Day 298 (24 April 2011) – The Bells of Easter

As I understand it, the bells in France have been silent since Thursday, having flown to Rome to hook up with the Pope or something. They returned today to ring out loud and strong, and have brought chocolate for the children. Anything that involves chocolate can’t be all bad, I’m sure, in God’s or anyone’s eyes. So Chloe & Ella woke this morning (or was it this afternoon – Ella IS still recuperating from her trip to London, after all) to find some bell-shaped chocolate waiting for them, as well as a few egg-shaped pieces. How Chloe still qualifies as a child, I’m not sure. I mean she’s considered old enough to legally drink here. And there was no bell-shaped chocolate waiting for me this morning, or even this afternoon for that matter.

I know, I know. I’ve got to get over myself. Chloe will always be my child…

To learn more about the Easter traditions of France I strongly recommend you spend a few minutes listening to that well-known American cultural anthropologist, David Sedaris. He can explain it all better than I can, as he does in this excerpt from the outstanding radio program “This American Life.”