Sunday, March 23, 2008

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


18 comments:

sheep#100 said...

Happy Easter anyhow.

Mouse said...

Just think.. tomorrow is the next best holiday after February 15th!! Its half off Easter Candy Day!!!! Wooo HOOOO!!!

Anonymous said...

You got me all excited - I thought you made Cheesy Bread! I'm sure the whole wheat was very delicious, too. Your kid table comment made me laugh!

Knitting Linguist said...

I'm with you. I managed to forget that Easter is a major holiday for many people near me, and found myself crankily attempting to find an open department store so I could get some shopping done (which I hate doing anyway). Ah, well. Easter dinner is mojitos with grilled fish and mango salsa -- traditionalist? I guess not :) The bread looks yummy!

April said...

KFC is a traditional Easter dinner, is it not?

Happy Easter, Sheepie!

Teri S. said...

Ah, I kind of forgot about Easter, too. I didn't even get any Peeps. My m-i-l usually invites the family to dinner, but it wasn't until yesterday that I remembered that she hadn't.

Mel said...

I hope you were on the lookout for the Jesus zombie. After all, "resurrected" is just a nice way of saying "living dead."

mehitabel said...

Easter is one holiday I generally dread--we've had more traumas and tears over Easter season than any other time of year. I mean, deaths and premature births and miscarriages and that kind of stuff. Last year it was my father-in-law. Oh well, que sera sera and all that. I think I'd settle for knitting and baking bread. That is, if I even had an oven...

Anonymous said...

What Mel said. Sorry, I need to go clean the wine off my keyboard now.

Kath said...

I think that's a marvelous Easter. Both I and a male friend always get invited to the same dinner - we are the token single male and single female. It makes the Couple People happy and makes them feel like they are doing something good. So I figure why not humor them?

Debi Pouliot said...

Our holiday consisted of cleaning rabbit (8 of them) and making chili.

Not a peep in sight here...

Anonymous said...

Sometimes (as in often) I am jealous of your alone time; there is very, very little of that here at Noolieville. I don't make a big deal out of any holiday unless I am forced to. Yesterday, I crocheted; I napped; I threw together a lasagna (which was pretty damn good if I do say so myself); I napped again; I crocheted again, then I went to bed early. Can you stand all that excitement?

Anonymous said...

Your bread looks delicious! There is nothing like homemade bread.
Good luck with the candy sale.

Yarnhog said...

I totally agree with Mel! This really ought to be *your* holiday! Day of the Living Dead, and all.

I suffer from year-round holiday overload. My mother was raised Catholic, my father Muslim, and my husband Jewish. We can't afford to offend whatever gods may be, so we celebrate everything.

And you can have a seat at our "kiddie table" anytime you want.

Jeanne said...

Yep. I'd forgotten it, too, despite the fact that it was Mother's favorite holiday AND it fell on her birthday this year (would've been 88). I was out with a friend Saturday night who said "we just have to drive by this place and see if it's open tomorrow". I completely blanked on why that would be an issue. "You know. For breakfast." Huh?

"Easter? Holiday?"

OH. Duh. Yeah. Right. *blush*

Ronni said...

That sounds like a much more relaxed Easter than I had. And I didn't even have to cook - we got invited out. But then when we got home I had to upgrade on OS so we could load the tax software.

Good luck at the candy sales. I think maybe I'll go hit one myself...

Geraldine said...

Great post Sheep! I still remember the inquiries as to holiday plans when I was a single gal. I got fed up actually with some of the more condescending comments and attitude I endured. Enough said. Sounds like you have this all in taken in stride, as a Sheep should have.

Your bread is BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Huggs, G

PICAdrienne said...

I would guess BFK would have helped you out, if you had hid some scrambled eggs. Our cat tried to make off with a slice of ham of his very own.