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It’s been quite a while since we’ve dug out our calendar book to see what we might have missed or what’s coming up. And what better time to do that than on the Eve of the Eve of The Best Month of the Year.
I’ve always had a fondness for June; something I have opined about before. I like its sound: June, moon, tune ... I like the weather. I like the flags flying constantly from Memorial Day through Flag Day and into the 4th of July.
But I digress (not to mention I repeat myself).
The calendar gods like June as well. A total of 33 month-long designations make a claim on the month, including such gems as National Accordion Awareness Month, Potty Training Awareness Month, and my favorite: National Bathroom Reading Month. The older our boys got, the more they wanted to make a sport of this. They still do. It’s like there’s bragging rights involved.
Since we’ve not been paying attention, we’ve missed some significant dates so far this year: There was Blah Blah Blah Day on April 17, Poetry Day in Florida on May 25, Root Canal Appreciation Day on May 13, and No Diet Day on May 6.
Sunday, April 26 was Hug an Australian Day. I don’t know any Australians. The closest thing we have is Frank. We’ll be on the watch for Hug a New Zealander Day.
We missed the 75th anniversary of The Big Wind on April 12. Probably ought to explain that one: It was the day of the highest recorded wind speed in world at Mt. Washington in Vermont. (231 mph)
What we didn’t miss was something called Dicing for Bibles, coming up this Monday. Have always thought that the British are a bit odd; this confirms it:
Dicing for Bibles is an old Whitmonday ceremony. Whitmonday is the day after Whitsunday, which is the seventh Sunday after Easter, another British tradition. Now you know.
This ceremony dates back to 1675 at the All Saints Church in St. Ives, Huntingdonshire. The Brits may be peculiar, but they have cool names for their towns and provinces.
The intent is to provide Bibles for the poor children in the parish, but people have to win them at a dice game. While it is peculiar, it’s probably not that much different than raising money for Bibles by playing bingo at church.
We just don’t do it on Whitmonday.
miller@news-banner.com
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