1 July - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Gemstone of the Month

Ruby

Flower of the Month: Larkspur

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!

Summer has arrived at last! Roll out the sun lounges, raise the parasol, get a couple of cool beers from the fridge, don the sunglasses and chill out! Great times but spare a thought for the person who invented those sunglasses. They were first seen on this day in China in 1200. Surprisingly they were not first of all used to prevent the glare from the sun, but, inscrutably, they were worn by Chinese judges so the members of the court couldn’t see their eyes. A custom continued by Mr Gadaffi and others! Nomanda wears them because I think they make me look cool! Isn’t that why everyone wears them?



If you’re off on your summer holidays and staying in a hotel the chances are that there will be a little red bible left in your room for you by the Gideon Society, that is if the previous occupant hasn’t nicked it! It was in this day in 1899 that the three founder members of the society decided that leaving bibles in hotel rooms was the best way to get the message across to fellow commercial travellers. Nomanda has known a few travelling salesmen in his time and to this day has never seen one with a bible in his hand! Lots of other stuff, but never a bible!



Another thing Nomanda has noticed about travelling salesmen is that generally they don’t eat too healthily when on the road. A few beers at the bar and if they remember a stale sandwich at the end of the session is about as healthy as it gets! The cartoon character with the healthy lifestyle, Popeye, was created on this day in 1929 by Elzie Segar. He has done so much for spinach growers that they have even erected a statue to him in Crystal City, Texas. In its own words Crystal describes itself as “The Spinach Capital of the World”! POOP! POOP!



Popeye always had a few friends and villains around him so he never got lonely, unlike poor old Sergeant Pepper who’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles went to #1 on this day in 1967 and stayed at the top for another 15 weeks.




The public vote with their feet and showing the theatre world what they really really wanted the musical “Hair” closed on this day in 1972 after 1750 performances, whereas the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” closed on this day in 1973 after just 711 performances. So nudity is more popular than religion, whatever next! Nevertheless they were both great musicals and I think we can indulge ourselves in a little “Aquarius” from Hair and the title song from JCS!



It was on this day in 1982 day when 2100 couples and members of the Unification Church (aka “Moonies”) said “I do” and all got married together under the watchful eye of their spiritual leader the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. Nomanda hopes they all had a lovely honey moonie!




Worthy of a very brief mention it was in this day in 1993 that a second was added to the clock!





First up for birthday honours today is Estee Lauder (1908 – 2004) the co-founder with her husband of the famous cosmetic company.





Our next celebrity is the renowned actress of the ‘40’s and ‘50’s, Olivia de Havilland (1916). Still going strong and living in Paris. Santé!





The “People’s Favourite Princess”, Diana (1961 – 1996) was born on this day. Despite the rumours surrounding her death and personal life Nomanda still believes she was a lovely lady with a big heart.



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!!

30 June - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Flower of the Month: Rose

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!

A couple of days ago the humorous quote of the day was “I’m not afraid of heights; it’s widths I’m afraid of!” Well one guy afraid of neither heights nor widths, Charles Blondin, demonstrated his nerve and skill on this day in 1859 when he crossed the Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Not content to do the job once apparently he went across numerous times including doing it blindfolded, on stilts, with a man on his back, and once settling down in the middle and cooking himself an omelette! I guess walking 335 metres 50 metres above the water several times gives a chap an appetite! I just hope the wind didn’t get up.



The classic novel “Gone with the Wind”, written by Margaret Mitchell was published on this day in 1936. Set in the Deep South during the American Civil War the novel earned a Pulitzer Prize and has been the subject of great films and musicals. The book took Mitchell 10 years to write and was the only book published during her lifetime. If you haven’t either read it or seen the film, you should!



Nomanda doesn’t know how much Mitchell earned from her book but she would have been delighted with the cheque issued by the US Treasury on this day in 1954 for a whopping $4,176,969,623.57. It was an “internal” cheque and I suppose was to balance the books somehow! Only an accountant would write out such a big cheque down to the last 57 cents!



Nomanda’s birthplace, Leopoldville, was renamed Kinshasa on this day in 1966, and to complete the job the country was renamed from the Belgium Congo to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Situated on the river Congo, Kinshasa is the third largest city in Africa with a population of 9 million, and if the present population growth continues will be larger than Paris by 2010.That's next year!



