Brunchy food and Easter people

Everyone has a favorite holiday.

Call me Scrooge if you like, but Christmas is definitely not mine. People are cold and tired and overworked (so they are caught up when they return from "holidays") and in search of the elusive "perfect gift" for everyone they hold near and dear while smiling what they hope is an unfrazzled version of what they are feeling. Yes I know, I'm a Scrooge.

I think Easter might be my favorite because it is the exact opposite. Three days of friends and family (punctuated by the occasional road trip) mellowed by warm sun and fresh fruit where forks and fingers are perfectly acceptable to be used interchangeably. Getting started on "spring cleaning" but not feeling the same crunch of a deadline for cleanliness imposed by Christmas. Add liquid carbs made crunchy on the griddle and delicious candies hidden in your gym shoes and you have the perfect weekend. (Thanksgiving is a close second but the traffic is a little crazier and all candy is kept in plain sight).

For me, this weekend was a combination of the sweet and the bittersweet (yes, chocolate is included).

• A trip to "back home" where some people are recognizable, others are vaguely familiar and people will chat but will not use names for fear of saying the wrong one. Babies are kissed, compared and held awkwardly.

• Bike rides. Dog walks. Dog rides. (Two of these happened. You decide which.)

• Lunch in town only to find my favorite Japanese restaurant has gone out of business. (Small towns in Saskatchewan are hard on Japanese restaurants - or any specialty restaurants, for that matter, excluding restaurants where the specialty involves ground beef)

• Lunch at a hamburger-specialized restaurant.

• Fruit cut in finger-sized pieces.

• Time to read. (I can sense a few book reviews on the horizon)

• Time to write.

• Time for homework. (What's a nerd without a little homework)

• A tour of my niece's Bieber wall.

• Being read Dr. Seuss books.

• My sister's homemade olive relish.

• Homemade wine and silly chatter.

With weekends likes this, you can hardly blame me if you catch me saying, "Bah, humbug," next December.

Are there any weekend highlights you would like to share?