messymimi's meanderings

Awww Monday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's easy to participate, just post a picture that makes everyone say, "Awww!" After all, we can all use some cute stuff at the start of the work week.

The first Sunday of every other month, our church hosts a community outreach meal. We prepare a huge, hot meal and it's free. Each person who comes is escorted to a table and served a meal, including refills, and given time and attention and a listening ear. Most of the people who come are homeless or live on the side of town where many have "food insecurity," to use the new term.

There's plenty of room for all who come.

One family that came had a sweet little four-year-old girl who decided to get creative with the gumbo and crackers. She made the funniest little cracker and rice sandwiches by carefully fishing grains of rice out of her gumbo!

Cracker-rice sandwiches!

She ate her gumbo, too, but decided to save her little snack cake for later, having me put it in her pocket. Her three-year-old brother gave us all a run for the money when he decided to run around the playground outdoors.

They were fun kids, and i got to talk to several adults in the community who are homeless for one reason or another. Their stories will break your heart. It makes me wish we could give them a hot meal and a respite from life every day.

Today is:

Apple Howling Day -- Henfield, West Sussex (Held at Gill Orchard, always on Epiphany Eve, horn blowing and howling at the trees is said to wake them up and yield a good crop.)

Armenian Christmas Eve -- Armenia (Old Chrismas Day in the West)

Can Opener Day -- one of the earliest forms of can opener was patented this date in 1858 by Ezra Warner of CT, US (tin cans had been around for over 50 years by then, usually opened with a knife or hammer and chisel)

Epiphany Fair -- Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy (toys, sweets, and presents among the beautiful Bernini Fountains)

Get on the Computer Day -- obviously dates back to a time when people didn't have to check email daily or get inundated
Guru Goyind Singh Jayanti -- CR, HR, and PB, India; Sikh celebration

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

Harbin Ice Festival -- Harbin, China (with a theme of "Happy Ice Snow, Exciting City," a festival of illuminated ice sculptures, ice sports, and fun through Chinese New Year and beyond; in 2015, through Feb. 28)

Joma Shinji Festival -- Kamakura, Japan (ceremony and festival to keep evil spirits away)

Mungday -- Discordianism (festival of St. Hung Mung)

National Bird Day -- US (National Association of Audubon Societies incorporated today in 1905)

National Whipped Cream Day

Nones of January -- Ancient Roman Calendar; also
Festival of Vica Pota (ancient goddess of victory)

Review Your Wrestling Holds Day -- internet generated, and weird

St. Gerlac of Valkenberg's Day (Patron of domestic animals)

St. Simeon Stylites' Day (The original and most maniacal of the "Pillar Saints")

Take the Cake Day -- a day to do something, anything, over the top, just because

"Thank G-d It's Monday" Day

Trettondagsafton -- Sweden (Epiphany Eve)

Turn Up the Heat Day -- all over the internet, but no one explains it

Twelfth Day of Christmas -- and thus, Twelfth Night (Although by some reckonings, this is actually only the 11th day of Christmas, and thus Twelfth Night Eve. Take your pick.)

Anniversaries Today:

George Washington marries Martha Dandridge Custis, 1759

Birthdays Today:

January Jones, 1978
Bradley Cooper, 1975
Warrick Dunn, 1975
Carrie Ann Inaba, 1968
Pamela Sue Martin, 1953
Diane Keaton, 1946
Charlie Rose, 1942
Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, 1938
Umberto Eco, 1932
Alvin Ailey, 1931
Robert Duvall, 1931
Walter Mondale, 1928
George Reeves, 1914
George Dolenz, 1908
Jeannette Ridlon Piccard, 1895
King Camp Gillette, 1855
Edmund Ruffin, 1794
Constanze Mozart, 1762 (wife of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
Pietro Filippo Scarlotti, 1679
Shah Jahal, 1592 (Mughal emperor of India, built the Taj Mahal)

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"All My Children"(TV), 1970
"Bozo the Clown"(TV), 1959
"The Member of the Wedding"(Play), 1950
"Pepe LePew"(cartoon character, in "Odor-able Kitty"), 1945

Today in History:

Edward the Confessor dies with no heir, leading to a succession crisis that ends with the Norman Conquest, 1066
Felix Manz, a leader of the Anabaptist congregation in Zürich, is executed by drowning, 1527
Pope Clemens VII forbids English king Henry VIII to re-marry, 1531
A petition in Recife, Brazil leads to closing of their 2 synagogues, 1638
Anne Clarke of the Massachusetts Bay Colony is granted the first divorce in the colonies, from her absent and adulterous husband, Denis Clarke, by the Quarter Court of Boston, Massachusetts, 1643
The first Swedenborgian temple in the US holds its first service, in Baltimore, 1800
The Ohio legislature passes the first laws restricting the movement of free blacks, 1804
Davy Crockett arrives in Texas, just in time for the Alamo, 1836
The US House of Representatives votes to stop sharing the Oregon Territory with the UK, 1846
The first US school of librarianship opens at Columbia University, 1887
An Austrian newspaper makes the first public report on Wilhelm Roentgen's discovery of xrays, 1896
The National Association of Audubon Society incorporates, 1905
Colombia recognizes Panama's independence, 1909
The Ford Motor Company announces an eight-hour workday and a minimum wage of $5 for a day's labor, 1914
British premier Lloyd George issues a demand for a unified peace, 1918
Nellie Taylor Ross is sworn in as governor of Wyoming, the first woman governor of a US state, 1925
Mao Tse-tung writes "A Single Spark Can Start A Prairie Fire," 1930
FM radio is demonstrated to the Federal Communications Commission for the first time, 1940
The Daily Mail becomes the first transoceanic newspaper, 1944
Warmest reliably measured temperature in Antarctica of +59°F (+15°C) recorded at Vanda Station, 1974
Eris, the largest known dwarf planet in the solar system, is discovered, 2005

It's a couple of months later than usual, because i've had to change the timing on when i go in for my physical. Also, i was out of town during my usual time frame, so we decided to move it all back a bit.

Still, i'm here with my annual reminder. Yesterday, before having blood drawn for my thyroid check, taking #1 Son's car to the shop, and going to work from 8:30am until almost midnight, i took the twins in for their glamor shots.

Ladies, the actual time for the exam took less than 20 minutes out of my very busy day. You can't say you don't have time for a mammogram or any other annual test you need because of the time. You can make time. The time you make to fit it in might save your life, even if it has to be sandwiched between other appointments.

Gentlemen who may be reading, you have females in your life you care about, so remind them. While you are at it, encourage them by scheduling your own screenings, for whatever your doctor thinks you need screened.

Most, if not all, people who are reading this live in a part of the world that has unprecedented and fabulous access to great health care. Don't let that go to waste. Call and schedule your exams, whatever they may be.

As i told the kids when they were younger, you will thank me someday for telling you this.

Today is:

Armed Forces Day -- Iraq

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

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

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

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

Children's Day -- Uruguay

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

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

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

Dezome-shiki -- Tokyo, Japan (fire fighters perform acrobatic feats from the tops of ladders to show agility)

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

Epiphany / Three Kings Day -- Western Christian

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

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

Feast of the Theophany -- Orthodox Christian

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

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

International Consumer Electronics Show -- Las Vegas, NV, US (the world's largest annual trade show for consumers, and the largest annual trade show of any kind in the US; through Friday)

Little Christmas -- Ireland

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

National Shortbread Day

Orthodox Christmas Eve -- Orthodox Christians following the Julian calendar

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

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

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

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

Surb Tsnund -- Armenia (Armenian Christmas Day)

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

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

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

Anniversaries Today:

George H. W. Bush marries Barbara Pierce, 1945
New Mexico becomes the 47th US State, 1912
Henry VIII marries Anne of Cleves, 1540 (his 4th wife)

Birthdays Today:

Joey Lauren Adams, 1971
Susan Perabo, 1969
Nancy Lopez, 1957
Rowan Atkinson, 1955
Bonnie Franklin, 1944
Lou Holtz, 1937
E.L. Doctorow, 1931
Vic Tayback, 1929
Earl Scruggs, 1924
Sun Myung Moon, 1920
Eugene T. Maleska, 1916
Loretta Young, 1913
Danny Thomas, 1912
Kahlil Gibran, 1883
Tom Mix, 1880
Carl Sandburg, 1878
Sherlock Holmes, 1854 (As celebrated by the Baker Street Irregulars.)
Charles Sumner, 1811
Jedediah Strong Smith, 1799
Haym Salomon, 1785
Joan of Arc, 1412

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Wheel of Fortune"(TV), 1975
"Schoolhouse Rock"(TV), 1973
"Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom"(TV), 1963
"Hallmark Hall of Fame"(TV), 1952

Today in History:

The first Roman Catholic Mass is celebrated in the "New World," at La Isabela, Hispaniola, 1494
All Jews are expelled from Syria, 1497
The city of Lima, Peru, is founded by Francisco Pizarro, 1535
The first recorded boxing match of the style now called English Boxing is held -- the Duke of Albemarle's butler versus his butcher, 1681
Massachusetts slaves petition the legislature for freedom, 1773
Samuel Morse makes his first public demonstration of the telegraph, 1838
The most damaging storm in 300 years sweeps across Ireland, damaging or destroying more than 20% of the houses in Dublin, 1839
A patent for reducing zinc ore granted to Samuel Wetherill of Pennsylvania, 1857
The Washington National Cathedral is chartered bu the US Congress and signed by President Benjamin Harrison, 1893
The first telephone call is made from a submerged submarine, by Simon Lake, 1898
Maria Montessori opens her first school and day care for working class families in Rome, 1907
The Great White Fleet passes through the Suez Canal, the largest group of ships to pass through up to that time, 1909
Mother Teresa arrives in Calcutta to begin her work among the poor of India, 1929
The first diesel-engined automobile trip is completed, from Indianapolis, Indiana, to New York City, 1930
Thomas Edison submits his last patent application, for a "Holder for Article to be Electroplated," 1931
Barbara Hanley becomes Canada's first woman mayor, of the city of Webbwood, Ontario, 1936
The Pacific Clipper lands at Pan American's LaGuardia Field, completing the first around the world flight, 1942
The Crown of St. Stephen (also known as the Holy Crown of Hungary) is returned to Hungary from the United States, where it was held after World War II, 1978
The Ady Gil, a ship owned by Sea Shepherd, is sunk during a skirmish with the Japanese Whaling Fleet's Shonan Maru, 2010

Red-headed Alec came running in to the kitchen and said, "I just made a new joke! This time, it's Ron Weasley who's living in the cupboard under the stairs!"

See, we do have a storage closet under the stairs, way downstairs (it's a split level house, so we have two "downstairs areas"). He found it, claiming he never knew we had such a closet even though he's been hanging around our house for over 12 years! He decided to clear it out and make it his own bedroom.

Closet way downstairs, by the laundry room.

His boudoir:

The back opens into the A/C vent!

No, i'm not forcing him to live there, but his joke is cute. Since he's a red-head, he claims that Ron is now under the stairs. It's small, but he's perfectly happy with it, so he's welcome to it.

Today is:

Celebration of the First Week of Moonhopper -- Fairy Calendar

Fasching Carnival -- Munich, Germany (through Shrove Tuesday)

Festa del Tricolore -- Italy (Tricolour or Flag Day)

Harlem Globetrotters' Day -- anniversary of their first game in 1927

I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore Day -- declared by Bob O'Brien, Consumer Advocate, who encourages us to fight back

Nanakusa no Sekku -- Japan (Festival of Seven Herbs, dates back to the 7th century and recalls the medicinal herbs that were traditionally served to the emperor)

National Tempura Day

Nativity of Christ / Orthodox Christmas / Coptic Christmas -- Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christians still using the Julian Calendar.

Old Rock Day -- a/k/a "St. Distaff's Day" or simply Distaff Day(the distaff, for spinning yarn, was also called a "rock"; today was the day women went back to spinning after the Christmas holidays)

St. Raymond of Penyafort's Day (Patron of attornies, barristers, canonists, lawyers, and medical record librarians)

Usokae -- Kameido Tenmangu Shrine, Fukuoka, Japan (Bullfinch Exchange Day, Uso also means "lie" so when exchanging carved birds, it is considered a way of exchanging lies for the truth)

Victory Day over the Genocidal Regime -- Cambodia

Anniversary Today:

Princess Juliana of Netherlands weds Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, 1937

Birthdays Today:

Dustin Diamond, 1977
Jeremy Renner, 1971
Nick Cleg, 1967
Nicholas Cage, 1964
Katie Couric, 1957
David Caruso, 1956
Erin Gray, 1950
Kenny Loggins, 1948
Jann Wenner, 1947
Paul Revere, 1938
William Peter Blatty, 1928
Jean-Pierre Rampal, 1922
Vincent Gardenia, 1922
Charles Addams, 1912
Butterfly McQueen, 1911
Aristotle Onassis, 1906
Zora Neale Hurston, 1891
St Bernadette, 1844
Millard Fillmore, 1800
Jacques Etienne Montgolfier, 1745

Debuting/Premiering Today:

Video-Telephone, 1992 (US$1,499)
"Fame"(TV), 1982
"Flash Gordon"(comic strip), 1934
"Buck Rogers in the 25th Century A.D."(comic strip), 1929
"Tarzan of the Apes"(comic strip), 1929
Transatlantic telephone service, 1927 (US$75 for 5 minutes)

Today in History:

Calais, the last English possession in France, is taken back by the French, 1558
Boris Godunov seizes the Russian throne upon the death of Feodore I, 1598
Fire destroys Jamestown, Virginia, 1608
Galileo discovers the first 3 moons of Jupiter (Io, Europa, and Ganymede), 1610
Francis Bacon becomes the English Lord Chancellor, 1618
A prototype typewriter is patented by Englishman Henry Mill, 1714
Battle at Panipat India: the Afghan army beats Mahratten, 1761
The Bank of North America opens in Philadelphia, the first US commercial bank, 1782
The first gas balloon flight across the English channel, by Blanchard and Jeffries, 1785
The modern Italian flag is first used, 1797
Liberia is colonized by Americans, 1822
The first railroad station in the US, in Baltimore, opens, 1830
Fanny Farmer publishes her first cookbook, 1896
The distress signal "CQD" is established only to be replaced two years later by "SOS", 1904
The first steamboat passage through the Panama Canal, 1914
The Harlem Globetrotters play their first game, 1927
The first transatlantic telephone service is established – from New York City to London, 1927
"Buck Rogers", the first sci-fi comic strip, and "Tarzan," one of the first adventure comic strips, premier, 1929
Guy Menzies flies the first solo non-stop trans-Tasman flight (from Australia to New Zealand) in 11 hours and 45 minutes, crash-landing on New Zealand's west coast, 1931
The "Flash Gordon" comic strip (by Alex Raymond) debuts, 1934
President Harry Truman announces that the United States has developed the hydrogen bomb, 1952
The first public demonstration of a machine translation system, is held in New York at the head office of IBM, 1954
Marian Anderson becomes the first black singer to perform at the Met (NYC), 1955
The Polaris missile is test launched, 1960
Surveyor 7, the last spacecraft in the Surveyor series, lifts off, 1968
Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), 1984
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launches Sakigake, Japan's first interplanetary spacecraft and the first deep space probe to be launched by any country other than the United States or the Soviet Union, 1985
The interior of the Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to the public because of safety concerns, 1990
U.S. President Clinton goes on trial before the U.S. Senate for perjury and obstruction of justice in the Monica Lewinsky scandal, 1999
The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics estimates at least 17 billion planets exist that are comparable to the size of the Earth, 2013

With rare exceptions, we have a prayer group that meets every Wednesday evening at our church.

