18 June - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Flower of the Month

Rose

Gemstone of the Month: Pearl

First of all Nomanda would like to thank all our new readers! We have been getting more and more of you every day and we really appreciate you! If you are enjoying Nomanda’s blog please pass it on to your friends. And if you would like to make a comment or get your own special mention on your own special day just send us the details through the comments section and we’ll make sure we don’t forget you!

Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!

It was on this day in 1815 that the great French leader, Napoleon, was to meet his Waterloo. In fact he met Wellington and a just in time superior force, with the allies being strengthened by the Prussians who arrived at the last minute. Don’t you just hate it when that happens! The site of the battle, just outside of Brussels, has an interesting museum with light and sound effects of the battle. Also, for battle weary tourists, there is a nice choice of cafes and restaurants all serving great Belgium food as well as an amazing range of Belgium beers! Nomanda’s been there, done that!



Sticking his large French nose out of his luxury accommodation in London was another great leader of the French, General de Gaulle. He’d scarpered from France a few days earlier and on this day in 1940 he broadcast his motivating message on the BBC encouraging his countrymen to defy the Nazi occupiers! Winston Churchill was not a fan of de Gaulle and neither is Nomanda!



It was a happy day for cattle everywhere on this day in 1981 when a vaccine to prevent foot and mouth disease was announced. Nomanda has been known to get his foot stuck in his mouth on occasions and no matter how much of this stuff I take it just doesn’t do it for me!




Something else that doesn’t do it for Nomanda is Gay this that and the Other! However in a poor attempt to be politically correct join me in celebrating the opening of the Gay Games on this day in New York in 1994. Apparently these games are held every 4 years just like the real thing; only more time is spent tying up shoelaces than any proper athletic activity. The organisers advise me that you don’t have to be gay to compete but I suppose you have to be open to giving it a try! Actually the more I think about it the more I might give it a go. There can be few better incentives to breaking records than being at the front of a race knowing there are a bunch of shirt lifters chasing up behind, if you forgive the expression! I’m through the tape, still running and breathless thinking about it! Just send the medal on to my home address, please!



First up for birthday honours today is Delia Smith (1941). From a modest start in life she has become a household word and has sold over 18 million copies of her famous cookbooks. The “Delia Effect” has made her a favourite of hardware stores everywhere when they sold out of stuff they’d had on the shelves for years the day after Delia used them! However she has found a place in Nomanda’s heart for her motivating half time speech to the fans of Norwich City Football Club in 2005.
"A message for the best football supporters in the world: we need a 12th man here. Where are you? Where are you? Let's be having you! Come on!" Sadly it didn’t work and they lost to Manchester City! Obviously the Queen is a Norwich City supporter as she awarded the indomitable Delia a CBE in her birthday honours list a couple of days ago.



Sometimes people can be very unkind as I discovered when I was researching the next birthday boy, Paul McCartney, who was born on this day in 1942. The one line tribute described Sir Paul as “writes silly love songs.” Well that is just not true as not all of his songs are love songs! We love you really, Paul! I know he’s past his 64th but it would be nice to hear it!



Another lady musician, Alison Moyet, will be celebrating her birthday today (1961) and we’d love a song from you too, please!





Our final birthday wishes go to Darren “Dizzy” Reed (1963) the keyboardist from Guns 'n' Roses. How about a listen to “Sweet Child o' Mine”.





Happy Special Day to one and all!!



If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!

1 June - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Gemstone of the Month

Pearl

Flower of the Month: Rose

First of all Nomanda would like to thank all our new readers! We have been getting more and more of you every day and we really appreciate you! If you are enjoying Nomanda’s blog please pass it on to your friends. And if you would like to make a comment or get your own special mention on your own special day just send us the details through the comments section and we’ll make sure we don’t forget you!

Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!

Flying achievements are always of interest to Nomanda and today there is a very special case worthy of mention. It was on this day in 1845 that a homing pigeon completed the fantastic trip of 11,000 kms from Namibia to London. It took this intrepid bird just 55 days to complete the trip. I just hope he got a decent meal when he got home! Pigeons were often used to carry messages in the days before snail mail, telephones and the internet, and apparently these particular special pigeons always return to their nest and life long partner. Nice birds!

Everyone with eyes sensitive to bright light will be happy to celebrate today as it was on this day in 1947 that photosensitive glass was first developed. I love those adverts where people emerge from a dark building into bright sunlight, and before you can say boo to a homing pigeon their eyes go black! Well at least their glasses do! Brilliant, or not, depending on what glasses you’re wearing!

