Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Paddy's Day

Five years ago today, Dee Mac and I went to Crosskennan Animal Shelter and brought Paddy home to join the Nellybert family.



He's come a long way since starting of as a rather diffident, snake-hipped fellow. That's him on the left of the picture. At that time Danny was the dominant dog in our house but sadly, Dan died a few months later. 

Paddy's confidence grew and grew but still he wasn't the numero uno dog in the house. That role fell to Rosie. However, as you can see, she adored him. Together they were the scourge of every fox, rabbit and cat in the country. They scunged far and wide and had many adventures and near-death experiences.



Regular readers will know that Rosie scunged her last several months ago. After nearly five years Paddy was Chief Dog. I think the role agrees with him. Don't you?


So to hell with your Guinness and your shamrocks. Paddy's Day isn't green as far as I'm concerned. It's black and white.... and pink.

10 comments:

sageweb said...

Oh how sweet and wonderful Paddy looks.

So in Ireland do you get pinched if you don't wear green today? Or is that an American thing?

Anonymous said...

Aw, what a lovely post! Paddy looks pleased with himself. Happy Paddy-dog Day to you. :)

Nelly said...

Sageweb - I am wearing shades of black and grey today. Somewhere under all my layers I am wearing a pistachio-green sweater but it wasn't a conscious decision and it's not particularly green.

It was Mericans who made St Patrick's Day so big. In our young days you'd go to mass, wear a sprig of shamrock and sing Faith of Our Fathers. You might climb Slemish (too crowded) or go watch a Hibernian parade (too naff). If you were of courting age you might use the day as an excuse to go to the pub and bat your eyelashes at the young bucks. One thing you'd never, ever do would be eat corned beef and cabbage. Only Argentinians do that.

And Hails - you're missing nothing by not being here - except the roads aren't as busy because all the civil servants are taking the bank holiday.

hootchinhannah said...

Ah, this postt brought me to tears but then I do fall into the category of being of courting age and using the pub as an excsde to mwke eyes at the young bucks. If only they wee like Paddy Boy....

hootchinhannah said...

Oh my God!! Drunken commenting is not a good idea!!!

Nelly said...

Ah. So you don't want your swains to wee like Paddy Boy?

Anonymous said...

Had a coloscopy on St Paddy's day. I almost painted a shamrock on me arse in celebration of my Irish heritage. Glad I didn't. My doctor was Jewish.

The after effects put a damper on the drinking of green beer and the eating of corned beef & cabbage. Went to bed early.

Love that dog! He is a chief indeed!

Nelly said...

Anna - I can think of better ways od spending the holiday! Hope that turned out ok for you.

Anonymous said...

yep, i think Paddy's earned his dues as top dog around the place...a solid look of Dan about him too; that kinda rugged manly confidence.

mikey x

Nelly said...

Well spotted Mikey! I'll tell him you said so.