(The rare exceptions would be nights like Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, when the church is otherwise occupied, and that only happens every few years.)

Last night, the topic of race relations came up for prayer. Our prayers were these:

That all of us would be united, not divided.
That those people who seem to be fostering division would come to see the harm they do, and stop.
That churches would be at the forefront of fostering peace, harmony, and unity.
That our country would not revert to being like times past, but would move forward into understanding.
That the upcoming movie Selma would start a good dialog that would help us see what we do not want to revert back into.

Eight churches in our area work together year round in several areas. Some are traditionally African-American congregations, some traditionally white. We are Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and Catholic. As a group, we have an ecumenical Thanksgiving service each year, with the churches taking turns as hosts. We have a pilgrimage at Christmas, where we move from church to church, singing carols and enjoying each other's choirs.

Most of all, we all work together to fund an outreach center for the homeless, and take turns assisting Pastor M. at the outdoor church ministry each week (our church does the first Sunday of every month).

Such sharing and working together is how it should be. Our prayer is that it continues and expands. That's just the way it should be.

Today is:

Bubble Bath Day -- remember how much fun it was as a kid? enjoy that again today

Day Sacred to Justicia -- Ancient Roman Empire (personification of justice)

Emperor Norton Day -- E. Clampus Vitus Society puts on a party in San Francisco's Chinatown in honor of the passing on this day of Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico

Feast of Hathor and Sekhmet -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Feast of St. Gudula (Patron of single laywomen; Brussels, Belgium)

Grandmothers/Midwives Day -- Bulgaria (a/k/a Babin Den; celebrating Grandmothers as midwives of their grandchildren, for the role they play in the traditional family.)

Haloa -- Ancient Greek Calendar (fertility festival of Demeter and Dionysos called after the halos, or threshing floor; date approximate)
Rural Dionysia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (the fertility festival of the countryside)

It All Adds Up Day -- anniversary of Hollerith's tabulating machine patent

Kim Jong-un's Birthday -- North Korea

Male Watcher's Day -- often listed as a day for the females to get even and do a little guy ogling, but no site gives any reason behind why this day was chosen

Midwife's Day / Women's Day -- Greece (women get out and go to a cafe or shopping, and the men must stay home and do the chores and care for the children, and in some areas, men caught shirking will be stripped and drenched in cold water; on the approximate date of an ancient Greek celebration of midwives)
Gynaecocratia -- Macedonia

Milk Carton Day -- Sheffield Farms began packaging milk in parafin lined paper cartons on this day in 1929

National Eat Something Raw Day

National English Toffee Day

National Joygerm Day -- a day to infect others with joy; begun by Joygerm Joan, whose motto is "The only thing Joygerms allow to get depressed are their tongues!"

Old Hickory Day -- Andrew "Old Hickory" Jackson leads the victory in the Battle of New Orleans

Rock 'n' Roll Day -- on Elvis' birth anniversary, of course

Show and Tell at Work Day -- another Wellcat Holiday to observe carefully if at all

St. Severinus' Day (Patron of Austria and of San Severo, Italy)

Toka Ebisu Matsuri -- Osaka, Japan (Festival of Ebisu, god of business and prosperity; through the 11th)

Ultimate Fishing Show -- Detroit, MI, US (through Sunday)

Winterskol -- Aspen, Colorado (Aspen's annual "toast to winter", through Sunday)

Birthdays Today:

Ami Dolenz, 1969
Vladimir Feltsman, 1952
Don Bendell, 1947
David Bowie, 1947
Robbie Krieger, 1946
Kathleen Noone, 1946
Stephen Hawking, 1942
Yvette Mimieux, 1939
Bob Eubanks, 1938
Shirley Bassey, 1937
Elvis Presley, 1935
Charles Osgood, 1933
Soupy Sales, 1926
Ron Moody, 1924
Larry Storch, 1923
Jose Ferrer, 1912
Galina Ulanova, 1910
Wilkie Collins, 1824
James Longstreet, 1821
Nicholas Biddle, 1786

Debuting/Premiering Today:

Symphony No. 15 in A major (Opus 141, Dmitri Shostakovich), 1972
"Almira"(Handel's first opera), 1705

Today in History:

Monaco gains its independence, 1297
Genoa, Italy expels Jews, 1598
The oldest surviving commerial newspaper begins in Haarlem, Netherlands, 1675
The New York Fishing Company is the first American commercial corporation chartered, 1675
Premiere performance of George Frideric Handel's Ariodante at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 1734
US President George Washington delivers the first "State of the Union" address, 1790
Victor, the Wild Boy of Aveyron, emerges voluntarily from the wild in southern France (he had been captured and escaped before), 1800
The Battle of New Orleans, 1815
The first US music school, the Boston Academy of Music, is established, 1833
The US national debt hits $0 for the first and only time, 1835
Alfred Vail demonstrates a telegraph system using dots and dashes (this is the forerunner of Morse code), 1836
French physicist Jean Foucault proves, using his "Foucault's pendulum," that the Earth rotates on its axis, 1851
Crazy Horse and his warriors fight their last battle with the US Cavalry at Wolf Mountain in Montana Territory, 1877
Dr. Herman Hollerith receives the first US patent for a tabulating machine, considered by some to be the earliest computer, 1889
The Blackstone Library is dedicated, marking the beginning of the Chicago Public Library system, 1904
Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is exhibited in the United States for the first time, at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., 1963
Soviet space mission Luna 21 is launched, 1973
The RMS Queen Mary 2, the largest passenger ship ever built, is christened by her namesake's granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, 2004
Some scientists claim 2012 weather as the hottest year ever recorded, 2013

Feline Friday was started by Steve, The Burnt Food Dude, and i'm going to believe it's because he likes cats. It's easy to participate, just post a picture of a cat -- your cat, a LOL cat, or even draw a picture -- and link up!

KidaMosquito, the elderly, asthmatic Siamese, is fed canned food because of her propensity to get scarily thin otherwise. She has too hard a time with the dry food the other cats get.

When feeding her, we have to stand guard, or the other felines in the house will grab her food faster than you can say "fat cats!"

Yesterday, Enigma was trying to convince me she was not interested in Kida's food.

What canned food?

Oh, look at the stove! Isn't it amazing?

Nope, I'm not interested in her food at all!

Today is:

Ati-Atihan Festival -- Aklan, Kalibo, Panay Island, Philippines (start of the vivid religious carnival/feast dating back to the 13th century to honor Santo Nino [Baby Jesus]; through the 18th)

Balloon Ascension Day / Aviation in America Day -- the first manned free balloon flight in the US was on this date in 1793 at Philadelphia

CHA Winter Convention and Trade Show -- Anaheim, CA, US (largest Craft and Hobby Association show of the year; through the 13th)

Duelo Nacional -- Panama (Martyrs' Day)

Feast of All Fairies -- Fairy Calendar

Feast of the Most Holy Black Nazarene -- Quiapo District, Manila, Philippines (culmination of the celebrations; a 400 year old Catholic procession with a black life-sized wooden statue of Jesus)

Festival of the Agonalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (gifts given to Janus)

Hatsu-Ichi -- Maebashi, Japan (a daruma -- good luck doll -- market, to start the year off right)

"I Will Stay" Day -- Brazil (anniversary of the start of the Independence Movement in 1922)

London Boat Show -- London's Docklands, London, England (worth a trip to England for anyone who loves boats; through the 18th)

National Apricot Day

Peace Agreement Day -- South Sudan

Positively Penguins Day -- a day to celebrate all things penguin

Republic Day -- Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Scalloway Fire Festival -- Shetland Islands (viking festival; through tomorrow)

Static Cling/Static Electricity Day -- on some sites, listed as April 26; i can only ask why it's listed anywhere for any reason

St. Marciana's Day (Patron of those with wounds)

Stepfather's Day -- not official, but it should be, there are some great stepfathers out there

Stuffed Animal Laundry Day -- give that old bear a bath!

The Big Chill -- Racine, WI, US (formerly the Flake Out Festival, lots of snowy fun; through Sunday)

Toka Ebisu -- Japan (parades and shrine rituals through Japan, but especially in Kyoto, Osaka, and Fukuoka; through the 11th)

Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival -- Whittlesea, England (the "straw bear" goes through the town collecting gifts and performing, and on Sunday, the costume is burned amid much celebration; a festival celebrated since medieval times)

Anniversaries Today:

Connecticut becomes the 5th US State, 1788

Birthdays Today:

Sergio Garcia, 1980
Dave Matthews, 1967
Joely Richardson, 1965
Mark Martin, 1959
Imelda Staunton, 1956
J.K. Simmons, 1955
Crystal Gayle, 1951
Jimmy Page, 1944
Joan Baez, 1941
Susannah York, 1941
Byron Barlett "Bart" Starr, 1934
Bob Denver, 1935
Judith Krantz, 1928
Lee Van Cleef, 1925
Les Paul, 1915
Gypsy Rose Lee (Rose Hovick), 1914
Richard Nixon, 1913
Simone De Beauvoir, 1908
Chic Young, 1901
Carrie Lane Chapman Catt, 1859
Gracie Fields, 1898

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"It Takes a Thief"(TV), 1968
"Rawhide"(TV), 1959
"Dear Abby"(newspaper column), 1956
Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze(Film), 1894

Today in History:

Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople, 475
Seven hundred Jews, believed to be causing the Black Death, are burned in their homes in Basel, Switzerland, 1349
The first sighting of manatees by a European (Columbus), 1493
Philip Astley stages the first modern circus in London, 1768
The first hot-air balloon flight in the US lifts off in Philadelphia, 1793
Income Tax is introduced in the UK (to fund the war against Napoleon), 1799
Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson receives a state funeral and is interred in St Paul's Cathedral, 1806
Sir Humphry Davy tests the Davy lamp for miners at Hebburn Colliery, 1816
The Daguerrotype photo process is announced at French Academy of Science, 1839
Thomas Henderson makes the first measure of stellar parallax, of Alpha Centauri, 1839
The Astor Library opens in NYC, 1854
The first hostilities of the Civil War, at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, 1861
The Great Gale of 1880 devastates parts of Oregon and Washington with high wind and heavy snow, 1880
New England Telephone and Telegraph installs the first battery-operated telephone switchboard in Lexington, Massachusetts, 1894
Alfred Tennyson's son, Hallam, the Second Baron Tennyson, becomes the second Governor General of Australia, 1903
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., the first historically black intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity to be officially recognized at Howard University is founded, 1914
The Ottoman Empire prevails in the Battle of Çanakkale, as the last British troops are evacuated, 1916
Juan de la Cierva makes the first autogiro (helicopter) flight, Spain, 1923
A fire at the Laurier Palace movie theatre in Quebec, Montreal, kills 78 children, 1927
Several Panamanian youths try to raise the Panamanian flag on the U.S.-controlled Panama Canal Zone, leading to fighting between U.S. military and Panamanian civilians, 1964
Elections are held to replace Yasser Arafat as head of the Palestine Liberation Organization. He is succeeded by Rawhi Fattouh, 2005
Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement rebel group sign a peace agreement in Naivasha, Kenya, 2005

Text messages.

Wednesday, 4:37 pm, The Big Boss: Can we hold off on you coming over to clean this week? Still trying to regroup from the last trip. Thanks.

Me: Yes, sir.

Thursday, 3:37pm, The Big Boss: Can u come tomorrow morning? This house needs help!

Me, Yes, sir.

Friday, 6:48am, Ms. P.: Today is a bad day for you to come over. I have sick children. Can we please reschedule for next week?

Me: Yes, ma'am.

Friday, 7:41am, The Big Boss: The sick child decided to go to school. Could you please come today?

Me: Just getting out of Bible study, i'll be there as soon as i can.

Yes, after being scheduled and cancelled twice, i went to work yesterday. Five loads of laundry and the usual cleaning, then the cat shelter where there are more sick cats. It was a long, good day.

Today, i may sleep in until 5am. Folding laundry always makes my back hurt.

Today is:

Children's Day -- Thailand

Feast of St. Geraint -- Wales (legendary Welsh hero who fought King Arthur)

National Bittersweet Chocolate Day

National Cut Your Energy Costs Day

National Western Stock Show and Rodeo -- Denver, CO, US (106th edition of the Super Bowl of livestock shows; through the 25th)

Peculiar People Day -- an internet generated day to celebrate all the strange and peculiar people in your life, including me!;)

Pennsylvania Farm Show -- Harrisburg, PA, US (the largest indoor agricultural show in the US, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture; through the 17th)

St. Peter Orseolo's Day

Sturdy Flat-Heeled Shoes Appreciation Day -- listed on many sites, and since i appreciate them, i included it

The Fairy Lunch -- Fairy Calendar

Ume Matsuri -- Atami, Japan (celebrating the ume -- plum -- at one of the most famous plum viewing spots in the country; through March 8)

Vaudoun Day -- Benin (Traditional Religions Day, with a huge festival in the seaside town of Ouidah)

Where's The Beef? Day -- the slogan premiered this day in 1984

Word Nerd Day -- originated by Maria Schneider of WritersDigest (to celebrate those who enjoy playing with words)

Anniversaries Today:

Princess Margriet of the Netherlands weds Pieter van Vollenhoven, 1967
UN General Assembly first meeting, 1946
Uniform Penny Post (the reformed postal system) starts in the UK, 1840

Birthdays Today:

Pat Benatar, 1953
Bonnie Hellman, 1950
George Foreman, 1949
Rod Stewart, 1945
Jim Croce, 1943
Sal Mineo, 1939
Bill Toomey, 1939
Gisele MacKenzie, 1927
Johnnie Ray, 1927
Paul Henreid, 1908
Ray Bolger, 1904
Robinson Jeffers, 1887
Grigori Rasputin, 1869 (O.S.)
Mary Ingalls, 1865
George Washington Carver, 1864
Charles Ingalls, 1836

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Masterpiece Theater"(TV), 1971
"That Was The Week That Was"(TV, US version), 1964
"Finian's Rainbow"(Musical), 1947
"Arsenic and Old Lace"(Play), 1941
"Pete the Tramp"(Comic strip), 1932
"Street Scene"(Play), 1929
"Rosalie"(Musical), 1928

Today in History:

Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, begins a civil war, BC46
"Common Sense" by Thomas Paine is published, 1776
Napoleon divorces Josephine, 1810
Poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning begin their correspondence, 1845
The first underground railway opens in London, 1863
John D. Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil, 1870
The first great Texas oil gusher is discovered at Spindletop in Beaumont, Texas, 1901
The League of Nations is established, 1920
The United States Army Signal Corps successfully conducts Project Diana, bouncing radio waves off the moon and receiving the reflected signals, 1946
The United States and the Vatican establish full diplomatic relations after 117 years, 1984
Torrential rain in the Lockyer Valley region of South East Queensland, Australia causes severe flash flooding, killing 9 people, 2011

Silly Sunday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's the place to come for weekly laughs, and the rules are simple, just have fun. We can enjoy other great bloggers, so Laugh and Link Up!

