A Special Day
February 29 is a date that occurs only every four years, and is called leap day. This day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the earth does not orbit around the sun in precisely 365.000 days.
It is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap years. So, fair warning if you will. In many places, it is believed that getting married in a leap year is bad luck for the couple. Thus, for a while couples avoided setting a marriage date in a leap year. Today, most are not so superstitious.
Some lucky people have the special distinction of being “leaplings,” having Feb. 29th as their birthday. So was the case with my grandfather, who was known as Orange. Orange was born Feb. 29, 1904 and lived until April 21, 1979. Orange was 75 years of age, but I remember him telling me, “today was his 18th birthday.” He only got to celebrate his true birthday once every four years.
Orange was one great granddad. He loved to take me with him everywhere. He would take me to town when he would go have coffee with his friends. He would take me to work with him, he worked as a carpenter, and he would always bring me to the work sites. He liked all his grandkids, but I was the favorite. I secretly always enjoyed that. He would let me drive, when no one else would. He just had a way about him that made me feel so special. I don’t know if anyone else ever made me feel as special as he did.
Orange loved to have fun. He wasn’t like most stuffy adults I knew. He was always looking to make the most of any occasion. If it was a family gathering, he would rather gather the kids and do something fun instead of sitting around talking with the adults. All of my family says I am just like him. Many times I have been called Orange myself, and when it happens, I just swell up with pride. He was a great guy. And he will always be remembered as long as I am around.
It brings me joy to remember this good man, Grand Daddy Orange, or as his work buddies called him, "Lemon.”
Oh, and the coffee cup. That is how he liked his coffee, always drinking it from a cup and saucer. I always thought it was odd, but now a favorite memory of mine.
Wishing you well, Ric
February 29 is a date that occurs only every four years, and is called leap day. This day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the earth does not orbit around the sun in precisely 365.000 days.
It is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap years. So, fair warning if you will. In many places, it is believed that getting married in a leap year is bad luck for the couple. Thus, for a while couples avoided setting a marriage date in a leap year. Today, most are not so superstitious.
Some lucky people have the special distinction of being “leaplings,” having Feb. 29th as their birthday. So was the case with my grandfather, who was known as Orange. Orange was born Feb. 29, 1904 and lived until April 21, 1979. Orange was 75 years of age, but I remember him telling me, “today was his 18th birthday.” He only got to celebrate his true birthday once every four years.
Orange was one great granddad. He loved to take me with him everywhere. He would take me to town when he would go have coffee with his friends. He would take me to work with him, he worked as a carpenter, and he would always bring me to the work sites. He liked all his grandkids, but I was the favorite. I secretly always enjoyed that. He would let me drive, when no one else would. He just had a way about him that made me feel so special. I don’t know if anyone else ever made me feel as special as he did.
Orange loved to have fun. He wasn’t like most stuffy adults I knew. He was always looking to make the most of any occasion. If it was a family gathering, he would rather gather the kids and do something fun instead of sitting around talking with the adults. All of my family says I am just like him. Many times I have been called Orange myself, and when it happens, I just swell up with pride. He was a great guy. And he will always be remembered as long as I am around.
It brings me joy to remember this good man, Grand Daddy Orange, or as his work buddies called him, "Lemon.”
Oh, and the coffee cup. That is how he liked his coffee, always drinking it from a cup and saucer. I always thought it was odd, but now a favorite memory of mine.
Wishing you well, Ric
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