Kiss me I'm... Scottish?

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We decided to celebrate a day early around here, so last night Linda went to Happy Hour with some friends while Claire and I dined on Reuben sandwiches and drank pints of frothy, creamy, white Guinness (aka "milk"). Later on, I took part in my annual St. Patty's Day tradition - started back in my Pierre days - by sleeping fully clothed and face down on the bathroom floor with my arms wrapped around the toilet. I did, however, skip the stage where I drink about 24 beers and several shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey at Bob's Lounge before staggering aimlessly around downtown Pierre only to eventually be picked up by my favorite cabdriver, Rudy, who then gives me a ride home for a fare of just four dollars. Good times...

Last night I told Claire she had to wear green to preschool today, so this morning I found her in her bedroom putting on the only green shirt she owns - what she refers to as her "puppy dog shirt" - which was a gift from her Great Aunt Florence last year. We Stewarts are Scots-Irish, and there's even a Stewart plaid. But since we're more Scottish than Irish, I didn't go overboard and dress Claire up like a little leprechaun. Now all this talk of ancestry might get some in Linda's family a little fired up since they insist upon saying Claire is "a little Schaefbauer" because Linda's dad's cousins are Schaefbauers. But Claire's great grandma was a Fitzgerald.  There's even a Fitzgerald Potato Salad, which I believe clearly trumps the entire Schaefbauer Family Cookbook. Then again, I try to avoid this potato salad at all cost. So far, it's been about 20 years since I was last forced to eat it, but there's a Stewart Family Reunion in June, so I'm fearful a bowl of it will materialize - and it will likely be the leftovers from the last reunion 20 years ago.  But for today, Claire's 100% Scots-Irish... just like another famous American, Senator John McCain. On second thought, that whole "Schaefbauer" thing isn't looking too bad right about now.