Saturday, May 11, 2024

Happy Happenings, a Ten Things of Thankful Post

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When life gets a little crazy, the thankful things can pile up!


Last Sunday was Senior Day at church, celebrating our graduating high school seniors as many of them will be leaving for colleges far away.  We were thankful to see the beautiful slide presentation of them as babies and now, in their senior pictures.


Becca is a senior, too!  It worked out beautifully, she sat in the second row and i sat directly behind her instead of next to her.  Her mom got to sit next to her during the sermon (she's on stage with the choir before and after), and once her mom went back to singing, i switched and sat next to her to help her get communion.


We're thankful what's next for Becca will be going back to her same school with the title of "classroom helper."  She'll be in the same special class she's been in, and because of special grants and set-aside money, she gets "paid" (a very small stipend, but big to her).


Nephew Dre has also graduated and we’re thankful he has already been sworn in to the US Navy.  He will ship out for basic in June.


It was time to do Kevin and Lenny's place again and i had two choices, do it Monday after Carl and Ms. S, or Tuesday after the ladies' circle meeting.  We chose Monday, which meant working fast and hard and furious all day.  I'm thankful to have gotten through it, 3 cleanings in a day is much harder on me now than it was five years ago.


Tuesday was Grandma's birthday and i was thankful to find a good florist local to her who delivered a beautiful arrangement.  I'm also thankful all the kids remembered and called, and #1 Son even went down there to visit.


Tuesday was also our last ladies' circle meeting for this book, and we had a fabulous discussion.  I'm thankful we'll pick up again in September, book to be announced.


Ms. V and i carpool to the meetings and i'm thankful for the time spent talking to her in the car as well as that we were finally able to get to that shoe store near where the meeting takes place so she could look for shoes there.


Ms. G is still busier than a one-armed paper hanger, i arrived at her house and she said she'd be a few minutes.  She was two hours, giving me long enough to shovel the bird seed build-up from under the feeder, sweep the patio, refresh the seeds, refill the water for the birds and squirrels, clean Angel's "cat room" (litter boxes), reload the fridge with her cold drinks and do the vacuuming.


Then we went to two other houses where she's getting stuff done, and we got stuff done.  The townhouse is already under contract and these two houses should be on the market very soon.  


I'm thankful i only work for her once a week!


The weather has gotten nice and hot, and since i've no A/C in the car, I'm thankful most of my driving is in the morning, if I'm in the car in the afternoon, it's generally to go home, and that as quickly as I safely and legally can!


I'm thankful for the gas station that lets you fill your own cup with ice for free, and for friends with ice makers who will let you grab a cup of ice while you are there.


I'm thankful i laughed a lot this week.  I really can't remember most of the jokes or funny instances and didn't have time to write them down, but i have the memory of laughing several times over very fun stuff.


Thankfully, i was able to get more gifts for Grandma for Mother's Day.


Also, i was able to pick up my prescriptions on Friday.


A bit of a scare in a charge on our debit card had me suspending our cards until it was figured out.  We're thankful all is well, a company we pay through the card every month changed the provider which does the processing, so the name changed.  It just had me concerned for a bit is all.


The shelter only had two kittens up for adoption last week.  By yesterday, we were up to nine cages out front and they were setting up temporary cages in intake, the place has exploded.


We're thankful for volunteers, spare cages and the people coming in to adopt.



Please write up your own list and link up to Ten Things of Thankful, where Dyanne and her co-hosts always have a warm welcome waiting.   