We all know that “Everything is bigger in America” so it comes as no surprise that on the same day as the US Treasury issued their bouncing cheque that the humble British sixpenny coin was last minted on this day in 1970. The coin had been in use since 1551 but there was no place for it in the changeover to decimalisation in 1971. However the coin was so popular with the public that it was kept in circulation until 1980 at the reduced value of 2.5 “new pence”. Decimalisation, what a rip off that was, all small priced items kept the same price in “new money” but in fact were two and a half times more expensive!



Better known for his ripping yarns our first Birthday boy, James Goldman, (1927 – 1998) was born on this day. Probably his best known book and screen play is “The Lion in Winter”. He is also the elder brother of William Goldman who will be remembered for his screenplay of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”.



Our final birthday tribute goes to “bad boy” Mike Tyson (1966). He was a great heavyweight boxer and if he had stuck to his professional career, not misbehaved and kept an eye on his money the world would be a better place!



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!!

24 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!

Today is a very special day for Nomanda as it is the birthday of our best and oldest friend, Peter. We have known each other since the early ‘70’s when we worked together in Wembley. Sadly it was not in the Stadium, but in an office near by. You could however just about see the famous towers from the office window! Those were the days of large Italian lunches and visits to the “Greene Man” after work, having a couple of pints to avoid the traffic jams on the way home! Peter, our very best wishes to you on this special day and your card is in the post complete with fire extinguisher!



It’s difficult to keep Henry VIII out of the limelight for long, after all he did so much, and it was on this day in 1509 that he was crowned King of England having married his brother’s widow, Catherine, just a couple of weeks earlier. The marriage like many others would not last, and on the same day a few years later in 1540 Henry divorced his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. More to follow!


The young painter, Pablo Picasso, was to show the first exhibition of his work on this day in 1901 at a prestigious gallery in Paris. He never looked back and despite his socialist and political persuasions lived a very long, indulgent and comfortable life.



This day seems to have been a good day for the English Cricket Team at Lord’s as in 1968 they managed to get the Australians all out for just 78 runs, and in 1974 did the same thing with the Indian team for just 42 runs. Those were the days!




My friend Peter will be pleased to know that sharing his birthday with him is one of the heavyweight boxing champions of all time, Jack Dempsey (1895 – 1983). He held the World Heavyweight Title from 1919 – 1926 and I’m sure this clip will bring a smile to Peter’s face!



Another boxer, this time at performing at light middle heavyweight, Boris Lagutin, one of the USSR’s most celebrated boxers was born on this day in 1938. His record is 241 wins and just 11 losses throughout his career. He also has a couple of Olympic Gold medals to his name and fame!


Rocking on the stage as opposed to his heels born on this day in 1947 was the inspirational leader of the group that carries part of his name, Mick Fleetwood. The group have been around for ever and are still performing. Let’s have one of their best!



Our final birthday tribute goes to Terrance Wilson (1957), the vocalist of UB40. I’m sure they will join Peter in a glass of “Red Red Wine” to celebrate their special day!




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!!

29 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!



Nomanda is quite partial to Chinese food. I like the wide variety of dishes to choose from and it used to a part of my staple diet during my bachelor days. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that one of my favourite dishes, Chop Suey, isn’t a Chinese dish at all but it was invented by the chef of a visiting Chinese Ambassador when he visited New York. The chef came up with the dish on this day in 1896 to serve at a banquet to satisfy the palates of both the Chinese and American guests! Well I never!


The brolly flying Julie Andrews was in fine form on this day in 1964 when “Mary Poppins” was released. The film has been a great hit with children big and small and everyone will want to sing along with this! Lovely innocent stuff, why don’t they make films like this any more? Oh, I know, nobody would watch them!


And if you can cope with “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocius” Steve Miller’s “Abracadabra” that went to the #1 spot on this day in 1982 will be easy-peasy for you!


Our first birthday celebrity is the talented actor, director and producer Richard Attenborough (1923). To choose a couple of his outstanding achievements in a career spanning over 60 years is a bit of an ask. He was launched onto the Hollywood scene following his performance in the blockbuster “The Great Escape” in 1963. Another film based on events in WWII “A Bridge Too Far” showed his talents as a director.
A great man and still going strong!


The next birthday celebrity, Michael Jackson (1958), is also a multi talented performer. He’s had a roller coaster ride of fame and infamy throughout his life. His performance in “Thriller” is one of his best!




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 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!



Our favourite escape artist, Harry Houdini, was doing what he did best on this day in 1907 at San Francisco’s Aquatic Park. He was tied in chains, submerged in a tank of water and 57 seconds later surfaced unharmed. It’s all a matter of how long you can hold your breath and of course the ability to get out of a bundle of chains!



