~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
July 27, 2012

★~ Today’s Quote: I Didn’t Set Out to Beat the World; I Just Set Out to Do My Absolute Best.”  – Al Oerter

★~ Olympic Games Opening Ceremony:

Tonight is the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games! The first Olympic Games took place in Ancient Greece in 776 BC. Historians believe there was just one event—a short sprint called the “stadion.” The modern-day Olympic Games began in 1896. Today, over 10,000 athletes from over 200 countries compete for a coveted gold medal. We need an Olympics! To celebrate lets weave together the strongest safety net of all…our prayers, love, and pride.

★~ Walk on Stilts Day:

A day to walk on stilts, providing a chance to develop self-confidence through mastery of balance and coordination. A chance to enjoy the challenge of childhood no matter your age. A change to fall and break your neck! Just kidding.

Walk On Stilts Day encourages you to buy a set of stilts (if you don’t already own one) and learn to  walk , spin and dance atop them. But watch out for potholes!

★~ Crème Brûlée Day:

Get your spoon ready for some crack-a-lackin’ -Although the English referred to this sweet little ramekin full of love as “burnt cream,” the name crème brûlée just sounds so much better, no?

The origins of this dish are a bit hazy, but the name first appeared in Francois Massialot’s cookbook in 1691. “Trinity Cream” or Cambridge Burnt Cream became a traditional dessert at Trinity College in Cambridge during 1879 when a version of crème brûlée was served with the college arms branded into the cream top. Now that’s some serious college pride.

The five-ingredient French delicacy, rich vanilla custard is topped with a hard “burnt sugar” top. If you decide to make crème brûlée be mindful with that torch – you don’t want to be the one that ends up crispy. Crème BrûléeRecipe

★~ Scotch Day:

Today is good news for Scotch Drinkers. The first written record of Scotch whisky originates from around the time Columbus sailed to the Americas. But the distilled spirit of Celtic origin probably evolved from earlier, more primitive efforts at producing grain alcohol. Celebrate Scotch day by enjoying a taste of Scotch and see for yourself why Scotland’s is so proud of what some say call their greatest export!

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1940 – Bugs Bunny debuted in the movie cartoon A Wild Hare. Artist Bob Clampett created Bugs after seeing actor Clark Gable munching a carrot in the movie It Happened One Night

♥~ 1950 – During a match in Chicago, IL, professional wrestler Gorgeous George completely missed a flying tackle on Lou Thesem. George took off like a rocket, flew right out of the ring and landed on top of a newspaper reporter’s typewriter.

♥~ 1974 – John Denver’s biggest hit song reached the top of the Billboard singles chart. Annie’s Song, written for his wife, became the most popular song in the U.S

♥~ 1976 – After a four-year legal fight, John Lennon was awarded his Green card, allowing him permanent residence in the US.

★~ Born Today:

♥~ 1880 – Joe Tinker Baseball Hall of Famer: Chicago Cubs shortstop; playing manager: Cincinnati & Chicago; famous for Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance double-play combination; died Jul 27, 1948

♥~ 1922 – Norman Lear Emmy Award-winning producer: All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, Sanford & Son, Powers that Be, The Nancy Walker Show, The Jeffersons, Hot L Baltimore, Fernwood 2-Night

♥~ 1944 – Bobbie Gentry, Grammy Award-winning singer [1967]: Ode to Billy Joe, All I Have to Do is Dream [w/Glen Campbell], I’ll Never Fall in Love Again

♥~ 1948- Peggy Fleming Olympic Hall of Famer: gold medalist: figure skater [1968]; Ice Follies, Holiday on Ice, ABC sports commentator; International Women’s Sports Hall of Famer

♥ ~ 1948- Betty Thomas Emmy Award-winning director: For Peter’s Sake [1992-1993], Dream On [1992-1993], actress: Hill Street Blues [1984-1985]; The Seventh Sign, When Your Lover Leaves, Troop Beverly Hills

♥~ 1972 – Maya Rudolph actress: Saturday Night Live, City of Angels, Chuck & Buck, Duets; daughter of singer Minnie Riperton

★~ Did You Know:

♥~ The 2012 Olympic Games in London will be the first Olympic games where every competing country will field at least one female athlete. Since the inclusion of women’s boxing as an Olympic event, it will be the first Olympics where each sport will have both male and female competitors. — The Associated Press

♥~ The United States has won more medals (2,189) at the Summer Games than any other country.

♥~ The five Olympic rings represent the five major regions of the world – Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceana, and every national flag in the world includes one of the five colors, which are (from left to right) blue, yellow, black, green, and red.

♥~ The first Olympics covered by U.S. television was the 1960 Summer Games in Rome by CBS.

♥~ A record 202 countries participated in the 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens.

♥~ Only four athletes have ever won medals at both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games: Eddie Eagan (United States), Jacob Tullin Thams (Norway), Christa Luding-Rothenburger (East Germany), and Clara Hughes (Canada).

♥~ Speed skater Bonnie Blair has won six medals at the Olympic Winter Games. That’s more than any other American athlete.

♥~ Larrisa Latynina, a gymnast from the former Soviet Union, finished her Summer Olympic Games career with 18 total medals—the most in history.

♥~ The planing and construction of the London Olympics took seven years and came with a price tag of $14 billion. 16,000 athletes from 204 countries traveled to London to compete and 11 million visitors came to share the thrill of victory and despair of defeat with them

♥~ Six Minutes in Berlin: In 1936, nine American rowers took on the Nazis in front of Hitler and 75,000 screaming Germans. The story of the greatest Olympic race you’ve never heard of. . .

♥~ The insane junk-food diets of high-endurance Olympians 

♥~ From Horse Cartilage To Waterproof Mascara, Olympian Beauty Tricks Revealed!

♥~  Ten 2012 Olympians to Keep Your Eyes On 

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Cousin Carla leaves today and I am only consoled by the fact that I’m really looking forward to watching the Olympics. What is your favorite event or events?

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