French Guiana (celebration of the capital city)
Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day -- actually a good idea
Dia del Descubrimiento de dos Mundos -- Chile
Dine with TV Dinners on the Floor Night -- probably started by someone who wanted to see how many websites would be crazy enough to even list this
Evacuation Day -- Tunisia (celebrates the day all foreign military finally and fully left)
Feast of the Three Noble Ladies -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (female pharoahs; date approximate)
Global Handwashing Day -- International (scrub up! prevent the spread of germs)
Guangzhou Autumn Trade Fair -- Guangzhou, China (through Nov. 15)
Hurricane Thanksgiving Day -- Virgin Islands (only celebrated if no major storms have come through that year)
Ides of October -- Ancient Roman Calendar; also on this date
Harvest Festival of Mars
Ludi Capitolini (games in honor of Jupiter)
Winter's Day
Mahakiki -- Hawai'ian New Year Season (a four month season where warfare is forbidden and many ceremonies take place; begins around the time of the first sighting of the Pleiades in the Northern Hemisphere)
Mertz of All Possible Mertzes -- internet generated and on the day "I Love Lucy" premiered; i guess Fred and Ethel were the definition of what a Mertz should be!
Pan America Day -- Belize
National Cake Decorating Day -- again, because every website gives a different date
National Chicken Cacciatore Day
National Grouch Day -- sponsored by Alan Miller, chairman of the board of NAG (National Association of Grouches)
National Heroes Day -- Jamaica
National Roast Pheasant Day
National Tree Planting Day -- Sri Lanka
Newspaper Week -- Japan
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day -- Canada; NSW, Australia; UK; US
Rectification Day -- Burkina Faso
Rainbow Pickling Day -- Fairy Calendar
Sewing Lovers' Day -- internet generated, as those who love to sew deserve a day to celebrate
St. Teresa of Avila's Day (Founder of the Reformation of the Discalced [Barefoot] Carmelites; Patron of lace makers/workers, people in need of grace, people in religious orders, people ridiculed for their piety, sick people; Amos, Canada; Berzano di Tortona, Italy; Pozega, Croatia; Spain; against bodily ills, headaches, sickness, the death of parents)
Teacher's Day -- Brazil
White Cane Safety Day -- US (celebrating the achievements of the blind/visually impaired, and recognizing the white cane as the symbol of their independence)
Wishbones for Pets begins -- US program asking professional pet sitters to gather pet supplies and donations for homeless pets through Thanksgiving
World Rural Women's Day/International Day of Rural Women -- UN; related observance
Mother's Day -- Malawi
Birthdays Today:
Sarah Ferguson, 1959
Emeril Lagasse,1959
Tanya Roberts, 1955
Richard Carpenter, 1946
Jim Palmer, 1945
Penny Marshall, 1942
Linda Lavin, 1937
Lee Iacocca, 1924
Mario Puzo, 1920
Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., 1917
John Kenneth Galbraith, 1908
Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844
Today in History:
Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the Vandals, 533
Commissioned by Catherine De Medici, the 1st ballet "Ballet Comique de la Reine," is staged in Paris, 1581
Asser Levy is granted a butcher's license for kosher meat in New Amsterdam, 1660
The Montgolfier brothers' hot air balloon marks the first human ascent, by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, (tethered balloon), 1783
George Washington takes the first formal presidential tour, of New England, 1789
Napoleon Bonaparte is exiled to the Island of St. Helena, 1815
Child labor law takes 12-year-olds out of the work force, 1874
Edison Electric Light Company is incorporated, 1878
Koln cathedral is completed, 633 years after it was begun, 1880
The German dirigible "Graf Zeppelin' lands in Lakehurst, NJ, 1928
LaGuardia Airport opens, 1939
Fortran, the first modern computer language, is shared with the coding community for the first time, 1946
The start of the 2500-year celebration of Iran, celebrating the birth of Persia, 1971
The Great Storm of 1987 hits France and England, 1987
Wayne Gretzky becomes the all-time leading points scorer in the NHL, 1989
Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, 1990
The first supersonic land speed record is set by Andy Green in ThrustSSC (United Kingdom), exactly 50 years and 1 day after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in the Earth's atmosphere, 1997
The Cassini probe launches from Cape Canaveral on its way to Saturn, 1997
NASA's Galileo spacecraft passes within 112 miles of Jupiter's moon Io, 2001
China launches Shenzhou 5, its first manned space mission, 2003
I'll watch the babies. After all, I'm a big girl now.