Yesterday i came downstairs to hear a conversation in progress.

#2 Son: She can be a doctor!

Festus: That sounds good, Dr. Kid! (Note: Kid is their nickname for Little Girl.)

Little Girl: I'd love to be a doctor!

Festus: Hello, Dr. Kid!

Red-Headed Alex: Here, take this! (Handing Dr. Kid a stick.)

Little Girl: What do I need that for?

Red-Headed Alex: It's The Stick of Truth!

Little Girl: And I need that so...

Red-Headed Alex: So your patients will tell you the truth!

Festus: Or so that you can be a lawyer, too! &nbsp A lawyer needs something like that.

Little Girl: So I can be a doctor and a lawyer? I like that!

The next day, i got to find out what kind of doctor she would be.

Young Jacob: I have a big bag of M&M's and I've been eating them for breakfast!

Me: That doesn't sound very healthy.

Young Jacob: They are peanut M&M's.

Me: The peanuts do not make much of a nutritional difference, do they, Dr. Kid?

Little Girl: They are chocolate, so all bets are off! I declare them healthy!

All this reminds me of the time Boudreaux and Clothile were trying to determine what Tee Boudreaux was going to be when he grew up.

Tee had got to be 24, an' Boudreaux an' Clothile was gittin' worry about him. So Boudreaux, he come up wit' a plan.

"We goin' put a ten-dollar bill, a Bible, an' a bottle o' booze on de table," he tell Clothile. "When Tee come in, if'n he pick up de money, he showin' he gonna be a man o' business. If he pick up de Bible, he showin' interest in de Good Book an' likely he want to be a preacher. But if he pick up de booze, well he likely gonna be a bum!"

Clothile agree, an' dey put de stuff on de table an' hide in de pantry to see when Tee come in. A bit later, he come home an' walk in an' see de table. He walk over an' pick up de money, look at it, an put it in his pocket. Den he pick up de Bible, flip de pages a bit, an' put dat unner his arm. Fin'ly, he pick up de bottle, take a swig, and walk off wit' all three.

Boudreaux an' Clothile come out de pantry and Boudreaux let out a big sigh. "Mais!" he say. "It look he gonna be a politician!"

Today is:

Banquet of Fairies, Goblins, Pixies, and Elves -- Fairy Calendar

Baptism of the Lord Jesus -- Christian

Blessing of the Sea -- Margate, UK (ceremony with the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Thyateria and Great Britain)

Burning of the Clavie -- Burghead, Scotland (ancient ritual to ensure good luck through the year)

Carmentalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (festival of the goddess of childbirth)

Cuckoo Dancing Week begins -- in honor of Laurel & Hardy, whose theme song was "The Dancing Cuckoos"; watch some of their fabulous material this week, and introduce it to a new fan

Designated Hitter Day -- the American League adopted the "designated hitter" rule on this date in 1973

Feast of Sokar -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Independence Manifesto Day -- Morocco(1944); Western Sahara(1944)

International Thank You Day -- as declared by Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith

Juturnalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (goddess of prophetic waters festival)

Kosrae Constitution Day -- Micronesia

Meitlisunntag -- Meisterschwanden and Fahrwangen, Switzerland (procession and festival celebrating the role of women in the victory of a battle in 1712)

Milk Day

National Hot Toddy Day

No Pants Subway Ride -- NYC, NY, US (ImprovEverywhere is sponsoring the NYC ride, and encourages people everywhere to stage their own around the world)

Secret Pal Day -- no info found on the origin, it's a secret! do something nice for someone, secretly.)

Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day -- just don't do it to your secret pal

Sts. Paldo, Taso, and Tato's Day (founders of the monastery of San Vincenzo)

St. Theodosius of Cappadocia (Patron of file makers)

Tattoo Pride Day

Ullr Festival -- Breckenridge, CO, US (festival of the mythical Norse god of winter; through the 17th)

Birthdays Today:

Amanda Peet, 1972
Mary Blige, 1971
Kim Coles, 1962
Stanley Tucci, 1960
Ben Crenshaw, 1952
Christine Kaufmann, 1945
Naomi Judd, 1946
Jim Hightower, 1943
Clarence Clemens, 1942
Jean Chretien, 1934
Rod Taylor, 1930
Grant Tinker, 1926
Alice Paul, 1885
William James, 1842
Eugenio Maria Hostos, 1839
John A. Macdonald, 1815
Alexander Hamilton, 1755
Theodosius I, 347

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Daktari"(TV), 1966
"Have a Heart"(Musical), 1917

Today in History:

Prophet of Islam Muhammad leads an army of 10,000 Muslims to conquer Mecca, 630
The first recorded lottery in England is drawn in St. Paul's Cathedral, 1569
Isaac Newton is elected a member of the Royal Society, 1642
Mt. Etna erupts, 1693
William Herschel discovers Titania and Oberon, the moons of Uranus, 1787
An earthquake in Martinique destroys half of Port Royal and results in about 700 deaths, 1839
Charring Cross Station opens in London, 1864
Milk is first delivered in bottles, 1878
Martha H. Cannon becomes the first woman state senator in the US, in Utah, 1897
The Hudson, the first sedan type automobile, goes on display at the 13th Auto Show in NYC, 1913
The first use of insulin to treat diabetes in a human patient occurs in Canada, with 14-year-old Leonard Thompson, 1922
Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Honolulu to Oakland, California, 1935
The first recorded snowfall in Los Angeles, California, 1949
United States Surgeon General Luther Leonidas Terry, M.D., publishes a landmark report saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking nation- and worldwide anti-smoking efforts, 1964
The Gateway Bridge, Brisbane in Queensland, Australia is officially opened, 1986
The government of Ireland announces the end of a 20-year broadcasting ban on the IRA, 1994
Illinois Governor George Ryan commutes the death sentences of 167 prisoners on Illinois' death row based on the Jon Burge scandal, 2003
Forty-six people are killed and 12 are missing after a landslide buries a village in the Yunnan province, China, 2013

Awww Monday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's easy to participate, just post a picture that makes everyone say, "Awww!" We can all use a dose of cute at the start of the work week.

It's not kitten season, but i dug into the files for this one:

Bottle-feed kitten from a while back.

While i don't remember all of them, or all of their names, i do remember i had someone snap this photo because this kitten loved to suck our fingers when she wasn't actually hungry.

Speaking of kittens, for the next two Thursdays Little Girl and i are taking the evening shift cleaning the cages only at the shelter. The cages are for kittens and the few sick cats we have there. Our regular Friday duties are also being tended, but we are subbing for someone who is out since we have plans to be out in February. After our first time doing only cages and not colony rooms, Little Girl commented, "Oh, that was too easy!" Indeed, it is.

Today is:

Clean Off Your Desk Day -- me and what army? (Note: some sites put this as always on Jan. 9, some the second Monday of January; either way, my question remains)

Compitalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (slave festival to the Lares and Manes, household gods)

Curried Chicken Day

Eat Crackers and Try to Whistle Day -- just to see if it's as much fun as it was when you were young

Eugenio Maria de Hostos' Day -- Puerto Rico (birth anniv. obs.)

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day -- an internet generated holiday with whatever purpose you decide to give it

Goblin Gala -- Fairy Calendar (Fairies not invited)

Hen Galan -- Gwaun Valley, Dyfed, Wales (New Year Celebration begins -- yes, they still use the old calendar)

Little League Girls Baseball Day -- girls were finally allowed to play this date in 1974

Majority Rule Day -- Bahamas

Memorial Day -- Turkmenistan

National Clean Off Your Desk Day -- so that, at least once each year, you can see the top of your desk and prepare for the year's upcoming paperwork

National Marzipan Day

National Pharmacist Day -- US

North American International Auto Show -- Detroit, MI, US (a showcase for the world's vehicle introductions; through the 25th)

Peddler's Village Quilt Competition and Display -- Peddler's Village, Lahaska, PA (handmade quilts of all types, open daily through Mar. 29)

Plough Monday -- UK (farm work is resumed the Monday following the 12 Days of Christmas, and ploughs are brought to the church to be blessed)

Rubber Band Veteran Day -- to commemorate the warriors and heroes of rubber band fights around the globe and in your very own school or office

Seijin-no-hi -- Japan (Adult's Day, or Coming of Age Day; celebrating all who have reached age 20, full legal adult age, in the past year)

Stick to Your New Year's Resolution Day -- because it's too soon to give up

St. Benedict Biscop's Day (Founder and Patron of English Benedictines, and Patron of musicians, painters; Sunderland, England)

Zanzibar Revolution Day -- Tanzania

Birthdays Today:

HAL, 1997 (according to A. C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey)
Jeff Bezos, 1964
Oliver Platt, 1960
Kirstie Alley, 1955
Howard Stern, 1954
Rush Limbaugh, 1951
Joe Frazier, 1944
Glenn Yarborough, 1930
Ray Price, 1926
Ira Hamilton Hayes, 1922
James Farmer, 1920
Luise Rainer, 1910
Tex Ritter, 1905
Joe E. Lewis, 1902
Jack London, 1876
John Singer-Sargent, 1856
Edmund Burke, 1729
Charles Perrault, 1628
John Winthrop, 1588 (O.S. date)

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Dynasty"(TV) 1981
"All in the Family"(TV), 1971
"Batman"(TV), 1966
"Arthur Godfrey and His Friends"(TV) 1949
"Ottone, re di Germania"(Handel's Opera, HWV 15). 1723

Today in History:

Tsarina Elizabeth establishes the first university in Russia, 1755
The first US public museum is established, in Charlestown, South Carolina, 1773
Mission Santa Clara de Asis is founded in California, 1777
The first cargo arrives in New Orleans by steamship, from Natchez, 1812
Anthracite coal is first used to smelt iron, in Mauch Chunk,Pennsylvania, 1839
The Royal Aeronautical Society is founded in England, 1866
The Dow-Jones closes above 100 for the first time, 1906
A long-distance radio message is sent from the Eiffel Tower for the first time, 1908
The University of the Philippines College of Law is formally established; three future Philippine presidents are among the first enrollees, 1911
The United States House of Representatives rejects a proposal to give women the right to vote, 1915
Finland's "Mosaic Confessors" law went into effect, making Finnish Jews full citizens, 1918
Hattie W. Caraway becomes the first woman elected to the United States Senate, 1932
Dr. James Bedford becomes the first person to be cryonically preserved with intent of future resuscitation, 1967
An act of the U.S. Congress authorizes the use of military force to drive Iraq out of Kuwait, 1991
A new constitution, providing for freedom to form political parties, is approved by a referendum in Mali, 1992
Nineteen European nations agree to forbid human cloning, 1998
The world's largest ocean liner, RMS Queen Mary 2, makes its maiden voyage, 2004
Deep Impact launches from Cape Canaveral on a Delta 2 rocket, 2006
The French warship Clemenceau reaches Egypt and is barred access to the Suez Canal, 2006
Comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) reaches perihelion becoming the brightest comet in more than 40 years, 2007
An earthquake in Haiti kills an estimated 230,000 and destroys most of Port-au-Prince, 2010

"Oh, Garfield, Garfield, Garfield! You've sunk to a new low!" Little Girl's lament came from the dining area next to the kitchen.

What's wrong? i asked.

"Oh, Garfield is now sending images by Instagram, and Jon is okay with it! What ever happened to him being a regular cat, you know? Chasing mice and such?"

Maybe that got old and dull, i said.

"This isn't dull," Young Jacob said as he entered. "My new brake pads for my bike came in! The best in the world!"

With a racing machine like yours, i noted, you need good breaks.

"Yeah, these are made to stop you even if you are going over 200 miles per hour, which my bike will do."

You don't want cheap brakes for that, i said.

"And I don't want to be late for work!" Bigger Girl said. "So whoever is in the restroom better hurry. I don't want to have to go a whole shift without being able to use the restroom again, I want to do it before I leave."

What's wrong with the restroom at work? i asked.

"It's broken," she said. "And the other workers don't seem to care, they go the whole shift without complaining."

That's not good, to have no restroom for your employees, i said.

"Well, it's not totally broken, but you do have to use a bucket of water to flush it, and it's a pain, and I had enough of that when ours at home were like that, so I don't want to have to deal with it at work, if you know what I mean."

Yes, i understand. And i think whoever is in there is finished.

"Guess what!" Friend Chris said, coming downstairs from the restroom in the hall. "I sold more inventory than anyone else, and they are thinking they will move me up to corporate or give me a store to manage!"

Sounds great! i told him.

"Yeah, and in the meanwhile, they are changing the shifts. I will still get full time, but as 4 tens, and my three days a week off won't be consecutive."

It may be temporary, i said.

"Let's hope so," he noted. "Although it really isn't much of a problem now that i'm unattached."

More girlfriend trouble?

"You were right, she only wanted me because I make good money so I could pay her rent. Turns out her family likes me more than she does, anyway!"

Move on, i said, to which he replied, "Oh, I have."

With the kids and their friends, it's always something.

Today is:

Democracy Day -- Cape Verde

Feast of St. Kentigern (a/k/a St. Mungo) (Patron of Glasgow whose given name meant "head chief" but whose nickname meant "dear one.")

Ides of January -- Ancient Roman Calendar

Liberation Day -- Togo

Maghi -- Sikh

Make Your Dreams Come True Day -- no info on the origin of this; maybe someone who broke their New Year's resolutions by this day used the fact that it's New Year's by the Julian calendar to start over

Midvintersblot -- Ancient Norse Calendar (midwinter festival)

National Peach Melba Day

Old New Year's Day -- Belarus; Georgia; Montenegro; Republic of Macedonia; Republic of Srpska (Yes, that's how it's spelled; no, i don't know how to pronounce it); Serbia; Russia; Ukraine; Wales (Julian Calendar)

Pongal begins -- India (thanksgiving festival at the end of the harvest season, honoring Indra, god of clouds and rain)
     first day, Bhogi

Radio Day -- anniversary of the first public radio broadcast in 1910

Recuperation Fortnight begins -- Fairy Calendar (i think i need one of those!)