George Orwell’s anti Stalinist “Animal Farm” was published on this day in 1946. The farm animals get rid of the human owners and draw up their own set of rules / commandments of social behaviour. It all starts off very nicely until inevitably some of the animals start to take over the running of the place. In the end the original 7 Commandments are abridged for the last time, simply reading, "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others." It’s a classic and if you haven’t read it you should. It’s quite revealing and entertaining!


The pop culture of the ‘60’s underwent an interesting turn of events on this day in 1967 when the Beatles, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithful met the transcendental meditation guru of the time, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The fact that they met him at Bangor, Wales just takes the edge off it for me! Many other celebrities including the Beatles went on to further study in India but that fell apart allegedly due to inappropriate sexual advances by the “guru”! Whatever next!


Making inappropriate sexual advances to your students has always been considered taboo in most centres of learning, although our good friend “Ross” seems to have got away with it on occasions! The academics of the University of Texas were placing themselves in a difficult position on this day in 1973 when they started their first degree courses in “Belly Dancing”! I know that over time the world has got more complicated. When Nomanda went to University there was only a choice of about a dozen subjects to study! Crack that lot and you know everything! But “Belly Dancing” I ask you! I guess it’s a more practical than academic type of course.


Andrew Symonds will be celebrating this day as it is the anniversary of his record 20 sixes in a match when playing for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan on this day in 1995. He got 16 in the first innings and topped it up with another 4 in the second innings. He’s doing quite nicely for himself having just signed up in February 2008 for the Deccan Chargers for $1.35 million!



Nancy Martinez (1960) will be putting on one of her pretty frocks for her birthday party today.



Another musician, Shirley Manson (1966) will be celebrating her birthday in style today. Don’t “Call Me”, Shirley, I’ll call you!




The child actor, Macaulay Culkin (1980) has become of age to enjoy a couple of beers at his birthday bash today. “Home Alone” and “Richie Rich” are probably his best known films.





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!!

24 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!



If you’re feeling peckish there’s nothing better than gobbling down a packet of crisps! To say that these were “invented” by the chef George Crum (good name that for a chef!) on this day in 1853 is not quite correct as he made them in an attempt to shut up a difficult customer at his restaurant. The story goes that the customer complained that the “French fries” he was served were too thick and sent the order back to the kitchen. The chef then made a thinner version of the fries to satisfy the customer. These were once again rejected as being too thick. To annoy the customer George made the next lot so thin that they were brown and crisp, and in his mind, impossible to eat. The customer was delighted with them and the rest as they say is history! Thanks, George, and also thanks to the fussy restaurant patron!


Although Cornelius Swarthout patented the waffle iron on this day in 1869 let me tell you that the Belgians and Dutch had been using them since the 1300’s and some of the first Dutch pilgrims brought their waffle irons to the States in the 1620’s. Nevertheless Nomanda loves a nice waffle, preferably liberally coated with sugar and covered with “whoosh”. That’s a technical term for whipped cream out of a pressurised dispenser!


This day in history seems to have been a good day for governments signing agreements that are subsequently ignored! In 1925 Turkey and Persia signed a “Friendship Treaty”. In 1931 France and the USSR signed a neutrality treaty, and in 1939 Germany and the USSR signed a 10 year non-aggression treaty. Not worth the paper they were written on!


One of the things Nomanda does is to take abandoned dogs out for walks to give them a bit of fun and freedom for a while. One of our more recent walkie friends is called “Pluto” and he will not be pleased to learn that on this day in 2006 his namesake planet was demoted to a dwarf planet. Readers please keep this information to yourself as he will be most upset if he finds out!


On a day that is not blessed with too many interesting celebrity birthdays the English cavalier poet Robert Herrick (1591 – 1674) gets a mention for the following lines from his poem “To the Virgins to Make Much of Time”.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.

Not exactly the happiest of thoughts! What’s going on? It gets better!


The inventor of the electric train, Joseph L Cohen (1880 – 1965) must get every young boys birthday wishes as he was the guy who invented the electric train. No attic should be without one! He actually gave away his best invention which was the battery powered torch!

A couple of funny guys are our next birthday guests. First up is the English comedian Stephen Fry (1957). Never better than with Hugh Laurie, have a look at this.


And if American humour is more your thing, then you’ll like this clip from Dave Chappelle (1973).



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!!