Easter's almost on us and we couldn't get our normal table for lunch at the pub, which caused a few grumbles.  The better weather had brought families out in droves and they didn't care whose table they sat at.  Four of us have grandchildren but the loss of that table seemed like a personal affront.  Still we found another and eventually settled down.  I tend to be the quiet member of the group and just soak up comments to help me to write the blog. 


    Adrian's a bit of an intellectual and he had a few things to say about the holiday.  Easter celebrates the resurrection but since it can vary between March 22 and April 25 it can be confusing.  Paddy suggested that maybe there were several comings to give more people a chance to see it; an early  marketing ploy to push up the audience numbers to get more believers.  More impressive was the fact that they only had a rock as a prop, but I bet marketing still managed to blow the entire budget!  I once heard a theory about a third coming, this one in disguise as a man called Harry Houdini.  Once you've learned the escape techniques and had an audience, it's hard to give it up.


    Many traditions have grown up around Easter - eggs, cards, bunnies - supported by the church and all the major supermarkets.  They like a decent religious festival do supermarkets.  There's a rumour the supermarkets have been in discussion with the church about inventing a new festival but we're not convinced chocolate choirboys will sell to a mass market. 


    The tradition Sam has adopted comes from Slovakia.  On Easter Monday men spank women with a special hand made whip called a Pomlazka.  The whip is made by binding together 24 withies - willow rods to those of you not from Norfolk.  The legend says that women need to be spanked in order to keep their health and beauty for the following year.  To show their thanks for the spanking, women are required to give a present of a coloured egg to the man who does the deed.  To help the economy, a well known budget airline has organised low cost flights from the UK to Slovakia on Good Friday.  The flights land in Poland from where you take a six hour coach trip to your destination.
    Sam has posted a note on his church noticeboard offering his services, own Pomlazka provided.  To date the only name on the list is that of the vicar.


    According to Jez, the largest Easter Egg ever made was reputed to stand over 25 feet high and weighed over 8000 pounds - we still talk old money to.  It was built of chocolate and marshmallow and supported by an internal steel frame.  Rumour has it that the designer was a dentist.