~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
January 26

★~ Today’s Quote:  Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. Carl Sagan

★~ Australian Day:

Our El Morno Saucy Aussie has left for Philip Island, Australia, an island with no Internet, so we are going to have to do our best to celebrate with her in spirit. Here’s the really odd thing: if you are reading El Morno at 6am CST it’s still Australia Day, but if you are reading this at 8am CST, sorry, you missed it. When Antoinette joins us for El Morno on Facebook she is calling it a day, while we are just starting ours. So for her El Morno is El Nighto. Good to know, don’t you think?

Now, about Australia day. On January 26, 1788, the 11 ships of Great Britain’s First Fleet  arrived at Port Jackson, which now contains Sydney Harbour. The First Fleet was led by Captain Arthur Philip, who established the Colony of New South Wales, the first penal colony in Australia. By 1808, January 26 was being celebrated by Australians as “First Landing Day” or “Foundation Day” with drinking and merriment. Thirty years after the arrival of the First Fleet, in 1818, the Governor of Australia ordered a 30-gun salute, hosted a dinner ball at Government House, and gave government employees a holiday. In the following years, employees of banks and other organizations were also given holidays. Over the following decades, horse racing and regattas became popular January 26 activities.

Today, Australia Day is celebrated similarly to America’s Independence Day. Aussies gather in their homes, backyards and reflect on the true meaning of Australianness. More often than not, this amounts to firing up the barby, drinking large quantities of beer, and watching Test match cricket, or else spending the entire day on the nearest beach. El Morno research has determined that, there are few things Australians hold more sacred than their Australianness… and their public holidays.

Wishing all our Australian friends a very happy Australia Day, even if it is belated.

★~ Peanut Brittle/Pistachio Day:

Brittle was one of the first types of candy ever made. Many ancient cultures that had access to molasses, honey, or sugar, produced some form of it.The first peanut brittle recipe appeared in an American cookbook, but the exact origin of the confection is uncertain. According to one account, peanut brittle was a Celtic dessert. The Celts covered peanuts in sugar and baked them, and this eventually evolved into a caramel bark.Some sources claim that today is also Pistachio Day, so here’s a Pistachio Day Brittle recipe for you to whip up (or you could just stop by your favorite candy store and save your nails).

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1784 – Ben Franklin wrote to his daughter to tell her that he was unhappy that the bald eagle had been chosen as the national bird of the United States. He mentioned that he believed the turkey would have been a much more respectable choice. In a few days, Ben received a letter from his daughter:  “Dear Dad, Sorry about the eagle thing. Perhaps flying a kite will take your mind off your disappointment!” And so Ben took his daughters advice….

♥~ 1837 –Michigan became the 26th state of t America. Named Michigan after the American Indian word, Michigama, meaning great or large lake, Michigan borders four of the Great Lakes, and is divided into two peninsulas by the Straits of Mackinac that connect Lakes Michigan and Huron. The two peninsulas are recognized in the state motto: If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you. In Latin: Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice . The state bird is the robin; the state flower: apple blossom; state tree: white pine; state fish: trout; state gem: Isle Royal Greenstone aka Chlorastrolite.

♥~ 1988 – Phantom Of Operas broadway opening. On Apr 4, 2007, it became the first Broadway show to reach 8,000 performances.

♥~ 2012 – Australia Day CockRoach Races,  Brisbane, Queensland. “The greatest gathering of thoroughbred cockroaches in the known universe.” Cockroach race enthusiasts celebrate Australia Day at the Story Bridge Hotel, where icky insects (Cocky Balboa, Lord of the Drains or other such) compete. Race includes steeplechase. Also: music, “Miss Cocky” pageant, “Best Dressed” contest and more. Why does Australia get to have all the fun!

★~Born Today:

♥~ 1880 – Douglas MacArthur U.S. Army General and Commander of Allied Forces, WWII: “I shall return.”, “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”; died Apr 5, 1964

♥~ 1925 – Paul Newman Academy Award-winning actor: The Color of Money, [1986], Cool Hand Luke, Hud, The Sting, The Hudsucker Proxy, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Verdict, Exodus; director: Rachel, Rachel, Harry and Son; race car driver; salad dressing and spaghetti sauce maker; died Sep 26, 2008

♥~ 1958 – Ellen DeGeneres Emmy Award-winning comedienne, actress: Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show [2004, 2005]; Emmy Award-winning writer: Ellen [1994]; Open House, Mr. Wrong, Finding Nemo [voice]

★~ Did You Know: Common question’s and answers about Australia (gathered unofficially by the Australians everywhere)

♥~ Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street?  Depends how much you’ve been drinking.

♥~ I want to walk from Perth to Sydney – can I follow the railroad tracks?  Sure, it’s only three thousand miles, take lots of water…

♥~ Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia?  A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not… oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.

♥~ Which direction is north in Australia? Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we’ll send the rest of the directions.

♥~ Can I bring cutlery into Australia? Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

♥~ Can you send me the Vienna Boys’ Choir schedule? Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is…oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

♥~ Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? Only at Christmas.

♥~ Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter gatherers. Milk is illegal.

♥~ Will I be able to speak English most places I go?  Yes, but you’ll have to learn it first.

*Thank you Antoinette for sharing the video…

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Did I ever mention that I saw Phantom of the Opera in London? I love saying that . . . it was fabulous dahling!

Must get high behind and post El Morno . . . bad people kept me on Facebook way to late last night, which led to my being much too tired to write El Morno last night, which meant I had to get up way to early this morning and finish it. When I am tired and cranky later today, it will be all your fault. Not really, but I hate blaming myself . . . so help me out.

Would you like to see a short video of my sleeping pups?

Ok. BYE. Have a terrific Thursday–it is Thursday right? Leave a comment and let me know…Odd Loves Company!

♥