Ahoy, me hearties, it’s Nana’s birthday!

That’s pirate speak for “Hey, y’all, it’s my grandmother’s birthday!” She’s 91 on this International Talk Like a Pirate Day. We hope she won't be walking the plank anytime soon.

Here’s a picture of her (she's second from the left) and my mom and my two aunts from last year at our family reunion to celebrate her 90th.

Nana-Daughters

Nana's not doing great this year-—forgetting things, though she still remembers people and faces, if not names. And her body’s wearing out. Much too slowly to suit her, she says. But she’s still around at 91, which gives all of us coming up after her hope for ourselves. (Her mother lived to be 93! Shiver me timbers, but the women live a long time in my family.)

Some of my best memories are of Nana young and fun. Going to her house meant liver mush for breakfast. Neese's is the best (and only) brand we'd eat. They call their liver mush liver pudding, but our family never used the pudding label. YUMMY! It’s a sausage-like dish, only so much better, sold only in North and South Carolina.

And she played games with us, like Tripoli—which was just like gambling, only we got to use her pennies, not our own. We felt very grown up! So YO HO HO and a Bottle of Rum to Nana on her 91st!

The Atlanta Journal Constitution has pirate jokes, in honor of today. Take a peek and try them out on your friends. Maybe you’ll get pieces of eight for your efforts.

Or to learn all about the holiday (really, is it a holiday?) hit the Talk Like a Pirate website, where the activity has passed “on fire” and is now “volcanic.” Check it out. It won’t cost you any dubloons!

So, avast ye, landlubbers and feel free to post any pirate jokes you know in the comments section.

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