February 2019

1^st Feb 2019

This day was the start of a new part of my life, a life outside Stockholm’s county and further away to my youngest son and his family. While he could drive in 30 minutes from his to my home before, now he needs between one and a half and two hours, depending on the traffic situation.

I was up already at 6am to catch the train at 8:51am at Stockholm’s Central station. I know, I am slow in the mornings, but it also takes around an hour for me by public transport from Ekerö to the Central station. To be sure, not to miss the train, I need almost half an hour as a margin as well. The buses in Ekerö are not leaving very often. At my place, there is only one bus every thirty minutes, a little further, they are running every twenty minutes. Fortunately, the subway, I have to take to go further, is running every five minutes.

I reached my destination, the housing company hembla in Katrineholm around 10:15am and asked for the key. I had my contract with me, because one never knows, if it is necessary. I did not meet the assistant, who had shown me the apartment, but she was at the same office. Though I was asked for the home insurance policy. I told the assistant serving me, that I had sent a copy by email to her colleague, which the other assistant confirmed and all was going well.

It took around 20 minutes for me to come to my new, rented apartment. The keys were easy to use both for the post box and for my apartment door. In the post box I found a lot of letters for another tenant and actually, it was the one, who had lived here before. This apartment has been renovated recently, but there were signs of the former tenant. As another tenant of the house told me, the tenant, who lived before in my apartment, did not live here for a long time. I do not know the reason for it, but already the fact, that she did scratch a lot of things in the apartment under such a short time, should have been a reason for making her leave. In addition to that, one of the fire places of the stove was very dirty and I was surprised, that the housing company did not clean it, before it was time for me to move in. Actually, this was not the important think I would like to tell you. More important was, that I did not recognize the apartment. In my mind the kitchen was rectangular and not quadrate and I did not understand, that the stove really had an induction top. It was so different to all the induction stoves and stovetops I have seen before. Therefore, I called the assistant, who had shown me the apartment and told her, that it was not the apartment, she had shown me. Anyway, the keys were fitting, the apartment was in the right house on the right place and I had to agree, that it is the right apartment anyway.

Among the items I had with me, there were the plates and I put them into the dishwasher, that they were ready for use the upcoming day. I did not get the dishwasher to work. I did understand, that there is a crane for the water somewhere and I found a mechanism, which could be that, but did not get it to work anyway. Furthermore, I could not get the fridge/freezer working – I suspected, that the electrical cord was not in the contact, but I could neither see nor reach it. Additionally, I was freezing in the apartment, I did not feel the underfloor heating in the bathroom and there were only shelfs in one of the three wardrobes. I thought, there had to be shelfs in two of them, because the additional walk-in-wardrobe, just for hanging clothes. Unfortunately, I had not checked it, when I was shown the apartment for the first time. Though I wrote an email about that, before I was on the way out to a grocery store/supermarket to buy some food for the upcoming day.

On my way out, a janitor arrived and I was asking him, if he can have a look at my apartment, when he is done. He had not to do anything else, but to come to me 😉. He found the electrical cord and put it in the contact in the wall, though the fridge/freezer started working. He also found out, how to open the water crane for the dishwasher, but he could not help me with the other errands. He was in a hurry as well. I think, he was eager to make no overtime. Maybe he wanted to meet a relative.

We have waste separation everywhere in Sweden, though we have here in Katrineholm, too. When I tried to dispose paper trash, I met the first one of my neighbours. She is retired as well and told me, that she moved home some years ago after she had been working abroad for fifty years. She also told me, that she thrives here. Unfortunately, the container for the paper trash as well as for the plastic trash was full. She told me, that these containers will be emptied every Wednesday.

Around 5pm I left my new apartment for going back to Ekerö and prepare for the upcoming day, when I will move with all my belongings.

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2^nd Feb 2019

Even this day I had to awake very early in the morning. I had to be at IKEA Kungens Kurva at 10am to pick up my shopping. The company had introduced a new service. Now it is possible to make a wish-list and then with a click tell them, that you would like to have the items picked of them. You have to pay for the items online and can then pick them all together up at a special cash point. The service is for 200 SEK, but only 99 SEK, if you are an IKEA Family member. It saves a lot of time and I had decided to do so the day before. My wish-list was ready for a while, I just sent it, when I had measured the kitchen. I had to be sure, that the round table I had chosen was not too big for the kitchen space. I also had recognized, that I need another lamp – one for the hallway, but did not put that one on the list. I wished to see, how they look like in real to decide, which one I will choose.

Just when I arrived at IKEA, around 9:50am, my son messaged me, that he will be a little late and I was happy to have time to choose the lamp. When I left the IKEA shop with two trolleys, he messaged me again, asking where I am waiting for him. We were happy, that there was space enough for the van and it was no problem to put all the items in the van. His wife was with him to help me move. Her parents were with their boys.

All of us three were going by the van to Ekerö, where we picked up my furniture and other belongings. It was easy, because there is an elevator in the house and it is only a little more than one meter between the door and the street. Also, it is possible to drive directly to the border of the pedestrian’s way and no problem with the snow. It took around an hour to put all the things in the van. We were in good time and my son was driving directly to Katrineholm. There were not a lot of traffic on the roads and we arrived around two hours later at our destination (by using the ferry between Ekerö and Slagsta). Even we were hungry, my son and his wife were carrying all my furniture and belongings into my apartment before we were going to a restaurant for a late lunch. It was a heavy work, because they had to force a low snow wall before they could use the moving board. They did not like, what I offered to eat, they were interested in a “real meal”.