Today is:
Be Bald and Be Free Day
Blessing the Fish Harvest -- St. Oswald's Church, Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, England (the blessing is this month, and it was on this date in 2009, cannot confirm that it is the same date each year)
Bonn Phchum Ben -- Cambodia (Ancestors' Day)
Chisinau Day -- Chisinau, Moldova
Cirio de Nazare -- Belem, Brazil (two week Feast of Cirio begins in Belem [St. Mary of Bethlehem])
Clergy Appreciation Day
Dessert Day -- another one?
Doburoku Matsuri -- Shirakawago, Japan (unrefined sake festival and harvest festival; through the 19th)
First Fiddle of the Month -- Fairy Calendar
Festival for the Penates -- Ancient Roman Calendar (gods of the storeroom)
Flag Day -- Madagascar (flag adopted this day in 1958)
Grandmother's Day -- FL, US
Liberation Day -- Yemen
Mega Kenka Matsuri -- Hyogo, Japan (Roughhouse Festival, wrestling for a blessing; through tomorrow)
Mother's Day -- Belarus
Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Day -- Tanzania (climax of the Uhuru Torch Race)
National Chocolate Covered Insect Day -- i'll pass, sorry
National Education Day -- Poland
National Frump Day -- National FRUMPS of America (to honor the frugal, responsible, unpretentious, and mature people everywhere)
Pulaski Day Parade -- Philadelphia, PA, US (honoring the Polish patriot who was "Father of the American Cavalry")
Republic Day / October Revolution Day -- Yemen
St. Callistus' Day (Patron of cemetary workers)
St. Donatian of Rheims's Day (Patron of Bruges, Belgium; Rheims, France; West Flanders, Belgium)
St. Petca Paraskeva's Day (Patron of embroiderers, needle workers, spinners, weavers, and all who do needlework of any kind)related observance
Petkouden -- Bulgaria
Svetitskovloba/Living Pillar Cathedral -- Georgia (celebration of the first Christian church in Georgia)
Vinternatsblot, a/k/a Haustblót -- Asatru (to bid Winter welcome; at the approximate date of the start of winter in the Old European Calendar of the Norse
White Sunday -- Samoa and American Samoa (children wear white to church and run the church services, are served a special meal, and recieve new church clothes for the upcoming year)
Windsor Pumpkin Regatta -- Windsor, NS, Canada (racing giant pumpkin boats [PVCs -- Personal Vegetable Crafts] across Lake Pezaquid, plus a parade and other festivities)
World Standards Day -- International
Youth Day -- Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Birthdays Today:
Harry Anderson, 1952
Sir Cliff Richard, 1940
Ralph Lauren, 1939
Roger Moore, 1927
John Wooden, 1910
e.e. cummings, 1894
Lillian Gish, 1893
Dwight Eisenhower, 1890
William Penn, 1644
Today in History:
William the Conqueror wins England in the Battle of Hastings, 1066
Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeats King Edward II of England at Byland, forcing Edward to accept Scotland's independence, 1322
Mary, Queen of Scots, goes on trial for conspiracy against Elizabeth I of England, 1586
Massachusetts enacts the first punitive legislation against the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), 1656
Rabbi Judah Hasid & Chayim Molocho arrive in Jerusalem, 1700
Henry Blair receives a patent for a corn planter, becoming the first black to obtain a US patent, 1834
The 15th and the last military Shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate resigns in Japan, returning his power to the Emperor of Japan and thence to the re-established civil government of Japan, 1867
George Eastman patents paper-strip photographic film, 1884
Theodore Roosevelt is shot while campaigning in Milwaukee on the "Bull Moose" ticket, 1912
The children's book Winnie-the-Pooh, by A.A. Milne, is first published, 1926
Ethel Merman makes her Broadway debut in "Girl Crazy", 1930
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the Indian Untouchable caste leader, converts to Buddhism along with 385,000 of his followers, 1956
Queen Elizabeth II becomes the first Canadian Monarch to open up an annual session of the Canadian Parliament, presenting her Speech from the Throne in Ottawa, Canada, 1957
The Cuban Missile Crisis begins when a U.S. Air Force U2 Reconnaissance pilot takes pictures of Soviet missiles being installed in Cuba, 1962
The city of Montreal, Quebec, begins the operation of its underground Montreal Metro rapid-transit system, 1966
The first live telecast from any manned spacecraft, the Apollo 7, 1968
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, The Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, and the Foreign Minister of Israel, Shimon Peres, receive the Nobel Peace Prize for their role in the establishment of the Oslo Accords , 1994
Indonesian rights groups applaud the end of a Suharto-era law that bans books deemed 'offensive' or a 'threat to public order,' 2010
A colony of stromatolites is discovered at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, 2011
...whatever happened to the "paperless society" they promised us?
