July 18, 2026

19 Jul

 

19 Jul

Weather Expectations         Week 29  Day 200      Flag Today  68°/58°                             

Wind 3 mph Gusts 3 mph

Active Fire: 22 miles away Risk of fire: Very Low 

Nearest Lightning: 8 miles away Humidity:  90%

Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Mostly Cloudy

July Averages: Temps: 82°\51°  9 days with rain

Today’s Observances:

Anne Hutchinson Memorial Day
Flitch Day
Link (See the Flitch of Dunmow site.  )
International Karaoke Day
Link
National Ice Cream Day
Lake Superior Day 
Words With Friends Day  
Link

Weekly Observances:

Tour de France: 4-26  Link

World Eskimo Olympic Games: 15-19

Rabbit Week: 15-21 (Magician's) Sponsor: Melvin Rabbit (Canada)
National Parenting Gifted Children Week: 16-22
Link 

International Sand Sculpting Championships : 17-19 Link

RAGBRAI [Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa]: 18-25 Link
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) Education & Awareness Week: 18-25

Hemingway Look-Alike Days: 19-25 (Nearest his Birthday of 7/21)

Hemp History Week: 19-25

Captive Nations Week: 19-25 
Everybody Deserves A Massage Week: 19-25
Link 
National Independent Retailers Week: 19-25  
Link  

National Zookeeper Week: 19-25  Link  
Women in Baseball Week: 19-25 

National Moth Week: 19-27

Fresh Quotation:

 

Today’s Reflection:

Today is certainly a monsoon day. There have been female and male showers on and off most of the day. The more gentle rain lasts about 15 minutes, then all is quiet, the stronger rain and thunder enter for about 20 minutes. That pattern just keeps repeating itself. Thankfully moisture is much needed, and the cooler temps are nice.

We had a good discussion group yesterday. Three of the seven of us spent time in the hospital with various ailments since our last meeting. Thankfully we are all slowly recovering. Barry had an embolism near his heart and one in his leg. His recovery is slower than Margaret’s and mine. It will take 6 months for the clots to disintegrate with meds. That seems very frustrating and scary to me. After catching up medically we had a good discussion about why we should or should not try to return to the 1950's situation with the World Bank other financial organizations. That seems to be Trump's goal. All of us agreed that this is not the time to return to those days...if it were even possible. Sadly, so many MAGA people and Conservatives only remember the good parts of that life and and not the hassles we lived through.

Historical events

19 Jul History

Cool to know:

HOT 

Just like high, hot has been used to mean excessively warm since the days of Old English. But its more figurative use in relation to someone's attractiveness is nonetheless well established: in the 14th century it was used personally, to refer to someone feeling a flustered state of desire, and by 1886 had come to be used to describe someone who is sexually attractive. 

Picture of the Day:

Norwegian photographer Erlend Haarberg took home the top prize and won the Birds in the Environment category with an image of a Rock Ptarmigan soaring over snow-capped mountains.

“High up in the mountains, the wind, snow, and cold maintain the iron grip of winter for many months on end. This is where Rock Ptarmigan thrive in an endless white landscape,” says Haarberg. “On this particular winter’s day, I was on my way to a mountain top. I had almost reached the summit when I spotted some ptarmigan tracks in the snow. Soon a bird took flight, with the dramatic backdrop showing what a harsh environment this bird calls home.”

 

Tricky US Trivia:

 Question: What was the original capital of the U.S.?

 

Answer: New York City

Today’s Birthdays:

Benedict Cumberbatch Movie Actor 50 years old

Birthplace London, England

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Brian May Guitarist 79 years old

Birthplace London, England

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anthony Edwards TV Actor 64 years old

Birthplace Santa Barbara, CA

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Vinessa Shaw Movie Actress 50 years old

Birthplace Los Angeles, CA

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Angela Griffin Movie Actress 50 years old

Birthplace Leeds, England

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That’s All for Now



July 17, 2026

18 Jul

 

18 Jul

Weather Expectations         Week 23  Day 199      Flag Today  67°/58°                             

Wind 20 mph Gusts 26 mph

Active Fire: 22 miles away Risk of fire: Very Low 

Nearest Lightning: 4 miles away Humidity:  90%

Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Mostly Cloudy Windy

July Averages: Temps: 82°\51°  9 days with rain

Today’s Observances:

Insurance Nerd Day Link
National Bridal Sale Day
National Caviar Day-19
Link
National Sour Candy Day
Link (Started by American Licorice 2015)
Nelson Mandela International Day
Link
Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day