Only three or four minutes away from my new home, there is a Greek restaurant. We had our late lunch there. My son paid even I tried to invite them. They did not only follow me back to my apartment, but also put together my couch. It is one, where two people can sleep easily and comfortable after changing a little. Without change it is good enough for one to sleep. My son and his wife did nearly all the work this day, I was not allowed to help much.

They were leaving with the van between six and seven o‘clock in the evening, because they had to leave back the van before 9pm and we were afraid, that the roads will be icy.

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3^rd Feb 2019

The first night at my new home I slept on the couch, because my new bed had not arrived. There was a delivery time of two to four weeks stated. I had the couch in its full bed size and it was very comfortable.

After breakfast I unpacked all my boxes, but the one with the Christmas items. I do not have space for them in my shelfs and wardrobes for the moment. I would have, but by the lack of shelfs in the wardrobes, I had to put my sweaters and my underwear into one of my two book shelfs. I also mounted one of the chairs, though I could sit with one of my smaller tables and eat. I did not have the time for the other chairs this evening. Furthermore, I put protective pads under all of my small tables (I have two times three nesting tables).

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4^th Feb 2019

This day I mostly was occupied by mounting the other five chairs. First, I had tried to mount the table, but had to give up halfway. I was not able to put in the screws, because I did not see the holes for them. The chairs were a hard work for me. There were lots of screws to apply and I was very happy, that I had new tools from IKEA, because of the genial idea to have a hole in the handle of the screwdriver. Though I could put a strut in it for more power. In my case this strut was a soup ladle 😉 – I did not have anything better, but it was working very well.

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This day I also used my washing machine for the first time. It is working well. My laundry was towels. I also dried them in the electric dryer, but I think I have to clean the sensors.

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5^th Feb 2019

After I had been shopping at the supermarket, I tried to put my suitcases and the Christmas tree into my storage space, but I did not find it immediately. If I had not met one of my neighbours, I think, I had to ask at the office. When I at the 1^st of February had asked at the office, if there is a storage space for my apartment, they told me, there is and which number it has, but not, that it is in the A-part of the house – I live in the B-part of the house. However, the laundry room was very easy to find. Yes, you read right. There is a laundry room as well, even we have washing machines and dryers in our apartments. Additionally, there is a mangle room and a drying room as well. The drying room is amazing with tubes to hang the laundry. Warm air is going through the tubes and blowing out into the room, drying linen in two hours. Therefore, I am sure, that I will wash my bed and other linen in the laundry room and dry it in the drying room. These rooms are not often occupied and it is easy to book them (by a digital system in front of the laundry room, which is next door to my apartment). I also washed my net curtains and sheer table clothes, because now I have a program for them as well.

While going forth and back, with my suitcases and my Christmas tree, to and from my storage space I also met my neighbours at the same floor as I live. On my floor I only have one neighbour. On the other two floors there are three apartments each. There is no elevator in the house, because there are only three floors and I am very happy to live on the ground floor.

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6^th Feb 2019

It was time for my first “service call” to the housing company. Actually, I did not call, but used the website, where we have the possibility to announce, when something is not working etc. I asked for shelfs for the wardrobe as well for a cabinet in the kitchen. It is above the fan over the stove. It is an ideal place for the spices, but there I only can put one row, because there are no shelfs. I would wish to have another shelf. Furthermore, I remembered them about the underfloor heating for the bathroom, the heating in the apartment, to attach the medicine cabinet in a wardrobe – that is usual here, as well as I asked, if I am allowed to have a wreath on the outside of my apartment door, because we are not allowed to have something flammable in the stairwell. – Luckily, I am allowed to have a wreath on the door. This answer I have got by email in no time. For a reaction on the other calls I had to wait for some days.

This day I also put my empty boxes in my storage space. In the early afternoon I called the polyclinic for an appointment. There was an answering machine, telling me, that a nurse will call me soon. In the late afternoon a nurse was calling me, but told me, after she had asked why I am looking for an appointment, that I have to call the upcoming Tuesday at 7am, because they get the appointment for the doctors that weekday (every week). The nurse sounded like she was not believing me, that I should have a physical examination for my heart failure. It seemed, she did not believe me at all, that I may have a heart failure, even I told her, that a Mexican doctor had told me, that my heart valves are not fully closing.

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7^th Feb 2019

I did not fully clean the apartment in Ekerö before leaving. It was not a hurry either, because I have to pay the rent for the whole month anyway. This day I was going to Ekerö for the last cleaning. It was only the floors and I had to defrost the freezer. I had not booked a train ticket in advance, but did that just before leaving my new apartment – I use the app for it. I had a little hurry and did take time meanwhile I was walking quite fast. I had to make it in 25 minutes. As Google tells me, I only need 12 minutes for that kilometre, but I needed 18 minutes, including that I put the trash in the trash container, but if that took long time it took a minute. The train was already waiting at the platform. It was one, which was starting in Katrineholm. There are a very few of them. It was nice to slip the waiting time.

In Stockholm I was unfortunate, because there was a technical problem at a subway station, though we had to go further by bus. We were told, that there are lots of buses waiting for us, but there were not and also, we were not told the correct stop, where the buses will leave. We were waiting at the wrong side of the street until one of the arriving bus drivers told us, that we have to cross the road. The trip, which otherwise would have taken around two hours was now for nearly three hours.

Arriving at the place I did take away my name from the letter box and my door and started with cleaning the floors as soon as I was in the old apartment. I had a lunch box with me and a bottle of water as well. When I had cleaned the floors, I had my lunch. Afterwards I asked my landlady for a short ladder and a screwdriver, because it was not possible to get the freezer off without unplugging the contact and I also had to put a mirror on a wall again and I had forgotten my screwdriver.

