Top O' the Morning to Ya!

St. Patrick's Day is not just a holiday in our household.  Justin absolutely loves this day and ensures that it is celebrated at the highest level possible.  This does not mean drinking green beer and wearing gaudy green.  Instead, Justin looks for more traditional fare such as Celtic singers and good old Guinness.

Unfortunately, Justin has been sorely disappointed with South Africa's version of St. Patrick's Day.  That is why this year he decided to throw his own party and do it right.  We rented a clubhouse at a friend's complex on Saturday and brought in some decorations from the US.  Then Justin bought a keg of Guinness with a real Guinness tap like you would see in any bar.  To top the evening off, he hired Highland and Irish dancers while a few people sang some traditional Irish songs.  I even performed a little Danny Boy with a friend.  Justin also hired a bagpiper to come, but sadly he fell ill and was in the hospital that day.  He also had a hard time booking a traditional band, so he made his own mix of music that included nothing but Irish, old and new.

One of the best parts of the night was Justin's attire.  He surprised everyone by wearing a kilt and even showed off his dancing skills with a little Irish jig later in the evening.

On Sunday, the actual St. Patrick's Day, we also continued the festivities by going to a local brewery.  There we shared some great Irish local brews while relaxing in the grass in front of a mountainside.  A guy performed traditional music in the background  and a band of rock bagpipers made an appearance to play a few rock Irish songs.  It was perfect because whatever Justin could not pull off at his party was there the next day.   It really was a great weekend, and St. Patrick's Day was finally "done right."

Here is Justin showing Taelyn how to do an Irish jig.