WHAT'S NEXT?

 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH. 2021

               WHAT'S NEXT?

   Today's blog is primarily directed
and dedicated to those of you who still
have a Christmas tree (or at least some
Christmas decorations) adorning your
home. It's OK to take them down now!
    On the Julian calendar February 15th
is Candlemas Day, the last holiday of the
Christmas season! No wonder it suddenly
got so cold around here!
     Candlemas is the festival, of the Feast
of Purification of the Virgin Mary. It also
celebrates the annual blessing of candles
used by the church.
      I'm always encouraging people to
celebrate Christmas as long as they
possibly can. I never knew there was an
"official reason" to do it.
      So break out the eggnog and the
Fruit cake for one last toast to Christmas!
The Fruit cake should still be as good as
the day you got it. You might want to
check the eggnog though!
       And don't pack everything too deep
in the attic or basement. After all there are
only 314 days left till Christmas!
 Hope all your NEWS is good!

HEARTS AND FLOWERS!

   SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14th, 2021

         HEARTS AND FLOWERS!

  It's February 14th! It's Valentine's Day/

A day when we present our loved one with

candy or flowers or, perhaps, both. The day

brings back many memories for me, from \

my grade school days. I remember filling

out names on those paper valentines for

everyone in my class then passing then

around. I, in turn, ened up with valentines

from everyone in the class. Then there were

those tiny candy hearts with the inscriptions.

"Be my love ." You are my Valentine.:"I

always wondered how they got all those

words on those small candy hearts? Well

have your valentines ready but be sure

your're giving them to the right recipient!

Saint Valentine, for whom the day was named,

was doing his best to get Roman men to marry

their sweethearts at a time the Emperor wanted

them to enlist in the army. Valentine lost his

head, not his heart, because of his romantic

ideals/ Just so you know! Hope you're well

and that all your NEWS is good.

TURN YOUR RADIO ON!

    SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13th, 2021

           TURN YOUR RADIO ON!

   This is World Radio Day! So proclaimed by

the United Nations in 2011. It recognizes the

ability of radio to reach people all over the

world, even in places unreachable by other

media. I started my long broadcasting career in

radio in 1959. But back then radio was very local.

The first station I worked for broadcast the local

mine working schedules and even area birth

announcements. The DJ's were all local talking

around local events and local people. These

days most DJ's come into your home via

satellite broadcasting from a studio somewhere

far away. I have found one station that's not

only local but pretty darn dependable/ It's the

Weather radio station that gives me the forecast

25/7/ Glad there's still one "local" station left

on my dial! Hope you tune in from time to time

and that all your NEWS is good!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO WHO?

   FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH, 2021

     HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO WHO?

  It's Friday, February 12th. Honest, it's Abe's

birthday! That is to say this is the actual birthday

of Abe Lincoln, the President who saw us through

the Civil War! You probably think you'll be

celebrating Abe's birthday this coming Monday on

what you're probably calling President's Day. But

that's not true. Monday ia George Washington's

birthday, Except it isn't. Allow me to explain.

Lincoln's birthday is today. Washington's birthday

is on February 22nd. Some time agio the Federal

government adopted the Uniform Monday Holiday

Act. A number of holidays were moved from their

original dates to designated Mondays so federal workers

could get extended weekends. One of them was

Washington's birthday. When it was moved some

elected officials wanted to rename it President's 

Day. But they LOST!  This coming Monday is,

officially, Washington's birthday! Even though it 

isn't! Seems Washington kept his birthday but 

lost his birth date. Lincoln, on the other hand,

doesn't have his birthday recognized! Nor do any

of the other Presidents since there is no official

President's day. Hey! Congress was involved. 

What do you expect? Well, whatever you're

celebrating, have a great day. Hope all your

NEWS is good.  

WHAT'S YOUR IDEA?

   THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11th, 2021

          WHAT'S YOUR IDEA?

  It's February 11th, National Inventor's

Day! It's an official holiday but you don't

get it off/ President Reagan proclaimed

the day in 1983. It always falls on February

11th which just happens to be the birthday

of Thomas Edison! I've heard it said he came

up with a couple inventions of his own! I've

had some brilliant ideas for inventions over

the years. Problem is I never wrote any of them

down and can't remember any of them just

now. My 5 year old grandson tells me he's

going to invent a Time machine. He wants to

go back to 1912 to warn Captain Smith about

the iceberg so the Titanic won't sink. I told him

Captain Smith wouldn't believe him but my

grandson told me he'll take a book about the ship

with him as proof! I never thought of that!

Anyhow if you've got some creative ideas

National Inventors Day is the perfect time

to write them out and get your patent! Good

luck! Hope your invention succeeds.that you're

well, and that all your NEWS is good!   

 

A BIG COVER UP!

    WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10th, 2021

                    A BIG COVER UP!

     I won't keep you in the shade on this. It's

"National Umbrella Day." It feels just a little

strange. It's snowing here as I write this and I

don't see anyone walking around with an

umbrella even though snow is, basically, just

frozen rain. Anyway, umbrellas are thought to

be one of the most important inventions of all

time. They keep us dry during rainstorms, or

other forms of precipitation, and safe from

the strong rays of the sun when it's all bright

outside. So treasure your umbrella. But remember,

don't open it in the house! That superstition stems

from the Egyptians. (I didn't even realize that had

umbrellas!) They believed opening an umbrella

inside was an insult to the sun god who would then

rain ban fortune upon your household! So keep it

closed till you're outside....just in case!  Hope

you're well and that all your NEWS is good!

 

PASS THE PIZZA!

 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9th, 2021

             PASS THE PIZZA!

  

         Welcome to February 9th. "National
Pizza Day!" Shouldn't this fall on a Friday?
        Pizza is actually a favorite dish of people
around the world. Although it could be
argued that it's consumed most by people
here in the United States. The average
 American consumes over 23 pounds
of pizza each year! I'm probably half way
there in 2018 already!
       If you live in Northeastern Pennsylvania
you'll likely find a pizza place every couple
blocks in most every main street shopping
area. Indeed the community of Old Forge
lays claim to being the Pizza Capitol of the
world! Several establishments there even
send their "half baked" pizzas around the
country where customers finish the
baking process and enjoy their meal.
       My brother-in-law recently packed one
in a suitcase he bought at Goodwill and
checked it in his baggage for his flight
back to California. He ate it that same
evening!
        While most everyone likes pizza the
debate that frequently develops when it's
ordered involves the toppings that are to
be added.  
          I'm a pepperoni guy which puts me
in the most popular group. 36% of people
favor pepperoni. My wife is in the
"mushroom group."   
          In a sense the Pizza season, just
peaked. More pizzas are sold on Super
Bowl Sunday than on any other day of the
year.
         It's pretty clear how to celebrate this
unofficial holiday. Have a pizza...with or
without pepperoni. Hope you enjoy the
day and your pizza and that all your NEWS
is good!  PIZZA TIME!