30 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 79

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Well, there was no Kentucky Derby this month, but at least we can still celebrate with a mint julep on this National Mint Julep Day.

(A near-typo made me stop and think. Don't you wonder what a Ming Julep would be? Maybe just using Chinese whisky instead of Bourbon, probably served in a jade cup? I'm not going to go too far down any rabbit holes on this one, but I do wonder if there is any whisky made in China.)
[OK, I went down a quick Google search and didn't have to go too deep to find this reference. I do this so you don't have to. You're welcome.]

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

29 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 78

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

According to historians, the Middle Ages ended on this date in 1453. One has to wonder about the changes in calendar since 1453 - are we talking Julian? Gregorian? Mayan? (OK, not Mayan.) Still, if the historians say it, I may as well run with it.
At any rate, once one is not middle aged, isn't one simply old? Accepting that, that would make this year 567 of the Old Ages, or of just being old

Now, apart from supposed ignorance, squalor, oppression, and superstition (much of which is actually far from the historical truth), one of the defining "moments" of the Middle Ages, at least from a modern perspective, was the Black Death. So, as we commemorate the end of that age (those ages?), let's pull for the end of our current epidemic so we can move on to whatever is next (and let us pray it's not going to be murder hornets who are attracted to hand sanitizer).

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

28 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 77

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today has two rather fun commemorations available to us. It's both International Hamburger Day and National Brisket Day.
 
mmm. Beef. It's what's for dinner.



I think that's all for today.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

27 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 76

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is Heidi's birthday, and how is she spending it? Much like any other day, she's busy taking care of others first. What a Christian witness her life shows us all! I'm proud and humbled to be her husband.

OK, I know you want some other stuff to make your day more fun, so make sure to watch the launch from Cape Canaveral of the first US astronauts riding a private-sector rocket into orbit. 4:33PM EDT is the scheduled launch time, and it should be shown on all the expected places - the Science Channel, NASA TV (and their YouTube channel), National Geographic, and so forth. This is exciting! We're about to be able to launch our own astronauts from our own launch facilities again, rather than counting on Russia to ferry our folks to space.

It's also National Grape Popsicle Day, so if it's hot enough where you are, why not share a grape popsicle with a hungry and hot Baltimore Oriole? They like grape jelly, so when it's hot, why not a popsicle?


Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

26 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 75

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Here's a happy juxtaposition of celebrations. Today is Sally Ride Day, celebrating the first American woman in space (we note that she was the third woman in space overall after a pair of Soviet cosmonauts). It's also National Paper Airplane Day, whereon one ought to fold and fly an aeroplane made of paper (not a genuine ol' fashioned authentic steam powered aereoplane, please).

How, then, might one observe these two celebrations? Why not fold up a paper version of the shuttle and give it a ride to honor Sally and her ride?!

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

25 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 74 - Memorial Day

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Here in these United States, today is Memorial Day. This is a day for remembering those who gave their lives in service and defense of our country. (No, it's not the day to thank a veteran, that's Veteran's Day, nor is it the day to thank current service members for their service - that's Armed Forces Day.)
This was originally called Decoration Day - as it was the day to decorate the graves of those fallen in war - and we still find many families decorating and cleaning up the graves of their loved ones. Please take a moment today to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can all be safe and free. As Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (That's John 15:13, ESV.)

In addition to the remembrance and thanks, this day is also generally considered the beginning of Summer, and one of the first times for a real cookout.
In recognition of this, I'm excerpting the instructional part from an earlier post on how to cook bratwurst (as I know many of you are likely to be doing today):

It was at a family reunion here in town that I learned at the elbow of my father-in-law just how it was done. (Note the past tense there, it actually gets better!) The brats must be boiled a bit in a mix of beer and water before going on the grill. This lets them release some of their fat before hitting the fire, the which can be an exciting event.
A squirt bottle of water was the tool of the day for keeping down the flare-ups that did arise, although the beer held in the other hand would do quite nicely as well. Care should be taken to avoid stirring up too many ashes - they can stick to the brats and make for a grittier-than-desirable experience (and yes, that does mean that charcoal is the preferred heat source).
There you have the basics of brat grilling. Condiments and bunnage are best left to the individual's taste, but mustard, onions, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut make up my starting point.

Now to reveal the secret to my enhanced bratwurst cooking process.
Into the pot of beer and water (I generally use Molson Canadian) I add an onion cut into wedges, and a healthy dose of nutmeg. These additions add just the right notes to the already-delicious flavour of the brats, and the kitchen smells glorious all the while too.

Now please, go and enjoy your bratwurst, but enjoy them responsibly.

For the full story - well worth reading in this correspondent's humble opinion - click over to this earlier post.



You might also enjoy this rhapsody on that spectacular sausage.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

24 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 73

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is Aldersgate Day! May you find your heart strangely warmed, my friends.
Here's a remembrance from 11 years ago at the Aldersgate Memorial in London, England.

Walking back up City Road, we stopped at the food court in the Marks & Spencer store and bought sandwiches, drinks, salads, all that kind of stuff for a picnic lunch at the Aldersgate Memorial site by the entrance to the Museum of London. In spite of the fact that I misinterpreted the placement of the 5 items or less signs, the checkout ladies let us all go through so I could buy all the lunches; it was very kind of them, and we didn't really inconvenience anyone. Not only was the food welcome (& good), but we had a pretty significant devotional period there, right in front of random Londoners and visitors. I think it was a good witness that there really is something to all this Christianity stuff. Check 2 Corinthians 3:3.

Here's the full post:
https://heritagetour09.blogspot.com/2009/06/tuesday-23-june-09.html

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.