Categories: uncategorized
Date: 11 April 2004 22:10:21
It's the first time in ages I've missed the sunrise service. It was strange how not taking part in any church activities in Holy Week made it difficult to feel properly "tuned in" to Easter this year. I have always loved this time of year and the celebration of the resurrection, but felt slightly more detached from it this year. But I forced myself up in time to go down to the church for breakfast, and Tiddles made up for the lack of appetite shown by Smudgelet and myself. Smudgelet must be poorly still - he hasn't nagged about eating his easter eggs at all.
The boys carried out our family tradition again this year. It's a new tradition invented by the boys. They build a tent in the bedroom for the Easter Bunny to rest during the night. They made him a particularly nice little shelter this year, and were rewarded with a basket of Easter eggs and soft toys again this morning. He'd been nicely generous. Our other family tradition is to set up an Easter tree. I knew I should have sorted it out properly last year - it was like undoing unsuccessful macrame unscrambling the twigs and decorations. It looks lovely now, though. I think I may have to pinch one of the boys' Easter eggs (the bunny forgot all about me :( ) and go and admire it again.
I managed an hour snoozing before it was time to head back to church again for the morning service. The Easter Garden was stunning - and the boys were entertained for ages spotting the birds and butterflies and beetles hidden amongst the foliage. We weren't so sure whether it was a good idea having the little fountain running all through the service, mind, as there was a bit of a rush for the outside facilities as the service ended! In some ways, the visual effect of the Easter Garden makes a bigger impression upon me than anything said in the sermon. Also, as always, we decorated the cross with posies of flowers and were given an Easter Egg, a carnation, and a sweet pea seedling as symbols of new life. And we had an anagram to solve - "Is there a miracle here? Find out!" which I thought was rather good. The preacher had been unaware that there would be children in the service (we were visiting my dad's church where there are no children at all) so I was well impressed when she fished out two cards for the boys to colour in and send from the congregation to people who were too elderly/unwell to join us at the service. I must admit I did do a bit of colouring as well. I was listening too.... honest!
I was pleased with my culinary experiment this lunchtime. I cooked beef for the first time ever. In a panic before leaving for church, I rang each of my sisters to ask whether I should be putting foil over the roast. J was out, so I spoke to M whose reply was "Why on earth are you asking me? You know I can't cook beef!" I informed her that that was why I had rung J first! Concensus had it that we leave the beef uncovered... and rather delicious it was too. Roast potatoes (another first), carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and gravy - a great success. And daringly I tried my hand at one of mum's specialities - lemony bread and butter pudding! It wasn't perfect - I made a minor mistake by putting the bread the wrong way up in the dish so it went a little bit too soft - but it was decidedly scrumptious. Praise indeed from Dad, who said that Mum wouldn't have been ashamed of it at all. Shame I didn't really want to eat much of it, but what I had persuaded me to try again when I've more of an appetite.
Right, time for bed I think. Wonder if the boys have counted those eggs...