April 2019

1^st April

This is not a joke! I was shopping groceries again. I try to do it only once a week, because it is a quite long way to go. I always need around three hours for it, because I do not find all the things I wish to buy directly in the shop. Though I have to make three rounds throughout the shop so far. This time I found the Quinoa. I also bought different kinds of nuts. Furthermore I bought sweets for my children, when I will meet them during the Easter holidays.

In the evening I was working with my blog again, because I discovered, that I had not finished it correctly before I was going on my trip to Mexico. I updated Portugal for 2015 – mostly by photos.

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2^nd April

I finally booked a car for my trip to my children i Scania. It became a small bus, because the combi car, they offered here in Katrineholm is too small – I already have made that experience in December last year. This time I will be able to take home all my belongings from my son Daniel’s attic. It will also be enough with space that he can follow me home, though he can share the whole Easter holidays with me.

Around noon I was taking a walk to that Circle K gas station, I have been before. I had won a snickers 😉 and was not able to continue in the lottery before I had picked up that prize. On my way home I visited the library and had the movie “Mary Poppins” as a loan. I also asked for the “Mary Poppins returns”, because I did not find it in the catalog of the library. The female librarian checked it as well and made than a proposal to buy the movie. She also took my card number and told me, that she things, the movie will be bought and then I have the first sting on it. I will get an email, the day the movie is in the library catalog. I love that service.

At least I was to a supermarket called COOP, looking for papaya. Unfortunately they did not have papaya either, but I found it frozen in a mix with mango and pineapple. I bought two bags of it, but hope soon to find fresh papaya again. Back at home I had a meal and continued afterwards with the update of my blog. For Spain there are a lot of places to update. I postponed my xls-project.

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3^rd April

It was time for the language café again, but it is first in the afternoon. Though I spent the morning on the Internet. I think it was the first day I was in time to the language café, but the only woman there, was a Swedish. Soon another Swedish woman and a Swedish man joined. It took half an hour before the first refugee came. At the end, there were three woman and two men attending. Both men did speak English, though for them unknown words were easily explained by the respective English word. I also left the Mary Poppins DVD back to the library.

Even this day I had a meal, when I was at home again. Afterwards I updated another site under Spain (2014) and uploaded photos to my Google photos account as well as I updated this blog.

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4^th April

This day it was the SeniorNet on my schedule. I was in time and attended at 1pm. There were a lot of mentors there, but almost as many seniors, who needed help. In the late afternoon and during the evening I was updating the sites of Spain 2015 and finished it. In addition to that I finally changed the theme for the site. I am not fully satisfied with the new design, but it was the best I could find this evening. The menu can be opened as a sidebar and one can see all my sites and choose. Just that my readers can see all of them and choose, is very important for me. The sites themselves are very simple and in my opinion too simple, but maybe I missed something. Though I sent an email to WordPress (the host of my site) asking for the featured images. I have to wait for their answer to see, if I one more time will look for another design.

In the afternoon I also have got an email from the library, that they decided to buy the Mary Poppins returns movie, as soon as it is available on DVD :-).

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5^th April

I updated my blog directly after breakfast. I was working with it most of the day, now finally writing about my life before I was able to start my travels. I have to write it directly from my mind, though sometimes I do not remember things, which I remember another day. Therefore I have to work with my youth and the following years from time to time, adding some more interesting things – as I think, they are. I also uploaded lots of my photos from my laptop to my Google account, that it is possible for me to show my photos for everyone I want, wherever I am. I could not finish it, because I have to many and have to continue soon.

I put my alarm clock on my smartphone on 6:30am and 6:45am as well as my alarm clock, I have got from my colleagues in Hamburg on 7am for the next day and was a little earlier to bed as usual.

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6^th April

I awoke by the first alarm, but was still very tired. Though I was waiting for the alarm clock from Hamburg. Effectively I had my medicine, showered, dressed and had breakfast. I was ready to go 10 minutes before I had to leave my apartment and I left. My goal was the central station for the train 9:02 to Eskilstuna. It was the first train this day going to Eskilstuna, where the Hyresgästföreningen (tenant compound) was waiting for me. They arranged a basic introduction about the compound, where I had become a member of some weeks ago. They had rent a meeting room in a hotel with full service, which means coffee and a snack in the morning, lunch around high noon and coffee and a snack att the end of the meeting. There were fruit during the meeting as well as popcorn and different beverages.

When I was close to the hotel, I have got a call on my smartphone. The leader of the meeting was calling, asking me, if I will come. With other words, I was a little lat. If I had known the town, I would have been in time, but asking around – one more time I could not really understand which way Google wanted me to walk. When I arrived at the hotel, the leader was waiting outside. I apologized and told her, that it was the first train possible, I had taken. It was all ok. There were some members, who had signed up, but did not show up, even they had not given rebid. We were six attendees and three leaders.

The meeting was about the idea, history and organisation of the tenant compound. There was also a hope, that we will become active members. The power point demonstration was extended with short movies. We were told, that the organisation has 500,000 members. I do not know if it is a lot, because I do not know, how many people live in rented apartments with a first hand contract in Sweden. They told us, that the number of members is a high number. At the end, I have got a paper to fill in and send to the organisation for my expenses, that means my train respectively bus ticket. I was the only one, who was there (but one of the leaders), not living in Eskilstuna. I pay 80 SEK (~ 8 EUR)/month, but the tickets were for 82 and 63 SEK, added with the meal, I will almost get back the amount for 2 month of my membership. By the way, the lunch was penne, meat sauce and vegetables.

The meeting ended 3:30pm and with the coffee and snack we finished before 4pm. I did book the next opportunity to go back to Katrineholm. It was a trip by bus – with a bus change. Therefore the different prices. The bus left Eskilstuna 4:55pm and I had time to take some photos of the city center. Unfortunately, it was not time enough to see the old city center. It will be another time.

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Back at home I had another meal. Afterwards I was watching a movie by a site I can attend by the library and have to put in my library card no. as well as my library PIN code.

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7^th April

I was awaiting Olivia, who I met at the language café and had asked me, if I will be her Swedish mentor. She was a little late and I was surprised, because she came with the car from her employer, Katrineholms kommun (Municipality of Katrineholm). She is working with care of elderly. During the waiting time I was on the Internet – tried uTalk and found out, how to log on with my library card. She stayed with me for around an hour. I had told her at the phone, that I will show her, how Swedish people usually welcome their guests. Though I had cinnamon buns, a soft cake with chocolate and Cocos ripple on the top and two small cakes – a Cocos top and a small cake called “finska pinnar” (Finnish sticks). I offered coffee and tea. She took tea as I did. She did only ate the cinnamon bun and the Cocos cake after I had explained to her, that she should start with the cinnamon bun – it is the Swedish way. She had taken with her five donuts and I tried, to send them back with her, but she insisted, that I had to take them. Now I have to eat donuts for breakfast – in addition to my porridge, because I do not have more space in my fridge.

