EASTER

My brother Phil found this photo from Easter, 1958. At left is my sister, Kate, holding our little brother, Sam. Phil's in the middle, and I am the Easter-basket-holding dweeb on the right. We're standing in the house we grew up in, in Armonk, N.Y. My dad, who probably took this photo,  built most of that house himself. He wasn't a builder; he was a Presbyterian minister who didn't have enough money to hire somebody to build a house, so he sort of learned as he went along. We grew up with lots of unfinished surfaces.

It feels as if this picture was taken a million years ago.

Anyway, happy Easter to all of you. If you're lucky enough to be with family, bear in mind that no matter what it feels like, life is, in fact, mighty short.

Comments

[tropichunt.com guy™]

Wow, is that the first tintype, Dave? No wonder it feels like a million years ago!

Happy Easter/Passover to all!

[wolfie]

Happy Easter Dave and judi and everyone.

[Betsy]

Amen to all of that, Dave. And, just as a reminder of how we get through all that history, the 'eastover' gathering I went to yesterday featured not only brisket and baked ham, but a traditional homemade lamb cake...with curly brown fleece, big dark eyes, and an impeccably iced yarmulke.
Bless everyone who makes us smile or laugh along the way, and all those near and dear to them.

[chrisinmd]

Well said Dave!

Hope everyone can spend time with family and loved ones today.

-Chris

[daisymae]

Dave said: If you're lucky enough to be with family, bear in mind that no matter what it feels like, life is, in fact, mighty short.

I second that, and Happy Easter, Passover or whatever you celebrate to All.

Since I have no family nearby and don't really celebrate Easter (it was a blessing when I stopped having to dye eggs), I'll go get a NY Times and read the paper, today, and check in with the blog to see who's around.

[bbescuela]

So Dave, are those dinosaur eggs?

Happy Easter everyone!

[Lairbo]

Dave, I had no idea that the crapcam was a family heirloom. How'd you get it into a cell phone?

And, yes, life is just too damn short. Too short to focus sharply, anyway.

Betsy, thanks for the "Eastover" notion. It think that me and the NJGSO (Nice Jewish Girl Significant Other) will be celebrating that from now on. We'll be adding peeps and chocholate bunnies, though.

[ArcticAl]

Happy Easter to all and especially Dave and Judy for giving us the joy of laughter. I second what Dave said about family and life being short. Pay attention to the big stuff and forget the little stuff. Twenty years from now it won't matter who said what to whom, or who ate the last piece of pie, because they may be gone when you want to see them. There's a Tim McGraw song that says it best - "Live like you were dying." Because you just might.

[Theresa]

Ditto, Well said Dave. Happy Easter!

[Nora]

As we were dying eggs, my 8-year -old attempted to write 'Easter Rocks' on one. In his finished words, to all of you, "Ester Pakcs!"

:)

[Guin]

Happy Easter/over to one and all, said Tiny Tim.
I never knew Dave had a sister!

[Suzy Q]

Happy Easter, everyone!

*sets out a basket of peeps*

Great pic, Dave.

[Wavey]

Happy Easter, Dave!
Speaking of Presbyterian ministers, I'm off to play in the praise band at my Presbyterian church this morning. See y'all later!

[Schadeboy]

Happy Easter back at you, Dave and Judi! I am unable to be with my family today, due to a business trip. It would have been nice to be able to schedule this some other time, but this really was the best time for me to be out here. I'm about to head to church myself. All things being equal, though, I'd rather deal with the headaches of getting my four children ready for church.

[Eleanor]

*zips in*

Gee Wavey, we used to have a blogit who played in his Presbyterian church band/whatever all the time. I've never seen the 2 of you in the same place - hmmmm, anything you want to tell us???

ArcticAl - Without naming names (my mother) I can speak from personal experience and tell you that YES, there are people who in 20 years will remember EXACTLY what everyone said and will still be mad. Sad, but true.

But that's a great song of Tim McGraw's. CMT just had a special about him last night.
I'm going through a country music phase.

