Hello on Monday

Dear Friends,

The Ethnic Fair was big success weather wise. We met a lot of acquaintances who we haven’t seen for a while. Many of my former students stopped by and said “Hello” as they were trying to find kid venues and food for their children. Politicians, tourists, and local people dropped by and had some food at the Pittsfield Irish Sister City Booth as well as the Irish American Club booth which had Guinness, and Smithwicks beer on tap to hold their interest.
Our Irish Bangers went very well. We have only 5 pounds out of the forty pounds left. The Irish Whiskey Cake was sold out early.
The Irish American Club ran out of the meat for their corned beef sandwiches. I am not sure about their Lamb stew.
The Irish American Club booth had a few musicians playing which helped keep patrons eating and drinking what we had to offer.
Even if we didn’t make a lot of money at the Pittsfield Irish Sister City Booth and the Irish American Club Booth, we did well in promoting Irish Heritage.

I did venture across the street to check on how the Italian organizations did, and it appeared that they were sold out of most of what they were selling.

The Fire Inspector and one of multiple the Health Inspectors came by early, and said that we were up to code. The Health Department required my signature, and that of Sister City President.

A reporter from the Pittsfield Gazette stopped by and took some pictures, and notes of me cooking Bangers. I explained to him what an Irish Banger consists of, and where I have to special order and purchase them. There is a possibility that our Pittsfield Irish Sister City booth might be highlighted in this week’s edition of the newspaper.

There had to be over 10,000 people roaming up and down the main street in downtown Pittsfield.

I won the Irish Soda Bread Contest because I was the only person who submitted any Soda Breads. What I did do is cut up my Irish Soda Breads, and I passed out samples to people as they walked by the Pittsfield Irish Sister Booth. My samples were gone in a couple of minutes. I had a lot of compliments from people, but I did tell them that I couldn’t share the recipe. A former colleague, who sampled a piece of my soda bread, said that I should hook up with a bakery, and sell it to the public.
My Irish Soda Bread is not the typical soda bread that an Irish person would have grown up with. The secret recipe which I use creates a moist Soda Bread, and it has a hint of sweetness (like me).
A true Irish Soda Bread tends to be on the dry side. Americans prefer the type which I make.

A few of us stayed around for the clean up, and take down of chairs, tables, and the packing away all the gear needed to make the event a success. Some of the workers from the Sister City Booth, and the Irish American Club were then going to the Shamrock for just one beverage, but I never made it. I was so tired because I had been on my feet from 8:15 AM until 7:30 PM.
Also, my whole body and all my clothes smelled like an Irish Banger. Every article of gear smelled like grease, and I transferred that odor to my car. Even my glasses have a thick layer of grease on them.

I tried watching the Red Sox vs Yankee Game last night, but I fell asleep in a heart beat. Good thing that I fell asleep. The Yankees are too good!

Social Calendar – We will be exiting Pittsfield at 10:30 AM this morning by bus to the Saratoga Horse Race Track. The most physical activity that we will be engaging in is going back and forth to the betting windows. We are hoping that lady luck will be with us today.
I will be missing a UNICO Golf Committee Meeting. Oh Darn!

Well, I am going to read the local newspaper, and hose down my “Grill to Go”, and then select my horse racing wardrobe.
The weather is supposed to be pretty nice with a slight chance of an afternoon shower.
Have a great week at work or play.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad