Hat Tips

Good Day to you Laddie,

Tis that favorite time of the year again lads, St. Paddy’s Day. The day we all celebrate the wee bit of Irish that we all wish we had. A day with a pint of Guiness or a shot of Jamison.

Since I married an Irish/Norwegian lass, I have learned to appreciate the Irish wit and need for celebration. And I have deduced that there are a few things that you know if you are Irish.

1. When you were growing up, much of your food was boiled.

2. After a few beers, you become quite poetic.

3. Not knowing the words to a song will not prevent you from singing.

4. Your best friend is probably the person you insult the most.

5. Your last birthday party and your last wake strongly resembled each other.

6. You have no idea how to make a long story short.

7. “I will yeah,” means you absolutely won’t.

8. You have a natural gift for swearing at the proper times.

And then there the two young lads in Dublin that worked for the street department. One day an onlooker watched them all day. One of the lads would go down the street and dig big hole along the roadway. His partner would come along in a few minutes, shovel the dirt back in the hole, and pour a bucket of water on the freshly packed dirt.

The lads were industrious. They labored all day long in the warm sun. That night they went into Murphy’s’ pub and each ordered a pint. The onlooker followed them in and sat down next to them.

“Lads, I’ve been watching you toil all day long. And I must say, I never saw two blokes work any harder than you have. By my tally, you have dug over twenty holes and filled them back in. By Jaysus, I have to know what you are doing”.

The lads sat there somberly for a moment and then one of them explained.

“You see my friend, there are usually three of us on this detail, but Mulligan, who plants the trees, called in sick this morn.”

Happy St. Patrick’s Day,

O’Dean