It is eggs' day today. All households dye their eggs red today. There are two explanations for this. There was a woman who heard that Jesus was resurected, and did not believe it. She was holding a basket with eggs, and said, if a man can come back from death, then surely these eggs can turn red. And ta da! The eggs got red. But the sympolism of the red dyed eggs is really the blood Jesus spilled for humanity. Red eggs symbolise the ultimate sacrifice, and therefore must be done on the day Jesus was crusified.

Eggs used to be dyed only red. And in the old years (and also now, in the modern organic era, where we tend to go back to basic things) they used the outside dry leaves of red onions to paint them. It is a ritual really. First, we are talking about at least 3 dozens of eggs per household. Because the eggs, along with the cookies and the tsoureki's (you cannot imagine how my entire house smells with all these cookies and tsourekis!) fill the baskets. First we boil them hard, and then we dig them on the red paint, take them out one by one, let them dry, and then rub them with a cotton cloth soaked in olive oil, so they get all shiny. More colours were added as the years passed. Yellow, orange, and green, to add the effect of the landscape's awakening for spring. Yellow for the daisies, green for the grass.

Women take flowers and wreaths to church in the evening mass. And today and tomorrow we also take wreaths to the graves of our beloved deseased. After midnight, young girls and women go to the church, and decorate the epitaph all night. Older women murmuring hymns, young girls secretly giggling, an excitement for the priviledge of decorating the epitaph so vibrant in the air.

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And today both Angelos and I started our holidays. And we are going to go soon and see the two appartments I have concluded as being the best to decide which one we are taking. I was really very excited yesterday, I was thinking about decorating and moving and it gave me such a strong feeling of a new start. One appartment has an extra pluss, and this is a very good gym 5 minutes away by foot. If we decide on this one, I will sell the treadmill, use the money to paint the house, and buy a yearly subscription to the gym.Both houses are reshly painted, but all walls are white. I cannot live in a white house. I need colour. Honestly, white walls make me think of mental institutions!

But I have woken up sad this morning. I have lived in this street since 1980. For 25 years I am taking the same route back home. My parents live two houses down the street. I like waking up in the morning in the summer, getting out on the balcony and hearing all these familiar "good morning's".

Of course, I woke up with cramps too, cos I just got my period. Which sort of explains the extra sadness.

Also a part of me is very insecure for leaving here and the proximity to my mother. I keep thinking ... what if something happens again. What if she needs me and I am away. I am really trying to take this step. Besides the few problems we have in this appartment, plus the lack of storage space, and the need for an extra bedroom and big balconies, all these consisting the practical issues for the move, the main reason I have decided to move was that I need to free myself from the fear of my mom needing me again due to sickness. I have to repeat to myself every day that she is fine now and will go on being fine and will live many years more.

Right, I will weigh in tomorrow, just before we leave for the summer house. And I will give you good Friday, the basics of good Saturday too. Easter Sunday was thoroughly described by this article. We will be back on Monday night, and I will take as many photos as I can for you. I will show you the preparation of mageiritsa, the meal we have on saturday after midnight mass, I will take pictures of all the people holding canndles in the church, I will give you as much more of greek easter as I can :)

Cheers for now!