It took a very long time before all ice was gone. Around 5pm I left the keys for the apartment to my landlady. She told me, that I could come and see her, if I am close to Ekerö as well as we can have contact by email. I was going to the city centre by bus and subway – which was fully working now again. In the city centre I was to a shop and bought hooks. I had not found a shop for those items in Katrineholm yet. Because the late hour and that the train I chose would not be in Katrineholm before 8pm, I also bought some bread at a supermarket close to the Central station. I had to wait for the train less than half an hour. It was cold, but I could hold me warm anyway by walking around and having my hands in my pockets.

Finally, at home in Katrineholm again, it was raining mixed with snow, but mostly it was rain. In my apartment I just had a sandwich and a cup of hot chocolate before I finished off the day with an old Swedish movie.

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8^th Feb 2019

I hade booked the laundry for this day – from 9am to 1pm. In the laundry room there are three washing machines and two dryers. I did not use any of the dryers, but the drying room, because I was washing curtains – one and one, each in an own washing machine. I also had some table clothes to wash. Meanwhile the washing machines did their work respectively the items were in the drying room, I put the paintings of my children, a copper engraving etc on my walls. I tried to have the lower line in a row, but I missed it somewhat. Unfortunately, I am just not able to get it right. Anyway, this time it was better than all the other times before. I also applied the hooks on the tiles and one on the outside of my apartment door.

In addition to that I washed a machine with clothes in my bathroom. Later I put them on a drying rack in my all-room. I finished with putting up my mirror on the hall side of the door to my walk-in-wardrobe.

I had a letter from my new dentist in my letter box, including a health declaration. I chose this dentist, a private one, because they offer a total examination of the teeth and mouth while they take into account the total health situation of their patients. I will see, if they can help me more than with a dental bridge or similar.

I have not had rice pudding for a long time, but this day was perfect and by the new stove it was easier than usual to cook it. I hade rice pudding for four days in a row 😉, but only for one meal each day.

In the late afternoon I was going out for shopping at a Lidl supermarket. I usually only buy papers there: toilet paper, kitchen rolls and tissues. This day I was out for just buying that things. I had another errand and was not directly going there. When I asked Google for the direction, I could not understand, how to go there from the other side of the railway station. I was asking at a flower shop for the direction, after I had bought an artist item there. They explained very well for me. It was a quite long way to go there, but easy to find after that explanation. The thing is, that the Lidl shop is on the side of the railway, where I have been, but there is no way through. Therefore, it is necessary to go on the “wrong” side of the railway until coming to the bridge close to the Lidl. There is a bus as well, but I had told the florists, that I will walk.

On the way to the Lidl shop I was passing a shop for artistic accessories. I was going back and entered for asking for stands. I have a frame with photos of my children, which I would like to put on the top of a shelf and need a stand for it. She could have ordered one or two for me, but they were only done for small lightweight paintings. I am not sure, that I still have the stands, I used for my books, once I had a publishing house. I will see, when I pick up the rest of my belongings, which still are at my son Daniels home in Malmö.

It was totally dark when I left the Lidl shop and I had seen the bus stop. There was a bus no 3, coming from the Kullbergs Hospital, but I thought it will go to the hospital, which is very close to my home. I left after two stops, when I understood, that the bus is not going into the right direction. Actually, I could have got to the railway station by that bus and taken a bus home from there. I think, it was faster to walk and the bus did have another route, than I would have walked as well, though it did not help me anything, but was for a price of 24 or 26 SEK.

Back at home I made a pasta salad for my evening meal and was going to bed at 8pm.

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9^th Feb 2019

I awoke at 6:40am, put away my dry clothes and cleaned the window sills from everything I had put there, because my son will arrive at 8am and help me to put up my curtain rails. Afterwards I had breakfast.

I had not finished my breakfast, when he arrived. It only was 7:30am. He had awoken very early this day. He started with to put together my kitchen table. It was him, who saw the holes for the screws I could not screw in. I was ashamed, that I had not seen them. I could have managed to mount the table all by my own. Even I think I could not have raised it by myself, because it is quite heavy.

Now it was time for the curtain rails and he did not even help me with them, but also put the curtains in place. It is a little tricky system, because I have two rails in the kitchen and three in the all-room. I have to take one rail at a time and put the curtains on them – from the wall out. Only, when the one rail is done, I can put curtains on the next rail. Luckily, I won’t change curtains very often, just for “midsummer”, Christmas and after the Christmas time. I also can ask for free help for it of the authority of Katrineholm. Though the curtains/curtain rails are no problem at all.

My son did also check the underfloor heating and put the right date and time in the clock as well as he changed the program (he did change from the cycle lower temperature during office hours into same temperature even during office hours), before he was leaving around 11am. He did not even have a “fika” (snack) with me, just a tea soon after he had arrived. Anyway, before he was leaving, he took photos of the work he had done, though he could show his wife, because she was interested in it.

I was very hungry, when he left and had sandwiches. In the afternoon I cooked a minced meat pie. In former times I have had this kind of pie and also other pies quite often, but since I moved to Ireland, I have not had one. I am so happy, that I can cook again all I wish. I took a photo of the pie and sent it to my children. Showing them, how happy I am.

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After my dinner I was to the grocery shop buying almond milk and other groceries. At home again I made my files. In the evening, when I tried to make my couch to a big bed again, it was not working. I tried several times as well as I was looking at the IKEA video, how to do. I did nothing wrong, I could get it up, but not flat down. Though I was sleeping on the smaller surface instead. For one it is big enough.

