I had to get an emergency GP appointment on Monday and was diagnosed with a gastro bug, in all likelihood. I was given a sick note for the week and a bag full of drugs which thankfully did the trick! The doctor said I could go back to work sooner if I had 48 hours without being sick, so I went back on Thursday though I was still feeling kind of delicate.

We had the Pontypool Community Council KS2 Eisteddfod in the day and, I must confess, I took great joy in knowing how much (well, little) Anthony would be enjoying it. He's rubbish with anything to do with schools or kids, and this was a full day of poetry reciting, singing, and young children playing violin... I had a good time at any rate. It's amazing to see what these kids of just 8, 9, and 10 are capable of.

Marianna enjoyed it too, and spent most of it spinning around and showing off the glitter on her dress. Until she spilled orange juice all down it. After a quick pit stop at home and a change of dress for Marianna, I took her with me to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award presentations at Croesyceiliog School because Anthony had planning training in Pontypool. She was tired and crotchety by that point though, and I was halfway through the little speech I'd been asked to do when I look over and see her trying to play with the laptop being used as a projector. Cue losing my train of thought and finishing up in a lackluster hurry!

After that we went to see my dad because it was a birthday. Marianna drew him a picture of herself as a present. What more could anybody ask for?

On Friday we went to the opening of the Generation Games exhibition at Pontypool Museum. If you get chance pay it a visit - it really is so much fun! It's a display of games consoles from 1973 to the present day, and you can actually play on a lot of them.

This weekend I've just been catching up with my email and so on. If I owe you a reply, please trust that I'm (slowly) getting to it.

playing at being a #mermaid princess in her new @vegaoo.uk fancy dress! #pbloggersuk #magicofchildhood #letthembelittle

A post shared by Jessica Powell (@plastigffantastig) on Mar 21, 2018 at 6:42am PDT

I posted a Blogging Calendar for March, listing special days, observances, etc, and the lowdown on Marianna's current obsession with mermaids. I also backposted a couple of posts to last year - a blogger q&a and a post about Primrose Day. Finally, I published a great guest post on healthy snacking on the go yesterday.





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It's been a long week, made longer by the sheer amount of it I've spent being sick. Last weekend was just awful, I basically did nothing but be sick or wait until the next round of being sick, so I was feeling less than my best on Monday. We had a little flag raising ceremony in the morning for Commonwealth Day, then there was a seminar on Torfaen Training in the afternoon.

I went home for a bit and then in the evening it was the Mayor's charity showcase with Gwent Music Trust at Pontypool Active Living Centre. Lots of local schools were playing in it so I was determined to go, but I kind of felt like death warmed up. Marianna started crying as soon as they started that she wanted to go home, and fussed for the entire thing. The music was awesome but, yeah, it was a relief when it was finished and I could go crawl into my bed!

Tuesday I spent most of the day being sick again so I've avoided eating as far as possible since. This was a wise move as Anthony cooked me some mash and boiled chicken on Friday... leading to me spending another weekend throwing up. I rang my GP surgery on Friday and they said if I ring the end of next week, I might be able to get an appointment for a fortnight's time. Really helpful, as always. If I'm sick again tomorrow I'll have to ask for an emergency appointment, I guess.

It wasn't all doom and gloom this week though. Wales won their match yesterday, and on Friday morning I had Year 4 from Our Lady of the Angels come up to the civic centre to visit the council chamber and ask me questions. They were so sweet! Two pupils even helped me out as my consort for the visit, getting me into the robes and telling me who everybody's names were. :)

Year 4 and school council members enjoyed their visit to Pontypool Council Chambers today. pic.twitter.com/rh5CgCOSPP

— Our Lady's Cwmbran (@OLAPrimary) March 16, 2018

I reviewed Bad Mother Customs and posted a masterlist for a new series I'm going to do on miniature toys.





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On Tuesday I went to a citizenship ceremony at the civic centre. There were three people affirming British citizenship, from Germany, South Africa, and the USA. One of the things being Mayor / Deputy really opened my eyes to was the diversity of places people come from to settle in Torfaen!

Then on Wednesday I took Marianna to a meeting of the Dementia Friends group at the Carers' Centre in Pontypool. I was asked to come along and find out more about the work does when we went to a fundraising event at Christmas. I learned a lot about the kind of provision available, and how the diagnosis process works.

