Happy Paddy's Day!

No Parade is complete without Candy Floss!

Mum & Son, feeling Green!

Jen & Christine, our German friend!

Making certain all is in order... 

U of Mizzou? In Dublin?

At least we could see the tall ones!

Well, in one sense "Saint" Patrick was and is no more a ''saint'' than any other christian.  The Bible clearly calls all who believe in Jesus - "saints." In fact, the New Testament refers to every true christian as a "saint" 45 times.  But, Patrick was extraordinary.  He was an amazing individual of great courage and faith, depending solely on Jesus Christ for his salvation.  It was his deep and unwavering faith that pushed him though every kind of adversity and trouble to complete his mission of spreading the gospel - the story of God's redeeming love through the perfect life-death-burial-and resurrection of His Son Jesus. For that mission, and ultimately the repercussions of his passion for it Patrick is the most highly esteemed "saint" in all of Ireland.  Thus, it is fitting to celebrate this man's courage and mission!  (Even though the parade was rubbish!)

Nope, not homeles... just tableless... BIG MISTAKE! the Shamrock shakes aren't THAT good!

Painful Petrol....

I just experienced some serious PAIN... the kind for which there may be little cure.  Reminiscently, I recall being back in America a couple years ago and being really disheartened that the price of unleaded gasoline was headed over $3 per gallon... OUTRAGEOUS.

Well, my friends, I would emphatically welcome even $4 per gallon today!  At our cheapest reputable 'petrol' station, today I paid 1.629/litre for regular unleaded (86 octane).  For all you non-mathmaticians (I confess I used a calculator and currency converter myself), that equates at today's currency rates to a whopping $8.08/ US gallon! Now THAT is OUTRAGEOUS!  Happy motoring anyway!  

Oh, and by the way, the GREEN pump is unleaded, the BLACK pump is diesel (the opposite to most stations in America - and that, too is a very expensive mistake to make!) 

Tuck In!

One of the new phrases we've learned here in Ireland is "tuck in".  This is equivalent to the American phrase "dig in".  Thus, when we open a "snack shop", it's called a "Tuck Shop."

So, when Dodgeball night for Tribes (Ballycullen Youth Group) is on, the Tuck Shop is always a big hit!