St. Patrick's Day 2012

Now just how Irish my mom's side of the family is depends on the day I asked the question.  364 days a year the answer was somewhere in the distant past there is an Irish ancestor, she thought on the Day side of the family; but come St. Patty's Day and she was all faith and begora; all Irish Eyes are Smilin'; My Wild Irish Rose kinda woman.  I truly believe that had she lived in St. Paul, she would have been in THE parade; downed more than a couple of green beers and tried out for any singin' contest that showed up!

For she did love to sing those songs and she loved to cook homemade corned beef (I still have the recipe from Gramma Elsie) and cabbage and boiled potatoes; and as much as she loved to cook it I loved to eat it.  And of course, I have a real hankerin' for it today!  I have checked Kowalski's and Lunds/Byerlys take out menues; I know that Gallivans, O'Gara's, McGovern's are serving it up with prices ranging from $9.99 to $13.99  ... my mouth waters just typing out the words!  But this year, I will forgo any of it because of my real desire to stay away from salty fatty high carbohydrate foods, and choose instead to have either a scone with good strong coffee or some Irish Soda bread to satiate my Irish taste buds.

In the early 1990s mom was hospitalized at Methodist Hospital in Rochester around St. Patrick's Day, so I donned my own version of a Leprechaun's costume, picked up my auto harp and headed down to see her.  She was on a "circular unit" with the nurses station in the center.  It was not critical care, so not quite so restricted in behaviors allowed, so I sat down on the floor outside her room and in the most off key voice singing with off key strums of on the harp, I sang My Wild Irish Rose.  In a virtual instant her voice reached out of the room saying Oh for God's sake Gin, git in here!.  Well, I did and then the whole unit got into the fun - mom and I sang "on key" and went room to room celebrating and having a little fun with patients, families and staff.  Oh, ya, then I drove back home in costume and had a blast along the way too.  Thanks Mom for awakening the Wild Irish Rose in me that needs to DNA to validate it.