Sláinte!

May the road rise up to meet you...

 Irish phrases with wonderful meanings are beautiful.

 But really, on a day like Saint Patrick's Day,

 the only Irish I want to hear is 

"Ba mhaith leat eile Guinness?" 

 And my answer... 

"Yes, I would love another!"

Anyone who knows me, knows that Guinness is my favorite beer.  

There is simply nothing like it.  

The thick, creamy, smooth, slightly sweet goodness.

 Cannot be matched by another.

So once a year I take advantage of my Irish heritage

 and plan my day around my beer.  

I start by making my famous Guinness Stew.
My husband wants to know how I can call it "famous".
Since this is my first time making it. 
It's my blog and I am entitled to a little poetic license!!!!

 My favorite beer-drinker/helper/guy, who just so happens to have 

the Irish name of Dallas, asks me,

 "Whats the thing in the can?"

 as he's talking he is cutting the can open (yes with my good knifes)

 and the he shows it to me.

We do exactly what you expect us to and go to The GOOGLE.

This is what we found out;

it's a nitrogen cartridge so it pours like it does on draught…

Here's the science of it...in Crystal speak…

The can is fitted with a small plastic hollow ball thingy (Guinness calls it a "smoothifier") it sits in the bottom of the can. Said ball thingy has a pocket that is open through a tiny hole in its top. The oxygen is vacuumed from the can, then they fill it with beer. Before sealing the can, liquid nitrogen is added to the beer. The can is sealed and as the liquid nitrogen gets all warm and snuggly, a pressure is created. The pressure forces a tiny bit of the beer and nitrogen into the plastic ball thingy. When the can is opened, the pressure is released and the tiny amount of beer in the ball thingy is forced back through the tiny hole like a volcano spitting lava into the sky after the natives have sacrificed a virgin to Brian, the all powerful volcano god.  This mixes the nitrogen with the beer thus creating the “smoothifier effect”

Next we drink a Guinness (or four )

Stir the stew,

 prepare the bread bowls,  

have another (or two).

Time to eat!

I would like to applaud Guinness for  the following;

Guinness Drops Sponsorship Of New York's

 St. Patrick's Day Parade Over Anti-Gay Stance

Although LGBT participants are permitted in both Boston and New York's St. Patrick's Day parades, they are prohibited from carrying signs or banners identifying themselves as such.

Guinness has a strong history of supporting diversity and being an advocate for equality for all. We were hopeful that the policy of exclusion would be reversed for this year’s parade. As this has not come to pass, Guinness has withdrawn its participation. We will continue to work with community leaders to ensure that future parades have an inclusionary policy.

While writing this, I am enjoying my last Guinness of this, 

most wonderful day of the year, St. Patrick's Day

Slàinte,

       Crystal

Hey there bitches.  

Today I need a beer. Not just want, but need. My day was stressful.

Why? You may ask.

 Well, I had lunch with my friend Wibby (ok her real name is Mary Elizabeth but that is so NOT her). That in itself is not a reason for stress. In fact we had fun. We always do. We have been friends for 33 years, and thats almost impossible since we are both just 29 years old. {Crystal ducks behind couch waiting for lightning bolts to strike.} 

The stress came into play when Wibbs got stuck in traffic and I had time to kill. I decided it was time to bite the bullet and go bra shopping.

 I HATE BRA SHOPPING!

For those of you with a cup size of an A, B, C you simply walk into a store, say ooh thats pretty, pick up a few and without even trying them on you make your purchase and skip along your way.

For those of us with a D or larger cup, no such luck! Bras that big are either ugly and look like something your great grandmother wore under her house coat or slutty as hell (picture Fredricks of Hollywood for fat ladies), NO! WAIT, DONT, you may need those retinas in the future.

Now I recently lost some weight, not enough that you would notice (9 pounds woohoo for me) but enough that my bras are too big. Why do we always loose it there first? I mean really, riddle me this Batman. It is so not fair. 

So now comes the dilemma, do I go down a band size and keep the same cup size or do I keep the same band size and go down a cup size? How the hell should I know? 

Solution take two of everything in the fitting room.
I swear I would rather have my toenails pulled out... 
Problems in dressing room; back fat - I would have been much happier without the triple mirror, if I cant see the back fat it doesn't exist, right?... Lifts but doesn't separate...Separates but doesn't lift...Lifts, separates, hides back fat, but is three inches thick. Really who needs a bra that thick? I mean everyone has nipples! Its not a secret for crying out loud....

Hooray! Success . I pay and go to lunch with Wibby!

Where was I? Oh yes beer. BEER!

Tonight I chose an IPA from Stone Brewing Company, in Escondido California.
Yes, they also make Arrogant Bastard.

This beer is aptly named RUINATION, because if I had gotten the wrong bra I would be ruined....

    Unlike the bra debacle I got it right on my first try.

            I LOVE this beer. It has it all!

It's hoppy and bitter and citrusy and 7.7 proof.

Now I must confess I am a Guinness girl so I love bold, bitter flavor. 

I am truly shocked to find a beer that I enjoy this much on my second posting.

I WILL be purchasing this again. and to think i picked it out because I thought the little guy on the front was a cutie.

It just goes to show,

 You CAN judge a beer by the bottle!

Posrt Script;
Here they are, yes I bought two. Hey, I'm worth it! annnnd don't even get me started on price!