I Hate The Wind

My father always hated the wind. He could stand for hours in the rain, the cold and the blistering sun but would be in the house in minutes if it was windy. I don't mean a gentle breeze, I mean sustained winds of 12 mph or more. Since the last years of his life he lived on an island in Puget Sound on a hilltop there was plenty of wind. There wasn't a time that I visited that he didn't complain about the wind. Now I have to admit that at the time the wind didn't bother me me all that much but those days are behind me now. In the 11 years since my father died I guess I have aged more than I thought. The wind now cuts right through me and chills me to the bone. Right now it is 53 degrees in Boise but I'm wearing my Carhartt lined work parka to walk the dogs. I can just hear my father as I'm thinking that it is the middle of March damn it and I should be wearing a light jacket to do this. But there is that damned wind. I can hardly wait for Summer with its heat so I can start to complain about the 100 degree days.

St. Patrick's Day

I had corned beef hash and eggs for breakfast today in honor of St. Patrick. It seems odd to eat a rather British meal to celebrate an Irishman. Oh wait, St. Patrick is British. I think that is all I'll do to honor St. Patrick today as I never have been a big drinker of green beer or whiskey.

When I was a child mom always made a boiled dinner for St. Patrick's Day. She would get out the pressure cooker and in would go the potatoes, cabbage and either beef or a large ham. Ham was my favorite. To this day I will always try boiled cabbage at any place that serves it, I love boiled cabbage.  Irish food is rather bland and that may be why they like the beer and whiskey.

Mom would like to listen to some Irish folk music but I always thought it was so sad. Then I learned something about Irish history and can understand why the music is so sad.  So I will eat my hash and think of my mother and that will make my St. Patrick's Day just about perfect. ERIN GO BRAUGH.