~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
February 20, 2012

Post Updated: February 20, 2013

★~ Today’s Quote: As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. -John F. Kennedy

★~ Washington’s Birthday (Officially):

Today is officially Washington’s Birthday, but many Americans believe today is called Presidents Day, in honor of Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays.

Through the 1960s, Americans celebrated both Washington’s birthday and Lincoln’s birthday in the month of February. Then, in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved the observance of Washington’s birthday from February 22 to the third Monday in February. The original plan was to combine it with Lincoln’s birthday and rename it President’s Day, but that part of the bill never passed. Of course, it didn’t — members of Congress were too busy shopping for new mattresses.

Thank goodness for straight forward holidays . . . like Hoodie Hoo Day.

★~ Hoodie Hoo Day:

Walk outside at high noon today (whatever the time zone you live in), extend your arms above your head, wave them around rapidly while doing your favorite little dance, and shout “hoodie hoo.” If you do it right, you will help chase winter away and bring in spring.

Hoodie hoo to you!

★~ Love Your Pet Day:

I really object. There are a zillion holidays to love, adore, rescue, and cherish your precious pet. When do pet owners have their day to lounge in the sun; reclaim the middle of the bed; walk out of the house without being drooled on, shed on, or jumped on; eat the last bite of peanut butter toast or their cheese sandwich; hold a book instead of a leash; and not feel guilty when they decline a muddy, slobbered-on ball?

Pets everywhere,  let it be known that today is Love Your Owner Day. Yep, the person who just gave up half their retirement fund to save your life from the boxes of chocolate you just ate is taking the middle of bed tonight—and all the blankets! And listen up! The food in the bowl with your name on is yours, and the cheese sandwich is all mine, especially the last bite.

Well, maybe not the very last bite . . .

★~ Cherry Pie Day:

George Washington’s cherry-tree-chopping story has long been debunked by historians as nationalistic myth, but according to his biographers, our first president did love cherries, which may be why the cherry pie is associated with him.

English tradition credits Queen Elizabeth the First with having created the cherry pie dessert, but I am simply not falling for the idea that Queen Elizabeth spent a lot of time in her kitchen pitting cherries!

I do, however, have it on good authority that Charming Billy Boy’s girl could make a cherry pie as quick as a cat can wink an eye; but she had mother issues, and no one is sure if she actually ever made Billy a pie, so this could be pie in the sky.

In case you are wondering, President Lincoln’s favorite dessert was apple pie.

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1792 – President George Washington signed the Postal Service Act. Letters delivered up to 30 miles cost six cents to mail. For letters up to 150 miles, postage was 12-1/2 cents. And, just like today, letters over 150 miles were not guaranteed to be delivered at all.

♥~ 1872 – Luther Crowell received a patent for a machine for manufacturing paper bags. Patent #123,811 allowed for the bags to have two longitudinal inward folds.

♥~ 1872 – Silas Noble and J.P. Cooley of Granville, MA patented the toothpick manufacturing machine.

♥~ 1952 –The African Queen, opened at the Capitol Theatre in New York City. The film starred Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, under the direction of John Huston. Critics accused Huston of larking when he adapted the famous book to film. And he laughed all the way to the bank.

♥~ 1962 –  John Glenn, astronaut, became the first American to orbit Earth as he flew aboard the Friendship 7 Mercury capsule. “Godspeed, John Glenn. You’re cleared for orbit.”

♥~ 1989 – Tone-Loc’s Wild Thing was certified double-platinum in the U.S;  the single  sold two-million copies.

★~ Born Today:

♥~ 1925 – Robert Altman – This iconoclastic filmmaker was master of satire, ensemble casts and the long take. His long and lauded career included such classic films as M*A*S*H (1970), McCabe and Mrs Miller (1971), Nashville (1975), The Player (1992) and Gosford Park (2001). Altman received a Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 2006. Born at Kansas City, MO, Altman died Nov 20, 2006, at Los Angeles, CA.

♥~ 1927 – Sidney Poitier Academy Award-winning actor: Lilies of the Field [1963]; Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, To Sir With Love, Sneakers

♥~ 1946 – Sandy Duncan dancer, actress: Peter Pan, Pinnochio, Roots, The Hogan Family

♥~ The five children of Ralph and Carolyn Cummins of Clintwood, Va., Catherine, Carol, Charles, Claudia, and Cecilia were born Feb. 20, 1952; Feb. 20, 1953; Feb. 20, 1956; Feb. 20 1961; and Feb. 20, 1966.

♥~ 1954 Anthony Stewart Head, Actor: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”

♥~ 1966 – Cindy Crawford supermodel, actress: Fair Game, Sex with Cindy Crawford, The Simian Line

★~ Did You Know:

♥~ The presidential faces on Mount Rushmore are as high as a five-story building, about 60′ from chin to top of the head. The pupils of eyes are 4′ across and the mouths are 18′ wide. The carving took 14 years, from 1927-1941. The total cost was about $990,000. A total 450,000 tons of stone was removed. The stone heads (in order from left to right) of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln represent independence, democratic process, leadership in world affairs, and equality.

♥~ George Washington made the shortest inauguration speech on record—133 words and less than two minutes long.b

♥~ President Lincoln owned only one home during his lifetime — in Springfield, Ill.

♥~ Grace Coolidge, wife of President Calvin Coolidge, could often be found keeping a perfect scorecard while watching baseball games in the presidential box.

♥~ In 1915, Woodrow Wilson became the first President to attend the World Series, where he and his fiancé, Edith Gault, made their first public appearance since announcing their engagement. The President insisted on paying for his own tickets.

♥~ Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) is the only U.S. president who was also a licensed bartender. He was co-owner of Berry and Lincoln, a saloon in Springfield, Illinois

♥~ Andrew Johnson is the only tailor ever to be president. As president, he would typically stop by a tailor shop to say hello. He would wear only the suits that he made himself

♥~ Every member of Teddy Roosevelt’s family owned a pair of stilts, including the first lady

♥~ Thomas Jefferson was convinced that if he soaked his feet in a bucket of cold water every day, he’d never get a cold.

♥~ Calvin Coolidge liked to have his head rubbed with petroleum jelly while eating his breakfast in bed.

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Today, my Dearly Departed Joe would have turned 55 years old. He was not that good; he should have lived a whole lot longer.  I will play one of Joe’s favorite songs and will bet he plays it for me again later today…more than likely while I’m out looking at cars for Cole. It is not “our” song it is his song 🙂

I wrote about our music here: Music Sounds of Sorrow. What music stirs your soul?

Have a Merry Monday!  If you have a morno moment leave a comment  Odd Loves Company!

♥