It seems that the US Department of Veterans Affairs Regional office building in Winston-Salem, N.C., had so many paper claim files stacked on the 6th floor that the place was in danger of collapsing. The files had to be relocated to other floors in the building.
Now if you will excuse me, i need to go sort some more of my overflowing desk.
Paperless, indeed.
Today is:
Assassination of the Hero of the Nation Day/Prince Rwagasore Day -- Burundi (Commemorates the assassination of Prince Louis Rwagasore in 1961.)
Catoctin Colorfest -- Thurmont, MD, US (juried art festival, live music, food, and more; through tomorrow)
Clean the Crumbs Out of the Broiler Oven Day -- keep it working longer, and prevent a potential fire
Fontinalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (garlanding of fountains)
International Skeptics Day -- while there are skeptic organizations(http://www.freeinquiry.com/skeptic/organizations/) around the globe, there's no documentation of this being celebrated internationally; maybe the creator of the day wanted us to be skeptical about it?
Jack-O-Launch -- DeLaney Farm, Aurora, CO, US (including an official Punkin Chunkin Contest, a free festival for the whole family)
John Peel Day -- UK (in honor of his last broadcast)
Louisiana Art & Folk Festival -- Columbia, LA, US (celebrating the rich folklore and music arts of Louisiana)
Marching Band Festival -- Blinn College, Brenham, TX, US (if you love marching bands, this is the place to be; 38th annual, 36 high school bands participating, 3,500+ musicians)
Modern Mythology Day -- internet generated, go look up a few modern myths on truthorfiction.net or snopes and have a good laugh
Monster Myths by Moonlight -- Milford, KS, US (wear your costume and take a nature walk to learn the truth about such Halloween "monsters" as bats, snakes, spiders, vultures, etc.)
Mountain Glory Festival -- Marion, NC, US (celebrating the mountain heritage)
National Police Day -- Thailand (Wan Tamruat)
National Yorkshire Pudding Day
Navy Establishment Day -- US
Pine Barrens Jamboree -- Waretown, NJ, US (celebration of New Jersey Pinelands, with canoeing, nature walks, music, kids' activities, and more; free!)
Punkin Chunkin Colorado -- Aurora, CO, US (divisions include trebuchet, compressed air cannon, catapult, human power, and youth)
Roseland Cottage Fine Arts & Crafts Festival -- Woodstock, CT, US (one of the leading juried shows in New England; through tomorrow)
Runic Half-month Wyn (joy) begins
Scenic Drive Festival -- Van Buren County, IA, US (includes flea markets, an arts festival, and historic architecture; through tomorrow)
Sedona Arts Festival -- Sedona, AZ, US (celebration of visual, performing, and culinary arts, with proceeds going to student art programs and scholarships; through tomorrow)
St. Colman's Day (Patron of horned cattle, horses, and those who are to be hanged; Austria; against death by hanging and plague; a blessing of horses and cattle is still held at Melk on this day)
St. Edward the Confessor's Day (Patron of kings, those in difficult marriages, separated spouses; the English Royal Family)
Train Your Brain Day -- spread around the internet by no one knows whom, but today is a good day to commit to doing what you can to keep your brain young
Universal Music Day -- celebrate music as our universal language
Wisconsin Dells Autumn Harvest Fest -- Wisconsin Dells, WI, US (includes a scarecrow stuffing contest, pumpkin decorating, microbrew tasting, and more; through tomorrow)
Anniversaries Today:
Cornerstone of the White House laid, 1792
Founding of Georgia Institute of Technology (Ga. Tech), 1885
Birthdays Today:
Nancy Kerrigan, 1969
Kelly Preston, 1962
Jerry Rice, 1962
Marie Osmond, 1959
Chris Carter, 1957
Sammy Hagar, 1947
Paul Simon, 1941
Nan Mouskouri, 1934
Lenny Bruce, 1925
Margaret Thatcher, 1925
Nipsey Russell, 1924
Yves Montand, 1921
Cornel Wilde, 1915
L. L. Bean, 1872
Today in History:
Nero becomes emperor, 54
The Vandals and Alans cross the Pyrenees and appear in Hispania, 409
Rabbi Issac Abarbanel begins his exegesis on the Torah, 1483
Jonathan Swift publishes the last of Drapier's letters, 1724
Charles Messier discovers the Whirlpool Galaxy, 1773
First publication of the "Old Farmer's Almanac", 1792
George Washington lays the cornerstone of the "Executive Mansion" (White House), 1792
Founding of B'nai B'rith, 1843
The first arial photo taken in the US, from a balloon over Boston, 1860
Eliezer Ben-Yehuda & friends agree to use Hebrew exclusively in their conversations, which begins the revival of it as an active and growing language, 1881
Greenwich, in London, England, is established as Universal Time meridian of longitude, 1884
Edward Emerson Barnard discovers D/1892 T1, the first comet discovered by photographic means, on the night of October 13–14, 1892
Ankara replaces Istanbul as the capital of Turkey, 1923
Premier of "Kukla, Fran, & Ollie", 1947
Fiji joins the United Nations, 1970
The first electron micrograph of an Ebola viral particle was obtained by Dr. F.A. Murphy, now at U.C. Davis, who was then working at the C.D.C, 1976
Ameritech Mobile Communications (now AT&T) launched the first US cellular network in Chicago, Illinois, 1983
End of the Lebanese Civil War, 1990
The 2010 Copiapó mining accident in Copiapó, Chile comes to an end as all 33 miners arrive at the surface after surviving a record 69 days underground awaiting rescue, 2010
Hello, Mr. Massen! i said to our neighbor when i saw him outside while taking clothes to the line.
