April 1, 2018
For
me Easter is almost as highly anticipated as Christmas for both similar and
different reasons. Both are busy seasons. Easter is busy for me because I am on
the Arts & Environment Committee at my church, so every Saturday in March
was spent prepping for Easter (and there’s still a few more evenings ahead
watering the lilies). It’s also a relief when Easter is over and ordinary time
begins because there’s very little to do (other than checking and changing the
altar cloth periodically) until Thanksgiving weekend (Advent).
It’s
different than Christmas because the period between Thanksgiving and the new
year we tend to stuff ourselves like the turkey we ate, then go on a diet once
the new year begins. Lent is when we give up something for 40 days (a second
attempt at a diet for some) and then stuff ourselves on Easter when the fasting
is over.
Last
year I definitely did a bit of the stuffing thing enjoying the chocolate peanut
butter bunny I bought myself, but this year the only stuffing I plan to do is
the stuffing I am going to make to go with the rotisserie chicken we’re having
for dinner. Now I’m not judging anyone who has eaten more than their fair share
of chocolate today, as that would normally be me, but I think the chocolate
chocolate chip pancakes my husband made me for brunch more than satisfied my
sweet tooth. By the way, he bought me a Dove dark chocolate bunny, which I plan
to enjoy once the mood strikes me.
Easter
is usually a non-event for my husband and I since we rarely ever spend it with
family (due to geography more than anything else). Hence, it tends to be just
another weekend for us with the exception of spending a bit more time at
church. However, I would say this year was definitely one of our better Easters
if for no other reason than I was pulled out of my grumpy mood by the huge
turnout of volunteers we (the Arts & Environment Committee) got on
Wednesday and Saturday. Not expecting that, I was taken a little off guard and
almost didn’t know what to do, but the head of our committee, Kathleen, and me,
soon started delegating various chores to our helpers. As a result, we got most
of the Garden of Repose set-up for Holy Thursday so there wasn’t a lot of work
to do before mass (since we have fewer volunteers available during weekdays).
Also,
on Saturday we got done in record time (about an hour and a half, though some
of us stayed a bit longer to touch up various areas and do a final clean-up).
The volunteers on Saturday were also good at tending to what needed to be done
without being asked, as they soon found neglected areas that needed tending to
(like washing windows, dusting, vacuuming, etc.).
By
the way, I gave up chocolate candy and “The Gilmore Girls” for Lent. One of the
ladies said she gave up “Target” for Lent (the one store you go into for one
thing and come out with three because they’re so irresistible). She said one
year she gave up shopping (other than for groceries). I would love to do that,
but just know that that would be impossible unless I simply didn’t have time
for it (though I certainly have a lot less time for online shopping these
days). I have also found that if I don’t see it, I can’t want it, so it
definitely helps to stay offline and put blinders on when you shop (or just go
with my husband who almost never strays from the list and always gets out in
record time).
Have
a good week ahead everyone!
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