Rides and Tales

Part 1:

In Ireland, there is a structure built to mark the Winter Solstice that pre-dates the oldest pyramids by 2,000 years.
That’s probably neither here, nor there, but at this time of year there is always a lot of discussion about  Christmas coinciding with older Germanic or Roman winter observances.  It has a accusatory ring to it,  like the heathens got ripped  off, or something.

Anyhow, I just wanted to say to the detractors, “We had it first, so just back  up”.

Part 2:

My missus is  a creative kind of gal and during Christmas time she really shines.  This year,  when not  turning starfish into Santas  to sell to the tourists , she managed to make herself a set of antlers and strung some tinsel on them for decorative  Christmas head wear.  They came out so well that I didn’t realize they weren’t real antlers for a couple of days.

She wore them when she played bass for the  Johnson Grass band, at a toy run, a couple weeks ago. I told her at the time that they looked a little pagan, or something, that I could feature a native shaman wearing them.

I was very disappointed with the guys, though, when I found out they’d been around her all day without complimenting her rack. (it turns out they’re leg men).

Part 3:

Good writing, like all art, uses the element of transition.

So,  Christmas morn,  Jill gets up and dons a plaid skirt,  her antlers, then cranks some Scottish music (and a little Zydeco) on the juke box.  I played it cool.  She was some kind of tickled when, later,  she opened my gift to her, an Irish drum, called a bodhran [BAW-rahn].

This is a popular instrument used in traditional and traditional-style Celtic bands (including the one playing on our Victrola, earlier).  Wacky-pedia tells us that the bodhran is a fairly new addition to Irish music and its particular history can only be traced to the 1600s, though it may be related to an earlier  “war drum”.

In her right hand is the hardwood beater, or “tipper”.

We be jammin’, soon, man.