At 6pm I was at the dance hall. There were not so many people around. I had the possibility for some dances with different partners. I am quite good in jitterbug, even it was a very long time ago I danced it, but I still have problems with the Foxtrot. I always have had. I can dance waltz, Viennese waltz, Cha Cha, Rumba, Salsa and maybe also a tango, but Foxtrot is hard for me. I also chose a pair of dancing shoes. I was already thinking about, to buy a pair, because I slip easily out of the shoes I use for dancing. I was thinking about, to have a pair with a strap for my ankles. At the dance hall was a woman showing, what she is selling. She seems to be a member of the club. I found a pair, which I liked and asked her, if she has it in my size. She did have! I did neither have cash nor my credit card with me, though I asked her, to hold them for me. What she promised. The price for the shoes is 850 SEK, but I will get 10% off, because I am a member of the Rock you 2-club. I was comparing the price with lovely shoes I bought in 2006, which already where for 600 SEK and was OK with the price for the dancing shoes. That means, I have to wait three month more to go to the hairdresser (one has to pay 300 SEK for one haircut), but I am sure, that the shoes are worth it.

Back at home I had a meal and was then on twitter. Unfortunately I was reading on twitter until very late.

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8^th April

It was Monday and I had to go to the supermarket. Most of all I needed almond drink etc, but also some jam and raisins as well as toilet paper and tissues. Before I was on my way I filled my dishwasher and also the washing machine. I bought a lot of almond drink etc, but all together I had less than usual, because I have so much in my freezer, that I have to eat of those meals before I have to buy more vegetables, fruits, meat etc. I also will make humus and falafel, because I bought chickpeas last week. Even I am planning for the Easter holidays, I did not buy something special. I will do that next week.

Back at home I had a meal, emptied the dishwasher and the washing machine and put the wet clothes on the dry rack. Now it was time for updating my blog. I filled the page: MY FIRST YEARS IN SWEDEN, updated my actual blog until this day and uploaded more of my photos on Google photos.

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9^th April

I first planned to talk a walk to the Circle K, because I won another chocolate bar and there are three days left for their contest. One cannot get another prize, if he/she has not picked up the prize just got. I was thinking that I might get a better prize the last three days, but later that day I decided not to go. It is just so ridiculously with these chocolate bars and I usually do not win one of the main prizes. In addition to that, It is cold again, just +1°C. It is much nicer in my apartment as outside.

I get a kind of prize anyway, because I was contacted from the authority of Katrineholm, that they would happy, if I would help at the upcoming EU election, because one of the helpers had called off his participation. There will be a payment of around 2500 SEK (~ 250 EUR) all included, but maybe minus taxes. I do not know, if this amount will be counted for my housing benefit. I will see, once I have got it.

I also made part of my laundry this day.

I made this day to a movie day. First I watched movies by the Internet sites, which have libraries as customers and I can see movies for free with my library card. Unfortunately, one of the movies was corrupted. After around an hour, there were only stripes in different colours, even the sound was fully working. Though I send a feedback to the provider of the site and told them. I hope, they will upload a good copy and I will be allowed to see it one more time without reducing my contingent. I only om allowed to see three movies a month/Internet site (viddla.se and cineasterna.com) by my library card. The rest of the evening I watched old movies on YouTube.

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10^th April

When I was up early in the morning, it was snow on the cars and even some on the ground. First after breakfast the temperature was going up to +1°C. Directly after breakfast I did iron my dish towels and two pillowcases. The pillowcases were from the day, I made the laundry in our common laundry. I saved it for the day, when I have more to iron. I do not think it is judicious to iron just two pillowcases at the same time. I actually do not iron more than pillowcases and dish towels as well as one or another blouse and one of my dresses. All the other things are of non-iron quality, but the rest of my bed-linens, which I do not care about to iron.

I did continue with my laundry this day, because I had saved a lot of clothes to wash. Furthermore I updated this blog – even some of the other sites. In the evening I was watching another movie. I still have my library card from the library in Stockholm, though I tried, if I could see movies via that library and it worked. They offer totally different kind of movies than viddla.se and cineasterna.com. When I had scrolled down for a while, I found a movie called “Utvandrarna” after books av the Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg. When I was new in Sweden, I read some of his books with help of a Swedish – German dictionary. I learned a lot and it was a little easier, because the Swedish used of Vilhelm Moberg was one with lots of words with their background in German. Today it is easier, when one speak English. I remember, that it is a roman “trilogy” of four books. – The fourth book was added later of Moberg. The titles are: Utvandrarna, Invandrarna, Nybyggarna och Sista brevet till Sverige. The movie I watched was “Utvandrarna”. I missed some episodes from the book and also got the feeling, that episodes from “Invandrarna” already were shown in the movie. I was looking for the “Invandrarna” movie, but did not find one.

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11^th April

The day dit start as usual, but I had all the time my eyes on the clock, because this was a Thursday again and time for the SeniorNet. I do not manage to have my lunch before I have to go there, because it starts a 1pm. Though I packed a sweet-bar in my bag, if I will get too hungry.

In the beginning of the meeting, there always is an explanation of things to do or not respectively how to do it. This time it was about mobbing on the Internet, e.g. on Facebook and that it is unlawful to spread hate and racist messages. There were no real example, but they showed a video from the Swedish polis, who tried to explain. Even in this video, there was no special meanings named. When the video was started, I asked, that they may show it full size – because of the impossibility to see it good at the end of the room. Maybe they did not hear my question or they did not know, how to do. Anyway they did not show it in full size. On the other hand, there was not much to see either. A female police officer, who explained and in between two persons with smartphones not showing anything. After this opening, people had to choose the room for the people, who wanted help with their computer (laptop) or the room for the people, who wanted help with their smartphones, iPad etc. I was first going to the room for computers, but only mentors were there, though I was going back to the other room. There I could help a woman somewhat with her smartphone. It seemed there was a problem with the video card and I had to tell her, that she had to go to a repair service and check it up, because it seems to be a problem with the hardware.

In the evening I checked, if I could find out about, if there is a movie “Invandrarna” after the book with the same name of Vilhelm Moberg. I did not find any and was watching movies on YouTube again. It was another movies from the 1960s.

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12^th April

Already after breakfast I prepared for the evening at the dance club “Rock You 2”, but that did not take a lot of time. Though I was on the Internet again, still looking for a movie “Invandrarna”. Finally I found it, that means a site about the movies after the named books above. As I guessed, the movie “Utvandrarna” is for the books “Utvandrarna and Invandrarna”. There is another movie, which is called “Nybyggarna” and it is about the books “Nybyggarna” and “Sista brevet till Sverige”. There are again some episodes missing or just taken up as one of the actors in his roll remembers. Anyway both movies are more than 3 hours long and each movie has a pause. They are the original movies from the SF studios (Sveriges Filmstad). I read about these films and the musical “Kristina from Dufvemåla” for a long time, though I did not watch the movie this day.

