There's usually a big build up to Easter, but not this year. What was normal was having hot cross buns & Easter eggs in the supermarkets a couple of days after Christmas. What was abnormal was the fifteen days straight of 35+ degree temperatures leading up to the weekend in question. Yes, Adelaide took one for the rest of the country & sealed the record for the longest ever recorded heat wave & it will probably stand for a while.



With all that heat, packing a heap of aluminium foil covered chocolate into the boot of an even hotter than ambient car isn't a very good idea. Hence, no one bought anything.

Easter Friday was when I braved it, expecting everyone else to do the same, but buying for the family took only a couple of minutes in an unexpectedly empty chocolate store.

Walking around the various retail outlets now reveals a massive over supply of Easter eggs which aren't even moving with half-price stickers. It looks like money is getting quite tight for families everywhere, but everyone still feels obligated to give chocolate eggs on a day which now bears little resemblance to the religious holiday it is supposed to be.

I'm desperately trying to convert my family to do the egg thing the following week & save a small fortune. With all the discounting going on, I've managed to fill my gumball machine with mini eggs (roughly 2kg), all for under $10!! Previously it would have cost upward of $50!