CCC, St. Patrick's Day Parade and Cheapskate

The day began with me in my black kilt, white knee high socks and Irish turtle neck sweater. I was mentally designing fur underwear for kilt wearers who foolishly ride scooters in freezing rain and sleet to church. On the scooter though, I got around the barriers set out for the 6th Annual St. Patrick's Day parade. In Christ Church Cathedral I arrived for mass and the sacred Irish hymn, Be Thou My Vision. The choir and congregation lifted their voices most high. A celtic harpist sang and played marvellously at the close.

Outside the Celticfest parade was coming steadily onward. The Irish kids were the most amazing wee people. In the freezing rain that turned to snow they just kept on dancing and playing their instruments. The crowds lined the streets and cheered. The bagpipe and drum police bands were at their finest. It was a truly great tribute to the spirit of the glorious land of poetry and song.

I'd bought tickets for Cheapskate ,the West End charity fund raiser weeks before. It was being held at the West End Community Centre Skating Rink. So next I found myself in kilt on rental skates on the ice for the first time in nearly 20 years. It was a terrific turn out with fabulous chilli and hot chocolate. A couple of the group were spectacular skaters and one in particular was flying high in the air doing magnificent leaps and turns. If I'd not worn my kilt I might have tried to emulate their pirouetting performances but modesty prevailed.

An hilarious auction followed. Priceless items from the "L word" show coupled with a Joe Average piece were mixed in with other donated ketch. One man or woman's junk became another's prize. I got caught up in the spirit of the thing and left with a bowling ball.

Carrying the bowling ball home on the scooter was a challenge but the sun had come out and the roads were no longer slippery.

Now my body cries out for a warm bath. Maybe there I'll remember why I bid on a bowling ball. No one else did.