In time for the 6pm cozy night at the dance club I was going there. It was a four hours event with mostly dance, but also pizza. We had to pay for the pizza, of course. Therefore it was the same as usual for me: I paid for other’s pizza as well, because I do not eat so much. In addition to that, I only had still water, most of the others had soft drinks. I paid part of those as well. Before I decided to join that event, I was thinking about it. It was the opportunity to get social, that I joined – and for the dance, of course. Well there I bought the dancing shoes, I had chosen the Sunday before. I did not think about on Sunday evening, that I could “swish” the amount – that means to sent it via the telephone number by an app from my bank. This evening I did. I have got 10% discount as a member of the dance club. That was nearly the full amount of my membership.

It was a great night, but I could not get very social during the pizza meal. The people on the right and left of me were not interested in me and the only one close to me, who did not have a partner to chat, was too far away from me. Some dance partners were asking me questions, while dancing. Unfortunately, I have problems to get the rhythm right. Though it is a hard job for me. However, during the best dances – the fast jitterbug, they did not make conversation with me. I left the evening at 9pm, even it continued to 10pm. Another woman did and I told her, that it is best to go, when it is at its best. I could already see, that no many dancers were longer interested in, to dance with others, than their partners as well as some male dancers also already had left.

At home, I was listening to music for a while, but was soon going to bed. It was not so easy to fall asleep, because of the pizza. I really should have asked for one for people with celiac, even I do not have the confirmation about it yet. I fell asleep very late.

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13^th April

I awoke around 9am, no wonder because of the problem the night before. After breakfast etc I was locking for the other Vilhelm Moberg based movie, called Nybyggarna, on the homepage of the library of Stockholm. I found it and watched it. When one has read the books and see a movie, it will mostly get disappointed. I was a little, but all together, the movie was fine. During the pause I had my lunch – the pause was, of course, not so long, but when watching by the computer, one can pause it as long as one wishes.

After the movie I started to update my blog.

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14^th April

I did take a “laptop free day” and did not work with my blog at all. I have got an email from the car rental, that my booking of the car was cancelled. I did call them and asking, why it was cancelled and explained, that I need that car that day. The head of the car rental answered, that the car was not cancelled, that it was a system issue and I should not have got that email. I trust it only, if I can get the car the upcoming Thursday.

The weather was nice – +11°C in the afternoon and instead for taking a walk, I was going to a shop for buying some small things i needed like more hooks. Well there – the shops are all in an area at the end of our town, I was till another shop nearby and bought two pots for a good price. I was very careful about, that I could use the pots on my induction hob. Fortunately I had another bag with me and the pots did fit in there. I became very hungry while in the first shop and also bought two nougat bars, because it was two for 10 SEK. I ate the first one on my way to the second shop.

I unpacked them at home, but did not try them. I was sure, when it is written on the box, that they are made for induction hobs, they will work on induction hobs. Now I had the second nougat bar. Later in the evening I had the rest of the chicken meal from the day before, just adding rice.

I think it was the nougat bars, which made me feel very bad. I was to bed around 10pm, because I was expecting a phone call from my GP the upcoming morning, but I could not feel asleep. I had the head end of my bed heightened up, but had such a problem with my stomach. In addition to that, I started thinking about my belongings I still have at my son Daniel’s attic. In that house, they have had a problem with vermin. It was rehabilitated quickly, but I was thinking, that there will be someone left in my boxes. The vermin started at the neighbours attic, Daniel told me, but I was not sure, that I had brought it in from Malta. By the way, I never told him. Last time I did take home of my belongings from his attic, I found a dead larva in between them. So did I the first time, I did take home some of the boxes. Now, in my bed, I was thinking about, there might be more, maybe one alive and I might already have some alive in my new apartment. Though I looked up on the Internet, how resistant they can be and how there bites look like on people. Ok, my rash looks different. That was good. I also was counting back, for how long time my boxes have been there on his attic, because I read, that they can live without a host for up till one year. I placed my boxes there, spring 2014, but the suitcase from Malta in October 2015. The vermin was known in spring 2016 and the attic as well as the rest of the building was rehabilitated at that time. Though, actually, there could not be some vermin alive. On the other hand I remember, that I was told on Malta, that there is not possibility to get rid of them, but by disposing all furniture. My son has only disposed his bed and it’s mattress. I hope, we have better mediums against vermin as they have on Malta.

Finally, it must have been around 5am, I fell asleep.

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15^th April

I did neither hear the alarm clock nor the phone. I had put them in the kitchen and even no door was closed in between the phone and me, I did not hear it and awoke at 9am. I could see, that I missed a call at 8:02am. Though my GP had called me. I decided to call the polyclinics the following day for a new appointment. On Tuesdays we are able to get appointments.

Moreover I was thinking about, if I should take a detour to IKEA in Linköping on the way back from Malmö. The matter was, if I can afford to buy more things for my household just now. I checked my IKEA online wish list and saw, that the bedspreads, I had chosen, was not available anymore. It was already stated before, that it will come out of the assortment. Though it was no idea to go to IKEA. Meanwhile I had decided, that I am able to buy a bedspreads. The problem is, to find one, fitting a 120cm bed, even they are very usual here in Sweden. I found one I like online and ordered it, but I will not get it before the Easter holidays – which not really matters.

I also have got a WhatsApp message from my friends in Tijuana, Mexico. Unfortunately, they told me, that the flights to Sweden are too expensive for them. I asked them, if it was possible to fly from Los Angeles by Norwegian and added, that it is not the best flight company, but it has cheaper prices.

I was more tired than usual this day. I feel, since I am back from Mexico, like I am living in a kind of bubble, never really rested. Though I did neither update my blog nor watch movies and was going to bed before 10pm. I took anyway some time, before I fell asleep and I was dreaming and waking up from time to time. Though it was not the best sleep this night either.

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16^th April

I was awakened by my alarm clocks, first the one on the phone and later the real alarm clock. Though I was in time to ask for a new appointment at the polyclinics. When I got in touch with the assistant for time management I explained, that I have had a bad night the night before last night and that I also have hard to hear the phone, because I cannot sleep with my hearing aids. I usually set the alarm clock on my phone on the highest volume there is. Anyway, I do not always here it. I have got a new appointment on Tuesday, 23rd April. I hope, that time it will went well.

After breakfast I read the email I have got from one of my girlfriends and was then updating my blog for this month. I have to correct as well as add things on the sites about my memories, but that I will do another time. When I get some time and strength, I have to send Easter holiday greetings to relatives and friends. I also checked the new WhatsApp message of my Tijuana friends. They were so sorry, because even those prices (of the cheap flight company) were not possible for them to pay. I checked it up and actually, when they can come – during summer holidays, prices are high, especially for them. The cheapest I found (on a certain day, was for 6,400 SEK for a return ticket for one person – and it was not the Norwegian. They have to pay it in pesos, which means around 40,000 pesos all together. I understand, that it is not possible for them to come. I am so sorry about it. I would have liked to host them and show them around.

The rest of the day I used for cleaning my home and afterwards shopping. I did not buy anything special, but I had to go to different shops. The first one was the $-shop, where I had to claim a new pot, because the small one I bought there, was not working on my hob. There was no problem with the complaint and I found another pot for the same price. I took even a look in an outlet shop, but did not find anything, before I was to the supermarket.

