April 2020

1st April 2020

My eldest grandson, Leon, is becoming seven years old today. Though I had a videochat with him and his parents. His little brother Vincent was not interested in chatting with me. The colorbook from the Animals right organisation had already arrived, though Leon took it as a birthday present.

I did not do so much more this day, just ironing my kitchen clothes (which I should have done weeks ago already) and updating my blog.

.

2nd April 2020

This day I had a chat with my children by a messenger called Signal. I registered an account for my children and me for the case, if I will get really sick and I am not longer able to write all of them separatly (I think I explained that already last month). We used it again just for talking about food etc.

Before going to sleep, I used one of my Christmas gifts and watch another video.

.

3rd April 2020

It did not happen anything special this day. I just read on the Internet as usual, used Duolingo and watch another movie in the evening,

.

4th April 2020

I was lucky in my misfortune. I had a chat by Skype with my oldest son as usual on Saturdays, but we started already at 3pm (instead of 6pm). I also uploaded my homework for the online class. Soon afterwards my Internet was interrupted. As I could read at the providers homepage, the problem happened all over Sweden. Fortunately I have another provider for my data traffic for my smartphone, therefore I could find this information as well as I could chat with my other children, read etc on the Internet anyway. Though I made a good decision, to have different providers.

Among others, I posted a photo of my corn balls – a snack I had made this day after a recipe of my new vegan cookbook, on our family messenger account as well as I posted a photo of my broken electric kettle. Actually, I only had to dispose the lid of the kettle and it also was working without the lid, even it did not longer switch off, when the water starts boiling. I did not even tell this last named fact, but my son Samuel asked me, if I would like a new one – fitting my toaster. He had already asked my last year for my birthday. This time I agreed with him and he ordered it for me as a gift. By the way, I did not like the taste of the corn balls. They were too sweet for my opinion.

.

• 

• 

.

Anyway I did not update my blog, as I had planned, because it is a hard work to write all the text on the smartphone.

.

5th is April 2020

I still have no wi-fi, only my smartphone is working. Most of the day I was learning more Spanish by Duolingo, but also had a chat with my children. This night I could not fall asleep before 4am and had a chat a little while just before with my son Daniel, how was awoken very early.

.

6th April 2020

I still have not Internet, even I have tried the day before and this day again to get it back. I coud see the names of all the wi-fi account around me, but the name of my Internet connection did not appear.

I have got the two cookbooks, I had ordered and started to read in the one about homemade vegan cheese and homemade vegan ice cream. I was not very happy about the recipes, but I will try some of them, I think. In my postbox I also found a letter without an envelope. It was from a company nearby. The will expand their activity and had to sent out a letter about it, explaining, what they are doing now and what the change means. The company is working with recycling. The paper was very correct and stated name, phone number and email address of the CEO as well as the way such a procedure has to take.

Around none I have got my order from the supermarket. Even this time not all groceries were delivered, because some were out of stock. On the other hand side, I have got some more fruit of a kind I anyway ordered. I was a little disappointed, because I had ordered a sewing machine, which was on sale, but it was out of stock. Among the food, I had ordered, was also some canned meat, which I put on the shelf in my walk-in-warderobe. I am still establishing a stock for the crisis, when we will be without electricity or water or both of it.

This day I had left overs, because I have too much food in my freezer. Afterwards I called my Internet provider and asked, why my wi-fi is not working, when I can see, that all the others are ok. At the end, they manually (from their control center) put my wi-fi on again. Now I hade a chat with my son Daniel, who had got his order from a supermarket as well. He did sent me photos of his larder and fridge, showing me, that they were all totally full now. Though I was not late for doing the same from my cupboard and fridge as well from the walk-in-warderobe.

When we had finished our chat, I was going to the recycling station at our backyard, but the paper bags I saved in my storage in the cellar (actually it is on the same floor as my apartment). When I finally had time for Duolingo I nearly fell asleep using it. Also the display of my smartphone is getting worse all the time. Anyway, I will use it as long as possible.

Furthermore my online calls “klimatlyftet” was from 7pm to 9pm this evening and I attendet all the time. We had the same subject this evening as we have had the time before and our homework was about: How to include all people, like coloured, feminists and so on.

.