I was off Thursday and planned to do some spring cleaning but I felt really out of sorts. By 6-ish I just gave in and went to bed... then by the early hours I was up being sick. I had two events scheduled for Friday afternoon but I had to ring and cancel because I just couldn't tear myself away from the bathroom. My mum came around and picked up Marianna for me, but Anthony - being Anthony - decided to go to the Cwmbran Community Council dinner anyway and left me to spend the night with my head down the toilet.

Saturday played out much the same, as did this morning. Fingers crossed it's over now though!


I reviewed Bad Mother Custom's 1/6 scale miniatures and wrote about Unique Names Day.




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Throughout the year there are so many awareness days, commemorative days, special days, celebrations, holidays, observances, etc, etc. These can be great as blog post inspiration, or just for getting a bit of extra traffic to an existing post by promoting it as a tie-in.

Read on for a list of notable dates for December - if the day has its own website or wiki page, I've linked to it. A lot of the weirder ones are USA based unofficial 'national days'; I've included them in the list if they've crossed the pond, or had a fair number of media hits when I googled them.

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1st

☆ Battle of the Sinop Day - Russia.
☆ Bifocals at the Monitor Day.
☆ Damrong Rajanubhab - Thailand.
☆ Day of Restoration of Independence - Portugal.
☆ Day Without Art.
☆ Eat a Red Apple Day - USA.
☆ Feast for Death of Aleister Crowley - Thelema.
☆ First President Day - Kazakhstan.
☆ Freedom and Democracy Day - Chad.
☆ Great Union Day - Romania.
☆ Military Abolition Day - Costa Rica.
☆ National Day- Myanmar.
☆ Republic Day - Central African Republic.
☆ Rosa Parks Day - Ohio + Oregon, USA.
☆ Self-governance Day - Iceland.
☆ Teachers' Day - Panama.
☆ World AIDS Day.

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2nd

☆ Armed Forces Day - Cuba.
☆ International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.
☆ National Day - Laos.
☆ National Day - United Arab Emirates.
☆ National Fritters Day - USA.

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3rd

☆ Advocate's Day - India.
☆ Doctors' Day - Cuba.
☆ Make a Gift Day.
☆ Roof Over Your Head Day.
☆ United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

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4th

☆ Cab Franc Day.
☆ Dice Day.
☆ Eid il-Burbara.
☆ International Cheetah Day.
☆ National Cookie Day - USA.
☆ Navy Day - India.
☆ St Barbara's Day.
☆ Thai Environment Day - Thailand.
☆ Tupou I Day - Tonga.
☆ Wear Brown Shoes Day.
☆ World Wildlife Conservation Day.

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5th

☆ Bathtub Party Day.
☆ Children's Day - Suriname.
☆ Day of Military Honour: Battle of Moscow - Russia.
☆ Discovery Day - Haiti + Dominican Republic.
☆ International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development.
☆ King's Birthday - Thailand.
☆ Klozum - Netherlands.
☆ Krampusnacht.
☆ Ninja Day.
☆ Repeal [of Prohibition] Day - USA.
☆ Sachertorte Day.
☆ St. Nicholas Eve.
☆ World Soil Day.

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6th

☆ Anniversary of the Founding of Quito - Ecuador.
☆ Armed Forces Day - Ukraine.
☆ Constitution Day - Spain.
☆ Day of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan.
☆ Independence Day - Finland.
☆ Miners' Day.
☆ Mitten Tree Day.
☆ Pawnbrokers' Day.
☆ Put On Your Own Shoes Day.
☆ St. Nicholas Day - Christianity.
☆ White Ribbon Day - Canada.

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7th

☆ Armed Forces Flag Day - India.
☆ Cotton Candy Day.
☆ Eve of the Immaculate Conception.
☆ Flag Land Base Day - Scientology.
☆ International Civil Aviation Day.
☆ Little Candles Day - Colombia.
☆ National Heroes Day - East Timor.
☆ National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day - USA.
☆ Quema del Diablo - Guatemala.
☆ Spitak Remembrance Day - Armenia.
☆ World Letter Writing Day.

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8th

☆ Battle Day - Falkland Islands.
☆ Bodhi Day - Japan.
☆ CARICOM-Cuba Day.
☆ Christmas on Campus - USA.
☆ Constitution Day - Romania + Uzbekistan.
☆ Day of Finnish Music - Finland.
☆ Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
☆ Feast of Yemoja - Yoruba.
☆ Festival of Lights - Lyon, France.
☆ Mother's Day - Panama.
☆ National Brownie Day - USA.
☆ National Youth Day - Albania.
☆ Pansexual/Panromantic Pride Day.
☆ Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day.
☆ St. Clement of Ohrid Day - Macedonia.

