★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
February 12,2013

★~ Today’s Quote: “People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln.

 

★~  Fat Tuesday, Shove Tuesday:  The last day of the Mardi Gras—a period of raucous merry-making in the weeks leading up to Lent.

“To encapsulate the notion of Mardi Gras as nothing more than a big drunk is to take the simple and stupid way out, and I, for one, am getting tired of staying stuck on simple and stupid Mardi Gras is not a parade. Mardi Gras is not girls flashing on French Quarter balconies. Mardi Gras is not an alcoholic binge.

Mardi Gras is bars and restaurants changing out all the CD’s in their jukeboxes to Professor Longhair and the Neville Brothers, and it is annual front-porch crawfish boils hours before the parades so your stomach and attitude reach a state of grace, and it is returning to the same street corner, year after year, and standing next to the same people, year after year–people whose names you may or may not even know but you’ve watched their kids grow up in this public tableau and when they’re not there, you wonder: Where are those guys this year?

It is dressing your dog in a stupid costume and cheering when the marching bands go crazy and clapping and saluting the military bands when they crisply snap to. Now that part, more than ever.

It’s mad piano professors converging on our city from all over the world and banging the 88’s until dawn and laughing at the hairy-shouldered men in dresses too tight and stalking the Indians under Claiborne overpass and thrilling the years you find them and lamenting the years you don’t and promising yourself you will next year.

It’s wearing frightful color combination in public and rolling your eyes at the guy in your office who–like clockwork, year after year–denies that he got the baby in the king cake and now someone else has to pony up the ten bucks for the next one.

Mardi Gras is the love of life. It is the harmonic convergence of our food, our music, our creativity, our eccentricity, our neighborhoods, and our joy of living. All at once.” – Chris Rose, 1 Dead in Attic

Joie de vivre!

★~ Plum Pudding Day:

Just to be clear: Plum Pudding does not have plums, it’s not pudding and it is usually eaten around Christmas. Way, way back in the 17th century they called plums raisins. During the Puritan reign in England, plum pudding was outlawed because it was considered “sinfully rich?”  In England, it is tradition to gather all the members of the household together to hold onto the wooden spoon and stir the pudding. As they stir together, they each add a wish to the batter. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law made plum pudding over the holidays and it was so good. I wonder what wishes they added to the batter? They may have wished they had never started the project! Making Plum Pudding is not for the faint of heart! Plum Pudding recipe.

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1870 – It was a new world for women in one U.S. territory: The Utah Territory gave women the vote; Women wouldn’t be granted that right nationwide for another 50 years.

♥~ 1909 –  Abraham Lincoln’s penny was inaugurated with several firsts. It was the first U.S. coin to include the words “In God We Trust,” and the first to include a portrait. “A strong feeling had prevailed against using portraits on our coins,” said a Treasury Department fact sheet, “but public sentiment stemming from the 100th anniversary celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birth proved stronger than the long-standing prejudice.”

♥~ 1973 – The State of Ohio went metric, becoming the first in the U.S. to post metric distance signs along Interstate 71. These new signs showed the distance in both miles and kilometers. (what can I say-slow news day…)

♥~ 1994 – Celine Dion’s The Power of Love was the #1 single in the U.S. for four weeks

♥~ 2008 – Speedo introduced its new LZR Racer swimsuit. By June 2008, 38 of 42 world swimming records were broken by swimmers wearing the suit.

★~ Trending right now:

♥~ New York’s Hotel Pennsylvania Goes to the (Westminster) Dogs

♥~ Pope’s sudden resignation sends shockwaves through Church

★~Born Today:

♥~ 1809 – Abraham Lincoln:  Known for leading the country through the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. His eloquence is evident in many speeches including his most famous one, the Gettysburg Address. His second inaugural address, which includes the phrase, “With malice toward none; with charity for all…” is inscribed on one wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Click for  more about honest Abe

♥~ 1950 – Steve Hackett songwriter, musician: guitarist: group: Genesis: Invisible Touch, Turn It on Again, Land of Confusion, Hold on My Heart, Tonight, Tonight, Tonight,In Too Deep, That’s All

♥~1955 –  Arsenio Hall Emmy Award-winning TV talk-show host: Emmy Award-winning TV talk-show host:

♥~1980 – Christina Ricci actress: The White Rose, Monster, Anything Else, The Gathering, Pumpkin, The Laramie Project, All Over the Guy, Grey’s Anatomy

★~ Did You Know:

While watching the first night of the Westminster Dog Show (last night) I researched a few facts. Tonight will be the second night and Best In Show ( USA Network Tuesday, 8 – 11 p.m. EST).

