Bet you don't know what Tuesday is.....

   Just in case you forget, Tuesday is April 1, often referred to as April Fool's Day. The beginning of April is a sure sign that winter is now behind us and Spring is just around the corner, although you could not tell that by looking at my yard, still with 2 feet of snow.

   Early references to April Fool's Day date back to to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in 1392 and over the years it has evolved into a day of kidding and practical jokes and even Mother Nature has gotten into the act in the past with early Spring snow storms. I sure hope not this year though.

   But more important, April is filled with monthly, weekly and daily observances as people transition fromthe cold of winter into the warmth and sounds of Spring.

   Not wanting to be left out of any of the upcoming excitement, I decided it was time to fill in my calendar and get ready …...to celebrate.

   April is known as 'Adopt A Greyhound Month'. I have always wanted to own one but I am not sure the town will allow me to park a 45 ft. bus in my driveway. I know it will definitely not fit in the garage. There is barely enough room for my cars, let alone a Greyhound .

   Once the snow clears and the ice melts from the ponds in the backyard, the frogs will return, so how appropriate is it that April in 'National Frog Month'. I can't wait for their return, and neither can the neighborhood cats.

   April is also known as 'Distracted Driving Awareness Month'. I am assuming that either...you are to be on the lookout for distracted drivers around you or 'you need to stay off your cell phone'!

   For some of the nuts out there, April is 'National Pecan Month'. While I like pecans, I prefer cashews. I wonder which month is dedicated as National Cashew Month. I'll probably skip the pecan celebration. Things are nutty enough this time of the year.

   There are some serious observances in April too. There is 'Couple Appreciation Month', National Autism Awareness Month', and Keep America Beautiful Month.'

   Along with month long observances, there are some that  last only a week. After the winter we have had, the week of April 24-30, designated as 'National Scoop the Poop Week, comes just in time'. This is one that will get my attention.

   With the arrival of warmer weather, the week of April 20-26 is 'National Bedbug Week', I have this picture of bedbugs lining up along Main Street, holding signs and cheering as their comrades parade by to their next unsuspecting victim. And what better way to create a bit of fear in kids going off to camp later this summer.... tell them not to let the bedbugs bite!

   The week of April 20-26 is 'Sky Awareness Week'. If you have never noticed the sky    before, this might be the week to do it. And as for Chicken Little, the sky has never fallen. The only things that fall from the sky are the occasional shooting stars and old space satellites dropping out of orbit.

   While you are appreciating the sky, you might want to participate in 'The National Pie Championships' near the end of the same week and finish off the contest with a tattoo on April 29^th.

   With all the activities going on, I don't have much extra time during the month. But there are a couple of things I might be able to squeeze in. April 4^th is 'National Walk to Work Day' and if I worked, I'd walk.

    The 7^th is 'International Beaver Day' and that's all I'll say about that. The 8^th is “Draw a Bird Day'. Is that the same as “flipping the bird”? Perhaps after those two comments, I might think about April 11^th,..... “ A National Day of Silence'.

   April 19^th is a special day. First it is 'Husband Appreciation Day' and also 'National Hanging Out Day', but I am sure there is no relationship between the two.

   The 3d Monday in April is the Boston Marathon, a day that will be respectfully remembered for years to come because of the horrific bombing last year that changed lives and a country forever.

   Hair Stylist Appreciation Day is April 25 and although I don't require a trip to the stylist much any more, I will stop in just to say “hi”.

   The last day of the month holds a very special place in my heart. It is 'Bugs Bunny Day' and who didn't grow up loving Bugs Bunny cartoons on those ancient black and white televisions just before dinner each evening.

   April 30^th is also 'National Honesty Day' and I am not lying when I say... these lists are a bit crazy. But the upside is it does give some people something to look forward to, even if it's nothing more than putting a smile on your face.

Oh, by the way...April is 'National Humor Month'. LOL

I c b w, but....

   'I could be wrong', but I think there is a revolution coming. Truth is, it may already be here. It won't be fought with guns or missiles, but instead it will be a war on words, or maybe more accurately, the lack of words. With texting, tweeting and instant messaging all the rage, there appears to be a new language on the horizon.

   With my new cell phone and grandchildren becoming teenagers, texting is slowly making its way into my world too and while it is fun to be in what could be considered regular contact with them if I were so inclined, they do need to study, when we do text back and forth, sometimes it is difficult to understand the messages they send me, widening the generation gap even more.There seems to be this entirely new way of expressing oneself and while once an English teacher, dedicated to proper spelling and good grammar, I have had to force myself to overlook the 'spelling' in order to understand what many now call the “new shorthand.” Over the years, we have always had our share of acronyms, but the computer age seems to have given birth to a whole new language.

