Happy Paddy’s Day

Oh sure you got green on and you’ll hunt about for a place to pig out on corned beef and cabbage and if you are truly lucky, a wee drab of green beer shall gently pass over your lips – ya, this a lovely day and if you should see the little people, you’ll have Irish luck all flippin year!

Now allow me to tell ya little bit about St. Patrick – oh what the hell, you got that much to do you can’t read a little? That’s what I thought, so read and learn…or, if nothing else, smile at least.

Patrick was born at Banna Venta Berniae. Calpornius, his father was a deacon, his grandfather Potitus a priest. When he was about sixteen, he was captured and carried off as a slave to Ireland. Patrick worked as a herdsman, remaining a captive for six years. He writes that his faith grew in captivity, and that he prayed daily. After six years he heard a voice telling him that he would soon go home, and then that his ship was ready. Fleeing his master, he travelled to a port, two hundred miles away he says, where he found a ship and, after various adventures, returned home to his family, now in his early twenties.

It was after this that he became a priest and eventually returned to Ireland and the rest, as they say is history. He was quite a character and through the decades he has become not only a saint but the patron of good humor. Have you ever heard of bad humor? Of course you have and probably at some point in your life you even dispensed a bit of bad humor on some poor unsuspecting person. Whatever, Paddy was a jolly good fella and he loved to laugh and had a great roar in his laughter which was infectious and enjoy by all. Damn, sounds like some of our current comedians doesn’t it?

So one day a year many folks will claim to be Irish and don green and just have a good time today. Hey, tell me another heritage where folks strive to claim this as part of their make-up? In truth we all have parts of so many heritages its unreal but somewhere along the time, we claim one stronger and that is the one we claim as our lineage. I am German, Italian, Greek, and so on. Some even wrap a few together to make them sound worldlier “I am German-Greek.” Ya, that works for me too.

Have you ever used maple syrup on our oatmeal? I did this morning and I gotta tell ya, I love maple syrup but on oatmeal, give me my brown sugar! Leave the syrup for pancakes and baking but not on my cereal, holy sheet! After this all settles (or leaves) I shall don my tennis shoes (did you read that correctly, tennis shoe, hooo-rah) and head out for my walk. I’m thinking today I may want to tackle the thigh-burner aka Norwood Hill. I dislike walking on Route 56 but hey, keep alert and stay way over on the side and I should be fine. Even I am guilty of passing on the right as someone waits to make a left turn and that is dangerous for pedestrians.

It’s a mere 26 degrees so a warm coat is still need and for a little while, gloves will be necessary too. My problem is I shall wear a hat and then wish to hell I had grabbed my baseball cap instead. Oh well, soon baseball caps will be the norm and a welcomed relief from those winter caps!

So enjoy the day, go have some corned beef and cabbage, wear green to save yourself getting pinched and for just one day, be Irish and be happy!

FYI: Regardless of what you have heard or think, blood pudding is damn good, so thar!