In the evening, when I checked my emails one more time I became happy, because I have got the message, that the dance class, I had signed up for, will be held and start soon.

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17^th April

I do not feel well, therefore I did take the medicine for my stomach with the breakfast. It was a long time since I did that last time, but I had to try again.

I prepared food for easter, when my son Daniel will visit me, because he is a vegetarian, nearly vegan. Though I cooked humus and falafel. My warm meals this day was macaroni and meat sauce. I already tried before, to eat gluten-free, but the macaroni were not and I felt sick afterwards. Anyway I continued to prepare for the upcoming day. I had asked my daughter, if she use couscous and cruciform bran. I had a lot of it left – the couscous box was not opened yet. My daughter told me, that I can take it to her. I also put my tablet and accessories as well the two sheets, I have no use for (they are for a 90 cm wide bed) for my son Marcus in a bag. Afterwards i charged the extra battery for my smartphone, so I can use it as a gps, because in rented cars, there usual is none.

In the afternoon I was to the language café again. On the way home I was to the grocery, because they also have a post office there, where the parcel with my new bedspreads had arrived. Also this night was horrible again. I had such problems with my stomach, that I could not fall asleep. I finally decided to eat all my meals free from gluten. I hope, that will help.

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18^th April

Even this morning I took the medicine for my stomach together with my breakfast. I had to leave at 7:30am to pick up the car. I had ordered a van with nine seats, because I could not get another big car. Actually I have got the intention, that I did not get the van I had ordered, but a bigger one, even with nine seats. In addition to that, the car was more expensive, than the one I ordered. When I had left the coupon for the 15% discount for newcomers, it became the price I had expected – without using that coupon. When I was shown the car, I also was told all the small scratches and similar, there were at the car and told, that it is a Diesel engine and it has manual gears. I told the shop assistant, that I am used to manual gears and she was happy about it.

It was not very much traffic on the roads and the car was good to drive. I reached my son Marcus between 1 and 2pm. He asked me to go with him to a gas station, to have a meal there. We were going by the car. I had a sausage with French fries and my son vegan sausage. On the way back we had a stop at a supermarket. He only bought cigarettes and snuff there. Back at the place, he is living, we went into his small apartment and he has got the tablet and the sheets. He was happy about them, especially the tablet. It was not easy for me to give the tablet away, put he needs it better than me.

His apartment was so dirty, though I asked him, if he does not get help. He told me, that he does not has help with the cleaning, but his new assistant (which I met at his birthday party) is coming once a week and has already helped him a lot. The help I could see was, that he has laundry bags in the bathroom with all the empty toilet paper rolls and another one with all the empty shampoo bottles in. Before, he had them on the floor. I would more have liked, if he could throw away all this empty things.

The rest of the time together, we spent with watching lots of my photos from my travels on his TV. I told him about the part of the travels to each photo and it seemed to me, he was getting sad, but when I asked him, he told me, he is getting tired. Around 6:30pm he asked me, if I should leave, because he knew, that I will be at my daughters home before 8pm and it is around one hours drive between Helsingborg and Malmö.

I was happy, that it still was daylight and had an easy drive southwards. I was a little worried about, how to find a parking space for that big car close to my daughters home, but I was lucky, there was one at the next corner, where i easily could back into. Well at my daughter’s and her boyfriend’s home, they just have had dinner and Mats (the boyfriend) offered me yoghurt, but Maria did cook scrambled eggs for me. Fortunately there was no interesting movie on TV, though we played card together. We were to bed between 10 and 11pm. I slept very well that night.

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19^th April

Even this morning I took the medicine for my stomach during breakfast. Maria had bought oats for porridge as well as raisins. Therefore I could have my usual breakfast. I also had a sandwich – with bread free of gluten, what I have had with me from my home. I had been up early, though I managed to leave Maria and Mats a quarter to eight in the morning. My next stop was at my son Daniel’s house, also in Malmö. I did not get a parking space very close to the house he is living in, but not more than a five minutes walk away. I had to pay for parking and offered 30 SEK, which gave me time until high noon. The temperature this day was up to +10°C with sunshine and a clear blue sky all the time.

When I ringed the bell at Daniel’s door, nobody answered or opened. I did it several times. First, when I send him a short message he answered. He was showering and had not heard the door bell. Soon he opened the door for me and I was on my way the two stairways up to his apartment. He started with to pack his belongings for the short visit at my home. I asked him, if he uses my bedside table, I once had put at him’s. He told me, that he does not use it. By the way, he has more bedside tables in his room, but none of them close to his bed. Even this one, he had not close to his bed. I was happy, that I could take it, because it is perfect for my bed. When I have hightend the headend of the bed, I cannot reach the table, I now use at bedside table. This one, which was waiting for me at my son’s has wheels and can easily taken forth and back, when necessary. It also makes it easier for me to make my bed. Furthermore I asked him, which electric kettle I could take, because he had his own and mine and last time he told me, he likes mine more and is using that one. Though I did get his electric kettle (which was quite dirty and is not working very well anymore, but it is such a small issue, though it is not a problem).

Now it was time for the attic and I was looking, though I got all my stuff with me, this time. There were heavy boxes with filled folders, which he was carrying. I only took the light boxes and other things. We were also talking about the other things on his attic and he told me, that most of them was from a guy, who was living at Daniel’s apartment for a while. Some other things are Daniels, but has to go to the recycling. He needs help to carry these things down and to the recycling container. I hope, I can visit him during the summer and help him. I am happy, he is not saving all this stuff.

We also was to Daniel’s cellar room to look for more of my things. There was not a lot. Some of the things I took had been my son Samuel’s things, but he told me, that he no longer is interested in the stuff and that I can take it. We did put all the things inside the front door, where Daniel lives. Directly afterwards I was going to pick up the car meanwhile Daniel was carrying all the boxes and other things to the street in front of his house. We packed all the things into the car very quickly and were soon on the way to my home. We had not left Malmö, when Daniel remembered, that he forgot the charger for his phone. Unfortunately I could not help him with my charger, but I asked him, if he could buy a new one in Katrineholm and he agreed. I actually was not willing to drive back to his home.

The whole trip between Malmö and Katrineholm takes around six hours, but we already had a rest after the first two hours, because it was high time for lunch. We stopped close to Löddeköping and visited a Max Hamburger Bar. I choose a burger without gluten, of course. I really like this chain, because one can choose so much like the gluten-free burger bread, no tomatoes or onion etc and also can add things. All has to be chosen at a kind of vending machine, you can even pay there and just have the number of the order in mind and pick it up, when it is ready.

I had to fill Diesel in Gränna. On the way down it looked like I did not need to fill the tank before I am back in Katrineholm, but around Gränna I was not sure anymore and took the safe way. I could not really fill the tank at that pump, but I filled a lot and in any case, we should not run out of Diesel. I tanked for more than 800 SEK.