Toby Keith: I may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

Best thing about Easter eggs: Kids can't egg cars with them. And they're pretty colors. :)

[puppytoes]

a lovely sentiment--more meaningful than you can possibly know. thank you...

and may this day be filled with happiness for you and *all* who bring love and joy into your life!

[Lisa Bisa Fo Fisa]

Happy Easter!

Dave, thanks for the photo. Unfinished surfaces are part of what makes life interesting.

To all, have a blessed day.

[ScottMGS]

Nora: "Ester Pakcs" WBAGNFARB's lead singer.

Hey, Dave, when you were standing there with that basket I was about 1000 miles west of you and two weeks old! Now, I'm about 2500 miles west of you and, um, more than two weeks old.

[JT]

Happy Easter to everyone. Thanks, Dave and everybody.

[PirateBoy]

Have joy!

(My new favorite motto)

[O. the U(manity)]

"All life is six-to-five against, just enough to keep you interested."
(Damon Runyon)

Tnx muchly, Dave, Judi, Bloglits ... for keepin' it interesting ...

Yes, Dave, as some philosopher once said, "Life -- ain't hardly any of us gonna get out of it alive ..."

And ... r.e. the "Big stuff/small stuff" ... sometimes whut seems to be "big" really is not .. and the "small" stuff is really whut matters ...

Tnx y'all, and Happy Significant Special Holidays ...

[Bumble]

Happy Easter everyone!

As my parents are in North Carolina, I'll be flying solo today as far as dinner preparations (and everything else) go. Cooking question: must one serve tuna helper in festive plastic eggs today, or can it still be eaten on a plate?

[cebasham]

Bumble, the plate is fine. Especially if you pair your tuna helper with the "canned pear with cloves for eyes, marshmallow tail, and mint leaves for ears, nestled on a lettuce leaf" Now THAT's Easter.

[sharon share-alike]

Happy celebration-of-your-choice and happiness to all you well-wishers. I'll be hanging out with daisymae reading the paper. :)

[Nora]

A plate is fine, but I *love* the idea of scooping tuna helper out of a plastic egg! I might try that myself...

[Kathy P.]

Yep, I'll be sitting with the Sunday Star Ledger and coffee and cinnamon rolls - noon is "morning" for me.

[-American Idle]

I think everyone grows up "with lots of unfinished surfaces." Happy Easter Dave, Judi, and everybody!

[Chuckles]

Man, that could be a picture of me. Your last paragraph says it all, Dave. Thanks for all the laughs in a life that is indeed too short.

[DukeMom]

Amen and amen.

[judi]

happy easter to everyone :)

in case anyone is interested, here's a link to my easter-family-foto (i'm the baby) :)

[FleaBailey]

Dave, that was just lovely. Particularly like the photo--substitute all girls and it would look amazingly like a picture taken of my family, right down to the incredibly unattractive glasses on the middle kid.

You know, you should write something about growing up Presbyterian, and the traumas such face when having to participate in other types of religious services. I'm thinking about guzzling the wine at an Episcopalian communion because all you ever had before was grape juice, or the fact that kneeling is simply physically impossible for the Presbyterian kid who didn't build up knee callouses while growing up. Or feeling like a dork when it's time to "pass the peace" during services, because Presbyterians do nothing but sit and stare at the minister for an hour (with an occasional break to sing a song or do a responsive reading), and NEVER acknowledge their neighbors in the pew. Or being unable to help giggling during a Baptist baptism when the poor schmo gets dunked in that raised open-wall room up above the lectern. (Presbyterians are restrained in baptism, as in all religious rites, and settle for a simple sprinkle of water on the top of the head.)

Huh. Maybe I should write about it.

[insomniac]

i ate the last piece of pie
it was delicious

[wheatonbrando]

He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Happy Easter Dave.

[WriterDude]

I'll go along with what PirateBoy said (and that link will let you have a taste of our morning, almost literally).

