I am more Irish than anything else (rebellious and all), and like whiskey in many forms at least as much as the next guy, but fake Irishmen and and an excuse to be sloppily inebriated en masse (and crowds, generally, of course) are just not my bag.

So we’re staying in tonight. But we have several appropriate beverages, and I have what smells like a lovely stew on to slowly cook all day. I may even make a pot pie in the end, but recent medical revelations encourage me not to add the extra lush bits, as neither the MD nor myself really needs that crust, much as we love it. Beef, onion, celery, carrot, fingerling potatoes, mixed mushrooms, thyme, bay leaf, pepper, stock, and some tomatoes for brightness. I’ll add peas at the end (we must have our peas!).