Finally in front of the house, where I live, there was no parking space, but it was a part of my moving goods and I drove into the yard – it is only allowed for that reason. When I had opened the barrier (which is possible with the key to my apartment door) I could not get the engine to start again. I tried several times and called than the car rental. Meanwhile we were talking, I tried one more time and the engine started. From the backyard we put my boxes directly into my storage. On the way out I had to drive backwards and there were some children playing outside. Though I asked my son to leave the car and care about, that I will not drive down a kid. The engine started again and all went well. Even the last part of the journey, the one to the car rental, did not have any problems. Well at the gas station – which the car rental is a part of, I filled the tank with Diesel, which was for a little more than 500 SEK this time – it was getting really full. However, when I tried to move the car, the engine was dead and this time it was so dead it could be. The assistant from the car rental tried to start the car, but had to give up. He and Daniel were putting the car aside and I was inside to steer. I was very happy, that I could drive the car all the way back to the car rental and it was not happening somewhere at the countryside. By the way, I did not scratch the car at all.

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Daniel and I walked home and I was showing and explaining a little about Katrineholm. At home we had supper, which was homemade falafel, homemade potato mash and paprika. I had planned to have avocado, but they were still not ripe. Afterwards we were sitting on my couch and talked a lot, before I switched the couch into a bed for him. I had asked him about the insects, which had been in the house, where he is living – a year or more ago. He did not remember, what kind of insects there had been. Anyway there had been a company and sprayed poison, though all did die. I also asked him, why he did throw out his bed and not other furniture, thinking it might have been bed bugs, but he answered, that he has had silverfish in his bed, but in no other furniture. Though I did not need to worry, that something was left in my boxes. Daniel did not sleep much that night. I was awake off and on and saw him using his notebook. Maybe it was because of the light from the street light.

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20^th April

I awoke early this day, but did take my medicine at 7:30am and vi had breakfast some minutes past 8am. Vi had porridge with raisins for breakfast as sandwiches. My son did eat of the old crispbread, which I could not eat for the moment and because I decided to try with food free of gluten, I cannot eat it in the near future either. Around 10am we finished and my son was taking a shower. You have to know, when he showers, it takes time. It always did and still does. Though I had to tell him, that he has to save water and finish soon after a long while.

Around high noon we were on our way to the city centre for a charger and wire for his smartphone. He was offered a steel mantled one, which would not break and when he ask, if it works for fast charging, they did tell him, it will. On the way home we made a detour to the grocery shop to buy some groceries and tissues, because Daniel had got a cold. Meanwhile we were at the shop, I lost my fleece jacket. It is an old one, but I like it very much. I was going back and looking for it, but did not find it. Just when I would ask the cashier, if someone left a fleece jacket there, my son waved with it. He told me than, he found it outside. Someone had hanged it on a pillar. I was happy about to have my jacket again and thought, to be more careful in the future.

Back at home Daniel tried to charge his smartphone, but the charger was not working. The phone lost the rest of the battery, there was. I was cooking lunch and when we were ready to eat, I asked him, if the charger is working, reminding him, that the shop will close soon, because it is Saturday. Though Daniel told me, it is not working and asked me to go to the shop and ask for another one. I did take his credit card and ID with me, in the case of I needed that.

Well at the shop again, the shop assistant, who had served us before, did try the charger and wire with her own phone. It was not working either. Then she tried with the phone of her colleague – it was not working more than it would take hours to charge the phone. Therefore they tried with another wire of the same kind and with an other wire as well. At the end, I have got another, but cheaper charger and wire and money back on my sons credit card. They did not ask for his ID-card. The assistant remembered us.

Coming home, I had my meal and Daniel tried the new charger and wire and, fortunately, they were working. We would have taken a walk throughout the surroundings of Katrineholm, but with the cold, Daniel did not cope with it. Instead he showed me videos from people, sailing around the world, living on the sail boat. He told me, he would like to do that, too. After a while I asked him, if he was interested in the photos from my trip throughout Mexico, but he answered, that he only is interested in sailing.

For supper we had a Swedish soup of yellow peas – a vegan one. I had cooked it without pork just because of my son would visit me. For all the meals my son was eating of the crispbread and I was surprised, how much he could eat. There seems not to be a bottom ;-). By the way, I had bought a lot of vegetables, though Daniel had the opportunity to cook his own meals, if he would like to.

Even during the late evening he was watching videos of sailing, though I used my smartphone. I did became cold soon, therefore I went to bed. Later I was up, helping him with the bedding of my couch. He did not fall asleep soon, but after a while. I had problems to fall asleep, because of my stomach and had to take medicine before I finally also felt asleep. The whole day I have had problems with the mucous in my mouth and also with my toungue, like I have had this for weeks now. It did not help, that I did only eat food free of gluten.

Being awake for many hours in the evening, I wrote notices for my blog. Otherwise I would not remember, what I did this day, when I finally write it down here. By the way it was a very nice day, done for a walk. The temperature was +20°C as it’s best. In addition to that, my son Samuel send a message, that they will come the following day and not – as earlier agreed, the next day but one. It is good, that I am so flexible and it was also better for all of us, because of Daniel had to go back to Malmö the next day but one and the boys would like to meet each other.

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21^st April

My son Samuel and his family arrived at high noon. We had agreed the day before to have lunch at 1pm, but I was already ready to put the food in the oven, when they arrived. Though we had a big lunch at 12:30pm. I had prepared a starter: egg halves with mayonnaise and avocado slices. The main meal was “flying Jacob”, that means fried chicken meat on a bed of rice with bacon and bananas. All with a sauce of cream and chili sauce. Before serving I added peanuts on the top. The dessert was small cake called chocklad cake – one can bake it with coffee, but I did not do that, because of the kids. On the top of the cake I put whipped cream and a chocklad Easter egg. I was surprised, that there were left overs from the main meal after the lunch. So far I only have six plates of each kind and I had to serve the eggs in the soup plates. Therefore I had cut them the other way around. I also served smoothies (my kind of – without ice and without any extra protein) with the meal, though my grandchild Leon got the smoothie, he asked for the other time he visited me. He liked it with bananas (mango, papaya and pineapple). Instead of the cake I had biscuits free of gluten. Daniel did not eat of the “flying Jacob”, of course, but he had rice with vegetables and mushrooms.

After the meal we had a talk about taking a walk, but three kilometers to the lake (and back), my son Samuel’s wife told me, the kids will not make. We were going to the backyard instead and the kids used the playground – so did I, but I only did use the big swing for a short time. When my sons were helping me to fill air in the wheels of my bicycle, Samuel’s wife – together with the kids, soon came to company us. Well done that work (the problem was, that the mechanism for locking the pump was the other way around as usual, which I did not understand, when I used it the first time. Anyway it was nice with the service of my sons.

In house again, we were playing parlor games, which the family of my son have had with them. The four-year-old Vincent did get tired of the game early and put his hands under the tablecloth, which meant, it was not easy to play the game anymore. His mother did tell him to stop, but he did not. When I told him, he started crying and was going into the living room, his mother followed him. I think, she should not have done that, because he has to learn that a “no” is a “no”.