Bumble, if you like, I'll ask Mrs. WriterDude/Lester to share the actual recipe with you. I feel the need to offer rescue from Tuna Helper to anyone , plastic eggs or no. ;-)

A happy day to all of you fine folks, at any rate.

[cyn]

as usual, you're right on target, Dave. thanks for being there for all of us. thanks for bringing us all together. (n you were an adorable dweeb;)

Happy Easter!
Happy Passover!

to all our wonderful, loony bloglits.
have a great day, all!

[Dr Alice]

FleaBailey, as a former low Protestant (Disciples of Christ, if anybody cares) and now Episcopalian, I can relate to the cultural differences, and you should indeed write about it.

Happy Easter, all, and have a deviled egg on me.

[Dr Alice]

Oh, and happy Easter Monday, JACK BAUER! Let the ritual Easter shooting of the thigh commence!

[O. the U(manity)]

Bumble -

Not to be negative, but my personal preference r.e. "anything edible mixed with tuna" is ... never ... sorry ... I have a strong dislike for Albacore and all its relatives ... merely sayin' ...

I could however, offer you one of my time-honored recipes, for nearly any dining occasion. One that always works, for me, at least.

Prepare Popcorn.

Eat.

Dish up Ice Cream.

Eat.

Note: the order of the menu may be altered to suit one's personal preferences.

[WriterDude]

Oops, I got clumsy with the cut-&-paste, leaving out the following:

Dave, Mrs. Blog, Sophie and Judi: a very happy Eastover to you, too. (I like that a lot but can't remember who gets credit -- El? Betsy? My apologies.) And Dave, your words ring true, even if my in-laws sometimes prove Larry Miller's Theory of Relativity ("Time seems to go by more slowly when you're with your relatives.") to be true.

[Eleanor]

judi, you're adorable! Both then and now, IMO. :)

Bumble, paper plates but the good ones, not the cheapo's that you have to use 2 of...

OH, BTW Bumble, are we on Spring Break? I just want to know if I should be drinking rum and coke every day.

[daisymae]

Great picture, judi!

Bumble...Easter dinner for me is leftover cold pizza [don't worry, I like cold pizza. If I wanted it warm, I'd stick it in the microwave. :)]

Fleabailey -- you should definitely write about it.

[Wavey]

Eleanor -- Well, I don't know who the other praise-band-playing bloglit is, but the more the merrier, I say!

We had a good service this morning. And I only hit one bum note :)

[Hullabaloo]

Wavey, don't worry about that bum note. As I recall from my days in college praise choir, "make a joyful noise ...!" He has to have an advanced sense of humor - He made us!

This bein' Texas, my Easter dinner was bbq brisket, potato salad and ice cream. Mm-m-m. I'm still lickin' my lips.

Happy Day to all!

[Kafaleni]

*sob, sniff*

{{Dave n judi n families}}

Happy Easter, guys!

[Bumble]

Thanks for all the food advice. Now that I'm up from my nap, I'll do what I was going to do all along: eat tuna helper on a china plate. With a snowman on it.

El~ My spring break was last month. I spent the whole week working. But drink whatever you want. :-) And remind me to send you dimwit's comments on the last brief. It got 47/50.

Wavey~ Join the club. The praise band at my church is essentially disbanded since the person who started it (and the only one playing an instrument) moved away. But I sang Via Dolorosa this morning with CD accompaniment. Miss the guitarist. Hoping I didn't sound as shaky as I felt.

daisymae~ That reminds me. I need to eat my leftover barbecue-chicken 'n bacon pizza before it goes bad. Does that go well with tuna helper?

