Dear MF Diary,

Now we are totally dominated by pox. We have been alternating between praying and sacrificing virgins. What started as a “light” case ramped up to be one of those in-the-mouth and everywhere else cases. The whining has ramped up to the point that she’s not capable of asking for things nicely, she just increases the volume until we give up the goods.

I talked to someone at my big kid’s school about some auction stuff on Friday, and she asked me how Strudel was doing. “Two more kids out today,” she said. “And they both got the vaccine.” Maybe it’s special Asia Pox, and I personally met patient zero.

I forgot that Teh Draeded Poxe is more than just itchy spots–it’s muscle aches too. Human beings can get some pretty gnarly stuff. Strudel’s new name, just for today, is The Poxtator.

Yesterday we had friends over for a dinner that wasn’t really Easter dinner, but was pretty fancy anyway. We had my kid’s teacher over, some cool perps, and some Daniel. Our friends helped The Poxtator choose colors for her eggs. And this year we actually had enough red to go around, unlike last year. I’m sorry that Franny wasn’t here, but we are going to give her the option to do it again with us after she gets back. What the hell. We likes egg salad.

I was pleased to discover that they were all pretty into dying eggs. I have discovered you can get people into a lot of things they haven’t done for years if you provide the materials and make it so the mess is at your house.

[In a completely unrelated note to myself: stock up on vinyl shower curtains and baby oil.]

Companion spent some time reading about egg-decorating techniques in Europe, and he discovered that wax resist is used a lot. He got out a tea light and started spattering an egg, dipped it, removed a layer, and then dipped it in another color. I like his flame job egg. I declare it the winner.

You may be shocked to learn I made a lamb roast. I wanted the meal to taste very springy. I made a couple of salads: a heartier panzanella with beans, feta, olives, onions, fennel, and fresh croutons, and a lettuce salad with a kick-ass dressing that was three parts cream and 1 part stone-ground mustard. I also quick-pickled some radishes. Please do not come to my house if you afraid of oh noes calories.

I made a carmelized banana tart for dessert, after completely bogoing an apple tart earlier. It looked a lot like this, but I didn’t use this recipe. Daniel, in his usual way of making something hilarious and disgusting at the same time, started referring to it as sausage pie. He piped down after he tasted it, though.

At the end of the night after everyone else had gone home, Daniel ran downstairs to check the bus schedule.

“Heeey, I’m about to get my Vista cherry popped,” he declared as he opened Firefox. I had to get a picture of that historic moment, which made him laugh.

I hope Hester Prynne was gentle with him.