Check These Dates

Check off your list, General Beauregard, our resident weather prognosticator, had his say early Sunday morning on Ground Hog Day, early spring a’coming. Start getting those bikinis out.

Then, later Sunday, it was hot in Miami not from the weather so much as the half time show at the Super Bowl. Have you ever seen so much shaking and skin?

February is one of those dull winter months stuck between Christmas/New Years and Easter, so why not get some holidays in there. Of course, Valentine’s Day is colorful, happy, after all, we do say, Happy Valentine’s Day and a lot of money is spent on candy, flowers and eatin’. Later on in the month we have one of those Monday holidays, celebrating Presidents of the United States born in February, right now there are four, Washington, Lincoln, Harrison, and Reagan.

This year Mardi Gras Day, Fat Tuesday, is February 25th, celebrated 46 days before Easter and is one of those floating holidays. Easter is also a floater, but based on the first Sunday after a full moon following Spring equinox. The day after Fat Tuesday is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent which lasts 40 days. Have you got all that?

A biggie this year is that February has a Leap Day on the 29th. Those born on that day won’t age but every four years. According to those who know if we don’t have a Leap Day every four years, then Winter would be in what we know as the Summer eventually. Remember that question in school, “How many days does it take for the Earth to circle the Sun?” Answer—365 days. In reality that is not precise and if not for the Leap Day we could never keep up with our calendar that has existed since Roman times.

Boy Scout Day is February 8th and then a real sweet day to celebrate when Girl Scouts sell those cookies.

Today, February 6th is Lame Duck Day, poor duck. It is the day the 20th Amendment to the Constitution was enacted changing the National Inauguration date from March 4th to January 20th. In the last year of the officials service they have less time now and some say can drag their feet like a lame duck to keep from voting on bills and just take it easy.

So it turns out February is a very busy month and special for a few people in my life.