Easter

What a wonderful Easter. I spent time with my sister and BIL today, and we had an absolute Norman Rockwell holiday: their sewer exploded just as the turkey came out of the oven. Dirt and shit and toilet water - everywhere. Forever and ever, amen.

Although I guess most holidays involve both family and shit, so maybe it wasn't that strange. I ended up having so much fun (the laughter that happens when my sister and I get together should really be illegal), and felt a constant sense of gratitude that I'm not alone in Japan this holiday. I feel that every holiday since returning to the States. Today we had Easter baskets and talked at length about how our grandpa used to hide eggs in his yard for us. (They were plastic eggs full of treats (or money!) and they were placed on tiny beds of color-coordinated Easter grass, so that my sister and I would recognize what was meant for us and what was meant for the other.) My sister even did a demonstration of how our mom used to hide jelly beans for us when we were tiny girls in matching shirts and pants with bad haircuts. Minus the shit, it was exactly the kind of holiday I would wish for when I was so isolated in Japan. What a great day.

One year ago my peaceful morning routine was interrupted by total chaos.
Two years ago I was enjoying the brief cherry blossom season.