Today is the 65th anniversary of the first singing telegram, said to have been delivered to singer Rudy Vallee on his 32nd birthday, July 28, 1933. Early singing telegrams often were delivered in person by uniformed messengers on bicycle. Later, they were usually sung over the telephone.
    Friday is the anniversary of the first US government building. The cornerstone of the US Mint was laid on this day in 1792. Friday is also the 500th anniversary of the day in 1498 when Christopher Columbus first sighted the island that he called La Trinidad.
    Saturday is National Mustard Day. Mustard lovers across the nation pay tribute to the condiment of kings - and the king of condiments - by lathering their favorite spread on hot dogs, pretzels, licorice, and even ice cream (an acquired taste)! Sunday is Friendship Day, a day to heed the advice of Samuel Johnson: "A man should keep his friendships in constant repair."
    The month of August begins on Saturday, bringing with it National Hair-Itage Month, which salutes the beauty/hair care industry, and Romance Awareness Month, to encourage couples to display romance throughout the year rather than just on Valentine's Day!

WHAT'S HAPPENING?
    Wednesday's 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., kangaroo storytimes feature big books, a tell-and-draw tale, and a make-a-kangaroo craft. At Saturday morning's 10:00 storytime, participants take a trip to the Orient! They'll enjoy stories, see artifacts, make a fan, and use chopsticks!
BOOK TALK
    The library's Larry Holm provides this week's book information. If you want to read something that will make you feel good, check out one of these books. Readers of all ages will delight in the long-awaited biography of "Mother Teresa" by Kathryn Spink. Spink worked with Mother Teresa for 13 years to capture her discovery of love among the outcasts and the poorest of the poor in Calcutta.
    Richard Carlson, author of "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff," edits a book with Benjamin Shield called "For the Love of God: A Handbook for the Spirit." This little gem collects the favorite passages of spiritual nourishment from the late 20th century's major spiritual teachers.
    If you're in the mood for some family fun that captures the flavor of the old West, try picking up "Plays of the Wild West" by L.E. McCullough. Volume 1 is for grades K-3, and Volume 2 is for grades 4-6, but there's fun for all ages. These short stories really thrill with tales of buffalo hunts, discovery of lost gold, and Rocky Mountain cliffhangers. Even if you don't want to make the play, just reading them together is fun. You won't want to miss the eye-winkin', belly jigglin' chucklers, like "Vinegar Pete's Calico Whisker Pie" or "Have Floss, Will Travel: The Ever-So-True Saga of Hiram T. McRoot, Frontier Dentist."

DID YOU KNOW?
    According to "Bottom Line Personal," attention from adults is a reward, and young children would often prefer angry attention to none at all. Try not to take a "Let sleeping dogs lie" approach. If you ignore kids when they are quietly occupied and pay attention to them only when you must, you keep punishing them for being a pleasure - and rewarding them for being a pain.
    Stones and other small objects become "faster than speeding bullet" missiles when kicked up by power lawn mowers. In a recent accident, a piece of cyclone fencing pierced a major blood vessel in a four-year-old boy. As self-defense, clear debris from the lawn before moving, keep blades sharp so equipment can be used at low speed, wear protective glasses and shoes, make sure people stay at least 10 yards away, and keep children off mowers.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: "Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets mad, you're a mile away, and he's barefoot!"

JUDY ARMSTRONG, 624-7276

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