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9th

☆ Christmas Card Day.
☆ Feast of the Immaculate Conception - Eastern Orthodoxy.
☆ Independence Day - Tanzania.
☆ International Anti-Corruption Day.
☆ International Day of Veterinary Medicine.
☆ National Heroes Day - Antigua + Barbuda.
☆ National Pastry Day - USA.
☆ Navy Day - Sri Lanka.
☆ Remembrance for Egill Skallgrimsson - The Troth.
☆ Techno Day.

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10th

☆ Alfred Nobel Day - Sweden.
☆ Constitution Day - Thailand.
☆ Human Rights Day.
☆ National Lager Day - USA.

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11th

☆ Human Rights and Peace Day - Kiribati.
☆ Indiana Day - USA.
☆ International Mountain Day.
☆ National Have a Bagel Day - USA.
☆ National Noodle Ring Day - USA.
☆ National Tango Day - Argentina.
☆ Pampanga Day - Philippines.
☆ Republic Day - Burkina Faso.

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12th

☆ Air Force Day - Croatia.
☆ Constitution Day - Russia.
☆ Day of Neutrality - Turkmenistan.
☆ Feast of the Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe - Mexico.
☆ Gingerbread House Day.
☆ Kanji Day - Japan.
☆ Jamhuri Day - Kenya.
☆ Poinsettia Day.

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13th

☆ Acadian Remembrance Day.
☆ Hot Cocoa Day.
☆ National Day - Saint Lucia.
☆ National Ice Cream Day -USA.
☆ Pick a Pathologist Pal Day.
☆ Republic Day - Malta.
☆ Sailor's Day - Brazil.
☆ Saint Lucy's Day.
☆ Violin Day.

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14th

☆ Alabama Day - Alabama, USA.
☆ Bouillabaisse Day.
☆ Forty-Seven Ronin Remembrance Day - Japan.
☆ Martyred Intellectuals Day - Bangladesh.
☆ Monkey Day.
☆ Roast Chestnuts Day.

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15th

☆ 2nd Amendment Day - USA.
☆ Bill of Rights Day - USA.
☆ Cat Herders Day.
☆ Homecoming Day - Alderney, Channel Islands.
☆ International Tea Day.
☆ Koninkriksdag - Netherlands. (16th if the 15th is a Sunday)
☆ National Cupcake Day - USA.
☆ Remembrance Day of Journalists Killed in the Line of Duty.
☆ Zamenhof Day - Esperanto Community.

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16th

☆ Barbie and Barney Backlash Day.
☆ Chocolate Covered Anything Day.
☆ Day of Reconciliation - South Africa.
☆ National Day - Bahrain.
☆ Victory Day of Bangladesh.

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17th

☆ Accession Day - Bahrain.
☆ International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.
☆ National Day - Bhutan.
☆ National Maple Syrup Day - USA.
☆ Pan American Aviation Day - USA.
☆ Wright Brothers Day - USA.

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18th

☆ Arabic Language Day.
☆ Bake Cookies Day.
☆ International Migrants Day.
☆ National Muffin Day - Brazil.
☆ Roast Suckling Pig Day.

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19th

☆ Goa Liberation Day - Goa, India.
☆ Look For An Evergreen Day.
☆ National Heroes and Heroines Day - Anguilla.
☆ Oatmeal Muffin Day.

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20th

☆ Games Day.
☆ Go Caroling Day.
☆ National Sangria Day - USA.

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21st

☆ Crossword Puzzle Day.
☆ Don't Make Your Bed Day.
☆ First Day of Winter - Various.
☆ Flashlight Day.
☆ Humbug Day.
☆ International Dalek Remembrance Day.
☆ Look On The Bright Side Day.
☆ National Hamburger Day - USA.
☆ Ribbon Candy Day.
☆ Short Story Day.

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22nd

☆ Armed Forces Day - Vietnam.
☆ Forefathers' Day - Massachusetts, USA. [23rd if it's a Sunday]
☆ Mother's Day - Indonesia.
☆ National Date Nut Bread Day - USA.
☆ National Mathematics Day - India.
☆ Teachers' Day - Cuba.
☆ Unity Day - Zimbabwe.

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23rd

☆ The Emperor's Birthday - Japan.
☆ Festivus.
☆ HumanLight - Humanism.
☆ Roots Day.