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10^th Feb 2019

I had a “homestay” day, that means I was not leaving my apartment, because I was ironing my table clothes as well as I shortened three curtains in the all-room (of the curtains at the curtain rails. It is actually an easy way to do, especially by using an ironing board. Anyway, it takes time and I had three meals as well. I am very good in having my meals and most of my meals are healthy as well as I nearly everyday have a smoothie, with mostly three fruits, for my main meal. The liquid generally is coconut drink, sometimes a coconut drink with rice or an almond drink. A few times I have used a chocolate drink based on an oat drink or similar. I also started to take a vitamin pill every day. I have not seen any change and the inflammation in my mouth will not leave.

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11^th Feb 2019

A guy from the housing company was here and fixed the medicine cabinet. He told me, that he does not know, if the company has shelfs, but he will ask. He was coming from the town of Arboga and working at the same company. He is helping out here in Katrineholm, because they have a lot to do in this period, while they are updating all the apartments to modern standard as soon as someone moves out.

I was shortening more curtains this day. One kind of them is very hard to stitch, because the fabric is thick. I did not make them all this day as well.

One of my meals this day was not so very healthy, but vintage 😉. I had bought a Greek bread last time at the grocery and it was eventually to big for me, though I cooked “fattiga riddare” (Google tells me it is called “French toast” in English). The bread is put in a mix of egg and milk – by the way, the really poor only use milk and then fried on a pan. The poor eat it with only sugar or maybe sugar and cinnamon mix. There are “rika riddare” as well – for the less poor, who eat this bread with jam. I like it most with the sugar and cinnamon mix and that was the way I ate it this day, because I do not buy jam. I only have fresh stirred lingonberries at home for my porridge. It is the Swedish way to eat the porridge and I think it is healthier than sugar, even there is some sugar in it.

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12^th Feb 2019

I had my alarm clock on 6:30am and 6:45am, because I had to call the polyclinic at 7am for getting an appointment with a doctor. I was up in time and called exactly at 7 o’clock. There was an answer machine asking me for my phone and my personal number and told me, that someone will call back. I was surprised, when a nurse did call me at 8:10am. I did not expect that. I thought, I will be called back in the afternoon or not at all.

This time I have got an appointment for a female doctor with a very Swedish name. I also was told, that I should ask for a requisition of my files at the former polyclinic. I told, that I already had done, but was told, that it has to be done from the new polyclinic. Otherwise I had to pay for it. We agreed, that I will go to the polyclinic in Katrineholm and ask for a form, though my files will be able to be read by the new doctor. At the end of the call, the nurse told me, that I should call again, if I will feel worse.

Around 10am I was going to the hospital for the requisition form. I did take the opportunity as well to visit the pharmacy in the same building. I was asking for my special small toothbrushes. The female, technical pharmacist tried to order them, but did not find them in her files. Next time I will be at the polyclinic I will go to the pharmacy again and have the bag with the toothbrush with me. Maybe she will find them in the files. I still have some, because they come in a bag with four, but I take a new one every month, though I am interested in, that she can order them.

In the afternoon I bought a bigger frying pan as I have, because the one I have is not big enough to make a good meat sauce of 400g minced meat. I also was to another shop, buying small things like a box for cutleries to have in a kitchen drawer. Furthermore, I was looking for a 2-in-1 stand up vacuum cleaner in both of the shops. I have to google and see, which one I finally will buy.

Back at home I had a meal and I also made hummus. It is so easy with my new food processor. Unfortunately, I added a little too much Cayenne pepper, but I still can eat it.

The rest of the day I read my health files. In Germany as well as on Malta I have got all my journals directly from the doctors. The doctor in Germany told me, that I should take them with me everywhere, that other doctors, if necessary, get to know enough about my health history. While living in Germany I had a physical folder with all the original documents I have got. Since I moved to Malta, I only save them digital. I took copies, saving them on a USB-stick, though I can take them with me. I think the most important file is the one about my heart condition. It is from the hospital in Malta and done for the surgery of my thyroid.

I also downloaded a form for the pension service in Germany as well as an Extraction of the Population Register, though I can print them and send them to Germany. It is the only country of the four I have pension from, which asks for it in physical form. With all the others I can communicate digital.

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13^th Feb 2019

The service team of the housing company called me and told me, that they do not have shelfs for my wardrobe. Though I was on the Internet looking for DIY shops for kitchens and similar. I found three, but only one offered the shelfs I need. The Woody shop is close to the supermarket I want to go this day, because I do need more almond drink etc and that is cheapest at this supermarket. First, I was to the Woody shop and ordered the shelfs, because they do not have them in stock. They were for around 85 SEK each. I also bought shelf supports. I had to take 32 even I only need 28. They were together for 80 SEK.

Happy about, that I soon will have shelfs in another wardrobe I was going further to the supermarket. There I bought a lot of drinks as well as one litre milk, because I want to bake Swedish Cinnamon buns. I also bought fruits and vegetables as well as flour and yeast. Back at home I was called by a seller of the Woody shop. He told me, that it was not so easy to order the shelfs, because there is a fee for transport of 1000 SEK, though he did not order them. In addition to that, he told me, that they have shelfs to cut into the correct size. I asked him for the price and he told me, that one is for 150 SEK. That would anyway be much cheaper than ordering the other shelfs. I told him, that I do not have so much money to spend this month, but will come back to them.

Even this evening I shortened a curtain.

