Chag Sameach, Y'all

 Yesterday was the first night of Passover. We had our usual Seder, telling all the usual stories when we got to a given bit -- like, for instance, when we reach the part about the slaying of the first born, Dr. Skull always tells us how when he was a little kid, he'd be glad that it his older brother who would have gotten the sword, and not him -- and eating the usual foods of affliction.

Though this year we had an excellent brisket, instead of a roasted chicken; and Dr. Skull made a KFP (kosher-for-passover) carrot cake for dessert. We also found some excellent macaroons at the Fayetteville Whole Foods, the only place in the area that carries KFP foods.

The kid came home for the Seder -- he starts his job on Tuesday -- and the kid's boyfriend came with him. Uncle Charger also came, and a friend from our writing group. 

It was a nice time. But the best part of any Jewish holiday, imo, is that I no longer have to do the Christian holidays. Easter when I was a kid was nice because of the basket of candy and the egg hunt; but then we had to go to church. I was always dressed up in my new Easter outfit, which meant a scratchy frilly dress, white nylon hose, painful patent leather shoes, and a horrible flowered hat held on via an elastic chin strap, all of which I hated, hated, hated. Never mind sitting through two hours of Easter services, boring at the best of times, and torture to me, an easily bored child.

That is why I know so much about the Bible now, though. My parents didn't let me read other books in church, just the Bible or hymnals, so I read the Bible all the way through more than once before my father and I had a showdown when I was sixteen and I stopped going to church.

(He said, shouting, "Well, don't go if that's all it means to you!" and I said, "Okay, I won't," which surprised him immensely. I can't think why.)

And then after church, there was Easter dinner, after which I had to do all the dishes (my mother had done all the cooking, so the dishes were my job, and of course my brothers didn't have to help do dishes, what do you mean, they mowed the lawn and took out the trash, the dishes were my job). I did like the deviled eggs my mother made with the Easter eggs, but other than that, meh.

Anyway, I still have to do all the dishes -- and a Seder uses every dish in the house, not to mention Dr. Skull uses every pan and pot and kitchen tool we own, doing the cooking -- but none of the rest. And now we have the rest of the weekend to write novels and chill. 

Good Passover to those who celebrate, and I hope Easter's not too stressful if you do that, and if you dodged it all, have a nice Sunday!