"Hello! How are you?" he asked.
Doing well, i replied. How is your family?
"We are doing well, but night before last my wife woke up from a sound outside, after midnight, and she thought it was a dream. Then, the next morning, i found the door to my tool shed open."
Did they take anything? i inquired.
"No, and you know you and your kids are welcome to get into there and borrow a tool if you need to, but do you think maybe one of your kids went in that late?"
Well, i'm going to find out, because they better not! That would be taking advantage of a neighbor's generosity unless it was an extreme emergency.
"Yes, you see, the reason I ask is because they didn't take anything, not even the generator! You know those are valuable around here, so why would someone break in and not take the only valuable thing in there? So I thought maybe one of your kids might have been out late."
It might have been someone who got scared off by the noise he made, convinced he would be caught. But if it was one of mine, they are in deep trouble, that's for sure; i'll be certain they know they can borrow tools but only if they ask first, and only during the day.
"Thank you! And you are right, the person made so much noise, maybe he changed his mind and ran so he wouldn't be caught."
About 10 minutes later, #2 Son wandered into the kitchen.
Son, Mrs. Massen was awakened night before last by someone getting into their tool shed after midnight. Do you know anything about that?
"No, mom, I don't, but that was the night I saw some strange guy wandering around the field pretty late, wearing nothing but his boxers and talking to himself! Yesterday, I told the Deputy Sheriff who came through on patrol. Maybe I should tell him about this, too."
Good idea. Because good neighbors watch out for each other, and we have great neighbors.
Today is:
Apple Butter Makin' Days -- Mt. Vernon, MO, US (making apple butter on the courthouse lawn, and lots of other fun; through Sunday)
Ayathrem -- Zoroastrianism (feast of bringing the herds and flocks home, a five day feast, dates approximate)
Child Rambunctiousness Appreciation Day -- remembering back to when we didn't say every kid with ants in his/her pants needed drugs
Children's Day / Feast of Our Lady of Aparecida -- Brazil
Cloud-Stamping Pentathlon -- Fairy Calendar
Confucius' Birthday -- China
Cookbook Launch Day -- someone started this one just because s/he likes cookbooks is my guess
Day of Fortuna Redux -- Ancient Roman Calendar (goddess of successful journeys and lucky homecomings, favored by travelers and soldiers)
Day of Giving the Black Land to Horus and the Red Land to Set -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)
"Discovery" of America by Columbus observances:
Columbus Day -- US (trad.)