Lovers of all things French and long noses will be pleased to celebrate this day as it was on 1st June 1958 that

Charles de Gaulle was elected as president of France. Nomanda wants to call him “King Konk”!

The Beatles were in great voice over the next few years on this day. In 1967 they released their “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in the US and it went gold. And a few years later in 1973 George Harrison’s “Living in the Material World” also went gold! Great songs!

June 1st seems to have been a very popular birthday for celebrities. The following make the cut for particular tribute today. First up for honours must be the poet laureate

John Masefield (1878 – 1967) who’s opening lines from his poem “Sea Fever” must be known by schoolchildren throughout the world. Don’t know them? Well here they are:

“I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,”

Nomanda’s brother has a touch of sea fever and has just returned in his 90 year old boat from a trip to France made more exciting by the two times failure of one of the boats engines! Chug, chug, cough, cough!

Relying on the sky and flying in it at great speeds was our next celebrity, Frank Whittle (1907 – 1966) the inventor of the jet engine. It’s flying, Frank, but not as we know it!

Next up is the famous band leader of the ‘50’s, Nelson Riddle (1921 – 1985), accompanying such talents as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Nat King Cole to name just a few.

Our next celebrity is the beautiful and tragic Marilyn Monroe (1926 – 1962). Her performances on screen made her an idol of film fans during the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. Her tragic death shocked the world at the time.

Final birthday honours today go to Gerald Scarfe (1936) the talented cartoonist who served his time at “Punch” and “Private Eye” in the early ‘60’s. He was a regular political cartoonist for the “Sunday Times” for many years. Great stuff!




Happy Special Day to one and all!



If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!

8 March - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Flower of the Month

Daffodil

Gemstone of the Month: Bloodstone

First of all Nomanda would like to thank all our new readers! We have been getting more and more of you every day and we really appreciate you! If you are enjoying Nomanda’s blog please pass it on to your friends. And if you would like to make a comment or get your own special mention on your own special day just send us the details through the comments section and we’ll make sure we don’t forget you!

Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!



I guess if you were on the wrong end of the Russian Revolution then maybe 8th March, 1917 in Petrograd was not the place to be if up to that point in time, you had been enjoying a wealthy, noble or royal life.


So, what’s changed in Russia nearly 100 years after the revolution? I have a recent memory of a guy in his early 40’s smiling to himself as he strolled across Red Square dressed in a leather jacket and jeans. He’d just been overwhelmingly elected the next president of Russia taking around 70% of the vote and guess who was smiling alongside him as they made their way no doubt to the best restaurant in town to celebrate? Surprise, surprise, the guy strolling with him was none other that the recently retired president of Russia who was celebrating with his mates his new appointment to the position of Prime Minister of Russia. “Happy Days are here again!”



Nomanda likes to play a game of golf and so far has not joined that elite group of golfers who have scored a hole-in-one. The fact that 6 year old Tommy Moore scored a hole-in-one on this day in 1968 makes me think that I should give up trying!




Paul McCartney will not have happy memories of 8th March 1973 when he was fined for growing cannabis. On second thought maybe he was happy, flying high!




One place where they were definitely flying high just one year later on 8th March 1974 was at the Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris which was opened on that day. Great man Charles de Gaulle, fought most of WWII from the comfort of his English residence (no doubt paid for by the British tax payer), and returned back to France victorious after the Allies had done the business for him. The grateful French elected him President for his efforts!



Our first birthday celebrity today in Ralph Ellis (1942) from the group the Swinging Blue Jeans and I hope he’ll have a great “Hippy Hippy Shake” at his birthday bash!




The singer Cheryl Baker (1964) from the group Bucks Fizz is our next birthday guest. I wonder if they’ll make their mind up whether they’ll be drinking the bubbly stuff with orange juice or whether they’ll stick to spritzers!



Another Cheryl, this one Cheryl James (1964) likes a more savoury taste with her group Salt-N-Pepa! Here is one of Nomanda’s favourites!




Happy Special Day to one and all!!



If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!

25 August - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Gemstone of the Month

Agate

Flower of the Month: Gladiolus

Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!



This day in 1485 was to mark the beginning of the Tudor dynasty when Henry Tudor beat Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Fields. It heralded the end of the War of the Roses with the Lancastrian red rose coming out on top. The battle has been immortalised in Shakespeare’s play “Richard III” and of the many quotable quotes from the play my favourite is,

“A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!”

It’s all about priorities and seeing the best way forward!

