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April, 2010 | Janice Scott's Blog - Part 2

A Japanese BBQ

Easter Day with all the family was wonderful. We all ate too much chocolate, and I continue to do so. What’s the point of retiring if you can’t get fat?

On Monday, Ed and I went car hunting. Since our car is well over ten years old and beginning to be a rust bucket, we thought it was time to change. We wandered across the road (literally) to nosey around the local car dealer’s, and found a Nissan Almeira SE automatic which should serve us nicely for a few years. It’s an automatic, which was what we wanted, and should get more to the gallon than our present Vauxhall Omega automatic, which drinks petrol. We pick it up on Thursday.

Then our son and younger daughter came over and transported us into Norwich, where there was a French street market going on. That was fun, wandering up and down the stalls, looking at the goods. I was tempted to buy some Roquefort cheese, but in the end decided against it since there would only be Ed and me to eat it all.

The youngsters were anxious to take us to a Japanese BBQ restaurant. I didn’t know such a thing existed, but it does. Each table has an electric grill set into it. You choose your dish and it’s delivered to the table cut into tiny, bite-sized strips, which you then barbecue at the table to your satisfaction. The rice and the Miso soup come already cooked, thank goodness. Actually, it was quite fun, and I think a very sociable way of eating.Pity I’d downed two hot cross buns and half an Easter egg before venturing out…

Yesterday’s funeral went well, and the weather stayed dry, which is an added bonus as you stand at the graveside.

Just a wedding rehearsal tomorrow night, a funeral on Friday, a wedding on Saturday and three services on Sunday, and I return to being retired. I hope.

Four weddings and a funeral..

Well, not quite. But I have picked up two funerals and a wedding for next week.

All the stipendiary clergy take the week after Easter off, understandably since Lent and Holy Week are extremely demanding, and even English churches still tend to be full on Easter Day. But it means the clergy need cover for the week, which is where we retired clergy come into our own.

The two funerals are generating a lot of sadness. In both cases, the couple were about to move to a new house in a neighbouring parish, and in both cases the widows have decided to go ahead, so each funeral is in the new parish.

I shall be glad of the wedding next Saturday to lighten my mood. Funny how funerals somehow get into your blood, after a time. It’s as if you absorb some of that raw emotion which is flying around. Still, if any time of year can be said to be a good time for a funeral, perhaps this is it. It does bring the Easter message home in a very powerful way, unlike any other, and the churches will be filled with all the glory of the Easter flowers.

Meanwhile, the family are descending tomorrow from all quarters of the land, for Easter lunch cooked by Mum and Dad – and chocolate galore!

I can’t wait!

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