Easter Dinner Out of the Blue

I love long weekends. It's just so nice, when after spending a hard day of work ON the house, that you actually have a weekend left to enjoy! Way too often, by the time we catch up on all the house work that accumulates in a double working-parent household each week, there's no time left to enjoy - the weekend is over and it's time to start the cycle all over again.

It should be mandatory to have a long weekend in every month of the year!

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My family will be gathering to share our Easter dinner today, Good Friday. This was planned early in the week as it was the only day all three of us kids could get up to my Mom's house at the same time this weekend.

I expected that to be it - one family dinner, one day to relax (hopefully take the kids to the museum or some other family activity that we never make time for) and then a visit from the Easter Bunny to put the kids into a sugar high for the last day of this blissfully long weekend.

But I got a surprise (shock really!) yesterday: My father invited our family to his house for Easter dinner on Friday.

I can't believe it.

I'm trying to remember the last time my kids were at his house.... I *think* we popped over for an hour or so sometime in mid-December before we left the province for Christmas (or did we? I know he bought a present for the boys, under duress, but he just sent them home with me - there was no desire to wrap the gifts or watch the boys open them... nor did he think to give anything to the girl - probably thinks she's still an infant and wouldn't notice).... but prior to that? It has to have been at least a year.

My Dad has never been the "Grandfather" type. He doesn't acknowledge birthdays (or Christmas!) unless someone reminds or pressures him.... which I've no desire to do. He doesn't ask after them or make any effort to see them - so I'm really at a loss as to the dinner invitation.

But we'll go. He's always good to them when we're actually there... and they do deserve the opportunity to know who their Grandfather is.

If he's willing to make any sort of effort, I'm willing to give him every opportunity to have a relationship with them and us.

I'm just over making the effort. I won't push, I won't remind, and I won't ask anymore.

Still... I can't help but be pleased with the invitation, out of the blue.