31 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!

The history books are a bit vague on the year, but today is supposed to be the day that Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets of Coventry. The brave woman undertook this action as a protest against her husband’s tax hike on his tenant farmers. I bet she needed a good hot bath when she returned from her adventure because it’s pretty cold in Coventry around this time of the year!

Eating their hearts out on this day in 1884 were the brothers Kellogg. They ran a sanatorium and had left some cooked wheat out and forgot about it. By the time they got to it the wheat had gone stale so instead of throwing it away they invented corn flakes! The poor inmates didn’t stand a chance. So now you know what you’re eating when you go on a “healthy” diet!

Trying to “Give Peace a Chance” were John Lennon and Yoko Ono

who recorded this song today in 1969.

Giving herself a chance for a last fling was Minnie Munro, who on this day in 1991 at the age of 102 married a guy young enough to be her son. The youthful Dudley Reid, aged 83, was the lucky groom. They were married at Point Claire, NSW, for the benefit of our Australian readers.

Birthday tributes today go first of all to Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809). He was one of the most prominent composers of the classic period and is often referred to as the father of the symphony and string quartet. Nomanda has a selected number of classical favourites. You either love ‘em or haydm!

One guy we love, the English cartoonist and illustrator, William Heath Robinson (1872 – 1944) was born on this day. His weird and complicated machines, powered by kettles and candles, working a complex series of pulleys have made his name, “Heath Robinson”, a byword for anything that looks as though it won’t work and even if it does, will soon break down! Great drawings!

We have a much more famous Clint born today in 1930, Clint Eastwood. In an acting and directing career lasting over 50 years he has picked up so many awards that he’s had to move house several times. We still love the “Dollar” trilogy and he’s not bad as “Dirty Harry” either!

Two heavyweights, Terry Waite (1939) the hostage taken by the Lebanese, and John Prescott (1939), the guy with his nose in the trough who can’t stop eating, share their birthdays today. They also share their birthday with Peter Yarrow (1938) of Peter, Paul and Mary fame. Now there’s an interesting trio for dinner! Pass the salt, please, Vicar!

The very funny man, Harry Enfield (1961) will be celebrating his birthday today. It’s best to see a quick video of his work to appreciate just what a great comedian he is.

Our final birthday wishes got to Brooke Shields (1965). Talented and looks great!








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 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!



Celebrating his release from the Tower of London on this day in 1616 was none other that Sir Walter Raleigh. Happy day indeed! It was a double celebration because this was the second time he’d got out of the Tower. On the previous occasion (1592) he had been imprisoned (along with his wife) by Elizabeth I on account of her learning of his marriage to one of her ladies in waiting whilst all the time he was leading her Highness up the garden path, so to speak. This time it was Elizabeth’s successor, James VI of Scotland, who relented and the thankful Raleigh set of to find “El Dorado” and bring the King back some gold. Not blessed with a lot of good fortune on his voyage, the luckless Raleigh didn’t find any gold and on his way back home, contrary to the King’s instructions, he attacked the Spanish fleet. This lack of judgement was dealt with by his execution in 1618. They didn’t mess about in the “old days”!



It was a special day on this day in 1816 when Napoleon entered Paris after his escape from Elba. Not the last man in history to escape from a prison island! However as Napoleon was the only prisoner on Elba I think the guards were definitely to blame in this case. Do you know the Napoleon palindrome?

“Able was I ere I saw Elba”!




A happy and special day for John Lennon and Yoko Ono who were married in Gibraltar on this day in 1969.





Today’s birthday wishes go to John de Lancie (1948) famous for his appearance as “Q” in three Star Trek series. He also managed to get his sons in on the act as, well I suppose, little “q’s”!




Our next birthday celebrity is Guy Perry (1951) from the group Motels and I hope all the guests turn up otherwise we’ll all be in for another dose of “Only the Lonely”!





Last up for birthday greetings is Richard Drummie (1959) from the pop duo Go West. If you are at his birthday bash don’t fall for the old trick of “Your flies are undone” as it will just be an excuse to burst into their song “Don’t Look Down”! Nomanda prefers their song “Call Me”!




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 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!