Not being blessed with the best of eyesight Nomanda is an enthusiastic supporter of anything that makes it easier to see. So, not surprisingly discovering that one of our favourite inventors, Galileo, demonstrated his first telescope on this day in 1609 was of immediate interest. Then on further research I found out that he demonstrated it to a bunch of lawyers, no doubt so they could write the small print even smaller! Not impressed! Then I learned that he actually nicked the idea from the Flemish man Hans Lipperhay who had invented it the previous year. Even less impressed! Cue for Queen!


Just because I like the name the formation of the “Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters” that was formed on this day in 1925 gets a mention!


And just because it’s so bizarre the first parachute wedding that took place on this day in 1940 gets a mention too. Apparently, as well as the bride, groom and vicar, the best man and 4 bridesmaids were all “suspended” from parachutes! Of course there’s always someone who will go one better. What about this marriage proposal by a couple who were obviously head over heels in love with each other!


Our unfavourite Frenchman General Charles de Gaulle walked down the Champs Elysees on this day in 1944 after the Allies had cleared the streets for him!




Finally, in an exercise of complete futility, it was on this day in 1989 after a 12 year journey of 4 billion miles that Voyager 2 flew over the cloud tops of Neptune and its moon and sent back photographs of ……….. wait for it ……… swamps! They could have sent a chopper over the Everglades and saved a load of money!


It’s good to have an enquiring mind and to not necessarily believe all you read and hear because according to Nomanda’s research born on this day in 1076 was the Canadian Philippe Comtois who went on to compete on the 3 metre springboard in the 1996 Olympics. Not bad for a guy of 920! In fact absolutely brilliant!

Moving on, the first and best “James Bond”, Sean Connery (1930) will be having his birthday bash today. Now enjoying his retirement in the Bahamas I understand he plays a decent round of golf but doesn’t like being beaten! Nomanda would love a game with you sometime, Sir!

One of Nomanda’s favourite fiction writers, Frederick Forsyth (1938) knows how to tell a good tale and Nomanda wouldn’t be surprised if he knew how to throw a good party too! Cheers!



Two lovely ladies share their birthday today, Claudia Schiffer (1970) and the American actress Rachel Bilson (1981).




Happy Special Day to one and all!!



If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!

20 August - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Flower of the Month

Gladiolus

Gemstone of the Month: Agate

Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!



The Danish sea captain Vitus Bering employed by the Russian Navy discovered Alaska and the Straits that bear his name on this day in 1741. I wonder if he realised that he was on the far Eastern coast of his employers when he found them.


Peter Tchaikovsky’s ouverture 1812 was first performed at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow on this day in 1882. The work was written to commemorate the defence of Napoleon’s French invading army at Borodino in 1812. Stirring stuff!


For those who read yesterday’s blog it will come as no surprise that the day after the one and only Olympic cricket match started Great Britain beat France on this day in 1900! So no surprise there then!



A Frenchman Adolphe Pegourd became the first man to parachute out of an aircraft on this day in 1913. He signed up for military service at the start of WWI and was shot down by one of his pre-war students in 1915. Bad luck, that!


The performance of the Royal Air Force was uppermost in Winston Churchill’s mind on this day in 1940 when he made his famous speech, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”.

Looking at the performance of some of our current day civil servants Churchill’s words could be paraphrased to, “Never in the field of public service has so much been paid to so many for so little!”

One of Nomanda’s unfavourite Frenchmen, General de Gaulle, left the comfort of his English residence and returned to France on this day in 1944 just in time for the liberation of his country! Even Churchill didn’t like him, and he was an easy guy to get along with!


Mick Jagger was shaking his hips with “Satisfaction” when this song became their first #1 in the US on this day in 1965.



And 20 years later, determined to get his name in the record books, it was on this day in 1985 that Hanspeter Beck from South Australia completed his 3,875 unicycle ride from Western Australia to Melbourne.


Staying in the southern hemisphere the great billiard and snooker player Edward J “Murt” O’Donoghue (1900 – 1994) was born on this day. He is reputed to have been the first player to have a 147 snooker break witnessed at Griffith, Australia in 1934, and also made a 1,000 points billiard break. Smart potting!


The voice of Fred Flintstone, Alan Reed (1907 – 1997), is our next birthday celebrity today. So let’s have a bit of yabba dabba doo!



The British comedian Lenny Henry (1958) will be having a great birthday bash today. He’s very funny and I’m sure you will like this one even though you don’t see him!




Happy Special Day to one and all!!



If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!