I will go about my business today and politely smile when people ask me where my green is today. Ugh, how many more days until chocolate????
St. Patrick’s Day for an Italian Family?
On this St. Patrick’s Day, I thought about the Irish influences in my life and thought I should share some of them with you.
1. I am 100% Italian. My husband is only half. My mother-in-law is a mix of English, Irish and Scottish I think. I hate to make it sound like I don’t know and don’t care but that is the truth. We are an Italian family: period. So one day, years ago, my son asked if he was 100% Italian and I told him no, Nonni is not Italian, which means Dad is not 100% and either are you. He was so upset. “How did this happen”, he asked. Good question.
2. My grandfather came over on a boat from Italy along with a great many of my ancestors. He was so pleased when he met my husband-to-be and his Italian speaking father. I never told him that he was not 100% for fear it may have killed him right then and there at 89 years old. He lived to be 92 never knowing.
3. I lived in Manhattan in the mid-90’s while working for LexisNexis. I was married and pregnant. My husband lived upstate and since I worked in NYC, 3 hours from home, I shared an apartment with a wonderful black haired, green eyed Irish girl, Patricia Cunningham. (God rest her soul, I miss her). Her family was off the boat form Ireland. Her mother with a stiff Irish accent would call each night and I would laugh. What a polar opposite. Patty was great and thought she would do me a favor and cook one night. When she appeared in the kitchen doorway with a PACKET of instant SAUCE, frozen cheese and boxed pasta, that was the LAST time she set foot in that kitchen. I loved her for trying.
4. Every Friday night my husband makes pizza so on Thursdays I make the runt o all our Italian spots to get the best in fresh materials for dinner: Perreca’s, Civitello’s and Cappiello’s for cheese. This morning, I walked into Perreca’s hearing that beautiful Italian music on the loud speakers and dead center in front are green cupcakes. What is that about?
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