25 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!

If you were asked to make up your hate list of businesses / professions I’m pretty sure that Insurance companies / Insurance agents will make close to top spot! We all know that whatever they promise at the time you take out the insurance the particular unfortunate incident you’ve just had for some reason isn’t covered by the policy. So let’s raise a glass to John Copson from Philadelphia who on this day in 1721 became the first American Insurance agent. His main business was marine insurance; his business aim was not to pay out.



I wonder if he insured the HMS Pinafore, the ship of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedy opera that premiered in London on this day in 1878. It was going to be the second longest running musical of its time. There are many good songs from HMS Pinafore but Nomanda likes “When I was a Lad” best! How true!



Two more great songs were to be released on this day in 1968. The first is the Rolling Stones’ “Jumping Jack Flash” and the other maybe less well known but good Irish fun nevertheless is “Unicorn” by the Irish Rovers. Both worth a listen!



Ignoring the advice given him when he asked the doorman at the Chicago Sears Tower “How do I get to the top?” it was on this day in 1981 that Daniel Goodwin decided to climb to the top. It took him 7 hours. Now Nomanda has been there and can tell you all that the lifts work perfectly OK and whiz you up in a minute!




Born in 1891 it was on this day in 1986 that a 95 year old lady golfer achieved her golfing ambition and scored a hole in one on a golf course in Florida. I just hope her eyesight was good enough to see the ball go in the hole! Now Nomanda enjoys a game of golf and this lady has spurred me on to keep trying for a hole in one myself for a few more years! Don’t really want to wait that long, though!



Probably one of the best politicians in recent years from Russia, Mikhail Gorbachev was elected Executive President of the Soviet Union on this day in 1989. He was instrumental in bringing the Cold War to an end and we all should be thankful for that. His contribution to world peace has been recognised by being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. Still going strong he has been the unfortunate brunt of insensitive cartoonists on account of his distinctive ketchup birthmark!



First up for birthday honours today is the singer Eddie Maxwell (1912 – 1999). He makes the cut because of one of his best known records of his time “Yes we have no Bananas”. Just listen to the words, you’ve gotta love it!




Next up is thriller writer Robert Ludlum (1927 – 2001). His 25 novels have been published in 32 languages and there are around 290 million of his books in print. Nomanda has got every one! Not the 290 million, just one of each! The Bourne series are probably his best known books.




Frank Oz, the puppeteer who has performed with “The Muppets” including favourites Miss Piggy and Fozziz Bear was born on this day in 1966. There must be an opportunity for a good Muppet moment here somewhere!




Our final birthday honours today go to the hero of the 2003 English World Cup Team, Jonny Wilkinson. His drop goal against Australia in the last moments of extra time to win the World Cup made him a rugby legend. Well done, Jonny!



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!!

17 April - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Gemstone of the Month

Diamond

Flower of the Month: Sweet Pea

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!



Not the best of days today for Sir Thomas Moore who on this day in 1534 was confined to the Tower of London. There was worse to come as he just couldn’t hit it off with his king, Henry VIII.





Today in 1924 saw the birth of one of the film giants of 20th century with the merging of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B Mayer to become MGM. Much less of a mouthful!



Belgium’s World Trade Fair opened on this day in 1958 and the imaginative building based on the structure of the atom was unveiled to the world. It still stands proud today albeit a bit tarnished with age.



It was however a happy day for the people of the Netherlands and the Scilly Isles who on this day in 1986 signed a peace treaty to end the war begun in 1651! This was probably one of the “best” wars of all time with not a shot being fired during the 335 year war and of course not a single casualty. If you want to know how it all started, ask Oliver (Cromwell) that is!



Birthday celebrations today go to Nikita Khrushchev (1894 – 1971). Stalin’s successor and 1st Secretary of the USSR from 1953 – 1964 he left his mark on the world by getting the first guy in space and putting the wind up the US when he sent missiles to Cuba. They were however subjected to a “Return to Sender” by JFK.




William Holden was born on this day (1918 – 1981).Starring in many films his performances in “Stalag 17”, Bridge Over the River Kwai”, Towering Inferno” and SOB are amongst his most memorable.




Billy Fury (1940 – 1983) was born on this day. One of the greatest rockers of all time and uncomfortable in the “teeny idol” role his record producers tried to inflict on him. Didn’t work, anyway!




Not a fan of the other one but I have to celebrate the birthday today (1947) of Victoria Beckham, an English musician. Sadly, the world is so obsessed with the other one that Nomanda can find no further information on my favourite Victoria, so if you’re out there and listening a very special Happy Birthday to you, Victoria!



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!!

2 April - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Flower of the Month

Sweet Pea

Gemstone of the Month: Diamond

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!



Today’s place in history should be called the “if at first you don’t succeed day” as for one country at least, the USSR, they tried and tried again until they got it right!

Not deterred by the 8,500 kilometre “miss” by Luna 4 (1963) on its journey to the moon, or even disturbed by the Zond 1 (1964) on its trip to Venus of which nothing has been heard of since, they eventually managed to get Luna 10 to be the first spacecraft to orbit the moon in 1966! All these events happened on this very same day on each successive year.




