Amy came over to DC for Easter, and we spent the sunny part of the weekend hopping about Washington, looking at medieval Italian works and Dutch landscapes and portraits at the National Gallery, hiking up and down a half-mile of the Melvin Hazen Trail in Rock Creek Park, and browsing through PetCo for catnip and a brine shrimp net.

Easter Sunday itself dawned gray and rainy. I came to church an hour early for choir practice, and glided through two excerpts from Handel’s Messiah: “Since By Man Came Death” and the Hallelujah Chorus (natch), and Sydney Carter’s Lord of the Dance. (Ugh — that is an “ugh” I will explain some other time, no offense intended to the recently deceased composer.)

After worship, we joined the young adults for a smorgasbord brunch hosted by Rob. Not long after, Amy and I joined my aunt and uncle for Easter dinner with relatives in Arlington, where we feasted on bacalao and rice as my 89-year-old great-aunt regaled us with stories of my ancestors.

A great Easter weekend, despite the wet weather. The rain continues even tonight, as I see to a host of web chores and get things in order for the possible birth of a teeny-tiny business venture.

Meanwhile, I see that Joel has whipped out a spiffy new design, and TA-TA-TARATA-TAAA, TA-TA-TARATA-TAAAAAA!!!