17 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!

Today is a very special day for Nomanda as it is the birthday of our one and only lovely daughter, Michelle! So Michelle lots of love to you on this special day!
We have a special birthday song for you which used to be one of your favourites. So Happy Birthday Michelle, click and enjoy!




Freedom lovers everywhere will celebrate this day in 1885 when the Statue of Liberty, the gift from the people of France to the US, arrived in New York. It is the most recognisable icon of the United States welcoming visitors, immigrants and returning Americans back to the shores of the US. At least it used to before they tightened up on immigration control and visas! The statue itself is 46 metres high and when on its pedestal it stands 93 metres high. Originally it functioned as a lighthouse (1886 – 1902) and its electric lamp (the first lighthouse to use electricity) could be seen from 24 miles out at sea.



In an attempt to get his subjects to see him in a more favourable light it was on this day in 1917 that the British King, George V, changed the name of the British royal house from the German sounding “House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha” to the name we are familiar with today, Windsor. Remember Britain was at war with Germany at the time and George V was the first cousin of Kaiser Willheim II, the Bosch who started it all! Sound thinking, George! Apparently George V was a bit of a bore and H G Wells once referred to the “alien and uninspiring court”. Georges V’s famous reply was “I may be uninspiring, but I’m definitely not alien!” The Windsors have never looked back.


Another German sounding lot, Led Zeppelin, were to begin their last tour of Europe on this day in 1980. Selling 300 million albums worldwide they are regarded as one of the best hard rock groups of all time. If you like hard rock, you’ll love this one!



The first celebrity sharing his birthday with Michelle is the Irishman John Robert Gregg (1867 – 1948), the inventor of shorthand. Obviously a bright boy he introduced his shorthand system at the age of just 21. Nomanda has never been able to do shorthand but during his student days did develop his own version of fast scribbling which even he couldn’t read afterwards. It’s called Nohand!



The founder member of the “Rat Pack”, Dean Martin (1917 – 1995), was born on this day. This singer, actor and comedian also knew how to party! Nomanda’s favourite songs are “That’s Amore”, “Everybody Loves Somebody” and the best of the bunch, “Mambo Italiano”. He was half Italian after all!



Just because Nomanda likes his name the rocker Dickey Do (1939) from “Dickey Doo and the Don’ts” gets a birthday mention today as does Norman Kuhlice (1942) from the “Swinging Blue Jeans” who’s “Hippy Hippy Shake” and “You’re No Good” are Nomanda’s favourites.



Red Ken Livingstone, ex mayor of London and the thorn in the side of the Labour Party (before they got Brown!) was born on this day in 1945. Anyway he’s on his bike now since Mad Boris Johnson took over the job!



Off his bike, but not before he’d clocked up 5 wins in the “Tour de France” also born on this day was another of our famous Belgians, Eddie Merckx (1945). Cue for an old wagon wheel song “Rolling Rolling Rolling!”



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 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!

The 8th June is World Oceans Day so go out and hug an ocean, talk to the fishes, take a ride on the back of a dolphin, but whatever you do, don’t *** in it!



On a day that seems to have little in the way of fun or amusing historical events taking place the humble vacuum cleaner gets a mention. It was on this day in 1869 that the janitor Ives W McGaffy of Chicago patented the above noisy contraption. He called this first sweeping machine “Whirlwind” and that was about as much as it did, blowing dust from one place to another! It was a hand pumped machine made of wood and canvas. You have to be kidding! Nomanda has no mean experience of the modern model and I never thought I’d be as grateful for an electric motor as I’m feeling right now!



There are some days when it feels as though the whole world is against you so it comes as no surprise that another irritation of modern society should be invented on the same day as the vacuum cleaner. The parking meter was invented on this day in 1936. As all motorists know, the motivation behind the introduction of these grotesque devices that clutter our streets was pure civil greed. The inventor (I’ve omitted his name in an untypical act of generosity) even calculated how much revenue could be raised once they were installed in every city. Need I say more!

Now nearly every home is the proud owner of a vacuum cleaner with a parking meter out front! Thanks, guys!


On a far happier note it was on this day in 1994 that the then President Bill Clinton received an honorary degree from Oxford University; He had studied at the University but obviously didn’t make the cut first time around! In a typically quaint English way one of the academics described Bill Clinton as “An old boy and a young chief”. It was all very nice and English until you discover that the degree was in Civil Law. Aren’t there enough lawyers in the US already?


Another “young chief” clambering his way to the top of the trough was our old friend Tony Blair when on this day in 2001 he led the Labour Party to their second term of office with a nice comfortable overall majority of 167 seats. His old mate Gordon was still with him, and what’s worse, he’s still with us! Having spent most of his time at No.11 trying to persuade Tony Baby to move out of No.10 now he’s got his slippers inside No.10 he’s not going to go quietly despite all the efforts to remove him and the recent local government results to add fuel to the fire burning under his bum!


