Lush O' The Irish

Lá Fhéile Pádraig shona daoibh go léir.

Happy Paddy's Day everyone! The day when everyone in the world can feel Irish. I'm not quite sure how that works out, but somehow it does. Maybe it's just that those of us who are truly Irish are so damn lucky every day, we don't mind sharing the day with others.

Last night I actually made it to a hash that didn't involve a plane ride or a roadtrip. Seems these days I've turned into the travelling hasher, who never hashes at home. There was a combined Gypsies/SVH3 run last night in San Mateo - not all that far from where I work. Since I didn't make the gym in the morning I decided to hit the run. This was supposed to be a St. Patrick's Day prelube and everyone was to wear green and a kilt. Well, it was bloody cold so only a few freaks were out there in kilts.

As is typical, the hash didn't start on time. When I say it didn't start on time (6:30), I mean at 7:15 the hares weren't even out yet. The longer we waited, the worse the clouds looked and they eventually decided to open up and start pouring on us. Most folks bailed and just went straight to the on-on-on. Wankers. A few of us die-hards decided to run around the golf course. This included the hares who didn't really lay trail either. I think they ran with us and left a total of two markings on the ground. Always remember - Is fear rith maith ná drochsheasamh. Somehow I managed to first snare a hare and then gorilla trail a gorilla trail. That takes talent my friends. Of course, my gorilla trail required hopping a couple fences. Oops. When people started giving me grief about it I simply said, "It's called shiggy you wankers."

We did probably the fastest circle in history as it was still pouring. Then everyone left for the pub. When I got back from "trail" I noticed my former roomie had shown up late. I figured that meant she was out on "trail" which would be hard to follow since there were no markings. Everyone else took off, but I didn't feel comfortable leaving someone out there in the rain and dark so stuck around. I tried her cell phone on the off chance she would have it and she did. She and another hasher were lost somewhere out there. They were able to give me street signs and I finally found them and drove them back to the start. Then we all headed over to the pub.

The pub was a lot of fun. I met the owner of O'Neills who was a pretty cool cat. I always like talking to pub owners. He wanted me to come back today for Paddy's Day and have some whiskey with him, but I live in SF and have no intention of driving on Paddy's Day. He mentioned they have one in SF too. Turns out he bought my buddy's old bar and it's now O'Neills SF. He then tried to bribe me with corned beef and cabbage, but since it's Friday in Lent I couldn't even do that. And what kind of Irishman forgets about things like that? Though I know bishops in some places have provided "Special Dispensation", as far as I know the bishops out here haven't. I'm such a buffet Catholic I don't know why I have chosen to follow this one. However, it just seems wrong to me to eat meat on a Friday in Lent. Guess I'll have it tomorrow instead.

Ended up having some grub and headed home to get some sleep. A sure sign of getting old - I'm still exhausted from Betty Ford last weekend. Yes, I know I still owe y'all stories. I promise I'll get to it. Right now I need to pretend to work and then need to get my taxes in the mail to my tax person.

A little Irish humor for you: http://www.codesandlyrics.com/cal/familyguy-irishroots.php

Go mbeannaí Dia is Muire duit.

This Irish moment was brought to you by the letter I and the number 2.