We have been hitting it hard at Little Plum Place and to celebrate St Pat’s Day we took some time off. St Pat’s Day is Rick’s favorite holiday (any wonder with his Irish heritage?). To fill in the back story of how he became the Parade Marshall in Stockholm I will start with the previous Saturday night.
We had been working six days a week since our arrival, in the cold and spending a bit of time processing our move. In an effort to lift spirits I bought tickets for the Wide Spot Performing Art
s production of 4 Pints Shy, a Celtic group from Minneapolis Minnesota. This small performing arts venue is in Stockholm, Wisconsin….population 66. (I later learned in the winter months the population dips to 50 as snowbirds head south). Stockholm is a summer tourist town situated on the banks of the Mississippi. The show was fantastic! Rick loved the music and we both had a great night out. During the intermission the couple in front of us commented on Rick’s tie (very Irish) and by the end of the conversation I had committed Rick to lead the parade the following Saturday (It helps to be new, willing and own your own Leprechaun costume).
Saturday, St. Patrick’s Day was a warm and beautiful day. My man looked great in his costume and we arrived early to have lunch at Lena’s Lucky Star tavern. We chose the traditional
Irish feast of corn beef, potatoes and cabbage….delicious. The street was crowded for the big parade (okay, maybe not so big….but a lot of fun on a warm afternoon). The town of Stockholm, being on the shy side of small requires that the parade begin in the city park, and circle the block around Lena’s. (I think the route has something to do with the owner organizing the parade). Traffic is stopped on the highway for the brief interval, candy is thrown, kids squeal with delight, the adults cheer and clap for each passing unit. All in all….a good day.
