“Can you believe it’s only the beginning of April and we’ve reached 80°F over 10 times already this year?”
“No, but I LOVE IT.”
“I would too, if we hadn’t leap-frogged over spring and straight into summer, then back into winter for another go-around of chilly rain before off into summer again.”
“Well, you know what they say: ‘April chilly rain brings May grass.’”
“…No one has ever said that.”
“Anyway, this all reminds me that it’s my turn to host the family at Easter this year, and I’ve been dreading it for weeks.”
“Oh? What for? Don’t you love all the marshmallow candy and colored eggs and giant bunnies and all that other stuff that’s only acceptable at this time of year? And don’t you always say your family is the only thing that matters in your life or something like that?”
“Well, yes, but there’s also just so dang many of us.”
“True, there are.”
“I can only fit so many on couches and chairs and floors in the living and dining rooms before they start spilling over into my realm, The Kitchen, and that simply won’t do.”
“Aye, no.”
“We have a perfectly fine backyard, but if the chilly rain decides to make an appearance that lovely morn, then forget about anyone going outside.”
“I hear you.”
“And even if the Sun is blazing a balmy 60°, they’ll still all cram themselves into the living room, dining room, and The Kitchen, because no one wants to move.”
“Mm-hm.”
“And yet, when it’s time to clean up – tumbleweeds and crickets.”
“Oh, yes.”
“That’s not entirely true – a few of the regulars pitch in, bless them, but overall it’s the opposite: watching the game, diving into the digital world, or napping.”
“True, true.”
“And the blessing of all that food! Weeks to plan, days to prepare, gone in minutes, still gallons of leftovers I almost have to pay people to get enough out of the house so we manage to have the rest before it spoils.”
“Agreed.”
“Wish I could take the next day off to recover from all that plus the furniture clean-up, but nope! Back to the office bright and early the next morning, which of course is a Monday, Heaven help me.”
“The soul sighs.”
“So, enough of all that: how’s it with you for Passover this year?”
“Oh, same: entire family’s coming over for seder, which of course is on a weeknight this year.”
“Of course.”
“All that prep, all that food, and we have to wait until after sundown to start so it’s even later by the time we start cleaning up everything and everyone goes home, and then, you guessed it, right back to the office the next day.”
“Always the way.”
“Doing all that work year after year, you start wondering why we even go through the whole thing to begin with.”
“I know – there must be some reasons for these holidays.”