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14^th Feb 2019

When I awoke, I found a message from my Mexican friend Teresa. She had sent me a verse in Spanish about being friends – in time for Valentin’s Day. I copied it and sent it to my other Mexican friends. My Spanish has never been so perfect before 😉.

Even I spent too much time in the morning on twitter and had a late breakfast, I finished to shorten the curtains. If you are wondering. There are all together six curtains I had to shorten. The first day I shortened three of them, the other day I shortened two more. The last one took two days to shorten, because when I was working with it, my son called me and, because it was already afternoon, the daylight was going missing and I do not have such a good light in my all-room yet, that I can stitch black curtains, even there is a pattern on it.

By the way, I tried to find out, how much sun I will get into my room during the summer month. I used an online compass, but it showed me North, where the sun is going down these days. I actually have seen a nice sunset from my couch. Even I do not see a lake from my new apartment I am happy with the view I have.

Before lunch it was time for the Cinnamon buns. I tried to make the dough by the food processor, but it did stop after 3 minutes. Anyway, the Cinnamon buns were perfect. During the process I felt, that I have not made Cinnamon buns for many years. I was not really sure about the consistence needed. While the dough had to raise, I cooked lens soup with potatoes, carrots and leek. It was delicious and totally vegan.

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I chilled in the evening with Wallander 😉.

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15^th Feb 2019

Finally, I started to clean my apartment. This day I only cleaned the floors. I still have not all the things I need for cleaning perfectly, but it became clean anyway. I also got a message, that my bed is close and I had to chose time for delivery. I took the first time there was, which was the upcoming Monday between 10am and 2pm. I look forward to get the bed.

For printing of the documents for the Pension service in Germany I was to the library, which is situated downtown in the House of Culture. I first asked for a member card for the library and afterwards for a computer. All was going well and the librarian was as nice as all the other people I have met in this town before. I had taken an envelope with me, though I signed the document and put it in there as well as I wrote the address on it. My next stop was the grocery shop, which also has a post office. On the way I did buy a pump for my bicycle. It was for 199 SEK, that means not the cheapest one and not the most expensive one, either. I hope it will work well.

Even I have a sign “no advertisement, please” at my letter box, I have got advertising, but it is personalized and that is the way these advertisements have special rules. Last time it was an envelop with gifts from different companies. At the supermarket I will get a gateau, once I show them the notice and so on. The gifts can be picked up until 16^th May. This time it was a newspaper and a gift from the company, where I rent cars, when I rent one. They offer 15% off a car rental. The gift also is valid for several months. That actually is a great gift, which I can use one day. The paper actually had interesting information, but also a lot of advertising.

When I had read the paper, I had pancakes for lunch. Afterwards I made my economic files. There was no much to add. The afternoon I tried to continue with the January text for my blog, but I only wrote the next date, then I was on www.blocket.se again, looking for shelfs. I actually found an app, where a wardrobe with the right size was offered to get for free, but that was an old app from December last year. I did answer it, because it still is online. (I never got an email from the seller.)

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16^th Feb 2019

I was awake early again and did dust my shelfs and other things included the skirtings. I also repaired a present I had got of my oldest sun at the time, he was still visiting school. One of the parts had been destroyed by the tooth of the time, which I now finally replaced with the artisan material I had bought in the flower shop some days before.

The rest of the day, additional to preparing my meals and eating them, I spent writing the text for my blog. When I had finished the text for the month of January 2019, I uploaded it. I also added a new site for Södermanland and prepared a link for the month of February 2019. It took all my time this day, but I am happy, I came so far. Now I only have to read the text for February another time and upload it as well as I have to activate the link. I think some of my friends will be happy, that they can follow my life again – especially for getting details about my new apartment and follow me, how I will manage to become a part of this town. In addition to that, maybe they also are interested in to learn more about this area, which is called “Sveriges Lustgård” (the Eden of Sweden). An area where one still can visit a lot of mansions and the nature invites you to enjoy life.

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17^th Feb 2019

I put away my computer soon after midnight and was going to bed. Though I was sleeping until around 9:30am this day. The days are gone when I, like on Malta, could go to sleep at 2am and was awake at 8am again. I need almost eight hours of sleep again and it may be related to my heart condition, because elderly usually do not need so much sleep.

After breakfast I started with my blog again. First, I read the text for January 2019 on my blog and corrected some mistakes, there still were. Next, I checked the word-document for February 2019 and added just a few rows for this day before uploading it on my blog.

I am not out of work now, I have a lot of plans for the closer future. I also will go to the language exchange café at the House of Culture on Wednesday afternoons. They are looking for people, who speak Swedish. Maybe I will meet a Mexican or other Spanish speaking person there, but most of all I will do it for meeting and helping refugees with the Swedish language.

The rest of the day and actually until midnight, I did choose photos for my digital photo frame and put the destinations on it, because it is hard to remember all the places I have been, when I do not have the photos in my folders. My laptop crashed twice during this time. I think it was getting too warm, because I was sitting on my couch, but had a cover, because I am still freezing in my apartment, when I do not move or work physically.

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18^th Feb 2019

I awoke between 6am and 7am, but had my alarm clock for 8am, though I tried to sleep a little more, but without success. While I am waiting for my new bed – it will be delivered between 10am and 2pm, I continued with the photos for my digital frame.

Around high noon my bed was delivered. I have booked, that it will be delivered into my apartment, but I should have helped to carry it in. Fortunately, all the parts were carried into my apartment without my help. It came in five parts. The mattress, the top mattress and the frame with the motor as well as the feet and the fittings for the feet. All together has a weight of 75 kg. I was abel to unpack all of it, but I could not fasten the fittings, in which the feet has to be screwed. Though I sent a message to my son, asking to visit me at the upcoming weekend. It is just sad, that all has to be so complicated and the service is so bad. I was wondering by myself, if it would have been better service with a more expensive make. Anyway, I cannot afford a more expensive make and I think, even it would maybe better service, it is not worth the horrible prices.