7th April 2020

I was up late again – even I had read, while I still was in my bed. Though I had brunch and continued reading afterwards. I also had a chat with my sons Daniel and Samuel. In the evening I made a new menu, because one has to order food at the supermarket around two weeks in advance. Otherwise they cannot deliver it home, by the many customers asking for delivering. When I finished the menu, I wrote down all the ingredients I need and do not have at home yet. That is quite a hard job and I sometimes have to change the menu, because I have forgotten to order an ingredient.

.

8th April 2020

I was waiting for another parcel, but it was not arriving this day. Though I called and the answer was, that they company do not really know, where the parcel is, certainly it is still at the last transshipping place. They promised me to call me, when they know, when that parce will arrive in Katrineholm.

I also called Irene, my mate in the #GrandmasForFuture group. We were only chatting for a little while. Anyway she told me, that she only let the store put her order together and she is picking up it by car. An employee of the supermarket bring her groceries to her car. I told her, that she – in this case – is lucky to have a car. She did not offer me, to pick up my groceries as well, though I did not ask her either.

I also tried to call my neigbour, but she did not answer. Therefore I sent her a sms. This way we had a little chat, mostly about her blog. I started reading as well and got inspired to upload the text of my book I have written years ago. I had planned a long time ago to upload that text, but it never came true. The problem was also, that my book is in Swedish and also in German. However this blog is in English, though I have to translate it, before uploading. I only have the pdfs left and need to transfer it to a text document, before I can start with the translation. I decided to put the document in a translation homepage and afterwards just correct the things, which are getting wrong or worse English as mine.

I wrote some lines on the page “Scania” and also uploaded the German and the Swedish text. By the way, the titels are:
In Swedish = Familj med särskilda behov
In German = Schweden (k)ein Schlaraffenland
In English = Family with Special Needs

In the afternoon my son Samuel gave me a call and later, before going to bed I continued with my Spanish lessons on Duolingo.

.

9th April 2020

I had to go to the hospital for a blood test, because of one of my medicines I have to take. This medicine is really strong and affect my kidneys, my liver and my blood negatively. That is also one of the reasons, why I am very afraid of getting COVID-19, because I am already on a high risk for bad health. The blood test has to be done before breakfast.

Though I already had asked at the hospital, if there is a schedule for people with high risks of health impact by COVID-19. I was told, that those people have no waiting time. Anyway I took a scarf with me, because I do not have a protective face mask (and it is not possible to buy one either) – one never knows, if one is meeting a lot of people – sneezing and coughing, at a hospital. The way into the hospital was clear, though were the first few minutes, but than more people arrived and I had to wait anyway. Furthermore there were three rooms, where one could get a blood test. One of them was reserved for high risk people only – but only in theory I learned. Actually I was the first one called of us four, who now were waiting, but I had to go into a room, where all others were tested. Luckily the nurse had a protective face mask and a visor.

The rest of the day was not different to the other days before.

.

10th to 12th April 2020

Those days it did not happen something really special. Beside reading, chatting (by WhatsApp with my Mexican friends and a German girlfriend from my time at school), learning Spanish and ordering another item online, I just was working with the translation of my book into English.

.

13th April 2020

I have a little more energi as usual and also wrote emails to my German girlfriend Doris as well as my cousin Ursula. Doris and I have had a chat by WhatsApp this day, but there was too much text to explain to her, how the Swedish government tackles the “Coronapandemi”. My cousin Ursula had sent me an email some times ago. I had answered her already, but forgot to write about, how I am, though she was asking now again.

I had an uncommon dish today – uncommon to me, I mean. One part of the dish was stewed leeks. I really liked it and it is a good opportunity to make this, when I am buying leeks. I always freeze the most of it and this way I just freeze less. Therefore it will not get too old in the freezer as it happened with the last one. After dinner I was updating my blog somewhat.

.

14th April 2020

My new kettle arrived. I am so happy about it (I wrote about that kettle at the end of March).

.

.

Most of the day I used to read news, was on twitter and learned more Spanish. However, I cared about my dayling living as well like going out with the trash, making my laundry etc. In addition to that I started as a “language friend” via Skype for immigrants. I met a woman from Iran, she was already quite good in Swedish, but hoped to get perfect in her new language. We agreed that she has to send me an email, when she wants to meet me by Skype again.