Descubrimiento de América -- Mexico
Día de la Hispanidad or Fiesta Nacional de España -- Spain
Dia de la Raza -- Latin America and especially Guatemala (Day of the Race, or Day of the Natives)
Día de la Resistencia Indígena -- Venezuela (Day of Indigenous Resistance)
Dia de las Americas/Descubrimiento de America -- Uruguay
Dia de las Culturas -- Costa Rica (Day of the Cultures)
Discovery Day -- Bahamas
Fort Ligonier Days -- Ligonier, PA, US (commemoration of the Battle of Ligonier with reenactments, parade, entertainment, etc.; through Sunday)
Freethought Day -- celebration by Freethinkers of the effective ending date of the Salem witch trials
Independence Day -- Equatorial Guinea(1968)
International Moment of Frustration Scream Day -- sponsored by Wellcat Holidays, who want you to go outside at 1200GMT and scream for 30 seconds so we can all get it out of our systems
Medford Jazz Festival -- Medford, OR, US (over 100 jazz performances, many by nationally known bands, plus food and celebration; through Sunday)
Mississinewa1812 -- Mississinewa, IN, US (the largest War of 1812 living history and reenactment event; through Sunday)
Natchitoches Historic Pilgrimage -- Natchitoches, LA, US (National Historic Landmark District homes, plantations, and the sites where the movie Steel Magnolias was filmed are featured on this fabulous tour; through Sunday)
National Gumbo Day
Native American's Day -- often celebrated on both the observed and the traditional Columbus Day; a day to mourn Native American victims of conquest and oppression, make peace, and celebrate the empowerment of Native Americans
Royal National (Gaelic) Mod -- Dunoon, Scotland (Gaelic Language Festival; through the 20th)
Sawara Festival -- Chiba, Japan (also called the Grand Festival of Sarawa; through the 14th)
Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word -- Nashville, TN, US (through Sunday)
Starman Family Gathering -- El Segundo, CA, US ("family reunion" of those who created and those who appreciate the TV series "Starman;" through Sunday)
St. Edwin of Northumbria's Day (Patron of converts, hoboes/tramps, homeless people, kings, parents of large families)
St. Wilfred of York's Day (Patron of Middlesbrough, England; Ripon, England)
Tennessee Fall Homecoming -- Museum of Appalachia, Clinton, TN, US (celebrating the culture and heritage of Appalachia; through Sunday)
Victorian Theatre by Candlelight presents "Haunted DC" by James Trofatter -- Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, Indianapolis, IN, US (learn about the Patriotic spirits that haunt the capital; this weekend and next)
World Egg Day
World Rainforest Week begins -- International
Anniversary Today:
Day of Six Billion, 1999 (marking the world population reaching that number)
Birthdays Today:
Kirk Cameron, 1970
Hugh Jackman, 1968
Carlos Bernard, 1962
Susan Anton, 1950
Chris Wallace, 1947
Luciano Pavarotti, 1935
Dick Gregory, 1932
Today in History:
The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon, BC539
King John of England loses his crown jewels in The Wash, 1216
Nichiren, Japans Buddhist monk who founded Nichiren Buddhism, inscribes the Dai-Gohonzon, 1279
Christopher Columbus' expedition makes landfall in the Bahamas, 1492
Massachusetts discontinues all witch trials, 1692
America's first asylum for "Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds" opens in Virginia, 1773
Bavarian royalty invites the citizens of Munich to join the celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen; this celebration becomes the founding of the first Oktoberfest, 1810
Charles Macintosh, of Scotland, sells the first raincoat, 1821
Criminal Tribes Act (CTA) is enacted by British rule in India, which named over 160 local communities 'Criminal Tribes', i.e. hereditary criminals, 1871*
President Theodore Roosevelt officially renames the "Executive Mansion" to the White House, 1901
An iron lung respirator is used for the first time at Children's Hospital, Boston, 1928
The Soviet Union launches the Voskhod 1 into Earth orbit as the first spacecraft with a multi-person crew and the first flight without space suits, 1964
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the first of five books in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy comedy science fiction series by Douglas Adams is published, 1979
The lowest recorded non-tornadic atmospheric pressure, 87.0 kPa (870 mbar or 25.69 inHg), occurred in the Western Pacific during Typhoon Tip, 1979
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visit the People's Republic of China, 1986
NASA loses radio contact with the Magellan spacecraft as the probe descends into the thick atmosphere of Venus, 1994
The proclaimed 6 billionth living human in the world is born, 1999
The second Chinese human spaceflight Shenzhou 6 is launched, 2005
*Not repealed until India's independence in 1949
"Hey, mom, have you heard about the Crew of Beard?" #2 Son asked as we chatted after his haircut. We were waiting for Little Girl to get finished with hers, and she was almost done.
Since the DJ on their favorite radio station has been making everyone who calls in say hello to his beard, i had heard.
You mean those people who are growing a beard for the Saints? was all i said.
"Yes, and I've decided to join them and let my beard grow."
Okay.
"You're good with that?"
Sure, i answered. After all, i thought but did not say, right now any whiskers you have could be easily taken care of with a good licking from a cat, as the old saying goes.
"Good, I'm glad."
So, this is until the Saints win a game, right? i continued to play along.
"Oh, no, you see, it's until the Saints win a Super Bowl."
A Super Bowl! That could be years!
"No, no, see, Drew Brees keeps saying to the Beard Nation that it's okay, he's got it under control."
Well, it should be until they win, or Brees retires, whichever comes first, i noted.
"Nope, he says he has our back, it's under control."
Gads, i hope that either they win this year, or the kid holds off on sprouting enough substantial facial hair to make someone look twice until he's out of high school.
The last thing i want to have to do is explain this to his teacher.
