Mary Grace Legg

Today marks not only the first day of spring but the first day of a calendar developed by my beau Tony. Frustrated by having an “indivisible” week, he thought it better to suggest a 9 day week – pairing the days of the week with the nine Greek muses. The year then divides into 8 months, matched with the 8 known planets in our fair solar system. Finding it more reasonable to have each month contain the same number of days, he settled the math of 8 months at 45 days, with a five day (six days in a leap year) celebration preceding the start of each new year. So, last week when everyone was imbibing in toast to St. Patrick, they were actually mid way through the festivities heralding a new year of the Antonian Calendar. What trickery!
The stark images that accompany the calendar are modern representations of the planet gods.  Yours truly stood in as Venus dining on a lamb’s heart, my mom modeled for an engorged chain-smoking Gaia, my nephew depicts the children Uranus shackled, and my two brothers act as king of the gods and the god of the sea. Mars is Tony’s ultimate fighting playmate Jason and Tony himself appears twice as the baby-feasting Saturn and the messenger Mercury. Get to know your muses my friends, they now inspire our days! And if you’re in the Denver area, the calendar can be viewed at Buffalo Doughboy’s Bakery through April. Happy Antonian new year!