You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Today is:


Birth Mother's Day -- the day before Mother's Day, for all the women who have made an adoption plan for their babies


Blow Bubbles for Your Cat Day -- internet generated entertainment urged for human and feline like


Cormorant Fishing Festival -- Nagara River, Gifu, Japan (traditional fishing with trained cormorants is celebrated nightly under the light of blazing torches through mid-October)


Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness Day -- shedding light on this rare genetic condition 


Eat What You Want Day -- since none of the "experts" can totally agree on what's good and what isn't, today, ignore them all! sponsored by Wellcat Holidays


Holiday of the City of Miskolc -- Miskolc, Hungary


Hostess Cupcake Day -- the Hostess Cupcake, the first cmmercially produced cupcake, went on sale on this day in 1919


Lemuralia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (second day)


Letter Carriers "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive -- US (place non-perishable food items by your mail box, and help stamp out hunger in your area)


Lokadagur -- Iceland (Final Day, festival to mark the end of the fishing season in the south-west of the country)


National Babysitter's Day -- US, giving recognition to the babysitters who make your date nights possible


National Mocha Torte Day


National Technology Day -- India


National Train Day -- US (celebrated on the anniversary of the 1869 completion of the first transcontinental railroad)


Nisga'a Day -- Nisga'a (one of the First Nations of Canada [ effective date of treaty])


One Day Without Shoes -- originally sponsored by Toms Shoes, to raise global awareness for children's health and education, which can be compromised when they do not have shoes  


Root Canal Appreciation Day -- Dr. Chris Kammer, the 'rock and roll dentist', declared this day back in 2005 because he said the much maligned procedure saves millions of teeth a year and needs an image make over     


Stay Up All Night Night -- as declared by George Mahood of Northampton, England, everyone needs to relive the excitement of staying up late like you always wanted to as a kid at least once a year


St. Gengulf's Day (Patron of knights, separated spouses, victims of adultery or unfaithfulness; against unhappy marriages)


Sun Awareness Day -- like Melanoma Monday, a few days back, a day to remember the damage the sun can do to skin and stock up on sunscreen, if you haven't already


St. Mamertus' Day (first of the Ice Saints, whose days are supposed to herald the last frost)


Tubeless Tire Day -- B. F. Goodrich Company announced the development of a tubeless tire on this day in 1947


Twilight Zone Day -- no, it didn't premier on this day, nor was Rod Serling born or died on this day; it's today on the internet for no particular reason except that someone decided to celebrate it today


Windmill Day -- Netherlands (on the second Saturday of May each year, more than 600 windmills, including many that are now national monuments, are open to the public)


Witching Day -- Isle of Man (Mayday Eve based on the OS calendar, be careful of the spirits today)


World Belly Dance Day -- to celebrate the wonderful art of belly dance 


World Fair Trade Day -- sponsored by the World Fair Trade Organization; this year's theme is "Climate Justice" 


World Migratory Bird Day -- original date second Saturday in May, but the WMBD organization encourages you to celebrate when birds are migrating in your area; this year's theme is "Water: Sustaining Bird Life"; one celebration that is on this date:

     International Migratory Bird Celebration -- Chincoteague, VA, US (walks, talks, tours, art, and children's activities, all outdoors with the birds)


Yom HaZiKaron -- Israel (Memorial Day; begins at sunset)



Anniversaries Today:


Sammy Davis, Jr., marries Altovise Gore, 1970

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is founded, 1927

Glacier National Park established, MT, US, 1910

Minnesota becomes the 32nd US state, 1858



Birthdays Today:


Corey Monteith, 1982

Jonathan Jackson, 1982

Natasha Richardson, 1963

Boyd Gaines, 1953

Robert Jarvik, 1946

Mort Sahl, 1927

Bernard Fox, 1927

Foster Brooks, 1912

Phil Silvers, 1911

Salvador Dali, 1904

Martha Graham, 1894

Irving Berlin, 1888

Charles Warren Fairbanks, 1852

Chang and Eng Bunker, 1811



Debuting/Premiering Today:


"Once Upon a Mattress"(Musical), 1959



Today in History:


Constantinople becomes the capital of the Roman Empire and is also called Nova Roma and Byzantium, 330

Peter Stuyvesant arrives in New Amsterdam, 1647

Captain Robert Gray becomes the first documented European to sail into the Columbia River, 1792

The waltz is introduced into English ballrooms, and becomes popular in spite of being called "riotous and indecent," 1812

William Lawson, Gregory Blaxland and William Wentworth lead an expedition westwards from Sydney, opening the interior of Australia for settlement, 1813

