The Great Vigil of Easter

I received the invite for Easter weekend again. I had to decline again. I didn't even explain this year. In previous years I've explained every which way but loose. Orally. Writtenly. Narratively. Bullet pointedly. My rituals and traditions are always ignored or brushed off or forgotten. Anyone paying attention any more? What the heck. Here's from 2009:

Dear MA+ --
I laugh out loud every year, mostly to dissipate the annoyance at receiving the same annual email the same annual email the same annual email from the beloved:
Uncle,
What are you doing on Easter weekend? Is that the week you are going to Arizona? If not we would love to see you over the holidays, there or here.
Dear Nephew --
I'd love to see you too.
But nah, that's not the week I'm going to AZ.
That's the week I return from AZ.
Easter weekend is the weekend I don't travel, that's the weekend that is always booked, booked in advance, far in advance. Kinda like my Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning. Booked.
Baby Jesus. Risen Jesus.
Easter Week is Holy Week, the week when if I'm in town -- and I'm almost always in town -- I go to church every day.
This year I'll be back in town on Wednesday, probably, Thursday for sure. Meaning: I'll be in church Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday -- for the Great Vigil of Easter. And the renewal of my baptism vows. You're always welcome to join me for that 3 hour (give or take) service. It'd be like old times...
Easter Sunday is always a toss-up for me. Perhaps like last year, and the year before that, we can visit on Easter Sunday. The eating's good. Especially if B brings her famous potatoes.
It was last year when I left for Hawaii the day after Easter, this year on Easter Monday I'm off for Mexico.
Knowing I'm picky about where I worship, even JMax stopped booking my Easter weekend, stopped trying to get me to exotic locales until First Things were completed, knowing it's not "holidays" for me, it's Holy Days.
When I pointed out that Holy Week days are comparable to her High Holy Days in September and October, she finally got it, stopped tampering with it, respected it the way I observe and respect Kol Nidrei -- the other fine loop in my double liturgical year.
Nephew, once my Holy Days are observed, and my new year commences, my time opens up again. And there's no one I'd rather see than you and yours.
Short version: it's not about the Easter Bunny for me, it's about the Jesus Bunny.
Go ahead and put this in your calendar for 2010.
Love,
-- Uncle

Didn't make it into his calendar for this year.
And, not going anywhere exotic this year. It's Vegas on Easter Monday. That's as un-exotic as it gets. Holy Week followed by an un-holy week. We roll that way around here.
All things considered, I'm feeling pretty darned lucky, and blessed to have nephews who want to see me, blessed to be hitting the road again for Nevada with JMax, blessed to have made it through another year.
He is risen. The Lord is risen indeed.
Just saying.
Next Year In Jerusalem.