Éirinn go brách!

Happy St. Paddy's Day, y'all!

I like to think that I'm just like Scarlett O'Hara: I have a Southern mother and and Irish father!

Mom's family has been in the South for as long as time. They're from a teeny town down in the southeastern corner of Missouri ("the bootheel of Missour-uh") and have lived right over the levy from the Mississippi River for decades, if not centuries. Pre-Civil War, for sure. You look across the river, and there's Kentucky. Unlike the O'Haras, we were never wealthy landowners. Just basically poor white folk scraping together a living with a small cotton and soybean crop. But everyone knows that a true Southern "Lady" need not be rich.

Dad's family is fairly new to America, hailing from Tipperary Co., Munster, Ireland. They came to America in the late 19th century and settled in Pittsburgh and pretty much stayed there.

So when people ask what nationality I am, I say "Southern-American and Irish". Half the time, people think I'm talking about South America. If I was from South America, wouldn't I say "South American"? People, jeez. Anyhow, that's who I am. I do know if you trace mom's side back far enough to find out just exactly who we were before we were living on the Mississippi, we were French (Acadians...precursors to Cajuns). But that was 200 years ago. I don't think the French would want to claim us anyhow, hehe.

So here's to the wearin' o' the green! I am, of course, decked out today. A green bubble top, claudaugh earrings in my bottom holes, Helenite studs in my top holes, a canamara marble beaded bracelet, and (naturally) green nail polish. Zoya Irene, to be exact.

I put a corned beef brisket in the crock pot before leaving for work, and I have cabbage and potatoes to stew up when I get home. Irish beer too, of course. Hopefully dad, my sister and her hubby will come up too!