Indian rebels seize Delhi from the British, 1857

Luxembourg  gains its independence, 1867

U.S. Congress  establishes Glacier National Park in Montana, 1910

Mercedes-Benz is formed by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz merging their two companies, 1924

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is founded, 1927

Siam officially changes its name to Thailand  for the second time, 1949

Israel joins the United Nations, 1949

In Baltimore, Maryland, the first heart-lung transplant takes place, 1987

In New York City, more than 170 countries decide to extend the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty indefinitely and without conditions, 1995

IBM Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, defeats Garry Kasparov in the last game of the rematch, becoming the first computer to beat a world-champion chess player in a classic match format, 1997

In Nepal, Sherpa Apa Sherpa achieves a new record by climbing Mount Everest for the 21st time, 2011

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, reveals the latest Dragon space capsule; the craft is reusable and will allow astronauts to control re-entry and landing; the development suggests that full commercialization of the space industry will soon be a reality, 2014

The British Medical Journal publishes two new studies which show eating processed foods leads to an early death and ill health, 2019

The Falcon 9 rocket launches carrying the Dragon capsule from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station, making SpaceX the first private company to launch astronauts into space, 2020

The US government approves the building of the first offshore wind farm in the country, 2021

Friday, May 10, 2024

Peek-a-Boo Buddy (Feline Friday), Friendly Fill-Ins and Nature Friday

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Feline Friday was originally started by Steve, The Burnt Food Dude (may he rest in peace), and i'm going to believe it's because he liked cats.

He handed hosting duties off to Sandee at Comedy Plus, and now she's entrusting it to me.


Feline Friday is simple to join.  All you have to do is: Post a picture, drawing, cartoon or video of a cat (they may be silly or cute).  Then add your link!


One thing for sure is this is a fun and easy meme to do.  So come and join us in Feline Friday.


What better way to start the weekend than with a feline!


Ms. GA had set her umbrella on the floor and as i came down the stairs, i noticed something about it.














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Friendly Fill-Ins are easy to do. There are four statements: the first two statements are provided by Ellen of 15AndMeowing, and the final two are offered by Lorianne The Menagerie Mom of Four-Legged Furballs. They try to make sure the statements will be fun to both answer and share. The linky will be posted at or about 12:00 AM on Friday. Please head over to one of their sites, link up, and share your thoughts!      


Here are this week's statements with my responses underlined:


1. Life is too short to tolerate _________.


2. _________ gives me hope.


3. I've been feeling _________ because _________.


4. I'm well aware that my _________ is a bit odd.



1. Life is too short to tolerate   bad coffee.


2. Jesus  gives me hope.


3. I've been feeling   a little overwhelmed  because   the hurrieder i go, the behinder i get!


4. I'm well aware that my   choice of diet   is a bit odd.




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Nature Friday is hosted by LLB in Our Backyard Simply post a picture of the natural world, and link up!


The "woods" across the street from our house.






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Today is:


Basava Jayanti -- KA, India (birth anniversary of 12th century philosopher Basavanna)


Child Care Provider Appreciation Day -- US (on the Friday before Mother's Day, to recognize the important role of child care providers in society today)  


Clean up Your Room Day -- one of those holidays that no one knows how it got started, but it's a good idea, especially if your house is decorated by teens in "Recently Ransacked" style!


Constitution Day -- Federated States of Micronesia


Fintastic Friday: Giving Sharks, Skates, and Rays a Voice -- Whale Times or Shark Research Institute (to raise awareness and encourage advocacy to protect elasmobranchs)    


Golden Spike Day -- finishing the first US Trancontinental Railroad in 1869


Military Spouse Appreciation Day -- US (Friday before Mother's Day)


Mother's Day -- Belize; El Salvador; Guatemala; Mexico (always May 9 in these countries)


National Shrimp Day


St. Cathal's Day (Patron of blind people, drought relief, epileptics, paralyzed people; Taranto, Italy; against blindness, drought, epilepsy, hernias, paralysis, plagues, storms)


