May 13, 2018

Today we celebrate:


International Hummus Day - A dip made with chickpeas or some other beans along with lots of other ingredients that tastes much better than I thought it would. Try it with some crackers or chips or veggies and you will be pleasantly surprised if you haven’t wanted to try it before.

Cough Drop Day - There have been times in my life, like last winter, when I have lived on cough drops. I buy the big 200 count bags from CVS, and when I’m really sick, they don’t last long. So I really appreciate the fact that they exist and really do help cut down the coughing.  They don’t make it all go away, of course, nothing but time does that, but they help.

National Fruit Cocktail Day - I grew up on cans of fruit cocktail. We would have it for dessert sometimes. Didn’t like the cherries, but you can eat around them, or sneak them into your sister’s bowl when she wasn’t looking...and maybe steal the peaches while you were at it. Not that I ever did that, because it would be wrong...very, very wrong.

Top Gun Day - I’m sure you remember the movie Top Gun with Tom Cruise, well you might want to watch it again today because this is a day that is all about living like you’re in the movie. Get some cool aviator sunglasses, a leather jacket, and tight jeans. Then spend the day talking like you are in the movie, give your family members cool nicknames, and use Top Gun phrasing for common tasks. For example, when you tell your child to take out the garbage and they ask why, respond with, “It’s classified. I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you.” Or whenever they ask you something that you plan to respond to with a ‘no’, say instead, “Negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.”

Mother's Day – Always celebrated on the second Sunday in May, this is a day to honor mothers, or mother figures everywhere. Typically we celebrate with cards and gifts, but if you have your own way of celebrating with your mother, or the one who is like a mother to you, feel free to do so.


Mothers At The Wall Day – This is a day for mothers who have lost a child to war. There is nothing more devastating than losing your child. If you have lost one who went off to fight for our country, you have the heartfelt sympathies of an entire nation at your feet as you go to the Vietnam Memorial Wall for the special Mother's Day ceremony. This day is celebrated on Mother’s Day every year. As a mother of relatively young children, I only need to imagine losing one of my children for the panic to start welling up in my heart. Actually experiencing that loss has to be the hardest thing in the world to endure. My heart goes out to each and every one of you.

Tulip Day - Tulips are a lovely sign of spring. They come in so many different colors that you could have a rainbow of tulips in your yard if you wanted to. Amsterdam is famous for tulips, but you don’t have to live there in order to enjoy them. You can get them here in America as well so head to the nursery near you and find some tulips to plant today.

World Cocktail Day - Today is a great day to have a cocktail. It’s Saturday, so most of us don’t have to work tomorrow….although I am not encouraging you to over imbibe. Mostly because while it’s fun in the moment, it’s not so much fun the next day even if you don’t have to work. But whatever your favorite cocktail is, by all means, have one today.

Frog Jumping Day – I'm not sure where this day came from although I did find speculation that the idea originated from Mark Twain, if not the day itself. It is probably because of Mark Twain’s first successful story called “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog” which was published in 1865.  It is a day to either jump like a frog, or partake in frog jumping races.

Leprechaun Day – This is a day dedicated to these wonderful, Irish elves. See if you can find one today. If you do, don't let him go until he leads you to his pot of gold. Be careful because they are very tricky.

National Apple Pie Day – Celebrated today and on December 3rd, this is a day to revel in that delicious apple filling and that tender, flaky crust. Hmmmm, I can smell it now. It has consistently ranked at the top of the list on surveys asking people what their favorite dessert is. It is a dish that is older than the Pilgrims who colonized America so it is not really an American dish, but it has become one that is associated with all things American.

National Veal Ban Action Day - Celebrated on the 2nd Sunday of May, this day was difficult to research. I couldn’t find much about it at all but it seems pretty clear that it is a day to avoid eating veal. Veal, is of course, meat from young cows, or calves, and I don’t care for eating it myself for various reasons. But this appears to be a day for more than just avoiding this particular type of meat. I think it is more of a call to action to actively encourage everyone to avoid buying and eating veal in the effort to get industry to stop killing calves for meat. That’s not going to happen until there is no demand for the veal.

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