Today, the second Monday in November, was once Armistice Day; the day the world’s first wold war ended with the signing of the armistice.
Another World War followed by more wars and more paper signings lave changed the importance of the signing of the armistice to a need of greater importance; that of honoring all veterns who have fought to save our way of life Armistice Day has become Veteran's Day.
Games of the past cost little or nothing and were loaded with fun. Especially in the Depression years when there was no money for non-essentials.
In those days, country schools were small two-teacher affairs with about thirty kids.
We fell- got skinned knees and seldom cried, although a generous swab of mercurochrome was occasionally needed. Crack the Whip and Statue were fun, but a bit dangerous and would be banned today.
Quieter games, involving less people, were hopscotch, jump the rope, and marbles. We were warned by our teacher that playing marbles “for keeps” was not allowed.
As for jumping rope, there is evidence suggesting that Egyptians used vines for jumping as early as 1600 AD.
Hopscotch is another oldie. It was used in training Roman soldiers
At home, play was simply a matter of using whatever was available. Swings were made from an old tire or short board hung with a rope from a tree limb.
Grapevines did not swing high enough to be good swings, but the thick overhead canopy the vines formed was a great secret place to hide from the world on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
A pipe placed between tree limb forks made a good place for simple gymnastics
Walking on a barrel was fun, but best done in a sandy spot that would cushion the falls that were sure to happen. We veterans of barrel walking could use a little of that balance today.
Jacks was a favorite of the girls. We went through onesies and twoes and went on to more difficult creations such as" pigs in a pen " or “eggs in a basket." Those who developed good coordination did well at "shooting stars” or "over the moon.”
Ancient murals found in caves in the Ukraine show Jacks history goes back to the cave people and their children. Rocks, shells, seed and bones have served as jacks and there are many names. My favorite is Knucklebones.
Most homes had a set of dominoes; some had checkers. Chinese Checkers or Monopoly were popular but never replaced the dominoes and domino games. The game was played in China as early as 1300. A set was found in the tomb of one of their early rulers He must have loved the game as, much as some people we know.
There are many variations of the game. One called “42” was created in Texas. It only takes four players and is the cause of many Saturday night "42 parties."
Monopoly is a newcomer to the game world. It was created and patented in 1903 as “The Landlord's Rent” by left-wing feminist Lizzie Magee in an attempt to show the flaws of capitalism.
She must have succeeded , for an attempt to sell the game to Parker Brothers Games failed on the grounds “it was too political.”
Years later, Parker Brothers bought the game and after a few changes, it hit the market in 1935 as Monopoly.
Today, the little country school and its games are only memories. PE and better educational opportunities have taken their place.
While visiting Corpus Christi, and taking a walk to view the yachts moored at the city’s T-heads we were surprised to see three old wooden ships moored among the sleek, moderns yachts.
A sign informed us that these were replicas of Christopher Columbus’s ships, and were were gifted to the city of Corpus Christi by Spain in commemoration of Spain's 500th anniversary of the discovery of the new world.
Imagining those tiny ships out on the ocean, mere specks in the that great expanse of water was awesome.
Later, one of his ships, la Nina, was housed at their museum, I believe the other two were returned to Spain.
While visiting again, we decided to take a close look at this little ship. Fortunately, there was a museum worker nearby who volunteered to take us on a deck tour that was very impressive.
The crew worked, slept, cooked and ate on this tiny deck, which was probably less than fifty feet long, and with no protection from the weather. Their food was stored in barrels below deck, and was mainly salted herring and hardtack.
After week after week of hardship and maggot infested food, the crews were at the point of mutiny when land was sighted and everything changed. It was October 12,1492, and everyone believed they has discovered a new continent.
That belief stood for centuries before research proved it wrong. The ships had made landfall in the Bahamas.
One would assume the ship would remain on display as an important part of the exploration and settlement of America-but no, wood does not last forever. It gets wood rot and is attacked by woodworms . The expense of its upkeep was thousands–more than the city could handle, so it was cut into pieces and destroyed.
But la Nina's history remains. On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain with three ships, la Nina, la Pinta and la Santa Maria. He hoped to find a western route to China and her spices.
The Nina and Pinta have been estimated as measuring about 50 feet long from bow to stern. They belonged to the Caravel type of sailing ships known for their speed, ability to sail into the wind and their mobility. Santa Maria was the flagship, It was little larger and had sleeping shelters for its crew, a luxury the other ships didn’t have.
The date was made a national holiday, falling on the second Monday in October. A number of states have changed Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day in honor of their contributions to our history.https:rottckingwithdannie.blogspot//adaytorememberhtp
As a long-ago student who was taught "Columbus discovered American on October 12 , 1492," the site of the landfall is no longer very important. The courage of those seafaring men and the hardships they endured on board those small ships, is. Their trip opened the door to exploring, colonization and eventually the settling of America.
Columbus Day --a date to remember!
. "Waking up on the wrong side of tthe bed”........
refers to some who woke-up in a bad humor. Goes back to a Roman superstition that positive forces await on the bed’ right side and bad energy on the left.
Cold feet...........
a term used fur losing interest or backing out of a deal.
Rule of thumb.........
refers to careless builders compared to those who use a square and rule for careul construction. Earliest record of the term’s use is by a Scottish preacher in describing the lack of diligence of some of his church members.
It's comin' a toad-strangler...........
raining really hard
Bury the hatchet”........
When the chiefs of two Native Americans tribes decided to settle their differences and live in peace, each buried a hatchet in the ground..
Have you lost your marbles?..........
you’re acting peculat
I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck ..............
Everything will work out.
Does that picture look cattywampus to you?............
Is it crooked?
Last time I saw you, you were knee-high to a grasshopper............
meaning you’ve really grown.
I'm as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full o' rockin’ chairs.............
no explanation needed
Dannie
https./rockingwithdannie.blogspot.com2024/7/the FBIsbeginingtpl
In 1900, William McKinley, our 25th President, faced several serious problems... Anarchists, who wanted to bring down the government, and increasing crime. In his second term he was assassinated by an Anarchist and his Vice-president, Theodore Roosevelt, former Governor of New York, became President.
Rosevelt was a strong believer in laws and their enforcement. He appointed Charles Bonaparte, a man of like beliefs, as US Attorney General. Bonaparte soon .discovered he had very few men to carry-out the investigations his job required. He solved the problem by “borrowing” well -trained, men from the Secret Service. This was very expensive, and these men made their reports to their boss, leaving Bonaparte in the dark.
When Congress decided there was no law authorizing this expenditure they canceled the funds After a long and complicated session with Congress an agreement was reached, and funds were made available for the Attorney General to form an investigative force of his own.
The year was 1908. and considered the year the fledgling FBI was born in the form of the Bureau of Investigation. It operated under. this name (((or BOI), for a number of years then changed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation–the FBI.
From a beginning work force of about forty, it has grown to 35,000 including over 10,000 special agents and others with special knowledge and talents.