Around 5pm all were hungry again and asking for Swedish cinnamon buns. I thaw them in the microwave, because I only had some in the freezer. Samuel was really hungry and ate the rest of the main meal from the day as well as lots of cinnamon buns. Tharsiny, the wife of Samuel, had baked muffins before and they had taken a lot of them to my home. Though they also ate of them. I did not even taste them, but the others told me, that they are really good. Daniel had beer with him for the Easter holidays and did share some of them with Samuel, after Samuel had asked his wife, if she will be so kind and drive home. I did not taste the beer either, because beer is not free of gluten.

Afterwards all spend a little more time with me and we were in the living room, where Vincent was wondering about my curtains – they do not have any curtains at home, because fabrics make a lot of dust, they say. I told him, why I have curtains and anyway, he tried to blow his nose in my thin curtains. I told him, not to do and he started to weep again. There was no more meal, even Samuel and his family left around 8pm. I had not expected, that they will stay for such a long time. If Samuel had told me before, I have had supper for them as well.

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22^nd April

Daniel and I took a walk after breakfast. The weather was really nice, the sun shining and the sky all blue. We were going to the House of Culture and I thought to show him our art hall. Unfortunately the house was closed for Easter and we could not go anywhere else, because Daniel got a headache of the sun and did not have sunglasses with him. Therefore we soon went back home.

Daniels train was leaving 4:45pm and he did pack now, but we had one more meal before he left. The lunch was Quesadillas – a Mexican dish of tortillas, Oaxaca cheese and some more filling. I chose mushrooms as the other ingredient. Unfortunately I could not buy Oaxaca cheese here in Katrineholm, but I had read, that Mozzarella cheese will do it as well. It was not really the same like the Oaxaca cheese, of course, but acceptable. Daniel liked the Quesadillas. By the way, here it is hard to find corn tortillas, but fortunately I found some and with the correct size. In Mexico one can choose everywhere between corn and wheat tortillas, but corn tortillas are a little more common than wheat tortillas.

When it was time to go, I accompanied him to the central station, so he could find his way easily. I was waiting until the train was coming and even all the time until it left. He did not really take good-bye. He was so occupied to find the correct car and his seat. He also had to change to another train later and I was happy, when he messaged me, that all was going well.  –  I was already to bed around 8pm, because I was so tired.

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23^rd April

I had my alarm clocks on and was up at 7:30am, because my GP would call 8:15am, but she did not before 8:25am. We were talking about to lower my medicine, but I told her, that I still have the problems I had before getting that medicine and she told me, she will fill in a remittance for the medicine faculty at the polyclinics. This morning I also called to the gastro department at the Sophiaklinik, where I have had a gastroscopy two years ago. I was looking for an answer, what the nurse or doctor did say to me about the abnormality of my stomach. I did not get the answer I hoped, there were no lines about it in the system.

At 9am I was to our laundry room and washed bed linen and table clothes. As I might have told you before, I like to wash the big sheets and similar things like curtains in the laundry, where there also is a very good trying room. In my apartment I washed my towels and put them into the dryer.

For lunch I had my left overs of the “flying Jacob” and even an egg. All together I put some creme fraiche on and I had a different meal to Easter Sunday. I have got the idea to sew a kind of strap for my water bottle. I had bought such one in Portugal, but it was not wide enough. I actually only cut out the parts. The sewing had to wait. I am just not in the mood to do it.

This day was the first day I was going by bicycle to the supermarket. I did not need to buy a lot of groceries and I have a basket on my luggage carrier on my bicycle. Though I was going there buying almond and other drinks as well as macaroni and bread without gluten. Back at my apartment I washed more clothes in my washing machine. In the evening I also could iron my pillow cases and kitchen clothes. They were no really dry, but close to it. Therefore I did not need to use the steam function of my iron.

For supper I had rice pudding. That is a very soft meal, anyway I still had problems to eat it for it hurt my mouth. The smoothie for today I made of honeydew, banana and minced nuts. I actually could only drink half of the glass, because it hurted my tongue so much. I was thinking about to buy straws, even they are not good for the environment. – Even this evening I was to bed at 8pm.

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24^th April

I cleaned my apartment or actually only part of it. I started with the living room and this time I did not only clean the floor and another day the shelfs, but made it all. Furthermore I cleaned the hall and the closet. I left the bathroom and the kitchen for the next day. It was too early for having lunch, but I had to be at the dentist at 1:30pm. I was there in time. I asked the dentist for pulling out two of my teeth. Both have caries and the dentist recommended root canal filling. I have made this before with other teeth and unfortunately. either it had to be made one more time, because the dentist did not fix all of it or the dentist had to pull out the tooth just a couple of month later. Though I am not happy in root canal filling. In addition to that, one of these teeth is growing wrong. It puts one of my very good foretooth out of his place. The foretooth is now sitting obliquely and it hurts, too. Anyway, the dentist denied. She told me, the supervision authority does not allow it. I did not allow the dentist to make the root canal fillings, but to work with another tooth. That one had problem with a filling. It was falling apart. On that tooth my bridge is fastened. After the work of the dentist, the filling does not suits well anymore and actually it hurts, when I try to chew on that side. Though I have to go back to the dentist, asking for improvement.

Back at home I checked on the site of the supervision authority (it is called Socialstyrelsen). There was a page for patients and there it was stated, that the authority only gives recommendations and that the work, which should be done, has to be done in agreement with the patient. I also wrote an email to the “Dental Injury Association” (here: Tandvårdsskadeförbundet) and asked there, if I cannot ask for pulling out teeth. In addition to that I wrote an email to another dentist in Katrineholm, asking for his price list.

In the late afternoon I got pain in my throat and felt cold. Though I was going to bed, even it was just 7pm. I fell asleep later.

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25^th April

I awoke with pain in my throat and did sent an email to the responsible person for the SeniorNet, where I am usual help, because I won’t infect someone. Elderly people are easier infected. I have got an answer, that more people are ill and he hopes, that I will recover soon.

I did already get an answer from the other dentist and compared the price list with the prices I had got of the dentist, where I started. There were no big difference. Though I wrote another email and explained my situation and asked him, if he will pull out almost the tooth, which is hurting my nice foretooth. The answer was coming soon. The dentist wrote, that my explanation was very theoretical and that it depends on the situation, if a tooth will be pulled out. I think, it was stated very clear about the bad tooth, which destroy my foretooth. This dentist also wrote, that I should continue at my dentist, because I once started there. With other words, the dentist in Katrineholm are loyal to the other dentists in town.

I was going to the supermarket for a big shopping. There was an offer of the supermarket, when there customers would shop for more than 1,000 SEK at the same shopping, we would get 100 SEK in discount. There were also a lot of special offers and some of them did fit me. Though I took my shopping cart and my backpack and was walking to the supermarket. I checked the prices and added them with the calculator on my smartphone, that I will not buy too much either. I had some special things to buy like bulbs for my living room lamp. For some special offers I had to ask, because it was not easy to see, what was the correct kind of it, e.g. the roastbeef. I chose only things I really liked (pork sirloin, chicken breast etc). I was soon up to the 1,000 SEK and just took a few more things. Though at the end I had products for around 1,100 SEK. The cashier than asked me, if I will use my 5% discount, which will be valid only some more days. I thanked her for questioning me and used it. I packed my shopping cart and I did get all my shopping in there. There was no need for my backpack.