Today is:
Chicago International Film Festival -- Chicago, IL, US (oldest competitive international film festival in North America; through the 25th)
General Pulaski Memorial Day -- US (celebrating Casimir Pulaski, "the father of American cavalry")
It's My Party Day -- so go have one!
Meditrinalia/Vinalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (tasting of the year's new wine; in honor of Meditrina, goddess of health/medicine, longevity, and wine, and Bacchus, god of wine)
National Sausage Pizza Day
New York Comic Con -- NY, NY, US (through Sunday)
Old Michaelmas Day -- Celtic Calendar
Revolution Day -- Republic of Macedonia
Sunbeam Sliding Sunday -- Fairy Calendar (only occasionally on a Sunday)
St. Gomar's Day (Patron of childless people, courtiers, cowherds, glove makers, people in difficult marriages, separated spouses, woodcutters; Lier, Belgium; against hernias)
Toronto Ski, Snowboard, and Travel Show -- Toronto, ON, Canada (through Sunday)
Uprising Against Fascism Day -- Macedonia
"You Go Girl!" Day -- in honor of Kathy Sullivan, first American woman to walk in space
Birthdays Today:
Joan Cusack, 1962
Steve Young, 1961
Dawn French, 1957
Elmore Leonard, 1925
Art Blakey, 1919
Jerrome Robbins, 1918
Eleanor Roosevelt, 1884
Henry John Heinz, 1844
George Williams, 1821 (founder, YMCA)
Today in History:
Massive earthquake strikes Aleppo, Syria, 1138
Columbus' ship sites land on the horizon (the Bahamas), 1492
Huldrych Zwingli is killed in battle with the Roman Catholic cantons of Switzerland, 1531
Peter the Great becomes tsar of Russia, 1689
Explorer Meriwether Lewis dies under mysterious circumstances along the Natchez Trace in Tennessee at the Grinder's Stand Inn, 1809
The first steam powered ferryboat, the Juliana, begins operation, 1811
Australia's oldest university, University of Sidney, is inaugurated, 1852
Dorr Eugene Felt receives a patent for his Comptometer, the first adding machine known to be accurate at all times, 1887
The Great Chicago Fire is finally extinguished, 1871
David Houston patents roll film for cameras, 1881
First female FBI "special investigator", Alaska Davidson, appointed, 1922
With the opening of store # 1252, in Milford, Delaware, J.C. Penney becomes a nationwide company, with stores in all 48 states, 1929
CBS's mechanical color system is the first to be licensed for broadcast by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, 1950
Pope John XXIII convenes the first ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church in 92 years, Vatican II, 1962
NASA launches Apollo 7, the first successful manned Apollo mission, 1968
The NBC sketch comedy/variety show Saturday Night Live debuts with George Carlin as the host and Andy Kaufman, Janis Ian and Billy Preston as guests, 1975
The Mary Rose, a Tudor carrack which sank on July 19 1545, is salvaged from the sea bed of the Solent, off Portsmouth, 1982
The record high of the Dow Jones Industrial Average occurs at 14,198.10 points, 2007
"Is there any way you can take two more kittens?" Blaire pleaded over the phone. "Right now I have so many I've had to get a kennel license, and I cannot have any more. Plus, with my health and having to babysit my grandbabies every day, I just can't handle the littlest ones any more."
She didn't have to plead, and besides, Cathy, Miss W's right hand person, had approved, so there is room for them reserved at the shelter when they are big enough. As long as they have room for them when they are big enough, i will make room, too.
Half an hour later she walked in with a box from which came piercing yells, so i knew they were at least feisty and healthy for now.
"They were with mama for their first two or three days," Blaire said, "so when we got them and got a bit of milk syringed into them, they perked right up."
A black and a tabby -- the selection for this year. One or two colors seem to predominate every year, and this year, dark is the style.
What's the story on them? i asked.
"A lady who hates cats found them in her azalea bushes, so she threw them in the trash can and called animal control to come kill them. My friend who works there called me, and Chris was able to go out there and get them. She said you could hear them yelling as soon as you got out of the car."
Some days, i'm embarrassed to be human.
Meanwhile, we have Grace and Hope.
They are snuggled up in a Winnie-the-Pooh blanket in a heated dog water dish, the kind that keeps the dog's water from freezing in cold weather. You put them where you have to, but it's better than a trash can.
Today is:
Alex Kivi Day a/k/a Kivi Day -- Finland (The Day of Finnish Literature)
Arbor Day -- Poland
Bonza Bottler Day
Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day -- at your own risk! sponsored by Susan E. Schwartz of "Teddies Are The Answer"
Cementation and Propitiation Festival / Friends Made Ceremony -- Cherokee Native Americans (approximately 10 days after the Great New Moon that marked the New Year, a festival for renewing friendships, making new friends, cleansing, and building a new Sacred Fire)
Curacao Day -- Curacao
Double Tenth Day -- Taiwan (In remembrance of the revolution against the Imperial Manchu Dynasty.)
