Good Friday and off to Perth. Ashton has gone to Melbourne but Ciara still home. I intend to go to church at 3 pm. Arrive at 1 pm and sleep for 3 hours...oops not a good start for the holiest day of the year.
On Easter Saturday, I had a lovely time shopping with my younger daughter Ciara. She scored! She had her mother's undivided attention and we got some great stuff. Then she had a few little jobs to do so I thought I'd treat myself to a manicure and pedicure.
The salon is staffed by people of Asian origin. They do a fantastic job and when I'm in Perth I often go there. First thing I noticed however was the music playing was Christmas carols. Obviously someone knows Easter is a religious celebration ; they just got the wrong one.
Me - it's Easter not Christmas
Lady - ( limited English) - ha??? ( insert I have no idea what you're saying)
Me - those are Christmas carols...wrong song for Easter
Lady - ha??? ( insert I still have no idea what you're saying and I wish you'd shut up so I can do your nails).
Me- ( pretending I'm in Bali) - this festival not this song.
Lady - this song make me sleepy. You want shellac?
Me - jingle bells, jingle bells...( give up!)
After admiring my nails, I decided I needed a new dress to match them. I had been admiring a particular dress for a while and decided as the credit card was already in shock, a bit more wouldn't hurt. Ciara thought it looked lovely so I bought it and a top and new shoes. I'm blaming the spend up on those carols making me feel it was post Christmas sales.
Easter Sunday and apparently I'm buying ice for everyone's drinks as my sister ( new mother) can't manage both a child and buying ice.It's just toooooo hard.
After some jokes about whether she wanted the water type or the drug type, which she didn't laugh at, I gave up. Sense of humour in my family on gathering days is limited.
I felt bad that I again slept through mass but promised myself I'd go in the evening. Headed off to my sister and greeted family. Mother asks me why I've not taken my apron off. I think she's off her rocker as I'm not wearing one, till I realise she thinks the geometric pattern on my new dress looks like I'm wearing an apron. Excellent. I've just invented kitchen couture,
Brother in law takes orders for BBQ. He had one job. Cook the flaming BBQ. He did it with style. Suddenly massive flames erupted from the BBQ and enough smoke to clear the immediate area. Mother and niece ( both asthmatic disappear inside), sister ( allergic to red meat) is inside pumping antihistamine. I'm annoyed my apron dress now smells of smoke but manage to evacuate with food in my hand, so I'm happy.
Husband and brother in law play Fireman Sam. Father and brother "useless as tits on a bull" ( look it up non Australians). Father kept eating meal throughout imminent burning of house. Not worth missing out on his chargrilled meal.
Safety restored and family reseated. All starving so quiet for a while, except for the baby who is trying to drink her Dads beer and getting cross because the can is taken off her.
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| A commercial figolla |
Full bellies and its dessert time. In Malta we have an a Easter cake called figolla. I have made it this year while Mum has made a gluten free one for my coeliac, meat allergic, lactose intolerant sister. We crack the usual joke that it's from no taste.com but only my nephew and I laugh. After tasting mine, Mum then proceeds to tell me that she needs to give me her recipe for her figolla. I assume it means mine tastes bad. She says it tastes fine so I wonder out loud why I therefore need her recipe. Dangerous ground. We are having a figolla face off.
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| My pavlova |
Brother in law, recovered from almost burning down his new house eats one quarter of the pavlova plus trifle plus figolla plus stores food for coming winter. He then realises he never cooked the steak for the BBQ. NOBODY wants him anywhere near the BBQ again.
With a few drinks, general chitchat begins and brother is in full swing. Dad sits quietly wondering about the strange family he has created. Kids eat Easter eggs and second youngest niece has a swim. Only the young are immune to cold water.
Leave to go to mass. Time for quick nap. Sleep through mass for third time. First time in 48 years have not been to a Easter mass. Am mortified.
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| Fireman Sam and baby |
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| Myself and siblings (note apron) |
That's Easter.
Till next time...xxx
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| Almost all the cousins |
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