history repeats

 It's groundhog day; again. I missed the one back in '53 but have been around for every one since. Phil has been hauled from his burrow every year. Really he lives in the library with his wife Phyllis and is just taken to Gobblers Knob for this day. 

 The fact is in 1953 Punxutawney buried a pair of groundhogs, Philip and Elizabeth. That was also the year Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip took the throne of England. Yup, the year I was born the Queen took the throne, now she's the longest reigning Monarch in British history, a fact I find somehow unsettling.  In 1961 the groundhog was officially name Punxsutawney Phil, some say in honor of Prince Philip. Before he was named Phil the groundhog had been called Br'er Groundhog. Br'er was used before a mans name, sorta like saying Mister or Sir. But perhaps because of the relationship of that word with Uncle Remus and Br'er Rabbit that title was replaced with Punxsutawney. Political correctness was a thing even then. I'm betting not many children have ever heard of Br'er Rabbit, Uncle Remus or those stories. But Punxsutawney Phil replaced him and it is ironic that he lives in the library, maybe the library has those books and Phil checks them out. Then again he lives there so he wouldn't have to check them out. 

 Did you know that Phil drinks a special Groundhog punch? Yes this magic elixir adds seven years to his life. In that way, even if he was to miss six years, he would still be good to go. I saw no information saying that his wife gets that elixir. Groundhogs only live about six years in captivity, twice as long as in the wild, and apparently Phil gets a new wife. Well, celebrities are known for that anyway why should he be any different. I also read where Phil is never wrong. That's correct, Phil is never, ever wrong with his prediction. It has happened that the handler misinterprets what he says. Groundhogese is his language. The handlers have properly interpreted Phil about 60% of the time. Well they are only human after all. 

 Having a animal predict the arrival of spring is a German tradition. I didn't know that until this morning. Now being of German descent I should be taking credit for all of this. If it weren't for Germans there would be no groundhog day and no movie! Canada ought to be grateful to me as well. Of course Alaska doesn't celebrate groundhog day. No, they have a marmot! Happy marmot day Well they didn't become a state until 1959. I'm six years older than Alaska! And now I'm hearing that Peta wants to retire Phil altogether. Without his elixir he'll die in seven years. Guess he'll be retired alright! The year I was born they buried two groundhogs, Phillip and Elizabeth. I'm wondering if the year they retire Punxsutawney Phil and his wife Phyllis is the year I'll be retired. I hope not! You know they say history repeats itself, like groundhog day the movie. That gives me pause. Phil is never wrong, wonder what he says about this?