Slainte!
Top of the Mornin' to Ya!
Erin Go Bragh!
Shiver me Timbers! - wait, that's not right.....

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY, EVERYONE!

If there's one thing I've learned being married to a Polish guy, who's mother is Scottish which is close enough to the Irish, it's this:

Everyone is Irish on St. Patty's Day!

It's true. I grew up in a town in which the Amish to Irish ratio was 1000:1. In fact, that was pretty much the population of the whole town, 1001, but on St. Patrick's Day, we all wore green. Even the little Amish girls. They would sport their mint green dresses to school, straight pinned at the seams, and Lord knows what underneath!

Speaking of pins, Big Daddy tells the story of how every year, his mother would pin a paper shamrock with "Firstname O'Blahblahski" to his (and his five siblings) shirt(s) and send them off to school. Because Polish jokes were so rampant in the 1970's/80's, he considered it salt in the wound (Big Daddy is now very proud of his Polish heritage, thanks greatly to John Paul II).

Today, I sent in 24 baggies of green grapes and 24 baggies of
rice krispie treats, made instead, with fruity pebbles representing a chunk of the rainbow. Get it? Rainbows....leprachauns....pot'o gold......??? Kind of a stretch, I know. This is my third kid, and I'm only "Eastern European Fake-Irish" (married to the Pole-Scot-Irishman); I can't possibly compete with the "irish potato" candies being made by the Duffys' and the Flanagans' and the O'Briens'.

I AM Irish enough for a bit'o green beer and some "bangers and mash" (meat and potatoes), which I shall enjoy this evening with friends. The sun is shining, spring has sprung, and on that note, I leave you with this Irish blessing.....

May those who love us, love us
And those who don't love us,
May God turn their hearts
And if he can't turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles
So we will know them by their limping!