August 21st - Holidays and Observances

(click on the day for details)

• Christian Feast Day:             
  • Abraham of Smolensk (Eastern Orthodox Church)
  • Euprepius of Verona
  • Maximilian of Antioch
  • Our Lady of Knock
  • Pope Pius X
  • Sidonius Apollinaris
  • August 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Ninoy Aquino Day (Philippines)
• Youth Day (Morocco)

 

Observances (click on the day or week for details)

Senior Citizens Day

World Honey Bee Day

Poet’s Day

Geocaching Day

Break The Monotony Day

Homeless Animals Day

 

Fun Observances

Spumoni Day

August 21 is Spumoni Day, so treat yourself to a slice (or two) of the delicious layered Italian ice cream dessert.

Originating in Naples, Italy, Spumoni is a dessert made of layers of ice cream that are mixed with candied fruits, whipped cream, and nuts. Served in slices, spumoni traditionally includes chocolate, pistachio, and cherry flavored ice cream, though sometimes raspberry or strawberry ice cream can be used as a substitute for cherry.

Christmas Dessert

Popular among Italian immigrants in the United States, Canada, and Argentina, and it is believed that Spumoni was the inspiration for Neapolitan ice cream - the three layered dessert made up of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream.

In many parts of the United States, Spumoni is considered a Christmas time dessert and is usually paired with cookies of some kind.

The unofficial holiday is also sometimes called National Spumoni Day in the U.S.

How to Celebrate?

• In mood for some ice cream? Why not visit your local ice cream shop for a big slice of spumoni?
• Can't find spumoni where you are? Don't despair, making spumoni from scratch is easy. All you need is chocolate, pistachio, and cherry ice cream, homemade or store bought, some nuts, candied fruits, and whipped cream. Layer the ice creams mixed with the nuts and fruits and the whipped cream one-by-one in a loaf pan, or any other mold of your choice, and let set. Unmold, slice, and enjoy. Don't forget to share it with family and friends.

Did You Know...

...that in Canada, Spumoni Day is celebrated every year on November 13?

 

***

 

After I warned the nurse taking blood that it would be very hard to find a vein on me, she said, "Don't worry. We've seen worse. Last year we had a girl come in to get a blood test for her marriage license and we had to stick her six times in four places before we got anything."

"Yes, I know," I said. "That was me!"

 

***

 

A client of our optometry business was jubilant after I replaced the scratched, dirty lenses in his eyeglasses with new ones. "This is great!" he said. "I just gained two hours of daylight."

 

***

 

When my wife was about to have our first baby, we brought a tape recorder to the delivery ward to capture the sounds of the birth, the baby's first cry and our doctor's voice saying, "It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!" We intended to use the tape as a fun message on our answering machine to help announce the birth to friends and relatives.

My wife's labor went relatively smoothly and, when it seemed appropriate, I inserted the blank tape and began recording. Shortly thereafter, our baby was born and we all heard the first cry. The doctor held up the baby and, with tape rolling, loudly proclaimed, "Wow, will you look at the scrotum on him!"

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

***

 

sandrewn