~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
August 26, 2011

★~ Quote: A dog is not “almost human” and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such.  ~John Holmes

★~ National Dog Day:

More people in the US have dogs for pets than any other animal. Why? I have no idea. They are expensive to own, jump on you, leave hair everywhere, stand in front of the television, knock down small children and old ladies, will never contribute a dime to the household budget, and steal the last bagel from the counter. Of course, it might be because they are also the most loving and loyal companions you will ever know, love you unconditionally,  jump for joy when they see you, never have a bad day, cheer the elderly, talk care of the young, guide the blind, find the lost, and your safety is truly their number one priority. The National Dog Day Foundation supports all breeds and varieties of dogs, and discourages purchases from unethical backyard breeders and puppy mills; instead, they encourage you to support reputable breeders or adopt from rescue homes.

Go ahead and give your pup the first bite off your plate or share half a bagel . . . it was more than likely the cat that stole the last one anyway, and the dog, as usual, took the blame without complaint.

I’m going to make pupscicles in honor of Dog Day! Because today is also Cherry Popsicle Day.

★~ National Toilet Paper Day:

Isn’t every day toilet paper day? That seems accurate in the U.S. where the average consumer uses more than 20,805 sheets annually, according to Earth411. The first documented use of toilet paper can be traced to the 6th century, in early medieval China, according to the Shanghai News and Press Bureau. Paper is one of China’s greatest inventions, and the Chinese had been using paper as wrapping and padding material in China since the 2nd century BC.

The first time toilet paper sold on a roll was on Aug. 26, 1871, according to Dickinson College. Charmin is celebrating National Toilet Paper Day by giving away coupons on Aug. 26 through its Facebook page.

★~ Cherry Popsicle Day:

From amusement parks and zoos to the family freezer, cherry reigns supreme as everyone’s favorite popsicle flavor. National Cherry Popsicle Day celebrates a sweet treat that is not too fattening or very expensive. And in August, they can be pretty darn refreshing as well!

Unwrap a cherry popsicles and take it outside to a patio chair or the warm front steps. I bet that as you lick your popsicle, all kinds of summer memories will come floating back to you . . . popsicles are magical that way . . .

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1498 – The master artist, Michelangelo, was commissioned to make the Pieta. Originally intended as a monument for his tomb, Michelangelo’s Florentine Pieta has interested historians for centuries because the four-figure sculpture does not feature the perfect proportions that are the hallmark of Michelangelo’s work.

♥~ 1970 – Jimi Hendrix opened his recording studio in New York City. Because of its state-of-the-art 36-track recording capability, it attracted many top rock groups.

♥~ 1973- The University of Texas at Arlington became the first accredited school to offer studies in belly dancing.

♥~ 1991 – A Gallup Poll revealed that ice-cream lovers take more baths and are less likely to be nervous than people who seldom eat ice cream.

★~ Born Today:

♥~ 1946 – Valerie Simpson songwriter [w/husband Nick Ashford]: Ashford & Simpson: Never Had It So Good, One Step at a Time, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, You’re All I Need to Get By, Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand, Remember Me

♥~ 1952 – Michael Jeter Emmy Award-winning actor: Evening Shade [1992]; Hot House, The Boys Next Door, Waterworld, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Gypsy, The Fisher King, Miller’s Crossing,The Green Mile; died Mar 30, 2003

♥~ 1970 –  Melissa McCarthy  actress: Mike & Molly, Bridesmaids, Life As We Know It, The Back-up Plan, Pretty Ugly People, The Nines, Chicken Party

♥~ 1980 – Macaulay Culkin actor: Home Alone series, Getting Even with Dad, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, The Good Son, My Girl, Uncle Buck, Only the Lonely, The Pagemaster, Richie Rich

★~ Did You Know: 

♥~  The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world; France has the 2nd highest.

♥~ The largest breed of dog is the Irish Wolfhound The world’s smallest dog breed is the Chihuahua

♥~ Dogs have no sense of “time”.

♥~ Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic – a Newfoundland, a Pomeranian, and a Pekingese

♥~ Basset Hounds cannot swim. (I am not sure this is true–but it’s a reasonable assumption)

♥~ If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could produce over 66,000 dogs in 6 years!

♥~ The oldest known breed is likely the Saluki – originally trained by Egyptians to help them track game.

♥~ All dogs are identical in anatomy – 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth

♥~ Dog’s nose prints are as unique as a human’s fingerprints and can be used to accurately identify them.

♥~ George Washington had thirty-six dogs – all foxhounds – with one-named Sweet lips

★~  Today’s Tail Wagger:  

Little Harold was practicing the violin in the living room while his father was trying to read in the den. The family dog was lying in the den, and as the screeching sounds of little Harold’s violin reached his ears, he began to howl loudly.

The father listened to the dog and the violin as long as he could. Then he jumped up, slammed his paper to the floor and yelled above the noise, “For Pete’s sake, can’t you play something the dog doesn’t know?!”

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One of my earliest memories is sitting on the front steps of a house my parents rented in Roswell New Mexico with several of my dolls, sharing a cherry popsicle. My mom came out wearing Bermuda shorts with her hair in curlers to join us with her popsicle. She tried to keep the popsicle juice off my shirt, but without much luck. I think it was at that moment I realized one of the best things about my mom was she was never sticky.

It’s TGIF today! Many of you have survived your first week of the new school year. Congratulations! Cole doesn’t start back until after Labor Day, but our summer is definitely winding down.  We are doing our best to drain the last few drops of summer fun out of each day.

♥
Kb