Mamma Mia

Today is my mother's birthday. It's horrible being away from some of the most important people in your life at the best of times, but on days like today, it's really miserable, for all concerned. It doesn't help when the sun is shining; it jars, making me feel at odds with the world. The time difference is a huge problem; my day was just starting and my mother's was already in the afternoon, and is probably wondering why I've not phoned yet, when I'm going to. It's inevitable, even when you know rationally of the time difference and that it's impossible for them to call.

Still, my mother is hopefully rejoicing in the glow from TWO English victories yesterday (although how much glow you get from beating Estonia is up for debate) and the knowledge that it's also Cliff Richard's birthday today, too. So I decided to look up other important things, to prove it's an auspicious day:

• Battle of Hastings - well, I knew that one. Still cool.
• Battle of Byland - Robert the Bruce forcing England to accept Scotland's independence.
• In 1582 this day did not exist in Italy, Portugal, Poland and Spain due to implementation of the Georgian calendar.
• George Washington proclaims the first ever Thanksgiving in 1789.
• Henry Blair is the first African American to receive a patent, in 1834
• In 1963 it marks the first use of the term Beatlemania
• MLK becomes the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964

And awesome people sharing a birthday with my mum:

• William Penn
• Eamon de Valera
• Hannah Arendt
• Roger Moore
• Ralph Lauren
• Christopher Timothy
• Steve Cram
• Steve Coogan
• and, my personal favourite, Usher

Happy Birthday Mum.