St. Pat's update

Hi

Just wanted everyone to know final details of St. Pat's/Bill's birthday/Megan's shower celebration weekend. First of all, your t-shirts will be at our house, so you can pick them up before the parade. (except for the Bob's, and I'm mailing those off to MD).

Megan's bridal shower brunch will be at 10 here at our house. Fun fun fun! Guys, you can hang out at the farm.

Everyone is on their own for food at noon...there is plenty of good food downtown. We are to lineup at 12:30 on North Broadway. We march in the pre-parade which is at 1. We have a Neary banner to carry; we'll be marching as group, the "Joe Neary" descendants, but the "Bill Neary" descendants (Ab, Dick's families) are walking too, so all the Neary's will be walking as 2 groups next to each other (all of us are John Neary descendants). Joe and Therese (Neary) Geelan are coordinating that. Along the parade route we have gold candy coins and green gum coins to hand out to kids (courtesy of Laura). :)

Immediately after the parade, there is to be a group photo next to Robert Emmet. The St. Pat's committee is asking 'the families' to be in the picture. I'm sure we'll want a Neary family picture too. There is a "Meeting of the Clans" at the Fire Hall after the parade. The Irish Minstrels will be playing...and it sounds like this will be OK for the kids to go to... The group is supposed to be really good. Some of us will be coming back to our house after that.... I'm sure the rest of you will be doing the Emmetsburg pub crawl.

At 5, we'll have Bill's birthday celebration. Grandpa Bob will be coming up here for that. After that, you're free to watch March Madness here or go out to the bars or go to the casino.

Sunday, for anyone here at noon time yet, we're eating at Pizza Ranch.

A word to the wise...if you haven't been to a parade in March, it is usually COLD and windy! There was one year when it was warm, but don't count on that---it's never happened since that one time. So unless you want to freeze, wear plenty of layers!!

For anyone getting here on Friday night, you can meet here at our house... let me know if you'll be eating in Eburg that night. We may do Mexican, depending on how many are here....

What It Means To Be An Irish Family

You will never play professional basketball.

You swear very well.

At least one of your cousins is a fireman, cop, bar owner, funeral home owner or holds political office. And you have at least one aunt who is a nun or uncle who's a priest...

You think you sing very well.

You have no idea how to make a long story short!

There isn't a big difference between you losing your temper or killing someone.

Many of your childhood meals were boiled. Instant potatoes were a mortal sin.

You have never hit your head on a ceiling.

You spent a good portion of your childhood kneeling in prayer.

You're strangely poetic after a few beers.

Some punches directed at you are from legacies of past generations.

Many of your sisters and/or cousins are named Mary, Catherine or Eileen and
there is at least one member of your family with the full name of Mary Catherine Eileen

Someone in your family is very generous. It is more than likely you.

You may not know the words, but that doesn't stop you from singing.

You can't wait for the other guy to stop talking before you start talking.

You're not nearly as funny as you think you are ... but what you lack in talent, you make up for in frequency.

There wasn't a huge difference between your last wake and your last keg party.

You are, or know someone, named Murphy. If you don’t know Murphy then you know Mac. If you don't know Murphy or Mac, then you know Sully and you probably know McMurphy.

You are genetically incapable of keeping a secret.

You have Irish Alzheimer's...you forget everything but the grudges!

'Irish Stew' is a euphemism for 'boiled leftovers.'

Your skin's ability to tan.... not so much. (Only in spots!)

Childhood remedies for the common cold often included some form of whiskey.

There's no leaving a family party without saying goodbye for at least 45 minutes.

At this very moment, you have at least two relatives who are not speaking
to each other. Not fighting, mind you, just not speaking to each other.