The rest of the day I continued with preparing photos for my digital frame. In the evening, when I was ready to go to bed, I tried to get my couchbed in the maximal size of 140 cm wide. The problem is still there – how could it have changed?, but I found out, that I can get the bed fully out, when I lift it up from the back of the expanding part. However I hope, my son can find the problem and make it as easy as it should be to expand the sofabed.

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19^th Feb 2019

This day it did not happen much. I used most of the time to prepare photos for my digital frame. Moreover, I was called from the administration of the Mammography organisation for my county and told, that the nurse is sick and it was not possible to get my mammography the upcoming day as planned. I was offered a new appointment for the upcoming week. I hope, the nurse will not be sick next week as well.

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20^th Feb 2019

Even I awoke between 6am and 7am, I did not have breakfast before 10am, mostly because it was such a day, where I awoke with a dizziness. I tried to find out, if it was possible to get used shelfs at a second-hand furniture shop for the one wardrobe I would like to have them for, but the answer was, there are not.

When I was ready to start with my digital frame project again, I got an reminder, that I should attend the “language café” at the library. I had to eat a meal before I was leaving for the library, though my project had to wait. I had a quick cooked meal and was ready in time. It is a nice short walk there, but the meeting was not at the café of the library, though I had to ask around until I found them. There was already a woman in my age there and a man, who wished to improve his Swedish. After a while came more people, who does not have Swedish as their first language as well as a Swedish couple, even those in my age. I think, that the Swedes are in my age depends on that younger people usually work at 3pm. I was actually sometimes asked of the first woman to explain words for the others. The attendees (mostly men), who did not have Swedish as their first language, came from Eritrea, Afghanistan, Azerbadjan and Syria. The man from Afghanistan told us, that he now lives in Valla, a village in the area of the community of Katrineholm and that he moved in there 1^st Februrary as well as he had been in the queue for apartments in the community for one year. I have not found such a queue for this place, only for condos and plots for houses, but maybe it is different for refugees. A man from Eritrea lives in Valla and told us, that he would like to move to city of Katrineholm even he hopes he will become a farmers helper soon.

Back at home I was a little frozen. When I had left my home, the sun was shining, but now it was twilight and felt colder. Though, back at home, I had a cup of tea and a cinnamon bun as a snack. I updated my blog while having my snack. The rest of the evening I continued with my digital frame project. I also had another meal.

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21^st Feb 2019

I was just awoke, when my phone rang. It was my son, asking me, if it was OK, that he will come tomorrow already. He also will have his 5-year-old son with him. Furthermore my son told me, that he had promised his son a gateau at my home. Though it was time today to pick up the one I will get for free from the supermarket. Before I left my home, by the way, we had snow again and it continued snowing, I also got an email from a local shop for DIY, that they had cut the big shelf into smaller once like I asked them for. It was ready to pick up. That I at the end chose that option depended on the price and that I can get the shelf for the spices as well. I have found out, that it is possible to order shelfes online from the company, the wardrobes and kitchen fittings are from. One shelf is for 78 SEK and the cost for the transport is 99 SEK – for 1 to 3 shelfs. The cost for the transport of 4 and more shelfs would be almost 1000 SEK. Though it would be cheaper to order 2 and 3 shelfes separate. This I was told, when I called a shop of the make, asking if it would be cheaper, if I get the shelfs by them – which was not an option. Nevertheless I could not get the 10 cm deep shelf for the spices by them.

I took the wheels of my shopping cart, because the shelfs were to big for my suitcases and my small IKEA bag and went first to an outlet shop, buying one more box for cutleries. Afterwards it was the turn of the supermarket and pick the gateau up. By the way, the supermarket now also sells “Piñatas” (the Mexican dolls for celebrations, which will be filled with sweets).

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Last but not least I was to the DIY shop, paid my shelfs and asked for helping me to get them on my shopping cart wheels. Unfortunately the cashier told me, that it was not a good option, because the shelfs will take in the snow as water and swell. I told her, that I would like to take a taxi instead, but do not know how to get a taxi at this place (the shop). She did call a taxi for me. It was a big one, because it was coming to the DIY shop. A seller of the DIY shop did put the shelfs into the taxi. The driver had a price list in the front and I asked him, if the stated price was the minimum, because it was more than 300 SEK, but he answered, that it will be cheaper for me, because I won’t go so far and it would not take so long time. At the end I had to pay around 120 SEK. Anyway, the taxi driver did carry my shelfs into the house. I was surprised about the service and one more time I thought, this town is a good place to live.

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I really had to hold me back from putting up the shelfs into the wardrobe until I have had a meal. I did not waste any time, when I had eaten. I cleaned the shelfs and put them into the wardrobe as well as I put all kinds of my sweaters and other things into the wardrobe. Afterward I put the Christmas things into my bookshelf (behind the doors 😉).

When I came back from my storage space, where I had brought the moving box for the Christmas things, I booked the laundry room – just to show my son. Actually there were so many open times for the laundry room and it was the first time in the morning, which already starts at 6am, though I think it does not matter, that I will not use the facilities.

Later I cleaned the floors, updated my blog, had one more meal and worked with my project.