   I think my first real exposure to this new language came when confronted with...OMG. But over time, I became comfortable enough to use OMG myself. But that was only the beginning. Just when I think I understand, there is an entirely new list of “NetLingo” for sharing and chatting. @TEOTD, I not sure I will ever catch up and be current. (at the end of the day.) 
   With some degree of seriousness, I am somewhat worried about the future and what we will be teaching the kids in school. For some, spelling and reading were always a challenge and I don't see their importance becoming less important, even with all the shortcuts. But, 404 what the curriculum will look like in 10 years. (404...'I haven't a clue'. Now how you get that at of 404, I don't know!)
      I am well aware there will be those who will A2D with me when it comes to the importance of learning to spell correctly and I will ACK they have a right to their own opinions, but 4COL, this could really get confusing over time. (Translation....I am well aware there will be those who will 'agree to disagree' with me when it comes to the importance of learning to spell correctly and I will 'acknowledge' they have a right to their own opinions, but 'for crying out loud', this could get confusing over time.)

   Each day new acronyms are added to the list and a quick search of the Internet reveals list after list. Some are quite simple to understand while others pose more of a challenge. For example: 2moro and 2nite are simple to understand. 1Daful is a bit more challenging and means 'wonderful'. If you are from away you may be considered a 4NR, a foreigner.

   Interested in a bit of Shakespeare? 2B-not2B. That is the ?. It really is possible to share a bit of Shakespeare and culture in a text message without much typing.Teachers...beware however! That tweeting sound in your classroom may not be the robins of springtime.

   I decided that in order to stay in the game, so to speak, I would study up on some of the more popular terms. IMHO, this was going to be a challenge. ('In my humble opinion') There was just TMI to absorb at one time. I guess I could always use flashcards. But here is a list of some of the more popular text terms: L8R, BRB. ILY, RBTL, BCNU, 9, and maybe the one most familiar to all, LOL  MHOTY if you know what any of these mean. You are more 'with it' than I am. ('My hats off to you')

   @TEOTD it's still OK to pick up the phone, dial a number to say “hello” and hear a teenage voice on the other end of the connection. ('at the end of the day') And about those spelling lists the teachers hand out on Monday for the test on Friday? Keep studying! You never know when the you might actually need to hand write a 'thank you' note to someone. Sometimes it's what we do 'in real life” (IRL)

   After reading this, I am sure you will think I am an ACORN. That's one you'll have to look up on your own! LOL.

STUDY GUIDE: L8R-later, BRB- be right back, ILY- I love you, RBTL- read between the lines, BCNU- be seeing you, 9- parent alert, LOL- laughing out loud 

Not a bucket list, but.....

  The doctor says to the patient.."I have some bad news and I have some really bad news    for you."
  The patient replies.."Give me the bad news first."
  "You have twenty fours hours to live!" says the doctor.
  "And the really bad  news?" asks the patient.
   "I tried to call you yesterday!"

    Several  years ago there was a movie titled “The Bucket List”. The message in the film was simple. It was to answer the question ......”What are the things you would like to do before you die?” The underlying question may really have been...”What are those things you did not do, for what ever reason, early on in your life?”

   Careers, family, lack of money or just plain fear are only a few of the reasons we fail to follow through on some of our wildest dreams and wishes. Then....all of a sudden you reach the age when you get up one morning, look in the mirror, only to see a face you might not recognize and you ask the question.. “What have I done with my life?”

   I am realistic enough to know that unless you start your 'bucket list' at a young age, the likelihood of a story book or 'happily ever after'  ending to life may not  happen. But sometimes it is never too late, regardless of how old you are.

   As each day passes  I think  about some of the things I might like  to do before I die and I started my own bucket list of sorts. It's not a big bucket. Let's call it the 'bright blue plastic sand pail list', you know, the kind of pail you might take to the beach as a child.

   To begin, I need a pencil and a piece of paper. Point to remember here! You should write things down, a shopping list of sorts. Its called accountability, especially if you decide to stick the list on the door of the refrigerator door for everyone to see. For me, I use a list because my memory isn't as good as it use to be.
   I have always wanted to learn to fly but realized that I didn't have the arm strength to get myself off the ground. Maybe a good substitute would be to learn to swim. I think I can float! With proper instruction, it's probably safer and a great way to exercise and control weight gain. And those little black 'speedo' bathing suits.......well !!!!

