St. Patrick's Day Parade and Shamrockin' Street Festival

Good Thursday morning!

Ahh! An excellent night's sleep! It is a wonderful thing to wake up in a DRY bed three steps from your very own BATHROOM. Whoever invented the HOUSE is a genius, I tell you!

The rest of the week is going to be what I call "fun all over the place." Monica and Roxie spent the day together yesterday shopping and cooking before Roxie went back with Monica to spend the night. Josh went to a friend's house for the day. Austin worked at his Grandmother's, and then headed over to Melia's for dinner and a movie. Today and tomorrow will be more of the same. Saturday includes some fishing, and we'll top off the week with a movie Sunday afternoon (Escape to Witch Mountain). I cannot wait. Little known fact... I love The Rock (a/k/a Dwayne Johnson). I loved him when he was wrestler, and I now love him as the Oscar-worthy actor he is becoming!

I've also added another picture to the Gallery of What Makes My House a Home... Mikie. Hands down... no doubt about it. It wouldn't be home without my Mikie. (Three guesses what tomorrow's picture is going to be!)

The TV review is going to be a little slim tomorrow. We don't have TiVo so we missed Amazing Race and Celebrity Apprentice (which we will see on the Saturday night replay... too late for the Friday review) and Jon & Kate (which we will also see some time Saturday since they rerun all the shows over the weekend). Since we could only tape one, we chose 24. There was a blip or a surge or something and it didn't tape. Can you say "total despair"? Austin and I are watching it on the computer tonight. Also, Josh and I will be watching LOST. Other than that, those will be the only two reviews this week. Survivor took the week off. (I may have to do a TV review on Monday for Celebrity Apprentice, Jon & Kate and Amazing Race. I hate to get off my schedule. I'll see if I'm physically able to make myself do it. I kind of doubt it!)

My search for parsnips did not go well today. I stopped and talked to a farmer (who has a beautiful produce stand) and asked about the parsnip crop in Alabama. He told me he had not seen a parsnip this year. "Does that mean you've seen them in years past?" I asked.

"Yes. I don't grow them, but I have seen parsnips."

"In Alabama?" I continued questioning.

"Not very many... but yes, there have been parsnips in Alabama."

Well, you know what that sounds like to me. A challenge! I'm going to find a parsnip somewhere in the State of Alabama. (I'm almost positive I'm not going to like it, but I'm going to find it, cook it and eat it just the same!) I'll keep you abreast of my search.

Irish Superstitions

Keep in mind, these are just for fun. I don't believe in superstitions or leprechauns, etc. I also don't believe it's bad luck to walk under a ladder (not smart, maybe... but not bad luck) or have a black cat cross my path. It's just very interesting. You can put some of these in a jar on the dinner table when you have your Irish Day (just for fun).

1. If a rooster comes to your threshold and crows, you may expect visitors.

2. Whoever kills a robin redbreast will never have good luck. Even if they live to be 1,000 years old.

3. It is very lucky for a hen and her chicks to stray into your house.

4. It is a sign of bad luck to meet a magpie or a cat on a trip. If you meet a rooster at your door and it crows, your trip should be postponed.

5. To cure a fever, place the person on the shore when the tide is coming in. When the tide begins to go back out, the retreating waves will carry away the fever (and hopefully not the sick person).

6. To make your skin beautiful, wash your face with May dew on May morning (May Day) at sunrise.

7. If you want a person to win at cards, put a crooked pin in his coat.

8. If the palm of your hand itches you will be coming into money.

9. If your elbow itches, you will be changing beds.

10. If your ear itches and it is red and hot, someone is speaking bad of you. (Or you may have just been on your cell phone too long... I added that one!)

Taken from www.the-irish-path.com/irish-superstitions.

St. Patrick's Day Parade and Shamrockin' Street Festival

Yesterday, I said the date was something I was going to try very soon. I have called and called and checked website after website to no avail. I don't want to give up yet. I have left two messages for two people who are "in the know," and hopefully, they will get back with me before next Thursday's date installment. If they don't, I'll tell you what I "thought" I had found that was going to be so incredibly FUN.

However, the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Shamrockin' Street Festival are definitely Irish activities to enjoy during the month of March. The Parade and Festival are held on the same day, with the Festival immediately following the Parade. Irish dancers, Irish musicians, the John Carroll Marching Band, etc., etc. join in the Parade. The Festival is full of booths, activities and is supposed to be very family-friendly. (Although St. Patrick's Day is on March 17, the Parade was held March 14 this year. You'll need to check with ME next year, and I'll be sure to have the exact date and time. I'll even meet you downtown, and we'll experience it together!)

It would be a fun date. Kids do love parades, and this one is bright and colorful and not too long. I saw it years ago when I worked downtown. Just keep it in mind for next year. As I said above, I will be trying to get the info for next Thursday concerning the other Irish date I had planned.

Have a wonderful Thursday. Is it my imagination, or does Spring Break Week fly by faster than any other week of the year? Check in tomorrow for a great pre-teen and teenage appropriate book series written by a wonderful Irish author. Austin and I have read them all, and they are fantastic!

See you tomorrow.