Had these events happened a few years earlier I’m sure the “King” would have changed the first line of his well known song to “Return to Zonda”!




Where would the world be without “Velcro”? Well it was on this day in 1978 that it was launched to the world and things have been stuck together ever since.




In an historical case of "Whoops, I wish we hadn’t done" that Argentina decided that today in 1982 was a good day to seize the Falkland Islands. Good old Margaret was to have something to say about that one!




First up for birthday honours today is Casanova (1725 – 1798) the writer and glamour boy of the eighteenth century.






Better by far for me is Hans Christian Anderson (1805 – 1875), the prolific Danish author of over 150 children’s fairy stories. I wonder how many Carlsberg’s he got through doing all that writing, thirsty work!





The famous actor, Alec Guinness (1914 – 2000) renowned for his character with the slightly misplaced sense of duty in “Bridge on the River Kwai” was also born on this day.





One of our favourite actresses, Penelope Keith, (1940) the stuck up character in “The Good Life” will probably invite her less fortunate neighbours around for a glass or two of bubbly at her birthday bash today!.



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 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!



Maybe, it’s just me, but I have to say that today back over the years has celebrated a few bizarre events.


Not in that category in 1780 was the launch of the first British Sunday newspaper, “The British Gazette and Sunday Monitor”. I wonder if loads of bits of paper dropped out when you picked it up.




The first bizarre event was that on this day in 1886, according to the history books, the first cremation in England took place. The Brits had been burning people at the stake for hundreds of years and if that’s not cremation I don’t know what is!




In a bizarre cricket match between England and South Africa on this day in 1889 the South Africans scored 47 runs in their first innings and just 43 in the second innings. The man of the match for England was the bowler Johnny Briggs whose figures for the match were 15 for 26, and the outstanding South African batsman was Bernard Tancred who carried his bat in the first innings and scored a respectable 26 runs out of their 47 total.



The funniest event to be celebrated today must go to the first lip reading tournament held on this day in America in 1926. As they say, “Only in America!” I’ve been trying to think just how this all works and haven’t yet come up with a satisfactory explanation.



In second place of bizarre events to be celebrated this day was the erection of a statue of Popeye by the spinach growers of Crystal City, Texas in 1937. Now I like spinach, but a statue to Popeye ……. As I said “Only in America”.





Not renowned for his spinach eating habits, but more for his falling down drunken performances, one Boris Yeltsin was elected to president of USSR in the first free elections to be held there. I love those clips of Boris’ aides firmly grabbing hold of his arm just before he slumps over. He was quite a party man and womaniser in his time as well! I wonder how many of the 190 million voters that voted that day had had one too many.



The last event of note that took place on this day in 2006 was that smoking was banned in pubs and restaurants in Scotland. A very sad day for all nicotine addicts and an even sadder one for the eating and drinking establishments whose customers drifted away in a cloud of smoke!



Our first birthday girl today is Diana Ross (1944) of the Supremes and here is one of Nomanda’s favourites!





Our next birthday girl is the lovely English actress Keira Knightly (1985).





And in a Happy Special Day first we can announce that today in 2228 will be born James T Kirk, Captain to be of the Star Ship Enterprise (William Shatner). In fact on the official web site for good old JTK it gives his birth date as 22 03 2233, but then who cares?




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!!

4 February - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Flower of the Month

Violet

Gemstone of the Month: Amethyst

When it is your happy special day and whether you are celebrating a birthday or special anniversary, if you would like a mention on Nomanda’s blog just send us the details. We promise you a very special mention on this blog on your special day!

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 the middle of the “Cold War”, Russia and the US were at each other hammer and sickle, and in an attempt to score a few points over their rivals the Russian newspaper Izvestia reported that baseball was an old Russian game on this day in 1962. The cheek of it! Strangely it wasn’t as daft as it sounded! The Russians had been playing a game called Lapta since the 14th century and the game was very similar to American baseball. In fact there were many similar games to baseball being played all over the world from the year dot. All I can say is that it’s not cricket!



Definitely not cricket, it was on this day in 1967 that the record “Wild Thing” by Senator Bobby went to the #”20 spot in the charts. The Troggs did it better!




Nomanda is always fascinated by unusual records and feats of endurance and stamina. Well on this day in 1982 a new indoor distance record was set for flying a paper airplane, a fantastic 47 metres! WOW!



Not to be out done Frank Aquillera set a world Frisbee throwing record on the same day in 1984 sailing it an amazing 168 metres! WOW again!


Why do they bother? Haven’t they got homes and loved ones to go to?


Our first birthday celebrity today is the comedian Norman Wisdom (1918). Recent rumours of his death have been exaggerated and he’s still going strong. He was very funny man and has amused his fans for decades!




Our other birthday celebrity is the Australian actress and musician Natalie Imbruglia (1975). Like others before her she successfully stepped out of the soap “Neighbours” and into show business. She hasn’t looked back since! She’s sold over 10 million records world wide starting with “Torn” and now she’s “Counting Down the Days”!




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!!