Runic Half-month of Peorth (womb) begins

Rubber Ducky Day

Sidereal Winter Solstice Eve -- celebrations through South and Southeast Asia, including
     Bhogi -- Tamil (first day of Pongal)
     Lohri -- Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh
     Uruka -- Assam

Silvesterklausen -- Switzerland ("Old" New Year's celebration, based on the Julian Calendar)

St. Hilarius' Day (according to English tradition, the coldest day of the year; Patron of learning challenged children; Argusto, Italy; Vervio, Italy; against snakes and snake bites)

St. Knut's Day (a/k/a Little Christmas or Twentieth Day or Tyvendedagen among the Scandinavians, it celebrates Canute IV of Denmark and is the day to "plunder" the tree put up on Christmas Eve, eating the candies and cookies that were decorating it, and puting all the other decorations away before the tree is removed.)

Strive and Succeed Day -- Horatio Alger's birth anniversary

Theogamia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (anniversary celebration of the marriage of Zeus and Hera; date approximate, but during Gamelion, the month of marriages)

Tiugunde Day -- Old England (midwinter offering, a celebration picked up from the Norse Midvintersblot)

Tyvendedagen -- Norway (Twentieth day after Christmas, official end of Yuletide or "Juletid")

Birthdays Today:

Joannie Rochette, 1966
Orlando Bloom, 1977
Nicole Eggert, 1972
Keith Coogan, 1970
Patrick Dempsey, 1966
Penelope Ann Miller, 1964
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 1961
Kevin Anderson, 1960
Jay McInerney, 1955
Richard Moll, 1943
Frank Gallo, 1933
Charles Nelson Reilly, 1931
Frances Sternhagen, 1930
Gwen Verdon, 1925
Army Archerd, 1922
Robert Stack, 1919
Alfred Carl Fuller, 1885
Sophia Tucker, 1884
Horatio Alger, 1832
Salmon P. Chase, 1808

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The Sopranos"(TV), 1999
"Mickey Mouse"(Comic strip), 1930

Today in History:

Crusaders set fire to Mara, Syria, 1099
Sicut Didum, the papal bull prohibiting the enslavement of Canary Island natives who had converted to Christianity, is promulgated, 1435
The controversial play Eastward Hoe by Ben Jonson, George Chapman, and John Marston is performed, landing two of the authors in prison, 1605
The Bank Of Genoa fails after the announcement of national bankruptcy in Spain, 1607
Jonathan Swift is ordained and Anglican priest in Ireland, 1695
James Oglethorpe and 130 colonists arrive in Charleston, South Carolina, 1733
John Walter publishes the first issue of the London Times, 1785
The Great fire of New Orleans, Louisiana begins, 1830
Dr. William Brydon, a surgeon in the British Army during the First Anglo-Afghan War, becomes famous for being the sole European survivor of an army of 16,500 when he reaches the safety of a garrison in Jalalabad, 1842
Anthony Foss patents the accordion, 1854
A chenille manufacturing machine is patented by William Canter of NYC, 1863
A circus fire in Poland kills 430, 1883
The Independent Labour Party of the UK has its first meeting, 1893
U.S. Marines land in Honolulu from the U.S.S. Boston to prevent the queen from abrogating the Bayonet Constitution, 1893
The first radio set is advertised, a Telimco for $7.50 in Scientific American; claimed to receive signals up to one mile, 1906
The first public radio broadcast takes place; a live performance of the opera Cavalleria rusticana is sent out over the airwaves from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, 1910
An earthquake in Avezzano, Italy kills 29,800, 1915
The Black Friday bush fires burn 20,000 square kilometres of land in Australia, claiming the lives of 71 people, 1939
Henry Ford patents a plastic automobile, which is 30% lighter than a regular car, 1942
Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II, is appointed archbishop of Krakow, Poland, 1964
Robert C. Weaver becomes the first African American US Cabinet member, 1966
Johnny Cash performs live at Folsom Prison, 1968
A passenger train plunged into a ravine at Ethiopia, killing 428 in the worst railroad disaster in Africa, 1985
L. Douglas Wilder becomes the first elected African American US governor as he takes office in Richmond, Virginia, 1990
Soviet Union military troops attack Lithuanian independence supporters in Vilnius, 1991
An earthquake hits El Salvador, killing more than 800, 2001
The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia sinks off the coast of Italy, 2012

Because i'm a church lady. "Oh, crud!" is about as bad as it should get.

And that's what i said when i realized i hadn't mailed out something that has a due date -- in three days.

It's in the mail now. Yes, our box needs help.

We know the box isn't much to look at, but some vandals have hit it a couple of times, mostly with pumpkins. At least when they knock it off, we can just stick it back on, you can't make it much worse.

Meanwhile, another moment of truth when Sweetie brought in this:

Vintage guitar amp, with vintage plug.

Actually, the "vintage" plug was added, and is the kind you use on a lamp, not an amp. It's not grounded at all. And yes, that is tape.

Plug held on with tape, and a plastic fastener.

So there's this amp, and it was a prototype, only a few made, but somewhere along the way it got a "new" plus (the amp is about 50, the plug about 40), and if it doesn't get a better plug put on it, it could easily burn up.

Another "how did it get like this" moment. To his credit, Sweetie only just traded for this amp recently, so it's not his fault, and he wants to take care of the situation quickly.

These things happen, and when they do, i say, "Oh, crud!" and deal with it. And get a post out of it, because these crazy things are my life.

Today is:

Assembly Line Workers' Day -- listed on many sites but no particular reason for it to be this day; then again, why not today?

Azhirnikhua -- Abkhazia (Day of World Creation)

Cakes and Ale Day -- emblems of the good life, a day to remember the good things we have, and be grateful

Celebration of the 2nd Week of Moonhopper -- Fairy Calendar

Daikoku Matsuri -- Kanda Myojin Shine, Tokyo, Japan (purification ceremony; through tomorrow)

Day of Defenders of the Native Land (Army Day) -- Uzbekistan

Feast of Divina Pastora -- Barquisimeto, Venezuela (religious procession attended by about 2million people)

Feast of the Ass -- Medieval Christianity (commemorates the Flight Into Egypt)

Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition -- Rockford, IL, US (frozen art fun; through Saturday)

International Kite Festival -- Jaipur and Ahmedabad, India

Makar Sandranti -- India/Hindu Calendar (part of the sidereal solstice festivals)

National Dress Up Your Pet Day -- do you really dislike your pet this much?

National Forest Conservation Day -- Thailand

National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day

National No-Tillage Conference -- Cincinnati, OH, US (conference to encourage ecologically sound farming; through Saturday)

Niino no Yukimatsuri -- Izu shrine, Niino, Nagano Prefecture, Japan (snow festival with offerings made to bring a good harvest in the coming year; through tomorrow)

Organize Your Home Day -- another one that i can't figure out who started it, but i will say s/he was nuts to think this could be done in one day

Orthodox New Year -- RS, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Serbia

Pongal continues -- Tamil New Year, among the Tamil People (multiple day thanksgiving festival at the end of harvest)
Tamil Thai Pongal Day -- Sri Lanka
Maghi Parba/Maghe Sankranti -- Western Nepal

Ratification Day -- US (anniversary of the Treaty of Paris that recognized the independence of the US from England)

Revolution and Youth Day -- Tunisia

Sidereal Winter Solstice Celebrations -- throughout South and Southeast Asia

St. Felix of Nola's Day (Patron of domestic animals, eyes; Nola, Italy; against eye diseases, false witness, lies, perjury)

St. Sava's Day (Patron of Serbia and all Serbs)

Take a Missionary to Lunch Day -- to honor Albert Schweitzer's birth anniversary

Wings Over Willcox -- Willcox, AZ, US (tours of the playa and wetlands, birding, workshops, and more; through Sunday)

Anniversary Today:

Joe DiMaggio marries Marilyn Monroe, 1954

Birthdays Today:

Kristin Cavallari, 1987
Jason Bateman, 1969
Emily Watson, 1967
Shepard Smith, 1964
Steven Soderbergh, 1963
Lawrence Kasdan, 1949
Carl Weathers, 1948
Nina Totenberg, 1944
Holland Taylor, 1943
Faye Dunaway, 1941
Jack Jones, 1938
Andy Rooney, 1919
William Bendix, 1906
John dos Passos, 1896
Hal Roach, 1892
Hugh Lofting, 1886
Albert Schweitzer, 1875
Thornton W. Burgess, 1874
Richard Felton Outcault, 1863
Matthew Fontaine Maury, 1806
Benedict Arnold, 1741

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The Bionic Woman"(TV), 1976
"Sanford and Son"(TV), 1972
"Sinfonia Antartica"(Vaughan Williams' 7th symphony), 1953
"Today Show"(TV), 1952
"Tosca"(Puccini Opera), 1900

Today in History:

The Knights Templar are formally approved by the Roman Catholic Church, 1129
Pope Leo X issues a papal bull against slavery, 1514
Spain annexes Cuba, 1539
The "Fundamental Orders", the first written constitution that created a government, is adopted in Connecticut, 1639
Massachusetts holds a day of fasting for wrongly accusing "witches", 1699
Congress ratifies the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the American Revolutionary War, 1783
The US Supreme Court rules that racial separation on trains is unconstitutional, 1878
An earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica, kills more than 1000, 1907
Henry Ford introduces the assembly line to the production of the Model-T, 1914
The first prototype of the MiG-17 makes its maiden flight, 1950
The Reserve Bank of Australia, the country's central bank and banknote issuing authority, is established, 1960
Toronto, Ontario Mayor Mel Lastman becomes the first mayor in Canada to call in the Army to help with emergency medical evacuations and snow removal after more than one meter of snow paralyzes the city, 1999
The national flag of Georgia, the so-called "five cross flag", is restored to official use after a hiatus of some 500 years, 2004
Landing of the Huygens probe on Saturn's moon Titan, 2005

This time from the family.

Young Jacob came in and called out, "Hi, honey, I'm home!"

To which i responded, hello, dear, i'm glad you are home! and he laughed as he headed downstairs to find the rest of the gang.

Then i left the house and had the following text conversation:

Me: Heading out to babysit Gracie, your dad is working late, tell the yahoos i expect them to behave themselves.

Little Girl: The two yahoos say they are naked and i should ask for help. (Note: the yahoos in question would be Festus and Young Jacob.)

Me: Tell them if they are naked in this weather there is no help for them! (Note: the temperature was cold and getting colder.)

Little Girl: They say it's cold.

Me: You're darn tootin' it's cold! The knuckleheads are going to freeze their assets off!

Little Girl: Their assets are cold!

Me: Yes, i'll bet they are! That's what happens when you uncover your assets in the cold!

The next day, Little Girl told me, "They want you to know their assets froze!" Yes, we are still laughing.

Today is:

Arbor Day -- Jordan

Armed Forces Day / Remembrance Day -- Nigeria

Army Day -- India

Basketball Day -- rules for the game were first published this day in 1892 (actually, the exact day debated, the year is certain)

Chosun-gul -- North Korea (Korean Alphabet Day)

Dia del Maestro -- Venezuela (Teacher's Day)

Feast of the Ass -- Ancient Roman Calendar (celebrates Vesta being saved by a donkey)

Feast of Entering Heaven and the Two Lands -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Festival International du Cirque de Monte-Carlo -- Espace de Fontvielle, Monte Carlo (the best circus acts and performers from five continents; through the 25th)

Festival of All Fairies -- Fairy Calendar

Fiesta Del Senor de Esquipulas/Pilgrimage of Cristo Negro de Esquipulas -- Esquipulas, Guatemala (Festival of the Black Christ)

John Chilembwe Day -- Malawi

Lenaea -- Ancient Greek Calendar (a Festival of Comedy; date approximate)

Moliere Day -- France

National Hat Day -- begun by a hat loving individual who has chosen to remain anonymous

National Strawberry Ice Cream Day

Nosso Senhor de Bonfim Festival -- Salvador, Brazil (Our Lord of the Happy Ending Festival, at the church by that name; through the 25th)

Procrastinator's New Year -- declared by someone who had a really great sense of humor

Sailing of Wadjyt -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (the icon of the cobra goddess, Wadjyt, is carried on the Nile to visit many cities; date approximate)

St. Ita's Day (Patron of Limerick, Ireland)

St. Paul the Hermit's Day (the first of the Egyptian hermits; Patron of clothing industry, weavers)

Thiruvalluvar Day -- PY, TN, India (remembrance of the celebrated Tamil poet)

Tree Planting Day -- Egypt

Tsunahiki Matsuri -- Japan (various shrines hold tug-of-war festivals in which the team for god Ebisu vie with the team for god Daikoku; if Ebisu wins, the next year will have good catches at sea, if Daikoku, it will bring good harvests)

Anniversaries Today:

Opening of the British Museum, 1759
Elizabeth I is crowned Queen of England, 1559

Birthdays Today:

Drew Brees, 1979
Chad Lowe, 1968
Mario Van Peebles, 1957
Charo, 1951
Andrea Martin, 1947
Margaret O'Brien, 1937
Ernest J. Gaines, 1933
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929
John Cardinal O'Connor, 1920
Lloyd Bridges, 1913
Gene Krupa, 1909
Elie Siegmeister, 1909
Edward Teller, 1908
Aristotle Onassis, 1906
Goodman Ace, 1899
Pierre S. du Pont, 1870
Philip Livingston, 1766
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, a/k/a Moliere, 1622 (baptismal date, actual birth date unknown)

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Hill Street Blues"(TV), 1981
"Happy Days"(TV), 1974
The Democratic Donkey(symbol in newspaper comic), 1870
"Stella"(Goethe Play), 1816

Today in History:

Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah's reign, in a siege lasting until July 23, BC588
Christopher Columbus sets sail for Spain from Hispaniola, ending his first voyage to the New World, 1493
Third sitting of the Council of Trent opens, 1562
The British Museum opens in Montague House in London, 1759
John Etherington of London steps out sporting the first top hat, 1797
The first US built locomotive to pull a passenger train begins its first run, with Mr. and Mrs. Pierson on board for the first US railroad honeymoon trip, 1831
The donkey is first used as a symbol for the Democratic Party, in Harper's Weekly, 1870
The Coca-Cola Company, then known as the Pemberton Medicine Company, is originally incorporated in Atlanta, Georgia, 1889
James Naismith publishes the rules of Basketball, 1892
Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake" premieres in St Petersburg, 1895
Dr. Lee DeForest patents a 3-element vacuum tube (one of the inventions that later made radio possible), 1907
The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority becomes the first Greek-letter organization founded and established by African-American college women, 1908
The Boston Molasses Disaster, 2 million gallons of molasses spill, 21 killed, over 150 injured, 1919
The first building to be completely covered in glass, built for the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, is completed in Toledo, Ohio, 1936
The world's largest office building, The Pentagon, is dedicated in Arlington, Virginia, 1943
The US Supreme Court rules that "clear and present danger" of incitement to riot is not protected speech and can be a cause for arrest, 1951
The first Super Bowl is played in Los Angeles; the Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10, 1967
The USSR launches Soyuz 5, 1969
The United Nations deadline for the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from occupied Kuwait expires, preparing the way for the start of Operation Desert Storm, 1991
Wikipedia goes online, 2001
An intense solar flare blasts X-rays across the solar system, 2005
ESA's SMART-1 lunar orbiter discovers elements such as calcium, aluminum, silicon, iron, and other surface elements on the moon, 2005
The Stardust space mission returns dust from a comet to Earth, 2006

Feline Friday was started by Steve, The Burnt Food Dude, and i'm going to believe it's because he likes cats.