The 2013 Westminster total number of entries: 2,721 dogs, is the largest number of entries in 15 years, representing 187 breeds and varieties eligible. Here are a few more Westminster facts.

♥~ There have been a total of 303,756 dogs entered in Westminster’s 136 shows through 2012.

♥~ Westminster pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the automobile, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington Monument, the invention of basketball and the establishment of the World Series.

♥~ Since Westminster held its first show 133 years ago, there have been 25 men elected president and 12 states have joined the Union.

♥~ The Empire State Building first honored Westminster by lighting its tower in the Westminster colors of purple and gold in 2004 and will do so again in 2013.

♥~ Oldest and youngest winners: Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee, a Sussex Spaniel, became the oldest dog to capture Best In Show at 10 years, 2 months and 9 days of age in 2009. The youngest winner was the Rough Collie, Laund Loyalty of Bellhaven, who captured the award in 1929 at the age of exactly nine months.

♥~ Dog breeds with the most wins:
Thirteen wins: Wire Fox Terrier
Eight: Scottish Terrier
Six: English Springer Spaniel
Four each: Airdale Terrier, American Cocker Spaniel, Boxer, Doberman Pinscher, Smooth Fox Terrier, Standard Poodle, Sealyham Terrier, Pekingese
Three each: Miniature Poodle and Pointer
Two each: Afghan Hound, Bulldog, Bull Terrier, German Shorthaired Pointer, Lakeland Terrier, Newfoundland, Norwich Terrier, Old English Sheepdog, Toy Poodle, West Highland White Terrier
One win each: Beagle, Bedlington Terrier, Bichon Frise, Clumber Spaniel, English Setter, German Shepherd Dog, Irish Water Spaniel, Kerry Blue Terrier, Papillon, Pomeranian, Pug, Rough Collie, Scottish Deerhound, Siberian Husky, Skye Terrier, Standard Schnauzer, Sussex Spaniel, Welsh Terrier, Whippet, Yorkshire Terrier

★~ Many of the competitors at Westminster hold obedience titles and work as certified therapy dogs. Every dog has a story; here are a few of the more extraordinary tails… whoops, tales.

♥~ Juliettee or Julu (Bernese Mountain Dog), is among the therapy dogs who worked with the children of Newtown, Conn., following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in December. Juju lives just five minutes from Newtown, and every day for a month including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, she provided hands-on therapy for the children and parents alike either at a school during the day or therapy center at night.

♥~ Rosita (Xoloitzcuintli), owned by Anna-Maria Barfoot, Debbie and John Caponetto, of San Antonio, Texas, visits with children suffering one of the side effects of cancer, losing their hair. Rosita, who like most Xolos is hairless herself, teaches the kids they don’t need hair to be beautiful and a grand champion.

♥~ Joey (CH AWD Island Joy Ride, American Eskimo Dog #5), originally retired from the show ring after becoming a champion in 2008. In 2011, he was diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma and not expected to survive. Through treatment, prayers, lots of love, excellent nutrition and consistent exercise, he is strong and healthy again. His veterinarian calls him “the miracle dog.” The owners are bringing cancer survivor Joey out of retirement for one last trip around the ring in celebration.

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I’m not sure why the Food of The Day isn’t Pancakes. Everyone knows you eat pancakes on Shove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday). Pancakes have  fat, butter and eggs which are forbidden during Lent. Not that I really participate in Lent but I would show my support by having pancakes with plenty of butter and maple syrup.  I’m a good Catholic that way!  Speaking of Catholic and Lent….Do you think there is any chance they will choose a women Pope this time? 

Oops! Almost forgot to mention that today is Pacski Day! My Polish neighbors have delivered three Pacskis to my doorstep every Fat Tuesday for the last fifteen years before the break of dawn.  I’m not sure if they are tired of the tradition but we love it. Happy Pacski Day!

Odd Loves Company! 

Joie de vivre!

♥