*wanders off to find out*

[MoFaux]

It's true, who's gonna remember what was said years ago?....That's why I write it all down now!...I'm spending today with all my nieces and nephews, parents, brother and sister, in laws, five dogs and two cats.Gorgeous spring weather in Atlanta. Happy Easter everybody~

[puppytoes]

Judi! you were a doll *then*, girlfriend, and you're a doll now! i hope your day is every bit as special as *you* are! : D

[Annie Where-but-here]

Oh, my - that photo brings back memories. Only I had bright blue cat's eye glasses. We'd all hold up our baskets for the camera, like stern hunters with a fresh kill.
We grew up a little further up the Hudson from Armonk, in Rhinebeck. And my dad ALSO built our house. I thought everyone had bumpy plaster walls and unpredictable plumbing.
Jeez, now I gotta find the number to my therapist....happy Easter, everyone!

[southerngirl]

Dave, you are so not a dweeb! and we love you anyway. ;)

judi - you're such a cutie!!

i ate the last piece of pie
it was delicious

Posted by: insomniac | 01:06 PM on April 16, 2006

*snork*

FleaB - yes, you should write about it!

U.O, I luv your menu - reminds me of Snoopy's on a CB Thanksgiving. :)

and to sum it up, I agree with PirateBoy:

HAVE JOY!!

[Annie Where-but-here]

THIS JUST IN - my 7-year-old has informed me that "the Easter Bunny is a FAKE, because some of the stuff I got is from Vons, and they don't let rabbits in there."

[O. the U(manity)]

ANNIEANNIEANNIE!!!

ROTFLMAO!!!

Kids ... ya gotta love 'em ... (or, sometimes you'd do some not so nice things to 'em ... but only if you're maladjusted to the extreme ...)

[Lisa Bisa Fo Fisa]

Happy Easter Judi!

[Lisa Bisa Fo Fisa]

Annie-What's Vons and what have they got against rabbits?

[Bumble]

Lisa~ I googled. Apparently it's a grocery store. As to what they might have against rabbits, I can only guess. Recipes for rabbit stew perhaps?

[Lmd33]

Happy Easter and Passover to all who celebrate. Life does go fast, and excelerates with the years, but if you're living it the way you want to, you won't mind so much.

[Hanna]

puppytoes, seems I remember you work in hospice. I would like to say thanks to those who do this work and check your back for wings...

[Lisa Bisa Fo Fisa]

Bumble-Good point--the Easter Bunny would NOT want to be stewed on Easter! At least not until AFTER all the eggs were distributed. ;-)

[Jemmy]

Happy easter. Happy passover. Happy spring. Have joy.

I too am having tuna today, I am not a creative cook and since my usual staples are verboten for pesach, I'm turning to spinach salads and That Mercury Fish.

[puppytoes]

hanna... you're so sweet--and i *wish* i deserved that kind of praise, but i don't work in a hospice (tho' i am forever a fan of those who *do*!)...i think the one who deserves your praise is "punkin poo" (it's the silly "p" names... they'll get ya everytime!) but that was a lovely thought... (i suspect punkin' actually *does* have wings but i'm guessin' she'd never admit it to any of us!) thank you for helping us all remember folks--like punkin'--who truly make a difference! : D

[puppytoes]

and, Happy Happy Joy Joy! to one and all! : D

[Hanna]

Once when I was working in a church office, I put the newspaper religion editor into shock--asking for a notice on a charismatic Baptist church having a Presbyterian guest speaker. Some people don't understand that we are truly all family.

Cool pix, thanks for sharing them with us.

Happy Easter/Passover/Spring celebrations!

[Kilmeny]

Happy Easter all. That picture reminds me of ones with my sisters and me. Apparently my mother loved plaid pants, because that's all you ever saw us in. There are entire photo albums of the three of us looking like refugees from the Bay City Rollers.

[Meanie the Blue]

Thank you Dave and Judi, for sharing the obviously fond memories you are having of your early family days. Such pictures are treasures that increase in value every day, because life is indeed short for even those with the greatest longevity.

It's great that you take the time to look at and savor them.

A slightly belated Happy Easter and Passover, and East/Over (SNORK, Betsy) to all my bloglit friends, even Insomniac, who ate the piece of pie I was eyeing.

[southerngirl]

Happy Easter back at ya, Blue!

*snork!*

For Blue and Insom, with Joy!

