look up...

 My west coast brother informs me that today is "International Asteroid Day" and "National Meteor Day."  He questioned why asteroids get an international day while meteors only get nation recognition.  I think I've figured out the reason.

A meteor is seen as a streak of light that flashes across the night sky.  It's caused by a small piece of space debris called a meteoroid burning up as it enters earth's atmosphere.  An asteroid, on the other hand, is a relatively small rocky celestial body that orbits the sun.  They are sometimes considered minor planets or planetoids. 

I'm pretty sure that they were allocated their different statuses because if a bit of a meteor happened to fall into your back yard, you might get a little press interest, maybe even a mention on the evening national news, whereas, if an asteroid lands in your back yard it will have an international impact of global proportions.  

So the next time you're watching a meteor shower be glad it's not an asteroid shower.

arms open wide...

 Today, according to my west coast brother, is "Hug Holiday Day."  Of course I did a little research on this and found this statement "It is known that hugging is good for you.  It releases oxytocin, known as the 'cuddle hormone' which can help to strengthen social bonds." From hugging babies to hugging siblings to hugging spouses to hugging friends, it can be a very satisfying experience.  

I come from a family of natural huggers.  My mother was an excellent hugger and my daughter has inherited that gene from her.  When my daughter hugs me it feels like my mother's hug which is weirdly wonderful.  

I do need to be careful though.  Not everyone appreciates being hugged.  I have one granddaughter who refuses to be hugged while her sister and her cousins are eager huggers.  

Since I married my spouse a year and a half ago, I have discovered that he and most of his extended family are good and willing huggers. Yay!

Hugging of course is not just limited to family.  I remember a funny episode a few years ago.  We were walking out of a Christmas Eve service at church when a young man, for whom I had been a mentor when he was younger, gave me a big hug when he saw me.  One of my granddaughters was with me, and she was quite astonished that this cute young man had given me a hug.  That's one of the really nice things about hugging, there are no age limits. 

So don't just sit there reading this. Get up and hug someone.  You'll be glad you did.

celebrate..

 According to my west coast brother today is "Celebrate Your Marriage Day."  It's also "National Tapioca Day" but I prefer not to dwell on that.  When I was a child my father once referred to tapioca pudding as 'snake eyes' and that has pretty much ruined it for me ever since.  

It's also "Great American Picnic Day" which would have been fun to celebrate except it was just too hot.  90+ degrees with high humidity is not picnic weather for me.  I know, I know, air conditioning has spoiled me in my old age.  

However, my spouse and I did manage to celebrate our marriage in our own inimitable way.  We had no particular 'must do' items on our list for today so we puzzled, we read, we ate chocolates and we played a game of Scrabble.  He won, but there's always next time.  A little healthy competition keeps a marriage worth celebrating. 

Summer snacking...

 Today, on his way home from donating blood, my wonder spouse stopped at Zesto's and had a butterscotch yogurt malt.  He only did this, he assured me, because the nice Red Cross nurse told him he should get a treat on the way home.  I guess he gave really good blood.

This desire for cold sweet treats is symptomatic of the time of year.  The fact that we're in the middle of a heat wave probably helps too.  On Wednesday we ate lunch at the Lunch Box Cafe and ordered mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert.  It was delicious.  As a general rule, we never even order desserts in restaurants.  

And this is not just regional.  My west coast brother told me that today is "National Ice Cream Cake Day" and my husband's oldest son and family are world travelers, and pictures they post frequently include delicious looking sweet treats.  

So take a minute right now to decide what is your very favorite ice cream or sherbet.  Then think of the country where you had this treat and start planning your next trip.  My very favorite is Italian Lemon Ice.  I could buy a ticket to Florence, or I could just go to Kroger's, a much shorter trip, and buy some Luigi's Real Italian Ice (lemon flavor of course). 

Sweet sweets dreams, everyone.

Adulting....

 My spouse and I are taking real pleasure watching our grandchildren as their lives beyond childhood unfold.  This year has included one high school graduation, one BA graduation, and one MS graduation.

This evening we learned about a whole new success story.  My grandson, now 24, did not go to college, but he has worked hard at a variety of jobs since high school and succeeded at each of them, usually becoming an assistant manager.  Along the way, he has become engaged, they have bought a house together, and they have a cat. We took them to dinner this evening, then got to see their house (very nice), meet their cat, and learned about my grandson's new job.

I think this new job suits him very well.  He is working for a company called Terex.  They make cement mixers.  He works on the line attaching axels to frames and other parts of the construction process.  Did you know that a cement mixer can have four to seven axels?   Cement mixers don't roll off the line like cars.  There's lots of hands on work involved.  He has always liked to put things together so this job seems like a great fit.  

He is doing a good job of adulting, without a college education, and I'm so proud of him.

that was easy

 I do appreciate friendly efficiency as I think we all do.  Today I got to enjoy a shining example.  I was scheduled for a CT scan (just prepping for an annual follow up appointment with one of my doctors) at our local hospital.  The directions, which were sent to me by email, text and my chart, told me that I should arrive at 12:30pm for my 1:45pm appointment.  I knew I would get an injection of dye and assumed that was why I needed to be there so early.  My spouse drove me to the appointment because we planned to go to lunch after and we arrived at 12:25pm.  Assuming there would be wait time involved, we had each brought a book to read.  I was checked in by 12:26pm and at 12:28pm they called my name.  

The friendly nurse / technologist walked me back to a room where  a machine was ready and waiting.  No need to take off shoes or clothes, just lie down and put my arms up and back over my head.  I was given a saline injection and then the dye; in less than a minute it had flowed through my whole body, an interesting feeling. Then I just relaxed as I was moved back and forth, in and out of the machine.  A mystery voice gave instructions - "breathe in, breathe out, don't breathe, breathe."  This was repeated several times, and then we were all done.  Ten minutes, start to finish.  My spouse was astonished, as was I.  

Next month I will meet with the doctor who ordered the test.  It will be interesting to compare the timing of that appointment to this one.  

good eating...

 My west coast brother informed me that today is "Creamy Pralines Day."  I've had pralines; a long ago high school boyfriend (my first 'true love') went off to Tulane University in New Orleans after high school graduation and gave me a box of pralines when he came home for Christmas.  I don't remember them being creamy but they were sugary and delicious. 

Coincidentally, while thinking about this sweet treat, I discovered an article in the July issue of Reader's Digest about the favorite comfort foods of all 50 states.  The sweet treats considered comfort food include ice cream in California, Peach Cobbler in Georgia, Cinnamon Rolls in Iowa, Kuchen in South Dakota and Dutch Baby Pancakes in Washington.  I will have to ask my west coast brother about that last one.  

Those are the states that think comfort food should be sweet.  Not all states agree.  Evidently here in Indiana our idea of comfort food is a Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich.  It appears that mid-westerners aren't too crazy about sweets.  If you go east to Ohio for your comfort it will be Cincinnati Chili, west to Illinois you'll find Deep-Dish Pizza, north to Michigan Coney Dogs, South to Kentucky spoon bread.  

Obviously reading about all these foods made me think about my favorite comfort foods.  High on my list would be stuffed shells from Ziano's, or just about any pasta with good Alfredo sauce and fideo soup and nachos from El Azteca.  (Must be my German heritage.) For dessert I'll take a molasses cookie or apple bread or anything chocolate.  Happy feasting everyone.  Here's wishing you all your favorite comfort foods, but not all at once.