But first on Monday we also got the email from our Trip Leader Randy, introducing himself, giving us info how we can reach him if we have questions and when he would call us. We always get a call since we are multi-time repeating travelers. Attached to the email was already helpful information. We had 2 "big" questions (about the train from Brussels to Antwerp and 1-night hotel in Antwerp) and they were also already answered. All an excellent start.
Tuesday and Wednesday James and I were very busy with all the arrangements for the Seder Meal at church. After experiencing one in Gilbertsville at KY Lake with Pastor Will we had arranged one here 3 years ago. Some church friends kept asking for us to do it again. Lee was all for it this year.
39 had signed up. I had to print and bind some more booklets. Go shopping. Prepere some of the special things needed for the celebration. Otherwise it was a potluck. I was very touched that some of our members even had consulted with the internet to make and bring more seder traditional food.
Amazon came through for me. Trip Leader Randy had suggested to have some item of very orange (Dutch colors) in our luggage. A wooly cap? ....
...and a fascinator.
Thursday was pedicure day. Need to be ready to walk the walks. Well yes ... Dutch colors again.
Thursday I also got the surprise from my Bergina. Lovely flowers.
And it was a really good walking day. We ended up finally having 10,000+ steps again. Yeah!
And I finally spyed a flower on my lilly-of-the-valley.
The Maundy Thursday service at 7 pm of course is always very moving with the stripping of the Alter.
Good Friday tradition usually calls for hot cross buns but they were all sold out quickly. The nice lady told us that they had Easter bread left which basically was the same, just a different shape and not white cross. Well, here in the USA they mostly use sweet icing/frosting instead the plain flour and water so this Easter bread was a good alternative for us.
Note to Christa: next year homebaked Hot Cross Buns again!!!
Service of the Station of the Cross was at 6 pm outside in the Memorial Garden, followed by Good Friday service at 7 pm.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning we finally started thinking about what we needed for our trip. Clothes were sorted, washed, or even sorted out. Amazing what you find when you start systematically.
And things needed to be used up out of the refrigerator.
Not to start cooking something new we met with Martha and Jerry at Kickback Jack's at 5:15pm. James had Fish and Chips which he really liked because it was done with flounder fillet. I had the New Orleans Pasta which was a little spicy and very tasty. But we were done too quickly and too early at the church. We all had thought that the service was at 7 pm like all the others. There were plenty of friends there though to chat with.
Saturday service is very special too. It started at 8 pm with the lighting of the fire from which the large candle is lit. The one who carries it to the altar area stops three times and sings "the Light of Christ".
Sarah, Wade and the boys joined us on Sunday for the Easter service. Afterwards we had pictures taken with our phones. And it started raining.
Afterwards James and I went quick to our house to change and then to Midlothian. We were invited to lunch. We chatted with the children especially about there spring break trip and it was all very nice.
And then it was time for us to say our good-byes because we had to get serious about packing now.
