Hello on Wednesday Mroning

Dear Friends,



We both left the house on Tuesday in separate cars. Our 10 AM meeting with the Mayor of Pittsfield went very well. By the end of the meeting, the mayor of Ballina, Ireland almost convinced our Mayor, James Ruberto, that he should go off to Ireland on July 6, 2010 to be at their week long festival. Linda and I were mentally set to go until Linda reminded me that we are attending a July 10 wedding on Cape Cod. Oh Darn!



The Mayoral meeting broke up at 11:20 AM. Linda went off for her Tuesday Mah Jongg session, and the rest of us proceeded to the Radio Station (WBRK) which is located in the next building west of City Hall. After the radio program, there were only four of us left from the original group. We proceeded to the Beacon Cinema for a personal tour of their facilities. This tour was especially important since Mayor Kelly run the local theater in Ballina. The Mayor in Ballina is not the same as the Mayor in Pittsfield. Being Mayor in Pittsfield is a full time job which is not the case in Ireland.

Mayor Kelly was in awe of the digital set up for movies that the Beacon Cinema has. Her movie theater has not gone digital, and none of her movies in her town in Ireland are in 3 D. The tour guides let Mary see a part of Alice in Wonderland using the 3 D glasses. She soon realized what she and her movie goers are missing by not having the digital technology. The manager of the Beacon Cinema invited Mary to come to the theater during her week long visit to see one of the 3 D movies that they are currently showing. He said that the free passes would be waiting for at the box office.



After the guided tour, the Curley Lad went home for a nap. Mary Kelly and the person whom she is staying with went back to her home. The Gormalley Lad went to his home.



The covered dish party in the basement of the Dwyer Lad was wonderful. The fun, food, and merriment was still taking place when we left around 11:30 PM. We made a little batch of pulled pork because we knew that the Dwyer Lad likes pulled pork sandwiches.



Our second Irish guest will be picked up at Logan Airport today at 3:25 PM. I will be taking my afternoon nap before we head off to Anne Gagnon’s home for our second covered dish affair which takes place at 7 PM. The fun, food, and merriment never seems to end when we have our Irish guests in town.



I am not sure what plans that they have for Mayor Kelly during the day. I am pretty sure that Mary will be meeting with a current female city council person Melissa Mazzeo, and the former female Mayor, Anne Woitkowski. Women in politics is the theme of the social gathering.



I will take this down time to gather all my ingredients for making a couple of soda breads. At the party last evening I asked the Irish American Club President, Kevin Cahill, if he would like me to make some soda breads for the Saturday night Irish American Club corned beef and cabbage dinner at the Elks Club. He said “Yes” to my offer. I will make two loaves of soda bread. I need at least one day to soak the raisins in some Irish Whiskey. Soaking the raisins more than one day makes the raisins very, very happy!

Linda will be creating another covered dish. She has semi decided what she is going to make, but I think that she might alter her original dish. There was quite a selection of different foods last evening, and we don’t want to duplicate any of those dishes. We need to bring a unique dish!



As you see, Linda and I don’t have many free hours in a day.

It appears that this week will be one of those types of weeks where the exhaustion is caused by doing fun things.



Linda and I are doing exactly what my philosophy of life is: “Enjoy life every moment that you are on this earth!” This theme was brought to the forefront today, as I found out that that another baby boomer, whom I played high school football and basketball against, passed away. Frankie Scago was a star athlete at St. Joseph’s when I was attending Lee High School.



Have a great Wednesday.

Linda and I will be partying once again. The Curley Lad