The Saint and the Weary Blogger

St. Andrew's Day Dinner 2012

Elections are, for employees of the Board of Elections at least, hard work requiring long hours. Since I last posted seven weeks ago I have worked an average of 9 1/2 hours a day and have had four days off. However, I wasn't going to let a little thing like complete and total exhaustion interfere with my second St. Andrew's Day Celebration.

Unlike last year, nothing was made from scratch. Thursday evening on the way home from work I stopped by Gaelic Imports and purchased half a dozen meat pies, baked beans, a can a Lilt, and assorted chocolate bars. I thought peas would be a yummy addition to this repast. The import store did have a few kinds of canned peas including mushy ones. I have eaten peas that could be described as mushy many a time in the UK and thought they were the result of bad British cooking. Then, one day, I saw them, in the Sainsbury's in Partick: canned mushy peas. It was right there on the label - mushy peas. I was absolutely shocked. They were *supposed* to be that way. Needless to say, I did not buy them in Sainbury's nor did I buy them in Gaelic Imports. Instead, I used an ancient bag of frozen peas I found in the back of the freezer.

My plan for the chocolate bars was that everyone one would get one and then we'd have a few left over for later. My dad's plan was that we should cut them up and all try a little bit of each one. Don't tell him I said this, but my dad's plan was much more fun than mine. My mother even found a Picnic bar in the cupboard that we added to the cavalcade of chocolate.

I don't know if my family's St. Andrew's Day was anything like yours, but we had a good time. For me, especially, it helped ease some of the pressure and stress of the past several weeks. But I think my favorite part was when my mother remarked how proud my Grandfather would be, knowing that we were celebrating our Scottish heritage. I hope you too find time to celebrate your heritage during this coming holiday season.


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There are at least four recounts in the county where I live and work. Consequently, I have no idea what my schedule will be like between now and the New Year. Hopefully, it will be much less hectic and allow me to start posting more regularly again.