HopeCat loves to lay on reading material.

Some say that HopeCat is not very smart.
It's true, as a kitten, she had a rough start.
When not snoozing away,
She will read, and she'll say,
Be quiet! This is the best part!

It's easy to participate in Feline Friday. Just post a picture of a cat -- your cat, a cat photo from the internet, or even draw a picture if you like -- and link up!

Today is:

Appreciate a Dragon Day -- share stories of your favorite dragons from literature; begun by author Danita K. Paul

Arbor Day -- Florida and Louisiana, US

Art Deco Weekend -- Miami, FL, US (for die hard fans; through Sunday)

Concordia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (honoring the goddess of harmonious relations)

Day of Offerings to the Shemsu of Ra -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Inflatable Tire Day -- birth anniversary of Andre Michelin

International Hot and Spicy Food Day

Laurent Kabila -- Democratic Republic of the Congo (Heroes' Day)

Lee-Jackson Day -- Virginia, US

Loop Ice Carnival -- The Loop, St. Louis, MO, US (winter frolics, including the "Frozen Bun" run; through tomorrow)

Milwaukee Boat Show -- Milwaukee, WI, US (where boys can find their big toys; through the 25th)

National Day of Peace -- El Salvador (anniversary of 1992 peace treaty)

National Fig Newton Day

National Good Teen Day -- which really is most of them, isn't it

National Nothing Day -- created by newspaperman Harold Pullman Coffin in 1973 “to provide Americans with one national day when they can just sit without celebrating, observing or honoring anything.”

National Work At Home With Your Spouse Day -- internet generated; try if you dare, i won't, as much as i love him, i'd have to kill him.

National Religious Freedom Day -- US (anniversary of the passage, in 1786, of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom)

Religious Freedom Day -- US (in 1786, the Virginia legislature adopted a statute guaranteeing religious freedom to citizens of that state, and protecting them from discrimination for their religious choices)

Southwestern Exposition Livestock Show and Rodeo -- Fort Worth, TX, US (the world's first indoor professional rodeo, since 1918; through Feb. 7)

St. Anthony's Eve -- Abruzzo, Italy (Fires of Saint Anthony -- Anthony the Great)

St. Honratus of Arles' Day (Patron for rain; against drought, misfortune)

Teacher's Day -- Thailand

There's No Business Like Show Business Day -- Ethel Merman's Birth Anniversary!

Tip-Up Town USA -- Houghton Lake, MI, US (Michigan's largest family winter festival, through Sunday and next weekend, Friday-Sunday)

Birthday's Today:

Kate Moss, 1974
Sade, 1959
Debbie Allen, 1950
John Carpenter, 1948
Dr. Laura Schlessinger, 1947
Ronnie Milsap, 1944
A.J. Foyt, 1935
Dian Fossey, 1932
Dizzy Dean, 1911
Ethel Merman, 1908
Frank Zamboni, 1901
Harry Carey, Sr., 1878
Robert W. Service, 1874 (Poet, The Cremation of Sam McGee)
Andre Michelin, 1853

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Hello, Dolly"(Musical), 1964
"A Pastoral Symphony"(Ralph Vaughan Williams' third symphony), 1922

Today in History:

The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Casesar Octavian by the Roman Senate, BC27
The Ostrogoths, under King Totila, conquer Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison, 550
A great storm tide in the North Sea destroys the German island of Strand and the city of Rungholt, 1362
The Medici family is appointed official banker of the Papacy, 1412
The first grammar of a modern language, in the Spanish language, is presented to Queen Isabella, 1492
Ivan IV of Russia aka Ivan the Terrible becomes Tsar of Russia, 1547
English parliament passes laws against Catholicism, 1581
The first edition of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (Book One of Don Quixote) by Miguel de Cervantes is published in Madrid, 1605
The Continental Congress approves enlistment of free blacks, 1776
The Commonwealth of Virginia enacted the Statute for Religious Freedom authored by Thomas Jefferson, 1786
The refrigerator car is patented by William Davis, a fish dealer in Detroit, 1868
The Pendleton Act creates the basis of US Civil Service system, 1883
The British explorer Ernest Shackleton finds magnetic south pole, 1909
The British House of Commons accepts Home-Rule for Ireland, 1913
Writer Maksim Gorki returns to Russia, 1914
The US ratifies the constitutional amendment on Prohibition, to take effect one year later, 1919
The League of Nations holds its first council meeting in Paris, 1920
The first photo finish camera installed at Hialeah Race track in Hialeah Florida, 1936
Benny Goodman plays the first jazz performance at Carnegie Hall, 1938
Crash of TWA Flight 3, killing all 22 aboard, including film star Carole Lombard, 1942
Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 perform the first-ever docking of manned spacecraft in orbit, the first-ever transfer of crew from one space vehicle to another, and the only time such a transfer was accomplished with a space walk, 1969
Buckminster Fuller receives the Gold Medal award from the American Institute of Architects, 1970
The Shah of Iran flees Iran with his family and relocates to Egypt, 1979
First meeting of the Internet Engineering Task Force., 1986
El Salvador officials and rebel leaders sign the Chapultepec Peace Accords in Mexico City ending the 12-year Salvadoran civil war , 1992
The UN Security Council unanimously establishes an arms embargo and the freezing of assets of Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaida, and the remaining members of the Taliban, 2002
The Space Shuttle Columbia takes off for mission STS-107, but disintegrates 16 days later on reentry, 2003
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is sworn in as Liberia's new president, becoming Africa's first female elected head of state, 2006

Some thoughts that run through Bigger Girl's head and right into my ears, as she eats breakfast and surfs the web:

"Hey, mom, did you know they now have humane bullfights in Costa Rica?"

Humane meaning they don't kill the bull?

"Exactly. One person will get the bull to chase him, and another will run up behind him and slap him on the butt to get him mad. Basically, you can do anything you want to annoy the bull, but you cannot hurt the bull. And if the bull kills you, well, you signed a waiver! I found pictures of them online in their costumes."

Interesting.

"Speaking of costumes, there's this guy who's a former drug dealer who's now a Christian, and he goes around dressed as Jesus to spread the Gospel."

That's probably an interesting conversation starter. And a bit of an odd way to spread your religion.

"Well, I figure it's a better way to spread your religion than blowing up buildings!"

Yes, i concur. Or shooting up newspapers.

"Agreed. And here's a guy in Great Britain who quit his office job to take a job as a zombie!"

Imagine that, a professional zombie.

"Yes, he is. He works at a place where people pay to pretend they are getting chased by zombies."

He was probably an actor at heart the whole time he was at his desk.

"Probably. Oh, and here are the winners of the Beard and Mustache championships last year!"

Interesting. Again.

"Yeah, I wonder what's up with so many of them doing the Victorian villain style."

Guess it's popular about now..

"Must be. Speaking of popular, my friend Callie is almost as popular for working on cars now as my friend Dragon is for working on computers! And they don't care how they get paid. Dragon once fixed a computer for a police officer and he asked what she wanted for pay, and she said a soda and a candy bar, so he gave her two sodas and two candy bars!

"But Callie is going to fix Miss Lizzie's car, and get paid in clothing. After all, Miss Lizzie has a whole pile of clothes she can't wear and can alter to fit someone else, and Callie doesn't mind getting paid with good clothes that are altered to fit, as long as Miss Lizzie pays for the parts."

How is Miss Lizzie doing that?

"Her grandfather is sending her the money. He and her aunt try to at least keep her car running for her. Also, next week, her dog needs a rabies shot."

So i will call and make an appointment. As i've said, i will help her keep her internet and make sure her dog is cared for.

"Thanks, mom. The dog is the reason she stays clean and sober, and the internet keeps her connected to the outside world since she has so little gas even when her car is running.

"Oh, it's getting late, and I promised Josie I'd go get her stuff from MallMart. Someone has to go buy stuff for her because she's been banned for life."

Banned from MallMart?

"Yes. She isn't supposed to go in any of them, ever. She's lived a rough life, mom. Five years ago, when she was still working collecting money for a drug dealer, she never thought she'd be where she is today, living in an apartment with friends and in management at a fast food restaurant. She's so thankful she now has a legitimate job and good place to stay, she doesn't ever want to go back to that life. She won't tell us what she did to get banned from MallMart, but she is sorry and never wants to do those things again. The only thing she will say is to never trust a straight guy who wears blue lipstick!"

Um, i'll try to remember that.

Today is:

Apple Wassailing Day -- Carhampton, England (ancient tradition to bless the trees, waking the tree spirits and scaring away bad spirits)

Augusta Futurity -- Augusta, GA, US (the top cutting horses and riders in the world to compete for purse and awards; through Saturday)

Bald Eagle Appreciation Days -- Keokuk, IA, US (through tomorrow)

Blessing of the Animals -- Hispanic Christian (in association with St. Anthony's Day)

Ditch Your New Years Resolutions Day -- no info on origin, but probably someone who gave up; will you?

Felicitas -- Ancient Roman Calendar (honoring the goddess of good luck)

Festival of Janus -- Ancient Roman Calendar (main festival for the god of beginnings, endings, and doorways)

Hot Heads Chili Day -- no clue what this one means, but i guess we can have chili for dinner

Kid Inventors' Day -- celebrating how inventive kids are; on the birth anniversary of Ben Franklin, who invented swim fins at age 12

Learn to Ski Day -- always the 3rd Saturday of January, and you go right ahead

Liberation Day -- Poland (liberation from the Nazis in 1945)

Make Your All-Time Top Ten Favorite TV Characters List -- because nothing says you can't make your own top ten lists

National Hot Buttered Rum Day

Patras Carnival -- Patras, Greece (the town crier announces the opening ceremony, with festivities through Clean Monday)

Patrice Lumumba -- Democratic Republic of the Congo (Heroes' Day)

Polar Bear Festival/Polar Bear Jump -- Seward, AK, US (lots of fun, if you want to freeze!)

Popeye Day -- The Sailor Man debut in the comics this date in 1929

Professional Boxer's Day -- Ali's birth anniversary

Santos Tour Down Under -- Adelaide, Australia (a world class cycling event; through the 25th)

Sight-Saving Sabbath Weekend -- to alert synagoge and church members to the importance of regular eye exams

St. Anthony the Great's Day (a/k/a Anthony of Egypt, Anthony the Abbot, Patriarch of the Abbots; Patron of amputees, animals/domestic animals, basket weavers, brush makers, butchers, cemetery workers/grave diggers, epileptics, hermits, monks, relief from pestilence, swine/hogs, swineherds; Hospitaliers; Burgio, Sicily, Italy; Canas, Brazil; Castrofilippo, Agrigento, Italy; Fivizzano, Italy; Fontainemore, Italy; Mook, Netherlands; Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Italy; against eczema, epilepsy, ergotism, erysipelas, pestilence, Saint Anthony's Fire, skin diseases and rashes) related observance
Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral -- Church of San Antonio, Mexico City, Mexico (where this saint is San Antonio Abad)

Uzhavar Thirunal -- TN, India (Farmer's Day portion of the Pongal celebrations)

Zirgu Diena -- Ancient Latvian Calendar (Day of the Horses)

Anniversaries Today:

George Burns marries Gracie Allen, 1926
Octavian marries Livia Drusilla, BC38

Birthdays Today:

Kid Rock, 1971
Naveen Andrews, 1969
Michelle Obama, 1964
Jim Carrey, 1962
Susanna Hoffs, 1959
Anthony Glise, 1956
Andy Kaufman, 1949
Muhammad Ali, 1942
Maury Povich, 1939
Shari Lewis, 1934
James Earl Jones, 1931
Don Zimmer, 1931
Vidal Sassoon, 1928
Eartha Kitt, 1927
Betty White, 1922
Al Capone, 1899
Nevil Shute, 1899
Robert Maynard Hutchins, 1899
Mack Sennett, 1884
David Lloyd George, 1863
Anton Chekhov, 1860
Anne Bronte, 1820
Benjamin Franklin, 1706

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Frontline"(TV), 1983
"The Goldbergs"(TV), 1949
"Popeye the Sailor Man"(Comic character created by Elzie Segar, in the Thimble Theatre comic strip), 1929
"The Cherry Orchard"(Chekhov Play), 1904
"The Rivals"(Sheridan Play), 1775

Today in History:

Pope Gregory XI moves the Papacy back to Rome from Avignon, 1377
Cesare Borgia returns in triumph to Rome from Romagna, 1501
Giovanni da Verrazzano begins his voyage to find a passage to China, 1524
The Edict of St Germain recognizes Huguenots in France, 1562
England's Long Parliament passes the Vote of No Addresses, breaking off negotiations with King Charles I and thereby setting the scene for the second phase of the English Civil War, 1648
An avalanche destroys every building in Leukerbad, Switzerland, kills 53, 1718
Capt James Cook becomes the first to cross Antarctic Circle (66° 33' S), 1773
The first cable car patented, by Andrew S Hallidie (begins service in 1873), 1871
Queen Liliuokalani is deposed, the Kingdom of Hawaii becomes a republic, 1893
Sir Robert Falcon Scott reaches the South Pole, one month after Roald Amundsen, 1912
The first fully automatic photographic film developing machine patented, 1928
Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving tens of thousands of Jews from the Nazis, is arrested by secret police in Hungary, 1945
The United Nations Security Council holds its first meeting, 1946
The Goldbergs, the first sitcom on American television, first airs, 1949
The Great Brinks Robbery - 11 thieves steal more than $2 million from an armored car Company's offices in Boston, Massachusetts, 1950
The world's first nuclear-powered submarine, the Nautilus, makes its maiden voyage, 1955
A B-52 bomber collides with a KC-135 Stratotanker over Spain, dropping three 70-kiloton nuclear bombs near the town of Palomares and another one into the sea in the Palomares incident, 1966
Harald V becomes King of Norway on the death of his father, Olav V, 1991
The Czech Republic applies for membership of the European Union, 1996
Mount Nyiragongo erupts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing an estimated 400,000 people, 2002
Rioting begins between Muslim and Christian groups in Jos, Nigeria, which resulting in at least 200 deaths, 2010

Silly Sunday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's the place to come for weekly laughs, and the rules are easy, just have fun.

It's a great way to get to know other bloggers and have some laughs, so Laugh and Link Up!

