Leap Day Fun

Today is February 29. Leap Day! My youngest son's birthday is March 29, and he reminded me that he only gets to say "It's one month 'til my birthday" every four years!

I get that that this is the day when we re-align our Gregorian, 365-days-per-year calendar with the actual time it takes Earth to travel around the sun, which is close to 365 1/4 days. And although I understand a little of the science behind having an extra day in our calendar every four years, my Southern-fried brain can't help but think about this exchange between Andy and Opie from the first season of The Andy Griffith Show. Andy is upset with Opie for giving only three cents to a collection for underprivileged children, but when he tries to talk to Opie about it, things get a little muddled:

Andy: Opie, you can't give a little bitty piddlin' amount like three cents to a worthy cause like the Underprivileged Children's Drive. Why, I was reading here the other day where there's somewhere like 400 needy boys in this county alone, or one and a half boys per square mile.

Opie: There is?

Andy: Sure is.

Opie: I never seen one, Pa.

Andy: Never seen one what?

Opie: A half a boy.

Andy: Well, it's not really half a boy. It's a ratio.

Opie: Horatio who?

Oh, my lands. It gets even better from there. Since you have a whole extra day in your calendar, surely you have time to watch a couple of minutes of this clip from "Opie's Charity." I promise it'll make you smile!