Way to Blow Good Friday

Oh yes, the taper . . .
I ran 10 miles today with Lola. We went out easy. Mostly because the first 4 miles are uphill. Then we hit what I hope was marathon pace for the last 6 miles--could have been too fast but may have been too slow. No Garmin, no watch. It is all a mystery.

Marathon pace, if that is what it was, felt quite comfortable. Yesterday I practiced various paces on the treadmill over 5 miles: marathon pace (8 min), long run(8:45) 10k (7 min), tempo (7:15), and some heart pounding sprints(6:10)tossed in for good measure. The first 4 miles today felt like long run pace and the last 6 felt somewhere between tempo and long run pace. Que sera sera . . .

I ran late morning and noted that I saw lots of men. I don't usually see men. Men are typically at work when I run. Generally, if I see anyone when I run it is women or retired men-- okay, so I do see some men. At any rate, I was puzzled and then it hit me: Good Friday! Oh yeah, Easter! Bunnies and eggs--as if the kids have talked about anything other than that all week . . .

I promised the kids when I dropped them at school this morning that we would dye eggs for Easter this afternoon. So when I got back from my run I googled how to hard boil eggs.

Yes, I have hard boiled eggs before but it is a once a year thing, so I forget the timing. Timing, is everything, you know.

In my search the perfect timing for hard boiled eggs, I also looked up the process for doing blown eggs (snicker).

I really hate eggs and hate even more how hard boiled eggs stink up the whole house and refrigerator. So I was seeking an alternative.

In case you are on the fence about hard boiled eggs or blown eggs,  to help you decide the website had the directions for both processes and offered this gem: if you are going to save the eggs for reuse next year you should do blown eggs.

What! Really?!

You mean you can't pack up your hard boiled eggs like you do your Christmas ornaments? So, that's what that smell in the attic is. . .

And in case you are on the hard boiled or blown fence, let me help.

I do not recommend the blown technique.

But should you not follow my recommendation and  decide to blow eggs anyway,  take my advice and do the following:

1.) Dye the eggs first. They float when empty and it is hard to put weights on eggs.

2.)  Definitely use a nasal aspirator like they suggest to blow out the yolk. Or go to a craft store. Apparently there is some tool made specifically for egg blowing. Egg blowing. (giggle.) It is a thing.

Note: Even though they recommended not to use my mouth, I uhm, used my mouth. (Why would I not?)

3.) Let it be said, blowing out eggs is like giving birth. I was afraid all the blood vessels in my face were going to bust from blowing so hard.

Wow, that sentence is all kinds of wrong. . .

After I blew 14 (Oh my god! So.Very.Wrong.) eggs I was done. I ended up hard boiling the rest. So my house was stinky.

Next, I don't know what the hell happened but I think I was briefly possessed by Martha Stewart. I decided I had to buy some ribbon so that we could use the blown eggs and decorate a tree!

Do not do this.

I am sure there is some trick to it but apparently when I was trying to figure out exactly what that trick may be I was most definitely not possessed by Martha. It took me freaking forever to thread the ribbon through the eggs and yes, there were 3 egg casualties. Nevertheless here is the eggceptional tree:

Hope everyone has a nice weekend!

Easter Pictures

A week late . . .

Beau and Carmella on the steps after church. Very cold and very bright outside.
All of us who did the Easter shuffle except Poppy who took the picture.

Taco Mac after church for another type of praying. I insisted the kids wear their art aprons over their church clothes so they wouldn't get them dirty. Beau, who unfortunately I do not have a photo of, had also changed from his bucks to his cowboy boots so he was quite a sight in his pink dress shirt and orange HomeDepot apron and boots. As always he garnered more than his share of attention. The other 2, Carmella and Pat sat still long enough I could get their picture.

Silliness at Bubbles house.




The hunt is ON!




Checking the loot


Max and Carly--BFF

The boys check out Lois's new Benz--as if any of them have a clue what they are looking at.

Kid's table:



Livi's argument as to why she gets to sit next to Carmella.
Beau's counter argument:
And who won:
Big kid's table:



And finally, the ongoing quest to get a picture of all 5 kids looking the same way . ..




Well maybe next time. Happy Easter!

Resurrection

I.
We are folding boxes.
Empty, white chambers,
spiraling like steeples.
It is so simple,
says Jezebel,
holding an unfolded box in her hand.
Just close your eyes and ask your heart,
she says,
folding another box.

II.
I close my eyes
and dream your lips on my face
rounded in a sighing wet O.
You step out of me--
beguiled by bright fruit
in painted hands.
I ask,
how can you leave
my heart a closed dark place?
It is so simple, you say.

III.
Last night Judas came home
in your place. He sat next to me
at our table. He kissed me,
turning and spilling more than wine.
Just forget the heart, he said.
It is so simple,
to let things in and out,
come and go.

IV.
I close my eyes and imagine Him
stepping down from his cross,
pulling open my chest with split hands
and climbing inside of me
to let bright light shine
from my stigmata-ed heart.
It is that simple.

Today we went to church and the minister called today "Resurrection Day" and I thought of this poem I wrote many years ago. Funny, but to me it means different things now than when I wrote it.

I have pictures from my beach trip, from my Easter. I will post later. Last week's running was dismal-- only 4 days of running and about 25 miles. Oh well, on to next week. Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

PS. April is poetry month.