Today is St. Paddy's Day! My first ever trip overseas was to Ireland at age 25. Before that, I'd vacationed outside the country in Mexico, Guatemala, and the Bahamas, plus that one day I'd spent in Canada at age 8.
But this trip was much grander and more special! One of the places I would be visiting was County Tipperary where my grandmother on my father's side was born. Among other things, I would be feasting inside an Irish castle, kissing the Blarney Stone and seeing the famous Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary itself. I remember touring Dublin along with a friend I met on the trip and also standing upon a cliff admiring the view from the majestic Cliffs of Moher.
I've celebrated every St. Patrick's Day since!
Last year right before the lockdown I was planning to celebrate with friend. We scheduled a lunch out together. Unfortunately, her secretary took ill with something uncovid related and my friend was unable to leave her office.
So I decided to celebrate alone. I dressed all in green and wore the necklace with the bejeweled Celtic horn I'd purchased in Galway. I treated myself to my favorite restaurant TooJay's.
The pandemic was already underway and on everyone's mind. For the first time ever, I didn't have to wait in a line. (Sometimes there's one extending out the door!) Inside were only a handful of customers despite the fact it was noon hour. All of them senior citizens like me.
As I left the restaurant a man looked me up & down and then exclaimed, "It must be St. Patrick's Day!"
"Erin go bragh!" I replied with a big smile.
This year I'm unvaccinated and not taking any chances! I'm celebrating at home.
Later this evening I plan to watch The True History of the Kelly Gang on my DVR. Yes, I know this film is Australian and filmed there. However the name Kelly is Irish and that's close enough. You make do with what you've got!
This morning I prepared a special breakfast of blueberry oat muffins, apple sauce with fresh blueberries, and mixed berry tea.
Irish food was awful, I thought! Almost everything except the desserts tasted as if it had been thrown together without interest. I love seafood, but the eel I ate in Killarney was nearly inedible.
However for my Irish dinner here at home I'm fixing oyster stew and buttermilk biscuits. And my dessert will be a colorful slice of rainbow cake. I'll be picturing a leprechaun with a kettle of gold beside it.
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