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24th

☆ Aðfangadagskvöld - Iceland.
☆ Christmas Eve.
☆ Day of Military Honour: Siege of Ismail - Russia.
☆ Declaration of Christmas Peace - Finland.
☆ Feast of the Seven Fishes - Italian American Communities.
☆ Independence Day - Libya.
☆ Julaften - Norway.
☆ Juleaften - Denmark.
☆ Mōdraniht - Anglo Saxon Paganism.
☆ National Eggnog Day - USA.
☆ Nittel Nacht - Jewish Orthodox.
☆ Nochbuena - Spanish Communities.

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25th

☆ Children's Day - Various.
☆ Christmas Day.
☆ Constitution Day - Taiwan.
☆ Good Governance Day - India.
☆ Malkh Festival - Vainakh Mythology.
☆ National Pumpkin Pie Day - USA.
☆ Newtonmas.
☆ Quaid-e-Azam's Day - Pakistan.
☆ Takanakuy - Peru.

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26th

☆ Boxing Day.
☆ Candy Cane Day.
☆ Family Day - Vanuatu.
☆ Independence and Unity Day - Slovenia.
☆ Kwanzaa begins.
☆ St. Stephen's Day - Western Christianity.
☆ Thank You Note Day.
☆ Thanksgiving - Solomon Islands. (27th if a Sunday)

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27th

☆ Father's Day - Bulgaria.
☆ Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day.
☆ Mauro Hamza Day - Houston, Texas, USA.
☆ Mummer's Day - Cornwall, UK.
☆ National Fruitcake Day - USA.
☆ St. Stephen's Day - Eastern Christianity.
☆ Visit The Zoo Day.
☆ Wren Day - Ireland + Isle of Man.
☆ Zartosht No-Diso - Zoroastrianism.

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28th

☆ Card Playing Day.
☆ Proclamation Day - South Australia.

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29th

☆ Pepper Pot Day.
☆ Tick Tock Day.

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30th

☆ Bacon Day.
☆ Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastical Province.
☆ Falling Needles Family Fest.
☆ Freedom Day - Scientology.
☆ National Bicarbonate of Soda Day - USA.
☆ Rizal Day - Philippines.

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31st

☆ Bisperás ng Bagong Taón- Philippines.
☆ Hogmany.
☆ International Solidarity Day - Azerbaijan.
☆ Make Up Your Mind Day.
☆ National Champagne Day - USA.
☆ New Year's Eve.
☆ No Interruptions Day.
☆ Ōmisoka - Japan.

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Weeks and Months

☆ Food Service Safety Month.
☆ Human Rights Month.
☆ Month of the Advent of Christ - Christianity.
☆ National Critical Infrastructure Protection Month - USA.
☆ National Egg Month - USA.
☆ National Fruit Cake Month - USA.
☆ National Impaired Driving Prevention Month - USA.
☆ National Pear Month - USA.
☆ No Gender December.
☆ Tie Month.
☆ Write a Business Plan Month.

☆ Chalica - Unitarian Universalists. [Begins First Monday]
☆

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Movable

☆ Bartender Appreciation Day. [First Friday]
☆ Farmer's Day - Ghana. [First Friday]
☆ Faux Fur Friday. [First Friday]
☆ Gospel Day - Marshall Islands. [First Friday]
☆ Small Business Saturday - UK. [First Saturday]
☆ First Presidency's Christmas Devotional - Mormonism. [First Sunday]
☆ Good Neighborliness Day - Turkmenistan. [First Sunday]
☆ Sindhi Cultural Day. [First Sunday]
☆ Advent Sunday - Christianity. [Fourth Sunday before Christmas Day]
☆ Green Monday. [Second Monday]
☆ National Tree Planting Day - Malawi. [Second Monday]
☆ Lost and Found Day. [Second Friday]
☆ Gingerbread Decorating Day. [Second Saturday]
☆ Shareware Day. [Second Saturday]
☆ Gaudete Sunday - Christianity. [Second-final Sunday before Christmas]
☆ World Choral Day. [Second Sunday]
☆ Chewidden Thursday - Cornwall, UK. [Thursday before Christmas]
☆ National Regifting Day. [Thursday before Christmas]
☆ Black Friday - UK. [Friday before Christmas]
☆ Ugly Christmas Sweater Day. [Third Friday]
☆ Underdog Day. [Third Friday]
☆ Super Saturday - USA. [Saturday before Christmas]
☆ National Honesty Day - Italy.[Sunday before Christmas]
☆ Christmas Sunday - Christianity. [Sunday after Christmas]
☆ Feast of the Holy Family. [Sunday after Christmas]

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