Emergency Nurses Day
Festival for Juno Moneta -- Ancient Roman Calendar (Juno as goddess of money)
Frankfurt Book Fair -- Frankfurt, Germany (world's largest international book fair; through Sunday)
Independence Day / Deed of Cession Day -- Fiji(1970)
International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction -- UN
International Top Spinning Day -- sponsored by the Spinning Top and Yo-Yo Museum, to recognize the Earth as a large spinning top; add your spins to the total and e-mail results to the sponsor
Journee Nationale de la Femme Marocaine -- Morocco (National Women's Day)
Kruger Day -- South Africa
Maroons Day -- Suriname (celebration of indigenous peoples)
Moi Day -- Kenya
National Angel Food Cake Day
National Cake Decorating Day -- some websites say today, some say the 17th
National Stop Bullying Day -- US
Naval Academy Day -- US
St. Francis Borgia's Day (Patron of Portugal; Rota, Marianas; against earthquakes)
St. Paulinus of York's Day (Patron of Rochester, England)
Tag der Volksabstimmung -- Austria (Referendum Day)
Tavistock Goosey Fair -- Tavistock, Devon, UK (dating back to 12th-century Michaelmas fairs, this orginal livestock fair is now mostly a fun festival)
War of Independence Anniversary -- Cuba
World Day Against the Death Penalty -- International
World Mental Health Day -- International
Anniversaries Today:
The United States Naval Academy opened with 50 midshipmen and 7 professors, 1845
Birthdays Today:
Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 1974
Brett Favre, 1969
Tanya Tucker, 1958
Charles Dance, 1946
Ben Vereen, 1946
Harold Pinter, 1930
Richard Jaeckel, 1926
Thelonious Monk, 1917
Edward D. Wood, Jr., 1924
Helen Hayes, 1900
Giuseppe Verdi, 1813
Henry Cavendish, 1731 (discovered hydrogen)
Today in History:
The Great Hurricane of 1780 kills 20,000 to 30,000 in the Caribbean, 1780
The first non-Native American settlement is founded in Oklahoma, 1802
William Lassell discovers Neptune's moon Triton, 1846
The first "Dinner Jacket" is worn to the Autumn Ball at Tuxedo Park, NY, 1886
President Woodrow Wilson triggers the explosion of the Gamboa Dike thus ending construction on the Panama Canal, 1913
Ho Chi Minh enters Hanoi after the French pull out of the city, 1954
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower apologizes to the finance minister of Ghana, Komla Agbeli Gbdemah, after he is refused service in a Dover, Delaware restaurant, 1957
The Windscale fire in Cumbria, U.K. is the world's first major nuclear accident, 1957
The opening ceremony at The 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, is broadcast live in the first Olympic telecast relayed by geostationary communication satellite, 1964
The Outer Space Treaty, signed on January 27 by more than sixty nations, comes into force, 1967
In Montreal, Quebec, a national crisis hits Canada when Quebec Vice-Premier and Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte becomes the second statesman kidnapped by members of the FLQ terrorist group, 1970
Sold, dismantled and moved to the United States, London Bridge reopens in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, 1971
After having closed borders for about two hundred years, Armenia and Turkey sign protocols in Zurich, Switzerland to open their borders, 2009
Okay, ladies and germs, everybody front and center! i called.
#2 Son looked up from what he was reading on the computer, Little Girl paused over a math calculation at the kitchen table, and Bigger Girl, who has hyperacute hearing and knows when a fly sneezes in the next room, came downstairs.
"What's up, mom?" Bigger Girl asked.
Tonight's dinner is supposed to be vegetable beef soup, and just veggie soup for you two ladies. The beef is here, the stock is here, where are the vegetables?
Note: when i make this dish, i use the leftovers from the Sunday roast, and frozen veggies, and home made stock, among other things. Nothing goes to waste in this house, if you have leftovers, you have lunch or your have recycled leftovers a couple of days later.
Three guilty looks were exchanged.
"Do you mean the bags of frozen broccoli and cauliflower?" Little Girl asked.
Yes, and the mixed veggies, too.
"Well," Bigger Girl started, "last night i cooked some of it into the vegetarian spaghetti sauce from the other day..."
"The rest I stir-fried in olive oil and Little Girl and I had a midnight snack," #2 Son added.
Figures. Other kids, parents have to hide the cookies. My kids, i have to hide the vegetables.
