In which I have no plans for Easter...


I find the Easter break a bit of a strange one.  It has far less appeal when every food item has a weight-loss plan value as soon as you look at it.  Yes, that hot cross bun dripping in butter might be divine, but it costs about the same as stir-fried chicken and rice…or 3 gins!  I love chocolate, but an article in my weight-loss mag haunts me with values of 12 plus for Easter eggs – not far off half of my daily allowance.  And yes, of course I’d eat it all in one go!

In my single days, me and Sister would hot-foot it to Cyprus.  The first year we were promised glorious weather, and shivered for a week.  One of our favourite haunts became a bar with an open fire.  But it was always a fantastic holiday.  We were wise in subsequent years and packed a bit better (only a bit).  Picking up fiancees, husbands, mortgages and children put paid to the Easter jaunt, so now it’s all about searching for the Perfect Day Out.  But we’re hostages to the weather and Easter opening hours.  And I know that my Perfect Day Out does not involve sitting in a traffic jam of people also in pursuit of the Holy Grail PDO.  So, here on Maundy Thursday, I sit with NO PLANS for the Easter weekend.  I’ve got a few more days off across the two weeks school holidays, and me and Daughter will easily amuse ourselves.  But, I repeat – WE HAVE NO PLANS FOR THE EASTER WEEKEND.  I have clearly failed in basic festive parenting 101.  I have bagsful of Easter craft, but no plans as to when to use them.  I’ve been very ill prepared full stop.  We have no food shopping for the weekend that starts tomorrow, and I realised at lunch time that I had nothing for my class (of 17 year olds…) and so went out to buy something.  I think they all agreed that a Freddo really does symbolise Easter in a different way, and clearly the Easter Frog gets a raw deal.  I did buy some emergency hot cross buns in M&S before, and have taste tested one before taking them home to the family.  No butter, I haven’t lost the plot!

Of course I could go for suitably festive food tonight after work, except I am doing Sister a kindness by accompanying her to see a boy band that she likes.  I am going in dark glasses and a scarf.  I expect it will sound like an explosion when a venue full of old-enough-to-know-better women All Rise – all those cracking knees.

So, in a most unusual way, I’m going with the flow.  It’s not my style, and it makes me a bit twitchy.  But I’m giving it a go.  Wish me luck!

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