I also got a message from the transport company, that my camping stove arrived. It is really the smallest and cheapest one I could find on the Internet, but it is a very good make. Because it was not delivered to my door, I had to try to find someone to help me. Our tenant compoud has startet a “good neighbors site”, though I put my details in there, asking for help to pick up that parcel.

Before I was going to bed I updated my order at the supermarket and ordered some items from the pharmacy. They actually had a new label of hand desinfection, both in a bottle and as tissues. Though I also ordered a 20-pack of the tissues. By the way, the usual “label” is out of stock.

.

15th April 2020

My radio arived, delivered by the postman. I was surprised, how small it is. The sound is not very good, but it is only for disasters, because there is no need of electricity for it – neither by cord nor by batteries. I can recharge it by a handle – a dynamo system. Anyway I can charge the radio as well by a USB cord.

.

.

Most of the day I was busy by housework. A neighbor did pick up mig camping stove.

.

.

16th April 2020

There was another parcel at a delivery point waiting to be picked up. I was wondering by myself, if I should go and pick it up, because I won’t take advantage of my neighbor too often, but I decided not to do and did contact this neighbour again.

I was also waiting for a sewing machine, which I had ordered at the same time as a multi function printer. I had got an advertising, that the printer will be delivered soon, but have not heard anything about the sewing machine, though I looked it up at the online shop and did see, that it is not in stock. Therefore I decided to cancel that order and try to get it from somewhere else. For that I had to call the customer service, which I was too late for this day, but I put that on my to-do-list for the following day.

Before high noon I also sent an official question to the local council. There next meeting will be on the following Monday and I was afraid – like others in our Natur conservation association, that they will decide on a change of the local “construction planning” and sell a part of valuable nature to a company for storage of concrete blocks. The area in question houses almost three kinds of redlisted insects and also a very old forest.

Furthermore this day I have got a negative surprise. I had ordered a falafel maker by Amazon. I usually do not by anything by Amazon, but the falafel maker was only sold by them and a Swedish company, but the last named took 4 times as much for it as Amazon. The post office asked me to pay customs duty for the parcel. First I had to be clear about, if that was not a scam. Therefore I asked at the post office, where the parcel was coming from and what it contains. Even it was coming from Israel and not from the USA, as I thought, the content was right. Anyway I could not believe, that I have to pay more in duty, than I paid for the falafel maker. Though I questioned it. There were 25% of duty and 75 SEK in handling fee by the post office. I learned something knew the hard way again. Anyway with all the costs included, that falafel maker only was half as expensive as the Swedish one. In this case, if I could do it again, I would choose the Swedish one for avoiding that transport.

.

17th April 2020

The head of the board of the local council was calling me rearding to my question, I had sent the day before. She told me, that the next meeting will be hold with reduced numbers of members as well as there will only be dealed with very important questions, but I could get a written answer, which I asked for.

I was supporting the “FridaysForFuture” movement with the Climate strejk this day as well, by posting a selfie on social media and, as usual I sent the picture to the local council as well. So far they have never answered on this emails, but they have to read it and register it.

Today I asked Emma to pick up another parcel for me. I thought it was the printer. I told her, that she can pick it up, when it suits her best. She informed me later, that she did try it this day, but she did not made it, before the shop closed.

I remembered to cancel the sewing machine during the opening hours of the customer service and ordered another one at another company. I also paid for home delivery of it.

.

18th April 2020

I was thinking a lot about my work and my contract for the summer during the last weeks. Now I made my decision, thinking about, that it is easier to find someone else for the job now, than closer to the summer month. Therefore I wrote an email to my boss, explaining my situation and that I am not willing to work again before there is a vaccination against the new Coronavirus. With other words: I quit my job.

Finally I dusted off the furniture etc in my apartment. I was happy, to have done it and hope for more energy the upcoming days, weeks, month and years.

My neighbor dit pick up the parcel and delivered it to me, but it was not the printer. It was just the papper for the printer, which I had ordered at the same time. I was very surprised about that, because the announcement I from the company had been, that my order will be sent. Though I asked her, if there was only that little parcel and told her then, that she could not know that and that I will call the shop, if they have another part of this delivery. Though I did and I was told, that there were no other one. I tried to find out by the order confirmation and the following email, what that delivery meant, but there was nothing to find about, that it only will be the paper. Therefore I had to open an account at the company, where I ordered the printer and find my order by “my site”. There I could see, that the printer was not in stock and was not expected to be in stock by the mid of May. Anyway it was too late to call the customer service and the Elbot – an automatic chat, answering questions, told me, that I have to contact the customer service. I do not know, what that Elbot makes for sense, because it cannot answer any question put the FAQs.

