It really was a Good Friday.

I took the time yesterday to fully realise how much I love Easter. I’m not a religious person and it hasn’t even been much of a family time for us traditionally. This Good Friday, however, I took my own advice. I slowed down. Thanks to the kindness of BP and the surprising compliance of Little Fearse I even slept in. Until 11 o’clock! BP noticed that not only was I moving slower yesterday, I was even speaking slower. Flipping through a recipe book was more like wading through a recipe book. I enjoyed every single moment of the day.

I noticed that the clouds in the sky hung particularly low and grey and made no shapes. I visited the garden and picked some flowers for our dinner table. I even did a little weeding. Maybe it’s because I have a daughter now, but Good Friday (and Easter in general) just feels like such a special time. It’s a time to spend together. No shops are open – I couldn’t even pick up a lemon for dinner. I visited my parents and grabbed one of theirs instead. I liked that.

We live in a fairly quiet neighbourhood, only really rowdy during school hours as we’re directly opposite a high school. Yesterday our street was full of cars visiting family and friends but the quiet that is normally present was muffled over again. It was like a soft blanket of peace had settled over our little valley.

My brother and parents came for dinner and it was perfect. The food was delicious (vodka steamed mussels are always a highlight), the conversation was effervescent, Little Fearse was entertaining and incredibly obliging of a later than usual night.

I did things yesterday – I made pancakes for breakfast (if you can call 1pm breakfast) and made my own bread rolls for the first time. I dropped off invitations in mail boxes and folded nappies. But I did it all so slowly that I enjoyed it, instead of feeling that frenzy of list ticking productivity I’d usually feel.

I like this slow pace. I like the things I noticed about yesterday and the things I had time to do because I wasn’t rushing. I stretched the hours and minutes of the day to suit my needs. It was a beautiful day, a memorable day.

Mamaxox