Happy Independence Day

Hello and welcome to a middle of the month Saturday here at the Wannaskan Almanac. Today is August 15th.

The big event at our house this week was the Toddler's 5th birthday. He has officially graduated from toddler to big boy and spent the week test-driving his upgraded status.

On his birthday, he announced that he would be boss for the day. This included decision-making powers such as announcing what meals would be served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (cereal, s'mores cake, and hot dogs with macaroni and cheese), who could play with which toys when (he could play with his sister's LEGOS and my computer for as long as he wanted), and how we would celebrate his birthday after the candles had been blown out (go to the beach).

He also tried some new "big kid" language, i.e. phrases he hears from his older siblings. For example, when we were deciding which beach to go to, he insisted on Springsteel, his sister wanted Zippel Bay, and I laid out my own logic for a beach that was a compromise between the two. He folded his arms across his chest and said, "Fine. Let's go to your frickin' beach." When I shared this story with the older kids - and implored them to clean up the language - I learned that the Toddler had also experimented with "damn" a time or two.

But perhaps the most exciting milestone of turning five was the proclamation to attend Kindergarten. (This came with new school supplies including a blue pencil box and his very own headphones.) 

Ahhhhh...independence.

We have had a swirl of it at our house this summer. 

The Second Grader has finally found the freedom to be had in reading. For months, she refused to believe that "reading is the magic key to take you where you want to be." Then, it clicked. And she has gone on to enjoy reading her siblings' texts and likes sending secret Snapchats to them from my phone. She traded up her smaller, single-speed bike to a ten-speed with pedals she can just reach with her tippy toes. She bikes the loop in our subdivision to check in with her neighborhood friends and is back before I notice she has left.

The Second Oldest has been basking in his own glory, enjoying the well-earned purchasing power that has come from having a summer job. He's thinking a car might be in order next year.

And, of course, the Oldest is off to college in a week. She managed to get a class schedule, a roommate, a dorm room assignment, various forms turned in, and the first tuition bill paid with very little (if any) assistance from me.

The only person not jazzed about all this freedom is the WAKWIR (aka Wannaskan Almanac Kid Writer-in-Residence).

Half in jest, I commented that being a teenager is "the beginning of the end." He promptly replied, "I agree. I hate being a teenager. Being a kid is way more fun and way less complicated."

He surprised me.

But then, I remembered a little mom maxim I have been saying since the Oldest could converse: Be a kid for as long as you can because you have the rest of your life to be a grown up.

On This Day

Historic Highlights (credits)

2015 - North Korea Introduces Pyongyang Time

The East Asian country introduced the time change to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Japanese occupation of Korea. Before the change, North Korea was UTC+09:00. Since this day, the time in the country is UTC+08:30.

1973 - US involvement in Vietnam ends

The Case–Church Amendment passed by the US Congress set August 15 as the deadline for the end of the US military involvement in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Because of this, the US ended all military offensives in Vietnam on this day.

1969 - The Woodstock Music & Art Fair opens its doors to participants and spectators

The iconic music festival, popularly known as Woodstock was held in Bethel, New York at the 600-acre farm of farmer Max B. Yasgur. Over 400,000 people attended the festival, which is often thought to be a key moment in the anti-establishment movement that was gaining popularity in the United States.

1960 - Congo gains its Independence

The Central African country came under French control in the late 19th century. In the early 20th century, the French consolidated their territories in Central Africa to create the French Equatorial Africa, with Brazzaville as its capital. During the Second World War, when the Nazis occupied France, Brazzaville acted as the temporary capital of Free France. After violent protests and riots, the country became independent with Fulbert Youlou as its first President.

1947 - India Becomes Independent From British Rule

British control of the South Asian country began in mid 1800s with the East India Company. The company initially established itself in the subcontinent for trading purposes, and then slowly took control over the princely states that separately ruled the country. A violent rebellion in 1857 prompted the British Crown to take over direct rule of India. The time between then and independence in 1945 was marked by violent and nonviolent movements targeted towards gaining independent rule. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a key figure in the nonviolent civil disobedience movement against the British. Independence came with the country being partitioned into India and Pakistan. Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India, while Liaquat Ali Khan became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Happy Birthday to You!🎶 

1968 - Debra Messing, American actress

1954 - Stieg Larsson, Swedish writer

1912 - Julia Child, American chef, author

1872 - Sri Aurobindo, Indian philosopher

1769 - Napoleon, Corsican/French military officer, political leader

Remembering You

2011 - Rick Rypien, Canadian ice hockey player

1975 - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladeshi politician, 1st President of Bangladesh

1935 - Will Rogers, American actor

1907 - Joseph Joachim, Austrian violinist

1118 - Alexios I Komnenos, Byzantine Emperor

Enjoy where you are in life and make it a great Saturday!

Kim