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22^nd Feb 2019

I was up at 7am and dressed half an hour later, because I thought my son would be at my place around 8:30am – just in time, I could show him our laundry and drying room. Unfortunately, he called and told me, that Leon, my grandson, was close to vomit, when they were going by car. Therefore they will come by train and he asked me for to meet them at the train station. My son have had this problems as well, when he was a kid, though I just was accepting it and promised to be in time at the railway station.

The train should arrive 10:02am, therefore I left my home at 9:30am. There was still the snow from the day before, even it was only two centimeters. Most of the pedestrians ways were not slippry, but close to the railway station it was. I had taken a look and chosen the part, where no snow or ice was, but I did not look far enough. Sure, it was easy to walk, I was not careful and fell. While I was wondering by myself, if all was OK with me, a guy in his 30s asked me, if all is OK and offered me a hand. He also helped me over to another part of the pedestrians area, where really no snow and ice was. I was very grateful for his help. Actually, I was happy, that I could continue walk and without pain.

I was in good time at the railway station and was waiting at the platform for the train by which my son and his boy would arrive. I checked the first car, when it was rolling further, as soon as the train arrived. Then I put my eyes on the second car. Now the train had stopped. The door was opened and my son left with my grandchild. I could hug them welcome immediately. While we were walking to my home, I told my son, that I had fallen and told him also, that he and his son have to be careful. My son asked, if I am not in the age, that it is a risk to hurt the femur/hip respectively the femoral neck. I told him, I thought about it as well, but it seems I have good bones. I did not have pain. Surprisingly my grandson is not good in walking, even he is 5, nearly six, years old. Though we had to walk in his slow motion and it took half an hour to reach my home.

The first thing my son was helping me with, was my bed. There were only the fittings for the feet to fasten, but that was really tricky. We had to put the bed frame on the side, though it was not possibly to make this for one person only. The funny thing was, that Leon tried to help us. Though he reached the screws to his father. He is quite intelligent and, like it seems, will become a good DIY-person. I think, he did not only get the problem with vomiting during car rides of my son, but also the good characteristics. We celebrated the now useful bed with the gateau I had bought the day before. I scliced the gateau into eight parts and Leon was wondering, why I did that, because his dad cut one slice after the other, depending on, whom will have it. My son does it the Swedish way and I, maybe because I have not offered gateau for a very long time, did it the German way. It is like, when we eat with fork and knife. It is usual both in Sweden and Germany to eat with fork and knife and not only with a fork, as it is usual in the Americas – as far I have seen. Anyway, the Swedish hold the fork the other way around than the German. I still hold the fork the Geman way and usual my children even do so. I think it is more practical.

I tried to send the rest of the gateau home with my son, though his wife and my other grandchild, Vincent, could get some, but Samuel told me, that it will be to complicated to carry it. He actually ate three slices of the gateau, Leon one and I had a second one, when my son told me, that he won’t take the rest with him.

Samuel helped me with putting holes for the shelf into the cabinet for the spices before we played hide and seek with Leon. Leon was hungry very early, though we had pasta, meat balls and vegetables. My son helped me with the dishes and my grandson put his dishes on the kitchen bench. That is the usual way in Sweden. The kids are early educated to put their dishes onto the kitchen benches.

Before it was time for my son and my grandson to go back home, we were for a short while at the playground behind the building, where I am living. My son also were asking for the barbecue area, which is next to the playground, though I showed him as well. I followed them to the railway station. This time I did not fall 😉. The train was 10 minutes late, but in company it is easy to wait 10 minutes more.

On my way back I was out for buying a thermoter for the inside temperatur, because I still feel cold in my apartment. I was to a shop very close to the railway station for taking a look, what they offer. I found some small items, which I had on my “to-buy-list” for my apartment, but generally, the shop was too expensive for me. I continued to another shop, a chain, where they usually sell thermometers. I did find a cheap one there, but I had to ask the cashier for it. They only had them in the storage space. – At it’s best the temperature is 20°C in my apartment, which is the temperature an apartment almost has to hold. Though I cannot tell the housing company, they should warm up the house more. In Sweden the temperature has to be between 20°C and 23°C. Years ago it was rather 23°C in the apartments and one could screw down the heat, if one thought it was too much. Nowadays a lot of housing companies only have 20°C in their apartments to save energy, because of environmental reasons. A temperature of 19.7°C or 19.8°C, which my apartment often has, even I do not have my couch in front of the heating and I think the curtains does not matter, especially for the most are very thin, I think I have to accept.

Furthermore I was looking for markers. At the first shop, they only had very expensive ones. I asked Google for a stationary, but did only find a book shop close by. Swedish book shops often sell pens etc as well, so did this one. I was sorry about, that the shop was in bankruptcy, but I saved 40% on the items I bought. Except the markers I also bought a stand for one of my picture frames, which I will have on the top of one of my all-room shelfs. It was a really bargain. Even it was of a good quality, it was for 149 SEK only (full price). Though at last I had to pay around 90 SEK for it. The markers, which are of a good make and I will have for a long while, were already reduced and I have got them for 40% of the reduced price.

Back at home, I took care about the items I had bought as well as I used the markers for a list about my cutting boards. Earlier I had written, what the cutting boards are for on the backside of themselves, but since I have the dishwasher, the writings disappear, when I make the dishes. Therefore I made a list:

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I know, it can seems a little strange, but I try to apply, what I learned earlier in my life like to have a special cutting board for chicken, meat and onion. That it became more depends on, that I bought a multi pack of cutting boards, when I was looking for another one, because of the price and they even looked very practical. By the way, they are. The different languages are for my expected couch surfers, if they like to cook their own meals. I maybe should have had the text in French as well, but I do not speak French at all.