Toss Away the "Could Haves" and "Should Haves" Day 

Woodie Wagon Day
Women's Dive Day

World Listening Day  Link

Weekly Observances:

Tour de France: 4-26  Link

National Cancer Survivor Sibling Week: 12-18  Link 
National Farriers Week: 12-18 
Operation Safe Driver Week: 12-18 
 Link
Nude Recreation Weekend:  12-18 

 

National Ventriloquism Week: 15-18 Link

World Lumberjack Championships: 15-18

World Eskimo Olympic Games: 15-19

 

Rabbit Week: 15-21 (Magician's) Sponsor: Melvin Rabbit (Canada)

Family Golf Week: 16-18 Link

 

National Parenting Gifted Children Week: 16-22 Link 

 

International Sand Sculpting Championships : 17-19 Link

RAGBRAI: 18-25 Link
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) Education & Awareness Week: 18-25

Fresh Quotation:

 

Today’s Reflection:

Much of Flag is getting a nice downpour, it hasn’t arrived at my place, but it’s a comin’.

I did two loads of laundry this morning. I also cleaned out the new bedroom closet and go rid of some old clothes to give me more room. Purging can be good.

While I have been complaining about our local smoke from the fires, our little town is in much better shape than parts of the NE states where daily air is considered dangerous. I guess it’s time to order some new N95 masks…just in case I need them.

Historical events

18 Jul History

Cool to know:

HIGH 

High has been used to mean elevated since the Old English period. But in relation to being intoxicated, high has been used to describe the effects of drugs since 1935, while people have been getting high on alcohol since 1607.  

Picture of the Day:

Female Bird Prize: Northern Harrier
A female Northern Harrier flies over a wetland, her broad wings raised over her head. Her long tail striped with white and brown spreads out like a fan, her round face facing down. Elizabeth Yicheng Shen/Audubon Photography Awards/2021.

 


Tricky US Trivia:

 Question: What does the U.S.’s motto “E pluribus unum” mean?

 


Answer: Out of many, one

Today’s Birthdays:

Vin Diesel Movie Actor 59 years old

Birthplace Alameda, CA

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Nelson Mandela World Leader [1918-2013] @95

Birthplace  Mvezo, South Africa

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jason Weaver Movie Actor 47 years old

Birthplace Chicago, IL

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

James Brolin TV Actor 86 years old

Birthplace Los Angeles, CA

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mehdi Taremi Soccer Player 34 years old

Birthplace Bushehr, Iran

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That’s All for Now




July 16, 2026

17 Jul

 

17 Jul

Weather Expectations         Week 23  Day 198     Flag Today  72°/58°                             

Wind 6 mph Gusts 7 mph

Active Fire: A miles away Risk of fire: Very Low 

Nearest Lightning: 4 miles away Humidity: 96%

Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Mostly Cloudy

July Averages: Temps: 82°\51°  9 days with rain

Today’s Observances:

Celebration of The Horse Day thru 19
Disneyland Day
National Pajama Day
Link
Park and Recreation Professionals Day
Robin Hood Day-18
Link
World Day for International Criminal Justice  
Link
World Emoji Day 
 Link
Wrong Way Corrigan Day
Yellow Pigs Day  
Link

Weekly Observances:

Tour de France: 4-26  Link

National Cancer Survivor Sibling Week: 12-18  Link 
National Farriers Week: 12-18 
Operation Safe Driver Week: 12-18 
 Link
Nude Recreation Weekend:  12-18 

National Ventriloquism Week: 15-18 Link

World Lumberjack Championships: 15-18

World Eskimo Olympic Games: 15-19

Rabbit Week: 15-21 (Magician's) Sponsor: Melvin Rabbit (Canada)
Family Golf Week: 16-18
Link

National Parenting Gifted Children Week: 16-22 Link 

International Sand Sculpting Championships : 17-19 Link

Fresh Quotation:

 

 

Today’s Reflection:

The monsoon has arrived with a whimper. A couple of light showers that only lasted a few minutes…the street didn’t even get totally wet. All moisture is appreciated.

Still waiting for the Sunday match between Spain and Argentina at the World Cup. Hoping for a great match.

Andy called this morning and postponed our lunch. They have a busy day ahead with Andy’s older sister and won’t have time for our lunch today. It’s all good, they have been a lifesaver during my illness.

I am moving around the downstairs without a cane. I’m a little slow, but improving every day.

I’m awaiting my Walmart groceries and a couple of items from Amazon Prime today. I’m getting a new office chair. The current one is about 20 years old and is a secretary chair with no armrests. I old office chair was dumped…one wheel was broken, when the big cleanup happened while I was not home.