One of the members of our Friday morning Bible study at church was talking about work. She works for the state, and says it's good an bad. The good points are that she can often get some really good things done that make a difference. The bad points are when she runs into other employees who are, in her words, "intellectually challenged."

"We can't fire them, even if they are incompetent," she noted, "and you can't cure stupidity!"

Neither, i pointed out, can you make it illegal!

As we laughed, it reminded me of a joke.

As a favor to Boudreaux, Thibodeaux hired Boudreaux's son Tee to come work in his store, putting out stock and making deliveries.

Tee would get along well for a few days, and then do something really foolish and get his boss, Thibodeaux, very angry with him. Thibodeaux would fire Tee, then hire him back a few days later. The cycle would then begin again.

Finally, in one of these rounds of firings, Thibodeaux remarked in exasperation, "Mais, Tee! I done taught you all I know, and you still don' know nuttin'!"

Today is:

2015 Healthy Weight Week -- sponsored by Healthy Weight Network, including the Slim Chance Awards (highlighting the unhealthiest fad diets of the previous year), the Women's Healthy Body Image Awards, and, on Tuesday, Rid the World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day

Anniversary of the Founding of Lima -- Lima, Peru

Ati-Atihan Festival -- Aklan, Kalibo, Panay Island, Philippines (main feast and final day of the vivid religious carnival/feast dating back to the 13th century to honor Santo Nino [Baby Jesus])

Camel Wrestling Championship -- Selcuk, Turkey (a medieval tradition, and the camels are not allowed to actually harm each other, so it's a spectacular sport to watch; through Sunday)

Carlsbad Marathon and Half Marathon -- Carlsbad, CA, US

Confession of St. Peter -- Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican Christian
Feast of the Chair of St. Peter -- Roman Catholic Church (celebrated as the founding of the papacy)

Feast of Neith -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (goddess of war and hunting)

Four an' Twenty Day -- Scotland (24 days after Christmas)

Hair Dryer Appreciation Day -- no history on this, but if you love your hair dryer, more power to you

Homelessness Sunday_ Scotland, UK (Scottish Churches Housing Action)

Hunt For Happiness Week begins -- sponsored by the Secret Society of Happy People, who want you to join this week; through Saturday

Jazz Day -- Jazz gets recognized, it plays the Met!

National Activity Professionals Week begins -- celebrating the contributions of Activities Professionals in all senior living communities

National Lay Awake and Whisper in the Dark Night -- another one i can't fathom or find out why it even exists

National Peking Duck Day

Revolution Day -- Tunisia

Royal Thai Armed Forces Day -- Thailand (former Siam)

Santa Prisca Day -- Taxco, Mexico

Thesaurus Day -- birth anniversary of Peter Roget

UFO Day -- see the history section, 1644

Unsliced Bread Day -- from this day in 1943, until the war ended, US bakers sold only unsliced bread loaves so no steel had to be diverted from the war effort for slicing machine blades

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity -- Christian (from the celebration of the Confession of St. Peter to the celebration of the Conversion of St. Paul, Jan. 25)

Winnie the Pooh Day -- birth anniversary of Winnie's author A.A. Milne

World Religion Day -- Baha'i

Anniversaries Today:

Wesley College, Melbourne is established, 1866
Henry VII of England weds Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV, 1486

Birthdays Today:

Jason Segal, 1980
Dave Batista, 1969
Jesse L. Martin, 1969
Jane Horrocks, 1964
Kevin Costner, 1955
Bobby Goldsboro, 1941
Davis Eli "David" Ruffin, 1941
Curtis Charles (Curt) Flood, 1938
Ray Dolby, 1933
Evelyn Lear, 1931
John Boorman, 1930
Constance Moore, 1920
Danny Kaye, 1913
Cary Grant, 1904
Oliver Hardy, 1892
A.A. Milne, 1882
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, 1856 (The African-American doctor who performed the first open heart surgery.)
Thomas A. Watson, 1854 ("Come here, Watson, I need you," said Bell)
Peter Mark Roget, 1779
Daniel Webster, 1782
Daigo, Emperor of Japan, 885

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The Jeffersons"(TV), 1975
"Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour"(TV), 1948
"The Nose"(Shostakovich' opera), 1930

Today in History:

Emperor Huizong abdicates the Chinese throne in favour of his son Emperor Qinzong, 1126
Francisco Pizarro founds Lima, Peru, 1535
The first documented UFO sighting in America, by some very perplexed pilgrims in Boston, 1644
Pirate Henry Morgan defeats the Spanish defenders and captures Panama, 1670
San Jose, California is founded, 1777
Captain James Cook stumbles upon the Sandwich Islands (Hawai'i), 1778
The first elements of the First Fleet carrying 736 convicts from England to Australia arrives at Botany Bay, 1788
Electro-Magnetic Intelligencer, the first US electrical journal, begins publication, 1840
Dr. William Price attempts to cremate the body of his infant son, J. C. Price, setting a legal precedent for cremation in the United Kingdom, 1884
Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England, 1886
The X-ray machine is exhibited for the first time, 1896
President Theodore Roosevelt sends a radio message to King Edward VII: the first transatlantic radio transmission originating in the United States, 1903
The first shipboard landing of a plane (Tanforan Park to USS Pennsylvania, flown by Eugene B. Ely), 1911
English explorer Robert F Scott & his expedition reach South Pole, only to discover that Roald Amundsen had gotten there before, 1912
Japan issues the "Twenty-One Demands" to the Republic of China in a bid to increase its power in East Asia, 1915
A 611 gram chondrite type meteorite strikes a house near the village of Baxter in Stone County, Missouri, 1916
The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosts a jazz concert for the first time. The performers were Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge and Jack Teagarden, 1944
Willie O'Ree, the first African Canadian National Hockey League player, makes his NHL debut, 1958
A Disengagement of Forces agreement is signed between the Israeli and Egyptian governments, ending conflict on the Egyptian front of the Yom Kippur War, 1974
Scientists identify a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of the mysterious Legionnaires' disease, 1977
Phil Smith and Phil Mayfield parachute off a Houston skyscraper, becoming the first two people to BASE jump from objects in all four categories: buildings, antennae, spans (bridges), and earth (cliffs), 1981*
The International Olympic Committee restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals to his family, 1983
Boerge Ousland of Norway becomes the first person to cross Antarctica alone and unaided, 1997
The Tagish Lake meteorite impacts the Earth, 2000
Sierra Leone Civil War is finally declared over, 2002
A bushfire kills 4 people and destroys more than 500 homes in Canberra, Australia, 2003
The Airbus A380, the world's largest commercial jet, is unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse, France, 2005
Hurricane Kyrill becomes one of Western Europe's deadliest storms, 2007
An amateur astronomer in Peterborough, England, discovers a new, Neptune-sized exoplanet, 2012

*Leading me to wonder why, and whether i am looking at the future of my own daredevil child!

Awww Monday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus. It's easy to participate, just post a picture that makes everyone say, "Awww!" We can all use some cute to start the week.

Bigger Girl is 21, almost 22. It doesn't matter, she still loves Spot, the stuffed dog she's had since she was about 3.

"Mom," she said the other day, "I've unstuffed Spot and I'm washing him and his stuffing. He always feels better when he's clean. Since I have to go to work, could you put him and the stuffing in the dryer? He's in one pillow case and the stuffing is in the other."

Sure, i told her, and i did. Later, she came home and restuffed him and sewed him back up.

Spot, all clean.

She insists he's happiest when he's been cleaned.

He does look happy.

Today is:

Annual Visit of the Poe Toaster -- the mysterious person who, for almost 75 years, dressed in black with a wide brimmed hat and scarf, annually visited Poe's grave on his birthday, leaving roses and cognac; has not been seen since 2009

Australian Open -- Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia (part of the Grand Slam tennis tournaments; through Feb. 1)

Blue Monday -- UK (it's gloomy winter, it's after the holidays, it's time to cheer someone up by doing something nice for him/her)

Brew A Potion Day -- internet generated, no reasons given

Confederate Heroes Day -- Texas, US (some things never change)

Feast of Sultan (Sovereignty) -- Baha'i

Horror Novels Are Horrendous Day -- for Poe's birth anniversary

La Tamborrada -- San Sebastian, Spain (begins in the evening, a 24 hour drum jam session and the city's biggest fiesta)

Little Ricky Day -- marking the date of his arrival on "I Love Lucy"

Martin Luther King Jr. Day -- US and Territories (obs.)

National Popcorn Day

Neon Sign Day -- patented this day in 1915

Sacrifices to Apollon -- Ancient Greek Calendar (date approximate)

Sinulog Grand Parade -- Cebu City, Philippines (biggest day of the very colorful festival about the pagan origin of the people, and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism)

St. Canute's Day a/k/a St. Knud (Patron of Denmark)

St. Henry of Uppsala's Day (Patron of the Catholic Cathedral of Helsinki; Finland; against storms)

Theophany/Epiphany -- Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christians who still follow the Julian Calendar
Timket -- Ethiopian Orthodox Christian (with huge, colorful festivals through the whole country)
Blessing of the Waters -- Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sophia, Bayswater, London, UK

Tin Can Day -- patented this day in 1825

Wellington Province Anniversary Day -- Wellington, New Zealand (obs.; trad. date 22nd)

Birthdays Today:

Shawn Johnson, 1992
Jodie Sweetin, 1982
Frank Caliendo, 1974
Drea de Matteo, 1972
Shawn Wayans, 1971
Wendy Moniz, 1969
Junior Seau, 1969
Paul McCrane, 1961
William Ragsdale, 1961
Thomas Kinkade, 1958
Simon Rattle, 1955
Desi Arnaz, Jr., 1953
Dewey Bunnell, 1952
Robert Palmer, 1949
Paula Deen, 1947
Dolly Parton, 1946
Shelley Fabares, 1944
Janis Joplin, 1943
Michael Crawford, 1942
Phil Everly, 1939
Richard Lester, 1932
Robert MacNeil, 1931
Tippi Hedren, 1931
Fritz Weaver, 1926
Jean Stapleton, 1923
Guy Madison, 1922
John H. Johnson, 1918
Lester Flatt, 1914
Edgar J. Helms, 1863
Paul Cezanne, 1839
Edgar Allan Poe, 1809
Robert E. Lee, 1807
James Watt, 1736 (O.S. date)

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"48 Hours"(TV), 1988
"The Millionaire"(TV), 1955
Woman of the Year(Film), 1942
"Il Trovatore"(Verdi Opera), 1853
"Faust Part I"(Goethe tragic play), 1829

Today in History:

Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy, 1419
San Agustin Church in Manila is officially completed; it is currently the oldest church in the Philippines, 1607
The second group of ships of the First Fleet arrives at Botany Bay, 1788
The United Kingdom occupies the Cape of Good Hope, 1806
Ezra Daggett and Thomas Kensett obtain a patent for a process of storing food in tin cans, 1825
Goethe's Faust Part I premiers, 1829
Verdi's Il Trivatore premiers in Rome, 1853
The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey, 1883
Ibsen's play The Master Builder premiers in Berlin, 1893
Georges Claude patents the neon discharge tube for use in advertising, 1915
The US Senate votes against membership in League of Nations, 1920
Coopers Inc. sells the world's first briefs, 1930
For the only time in recorded history, snow falls in Miami, Florida, 1977
The last VW Beetle made in Germany leaves the plant, 1978
United States and Iranian officials sign an agreement to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity, 1981
The Apple Lisa, the first commercial personal computer from Apple Inc. to have a graphical user interface and a computer mouse, is announced, 1983
Czech Republic and Slovakia join the United Nations, 1993
The New Horizons probe is launched by NASA on the first mission to Pluto, 2006

"Well, look who it is!" Kevin said as i stepped through the door.

"What can we do for you today?" asked Lenny.

Bigger Girl's car Cicero needs a pre-trip check-up, i told them. We will be driving it to central Florida, and she's been hearing the brakes make noise, and we want to be sure it's generally road worthy.

"Easy enough!" said Lenny. "I'll have them take all the wheels off and inspect the whole thing."

"But only if you quit rubbing it in that you are going on vacation!" Kevin added with a laugh. "'Central Florida' nothin'! You are going to Disney and don't you deny it!"

Laughingly i said, yes, Grandma and Grandpa are taking us. And we don't want to rent a car because then the kids who are under 21 can't help drive.

"You're right," Kevin said. "Do you need a ride home, or do you want to wait?"

It's a day off of school and work because of the Federal holiday, i noted, so i don't have anything pressing and can wait a while.

Sitting there waiting, i overheard a few conversations. One older gentleman was talking about how going to the dentist was horrible when he was a child.

"I been talking to my dentist about it," he said. "He told me it's because they didn't have good tools all the time back then. Like the needles, they would sterilize them and use them over and over and they were huge suckers! Those things did hurt. Anyway, it's not near as painful any more. Back then, if you knew you were going to the dentist, you knew you were in for torture!"

A while later, another gentleman got to talking about being retired. "I'm back at work part-time, just doing what I want to do, and my grandchildren think I'm crazy! They say they can't understand why I would work if I don't have to. They don't understand that it's not fun to sit around with nothing to do. I'd rather get out and do what I want, and if I can get paid for it, so much the better!"

About an hour later, Kevin came back with the news. "One tire has a bubble, it has to be replaced. You know how that is, it's like having a hernia, you don't want to be there when it blows out. And you need the rear brakes cleaned, front brakes need pads and rotors, the coolant is filthy and needs flushing, and it's going to be about $800."

Yes, i said, i knew it was going to be up there, and it all has to be done. Also, the windshield wipers are shot, so add that in.

"Since I have to go pick up some parts, do you want me to run you home? It's going to be about 3 hours for us to get it all done."

Sure, i told him, and grabbed my stuff.

On the way back to the house he and i talked.

After this, i told him, and next month's new tired for #1 Son's car, when you add up all we've spent on cars since November of last year, it comes to...

"Let me guess," he said. About $3,000."

No, i said, try about $6,000.

"That much!" was his incredulous reply.

Yes, i told him. When you add what we spent at Darren's when we thought the transmissions were out, and all that we've spent with you, by the time we are done with his tires it will be $6,000 for five cars in about 3 1/2 months. $1,700 at Darren's, and the rest here.

"Well," he said, "it's better than having to buy new ones!"

Yes, i agreed, it is. It's still a big drain, though.

"That it is," he agreed.

Later that day, when we went back to pick up Cicero, Kevin said, "I threw in the windshield wipers for free."

Thank you, i said, as Lenny added, "And you need to come by for a cup of coffee even when you don't need a repair. You probably could use it!"

Laughing, i had to agree, and i just may take him up on it.