St. Father Damien of Moloka'i's Day (Patron of lepers, outcasts, those with HIV/AIDS; Hawaii)


St. Job the Patriarch's Day (Patron against depression and ulcers)


Trust Your Intuition Day -- practice, and you'll get better at it


World Lupus Day   





Birthdays Today:


Kenan Thompson, 1978

Amanda Borden, 1977

Jason Brooks, 1966

Paul "Bono" Hewson, 1960

Phil and Steve Mahre, 1957

Donovan, 1946

Dave Mason, 1946

Marie-France Pisier, 1944

Judith Jamison, 1943

Gary Owens, 1936

Barbara Taylor Bradford, 1933

Pat Summerall, 1930

Ara Raoul Parseghian, 1923

Nancy Walker, 1922

T. Berry Brazelton, 1918

"Mother" Maybelle Carter, 1909

David O. Selznick, 1902

Fred Astaire, 1899

Max Steiner, 1888

Karl Barth, 1868

George Ross, 1730

Emperor Fushimi of Japan, 1265

Emperor Claudius, 213



Debuting/Premiering Today:


Twister(Film), 1996

"The Rest of the Story"(Radio), 1976

Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major(Shostakovich Op. 102), 1957



Today in History:


The Roman armies under Titus open a full scale assault on Jerusalem, 70

Vienna's church orders all Jews to wear a distinctive garb, 1267

Scottish nobles recognize authority of English king Edward I, 1291

Amerigo Vespucci allegedly leaves on a voyage to the New World, 1497

Christopher Columbus "discovers" the Cayman Islands, 1503

Jacques Cartier visits Newfoundland, 1534

Scottish Protestants under John Knox uprise against queen-mother Mary, 1559

England forcefully annexes Jamaice from Spain, 1655

Benjamin Franklin first tests the lightning rod, 1752

Louis XVI becomes King of France, 1774

The Barbary pirates of Tripoli declare war on the United States of America, 1801

New York City banks fail, and unemployment reaches record levels, 1837

In India, the first war of Independence begins, 1857

The First Transcontinental Railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah (not Promontory Point, Utah) with the golden spike, 1869

Romania  declares itself independent from Turkey, 1877

The Supreme Court of the United States rules in Nix v. Hedden that a tomato is a vegetable, not a fruit, under the Tariff Act of 1883, 1893

The first Mother's Day is observed, 1908

J. Edgar Hoover is appointed Director of the FBI, 1924

First successful launch of a V-2 rocket at White Sands Proving Ground, 1946

Bill Haley & His Comets release "Rock Around the Clock", the first rock and roll record to reach number one on the Billboard charts, 1954

The nuclear submarine USS Triton completes Operation Sandblast, the first underwater circumnavigation of the earth, 1960

The Federated States of Micronesia becomes self-governing, 1979

François Mitterrand becomes the first Socialist President of France in the French 5th republic, 1981

Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as South Africa's first black president, 1994

Deadliest day on the mountain: a rogue storm on Everest claims 8 lives, including experienced climbers, 1996

The Maeslantkering, a storm surge barrier in the Netherlands that is one of the world's largest moving structures, is opened by Queen Beatrix, 1997

Solicitor General Elena Kagan is the youngest Justice and third woman nominated for the Supreme Court of the United States, 2010

Microsoft announces plans to purchase Skype, 2011

An Indian fertility clinic announces that a 70 year old woman has successfully gave birth to a baby boy, 2016

The United States Geological Survey releases a report saying that some glaciers in Montana have receded by 85% in the last 50 years, 2017

Mahathir Mohamad is sworn in as the seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia, the world's oldest leader at 92, 2018

Taxi service Uber becomes a publicly traded company, 2019

Prince Charles delivers the Queen's Speech at the state opening of the UK parliament for the first time, 2022

Human genomic studies take a leap forward with the publication of the first of 47 DNA profiles from people in all areas of the world as an attempt to capture the entirety of human genetic variation, 2023