   I'll admit it. I am a 'Gleek'. I like music and  like to sing. Being 'tone challenged' can be a real handicap, however. A music teacher once suggested I learn to lip sync. " No one will ever know. Even the professionals do it." So I crank up the volume and sing a chorus of “Sweet Caroline” during the 7th inning stretch. Not bad for a beginner and the backup group is great too.

   I have dreamed about traveling to far off places. Now, living in Maine can have it's advantages for this one. Just down the highway is Norway. A quick turn gets you to 'South' Paris. Go north and you can travel to Calais. There is Lisbon and Peru, China and Naples. Who knew there were all these great place within a day's travel of home. And let's not forget about Mars (Hill)!

   Could I become a professional dancer? I did like to dance at one time. After several casual lessons, the instructor suggested I sit back and watch “So You Think You Can Dance”  on television... and dream. It might be the closest I would get to the dance floor. Over the years I think I have I  lost all my rhythm..and I was once a drummer in the band...

   You can see by my list that I am not looking to jump out of airplanes, unless it is safely on the ground  or climb the highest mountain in the world. I can barely hike up to the top of the local ski slope.  

   I have thought about writing a novel though, or play in an orchestra again and I think those may still be possible. But I can't waste too much more time thinking about it, because I don't know how much time I have left. 

    The lesson is simple. As you live life each day, every once and a while it's OK to step out of the box and do something a bit out of the character for yourself. Take the risk. Don't put it off until tomorrow. Time is getting short and life can present some unexpected events. Do you really want to go through life saying..."I wish I had done that." when you really could have! 
(Sorry for the bad joke. :)  

You can call me a bit crazy, but...

   It's amazing what some folks will do to help speed up the transition from Winter to Spring, especially this year as the cold weather seemed to arrive earlier than normal and still has not let go. We are several days into March and the temperature this morning was -8 degrees at 7:00 am. The weather forecast is for a 'slight' warming trend for the remainder of the week. I guess that means temps in the upper 20's and it may even hit the 30's by Saturday. Time to get out the shorts.

   Speaking of shorts, with the wind blowing at 'gale force' the other day (exaggeration), two young men entered the local grocery story wearing shorts, sandals and tee shirts. They were stocking up on chips, dip and beer. Why the shorts? It was the result of a bet that the two of them had lost. But the trade off was going to be …...free beer. Party on. They must have been college kids!

   I haven't gotten my shorts out yet, but like many other, I am looking forward to Spring. To get into the spirit I planted some seeds to get a head start, placing them in a warm sunny window. But, no sign of life yet.

   Several weeks ago it turned into a sunny afternoon with the temperature hovering around 25 degrees. The driveway was clear so I decided to wash the cars. A quick wash and towel dry and the vehicles were sand and salt free for the next few days. It did feel pretty good being outside, involved in a 'spring-time' activity and I suspect the neighbors and those who passed by the house got a pretty good laugh. Maybe they were just jealous, because my cars were clean.

   Later that week, there was a fresh dusting of snow and the sand and salt trucks were busy again on the highway and by the time I got back from town....well, you know.

   The snow banks on the side of the road in front of my house are still 3-4 feet high, mostly packed with ice, but the road is clear, except for the sand and salt from all the storms. Each time a car goes by, it creates a bit of a dust storm.

   I needed “something” to throw on the ice that still covers several of the walkways around the house and I don't  want to buy more salt or ice melt. Even Lucky has a bit of a problem as he slips and slides. The solution was simple. Sweep up some of the sand in the road and spread it about on the icy walkways. Recycle, reuse.

   I know it's too early to sweep, but it did cause a beep or two from several who drove by. Maybe, next time I'll go out under the cover of darkness.

  Can Spring be far behind if it's time to set the clocks ahead. If you are reading this on Sunday morning, you may want to make sure that you set your clocks ahead. It's ..Spring ahead and Fall behind or something like that.

   Truth be known, this week I have been pretending that daylight savings time was already in effect. "See how light it is at 7:30 pm..." I would say to myself. "It must be Spring." (In reality, it was only 6:30 pm. until March 8 but I can always dream.)

   My snow blower has gotten a great deal of use this year and although an older model, it has done a great job. There is nothing wrong with being old as long as all the parts still work.