In the late evening I started to watch some movies again. I actually did watch two or even three. Though I felt asleep very late.

.

19th April 2020

I was reading some magazines, I get for a member of different associations. One article was about the polyclinics and how they treat seniors. The experiences they were writing about were the same as my own. Later I was updating my blog again as well as I learned a little more Spanish, read the news – especially about the new Coronavirus and so on (as I use to do every day).

.

20th April 2020

My delivery from the supermarket was early today. Unfortunately not all, what I had ordered, were in stock. The worst was, that I only got very view bananas as well as no papayas at all. I now, I should not order fruit from countries far away, but both are very healthy and the papaya is very good for my digestive system.

I tried to buy dried papaya online. I only found one shop online, which had the quality I was looking for. It was a Chinese company in Gothenburg. Therefore I first checked, if there are Papaya plantations in China and surprisingly there are. I did that check up, because I am not interesting in to buy dried fruit, which has been shipped around the whole world – half of it already gives me guilty conscience. While I was ordering dried papaya, I also ordered dried mango. The mango came in boxes at 500 grams, but the papaya only in boxes at 100 grams. Though I ordered 1 box of dried mango and five of dried papaya. Soon I had an answer from the company, telling me, they only have three boxes of papaya left and if I want more mango instead. I asked them to send the two missing later and only send the three papaya and the one mango. Though they did, but it seems, they did not make a residue note.

I also checked other supermarkets here in Katrineholm for fresh papaya. It seemed like one of them has, but that shop has no possibilty for ordering online even many shops of the same chain have that. This shop refers to a voluntary help organisation. They volunteers make the shopping for elderly etc. It is for free. I already have my neighbor, helping me, though I send an email to her, asking if she might have an errand to the area, where the shop is and if she is willing to buy something for me, which I will pay for, when she delivers it to me. For the payment I offered our Swish system, because I do not have cash at home and its a very smooth way to send money to someone. She later answered, that she might go there at the weekend and buy what I wish as well as she told me, she will send an email or message before she will go there.

Even this day I updated my blog somewhat, learned more Spanish, but also attended my online class “Klimatlyftet” (se before). Afterwards I was reading and actually did it during the entire night.

.

21st April 2020

I should have got my sewing machine today, but something went wrong and the DHL, which should have delivered it, had to check, where the item is situated. One can follow the parcels in a special app and during the following day, I saw something special. My sewing machine had arrived at one point three times – at different hours, of course. I really would like to know, how that was possible / happened. It must have been somewhere else in the meantime.

I also wrote a letter to the editor about the DigitalGlobalClimateStrike, which will be hold the 24th this month. Although there are not a lot of this kind of letters printed during the previous weeks, this time my letter was not printed. I tried to advertise the event on the Internet platforms I am active, but I do not know, if someone, but Irene, followed my call.

.

22nd April 2020

My sewing machine arrived and I was reading the whole information leaflet, which followed with it. The machine has not a lot of extras, because I won’t see so much, that I would need it. It has anyway 23 kinds of seams. By the way it is a Singer, model 3223. I also liked to start and sew a curtain. I had changed it – cut of the upper row, when I was living in Hamburg, Germany, but need to put this part back on now. Unfortunately I did not find enough of sewing thread in the fitting color.

.

.

This day I tried new food. It was a kind of pancakes and it is namned Buckwheat Gallettes (Buchweizen Galetten, bovetegaletter). They should have been quite thin, but the dough was so thick, so the gallettes did not become as thin as they should have been. Next time, I will try with more fluid in the dough.

.

23rd April 2020

It was a really warm day, the temperature raised to +19°C, but I was not going outside. I had to prepare the signs for the DigitalGlobalClimateStrike.

Furthermore I ordered some more cook books. This time for baking cookies, another one for making ice cream and one for vegan dairies, what means there are no recipes for diaries, but look and taste alikes – mostly done by cashew nuts.