Still considered by many to have been the greatest US President in was on this day in 1793 that George Washington made his second inaugural speech. It was the shortest inauguration speech ever, just 133 words, and he simply asked the people of the US to take him to task if he failed to uphold any of the promises made in the oath of office. Nomanda admires people of few words and high moral standards. It’s a pity there aren’t more like George around!



At the other end of the scale of inaugural speeches it was on this day in 1841 that President William Henry Harris made the longest speech of 8,443 words! He was the oldest President elected to the office, until old Ronald Reagan came along, and died in office just 32 days into his tenure probably in empathy to all those who had died of boredom listening to his inaugural address!



On the subject of American Presidents it was on this day in 1933 that President Franklin D Roosevelt was inaugurated and in his speech said the famous words in reference to pulling the US out of the Depression, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself”.



Is it my imagination or do I detect a spot of “déja vu” here?



In a bold statement on this day in 1966 John Lennon declared that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus! Yes, they were popular and still are, but THAT popular, I doubt it!




On a lighter note it was on this day in 1924 that Nomanda’s signature song, “Happy Birthday to You” was first published by Claydon Sunny. So if it’s your birthday today allow yourself a double helping of your birthday song, one for you and the other for the composer.



Our first celebrity today is the composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741) whose composition “Four Seasons” has delighted music lovers for generations. As Spring is nearly in the air, let’s hear that section of the man’s great work!




The author of “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner”, Alan Sillitoe (1928) is our next birthday guest. Nomanda has identified with the main character on many occasions including being stuck out on the desolated wing of a rugby pitch on wintry Saturday afternoons knowing that my fellow team mates will never be able to handle the ball all the way out to me! It gets really lonely and cold out there!



The Welsh rock and roll singer Shakin Stevens (1948) is our next birthday guest. His video of “This Ole House” reminds me of the state our “ole house” was in when we first moved in!



Our final birthday boy is Chris Rea (1951). You will not be a “Fool If You Think It Is Over” because Nomanda will be back tomorrow, folks!




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!!

15 February - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Gemstone of the Month

Amethyst

Flower of the Month: Violet

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!



The first specialist hospital catering specifically for the needs of children, the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), admitted its first patient on this day in 1852. It has gone from strength to strength over the years and has become a pioneer in the research of children’s medicine and the treatment of children. The author of “Peter Pan”, J M Barrie, gave the copyright of his book to the hospital in 1929. It is a great hospital that does great work.


There will be few Brits who have not in their lives enjoyed a bit of New Zealand lamb. The provenance alone has established a reputation for quality and value. It never ceases to amaze me how some things can be transported halfway across the world with all the costs such an exercise entails and still compete in local markets. Are our local producers too greedy or too inefficient? Whatever the answer the first cargo of frozen meat left New Zealand for Great Britain on this day in 1882 on the SS Dunedin. The trade continues and Nomanda loves a bit of New Zealand lamb!


Every little girl dreams of being a princess one day and on this day in 1950 Walt Disney gave credence to the dream on the release of “Cinderella”. Generations of little girls have loved the film ever since!



The Beatles album “Meet the Beatles” went to the #1 spot on this day in 1964 and stayed there for another 11 weeks This is one of Nomanda’s favourites from the album. And to celebrate the event John Lennon passed his driving test at the age of 25 on the same day the following year!


One of our favourite physicists and astronomers, Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642) is our first birthday celebrity today. His discoveries and achievements are beyond the scope of this blog so if you want to find out more about the great man visit this site. Sadly he spent his final years under house arrest courtesy of the Catholic Inquisition who didn’t share his views!



If you’ve got a piece of jewellery from our next birthday guest, Charles Lewis Tiffany (1812 – 1902), then Nomanda is very pleased for you and just a teeny bit jealous!



The Belgian cartoonist Willy Vandersteen (1913 – 1990) is the next guy up for birthday honours. He brought us the lovable characters Suske and Wiske (Willy and Wanda for our English speaking friends) and you can’t do much better than that!



Known to her fans as “Gabrielle” from the TV series “Xena Warrior Princess” the lovely actress Renee O’Connor (1971) is our final birthday celebrity today. I hope her guests don’t have to fight over the birthday cake as I’m pretty sure who will get the biggest piece!



