WELCOME! IT'S ST. PATRICK'S DAY (WEDNESDAY)

 

Welcome!  It's St. Patrick's Day!

A day it is!  A day to celebrate heritage, having some Irish ancestry, and all those fun things connected with it:  the lucky charm, the four-leaf clover, the devilish leprechauns, and the hope and goal of following the rainbow to find that pot o'gold.

The early settlers thought they were going to get their pot of gold when they traveled across the seas from the United Kingdom.  Dad spent years and hours researching our ancestry, before internet, and traced our roots to pre-Scot-Irish era.  Our lineage goes back to Lamon Mor, a very old family of Celtic origin.  

Closer to the birth of our nation John Leman, who accompanied George Olgethorpe back and forth across the seas, became captain of his own ship.  Leman was a forefather on Dad's side of the family.  In a duel, Ensign Leman, took a bullet to the leg, and eventually 

replaced that leg with a wooden leg.  Now, isn't that fun trivia!

We don't sport red hair, but we do have the dark ring around the iris of our eyes, and our genes lend us towards some birth defects that don't affect everyone.   

Our second son had Spina Bifida. We were told it's more common amongst those of Irish descent.  Knowing he wouldn't have a long life, there was poignant significance that he died on a St. Patrick's Day.

And a leprechaun he could've been!  Fine boned, brown eyes, and a sense of humor.  He laughed, putting his little hand to his mouth when Calvin pushed a toy car.  He read books with Rusty laying on their bellies on the carpet.  He stunned his therapist by saying the two syllable word grandma as "Ga ma."  And he insisted his dad drive the truck to Uncle Andy's house, indicated by a fisted letter A in sign language.

What a lad!

Celebrate the day.  

Play the harp, enjoy some golf, recite a limerick, and be proud of your Irish.

You're strong, you're witty, and you're blessed.

May the sunbeams light your way

and the moonbeams guard your night

and until your days are finished

may the stars shine ever bright.

"GET YOUR IRISH ON!" (TUESDAY)

 

"Get Your Irish On!

      "Get Your Irish On" I wondered about that phrase and went internet searching.  I found everything from Gaelic printed t-shirts to purchase, to Guiness drinking at O'Malley's, to Patrick's Day inspired baby names.  What a variety!

     If you're of school age, you'd best "Get Your Irish On" wearing something green and visible, long before stepping in and off the bus.  Ever lie and say, "My underwear's green" just so that devilish mate wouldn't pinch you?  Of course you did!  Sport a shamrock, or wear garments of green; that should bring you luck.

     Once, when I was barely a teen, my young uncle who was a teen found a four-leaf clover.  The family was just standing around talking, saying our good byes after a day of play, when he looked down, bent down, stood back up, and proudly presented it between two fingers.  He was just that quick without any studied searching, "Check it out, it's a four-leaf clover."  Dad assured him he'd have the luck of the Irish.

    He is quite successful.  He's a home owner, a family man, and well-to-do with a good sense of humor.  Another time we were all together at my maternal grandmother's in Kentucky.   Her little beagle was just a bouncy, happy tail-wagging, and slurping bundle of brown and white fur.  The Beagle was giving uncle's younger brother all kinds of giggling attention, "Hey, look at this.  He likes me."  My uncle laughed, "That's because you're a messy eater."

     Coming home from Ireland after a two week visit, I didn't think to even look for a shamrock, but I did bring home a pair of black owls made from peat and a clutch of smooth green rocks from the Ring of Kerry.

     With 32 million American's claiming Irish ancestry, according to 2019 census, tomorrow 10% of the population will be getting their "Irish On".  

"Wherever you go, 

whatever you do, 

may the luck of the Irish

be there with you!

TOP O' THE MORN' TO YA! (MONDAY)

"Top o' the morn' to ya!"

For years I thought that was a good Irish greeting.  Then Calvin and I went to Ireland to visit my sister who was there for her job.  We never saw a leprechaun (until Calvin stuck his head in a cardboard cutout of clicking heels, and a feathered hat) and we were never hailed with "Top o' the morn' to ya!"  Since then, I've learned it's most likely a product of American greeting cards.  Interesting.

 The leprechaun no-face cutout was happy and lifesized but oddly just standing there along side the road on the Ring of Kerry.  Not much traffic on Ireland's country roads.  Rocks, fences, the occasional sheep, and short tough green grass made the scenic background.  Behind the jig dancing cutout were exposed places of black peat.  Calvin's teenage face grinned mischievously through to the camera.

