Quite A Challenge...

This is the first time, in my ten years' of teaching, that I will not be having an Easter "holiday." A couple of times I had to work during the first part of Holy Week, and twice before (maybe three times...) I've had to take Maundy Thursday off as unpaid leave so as to be able to attend the Chrism Mass at St. George's Cathedral, but the Triduum has always been part of my school holiday: usually the start, more often the middle. And the Easter Octave has been a joyous celebration, with the luxury of daily Mass.

This year my school has a "Spring Break". Most people still refer to it as the Easter holiday, which has led to some confusion: when I speak of Easter, I mean this coming weekend, whereas most of my colleagues mean the holiday which will occur two weeks later. The phrase "The coursework has to be marked by Easter" takes on a rather different meaning (and caused me to experience near-heart-failure!)

It means that this year I feel totally unprepared for the Triduum and Easter Sunday. Work is continuing apace, instead of slowing down for the holiday. I haven't been able to get myself "geared up" physically and mentally for the private retreat I usually make, and haven't even managed to draw up my timetable in preparation. Tomorrow I have a "twilight Inset" session (two hours after school listening to someone burble on about inconsequential items that would be better off put into a memo... and then shredded.) Wednesday sees an after-school staff meeting. More burbling... though this time it's departmental stuff, and so not a complete waste of time.

So no time to prepare myself. And I am out-of-sorts as a result: caught off-balance, wrong-footed... and I've realised that I don't like it one little bit.

I guess I've been spoiled...