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!!

9 January - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Gemstone of the Month

Garnet

Flower of the Month: Carnation

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!



William Pitt the Younger had a lot to answer for as it was under his government that income tax was first introduced to the great British public on this day in 1799. It was introduced to help finance the Napoleonic wars and even in those days they got the sums wrong by a serious margin. Pitt thought it would raise £10 million and in the event it raised just £6 million! I tell you what; we would settle for the rates back then, just 0.02 pence in the pound on incomes over £60 and soaring up to 2/- shillings in the pound on incomes over £200. And this of course was in “old money” before decimalisation!


Don’t you just love those adverts from the Inland Revenue that tell you “Tax doesn’t have to be taxing!” OK then what is it? They’d take the skin off your back!




The all black and white TV series “Rawhide” premiered on this day in 1959 and if you’d so far had the good fortune to miss all the episodes Nomanda is about to put that matter right with this clip!
You’ll love it, and as Clint Eastwood was in it, it wasn’t all bad!



Don’t you just hate it when you’re left out of things? Well you’re in good company because that’s exactly what John Lennon thought and even made a song about it released on this day in 1984 “Nobody Told Me”.



Now I guess that all our readers expect that Nomanda is bang up to date with all the modern hi-tech stuff like the Apple iPhone that was introduced to the expectant world on this day in 2007. Nothing could be further from the truth! I only bought a computer because my abacus broke down just after I discovered that I couldn’t get any more ribbons for my typewriter!


The lovely Lancashire lass Gracie Fields (1898 – 1979) is our first birthday celebrity today. Born over a fish and chip shop she never forgot her roots although she did have to dye them from time to time! “Wish her Luck as You Wave her Goodbye”.



Sharing the same day for their birthday is the lovely English actress Susannah York (1941) and Joan Baez (1941). Let’s hear Joan’s “Diamonds and Rust”. 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!!

4 November - Historical Events and Special Celebrations

Flower of the Month

Chrysanthemum

Gemstone of the Month: Topaz

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!



Shining light into the darkness the Alcatraz lighthouse spilled out its first beams on this day in 1854. It is the oldest navigational light on the west coast of America and sends out a white flash every 5 seconds, just in case you happen to be in the neighbourhood! Handy for escaping cons, knowing when the light was coming on!


Suffering from light fingered employees at his saloon bar in Dayton, Ohio, James Ritty together with his brother John, patented “Ritty’s Incorruptible Cashier” on this day in 1880. Of course all the employees have to do is to not ring up the cash and voila, it’s gone again! Nevertheless the invention attracted the attention of another couple of brothers, John and Frank Patterson who bought the rights to the register. The Patterson’s company was eventually to become “The National Cash Register Company” and the poor old Rittys wrung their hands all the way to the bank!


Laughing all the way to the bank it was on this day in 1922 that the Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of the child pharaoh, Tutankhamen. There can be few people around that do not immediately recognise the iconic golden masked face. Nomanda has a copy, but sadly it’s a cardboard jig saw puzzle!


At the Royal Variety Performance in London in front of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret on this day in 1964 John Lennon made his famous motivating statement to the audience, “Will the people in the cheap seats just clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewellery”!


Some people just can’t get enough and it was on this day in 1993 that Elton John was awarded £350,000 from the Sunday Mirror winning a libel action for false reports about his eating habits. Subsequently the Court of Appeal found the damages too hard to swallow and reduced the sum to £75,000.


Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, Alfred Heineken (1923 – 2002) would not be short of a beer or three at his birthday bashes! Nomanda has a friend who should be a shareholder of this prestigious brewing group; he’s already paid his dues!



If your mouth is getting cold from all the beers on offer at Freddie’s bash who better to warm you up than “Hot lips Houlihan” aka Loretta Swit (1937). Beers and M*A*S*H. It doesn’t get any better than this




Final birthday wishes go to the guy who can’t spell, “Kool Rock”, aka Damon Wimbley (1966). Of course you’d have to change your name from DW if you wanted any street cred as a rapper! If Damon is happy with it, then it’s cool for Nomanda!




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!!