Éirinn go Milis Sé Déag

IMG_6081Éirinn go Milis Sé Déag: literally, Ireland That Sweet Sixteen. It doesn’t really scan in Gaelic (or English), but it’s my attempt to say “Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, I’m sixteen years sober!”

So what’s with the photo? Well, yesterday was our daughter Polly’s birthday and I thought it would be fun to do a dad & daughter thing. Which turned out to be a visit to an indoor shooting range, where we emptied two boxes of ammo firing at paper targets. I have two guns, a .357 magnum revolver and a 9mm semiautomatic pistol; we took turns firing each and found we both preferred the old-fashioned revolver, big kick and all.

Later, at home, I sat down at the patio table and cleaned the pistols. I’d forgotten how therapeutic cleaning, oiling, and wiping down guns can be. They’re back in the safe now. I decided long ago that’s the best place for them.

We had a nice day, topped with a lovely birthday dinner prepared by Donna, who today of course is making corned beef. The next birthday coming down the pike is Donna’s. It’s not until late May, which gives me a bit of time to plan something we can do together (gifts aren’t really in the picture at this stage of our marriage … we have everything we could conceivably need). Maybe a road trip to Las Vegas or San Diego? Or a fishing trip? Are there fish in Arizona?

The vet told us we could cut Fritzi and Lulu’s valley fever pill dosage in half, but within a few days of doing so Fritzi started showing symptoms again, so she’s back on two pills a day. Lulu’s doing fine on one a day, and good old Mister B’s been off the medication for almost a year and shows no signs of valley fever at all. We hope the thing with Fritzi is a minor glitch. We’ll cut back her dosage again in April and keep a close eye on her.

There’s a mouse in the house. I saw it last night, crossing the floor in the family room. The problem is, wherever I put a trap the dogs will find it. Dachshunds are natural mousers, and you’d think they’d find it and take care of it for us, but so far they’ve been oblivious. The mouse must be leaving a scent trail … why haven’t the pups reacted to it? Oh, and there’s a goddamn cat in the house too, Polly’s pet. Our dysfunctional family zoo!

I think I’ll have a Virgin Mary for breakfast this fine Saint Patrick’s Day. Luck o’ the Irish to you, my friends!

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