Historical events

17 Jul History

Cool to know:

HANG OUT 

As modern as this might sound, even the Victorians would have been fairly familiar with the concept of hanging out. As a verb, meaning to pass time together, to hang out dates back as far as 1846, while as a noun, meaning somewhere you like to hang out, it dates to 1852. 

Picture of the Day:

Fisher Prize: Anna’s Hummingbird
More than a dozen purple blooms on a Pride of Madeira plant obscure all but a blurred wing and one eye of an Anna’s Hummingbird. The hummingbird faces the viewer with its eye clearly visible between two flowers, appearing to be making eye contact with the photographer. Patrick Coughlin/Audubon Photography Awards/2021

Tricky US Trivia:

Question: Which was the first established university in the U.S.?

 


Answer: Harvard

Today’s Birthdays:

Luke Bryan Country Singer 50 years old

Birthplace Leesburg, GA

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

David Hasselhoff TV Actor 74 years old

Birthplace Baltimore, MD

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Camilla Parker Bowles Queen 79 years old

Birthplace London, England

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Donald Sutherland Movie Actor [1935-2024] @88 years old

Birthplace: St. John, Canada

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Katherine Clark Politician 63 years old

Birthplace New Haven, CT

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Angela Merkel World Leader 72 years old

Birthplace Hamburg, Germany

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Santiago Segura Director 61 years old

Birthplace Madrid, Spain

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That’s All for Now




July 15, 2026

16 Jul

 

16 Jul

Weather Expectations         Week 23  Day 196      Flag Today  80°/60°                             

Wind 9 mph Gusts 11 mph

Active Fire: 22 miles away Risk of fire: Very Low 

Nearest Lightning: 18 miles away Humidity:  34%

Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Partly Cloudy

July Averages: Temps: 82°\51°  9 days with rain

Today’s Observances:

DOLE Whip Day Link
Get to Know Your Customers Day
National Guinea Pig Day
Link
National Atomic Veteran's Day
National Personal Chef's Day
Link  Link  Link Link
International Sister Cities Day
Link 
World Snake Day
Link

Weekly Observances:

Tour de France: 4-26  Link

National Cancer Survivor Sibling Week: 12-18  Link 
National Farriers Week: 12-18 
Operation Safe Driver Week: 12-18 
 Link
Nude Recreation Weekend:  12-18 

National Ventriloquism Week: 15-18 Link

World Lumberjack Championships: 15-18

World Eskimo Olympic Games: 15-19

Rabbit Week: 15-21 (Magician's) Sponsor: Melvin Rabbit (Canada)
Family Golf Week: 16-18
Link

National Parenting Gifted Children Week: 16-22 Link 

Fresh Quotation:

 

 

Today’s Reflection:

It looks like the monsoon will hit this afternoon. Lots of clouds…some dark. We need moisture. Last night there was another gentle rain with some lightning and thunder.

At the World Cup, Spain shut out France in another good game. France could just not play as a team.

After recent shootings…and killings, ICE told do stop doing traffic stops by their boss. Less than 24 hours later, President Trump said that Traffic stops could resume. So disgusting.

Our discussion group meets this Friday afternoon for another great meeting. Multilateral Institutions in this Changing World. Should be a great discussion. I’m looking forward to it. 

Historical events

16 July History

Cool to know:

The hashtag symbol is technically called an octothorpe.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the "octo-" prefix refers to the eight points on the popular symbol, but the "thorpe" remains a mystery. One theory claims that it comes from the Old English word for "village," based on the idea that the symbol looks like a village surrounded by eight fields! 

Picture of the Day:

 


Youth Honorable Mention: Canada Goose
On a still wetland with green grasses and brown reeds in the background, a Canada Goose flies up from the water, its wings outstretched and beak agape as another Canada Goose, wings bent at 90-degree angles, honks back. Several Green-winged Teal watch the scene from the water below. Josiah Launstein/Audubon Photography Awards/2021

Tricky US Trivia:

Question: Who was the first American astronaut in space?

Answer: Alan Shepard

Today’s Birthdays:

Will Ferrell Movie Actor 59 years old

Birthplace Irvine, CA

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Joe Jackson Baseball Player [1887-1951] @64 heart attack

Birthplace South Carolina

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Corey Feldman Movie Actor 55 years old

Birthplace Los Angeles, CA

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Phoebe Cates Movie Actress 63 years old

BirthplaceNew York City, NY

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Barry Sanders Football Player 58 years old

Birthplace Wichita, KS

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dave Goelz Puppeteer [Muppets] 80 years old

BirthplaceLos Angeles, CA

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That’s All for Now