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For homework Moo was asked to write about a hero in her life. One might have expected her to write about Monet, Beethoven, or Lenny Pepperbottom. She chose a closer muse, and here is what she wrote:
“My sister, Annie, is a hero to me and I want to tell everyone about her. Annie goes to my school and is in second grade. She is a little bit shorter than me but almost my height. She has blonde hair like mine. She sometimes cheers me up when I’m sad.
“Annie is also different from other people. In 2011, she found out she had Narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is when you sleep a lot, but she takes medicine to keep her awake. Now she stays awake and is so happy
“Before we go to bed, she gives me a hug and a kiss and then says goodnight. Sometimes she gets mad at me or gets tired, but she’s still my sister. When I see her I don’t see her as batman, superman, or any other hero though. I see Annie, my special hero.”
…in 1877, Rutherford B. Hayes was declared the winner of the 1876 Presidential election by Congress, despite losing the popular vote. He was inaugarated two days later
…in 1904, Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Suess, as born
…in 1917, Desi Arnaz was born
…in 1939, Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli was elected Pope, and took the name Pius XII. It was his 63rd birthday.
…in 1969, the Concorde made its first test flight
…50 years ago, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game against the New York Knicks, in Hershey, PA
and 5 years ago, my godson Andrew was born. I will be doing my Marlon Brando impersonation all day. Happy Birthday Big Guy!
Tomorrow morning will be the debut of two of our new contributors….
Stay tuned
Tonight as you sit in your warm houses, sipping brandy or cough medicine or herbal tea, think of me. I will be outside, in the dark, finishing the festive exterior illumination of Casa de Chaos. My trusty thermos may or may not contain Glenmorangie 17-year sherry-cask single malt. Please do not honk as you drive by.
I can’t believe I missed this one in today’s post, but on this day in 1971…
…Brian’s Song aired on ABC
I will let certain readers inform the masses as to the significance of this event.
On this day…
…in 1782, the first draft of the Treaty of Paris was signed by the UK and US (it was finalized in 1783, formally ending the Revolutionary War)
…in 1864, General John Bell Hood (CSA) led a dramatic charge at the Battle of Franklin, losing 6 of his generals (and the battle) in the process
… in 1934, the Flying Scotsman, a locomotive powered by steam, surpasses 100mph
…in 1940, Lucille Ball married Desi Arnaz
…in 2004, Ken Jennings lost a Jeopardy match after a 74 consecutive wins and $2.5 million in winnings
…every year, the people of Scotland celebrate St. Andrew’s Day. St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and on this day the Saltire (the blue flag with the white St. Andrew’s cross) flies on all flagpoles in Scotland (instead of the Union Jack). They also drink Scotch and eat haggis, though alone would not distinguish from other days.
To my nephew Andrew, happy feast day. I will toast you with a glass of Drambuie this evening.
Today the Boy was elected by a majority of his school’s 7th grade to be the class representative for student government.
That’s not the cool part…
The catch is, that he didn’t run…His peers “wrote him in”
…in 1977, “Son of Sam” was captured in New York City, after killing 6 people
…in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution was chartered, allowing future generations the opportunity to freely visit the same museum five times in a 72-hour period
…in 1821, Missouri became the 24th state of the Union
…in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read to the people of London
…in 1793, the Louvre opened
and in 1973, my parents married. And it is a marriage that by its example demonstrates the very essence of the word. My sister said it more beautifully than I could. And then so did another sister. Congrats Mom and Dad, and thank you.
"Our winning streak can drive now."
- The Boy after his lacrosse team won their 16th straight game, en route to another tournament championship this weekend.
As you may have heard from other sources, the Boy and I shared some quality time last weekend in the Annapolis, MD area. His lacrosse all-star team played in a tournament, and fared well given the higher level of competition in that area. It also afforded me the opportunity to see my sister and her family, and some friends from college.
The tournament occurred on Saturday and Sunday, but our travel plans meant the Boy and I landed at Reagan National Airport Friday morning. With some free time on our hands, we decided to drive into the capital and see a few of our favorites from last year’s trip (and some spots we missed as well). You can guess at least one museum that we visited.
At one point in the day, as we walked down the Mall, my stomach rumbled and I said “Now would be a great time for a big sandwich.”
The Boy quickly replied, “Any time is a great time for a big sandwich. After you have a big sandwich, it’s a great time to have a big sandwich.”
The more things change…
Editor’s Note: This entry is like Chinese food. Sure, you are happy you ate it, you hadn’t had any in a while…but in an hour you will be hungry and angry you did not have a steak. The author acknowledges this and pledges to write more once someone invents the 27-hour day.
