February is a funny month, don't you think? It has to be awkward.. Has to be different.
"I don't want all those days the other months have. I want to be younger. I want 28. Oh, hold on.... no. I want 29. No, wait..."
Is it the child? A petulant teen that has to go against the grain and not fall into the nice ripple of days. Well, apart from July and August, of course, who have to throw it out of sync. But that's Roman emperors for you. Each wanting to top the other, or at least be equal - just more equal. Oh, no, that's the pigs...
But February. Why be a pain in the posterior? At one time you didn't even exist! Mars, the thunderous god of war kicked of the year with a bang. It wasn't until the second Roman King decided to juggle things about and chucked a couple more months in to line things up with their all important lunar cycle that you were even a twinkle in your daddy's eye.
Ah, lunar. Of course. 28 days - the time it takes a woman to turn into a werewolf. Or something like that.
But even then, you couldn't be first, could you. Relegated into second place by Janus, god of new beginnings and all that. But... I wonder if it's because he has two faces, so he was talking about you behind you back whilst being your best drinking buddy to your face.
July and August have their emperors. April, May and June are in league with January to be named after gods. September through to December sit quietly at the back, knowing that they were just named for when they fell in the year back when Mars was in charge.
Then there's you. When Caesar (Julius, that is) scattered some extra days around the months to copy the Egyptians and bin the old lunar year to honour the sun (I've been to Egypt, and it IS sunny), where were you? Busy with your purification rituals? Nursing the hangover from you night out with your new best friend Janus? Is that why you missed the boat?
And it takes you four years to risk leaping out to grab an extra one for yourself, eh?
So, really, you're not being awkward at all. You're not throwing a tantrum every quarter decade. You’re fighting for survival against gods, emperors and the quiet ones at the back (it's always the quiet ones...).
Well, I blame the Romans. I mean, what have the Romans ever done for us?
Dear Sin
ReplyDeleteI wanted to let you know that the cat has been unwell. I think he ate something that has upset his little tum-tum. You know how cats are. Or maybe Mr. Milligan finally poisoned him. But I have given him some bismuth, and that seemed to help.
Love,
Mrs J
We 'leaped' over puddles on the way to school this morning to celebrate the last day of February ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for looking after him Mrs J.
ReplyDeleteAnd Johanna, that's a great way to celebrate :)