Easter is coming! A holiday tale

Easter is coming.

I have to admit that now that I am no longer:

• enrolled in parochial school, or;
• a resident of Puerto Rico, which is mostly Catholic;

somehow, Lent and Easter seem to be under-emphasized. Heck, I never even heard of the tradition of Easter baskets until after my child was born.

Anyway, this upcoming Sunday, my mother-in-law and uncle-in-law will come to celebrate Easter. This year, it will be a low-key affair. We are just one step above ordering pizza and fighting over the toppings.

Last Thanksgiving, I also hosted the family dinner. And this time, the good china had to be washed and actual food had to be prepared. Even though the turkey and fixings were purchased and only needed reheating, still I had to rig a pizza pan on top of a rectangular pan because I lack a roasting pan. There was also the matter of my African peanut butter soup (check allrecipes.com for the recipe). It is delicious, but requires peeling, chopping, blending and just because, the optional garnishing with peanuts and chopped cilantro.

You may ask, how exactly does this relate to translation? Right. I forgot to mention that I also had a translation assignment. The only way I could meet my deadline was to work while my guests were there. Fortunately, between the tryptophan from the turkey, and the typical television offerings, most of my relatives ended up dozing off. I fortified myself with coffee and kept working. I even managed to chat with my mother-in-law while working.

What are the odds that once again, I will be required to work while I am having guests?