Luck o' the Irish

I've always been a little confused by references to "the luck of the Irish."  Is that supposed to be some kind of unfortunate oxymoron?  (Hello, potato famine, civil war, those mischief making leprechauns that don't actually leave any gold.....)  Enlighten me, here.  Is the Irish luck a sarcastic joke, or are the Irish the most optimistic group of people the world has ever seen?  Then again, if I could wake up every morning to a view like this, I might feel pretty lucky, myself--potato blight or not.

 And, you have to admit, if you really don't like snakes, then you are pretty lucky if you get to live in Ireland.....as opposed to, say, Arizona.  Just ask my friend Charmaine about what she was "lucky" enough to find under her doorstep one day in Arizona.

I was lucky enough today to be able to find every member of the family something green to wear.  To top it all off (literally) it was hat day at our elementary school, so my three children needed hats, as well.  Could the school system just accept the fact that it is hard enough to deal with the wearing 'o the green, without designating it hat day, too?  

Kindergarten added to the delight of this lucky day by declaring it to be not only St. Patrick's day, but Rainbow Food Day, as well.  Superkid brought home a note on Monday informing me that she needed to bring a blue food to share with her class for Rainbow Food Day, divided into 24 individual serving sizes.  

"Blue.  Hmmm.  A blue food," I furrowed my brow as I studied the not.  "Oh, I know!" I enthused.  "Blueberries!  We'll send in a package of blueberries, and everyone in your class can take one," I told Superkid.

"But I don't like blueberries," Superkid said sadly.  "I won't get to eat my own food, because I don't like it."

"Blue corn tortilla chips!" Endeavor exclaimed.  She is always willing to help out with a brainstorming session.  "Just put them in sandwich bags."  Endeavor has lived with me for more than 10 years now, and knows that simple sells.

"But I don't like blue corn chips," Superkid reminded us, tears welling in her eyes.  

"Blue jello jigglers!"  Endeavor tried again.  

And blue jello it was, until Superkid came home from kindergarten, yesterday.  "Most of the kids in my class are bringing jello,"  Superkid informed me.  "I am afraid it is going to become an all jello Rainbow Food Day.  We have to find another blue food."

So, guess what I am going to do as soon as I finish this blog post?  I will be tinting vanilla yogurt with blue food coloring.  Vanilla yogurt is one of the only foods Superkid will eat.  I am going to put it in blue Dixie cups for added blue oomph.  Then I will be driving the blue vanilla yogurt to kindergarten, where it will participate in Rainbow Food Day.

I googled images of blue yogurt, and none of them were particularly appetizing,

so I'm giving you this, instead.  They say it is blueberry yogurt pie.  Interesting.

Do you think they eat it in Ireland?

And now, for some important blog business.  In the next three weeks, I am going to be a little swamped.  I have some stuff coming up.  I recently found out that my sinuses are a disaster.  Such a disaster, in fact, that I have to have corrective surgery.  And no, that is not another term for "I'm getting a nose job."  My nose will look the same on the outside, but hopefully inside it will be WIDE OPEN after Dr. Gutt does his job.  (By the way, "gutt" means "good" in German.  I find it comforting that Dr. Good will be performing my surgery.)  This delightful procedure will coincide with my children's spring break.  I have mound upon mound of laundry to tackle and meals to prepare ahead of time before next week's surgery.  My house is in desperate need of spring cleaning and some heavy-duty organization.  I haven't finished those Easter outfits.  

I tell you this so that you won't be surprised if I decide to take a brief blogging hiatus.  I'll come back in a couple weeks to report on spring cleaning, massive household restructuring and reorganization (wow....that sounds so corporate.....maybe there will be layoffs.....or new management?), and my new sinuses. 

Until then......

May the Irish hills caress you.

May her lakes and rivers bless you.

May the luck of the Irish enfold you.

May the blessings of St. Patrick behold you.

- An Irish Blessing