Today is:

Armed Forces Day -- Mali

Camcorder Day -- five companies agreed, this day in 1982, to cooperate and construct a camera with a built in VCR

Celtic Tree Month Beth (Birch) ends

Coffee Break Day

Day of National Mourning -- Azerbaijan (a/k/a Martyrs' Day)

Festival of Jubilation for Osiris -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate, in Busiris)

Heroes Day -- Cape Verde; Guinea-Bissau (death anniversary of Amilcar Cabral)

La Tamborrada de San Sebastian -- San Sebastian, Spain (24 hours of drumming, begun last evening)

National Buttercrunch Day

National Cheese Lover's Day

National Granola Bar Day

National Disc Jockey Day -- listed lots of places, but no particular reason given for the choice of date

National Speak Up and Succeed Day -- become one of those people who aren't afraid of public speaking, practice! originally sponsored by Polished Presentations International, but they no longer have a website

Penguin Awareness Day -- lots of celebrating, but no history of who started it

Rid The World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day -- always the Tuesday of Healthy Weight Week and includes the announcement of the Slim Chance Awards, highlighting the worst fad diets of the prior year; healthyweight.net/hww.htm

Sacrifices to Athena -- Ancient Greek Calendar (date approximate)

Stay Young Forever Day -- celebrate the child in all of us, do something fun

St. Sebastian's Day (Patron of archers, armorers, arrowsmiths/fletchers, athletes, bookbinders, diseased cattle, dying people, gardeners, gunsmiths, hardware stores, ironmongers, lace makers/lace workers, lead workers, masons, plague victims, police officers, Pontifical Swiss Guards, raquet makers, soldiers, stone masons/stone cutters; several cities, but especially of Rio de Janiero, Brazil and San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, where today is marked with celebrations; against cattle disease, enemies of religion, plague)

Take a Walk Outdoors Day -- unless it's storming, a good way to get some exercise

Tenmangu Kowakamai -- Setaka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan (festival of old style Japanese dances)

Birthdays Today:

Skeet Ulrich, 1969
Rainn Wilson, 1968
Rainn Wilson, 1966
James Denton, 1963
Lorenzo Lamas, 1958
Bill Maher, 1956
David Lynch, 1946
Dorothy Provine, 1937
Arte Johnson, 1934
Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, 1930
Patricia Neal, 1926
Otis Dewey "Slim" whitman, 1924
Federico Fellini, 1920
DeForest Kelley, 1920
Joy Adamson, 1910
George Burns, 1896
Harold Lincoln Gray, 1894
Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter, 1889
Carolus Linnaeus, 1778
André-Marie Ampère, 1775
Richard Henry Lee, 1732

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Meet the Beatles"(Album, US release), 1964

Today in History:

The first elected English Parliament called into session by the 6th Earl of Leicester, and meets in the Palace of Westminster (a/k/a Houses of Parliament), 1265
The present-day location of Rio de Janeiro is first explored, 1502
The Casa Contratacion (Board of Trade) is founded in Spain to deal with American affairs, 1503
The cornerstone of Amsterdam town hall laid, 1648
The third and main part of First Fleet arrives at Botany Bay. Arthur Phillip decides that Botany Bay is unsuitable for the location of a penal colony, and decides to move to Port Jackson, 1788
China cedes Hong Kong to British, 1841
L.A. Thompson patents the roller coaster, 1885
The first full length talking motion picture filmed outdoors is released, "In Old Arizona", 1929
Nazi officials hold notorious Wannsee conference in Berlin deciding on "final solution" calling for extermination of Europe's Jews, 1942
The first atomic submarine, USS Nautilus, is launched at Groton, Connecticut, 1955
Witnesses report sightings of a Bottlenose whale swimming in the River Thames, the first time the species had been seen in the River Thames since records began in 1913, 2006
A three-man team, using only skis and kites, completes a 1,093-mile (1,759 km) trek to reach the southern pole of inaccessibility for the first time since 1958 and for the first time ever without mechanical assistance, 2007

It was something you don't expect to happen at the annual meeting of the civic association.

Yes, it's the time of year when the association asks everyone who lives in the area to come to a meeting. Meetings, as Sweetie says, are boring. He won't go.

"My daddy was a Southern Baptist pastor," he will tell anyone who asks why he skips meetings like this. "And my daddy told me that meetings are boring and that I didn't need to go to them and hear the grown people arguing like a bunch of babies!"

When you point out that he is now a grown-up and past the statute of limitations on what his daddy told him, he simply repeats, "My daddy told me I didn't need to go!"

Trust me, he was always obedient when his daddy told him something, so you aren't going to win this one, and neither am i.

So i went. We got to hear from the assistant to the local councilman, who discussed the zoning issues and that some people might be working out of their homes. It is legal for you to run your business out of your home as long as you do not have employees coming there, or clients, either. If you think they are breaking that law, keep records and call the council.

Then someone discussed the roads, and we talked about how to get potholes filled.

The deputy sheriff assigned to our area talked about crime prevention. A few people got bent out of shape about getting parking tickets, and it got a bit heated. All of them park illegally, and don't want to get ticketed for it. They were essentially told to pipe down and complain to the council that passed the laws that regulate parking, and get the law changed, or obey the rules.

Our state representative got up and made a very brief presentation.

The best part of the night, though, had to do with a slightly racier topic than all of the above.

The area along the highway is zoned for certain kinds of businesses, and not for others. They have to be small and office-like, cannot violate noise ordinances, and have to have hours that don't involve them making any kind of noise that would disturb the houses right behind them. They should be mostly 9-5 type things, with buildings that blend in to a neighborhood type setting.

One of them now has a big sign in front of it that says, "Massage Parlor."

Well.

Discussion became lively about whether or not this could be a legitimate business.

The councilman's representative came back up and said, "If all they do is give massages, such as at a day spa, it's legal. If they are doing anything 'adult', then they are in violation of zoning because they have to be in a zone that allows for 'X' rated businesses."

One lady noted that they seem to be open at odd hours, she had driven home from her own shift work late at night and they were open and busy late into the night.

Another person noted that they don't have a real website, just one page, with prices.

Finally a civic association board member said, "Well, which of us is going to make an appointment and see for ourselves if this is a legitimate business or not!"

A female member said, "I'll pay for it, but one of you guys will have to volunteer to go and do the investigating!"

The president of the civic association said, "Just not my fiancé!"

It's not often that people laugh that hard at a civic association meeting. And no, i didn't stay after to find out who volunteered, but there were plenty offering, and i get the feeling that place isn't going to be there long.

Today is:

Anniversary of the Elf Wars -- Fairy Calendar

Celtic Tree Month Luis (Rowan) begins

Errol Barrow Day -- Barbados

International Bon Jovi Day -- they released their first album this date in 1983

Lady of Altagracia Day -- Dominican Republic

National Hugging Day™ -- includes the announcements of the Most Huggable People of the Year

New England Clam Chowder Day

Quebec Flag Day -- Quebec, Canada

Squirrel Appreciation Day -- sponsored by Christy Hargrove of the Western North Carolina Nature Center

St. Agnes' Day (Patron of betrothed couples, bodily purity/chastity, crops, gardeners, Girl Scouts, girls, rape victims, virgins; the Colegio Capranica of Rome; Manresa, Spain; Rockville Centre, NY)

St. Meinrad of Einsiedeln's Day (Patron of hospitality; Einsiedeln, Switzerland; Swabia, Germany)

"Stonewall" Jackson's Birthday Celebration -- Lexington, VA (at the Jackson home)

Traditional Day of Offering -- Bhutan (first day of 12th month of Tibetan calendar)

Vancouver International Boat Show -- Vancouver, BC, Canada (with two venues in the city, there is sure to be enough to delight even the pickiest sailors; through Sunday)

Zehnder's Snowfest, Ice Carving, and State of Michigan Snow Sculpting Competition -- Frankenmuth, MI, US (fun for the whole family; through the 26th)

Anniversary Today:

Kiwanis International is founded in Detroit, 1915

Birthdays Today:

Robby Benson, 1956
Geena Davis, 1956
Billy Ocean, 1960
Jill Eikenberry, 1947
Mac Davis, 1942
Placido Domingo, 1941
Jack Nicklaus, 1940
Wolfman Jack, 1939
Benny Hill, 1925
Telly Savalas, 1924
Benny Hill, 1924
Paul Scofield, 1922
Barney Clark, 1921
Karl Wallenda, 1905
Christian Dior, 1905
Roger Nash Baldwin, 1884
John M. Browning, 1855
Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, 1824
Ethan Allen, 1738

Debuting/Premiering Today:

The Kid(Film), 1921
The Daily News(first issue, edited by Charles Dickens), 1848
Power of Sympathy(publication date of WH Brown's novel, considered the first American novel), 1789

Today in History:

Philip II, Henry II, and Richard the Lionheart initiate the 3rd Crusade, 1189
The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded, 1525
The first American novel, WH Brown's "Power of Sympathy," is published, 1789
After being found guilty of treason by the French Convention, Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine, 1793
Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccination is introduced, 1799
The envelope-folding machine is patented by Russell Hawes, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1853
The first US sewage disposal system that is separate from storm drains opens in Memphis, Tennessee, 1880
The first slalom ski race is run in Murren, Switzerland, 1922
The Flag of Quebec is adopted and flown for the first time over the National Assembly of Quebec, 1948
A B-52 bomber crashes near Thule Air Base, contaminating the area after its nuclear payload ruptures. One of the four bombs remains unaccounted for after the cleanup operation is complete, 1968
The current Emley Moor transmitting station, the tallest free-standing structure in the United Kingdom, begins transmitting UHF broadcasts, 1971
Commercial service of Concorde begins with the London-Bahrain and Paris-Rio routes, 1976
Production of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 sports car begins in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland, 1981
NASA's MER-A (the Mars Rover Spirit) ceases communication with mission control. The problem lies in the management of its flash memory and is fixed remotely from Eart, 2004
Black Monday in worldwide stock markets. FTSE 100 had its biggest ever one-day points fall, European stocks closed with their worst result since 11 September 2001, and Asian stocks drop as much as 14%, 2008

"Did you know I'm going to be moving out soon?"

The question came from Festus, as i was ironing clothes.

No, i answered, i didn't realize that.

"Well, Young Jacob is moving, and so he's going to be letting me have his trailer. The rent there is cheap, so I can use that as a base from which to work my plan."

And what is your plan? i asked. College, maybe?

"Maybe, but not right away. It costs so much and I don't think it's worth it to go into debt when I'm not really sure what I want to major in, and I don't want to get an education just to get an education."

You don't have to use debt, you know, i told him. You can work and save up, and do the community college, and get scholarships.

"Yes, I know. I got such a high score on my ACT that I was offered a full scholarship to one college, but I have a different way I want to go about it."

And what would that be? i asked again.

"Well, I want to get a job on the oil fields in Odessa. The first year or two I'd just be a worker, but eventually I would work my way into management, and that's where the real money is. Since I'm single and will have a home base that's cheap rent, and I don't plan to raise my standard of living, I want to bank almost everything I earn and invest it.

"See, that kind of work is hard on the body. So I figure I do that for about 10 years, while I'm young and have the strength and energy, and earn a lot and save a lot and get it well invested, and then, when I'm still only about 30, I'll have enough to do anything I want. Then I can go to school and pay cash, or start a business, or do what I'd like, and it would be stuff that isn't so hard on the body as the oil field work.

"That's kind of always been my plan. To use my body while I'm young and get as much work out of it as I can, then have enough by then that I can work with my mind and do anything I want."

Interesting, i told him. At least you have a plan, and i hope it works out that way. You seem to have thought it out a lot.

"Yes, I have, and you sound like my mother. She says, 'It's not what I would do, but it certainly could work!'"

She's right, it's not the usual path, but you are one person i think could make it work, i told him.

He's got ambition and a goal, and i'm glad for him. He'll still be hanging out here, and isn't moving for a few weeks, but it's nice to see one of them trying to stretch their wings.

Today is:

Answer Your Cat's Questions Day -- sponsored by Wellcat Holidays; meditate on what your cat's question might be, then answer it

Celebration of Life Day

Clashing Clothes Day -- "officially" (although i'm not sure who declared it) on the 4th Thursday of January, but some people seem to celebrate it every day

Come in From the Cold Day -- somebody at an ecard company decided today would be a good day to do that

Day of Unity and Liberty of Ukraine -- Ukraine

Dia de la Fundacion del Estado Pluinacional de Bolivia -- Bolivia

Get to Know Your Customers Day

National Blonde Brownie Day -- i thought these were just called "blondies."

Polka Dot Day -- looking up why they are called "polka dots" gives lots of stories, but no concrete evidence; they were probably named after the dance craze that became fashionable around the same time the pattern appeared

St. Vincent of Zaragoza's Day (Spanish martyr and Patron of vine dressers, vinegar makers, vintners; Lisbon, Portugal; Portugal; vicenza, Italy; Vilamalla, Catalonia, Spain)
a sunny day today indicates a good wine crop next season

Sundance Film Festival -- Park City, UT, US (the premier US independent films festival; through Feb. 1)

Winter Carnival -- St. Paul, MN, US (a tradition over 100 years in the making; through February 1)

Women's Healthy Weight Day -- on the Thursday of Healthy Weight Week, encouraging women to strive for a healthy weight and lifestyle

Birthdays Today:

Christopher Masterson, 1980
Balthazar Getty, 1975
Olivia D'Abo, 1967
Steven Adler, 1965
Diane Lane, 1965
Michael Kelland Hutchence, 1960
Linda Blair, 1959
Steve Perry, 1949
John Hurt, 1940
Joseph Wambaugh, 1937
Seymour Cassel, 1937
Sam Cooke, 1935
Bill Bixby, 1934
Piper Laurie, 1932
Ann Sothern, 1909
Robert E. Howard, 1906
George Balanchine, 1904
Rosa Melba Ponselle, 1897
D.W. Griffith, 1875
Grigori Rasputin, 1869
August Strindberg, 1849
Richard Upjohn, 1802
Nat Turner, 1800
Lord Byron, 1788
Andre Ampère, 1775
Sir Francis Bacon, 1561

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Emergency!"(TV), 1972
"Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In"(TV), 1968
"The Crucible"(Miller play), 1953
"Our Town"(Wilder play), 1938
"Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District"(Opera; Shostakovich Op.29), 1934

Today in History:

The first contingent of Swiss Guards arrive at the Vatican, 1506
Postal service between NYC and Boston is inaugurated, 1673
The Native American Iroquois tribes renew their allegiance to the British against the French, 1690
Spain ceded the Falkland Islands to Britain, 1771
A severe earthquake in southern Syria kills thousands, 1837
The Zulus attack the British Army camp in Isandhlwana, South Africa, 1879
The Ancient Egyptian obelisk "Cleopatra's Needle" is erected in Central Park, 1881
After 63 years, England stops the sale of Queen Victoria postage stamps series and begins King Edward VII series, 1901
First live radio commentary of a football match anywhere in the world, between Arsenal F.C. and Sheffield United at Highbury, 1927
KTLA, the first commercial television station west of the Mississippi River, begins operation in Hollywood, California, 1947
Apollo 5 lifts off carrying the first Lunar module into space, 1968
The Boeing 747, the world's first "jumbo jet", enters commercial service, 1970
The Singapore Declaration, one of the two most important documents to the uncodified constitution of the Commonwealth of Nations, is issued, 1971
The Apple Macintosh, the first consumer computer to popularize the computer mouse and the graphical user interface, is introduced during Super Bowl XVIII with its famous "1984" television commercial, 1984
Robert Tappan Morris, Jr. is convicted of releasing the 1988 Internet Computer worm, 1990
Kmart becomes the largest retailer in United States history to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, 2002
Evo Morales is inaugurated as President of Bolivia, becoming the country's first indigenous president, 2006

Feline Friday was begun by Steve, The Burnt Food Dude, and i'm going to believe it's because he likes cats.

