Friday, March 17, 2006
Day 25 - In Celebration of the Irish
Quote of the day: 'We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English.' Winston Churchill
Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! Please note the festive-looking green lettering in honor of the occasion.
Yes, I have Irish in my background, via the family name of ‘Slattery’. I am also English (a Mayflower descendant), and German. My grandmother Hempel wanted me to be named Gretchen, though I’m not sorry she didn’t get her wish!
Many years ago, my mother’s brother married a feisty, dark haired, spitfire of a woman from Ireland, and they have lived happily ever after in Boston, MA. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, I would like to share a couple of stories about my aunt from Ireland.
We love her dearly. She is a no-nonsense, ‘tell it like it is’ kind of person, a fantastic cook, and a non-stop source of entertainment. AND she loves my homemade jam, so much that the other members of the household are forbidden to have any. ;-)
When my aunt first moved to America after marrying my uncle, her English wasn’t…very English-like. It has improved a ‘wee bit’ over the years. She phoned the electric company to report a power outage. She kept repeating ‘Me lits is oot’, ‘Me lits is oot’. The nice, understanding men at the electric company translated ‘lits’ into a body part (two to be exact), and they did send someone to check out the… situation. ;-)
I am sure they thought a ‘female flashing’ was a much more likely reason for a phone call to the ELECTRIC COMPANY than a power outage. Go figure…
My aunt doesn’t drink, but there was one occasion I can recall…
The time - afternoon. The place - my sister’s wedding. My aunt was arguing with another wedding guest (that’s not unusual) about who in history had a worse time of it – the Irish or the American Indian. She must have felt that she couldn’t get the upper hand in the argument, so she used her hand and gave him an uppercut that he wouldn’t soon forget. Yes, she punched him. ;-) I believe that ended the conversation.
(play sound clip here of Kermit singing 'It's not easy bein' green'.)
Those are my two favorite stories about my aunt.
THIS SPACE DEDICATED TO ANOTHER IRISHMAN WITH RED HAIR BY THE NAME OF QUINN– YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. ;-)
More later! By the way - I had a lovely lunch visit with my former team yesterday, and it was good to chat with them again. ;-)
P.P.S. Job Hunt Update - I received an email invitation yesterday to appear for an interview - for a CAR SALES position. Eeeeewwwww!!! I am hoping to start receiving offers from major publishing houses to start a syndicated column like Dave Barry's... Dream ON, girl!
P.P.P.S. I enjoy and expect comments every now and then, it feeds my ego. Please post comments so I won't feel like I am 'blogging to the darkness'...
P.P.P.P.S. I had an inquiry (via telephone) this morning on whether or not I have accomplished the task of cleaning my oven. The answer is NO. ;-)
P.P.P.P.P.S. I keep forgetting to tell something about 4-leaf clovers. They are delicious. So are the three-leaf variety. (Yes, when I was a child I ate clovers, flowers, all kinds of stuff.)
Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! Please note the festive-looking green lettering in honor of the occasion.
Yes, I have Irish in my background, via the family name of ‘Slattery’. I am also English (a Mayflower descendant), and German. My grandmother Hempel wanted me to be named Gretchen, though I’m not sorry she didn’t get her wish!
Many years ago, my mother’s brother married a feisty, dark haired, spitfire of a woman from Ireland, and they have lived happily ever after in Boston, MA. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, I would like to share a couple of stories about my aunt from Ireland.
We love her dearly. She is a no-nonsense, ‘tell it like it is’ kind of person, a fantastic cook, and a non-stop source of entertainment. AND she loves my homemade jam, so much that the other members of the household are forbidden to have any. ;-)
When my aunt first moved to America after marrying my uncle, her English wasn’t…very English-like. It has improved a ‘wee bit’ over the years. She phoned the electric company to report a power outage. She kept repeating ‘Me lits is oot’, ‘Me lits is oot’. The nice, understanding men at the electric company translated ‘lits’ into a body part (two to be exact), and they did send someone to check out the… situation. ;-)
I am sure they thought a ‘female flashing’ was a much more likely reason for a phone call to the ELECTRIC COMPANY than a power outage. Go figure…
My aunt doesn’t drink, but there was one occasion I can recall…
The time - afternoon. The place - my sister’s wedding. My aunt was arguing with another wedding guest (that’s not unusual) about who in history had a worse time of it – the Irish or the American Indian. She must have felt that she couldn’t get the upper hand in the argument, so she used her hand and gave him an uppercut that he wouldn’t soon forget. Yes, she punched him. ;-) I believe that ended the conversation.