Back at home I had a snack and around an hour later a portion chia pudding. I am getting hungry again. I have not felt hungry for weeks.

I had bought tomatoes and avocados some days ago, but the tomatoes were still not really ripe. Most of the avocados were ripe, but I did not check them all and made Guacamole of all of them. Unfortunately, I did use the blender for making Guacamole. It did not become the way it should be. Next time I will try with the food processor – if I will make Guacamole of more than one avocado at the same time.

Already at 4:30pm I had lentil soup with dices of a special Swedish sausage, called Falukorv – for that sausage only real meat (pig) is used. There are no innards used and no fat added. Usually I have my supper between 7 and 8pm.

At 6pm the jitterbug class started and I was there in time. We were only 12 participants, some of them were guys I have danced with before and they are really good dancers. There were also two women from the club, who supported the class. There were no men enough – as usual, and they did act as male dancers. The dance teacher, a young woman, was really good and I enjoyed the lesson, even it was the very basic, what I already know.

Back at home I was so happy about the class, that I did listen to music only. I did not feel cold this evening.

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26^th April

In fact I had planned to cook and take care of the meat etc I had bought the day before all of the day, but I made it different. The reason was, that it would have been good to have a meat thermometer and I was not sure, if it would be one in my boxes. I took all the boxes from the storage in my apartment, but not the one with the folders with old papers. I found things I did not expect: Lots of curtains, my old cutlery, my waffle iron 😀and a coffee maker for up to 14 cups. In addition to that, there were things, my children had made at school. I also found some books, which had been on my son Daniels attic and not been destroyed. What I did not find, was a meat thermometer. I decided to cook the meals anyway and buy a meat thermometer next time I will be close to the actual shop. It is situated in the city centre.

I had my supper and afterwards started with the cooking. I just cooked meals with minced beef: 4 usual “hamburgers”, 4 “hamburgers”, bacon wrapped, 3 portion meat sauce with real tomatoes (for getting use of the tomatoes) and three minced meat pies with leek and red bell pepper. At least I ticked off, the things I had done on my to-do list. It was 11pm, when I was ready to go to bed.

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27^th April

Only a few days ago, I had got a leaflet from the rescue services, stating, that the new fire station will be inaugurated this day with “open doors” and e.g. a quiz walk. I had seen that new building, when I had been to the recycle station and, of course, I was interested in our new rescue service. I had read the leaflet very carefully. To see the things in real would be the icing on the cake. The new fire station was a bit outside town – as the recycle station is as well. Though I took my bicycle and was there in around 15 minutes – actually to early, but the gate was already open and even other visitors were arriving. I found a space, where I can park my bicycle – even there was no space marked for bicycles. I think, the organizers had not thought, that someone will arrive by bicycle, but I saw later more people coming by bike. It was an interesting time. With the official opening after the speech a very big scissors, driven by a compressor did cut a chain instead for cutting a ribbon by small scissors. This huge scissors were new for the service.

I followed a tour throughout the new fire station with all the rooms for contaminated tools and the clean rooms for the clean tools as well as throughout the hose washing and drying room. Later at the same tour we were upstairs, where the exercise room is. We were told, that each fire fighter had to make a test every year about his physical conditions. At that floor there were also bedrooms for the fire fighters and rooms for the administration. The last-named were quite small. It seemed, all other things were more important. The biggest room at this floor was the operation center, which is only for the operators during disasters. Even the management of the municipality could use it, e.g. during war – even we hope, Sweden never will be in a war.

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After the tour I did take the quiz walk. The questions were related to the tasks of the rescue service and the depending law. There was e.g. a question, what number one should call with an emergency: 911, 112 or 90,000. The 911 is the emergency number in America, the 90,000 is the old Swedish number. Nowadays we also use the 112. I was good in the quiz. There were some questions for children and for being sure, that my quiz answers will count I answered all of them. With two questions I was not really sure, what the answers were, but felt, what it should be. Though I asked Google and he told me, that my feelings were correct. The last question was a little tricky, because it was about, if the reader has to follow the order of the rescue leader, if he/she tell me, I should help. I was thinking “yes, I have to”, but Google told me, I have not, because I am older than 65 years of age. Though I put the cross at the right place for most of the quiz walkers and added, that it does not apply for me, because I am more than 65 years old.

Before I could leave my quiz paper, there was a show with a car on a crane. The car was dumped from a very high onto the ground. The front was damaged and the fire fighters, ambulance and polis came to rescue the driver (it might have been a doll). They showed us, how to act and what is possible. Before the rescued the driver, they did take the roof of the car (with help of that new scissors!). The head of the rescue service did tell us, that the fall was like crashing in a speed of 70 to 80 km/h.

When this was over I left my quiz paper and bought a cake and a coffee. I have not had a coffee for a long time and it was smelling so good. Though this time I made an exception. Just when I had found a seat with one of the tables and put my snack down, my name was called. At that moment I just knew, that I was a winner. I was going to the stage and telling the manager, that I am Dorothee Hildebrandt (by the way he was calling for Dorothea Hildebrandt – I am always surprised, that Swedish people cannot call my name as it is written). The manager told me, that I had won the first prize and that was a fire-extinguisher set. That means it was a 6 kg powder extinguisher, a fire blanket and a smoke alarm. We have a smoke alarm in our apartments, but what does that matter. I was so happy, because I was thinking about to buy a fire-extinguisher, bad had postponed it for the price. Even the likelihood, that I will cause a fire is not very high. I have an introduction hob, which does not work without a pot, even I have the switch on. In addition to that I do not often light candles and mostly I light tea-lights. Anyway it feels save with an own fire-extinguisher and a fire blanket.

I hade my cake and the coffee and was then to the closets exhibitor outside. They do not have a sign, where they come from. I found out, that they were from “hemvärnet” (home defense). This is working different like the one with a similar name I was a member of, before I moved to Sweden. In the Swedish home defense, no women are first helpers. There are nurses and medicine doctors. who are attached to it.

I would have liked to see more, like inside the big rescue trucks, but with my quite heavy win, I decided to go home. I could put the package into the basket on my bike, but it was laying over at one side and I was not sure, it was a good idea to run the bike. Though I was walking with it all the way back and it was not hard to do.

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In the afternoon I cooked the pork sirloin in the oven. Half of it I stuffed with Feta cheese and the other half stuffed with Guacamole. The later is just a try. I am just curious about the taste. The next dishes were with chicken. There were four breasts in the package and I made them all different. One of them I bisected by the length and breaded them, another one I fried as it was, seasoned with salt, pepper and bell pepper spice – as I am used to do. The third one I shred and seasoned it with salt, pepper and garlic, the last one I diced and seasoned with salt, pepper and some curry powder. I fried them all on the pan, one after the other.

