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10/13/2008

Columbus Day

Today is Columbus Day. Just another Monday for me, but a day off of school for Casanova Zach. It's funny, in a way, but if decisions were being made today about whom we would honor with Holidays and whom not, I'm pretty sure Columbus would wind up in the NOT side. Turns out, old Chris was NOT a very nice man. There are some Caribes who would have been a whole lot better off if old Chris C had never been born.

Lief Ericsson, on the other hand, one of the early discoverers of America, should be honored. The Norsemen actually founded colonies on the continent of North America more than 400 years before Columbus. Or perhaps the ancient sailors from China who sailed up and down the west coast of America in the early 1400's should be honored. We know they were there. We have found their anchor stones lying in waters off the coast of California. And Chinese history records the great exploration fleet of Zhang He, which sailed as far west as Africa. And many think he also sailed east to America. Or what of the mysterious people, Europeans it is thought, that built works of stone along the east coast of what is now the United States. We know not who they were, but their stone works are very similar in form and style to early stone workings all through western Europe. But whomever they were by name, we know they were here. Before Christopher Columbus. Who was not a nice man.

It was a pleasant and mostly lazy weekend. We had our family gathering on Saturday. Zach's girlfriend was there. She's cute - and they look so cute together. I monitored hand positions at all times.

Sunday was a late start - we slept until 11. And after we had breakfast, we came home and I watched the Bears lose a heartbreaker. Darn. It's what happens when you make poor decisions and you don't finish. You lose.

Please remember Veronica in your prayers. She is valiantly trying to hang on to her pregnancy. She is but 25 weeks in. The doctors have given her steroids, to mature her son's lungs, should it be necessary. There's a 50/50 chance it will be necessary. Within the next 7 days.

Happy Columbus/Lief Ericsson/Zhang He/Mysterious People Day.

Peace.

22 comments:

Jientje said...

What an interesting piece of history you teach us here, Lou! There's a lot I did not know there! I did not know that Mr C was not a nice man, but I do now!!
And about the weekend, I'm glad that after all the crazyness that has been going on, you finally had a chance to relax and enjoy a happy family gathering!
Veronica is in my thoughts and in my prayers as well, I do hope all goes well for her!

Anonymous said...

"...I monitored hand positions at all times."

You are such a Dad. You are such a good Dad.

I'll say prayers for Veronica and her baby.

Shadow said...

...i still don't know why mr. c was not a nice man. but then i haven't studied american history and don't know about the caribes...

monitoring hand positions. i wonder if the hubby will also end up doing that?!?! very sweet of you that is!

veronica is in my prayer!

Michael said...

I had heard in my limited history of the past that Columbus wasnt the first to find america, I also have heard that when the americans landed on the moon they wernt the first there neither.
Anyway thanks fo the interesting history.
So Teletubbies have silently invaded the world have they

Patsy said...

Now, Lou, as you *monitored hand positions at all times* I fear that you might have been stiffling the boys development into a great massage giver. He might be trying to develop the skill that his father described as having in a certain meme yesterday. Said by the lady who monitored her daughters like a hawk. :)
Glad you had a relaxing weekend -- ready now to face the world of chaos we call America.

Anonymous said...

Happy Mysterious People Day to you too.

Stop looking at their hands and other body parts. Remember all the stuff that you got up to - now it's their turn.

And Happy Unlucky To Be a Turkey Day.

calicobebop said...

Interesting history lesson - I'll have to look into those stone structures on the coast. I'm always on the look out for new fun places to take the little girl.

Ndinombethe said...

And to you Lou. I'm there with you about Mr. C... but then I realise that I wouldn't be here on my island paradise if not for him would I? If I existed at all, I'd be in drippy old England or somewhere else equally drab.

Let the boy breathe Dad :)

Unknown said...

Jientje: Yes, it was a nice relaxed weekend.

abritdifferent: Wait. Your turn's coming.

Shadow: Thank you, ma'am. Vonnie needs all the prayers she can get right now.

Michael: Friggin' Teletubbies are everywhere.

Patsy: I think the two of them had a bit more than massages in mind.

Warriorwoman: It's BECAUSE I remember all the stuff I got up to that I monitor hand positions.

Calicobebop: those sites are still being excavated and investigated, as far as I know. I don't believe their open for public inspection, as they are on, for the most part, private property.

hockeychic said...

I like this post. Columbus Day is a very charged holiday here in Denver. Protests and parades. Ugh. However, my daughter does have school today so I would say old Mr. C has definitely fallen on the popularity scale.

Unknown said...

Ah yes, Columbus Day... the day of protests. Another perfect example of crazy Americans creating a holiday to honor somebody who didn't "discover" anything. He "discovered" land that had been inhabited for thousands of years. That would be like me climbing the fence to your back yard and claiming I'd DISCOVERED this land and it would now be mine. Unfortunately, the Natives and rightful "owners" of the land got in the way and needed to be slaughtered. Yes, that seems like the perfect person to honor, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

I've checked with everyone, and we all agree that today's honorees have been changed. It's Lou & Veronica day, though not to shadow Lou & Veronica's S.O.'s because they're important, too.

Anyway, cheers cheers to Lou & Veronica, two fellow bloggers whom I've thought about lots lately.

Much love.

Honeybell said...

Jerry and I were just talking about this last night. It just seems so very American to celebrate the guy who got lost and eradicated an entire tribe of native people.

Anonymous said...

I have also wondered about certain days that were made holidays long ago (though often more like just sale days and school being out days) and that just still are while other days aren't. You are so rigth that Columbus really was not so nice, but that's not what I remember being taught. Wonder what's taught now...

Personally, I'd do better having 9/11 off for reflection since I have trouble working that day and always feel like it's kind of, I don't know, disrespectful somehow going about my day addressing the day to day bullshit while so many people are still remembering, mourning. I suppose it would just cheapen it, though, if it were a national holiday because it would quickly become to some stores nothing more than a reason to hold some tacky sale. Probably better to just have to work and have sales on Columbus Day. Now, if only I had the day off... ;)

Vikki North said...

Hi Lou,
Excellent point Lou! I agree with you about Columbus Day. (But the Norsemen were not good guys either.) Wouldn’t it be nice if we celebrated the real people who were the beginning of the Americas: The Native American Indians.

Have another lazy and wonderful day today.
Vikki

Joyce-Anne said...

I didn't know Christopher Columbus was not nice. Somehow it doesn't surprise me either. Meanwhile my two school age children have enjoyed their day off. They've already been to the park, decorated the house for Halloween and next we're going to bake brownies. Later, it's off to baths and bed for them and some "relaxation" for me.

Yesterday, we had a nice family day, my husband and I took the kids apple picking. The children also picked pumpkins. A good time was had by all.

Tara R. said...

I have a friend who is just violent about celebrating Columbus Day. I like your name better anyway.

ConverseMomma said...

I've never understood why we celebrate the father of the slavetrade. Never understood the way we are taught history in schools, ugh! My children will know better.

Holly said...

Yeah, I don't quite get why we celebrate Columbus Day at all.

Anonymous said...

Lou did you pick up your bling?

Momisodes said...

Dude, I'm peeved that some get today off and others don't. I don't like holiday discrimination.

Hand positions, eh?
I know you're one step ahead ;)

Keeping V in my thoughts and prayers. 25-32 weeks is such a critical time.

Myst_72 said...

A belated Happy Columbus day Lou.

I'm glad you enjoyed your weekend,

G
xx