Our first birthday wishes today go to Nancy Sinatra, the girl with the golden dad, who was born on this day in 1940. She was a precocious child and soon learned to walk in her boots!



Totally eclipsing Nancy, born on this day in 1953 was the singer Bonnie Tyler, the girl with heart problems! Nomanda is pleased to say that she has made a complete recovery and had gone from strength to strength “Faster than the Speed of Light”.



June is the month for tennis with the French Open and Wimbledon both being held this month. It is remarkable just how many tennis stars have been born on this day on June. So, in birth order here they are; Stephane Simian, French (1967), Jamie Morgan, Australian (1971), Elena Brioukhovets, Ukrainian (1971), Lindsay Davenport, American (1976), Yvette Basting Dutch (1977) and last but by no means least, the star of them all, Kim Clijsters Belgian (1983).




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!!

28 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!



The 28th March does not seem to have been a “busy” day throughout much of history, but if it’s your special day …….ENJOY!


A few events worthy of note are that it was n this day in 1794 that the Louvre opened to the Parisian public. In true French tradition this monumental museum was officially opened in August 1793 but apparently they’d managed to keep the public out until today!



In another case of historical “déjà vu” it was on this day in 1959 that the China dissolved the Tibetan government just 11 days after the Tibetan uprising protesting against Chinese rule. So nothing much changed there then.



On a happier note today in 1964 celebrated the first broadcast from the “pirate ship” Radio Caroline.





Continuing the pop theme it was today in 1974 that the rock group “The Raspberries” broke up producing probably the world’s first raspberry smoothie!




Celebrating his birthday today is Welshman Neil Kinnock (1942), leader of the British Labour Party, vice president of the European Commission, and no lover of tall plumbers (see yesterday’s blog!)





Milan Williams (1948 – 2006) the keyboard player for the Commodores is our first birthday celebrity today. One of their best known songs is Lionel Ritchie’s “Three Times a Lady”.





Another rock star born on this day in 1969 was Salt best known for “Salt n Pepa and Shake your Thang”.





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 August - Historical Events and 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!



As usual Nomanda is always impressed with great feats of endurance and it was on this day in 1931 that Ernest Lassy completed his canoe journey of a staggering 6,102 miles without portage. Of course there’s always someone else who will go the extra mile and Don Starkell and his son Dana completed a canoe journey of 12,181 miles in 1982. Actually that’s an extra 6,000 miles! Absolutely amazing!

Two bizarre altitude feats were performed on this day in 1957. The first was USAF Captain Joe B Jordan reaching a height of 31,513 metres in an F-104 jet fighter. The second was David Simmons reaching 30,942 metres in a balloon. Now call me silly if you like but Nomanda’s vote goes to good old David! Come on Joe, you can do better than that in a jet fighter plane!

Another amazing feat of team endurance occurred on this day in 1974 when a trampoline team of 6 bounced up and down for 52 days! Nomanda has had a bit of experience on a trampoline in his day but I don’t think I ever made more than about 5 or 6 jumps before I either fell off or mistimed the bounce and didn’t go up again! I bet their legs were a bit wobbly at the end of 52 days! Don’t these people have a day job?

One of Nomanda’s favourite Frenchmen, Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 – 1821) is our first birthday celebrity today. In his short but chequered lifetime he changed shape of Europe, gave France and most of the rest of Europe the “Napoleonic Code” and died in exile on the remote island of St Helena. Great man, sad end!

The first independent Labour MP, L Kier Hardie (1865 – 1915) is our next birthday boy. He won his seat for West Ham in 1892 and 7 years later founded the Labour Party. He was an advocate for graduated income tax, free schooling, pensions, the abolition of the House of Lords and women’s right to vote. I wonder what he would think of the present lot of New Labour and all their cronies! Not much would be my guess!


Bobby Helms (1933 – 1997) the rock vocalist will be remembered for his rendition of “Jingle Bells Rock” so let’s hear it!



Let’s all send our birthday wishes to HRH Princess Anne (1950). She is a great lady who does a lot of work for charity and is the only member of the royal family to have represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games which she did at Montreal in 1976. She also managed to pick up the prestigious “Sports Personality of the Year” in 1971. Well don Ma’am!


The superb English wicket keeper Jack Russell (1963) will be making sure he doesn’t spill his drinks today! It will probably be several cups of tea made from the same tea bag if his reputation is merited!


Mikey Graham (1972) from the Irish group Boyzone will no doubt prefer a glass of the black stuff at his birthday bash! Let’s hear it from 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!!