18:04:14 Good Friday
I went to work this morning determined to make it a good shift. In the last few days before Easter I am proud to say that I have managed to stick to my resolution to give up chocolate for Lent. Giving up a luxury for 46 days is really a first world problem and doesn't go near the sacrifices that some people make but for me it has been my little way to prepare for the celebration of Easter.
The hardest days were at the beginning of Lent. Sians 16th Birthday was only 4 days into Lent and I made her a massive Malteser cake with almost 1 kilo of Maltesers stuck into the thick chocolate ganache that smothered the four layers of chocolate sponge sandwiched with malt frosting. The making of the cake was hard, no licking the spatula or bowl. The hardest was the day itself when I wasn't able to actually have a slice of the cake. The next few days drove me crazy as I shared out the cake with every Tom, Dick and Harry who called past our house until there was none left to taunt me from the cake dome.
Fast forward almost 6 weeks and work is trying to be nice to the staff by putting big bowls of chocolate eggs and chocolate bars around to share. This photo is of just one of the bowls of treats that I had to move to one side each and every time I got out drugs from our safe on my shift. My colleagues offered to hide them from me but I just said to hurry up and eat them so the temptation would be gone!
I turned my back on the chocolates and got to work on my showers. I remembered last nights Mass and I made a big effort to take my time, particularly as I helped to wash and dry feet! I struck up conversations and the stories I was told of romance and dances, marriages and wars, love and loss had me close to tears.
It was a good shift. A Good Friday. Another beautiful ceremony in Church on my way home from work. Another day of contemplation and a day closer to the celebration of Easter.
