I would like to suggest that we celebrate Mexican
Independence Day--diez y seis (or dieciseis) de septiembre.
This recognizes the day in 1810 that Fray Miguel Hidalgo pronounced the
grito de Dolores that began the movement that would, 14 years later,
culminate in the establishment of the Mexican Republic.
The traditional way to celebrate this holiday (at least in my house) is
to proclaim the grito and then down a shot of tequila.  The normal way to
do this is to lick a little salt, down the shot, and suck on a slice of
lemon (lay-mon, a Mexican citrus fruit often sold in this country as Key
limes of Persian limes).  Might I suggest that for this occasion you use
the best tequila you can afford (I prefer Herradura Reposado or Sauza
Conmemoritivo, but YMMV)?  Traditionally you would do this at midnight,
but I normally just do it after dinner.
For those of you interested in the original event, I will be happy to
e-mail you a copy of Bancroft's description (back when history was
written about with some imagination) (about 50 lines).  Enjoy and
'Salud.'

Michaele and David Haynes      [log in to unmask]