A Good Egg

A Good Egg

In common and outdated parlance ‘a good egg’ was someone reliable and helpful. I think the term was usually applied to men. ‘He’s a good egg’ people would say but it was rarely said of women. I have a feeling it first arose in Public Schools (fee-paying Independent schools) and is used nowadays in a jocular way like ‘jolly hockey sticks’ and ‘cut along’. Young people today are more likely to use expressions like ‘well cool’ or ‘lush’ to indicate approval.

With Spring in full swing and Easter approaching it seems appropriate to focus on eggs. I think young children must get mightily confused at this time of year when eggs, chickens, lambs, rabbits and flowers are all muddled together to celebrate the new beginning that Easter signifies. Add chocolate and turkey and the mix is bewilderingly complete.

After I bought ‘Eggs for Soldiers’ a few days ago I was surprised to discover another ‘charity’ egg today. The green carton looks very seasonal with a chicken and a butterfly and the words ‘good egg’ in bright egg-yolk yellow. Buying these organic free range eggs will ‘help fund community egg farming projects in Africa.’ 100% of the profit made from selling one eggs goes to the project.

You can find out more about one here and in the following video.

I think the organisers of one are certainly 'good eggs'.

Easter trees

Today is Good Friday – always a quiet day for me and one on which I feel I should be spending some time in church, though I never do. Out walking with the dogs I found myself singing a hymn from my childhood – 'There is a green hill, far away . . . ' I never understood until I was grown up what 'without a city wall' meant. Why should a hill have a city wall? It was strange how quickly the words came back to me. I must have sung it a few times as a teacher though I cannot recall doing so, since most of my career was spent with younger children.

I had never heard of Easter trees until I saw them mentioned on a blog and then, when I did some cursory research I discovered that, like Christmas trees (thank you, Prince Albert) the custom comes from Germany. I thought it was such a pretty idea that I had to try it out, though it's rather too close to Easter – I should have started with a bare twig or two six weeks ago. I went shopping for decorations and though I really wanted fluffy chicks I ended up with painted eggs, pig (!) paper clips and a rabbit that more resembles a hare appropriately enough for the British Isles. Nonetheless they are all symbols of renewal - not quite sure about the pigs; I think they represent Easter Sunday lunch more than anything! Similarly, I'm not sure where a duck on eggs fits in; maybe it's another European custom, though I can see where the Easter poisson of France comes in as Ichthus is an early Christian symbol and is often to be seen in lapels, on car stickers, as brooches for believers.

The Easter tree has proved to be a source of fascination for the cats but I think I'll continue the custom next year.