Top O' The Mornin' To Ye!

I’m wearing green today in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Sort of. I mean, green is just not in my color palette. I have one top that is green-ish and I’ve worn it a couple years for St. Paddy’s Day, but it’s really teetering right on the edge between blue and green. 

Instead, this morning I opted for a “celery” green jacket, which truthfully also barely qualifies as green. I did, however, accessorize with a true green glass necklace and earrings set that friends brought back from their recent cruise. 

So I think I’m safe from pinching. 

 Maybe I should go out and buy one Kelly green top so I don’t have to go through this angst every St. Paddy’s Day. Either that or I could pick up one of those “Kiss Me, I’m Irish!” pins and be done with it. 

 Ah well. It’s the Irish spirit that counts – right? 

I do have Irish blood in me, and I’ve been to Ireland, which is a truly lovely (and very green) country, so those should also count in my favor. 

I really don’t know why I’m so concerned with wearing green today, because Vince and I don’t even have specific plans this evening. No pub crawls or green beer imbibing plans are in the works. Perhaps we could go to Kroger and pick up some Guinness and a hunk o’ corned beef and make do with Reuben sandwiches and a beer and call it a night? 

Yeah, that could work. We wouldn’t even have to designate a driver, unless one of us has trouble maneuvering the stairs at the end of the evening. (Yeah, well, the solution to that would be the couch.)

My mom’s side of the family is all Irish, all the time. Many years ago my grandmother was visiting and somehow we started talking about marriage, of all things. As I recall, I was in college and not even dating anyone let alone considering marriage, but that didn’t stop Nanna. 

She told me I needed to find a nice Irish Catholic boy and marry him and have lots of babies. Oops. Vince is neither Irish nor Catholic. And, as it took a long time to make a decision, the “lots of babies” thing ain’t happenin’ either. Sorry, Nanna! 

But I think she would have been happy with my choice and she would’ve loved Vince. She probably would’ve even done the cheek pinching thing, which is apparently a prerequisite for anyone applying to be a tiny white-haired Irish grandmother. 

My Uncle Joe (who was really a cousin, but he was older than my parents, so we weren’t allowed to call him just “Joe”), well, anyway, Uncle Joe used to tell lots of stories about his Irish heritage. And whenever he’d want to curse, but really didn’t want to, he’d say, “Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” So that didn’t count as cursing. But you’d hear the word “Jesus...” coming out of his mouth and you’d think, Uh oh… but then he’d add the “…Mary and Joseph” and you’d think, Whew! 

I smile whenever I think of Nanna and Uncle Joe – and all my relatives who are no longer with us. I miss them, but I’d like to think they’re all together up in Heaven having a big ol’ party today in honor of St. Patrick. Wonder if they have green beer in Heaven? No matter. Whatever you do and however you celebrate, I hope it is with people you care about and who care about you. Be safe. 

And I’ll leave you with an old Irish Blessing: 

May love and laughter light your days, 

And warm your heart and home. 

May good and faithful friends be yours, 

Wherever you may roam. 

May peace and plenty bless your world 

With joy that long endures. 

May all life’s passing seasons 

Bring the best to you and yours!