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An elf true to itself, and not an orc, will count the plucky ways of luck like notching clover pedals. So though winter persists, the many joyous traditions as spun in this yarn, nostalgia on the same day, and treasured like gold well ahead — even if stock-up on Guinness is only done on the eve before. By faux Irish. (For you latecomers, see the post below this for SPD things to do).

It’s true that you can meet someone (a redhead?) in the grocery checkout line, needing help with her corned beef and cabbage and all those plausibly Pat’s if not sacred fixin’s, if they are bagged big enough to serve a big Irish Catholic family on St. Patrick’s Day. Or an elf, see three sentences down, half the height of that saint, just prior to his holiday. (He was actually Scottish to start off, so give him an extra few inches). A lass across the aisle from me was told by an employee that she had a couple of pieces of popcorn slung on her back, then plucked them off like pedals of a clover, but for a wee bit of salt. I suggested they were placed there by a mischievous leprechaun or two, one bearing the salted butter, and prompted her to say something about being Irish — could not tell if she was pro or con, or situational after this weekend.

— Did I say weekend? If you survived St. Paddy’s Day (short spelling because I may not be one of those few who did) there is more music tonight, that being Saturday, that being March 18th. To wit, it’s at the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt, and its Jazmine and the Gents. Basically, a lass and her (for the most-post-Paddy-part) backup band. —

Then as a now very busy area barber, who had his chosen and well proportioned half-green hair, for this date, melded with even more prominent old tattoos — of lovely lasses bearing the now typically out-of-fashion green beer? — with that underlying hue or tint. But not a green nose ring, as that would be icky, even if only one nostral.
In another profession, via a clerk, many rows of whiskey bottles took shape a wee few days ahead on the counter between the two cash registers at Dick’s Liquors. Various flavors, mostly Irish but also Scottish and Kentucky bourbon, and even root beer flavored. For me, as I was the only one in that aisle?? This already in early March.
And there have been a full nine beer specials, of various types, for most of the prior week at Kwik Trip. But to get Guinness you’d need to gain more shopping guile. Or doctor your rewards card like various of us have done with our “I’m 18 now 21” IDs?
So we also have whiskey that’s Northern Kentucky Norse, much less than the land of 3-2 beer, and 12 Apples Irish whiskey, heaven forbid not 13, or this Friday could spell trouble.
Would a Texas WalMart have such a small top-hat, with big decals lower down, as wore the woman at our WM store more than a week beforehand? And having three colors of hair, to boot. But no boots. Green was also the theme of their beef jerky on sale, whether in be the packaging (or what’s organic inside)?
The only On This Day Irish are likely the ones who will grab all the 24 or 30 packs and more just the night before, said a clerk at Bob and Steve’s convenience store, agreeing that as faux Irish they don’t realize it was indeed on hand. The Day until the day prior to The Day. Does the again referenced Guinness come in that big size, and cans not ounces? On this time around for The Day, there is get this, more snow/sleet/cold/rain/wind in the equation. We’ll see about warmth, as on The Isle the seas aid that effort.
And then there’s that guy, wearing the Flogging Molly T-shirt that comes out of the closet (for this day?) Unless you’re traveling far afield via the advertised Megabus Madness. As its more popular, Molly is, every mid-March. But hey, they’re probably OK as a band. But so was Air Supply. But a different style of tune. I think. Some might think the name somewhat offensive; or just too easy and/or cheesy, so can’t ascertain.
So here’s to my main man cabbie and the rule of sevens! That’s as in a.m., when the drinking would start in New Richmond, he said of St. Pat’s … By the time you’d think his business would really be in vogue, not sunsetting, there might only be two or three fares. Same at New Year’s Eve. And they didn’t necessarily all go to St. Paul; just when you get going that early, even here …
Lastly, as they’re both name players in these the days of basketball mid-March Madness; two Greens who go by that surname (40 percent of it) took the court on the same team’s five-man lineup. Not the Fighting Irish.

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