Happy Shane MacGowan's Birthday!

[drpaisley]

What, you're celebrating something else? Whyever would you do that?

Rohanna was kind enough to test the roads for us this morning. She left around 6a to join her family. I had just gone back to sleep when her phone went off. By the time I found it, it had stopped ringing, but I was able to see it was her daughter calling. As I sat on the bed with the phone, Ro herself walked in, having made it around the block and, noticing she had forgotten her phone, tried to come back and wound up leaving the van at the foot of the drive. She called her daughter, who said to stay home, as no one else was going to make it, so we went back to sleep.

I got up at 9.40, and went out to survey the damage. We got 8" or so here, with drifts well over a foot. Mine, mostly, as I did some cleanup in the driveway and on the street in front of my car. Dragonet called her mom, and it was decided we'd go up and do the family thing there on Sunday. After a lovely breakfast of scrach-made waffles and bacon, we did our minimalist gift exchange and have been hanging around here trying to get warm all day. The lack of heat on the upper floors has become somewhat more severe due to the lowered temperatures here. Tomorrow it's dim sum!

And in honor of the birth of Ireland's greatest singer, songwriter and refugee from dental justice, three songs: the obvious MacGowanmas classic, and two of my favorite Pogues songs of all.

Thanks and praises
Thanks to Jesus
I bet on the Bottle of Smoke
I went to hell
And to the races
To bet on the Bottle of Smoke

The day being clear
The sky being bright
He came up on the left
Like a streak of light
Like a drunken fuck
On a Saturday night
Up came the Bottle of Smoke

Twenty fucking five to one
Me gambling days are done
I bet on a horse called
the Bottle of Smoke
And my horse won

Stewards inquiries
Swift and fiery
I had the Bottle of Smoke
Inquisitions and suppositions
I had the Bottle of Smoke

Fuck the stewards
A trip to Lourdes
Might give the old fuckers
The power of sight
Screaming springers and stoppers
And call out coppers
But the money still gleams in my hand like a light

Twenty fucking five to one
Me gambling days are done
I bet on a horse called
the Bottle of Smoke
And my horse won

Bookies cursing
Cars reversing
I had the Bottle of Smoke
Glasses steaming
Vessels bursting
I had the Bottle of Smoke


Slip a fifty to the wife
And for each brat a crisp new five
To give me a break on
a Saturday night
When I had the Bottle of Smoke

Twenty fucking five to one
Me gambling days are done
I bet on a horse called
the Bottle of Smoke
And my horse won

Priests and maidens
Drunk as pagans
They had the Bottle of Smoke
Sins forgiven and celebrations
They had the Bottle of Smoke

Fuck the Yanks
And drink their wives
The moon is clear
The sky is bright
I'm happy as the horses shite
Up came the Bottle of Smoke

Twenty fucking five to one
Me gambling days are done
I bet on a horse called
the Bottle of Smoke
And my horse won

Thanks and praises
Thanks to Jesus
I bet on the Bottle of Smoke
I went to hell
And to the races
To bet on the Bottle of Smoke

The day being clear
The sky being bright
He came up on the left
Like a streak of light
Like a drunken fuck
On a Saturday night
Up came the Bottle of Smoke

Twenty fucking five to one
Me gambling days are done
I bet on a horse called
the Bottle of Smoke
And my horse won



So a happy Krimble to all, and to all a good night.

(edited to spell MacGowan correctly. I need more whisky)