21st February: Erma Bombeck

The US comic writer Erma Bombeck was born this date in 1927. Here are 10 of her pearls of wisdom:

1. Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.
2. On vacations: We hit the sunny beaches where we occupy ourselves keeping the sun off our skin, the saltwater off our bodies, and the sand out of our belongings.
3. God created man, but I could do better.
4. Housework, if it is done properly, can cause brain damage.
5. When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.
6. Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart.
7. It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.
8. Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere
9. Laughter rises out of tragedy when you need it the most, and rewards you for your courage.
10. When you look like your passport photo, it's time to go home.