Saint Patty’s Party

            I was invited to a Saint Patrick's Day celebration and meal at a fellow writer and friend’s home in Laurel Borough near Ligonier Pennsylvania. Although she and I are politically polar opposites, we are still able to coincide peacefully. She is very liberal, while I am conservative. She is semi-retired nurse, while am fully retired. Her writing tends to lean to romance novels set in the British Isles and Ireland while mine are more local about a retired homicide detective from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The stories that she writes are small vignettes of the countryside and capture the speech and customs of that land. Both of our writings include mysteries that have been formed in the creative spaces of our minds.

            The party goers included six writers total and her brother and his wife. The oldest of the authors writes non-fiction inspirational stories of the wisdom learned in her lifetime. One of the other writers pens lightly disguised political satire and humor. Another author has written several self help books on poetry, childrens books, and has helped her cat to publish a book on how to train humans. The final writer has written as a reporter and journalist for a newspaper, keeps several blogspots, and in the middle of an historical novel.

            We gathered around the large dining room table to savor the favorite Irish dish of corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes with a few carrots to add color to the fare. The main course was served with slices of Irish soda bread with raisins and butter. The dessert consisted of chocolate cupcakes with swirls of green icing, thumbprint cookies, and chocolate chip, mint ice cream.

            Several types of wine and a Guinness beer was available for those who partake, but I was happy with my orange soda. We remained around the table talking, relaxing, and laughing for the remainder of the evening. In our lives today, we often ignore events like these and I am glad that on occasion in the middle of a fast paced world, that I was offered the opportunity to slow down and enjoy time with friends.