Anyway, this week, for me, will be all about St. Patrick's Day, and the Irish.

Like today, it's the day John's father was born.  He was a moral man who expected the same from his sons.    He wasn't afraid of hard work.  Actually, he got very little sleep; instead worked at the local factory by day, ran a dirt machine and big equipment in the evening, and spent hours in the barn at night.

He had a good sense of humor 'cause when I dared drop an ice cube down the back of his shirt that freezing touch to the base of his skull made him jump right out of his recliner.  I'd never seen the big muscular man move so fast before, so I laughingly shrieked, hot-footed it out of the living room, through the kitchen to the garage, and hearing him still coming behind me, I ran around the pool table.  Never did I get near enough for him to exact his own revenge.  It was a cat an mouse game for days and days.

As for the rest of the week there'll be St. Patrick's Day, the day Mitch passed away, and quite soon the first day of Spring!   It's a grand week, a momentous week.

"Until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand,

Slán."

 

Two Jeweled Stars

(NOTE:  The idea for this came after participating in some online writing prompts.  You've probably seen a couple earlier that were a little out of the ordinary, and will probably see more this summer.)

TWO JEWELED STARS

It was an explosion!  Little pieces of embers and sparks spit fired on the earth's surface. 

Many of them rose from the earth, breaking through the atmospheric barrier to become stars on the black suede of night.  They sparkled and shimmered and glowed with happiness -- blink here, flicker there, twinkle everwhere. 

Two jeweled stars, one amber with kite shaped facets, and the other blue jade with teardrop cuts, gravitated slowly downward and towards each other.  Amber, drifting alongside gave blue jade a gentle kiss.  They stayed paired as gravitation pulled them through the atmosphere to earth.  There they bounced, barely glancing off the surface.  From the bounce came little explosions, bits and pieces that hovered near with winks, and little bursts and blitz of brilliant light. 

Blue Jade and Amber looked on, attentive.

They once again rose, side by side, floating higher and higher breaking through earth's protecting arc.  As they rose beyond the stars they were gathered into an ethereal arm where they were nestled -- comforted and loved.  From there, in contentment, they watched the embers and sparks bounce and scintillate on earth below, their little jewels of diamonds, rhinestones, and gems, soon to become stars, too!

Caped Lilly, Power, and Proclamations

Lilly's an absorbing sponge.  Whatever she's encountered in the past week, whether it's new television programs, or activities with her ma maw, or educational work with her mother, her current interest shows up on Sundays when she's here.

I'm just walking around in my church clothes, doing my Sunday thing, hanging up my coat and purse, checking for snacks for the grandkids, getting hubby a drink, when unexpectedly, I feel a little push in my behind.  "What?"  I turn sharply as I hear a giggle, spy tendrils of blonde hair, and catch a glimpse of brown broom handle.  Brown broom handle???

 

4 y.o. Lilly says, "I will poke you!"

 

Intrigued I asked, "YOU will poke me?"

She's never physically teased me before, this is new!

 

More giggles as I try to outmaneuver her, avoiding hitting my hip on the edge of the counter, going around the kitchen table, and staying a broom's length away.

 

She says, "To get the power out of your body."

 

Chuckle, what has she been watching now!  Around and around the table we go.  These kids think chase-me games are the best fun.  "Run, GrammyPam.  RUN!"

 

********************

 

Son and wife went on a Valentine date.  I babysat Jacob, and Miss Lilly who was all over the place.   Not only was she acting like a witch on a broom, hopping like a frog, slithering like a snake, bunching up like an inch worm, she was also acting like Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon.  Let's include coloring pages, snuggling with Ty babies, watching Bluey, and using the cloth road map as a cape!

 

Caped Lilly rushed down the hall, feet flying, circled one of the bedrooms, came back, with giggles reverberating, and cape a'swirling -- right over baby brother Jacob!  

 

With arms outstretched, clutching the cape edges, she covered him.  He was nabbed!

 

*********************

Grandpa John boiled the spaghetti.  GrammyPam made the meatballs.  Jessica dropped off the grandkids.  

Master Jacob was bumbo secured.   Miss Lilly was studying her bowl.

Suddenly, with alacrity, Lilly rises, stands up in the middle of her chair, stretches both arms to the sky, tilts her chin up, and proclaims,  "This is the best restaurant!  Noodles AND MEATBALLS!" 

ALAYNA - GET IN, GRAMMYPAM'S YARD, DRINK

Alayna, fast moving, drama queen Alayna, dearly wanted to go outside.  Mom said, "You can't, there's no one to watch you out there, Alayna.  Please, go play."

Still Alayna wants to play outside.  Mom reaffirms, "You can't go out there right now.  When Daddy gets home, if he wants to watch you, you can.  Now, please, just go play."

Not to be out-reasoned, 3 y.o. Alayna, gasping, holding up one finger, standing in the doorway to the living room has found the answer, "I know, we can go play in GrammyPam's yard."

**************

As stated above, Alayna is full of energy and bounce, she's theatrical.  Most little kids will come up to you and nicely ask, "May I have a drink of water, please."

I'm rolling on floor laughing thinking about Alayna's version!  Afterwards, how can you not give her a drink?  How can you reprimand her for her lack of manners?  You can't.  You're laughing too hard.

Here's Alayna, very short, bouncy curly brown hair, and 3 years old, comes around the corner very fast, does a pirouette, stops sideways with legs apart, leans a bit towards you with right arm outstretched and pointing right at your face, says, "I want a drink!"

**************

Alayna, her brother Jayden, and little sis Noelle, came to stay with us while the foks got groceries.  I had them keep on their coats while I donned mine to join them in the Roger Run, a fenced area 50 ft. square designed for play with a swing, a soundboard, a log for balance walking, a stumperary, and a childs picnic table.

After a bit, with rosy cheeks and red noses, they went inside the house.  But, I had to step back out to take a phone call.  It was too noisy inside.  Just when the call was about to end, the front door opened, and grinning Alayna insisted, "GrammyPam!  Get in here.  It's so cold outside!"

REM, And MEN

 

DARLING HUBBY, JOHN

10:30 at night, I hadn't gone to bed yet, I dropped the remote control, it bounced "Bang, clang, thud." John, who's about to fall asleep, rolls over in bed and sleepily says, "You're having a negative affect on my REM."

Rapid Eye Movement?  Who taught him that?!

***

Looking from his place in the blue recliner John spies Lilly being silly with a large Quaker Quick Oats container,  "Girl don't know what to do in life -- she just stuck her head in a can!"

***

As a baby, my first bank was pink, ceramic, designed like a string string bag of money.  Another bank was yellow paper cardboard with metal tops and bottoms like a short Pringles can.  There was 5 of them lined up on top of the refrigerator and Mom would help each of us kids drop in pennies to save to later open a bank account.   They were an early 60's promotional gimmick from a local savings and loan.  In early married life we had a Colorado Pig to save for a vacation trip.  Nowadays, we have 2 banks of a movie character.  I love it when John forgets to check his pants pockets before washing them, change rattling in the washing machine means "food for the Minions!"

DARLING SON #4, CLINTON

Can you guess how many pieces of pie Clinton ate before he got home to his young wife?

I can't either, but I know he ate two in my presence, and I sent two home.  It's a long drive for a dog with a bone on his nose.  Ever see that?  They salivate something fierce!  What's your guess, did he eat only 2, or did he gobble down all 4?

DARLING SON #5, SPENCER

Piper, I typed with my computer keys.  "No!"  Spencer's adamant as I continued typing our cats name.  He's being insistent,  Obviously, she's made an impression because I heard him correct me, "She's all shiny black with those yellow eyes and when I come in at night you don't know she's there!  She's not Piper, she's VIPER!"

DARLING SON #6, IAN & NIKKI

Later in the afternoon Ian and Nikki came to eat supper with us, and brought some mollies for the ducks to eat.  We all knelt around the pond to give the ducks a tempting look when Piper the cat walked up, all curious.  Would you believe Piper wasn't the least bit interested?  She sniffed at the fish then turned away from the dish????  What cat does that?

When we went on vacation, Nikki took care of our animals.  She has 7 cats of her own and she worked part time at PetSmat which we feel makes her knowledgeable.  When we have questions about character and antics of the felines we invariably turn to her.  One day, the four of us were casually sitting at the picnic table talking about mundane things when out of the blue Nikki catches us quite off guard with, "I'm not a cat!"