5 May - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Gemstone of the Month

Emerald

Flower of the Month: Lily of the Valley

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!



Ghent beats Bruges on this day in 1382. Today that would probably be a football result but on this particular day the local population of Ghent took on the army that had been laying siege to their city and beat them cold. The success of the battle has been attributed to the fact that the soldiers were all drunk following their celebrations of the previous day’s public holiday and were in no condition to do anything other than throw up! If Belgian beer was as strong then as it is now I’m not at all surprised.



A few hundred years later it was on this day in 1930 that the trail blazing aviator, Amy Johnson, took off from Croydon airport in her Gypsy Moth called “Jason” and 20 days later landed in Australia to become the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. Great flying, Amy!




The song that was to become the anthem of the “Flower Power” generation was recorded on this day in 1967 by Scott Mckenzie. The lyrics of “San Francisco” epitomised the gentle loving spirit of the times. It is still a great song.




If humping a large TV camera up mountains is your thing then you should have been part of the Japanese expedition who on this day in 1988 made the first live TV broadcast from the top of Mount Everest. You cannot knock the Japanese for not rising to a challenge!



Taking on a challenge of a different sort was William Hague who was elected leader of the Conservative Party on this day in 1997. He was in the job for 4 years and has the distinction of being the first leader of the Conservative Party not to have been Prime Minister in 80 years. That will look good on his CV! However there’s no need for alarm as he was preceded by John Major (anyone remember him?) and succeeded by a procession of no-hopers including in order of succession; Ian Duncan Smith, Michael Howard, and in the office at present our lovely baby Davy! Where do they find them?!



Birthday celebrities today start with Karl Marx (1818 – 1883). The intellectual leader of the Communist Revolution two of the best known books written by Marx are the “Communist Manifesto” and “Das Kapital”. Great bedtime reading material! Despite his communist ideals he led a life of relative luxury in London. So what’s new?




Coming more up to date today is the birthday of Tammy Wynette (1942 – 1998); the First Lady of country music, whose “Stand by Your Man” is probably her best known song. This very song was later to be used against her husband (the current president of the US at the time) by none other than the lovely Hilary Clinton. Nice one, Hilary!



Our final birthday wishes today go to the great comedian and later traveller, Michael Palin (1943). Bringing his wit and humour to “Monty Python” he starred in some of their best known sketches and there’s another opportunity for the “Lumberjack” song if anyone’s interested!

Happy Birthday, Michael!



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!!

26 October - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Flower of the Month

Calendula

Gemstone of the Month: Opal

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!



One of the most famous gunfights in the history of the “Wild West” took place on this day in 1881 at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. The “goodies” represented by the Earp brother with trusty Doc Holliday went against the “baddies” represented by the McLaury and Clanton brothers and there cannot be anyone in the world who doesn’t know who won. The “Goodies” of course!


In the days of the “Wild West” the villains would carry out their dastardly deed and gallop off on their horses into the sunset rapidly pursued by the posse who seemed to get themselves rounded up and organised in double quick time. A thrilling chase would follow, at least that’s how it was portrayed in the movies, and after numerous attempts of going down the wrong garden path the good guys would catch up with the bad guys, arrest them and the film would end!


That changed forever on this day in 1901 when a bunch of enterprising thieves held up a shop in Paris and escaped in the first robbery to use a getaway car. The world would never be the same, the police would exchange their horses and bicycles for cars, and the era of cops and robbers and thrilling car chases dawned! Whatever next, boats and planes, I suppose?


Probably wishing he’s kept his mouth shut in was on this day in 1972 that Henry Kissinger declared that “Peace is at hand” in Vietnam. It wasn’t and they whole thing ended in disaster for the American forces a few years later.



Whilst Henry was making his ill-timed speech tickets were being sold for guided tours around the prison of Alcatraz. I wonder if film director Donald Siegel (1912 – 1991) was in the queue for tickets to do a bit of research for his film “Escape from Alcatraz”.


Our next birthday celebrity is the famous gospel singer Mahalia Jackson (1911 – 1972). If you like a bit of gospel with your breakfast have a listen to this! Nomanda health warning: this is not for the faint hearted!



On a lighter note the cartoon character “Felix the Cat” was created on this day in 1917. His bone fides are disputed but his “Bag of Tricks” is not! You will not believe just what he’s got in there! A good one for the kiddies!




The cockney rough diamond Bob Hoskins (1942) is our next birthday boy. In a career spanning well over 30 years he’s done loads of great stuff.



I wonder if Hilary Clinton (1947) knows she shares her birthday with Jaclyn Smith who as “Kelly” from “Charlie’s Angels” is probably much more popular! I know whose birthday party I’d prefer to be invited to!





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!!

11 October - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Gemstone of the Month

Opal

Flower of the Month: Calendula

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!



Most people get married at a fairly young age and little do they know of how their lives will unfold and what the future has in store for them. One such person was Hilary Rodham who on this day in 1975 married Bill Clinton. I would like to guess that neither of them had any idea that one day they would occupy the White House. Well they did, and Hilary was the First Lady for 8 years. She obviously enjoyed living at the White House as she had a crack at getting there herself, this time as President. Sadly Hilary was beaten to the nomination by Barack Obama. Nomanda has a feeling that we’ve not heard the last from the formidable Hilary!


Nearly 450 years after she was sunk by the French Navy the Tudor purpose built warship, the Mary Rose, was raised from the Solent on this day in 1982. After her upgrade in 1536 she boasted an impressive 91 cannons, displaced 700 tons and needed a sailing crew of 200 aided by 185 soldiers and 31 gunners. It’s amazing when the unsinkable happens!


The unthinkable happened on this day in 1990 when the price of oil hit a record $40.42 per barrel. If only they knew just how lucky they were! With recent oil prices hitting almost $100 more at $138.54 in June 2008 it’s time for those unfortunates of the ‘90’s to start singing their “Happy Days” song!



Our first birthday celebrity today is Henry John Heinz (1844 – 1919). He was one of 8 children born to his father John Henry Heinz. Not a great deal of imagination in choosing their kids’ names in that family! There was no stopping young Henry as from the age of just 9 he was growing, bottling and selling his own brand of horseradish sauce! He went on to bigger and better things eventually running out of ideas at 57 (varieties, that is, not his age!) Everyone knows that “Beanz Meanz Heinz”. What perhaps not everybody knows is that the effect of eating too many baked beans is called “petits chansons” in French, which literally translated means “little songs”. So that’s what they’re calling it these days, is it?


Sir “Bobby” Charlton (1937) will no doubt have a few of his old playing mates around for a drink or two at his birthday bash today. He was a member of the English Football Team that won the World Cup in 1966 and played for Manchester United for most of his career. He is considered to be one of the greatest English players of all time and still holds the goal scoring record for both his club and his country.


The larger than life comedienne and actress Dawn French is happy with the number 57 as she celebrates her birthday (1957) today. A very funny and talented lady, Nomanda still loves watching the “Vicar of Dibley” whenever I get a chance. Here’s one of Nomanda’s favourite clips!


Our final birthday greetings go to two lovely ladies, Kellie Martin (1975) and Jane Krakowski (1968).





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!!