Well done this, I shred cabbage for salad. Half of it, I mixed with shredded carrots, raisins and pineapple pieces. The other half I separated in two halves and salted one of them, put them in a container and in the fridge. When the cabbage is sleek the next day, I will make other salads of it.

I had planed to have rostbeef for supper, but I changed my mind and ate one piece of the breaded chicken. It was delicious. It was close to midnight, before I had finished with all of this and cleaned my kitchen. I was directly going to bed.

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28^th April

This day I finally felt better in my mouth. Now only the tip of my tongue was twinged, but I had not blisters. I hope they will be gone for a long while. Even my eczema was much better now, but after breakfast, it was very red again.

It became an active day, because I was going by bicycle to the hut of “Friluftsfrämjandet”. That is an organisation for outdoor life. It was my first time I joined them. The are hiking as well and a lot other things, but this day there were only a 3-km quiz walk with bingo. One way to their hut is around 5 km from my place and even Google wrote, the way is mostly plan, it was not. At one point I was choosing the wrong way, because Google was not clear. It was a little detour of around 1km. To participate in the quiz and bingo walk I had to pay 50 SEK. Already out there, I did pay for it. There were smaller and bigger groups of people taking the quiz walk, but I did not get any conversation with them, not even after we were back at the hut. This time I was very unlucky. The quiz had many unexpected questions and of the bingo numbers I only had one, even there were twelve rows to fill.

Home I was a little quicker and I also took a detour to the shopping center. I found some items at a shop called ÖoB, but had to visit a construction market to find hooks for the fire blanket – the ones I had a home were to small for the blanket. Last but not least I was to the supermarket for a few items. Outside the supermarket was a mini bus offering vaccination against TBE, which one can get of ticks. The price was 370 SEK for an adult and 305 SEK for a child. I was not sure, that I had enough with money on my account – the rent was not paid yet and I will be sure, that I can do that, though I did not vaccinate me.

Back at home I baked waffles. I was already since end of March longing for waffles, but did not have my waffle iron at home. At that time, I did not even know, that I still had a waffle iron. I was looking for one at the supermarket, but could not decide to buy one, because the costs for my teeth. I tried a recipe I had found on the Internet. It was for waffles without gluten. Unfortunately I did not have coconut oil at home. I had not read the recipe well before. I tried without, but they did not become crunchy. The where good anyway. The recipe was for six waffles and I was full after three of them. Therefore I put aside the others.

Around 5pm I got tired. Actually I had been awake since 6am. I decided to take a short rest, but I fell asleep. I missed the dance aften and slept until 2am.

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29^th April

I could not sleep more during the rest of the night. When there were high noise from one of the upper apartments I left my bed. It seems there was something wrong with the apartment on the upper floor. It took some hours, before the noise silenced. I was very hungry and felt dizzy, though instead of cooking the porridge as usual, I ate the left waffles and had a cup of tea.

Before I was going to the laundry, I checked on the Internet, if it is possible to vaccinate against TBE at the polyclinics. I found out, that it is and it is actually cheaper. It is for only 300 SEK. From 1pm until 5pm I had signed up for the laundry. I planned to wash all my curtains, which came with the boxes from the attic of my son Daniel. All did not get really dry, therefore I had to hang them later on my dry-rack at home. My lunch was finally the roastbeef and I was happy, that it not had become rotten. I even made the pizza salad (that is a cabbage salad with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, we usually eat with pizza – I think, it is very special for Sweden) and coleslaw.

In the evening I checked the remaining events for April and the upcoming events for the month of May. I put the interesting events in my calender. Later I updated my blog somewhat. I had not done it for more than a week, because I did not feel healthy.

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30^th April

This day is called Valborgsmässoafton (Valborg is the name of 1st May in Sweden, “mässo” has to do with the service of a church, “afton” means evening respectively the evening before the next day – compare “julafton” (Heilig Abend in German respectively the evening of the 24th December) and “nyårsafton” (Silvester i German, New Year’s Eve in English). In Sweden it is usual to have a kind of party in the evening. We have a camp fire, usual a choir is singing spring tunes and if one is lucky, you can buy hot dogs etc. It depends on, where you live. The larger the community, the larger the celebration.

I started directly after breakfast with the update of my blog. With lunchtime I ate all, what I had put on my plate and it was more than usual. I am very happy, that I can eat again as usual, even the tip of my tongue is quite sensitive. I have to eat with the left side of my jaw, on the right side I get pain, when I am eating, because of the work of the dentist.

In the late afternoon I took a walk to Djulö småbåtshamn. I had read, that the celebration for the Valborgsmässoafton will be held there. Google told me, the walk will take 41 minutes. As usual I did need a little longer, especially as Google told me wrong names for two of the roads I had to walk (I reported it later). Finally arrived at the lake, a band was making its ready for the festivities. There were a cart for hot dogs and Festis (a kind of lemonade in a box) and a tent for coffee and biscuits. All was managed by the scouts association. At the lake, one could see the sticks for the bonfire. This year, it is not allowed to lit fires, because the ground is very dry and we already have had wild fires in parts of Sweden. The bonfire on the lake is, of course, not forbidden. Though we are very happy, having a lake so close to our community.

It took time, before the celebration really started. A male spokesperson from the scout association welcomed the people arrived and told us, that there will be some songs played by the band, the scouts’ torchlight procession will arrive soon and thereafter a speech to welcome the spring will be hold, more songs will be played and later the bonfire vill be lit by the “adventure scouts”. At the end, at 9:30pm a firework will be blown into the atmosphere. There were actually no choir, the band was ecumenical, we were told. I tried to find a good place to see the bonfire, when it is lit and I was happy, I found one. Lots of people were standing around this lakeside, no many did listen to the speech, but we welcomed the torchlight procession. When it was time, four rowboats did row to the platform with the sticks and in each boat was a scout, who did lit the sticks by a torch. It was a nice show. The bonfire was to far away for warming us and this evening was quite cold – it always is bad weather this evening, often it also is raining. Though I did buy a coffee and a biscuit. I did not think about in time, that they will use disposable cups. I only saw it, when I already had ordered, but I decided to take an own reusable mug with me next time. Exactly 9:30pm the fireworks started. It was a really nice one, but even here I was thinking about, how much CO₂ is going into the atmosphere. Actually I am not used to fireworks at Valborgsmässoafton. If that is new for Sweden for all communities or if only our community have fireworks this evening, I do not know. I have not seen it before, but I have not attended such a celebration for around ten years, because I have not been in Sweden during these days of the year.

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Directly after the fireworks I was on my way home, so were a lot of other people. I walked back the road I was coming. On the parkway I did not meet many people, but it was very well uplighted. On one point a group of six to eight young guys met me. They stopped and one of them asked me, if I am white or brown. I had no idea, what he meant and did not answer. He continued: “or green?” Still I did not have any idea, what he was asking about and told him “nothing”. They laughed and continued and I was happy, that they did not become truculent. One part of the road has a little grove at one side, but even here, nobody showed up. I was happy, when I arrived safe at home.

 

For following my adventures and day-to-day life, please use the link for May 2019.