(play sound clip here of Kermit singing 'It's not easy bein' green'.)
Those are my two favorite stories about my aunt.
THIS SPACE DEDICATED TO ANOTHER IRISHMAN WITH RED HAIR BY THE NAME OF QUINN– YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. ;-)
More later! By the way - I had a lovely lunch visit with my former team yesterday, and it was good to chat with them again. ;-)
P.P.S. Job Hunt Update - I received an email invitation yesterday to appear for an interview - for a CAR SALES position. Eeeeewwwww!!! I am hoping to start receiving offers from major publishing houses to start a syndicated column like Dave Barry's... Dream ON, girl!
P.P.P.S. I enjoy and expect comments every now and then, it feeds my ego. Please post comments so I won't feel like I am 'blogging to the darkness'...
P.P.P.P.S. I had an inquiry (via telephone) this morning on whether or not I have accomplished the task of cleaning my oven. The answer is NO. ;-)
P.P.P.P.P.S. I keep forgetting to tell something about 4-leaf clovers. They are delicious. So are the three-leaf variety. (Yes, when I was a child I ate clovers, flowers, all kinds of stuff.)
# posted by Karen @ 3/17/2006 05:47:00 AM 
Comments:
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I love that you told those stories!! The girls roared at the 'obscene phone call' story...and of course picturing a 4 ft tall irish woman punching out some guy at a wedding is great....She's the best!! I'll drink to her tonight...
xoxoxo
xoxoxo
Erin go Braugh and all that. I sent Margaret your blog address so she can show Iris your Iris stories. Today, I am wearing six separate green items - clover bracelet from Iris (1967)green & orange necklace (1969), sweater jacket, 2004; top, earrings and shamrock pin (yesterday!) I am a St. Patrick's day fanatic-- me mother's name was Slattery! Plus I like Irish guys (a lot in SF) and I like to drink!
# posted by 
: 3:14 PM, March 17, 2006
: 3:14 PM, March 17, 2006
I'm laughing a lot here - sounds like everyone is taking advantage of the 'reason to party'. Have fun and be careful! Er..uh.. I don't have anything green on, I'd better go change.
Hi Karen,
I hope your readers realize that Iris was trying to say "My lights are out"! I enjoyed those stories! My favorite quote is this one by Winston Churchill! Lyn has to do a double at work today, probably someone called in so they could celebrate St. Patrick's day tonight. No green on today. Does it count that we watched Daniel O'Donnell last night on NH Public Television? Enjoyed reading the comments!
I hope your readers realize that Iris was trying to say "My lights are out"! I enjoyed those stories! My favorite quote is this one by Winston Churchill! Lyn has to do a double at work today, probably someone called in so they could celebrate St. Patrick's day tonight. No green on today. Does it count that we watched Daniel O'Donnell last night on NH Public Television? Enjoyed reading the comments!
# posted by : 5:07 PM, March 17, 2006
: 5:07 PM, March 17, 2006
You can watch the Dublin TV station's reports about the St. Patrick's Day parade at http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0317/stpatrick.html . Neat. And thanks for the mention :)
# posted by : 6:20 PM, March 17, 2006
: 6:20 PM, March 17, 2006
When I was in kindergarten we took a field trip to a dairy farm to learn about cows and watch them be milked by an automatic milking machine.
I remember that toward the end of the trip, I was standing outside near a building. Right next to the building was a hedge of clover, probably about three feet tall.
I looked over at the clover and I saw a four leaf clover. Having already learned that they were somewhat special, I picked it. I turned around, proud of my four leaf clover, just in time for David U. to run by.
He decided, as he ran by me, to grab the clover stalk in my hand, and he ripped the leaves right off of it.
I was angry, but there was nothing I could do about it.
Not that you care, but you did ask for comments.
I remember that toward the end of the trip, I was standing outside near a building. Right next to the building was a hedge of clover, probably about three feet tall.
I looked over at the clover and I saw a four leaf clover. Having already learned that they were somewhat special, I picked it. I turned around, proud of my four leaf clover, just in time for David U. to run by.
He decided, as he ran by me, to grab the clover stalk in my hand, and he ripped the leaves right off of it.
I was angry, but there was nothing I could do about it.
Not that you care, but you did ask for comments.
# posted by : 11:21 PM, March 21, 2006
: 11:21 PM, March 21, 2006
Hi there, Anonymous! Thanks for sharing your 4-leaf clover story. Yes, I love comments and stories, including yours. It reminds me of one. When I was in kindergarten, one boy Franz wanted a strand of my hair - he was from the islands somewhere and he thought my white-blond hair was magic!
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