Yes, i'm happy about that.
Today is:
Abolition Day -- Saint Barthelemy
Curious Events Holiday -- Fairy Calendar
Establishment of the Samitinget in Norway -- Sami People's Parliament
Face Your Fears Day -- a day to try to do something you've always been afraid to do
Feast of Abraham the Patriarch -- Christian
Festival for Fausta Felicitas -- Ancient Roman Calendar (goddess of good luck and joy)
Festival for Venus -- Ancient Roman Calendar
Give Peace a Chance Day / Instant Karma Day -- in honor of the birth of John Lennon
Independence Day -- Uganda(1962)
Korean Alphabet Day -- Korea (Hangul Nal)
Leif Erickson Day -- Iceland; Norway; Minnesota and Wisconsin, US
Messenger Appreciation Day -- 10/9 in radio talk is a request to repeat information
Moldy Cheese Day -- sorry, but i do not like the stinky, moldy cheeses, at least not the heavier ones
Mop Fair -- Tewksbury, England (through tomorrow; festival dating back to the 12th century, originally a fair in which prospective employers came to find laborers)
National Day of Honor -- Peru (sometimes translated as Day of Dignity; commemorates the nationalization of the countries oil fields)
National Submarine/Grinder/Hoagie/Hero/PoBoy/Pierogi Day -- each of these has its own special day, but today you get to pick which one you want
St. Denis' Day (Patron of possessed people; France; Paris, France; against frenzy, headaches, rabies, and strife)
St. Dionysius the Areopagite's Day (considered the first Bishop of Athens, mentioned in Acts 17; Patron of Zakynthos Island, Greece; against headaches and the devil)
St. Louis Bertrand's Day (Patron of Caribbean vicariates; Columbia; Dominican novices)
Takayama Matsuri Autumn Festival -- Takayama, Japan (ancient, elaborate floats parade through the old city; through tomorrow)
Widecombe Fair -- Widecombe-in-the-Moor, UK (9am 'til late)
World Post Day / Universal Postal Union Day -- International
Ziua Nationala de Comemorare a Holocaustului -- Romania (National Day of Commemorating the Holocaust)
Anniversaries Today:
King Louis XII of France marries Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII of England, 1514
Birthdays Today:
Eddie Guerrero, 1967
Tony Shalhoub, 1953
Scott Bakula, 1954
Sharon Osbourne, 1952
Jackson Browne, 1948
John Entwistle, 1944
Brian Lamb, 1941
John Lennon, 1940
Jacques Tati, 1908
Bruce, Catton, 1899
Camille Saint-Saens, 1835
Mary Ann Shadd Cary, 1823 (with her husband, the first black newspaper
publishers in the US)
Robert de Sorbon, 1201 (founded Sorbonne University, Paris)
Today in History:
Leif Ericson discovers "Vinland" (somewhere in New England or Nova Scotia, possibly?), 1000
Leif Ericson lands in L'Anse aux Meadows, Canada, a definitive European landing in the "New World", 1003
The Korean Hangual alphabet is devised, 1446
Founder of Rhode Island Roger Williams is banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony as a religious dissident after he speaks out against punishments for religious offenses and giving away Native American land, 1635
Collegiate School of CT (Yale University) is chartered in New Haven, 1701
Father Francisco Palou founds Mission San Francisco de Asis in what is now San Francisco, California, 1776
City of Hobart, Tasmania, founded, 1804
Official opening of the University of Ghent, 1817
Isaac Singer patents the sewing machine motor, 1855
Joshua Stoddard of Worcester, Mass., patents the first Calliope, 1855
The first US underground pipeline for carrying oil is laid in Pennsylvania, 1865
Aaron Montgomery starts the mail order business that will later become Montgomery Ward, 1872
The Universal Postal Union is created as part of the Treaty of Berne, 1874
The first 2-way telephone conversation over outdoor wires occurs, 1876
Washington Monument opens to the public, 1888
Woodrow Wilson becomes the first US president to attend a World Series Game, 1915
National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) forms, 1926
Hoover Dam begins transmitting electricity to L.A., 1936
A day after being captured, Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara is executed for attempting to incite a revolution in Bolivia, 1967
The Khmer Republic is proclaimed in Cambodia, 1970
Abolition of capital punishment in France, 1981
A 13 kilogram (est.) fragment of the Peekskill meteorite lands in the driveway of the Knapp residence in Peekskill, New York, destroying the family's 1980 Chevrolet Malibu, 1992
North Korea allegedly tests its first nuclear device, 2006
First lunar impact of the Centaur and LCROSS spacecrafts as part of NASA's Lunar Precursor Robotic Program, 2009