   I finished opening a path to the tool shed and decided to take a peek inside. There, waiting for warmer weather were the garden tools and lawn mower. Perhaps if I straightened up the tools and start the mower, just to check it out, it may send a signal to Spring to arrive just a bit sooner.

   It got pretty noisy for a minute or two, the snow blower roaring on one side of the driveway and the lawn mower on the other. Now if that didn't get the neighborhood people talking, nothing will.

   Planting seeds, washing the car, rearranging the garden tools, starting the lawn mower, what else could I do? There was one more thing. After a quick phone call.... yes, there was a time slot available in about an hour..... It was just enough time to get my summer hair cut. If that didn't do it, nothing would!

  The forecast for the weekend.. sunny and high in the 40's. Hope Springs eternal!

"Crying over spilled milk..." and other 'idiom-otic' things we say.

   The young boy had just spilled his can of soda on the floor and like many his age, he began to cry. His mother tried to console him by saying...”There's no use in crying over spilled milk.”

   “But is wasn't milk, Mom,” he sobbed . “It was soda, my favorite soda !”

   Many of life's little lesson are taught through the use of idioms, brief statements, often with distant historical background and meaning. While most languages are rich with idioms, the English language seems to have more than its share, perhaps because many English words, when standing alone, lack the color, richness and romance of words found in other languages. I have heard that there are at least 100 different ways to say “I love you” in Italian, but in English...

   Idioms often come from strange and unusual sources, the Bible, ancient fairy tales, folklore, different regions of a country or the world and are influenced by  local culture and tradition. The southern part of the United States has some real 'gems.'

   Many of the present day idioms date back hundreds and even thousands of years, and while experts may not always agree on who, where or when, what they do seem to agree upon is that the 'saying' can often be confusing when it comes to their intended meaning and significance in their 21^st century use.

   For example, “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!” This expression is said to come from one of Shakespeare’s plays. Now I am sure that someone was not going to lend an ear as you might lend  a hammer to a neighbor, but over the years, the expression caught on and is often used by many of today's political leaders... 'to get the public's attention!' Well, that may be pushing a point. Who listens to a politician?

   When I asked a friend how he were feeling, he replied that he had recently “been under the weather' but was now feeling a bit better. With the weather being what it has been this winter, being under it may or may not be a bad thing if it meant avoiding it, but I suspect that was not the original intent. Believe it or not, the “under the weather” expression dates back to the early 1800's and is attributed to people becoming sea sick while sailing in stormy weather on the Mississippi River. Who knew? But it might also explain the color of the water in the river..

   Often, after working on a project for a long time and not seeing success, I have felt like 'throwing in the towel.' Would you believe the origin of 'towel throwing' dates back to the early 1800's and boxing rings in Great Britain? OK. I give up! Some  idioms really do have a "true ring" to them.

   Getting the facts about an issue is important. Getting the correct facts and truth is even more important. If you want to make sure that what you are being told is true, you might want to “get it directly from the horse's mouth,” especially if, for example, you are in the process of signing up for something important, like one of those new health care plans.

   So you have decided to buy a horse and want to know its real age. Horse traders know to check the size and shape of the teeth to determine the horse's age...thus the notion of 'straight from the horse's mouth'. And purchasing health care? Try getting the facts about the new health care plans directly from a 'horse's …...'

   Justin Bieber has been in the news a great deal lately. I am not sure how much talent he has or who may be advising him regarding an appropriate life style, but being a 'young man' with money to burn and a great deal of notoriety right now, he certainly is 'sowing his wild oats', wasting his time and money on reckless activities and life styles. My guess is that 'sowing wild oats' has been around a long time and a tradition with young men...as its origin dates back as early as 190 B.C. to Greece and Rome. Oh those young and foolish hooligans. Will they never learn?

   There are many idioms with origins coming from the Bible. “Seeing eye to eye” has several Biblical references, implying that different people, looking at the same thing may or may not have the same view or be of similar agreement.

   Putting your best foot forward to make a positive impression, putting your foot down to make a point, or being willing to support what you believe by putting your money where your mouth is have all become part of what makes our language rich in meaning and yet so confusing to those not familiar with it. Can you imagine a person with ten $20. bills stuck in his or her mouth! And a number of idioms make reference to body parts? What's that all about?

   Without 'going too far out on a limb', idioms have become part of the way we communicate our thoughts and ideas, even if the original meaning of the words has changed over the years. It will be interesting to look back 50 years from now and see what new idioms we may have added to the list.

  P.S.      And  that spilled milk, or in this case soda....ever try getting it back into the  bottle?