April 6, 2018

Today we celebrate:


Jump Over Things Day - Kids will enjoy today more than the adults, I think. It’s a day to jump over things, whatever you find that would be suitable for jumping over without hurting yourself or anyone or anything else. Jump over the chair, swing, railing….just maybe make sure the other side is clear before you are in the air heading for it.

Fresh Tomato Day - Tomatoes are a popular home garden food for people to grow. There are lots of different varieties to choose from and most people love to eat them. If you have planted them, it will be a while before they bear fruit, but it will be worth the wait.

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace - This is a day to spread the idea that everyone should strive to have a healthy lifestyle with lots of exercise. The International Olympic Committee is determined to give as many people as possible access to sporting activities. So they are encouraging their athletes and trainers to work with as many communities as possible to introduce a variety of sports to children as well as adults. The hope is that this will encourage people to develop a love of sports that will follow them through the rest of their healthy and active lives.

National Hostess Twinkie Day - It has been many, many years since I have had a Twinkie. But I will never forget what they taste like. A little piece of heaven in a creamy cake. Twinkies actually went out of business a few years ago, but then someone brought them back to the relief of Twinkiaholics everywhere. They are not very good for you, but as long as you don’t eat them too frequently, they won’t kill you…..I don’t think.

National Siamese Cat Day - Known for being very intelligent and talkative, Siamese cats make excellent pets. They came from Thailand in the late 19th century. Rumor has it that First Lady Lucy Hayes was given the First Cat of this breed in this country as a gift from Thailand.

National Caramel Popcorn Day –  You know those enormous tins of popcorn that everyone gets as a Christmas gift? The ones with three kinds of popcorn separated by dividers? Yeah, that’s the one. Break it open (you know you have it tucked away somewhere) because they always have caramel popcorn in them and that is pretty much the only place you can find it unless you make your own.

Plan Your Epitaph Day – Well, you don't want to leave this important task to someone who might not do it the way you would want, do you? Go ahead and write it all down for your loved ones.  And allow me to give you a piece of advice. The next time your spouse gets the flu, has a fever or just thinks he/she is going to die at any moment, and dictates to you what they want on their tombstone (or pyramid, whichever the case may be) write it down. Just trust me on this, my husband is still complaining twenty years later because I didn’t write all his fever induced brainstorms down.

Army Day – Begun in 1942 by proclamation of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to honor the Army that works so hard to keep us safe during wartime and peacetime.

New Beer's Eve – This was the night before prohibition was to end in 1933. There were huge lines of people waiting for that midnight moment when beer was legally allowed to be sold once again. I wonder if the police arrested anyone who tried to sell alcoholic beverages at 11:59pm.

Drowsy Driver Awareness Day – Drunk driving is not the only driving hazard out there. Anyone can become drowsy while driving and cause serious harm to themselves and others. This day was started by a California Highway Patrol Officer whose wife died because she fell asleep behind the wheel. I've fought drowsiness while driving myself. Fortunately I've never actually fallen asleep and no harm has been done, but it's a danger that is always present. If you find yourself feeling drowsy while you are driving, please pull over to a safe area, take a nap if you can or get out and walk around, get some coffee or caffeinated soda, anything to help you stay awake. It’s worth being late if it keeps you and the people around you alive. http://americanindian.net/resolution/index.html

Sorry Charlie Day – Charlie the Tuna, from the StarKist commercials begun back in the 1960’s, keeps getting rejected no matter what he does. But he survives and rebounds and comes back and tries again. Take that message and use it in your life.

National Student-Athlete Day – This is the 27th anniversary of this day of saluting the student athletes around the country. With two team sport playing children, I know that it's not easy combining sports and keeping up schoolwork, to say nothing for all the driving that parents end up doing, but exercise and playing with a team is great for kids in many ways, so it's worth the balancing act.

National Tartan Day – This is a holiday for all Scottish-Americans. On this day in 1320, the Declaration of Arbroath was signed. I’m sure you will recall that this was a declaration of Scottish independence which generally stated that they didn’t have to do what England told them to do and would fight back if attacked by anyone.

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints Day – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was officially created by Joseph Smith on this day in 1830 with a membership of 6 elders and about 70 members. They have grown to a membership today of more than 14 million.

Teflon Day – On this day in 1938, Roy Plunkett accidentally discovered polytetrafluoroethylene (don't ask me to say that out loud) when a gas he was testing failed to emerge from its’ container. Risking an explosion and sure death, he cut open the container to find that the gas had solidified into a smooth, slippery powder. He tested it and figured out how to reproduce it and just like that we have non-stick pans. OK, it might have been a little more complicated than that. I skipped ahead a few years and probably a few thousand scientific experiments.

Student Government Day - Celebrated on the first Friday of April, this is a Massachusetts holiday that is designed to give students an opportunity to participate in and learn about the state legislature. Students from school districts all over the state are selected to come together to become the state government for a day. They hold hearings on topics that are pertinent to student life and reenact court hearings.

National Walk To Work Day – Always celebrated on the first Friday in April, get those sneakers laced up and let's hope it doesn't rain today or snow for that matter considering the winter we experienced this year in the Northeast.

Hospital Admitting Clerks Day – Celebrated on the first Friday in April, this is a day to recognize the contributions of Hospital Admitting Clerks. The admitting clerks are vital members of the hospital staff. It's not just about the doctors and nurses, without people to handle the paperwork and administrative details, the hospital would not be able to function.

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