I was freezing a lot again, but I had normal temperature (ca. 36,8°C). Now it was time to update my blog, but I did not come very far. In the evening I was learning Spanish again – as every evening since more than 100 days.

.

24th April 2020

The day for the DigitalGlobalClimateStrike has come. In each of my window, but hthe very small one, I did put a sign from the inside and was then going outside and taking pictures of all of them. I did sent an email with two photos to our local council and posted all of the photos on the group page for GrandmasForFuture – Katrineholm as well as on twitter and Instagram.

After the strike I did call two supermarkets, asking for papayas, because my supermarket did not have some. The first supermarket I called did not have either, but at the second I was lucky. They promised, that they will have papaya the upcoming day.

I always was checking for, when my new printer will arrive, but it was not in stock and it was not promised before 20th May. Therefore I canceled that order and ordered another one. It actually is a better and more expensive one, but I think I made a good decision. It is an Epson, model XP-8606, if you are interested in, which I did choose, you can google it.

I had to go out with my trash as well as I had to go with the cardboards to my storeroom. I save as long as it is possible, though I will not need to buy some, when I will sent parcels myself. Finished with my homemade oat drink and almond drink I was updating my blog again.

Before going to sleep I was watching two movies again. One was namned Fishermen’s friends and was about a music producer, who has heard fishermen in Cornwall singing and was so happy about their music, though he tried to produce them. There were a lot up and downs, but at the end, the fishermen had great success and also could save their pub. This was based on a real story. The other one was called Green Book and actually I do not remember, what it was about, but I think, you will find it on the Internet.

.

25th April 2020

I did not made anything special, but was watching a lot of movies of the old serie Flipper. I should have had a video chat with my son Marcus on Skype, but he did not go online – he was tired and had to go to sleep, he told me and ask me, if we could chat the upcoming day.

.

26th April 2020

I tried to get help of volunteers, gathered at an app “Good help”, to buy papaya and a few more items, but it was not working. Nobody answered my email. I tried this way, because my “good neighbor” seems not be interested in to make such kind of errands for me. I thought, this site maybe is not working on weekends.

I just had finished my cooking, when it was time to chat with Marcus, but he did not answer. He did not answer my email either. Though I was watching movies again this evening, because I was too tired to update my blog.

.

27th April 2020

My hands, that means the eczema on my hands, is mucher better now. I still eat tofu, though I think, that is not the reason, but that medicine I had to take against the lichen in my mouth. I also got a message that my new printer will arrive the next day.

I had an online discussion with my son Daniel, but we continued to have different opinions all the time. It was some information about the new Coronavirus. He had sent me a link for YouTube, where a Swedish physician was talking about, that elderly people were not receiving the oxygen needed, but did get morfin, what helped them to be without pain into dead. I do not think, that is generally that way, but it might be a part of the truth for the hospitals in Stockholm, because they have so many cases of COVID-19.

We also talked about other things, though I became cravings for ice cream. I have a box of ice cream in my freezer and had a part of it together with a coffee. I actually sometimes drink coffee again, but not often and never as the first think I drink in the morning. Meanwhile I was looking at some photos from my travel in Mexico.

This day my son Marcus were coming together online. He told and showed me, that he had a new plush cat, a kitten as he told me, because this one is much smaller as the other one he already has. Did I tell you before, that he likes all with cats and kittens? Though once I bought a purse for him with a picture of a cat head on it and my daughter Maria also give “cat gifts” to him. He also told me, that he was sleeping one night, one day and another night and that I could not reach him for that. I asked him, if he was sick and told him, that it can by healthy to sleep so much. Thouch he answered me, that he is drinking Coca Cola and energy drinks and that is the reason for that long sleep, because he cannot fall asleep every night. I asked him to stop with the energy drink.

I also updated my blog somewhat and took lunch and dinner out of the freezer for spendin time with my blog.

.

28th April 2020

In the news I read, that it was snowing in Sörmland (our county). It was no snow here in Katrineholm, but in Eskilstuna – a town nearby.

