Cathy Jo's Page

#2 Son left this morning for basic training (Air National Guard)--the first chick out of the nest (three others still at home) and I'm drooping a bit. I know he'll be okay, I know he'll be back--not till November, in time for the holiday season--and I know he's not likely to be called into active duty, but I've never said goodbye to one of the kids for longer than 11 days before and even then I could call them. And yet...this is the way it's supposed to be and it's not as bad as all those Irish… Continue

That's a prosperous and happy New Year to you all! May all your changes be for the best.

That's my wish this year because I see many changes coming in my own life. #2 Son, the one who used to help me with the Wake Tent, joined the Air National Guard just before Christmas and will be shipping out for training soon. He'll spend six months in Texas (Sheppard AFB) and possibly more, depending where he interns after the training. He'll be an EMT (emergency medical technician or paramedic) wh… Continue

Technically, this is a tea brack (from the Irish 'breac' or 'speckled'), but it can be made in a variety of ways, all delicious. It's really easy, too.

First, brew a good, strong cup of tea (I like Irish Breakfast tea, but any variety you like). You can also make this half tea, half whiskey or rum. Whichever, into the one cup of liquid dissolve 3/4 of a cup of firmly packed brown sugar. Soak 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups of raisins in the sugar-tea mix overnight. I use a mix of regular and golden… Continue

so many new people, so much going on...Fáilte, y'all! By the end of today, there will probably be more than 200 liveIrelanders, lots of good craic, wonderful pictures and music to share...
Here's to the good folk who made it all possible!
Sláinte is táinte!
(Health and wealth)

Not that I think you're all dying to read my blog and destroyed when I don't write....!
But anyway...life is in the way of my computer time. I worked the polls for the election last Tuesday (long hours, little work), I've got a couple of storytelling gigs coming up and I'm behind in my Irish studies (got three more pages of translation to do before tomorrow night). And of course we're going into "the holidays", heaven help us all.