[Betsy]

Meanie the Blue...*blush* Thanks for 'membering the origin of "Eastover". Writer types tend to have gigantic yet hideously fragile egos, so when something actually works, we get all crazy and possessive. You saved me from having to sue Dan Brown, or Christopher Marlowe, or somebody.
I just got home from a festive Easter dinner with my mom and dad at their retirement community; couldn't help thinking about all the years of history and memories and joys and sorrows filling that dining room. Bless all those friends and family who chose to spend the heart of the holiday with the oldest members; and bless everyone who works in places where care is given to those who can no longer 'do' for themselves.
And another thank you and blessing to everyone who makes us smile and snork, especially Dave and Judi and all y'all. Lots of good people here:)

[Meanie the Blue]

Note to Betsy -
1) you're welcome
2) get those memories down as much as you can. I'm a genealogy buff, but only since the last few years, and I can't tell you how much I regret not, to be somewhat flip about it, squeezing the geezers (the ones even older than me, that is) for every precious tidbit. Though it may seem an imposition to press the older folk for details, I've found they love telling the old tales and being taken an interest in. (sorry, Sharon S-A, amateur prep ending there)
3) 3 went out for a drink
4) 4 went out to find 3)
5) you'll need to get in line to sue Dan Brown, from what I understand.
6) 6 reports that 3 and 4 have the following to say: Happy Easssshter and Merry Passhhover, and where's the bathroom?

[sharon share-alike]

Wow, blue...you really DO like lists. :) And don't worry about the prep-ending, though be careful...too much of that sort of thing is something up with which you should not put.

[Meanie the Blue]

I have been known to list often, though usually upon emerging from drinking establishments, and most often to the left.

Are you related to Winston Churchill, SS-a?

[kj]

You guys (and gals) have made my day! I've been sitting around feeling sorry for myself because my baby daughter, who not 10 minutes ago, I swear, was a 2-year-old wearing a frilly Easter dress and finding eggs, is now living 1300 miles away with her husband. Thanks for bringing a little sunshine into what was turning into a kind of bleak day. Happy Easovering!

[Annie Where-but-here]

kj - thanks - I just emailed some Easter pix to my folks, 3,000 miles away. See, it works both ways!
btw - I explained to my son that the Easter Bunny can use Von's handy 'Order from home via the Internet.' And they deliver! Luckily he didn't ask how a rabbit could have a credit card or sign for the delivery....

[O. the U(manity)]

ANNIEANNIEANNIE ...

Oh, my!

It gets even better ... tnx muchly for the laffs ...

(or how a rabbit could do the keyboarding with those furry little paws ... very slowly, one presumes, unless the rabbit is able to use the tips of its ears to do the keys, somewhut like archy the cockroach ...)

[queensbee]

i love Eastover!!!! even tho i am mostly a pesach type... easter is now part of my life too. but i can dispense with the bunnies and stufff.....unless they are chocolate. a time of year rich in everybody's traditions. happy eastover dave.

[Kev]

Happy Easter/Passover to all (I like that "Eastover" concept for mixed households, btw), and happy birthday to my Mom...the two days coincide this year!

[Edgar Greenberg]

Best thing about Easter eggs: Kids can't egg cars with them. And they're pretty colors. :)

Oh yeah? Take this. Crash. Hey, you're right.

[Pablo]

Dave, Judi - oh, so cute. Dave, I hear you - I look at my old pics and the memories come flowing back. Don't you sometimes want to roll the clock back, and be that age again?

A belated happy Easter to all!

(now back to taxes...grumble, grumble, grumble)

[Bill Kimbel]

Tuna Helper on a festive occasion cries out for a covering of your favorite cheese, then a few minutes under the oven broiler, thus making it a casserole!

(Note that you can also use this dodge when you need to bring a "covered dish" to a party.)

[cloturemonkey]

All my plastic eggs have silly putty in them.

[TRCunning]

I love how the faces are pixelized to protect your siblings' identities.