I tried to make waffles in my waffle maker, but they all fastened in the waffle maker. The last one I could not get out of the waffle maker at all. I had to put a damp kitchen cloth in it, that I finally could clean the waffle maker. It might be, that the dough was not fitting the waffle maker, but it is one with telfon, though it should work. Last time but next I used it, I had similar problems using another kind of dough, but the problem was not full so hard. Therefore I have to try another time to use with another dough. If it is not working good that time either, I think it is too old and unfortunately I have to buy a new one.

I have had an appointment at the polyclinic for mid of May, but now I have got the appointment moved to a later date and with another physician. I think that is one of the new physician, who has not taken their second exam. I am not happy about the change.

There are many companies in Sweden for moving letters and parcels. One of them is called Bring. 20 minutes before the employee arrived with me parcel – the new printer, he called me and checked, if I was at home. When he arrived, he was very service minded. Though he gets 5/5 points of me. Directly after receiving the parcel I unpacked it and put the printer on its place. I had to fix an electric cable and had to turn the printer around, that it would be good. I did not come further with it and could not install it, because I had to make my laundry as well as I hade to have a meal. I made the installation as soon as possible, even I did not need the printer right now. It was very easy, because on the description for the printer, there was a QR code and once scanned it, the most was working by its own. I printed some test pages and also checked how it is working with the app on my smartphone and the printer.

.

.

In the evening we hade an online meeting by Zoom with our association for nature conservation. It was about our upcoming bike-day. We will inspire people to bike more as well as we will have signs, defending the nature. So far we only are six active people for this ride, even it is the only save way for meetings – with the bike one keeps automatically the necessary distance regarding to the new coronavirus.

After the online meeting Lotta picked me up by car for going to the supermarkets for papaya etc. I was not thinking about the car ride, when I agreed. In the evening no many peope are shopping, though I thought I will be safe in the supermarkets. Anyway I used my homemade face mask all the time and was hoping for the best. I know, it mostly helps not to spread the virus, but I hope, it also helps a little, not to get it. I was happy, that neither anyone was talking to me about my face mask nor was sending me amazed or angry looks. Lotta was positive about it.

Home again I only had a snack before I took my medicine. Afterwards I learned some more Spanish and was then watching a movie again. It was not Flipper ;-).

.

29th April 2020

I have had aubergine in my fridge since the last delivery from the supermarket. I actually do not follow my meny very well, because I no longer do have space in my freezer and have to eat the meals several days in a row. If possible, I only cook have of a recipe, but sometimes it is too hard to scale it down, e.g. there is an amount of 1 1/3 unit or similar of something. Now, I was afraid, that my aubergines would become destroyed, though I had to find a way to take care of it. I had read, that it is possible to fry it bacon like and I tried my luck. Actually it is not so crispy like bacon, but the taste is not so bad. I froze it and hope it will be crispier, when I will fry it for the second time. I also took care about my carrots and freeze most of them – partly grated raw partly greated and fried. Some of them I slieced and cooked them, before I froze them.

I had cut on of the aubergines in cubs, I had a part of them for my lunch – together with potato mash and onion. It was very close to the original and I liked it so much. I think, it sounds very uncommon to have such a meal, but sometimes I am longing for just those “poor people” meals, which I ate, when I was a child and also at a lot of, when I was pregnant ;-).

My plan was, to go to the haberdashery, but time was too late and I had to postpone it. I actually needed sewing thread for my blue kitchen curtains.

.

30th April 2020

I updated my order for the supermarket. I tried to install the software for my printer on my new used laptop, but I did not find the driver for my extern CD-player on the Internet. Though I was looking for the driver for the printer on the Epson homepage. When I did not find, what I was looking for, I decided to register my printer at that page. I needed the serial number of the printer and neither found it on the following description nor on the upper side or the sides of the printer. Therefore I turned the printer upside down and tried to hold the lid and the scanner, but I was not lucky and both were falling down on the bench with a high speed. I found the serial number underneath. When I put the printer on his right side again, I was not able to put down the scanner and the lid in it correct position, how I tried. By the way, now I could see the serial number in the inside of the printer – only possible with the scanner open (like when one has to change the color cartridges. I was afraid, that the printer already was destroyed. I could not find anything about, how to manage this mess. There were only advices about troubles with the software. Finally I found an email address and I wrote about my problem, not telling, how it happened. I hope, I will get an advice, how to manage it.

The rest of the day I spent time with the things I am usual doing.

.

If you are interested in to follow me further, please click on: May 2020