Day 41 (and 42): Celebrating being alive
Easter #2
Good things come in twos and, let’s face it, we’ve all lost count of the days, so I can put any number I want in the title and you will probably believe me (and I will also believe myself). Anyway, just in case you were wondering, it’s Sunday.
Yesterday I took some time to appreciate the power of Voltaren, the cream that became an essential part of my party kit when I turned 30, and is also enhancing life in quarantine. Learning to appreciate the little things now includes the ability to sit on a chair without feeling every muscle in my back creak.
It was another uneventful weekend in quarantine, beyond the fact that it was Easter #2. I didn’t even go on my balcony. We also discussed the thickness of the neighbour’s balcony, who has been spending a lot of time on it recently and has developed a nice tan. You know you’ve spent a lot of time in self-isolation when you start noticing things like balcony thickness and the effectiveness of a stranger’s sunbathing.
I did, however, wake up before 10 AM this morning to start preparing lunch, one of the milestones of this past month, and yet another sign that I am officially entering middle age. Like most occasions, the real way of celebration is food, and let’s just say I’ve been celebrating being alive a lot lately.
One of the Easter traditions we have in Cyprus is lighting massive bonfires on the Saturday night before Easter Sunday. There is some symbolism behind this, namely burning a ragged doll that sits at the top of the fire and resembles Judas.
This year, of course, such activities were banned. However, rebellious youngsters persisted on secretly celebrating the resurrection and maintaining part of the old tradition by lighting firecrackers, an activity which is not only extremely loud but occasionally also results in said youngsters accidentally blowing themselves up. This of course removes some of the stealthiness, but when you’ve blown some of your fingers off I’m sure being fined is less of a concern than being fine.
The great news is that in Lombardy we are now only two weeks away from the infamous Phase 2, the details of which will probably be planned after it starts. I hope by then I will have digested.
Lunch: Lamb kleftiko with potatoes, tzatziki, and salad
Song of the day: The Doors - Light My Fire