Holiday?

A significantly larger number of people this year seemed curious as to what I was "doing" for Easter.  More than is usual, I think. Of course, I am always willing to discuss any aspect of my life, appropriate or not, that may come up.  I enjoy being the center of attention.

But, the Easter question stumped me.  As a single gal, I find it helpful with my overall image to cover the major holidays.  I've got Thanksgiving and Christmas taken care of.  I really should do a better job with New Year's Eve.  But, frankly, I am kind of tuckered out after the whole November/December run of festivities and I just don't have it in me to make plans for one more special day.  People seem to understand that.  I can also usually fudge my way through Arbor Day fairly well.

In general, it is a dicey prospect to be single and not have a clear cut plan of attack for a holiday.  Any hint of solitary confinement and you run the risk of falling squarely in the middle of a pity party.  People from near and far will gather to bemoan your sad state.  They will compete to be the first to offer a spare seat at the card table they've set up for the kids to ensure that you don't expire from sheer loneliness during whatever festive season is upon us.  First one to bag a sad single earns a free toaster and guaranteed good Karma!  This is actually an incredibly kind gesture and always well meant, though.  Sometimes I even take folks up on it.  I like the kiddie table.  It's where all the good stuff is going on.  And it's where they put the oddly shaped rolls which allows those of us banished to the low seating to play the "what does this look like to you?" game. 

But, Easter got past me.  As I don't really celebrate it, I am afraid I inadvertently fell into the behavior that so irks me when I encounter in others and simply assumed that no one else considers it a major gathering sort of day either.  Not only is this a rather self-absorbed way to be, but it was a strategic error in terms of my Surviving The Single Life Strategy.

Frankly, I'd forgotten all about Easter.  Finally I remembered that I'd written a post about the upcoming candy sales last week and thought to check the calendar.  But, by then it was too late.  I had no plan.  I also had no time to fake one.  When you are taken by surprise, you can't trot out the single folk's favorite fall-back plan which involves telling everyone you are working at a soup kitchen.  Serving meals to the less fortunate gives you automatic status and doesn't allow for any further questioning.

I panicked a little bit after The World's Greatest Stylist And Life Coach asked what I was doing for Easter.  Aside from the religious significance of the day (which is considerable) I couldn't think of a single thing I should be doing.  Hide some eggs, maybe?  What if I can't find them?  My whole house will stink!  Deliver baskets to random children while wearing bunny ears?  That's the kind of thing that gets middle aged people arrested and don't think I don't know it!  Go feed hungry bunnies?  Well...that wasn't a bad idea.  But I didn't know where the bunnies were and I was too tired from all the thinking about planning to really go look for any.

In the end, I did what felt right.  I blew off the grocery shopping since I couldn't remember if the store was going to be open today anyway.  I popped in my new-to-me and long desired copy of The Dead Next Door, (the greatest low-budget film ever shot on super-8 and designed to show what not to do in the event of an outbreak of the walking dead), cooked up a frozen pizza and did some knitting.  Maybe it wasn't a traditional sort of Easter, but it worked for me.  

I did sort of miss those funny-shaped rolls, though...

So I baked a little whole wheat bread to compensate.

I don't think there is any need to check your local listings for the "A Very Sheepie Easter" special.  It probably isn't going to be airing any time soon.  It's just an inkling...

Happy Easter!  See you at the half-priced candy sales tomorrow!  

SA