THE LUCK OF THE IRISH - AND WANNABES

I missed another Lincoln YBA jam last Friday night. So here are some of the reasons why: It all started at the big midwinter YBA jam on March 8. Laura Steinmetz said St. Paddy's Day was coming and would I play a jig or reel? I replied: "Oh, I haven't played any of that stuff for years." Then I decided to attempt a jig, "The Irish Washerwoman" which went OK on part A, but I fell apart on part B. Fortunately Dennis Anderson could pick it out on his guitar. The next week I decided to go back to playing Celtic stuff for the season. Then I dug out my Irish garb. I donned it and carried the Irish flag with the bagpipe and drum band in the Billings St. Patrick's Day parade that Saturday. The wind was blowing the big flag all around and I was huffing and puffing by the end of the parade not to mention the heavy flag pole trying to push my kilt off! You don't need to have that happen in front of a huge crowd of parade watchers.  I have been enjoying playing a whole bunch of Irish reels, jigs, hornpipes, polkas, and airs on my fiddle, thanks to Laura. It was all for my personal enjoyment at home. They weren't all perfect, but what the heck. Trying to avoid senility it can be quite a challenge when living alone and still entertain one self.  That was not a bid for sympathy. I am doing fine and as you can see from the photos I am very WELL FED. That has included not only corned beef and cabbage, but Irish garlic sausage, Reuben sandwiches, Irish bangers with eggs or mash, and Irish lamb stew. I also bought a couple 18 packs of Guiness, Harp lager, and Smithwick's Irish Ale at Costco. That is where the lamb stew and the bangers came from. I haven't even started on the Kerrygold cheese I got there. Maybe I'll try mixing a Black and Tan. They make them at Pug Mahon's pub.   I admit to being a confirmed culture freak and the best way to experience the music of any culture is to absorb more of it outside of just the music. That includes customs, celebrations, clothing and food. So here is an example with my Irish National Tartan kilt and Dublin knitted sweater: