Most mornings, I am up before the birds. I get up in the dark and usually can hear the birds slowly waking up and talking their bird talk.

This morning, although I could have slept in, was no exception. We've had our windows open the past few days and it's been nice to get the house aired out. To blow away the stale winter air, to get rid of the cold germs that have been in the house for the past month or so. Having the windows open though, this morning, made me aware of how quiet the neighbourhood is at this time of the day. I suspect that it's not ordinarily this quiet on a Saturday morning and that the silence is because we are in the middle of a holiday weekend. Our garbage, normally picked up on Friday morning, will be picked up this morning. At any time now I can expect to hear the clanging and banging of the recycling truck and the bright orange garbage truck from up the block.

I'm kind of happy to be up early though. I have a lot of stuff to do today and the earlier I get started at it, the less chance I will have of being swept up in the insanity of the easter weekend shopping crowds. I honestly don't get why folks get their shit all in a knot about it. Most people I know (and let's face it, most folks in general) are not truly religious people. There are certainly exceptions, my parents for example, who are actually devoted to their church. They are there at least once a week, more often than not, several times a week attending mass in addition to volunteering there. Folks like my parents though are in the minority. Most folks who claim to be "christian" use Easter and Christmas as excuses to 1. shop; 2. dress their kids up and parade them around and 3. pretend, for a two days a year, that they are good and holy people. I find it all amusing, the hypocrisy of it all. It used to infuriate me but it doesn't anymore. It's like that old line, "I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused." Amused takes up a lot less of my energy than disgusted does.