As Easter Sunday approaches my family back in Texas is preparing, what might possibly be, the state’s largest Fish Fry. It is an Easter Sunday tradition. The men (and some of the more-skilled lady folk) take to the river and fish to their heart’s content. Sometimes, in particularly “slow” years, we supplement their fishing-frenzy with store-bought goods, and, actually, this year, I hear they are buying it all…(shhh…don’t tell my Maw Maw, ok)??

I actually find it a tad ironic we have fish on Easter. Most of us are Catholic (hence the big ‘ole family gatherings), and have committed ourselves to nothing but fish for the last six Fridays. Yet, we always have fish for Easter Sunday. Well, to be completely honest, we’ve tried other things. BBQ didn’t cut it, it is too hot for Gumbo or Chili, and an old-fashioned “covered dish” just doesn’t do the taste buds right on this day…so, we went back to fish, and I doubt we’ll ever look back.

I sure am going to miss that this year.

After the fish fest we hide brightly, if not so delicately, painted eggs. There are so many kiddos, we do two runs. We hide eggs out in the open for “the little kids,” then hide ‘em hard(er) for “the bigger kids.” Sometimes we help the kids look for the eggs that we hid, but even that is in vain, since the Easter Egg Hunt is always in the same area of my grandparent’s yard, and the eggs find themselves in the same crevices year after year. (Did I mention there is nothing else to do in Honey Island?)

We walk around with each other, we take pictures, we eat chocolate bunnies before they melt in the Texas sun. The kids re-hide and re-hunt, re-hide and re-hunt, until the eggs are all cracked and split and full of dirt.

Ahhh…memories…

Two years ago Easter fell on March 27. In the early morning hours of that Sunday, my 24-year-old cousin, Lee, was involved in a fatal alcohol-related accident. Although I know my aunt and uncle will never recover, and will probably never look at Easter with the same enthusiasm, I was never more proud of my family. The way we came together to help those most affected. The kids didn’t whine or complain about the Easter Egg hunt, although I am pretty sure someone went outside and hid some eggs for them…We cooked, we cleaned, we answered the phone…Everyone found a role to play, and it worked.

This year won’t be the first Easter I’ve been away from home, or undoubtedly the last, but I’m going to miss everyone the same.

Admittedly, I don’t know much about Italian Easter celebrations (other than the fact you buy palm leaves on Palm Sunday). But, yesterday I received my first Nerf football-sized chocolate Easter egg as a present from one of my English students. The packaging boasted a “sorpresa” hidden inside…I couldn’t wait! I toyed with the notion of waiting for Peppe and enjoying the egg with him. After all, couples should share things, right? But, then I started to think about it, and, the bible doesn’t say anything about sharing chocolate, so I figured I was in the clear on this one.
I opened the plastic wrap to find a giant dark brown egg sitting in a clear plastic cup.

“Hmmm…,” I thought, “Is this plastic, too?” I thumped it.

I picked up the egg and tried to turn it. Nope. It won’t turn.

“Is this chocolate,” I thought to myself?

“No, it can’t be…it isn’t melting in my hand.” (I took the M&M commercials to heart.)

I pressed once again with my thumb in an attempt to twist the egg in half and low and behold – a piece broke off…

The whole giant over-sized egg was a chocolate fantasy.

I punched inward with my thumb two, three, four more times. It kept flaking off…Finally, I see a plastic container inside the egg…My SURPRISE! And, there, ladies and gents, inside that chocolate wonder were 4 pieces of Perugia’s finest…

YOU BHOYS SUITS; NEW LOOK AS CLUB GET DESIGNER MAKEOVER Celtic take on Ralph Lauren as first official outfitters in 123 years.(News) site ralph lauren coupon

Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland) April 11, 2011 Byline: Samantha Booth THESE are the first pictures of Celtic’s latest club suit – designed by none other than top New York fashion house Ralph Lauren.

The football club and designer have entered a partnership which sees Ralph Lauren as Celtic’s exclusive official outfitter, their first in their 123-year history.

The partnership was formed after the club and design house realised they had a shared sense of history.

Celtic won the European Cup in 1967, the first British team to do so, in the same year the Polo Ralph Lauren label was established.

And Celtic star Freddie Ljungberg certainly looks dapper in the sleek grey suit with green and white tie.

Ralph Lauren’s Glasgow-born President for Europe Brian Duffy, who was also appointed a non-executive director of Celtic FC last year, said: “We are more than delighted with how it has all turned out. The guys look great in Ralph Lauren suits in Celtic colours.

“It has been a big exercise to do this, getting the guys measured, the suits made perfectly, and fitted.

“But it has been worth it and we look forward to seeing them out representing the club and the brand very well.

“Celtic are always looking to see ways in which they can improve the Celtic brand, the appeal of the brand and the image. The most obvious thing was that when the players are out in Scotland or on international duty for the club, they looked the part. site ralph lauren coupon

“It is not a new thing for designers to make football club suits. Plenty of others have done it, so it seemed an obvious way for Celtic to do the same thing.

“I have to say I always think the Rangers players and management team look incredibly smart in their navy blazers and club ties.” Ralph Lauren is known for making stylish but classic suits for men – which is why the design house avoided the kind of flashy suits footballers have become known for in recent years.

Brian, who started work for Ralph Lauren in 2003 and who oversaw the recent opening of their Glasgow store, said: “The remit for the suit was a typical Ralph Lauren one of contemporary elegance.

“The suits are Ralph Lauren Black Label, a slimmer fit and ideal for athletes in great shape.

“We absolutely wanted to avoid the classic overly-flash footballer look with the big wide tie which doesn’t co-ordinate with the suit. Not that I think that would even be possible at Ralph Lauren.

“We took lots of photographs of the players in the suits and Freddie was just one of many who looked really, really good.” The Celtic players will get the chance to wear their Ralph Lauren creations next weekend for the first time at their Scottish Cup semi-final with Aberdeen at Hampden Park.

Brian said: “It will be great for us all to see the boys get on and off the bus in their suits.” Celtic’s partnership with Ralph Lauren certainly has the support of the club’s management team. Chief executive Peter Lawwell said: “Celtic and Ralph Lauren are both quality institutions which enjoy worldwide reputations”.

And manager Neil Lennon added: “The new suits are fantastic. I personally feel it is important the players are as smart as possible at all times when they represent the club and thanks to Brian Duffy and Polo Ralph Lauren, this will certainly be the case.” While the Celtic team couldn’t fail to look smart and stylish in their new suits, it is possible for football teams to get their club suits very wrong on occasion.

Who can forget the Liverpool team arriving at Wembley Stadium for their cup final clash against Manchester United in 1996, wearing outfits which resembled barber’s poles? They won, but most people couldn’t stop laughing at their suits, which were white Armani numbers matched with a white shirt and a red and white striped tie.

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FLASH: Jamie Redknapp in the notorious Liverpool suit. Left, Brian Duffy SHARP: The Celtic squad show off their new outfits STYLE: Freddie Ljungberg cuts a dash in his suit