It's easy to participate. Just post a picture of a cat, it's that simple. It can be your cat, a cat picture you find online, a LOL cat, or even draw a picture of a cat if you like, and link up.

In the case of this cat, currently at the shelter, it's not so simple. Her name is Angel, and she is one of the sweetest cats in the world. She's not at all photogenic, though, and won't pose for anyone, even the photographer who takes our cats' pictures to post them online to put them for adoption.

Looking away.

Better, but you still don't quite have it.

Okay, so don't look!

She is seriously not photogenic, but she's a love. She's also huge.

Angel was adopted from us when she was just a tiny kitten, barely 8 weeks and just spayed. She was a normal size kitten. She was overfed by the family that adopted her. When she got to where she was truly seriously obese, they returned her because, and i am quoting them: "She can't clean herself any more and it's gross."

Angel is on a diet and has lost a good bit of weight, although you can see she's still a big girl. She is one of the cats not in a cage or room, so we can get her to move around the shelter as much as is possible. She is up for adoption again, and this time, the family will be screened very carefully, as she will have to be on a strict feeding regimen for the rest of her life.

Her personality is like her name, so we hope someone takes her home soon. She has a lot of love to give.

Today is:

Bounty Day -- Pitcairn Island (celebrates the burning of the HMS Bounty in 1790

Cold, Cold, Cold Day -- coldest temp ever recorded in the US, -79.8°F (-62.11°C), this day in 1971 at Prospect Creek Camp, Alaska

Cultural Caravan for Peace begins -- various locations in Morocco, Mali, Timbuctu, and on the Niger River, three music festivals are merging to becme one this year, working and traveling together to promote cultural diversity, peace, tolerance, and social cohesion; the first festival is the Taragalte Festival in Morocco, through Sunday

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

Dinagyang -- Iloilo, Philippines (huge religious and cultural festival, this year's theme is "Bringing More Fun to the World"; through the weekend)

Eagles Etcetera Festival -- Bismark, AR, US (bald eagles in the wild, birds of prey demonstrations, and lots of outdoor fun; through Sunday)

Lenaia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (three day Dionysian festival to arouse the sleeping vegetation and bring spring; date approximate)

Measure Your Feet Day -- one can only ask...."Why!?!"

National Pie Day -- US, sponsored by the American Pie Council

National Handwriting Day -- US, on the birth anniversary of John Hancock, to encourage the dying art of legible handwriting by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association

National Rhubarb Pie Day

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti -- TR and WB, India (birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose)

Oregon Truffle Festival -- Eugene, OR, US (celebrating the high-end culinary delight that is the lowly truffle, with seminars, cooking demos, and more; through Sunday)

Porri Month begins -- Traditional Icelandic Calendar (the name means Middle of Winter, and personifies him as Old Man Winter; often the harshest month, so greet him kindly, to soften his heart and hasten spring)
Bondadagur (Husband's Day) -- first day of Porri (various traditions honoring the man of the house; these days, women often give the men flowers)

Providence Boat Show -- Providence, RI, US (start of the boating season; through Sunday)

Ragwort Dance -- Fairy Calendar (Pixies only)

Slamdance -- Park City, UT, US (an independent film festival by and for film makers; through the 29th)

Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day -- sponsored by Wellcat Holidays; plow drivers, see how far you can make those rural mailboxes go!

St. John the Almoner's Day (Patron of Knights Hospitaller; known for his generosity to the poor, "If we are able to enter the church day and night and implore God to hear our prayers, how careful we should be to hear and grant the petitions of our neighbor in need.")

Women in Medicine Day -- Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman awarded the degree of Medical Doctor in 1849

Anniversary Today:

The founding of Georgetown University, the first US Catholic college, 1789

Birthdays Today:

Tito Ortiz, 1975
Tiffani Thiessen, 1974
Mariska Hargitay, 1964
Gail O'Grady, 1963
Princess Caroline of Monaco, 1957
Antonio Villaraigosa, 1953
Pat Haden, 1953
Richard Dean Anderson, 1950
Rutger Hauer, 1944
Gil Gerard, 1943
Chita Rivera, 1933
Jeanne Moreau, 1928
Ernie Kovacs, 1919
John M. Browning, 1855
Edouard Manet, 1832
Stendhal(Marie-Henri Beyle), 1783
John Hancock, 1737
Joseph Hewes, 1730

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The A-Team"(TV), 1983
"Roots"(TV miniseries), 1977
"Barney Miller"(TV), 1975
"King Family Show"(TV), 1965
"After the Fall"(Miller's Play), 1964
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre(Film), 1948

Today in History:

Epoch (origin) of the Kali Yuga (Hindu Iron Age of the Gods), BC3102
In China, the war elephant corps of the Southern Han are soundly defeated at Shao by crossbow fire from Song Dynasty troops, 971
The first printing of Ramban's Sha'ar ha-Gemul, 1490
The first printing of the Pentateuch, 1492
The second version of Book of Common Prayer becomes mandatory in England, 1552
What is probably the most deadly earthquake in history kills 830,000 in Shensi Province, China, 1556
Queen Elizabeth I opens the Royal Exchange in London, 1571
Blaise Pascal publishes the first of his Lettres provinciales, 1656
Joseph Pease, a Quaker, is admitted to Parliament on his affirmation, 1833
Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first female physician in the US, 1849
The first bridge over the Mississippi River opens in what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1855
Alesund Fire: the Norwegian coastal town Alesund is devastated by fire, leaving 10,000 people homeless an one person dead, 1904
Charles Curtis of Kansas becomes the first Native American US senator, 1907
Pianist Ignaz Paderewski becomes premier of the Polish government in exile, 1940
Duke Ellington plays at Carnegie Hall in New York City for the first time, 1943
The bathyscaphe USS Trieste breaks a depth record by descending to 10,911 m (35,798 feet) in the Pacific Ocean, 1960
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts its first members: Little Richard, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley, 1986
Final communication between Earth and Pioneer 10, 2003
Six Venezuelan cable television channels are taken off the air by the Venezuelan government after refusing to transmit government messages, 2010

Miss Lizzie, who used to live here with her dog Hazelnut, now lives in an apartment of her own. After poor Hazelnut was killed in a car wreck, she got a new dog, PepperJack.

Yes, my mommy named me after a food, like she does all her dogs.

He's not really a puppy, but you wouldn't know that from the way he jumps around and plays. He's a bit over 2, i believe, and as Bigger Girl says, he's grown quite a personality since being adopted out of the cage at animal control.

Miss Lizzy does her best by him, feeding him high quality food, giving him only treats produced in the US, and taking him to the park or on a good, long walk each day.

Being Miss Lizzy, though, and living on disability, she does need help with him. Bigger Girl helped me get him to the vet for his annual check-up. He's now good on his vaccines, is protected from heartworm for 6 months, and i got her the flea and tick preventive that they take once a month, so no more trouble with ticks like he's had in the past.

While i know i wouldn't be a good dog owner, as i wouldn't spend the time training them that i should, i am a dog enjoyer, and don't mind helping keep him healthy. After all, Miss Lizzy lives for her dog, he's the reason she stays clean and sober and is exploring ways to get her surgeries so maybe she can work again someday.

Besides, he's a big goofball and i never could resist a goofball.

Goofy dog!

Today is:

Alasitis Fair -- Aymara Indians, Bolivia (offerings to the god of prosperity, now celebrated in conjunction with the Roman Catholic Feast of Our Lady of Peace, for whom La Paz is named)

Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show -- West Springfield, MA, US (8 1/2 acres of hobby train fun; through tomorrow)

Beer Can Appreciation Day -- the first canned beer went on sale today in 1935

Belly Laugh Day -- at 1:24pm local time, join the Belly Laugh Bounce Around the World!

Big Garden Birdwatch -- UK (sponsored by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; through tomorrow)

Eagle Day at the Lake -- Wyandotte County Lake Park, Kansas City, KS, US (learning about bald eagles in the environmental learning center, as well as eagle viewing over the lake and children's activities)

Economic Liberation Day -- Togo

Eskimo Pie Day -- patented this day in 1921

Fairy-Four Paganalia -- Fairy Calendar

Gasparilla Extravaganza -- Tampa, FL, US (the rum free version of the Pirate Festival celebration, with a kid's parade and lots of fun; the adult version is next Saturday)

Gold Rush Day -- US (gold is discovered at Sutter's Mill, sparking the California Gold Rush, in 1848)

Greater Springfield Garage Sale -- Springfield, MO, US (if you want to find it used, you can probably find it here; through tomorrow)

Hoggetowne Medieval Faire -- Gainesville, FL, US (jousting, birds of prey, medieval arts, food, entertainment; through tomorrow, and again next weekend)

IceFest -- Ligonier, PA, US (ice sculpture contest and lots of family fun; through tomorrow)

Kidfilm Festival -- Dallas, TX (international children's film festival; through tomorrow)

National Compliment Day -- begun by Debby Hoffman and Kathy Chamberlin, a day in which to compliment at least 5 people

National Peanut Butter Day

Opposite Day -- internet generated, and fun if you play it right

Orange City Blue Spring Manatee Festival -- Orange City, FL, US (learn about the manatee and have fun doing it; through tomorrow)

Paul Pitcher Day (So called because it is the eve of the Celebration of St. Paul's Conversion on the road to Damascus. Cornish tin miners would traditionally set up a water pitcher in a public place and throw stones at it to destroy it. A replacement pitcher was then bought and filled with beer, which was drunk and replenished through the day. These miners were great inventors for reasons to celebrate, and they did this to rebel against the rule that only water was to be consumed during the work day.)

Sailing of Bast -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (people sailed the Nile to converge on Bubastis and celebrate the cat goddess; date approximate)

Sementivae, in honor of Ceres and Terra, begins -- Roman Empire (one of the few dating approximate items on the Roman Calendar, as each area of the Empire celebrated according to the timing of a local magistrate, but now through Feb. 2 was a typical time)

Social Sipping and Nibbling Rehearsal Day -- a day to practice cutting a piece of cake on a paper plate, using a plastic fork, and also balancing a napkin and punch in a paper cup; or practicing what clever thing you will say if you drop it all

SOS Radio Week -- UK (The Royal National Lifeboat Institution keeps the seas safer, and Radio Amateurs help them raise funds)

Sounkyo Ice Festival -- Hokkaido, Japan (snow and ice sculptures that are almost too good to be true, through March 29)

St. Francis de Sales' Day (Patron of authors/journalists/writers, confessors, deaf people, educators/teachers; Champdepraz, Aosta, Italy; against deafness)

Swamp Buggy Races -- Naples, Florida (the world famous swamp buggy races; through tomorrow)

TV Game Show Day -- birth anniversary of Mark Goodson

Vasant Panchami / Saraswati Puja -- Hindu (celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge)

Wakakusa Yamayaki -- Nara, Japan (Grass Burning on Mt. Wakakusayama, and fireworks; an annual New Year tradition)

Ziua Unirii -- Romania (Unification Day)

Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities -- Eatonville, FL, US (celebrating Hurston's work, hometown, and cultural contributions, and the contributions of all Africa-descended people; through the 29th)

Anniversary Today:

Popeye meets Olive Oyl, 1929 (in Elzie Segar's Thimble Theater comic strip)

Birthdays Today:

Mischa Barton, 1986
Tatyana Ali, 1979
Ed Helms, 1974
Matthew Lillard, 1970
Mary Lou Retton, 1968
Nastassia Kinski, 1960
Jools Holland, 1958
Yakov Smirnoff, 1951
John Belushi, 1949
Warren Zevon, 1947
Michael Ontkean, 1946
Sharon Tate, 1943
Neil Diamond, 1941
Aaron Neville, 1941
Ray Stevens, 1939
Maria Tallchief, 1925
Jerry Maren, 1920
Oral Roberts, 1918
Ernest Borgnine, 1917
Jack Brickhouse, 1916
Mark Goodson, 1915
Granny D, 1910 (formerly Granny Haddock, or Ethel Doris Haddock, political activist)
Edith Wharton, 1862

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"I, Puritani"(Bellini Opera), 1835

Today in History:

Caligula, known for his cruel despotism, is assassinated and succeeded by his uncle Claudius, 41
Connecticut colony organizes under Fundamental Orders, 1639
The first Jewish doctor in US, Jacob Lumbrozo, arrives in Maryland, 1656
Henry Knox arrives at Cambridge, Massachusetts with the artillery that he has transported from Fort Ticonderoga, 1776
The University of Calcutta is formally founded as the first full-fledged university in south Asia,1857
The Romania principality arises under King Alexander Cuza, with Bucharest as the capital, 1862
General Baden-Powell's publication of Scouting for Boys starts the Boy Scouts movement, 1908
The Gregorian calendar introduced in Russia by decree of the Council of People's Commissars effective from February 14(NS), 1918
Vincent Massey is sworn in as the first Canadian-born Governor-General of Canada, 1952
A bomber carrying two H-bombs breaks up in mid-air over North Carolina. The uranium core of one weapon remains lost, 1961
Jackie Robinson is elected to Baseball Hall of Fame, 1962
Japanese Sgt. Shoichi Yokoi is found hiding in a Guam jungle, where he had been since the end of World War II, 1972
Soviet satellite Cosmos 954, with a nuclear reactor on board, burns up in Earth's atmosphere, scattering radioactive debris over Canada's Northwest Territories. Only 1% is recovered, 1978
The first Apple Macintosh goes on sale, 1984
Voyager 2 passes within 81,500 km (50,680 miles) of Uranus, 1986
Japan launches Hiten, the country's first lunar probe,and the first lunar probe launched by a country other than Soviet Union or the United States, 1990
Lara Giddings becomes the first female Premier of the Australian state of Tasmania , 2011

Awww Monday: Crackers for Crackers!

Annual PSA

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Cupboard

Wednesday Night Prayer

Feline Friday: Not Interested At All!

Context

Silly Sunday: What Will You Be?

Awww Monday: Baby

Never a dull moment.

Not Very Wordless Wednesday: Oh, Crud!

More Context

Feline Friday: HopeCat

Random

Silly Sunday: Teaching

Awww Monday: On the Spot

Road Worthy

Plenty of Volunteers

Ambition

Feline Friday: An Angel

Playful "Pup'