After having one more meal (one more slice of the gateau) I felt very cold around 8pm and was going to bed. I tried to sleep, but soon I highend the upper part all, what is possible and was using my smartphone. Warm and comfortable in my bed, it became around 1am before I really was going to sleep. I could not lay on the leg, I fell onto, but I did sleep well anyway.

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23^rd Feb 2019

It was a grey day and the snow was gone, when I awoke. Beside of, that I was awake twice at night for the bathroom, I awoke around 8am, but was dizzy. Finally I was up around 11am. I had a coffee and the last slice of the gateau as well as porridge with raisins. I still have a very inflammated tounge and therefore I try not to eat lingonberries with my porridge. I have never eaten lingonberries so often as I do know, though I have to find out, if I have an allegical reaction for them.

When I finally had done my household-work, I started updating my blog.

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24^th Feb 2019

It is already sunday again, but if it is weekend or weekday does not matter for me, but for the opportunities att see my son Samuel and his family. Usually, it is only possible to meet them on weekends. That’s life.

This day was not a good day for me. I still have huge problems with the inflammation in my mouth. Taking painkillers does not make it better, because they give me heartburn. By the heartburn my inflammation in my mouth gets worse! I have not eaten much, depending on, that the pain in my mouth gets much worse, when I am eating. I try to eat things, which do not hurt my mouth. I do not use salt for the moment, even I never used lots of salt in my food. I was much better, when I was travelling in Mexico. I think, one of the reasons was, that they do not use salt, but maybe in the salsas.

I continued for a while with my digital project, but was later getting lost on twitter. Even I do not write a lot on twitter, I hold me up to date with it about the mostly younger users problems – especially in politics. I also follow news on twitter. There are not so often use from Sweden, even I would like it.

I am very happy in my new bed, because it helps me getting some sleep dispite of my heartburn. This night I also was very frozen. It took a long time for me getting warm, even it was ca +20°C in the room and I have a warm cover. I am wondering, if I am getting really sick. By the heartburn I decided to quit drinking coffee at all – almost for a while. I will start my day with Camomile tea.

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25^th Feb 2019

The weather was nice, the sun shining and it was around +9°C. Though I did what I had planned before. I took a video of my new apartment. Unfortunately I did neither include the bathroom nor the walk-in-wardrobe, even I started at our street, though people also could see the outside of the house and the entrance.

Later I was washing towels. With my washing machine it takes around three hours, because I use the eco-program. It is just surprising, that the eco-program does take longer than the non-eco-programmes. I hopp, it use less water. I put the dishtowels on the dry-rack and the bathtowels in the dryer. The dryer did show me, it will take around 2 hours to dry, but in real it does not take so long at all. I am really happy about it.

Meanwhile the washing machine did it’s job, I was taking my plastic trash to the recycling place. It was a nice walk, but all together it took a little more than two hours. On my way back I saw, that there are recycling containers, where I could have left it, much closer to me. They are actually situated on my site of the city center. The other trash for recycling I will depose there.

Around 8pm I was so tired, that I was going to bed. Because of the early hour, I did listened to music and was on twitter for a couple of hours before I really was going to sleep. My heartburn was so anying, that I put the head part of my bed at the highest. Luckily I had a good sleep.

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26^th Feb 2019

It was time for my appointment for the mammography at 9:20am. Therefore I had put the alarm clock on 7am. I was still very tired and needed extra 15minutes to leave my bed. Usually I have my breakfast before I dress, but days like this I make it the other way around.

I was in good time at the hospital. They have a digital registration system. Close to the department, where I had to go to, was one screen, but that told me, that I do not have an appointment. I entered the department, ready to ask, where I have to register, but there I saw such a screen – only for mammography. After I registered, I was to the waiting room. It did not take a long time before it was my term. No other woman was waiting there either, but when I was leaving. The appointments work very well.

The mammography was done by a very upp-to-date screening machine. It was easy to handle for the nurse as well as it was more comfortable than the older ones for me. The nurse also was very kind and friendly.

Back at home I felt tired again and was to bed for around half an hour. First I tried to rest on my couch, but it was getting too cold (for me). I am still very frozen. I wear long underpants and dubbel sweaters as well as it is, as usual, nearly +20°C in my apartment, anyway I am freezing.

Before I had a snack, I ironed my dishtowels and started the washing machine again. Waiting for the washing machine to be done, I updated my blog.

In the afternoon I was to the supermarket, but on the way I did check something in the city center. Therefore I did take the bus from there to the supermarket. I was lucky, that I do not have a waiting time, even that bus only runs once an hour. Only a few people was using the bus, which is usual here in Katrineholm. Maybe it is because of the routes are only for the Norr respectively South part of the town. Though I always have to change bus, if I am starting at my home and going to the supermarket or the other shops close to it. I have the same problem on the way back of course. During the time schools are running, it is not a bigger problem, because the other route is going  two times an hour and I do not have to wait very long for the bus, but during the summer holidays there are also only one bus an hour for the South direction.

I had taken the note for the 100 SEK credit at the supermarket with me and I actually bought things, I would not have bought otherwise, like a bar of dark chocolate. Back at home it was time for dinner. I had a meal out of the freezer, homemade as usual. Before I was going to bed I worked a little with my project, but I was quite early to bed.

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27^th Feb 2019

I was tired as usual and up late, but was then thinking about, that it is Wednesday and in the afternoon I have the opportunity to go to the library for the language café. I was leaving a little earlier and looking for some special items at a second hand shop for furniture. They also had a lot of dishes – the old stuff like coffee pots with matching dishes etc. Most of the things did not have a price and that means, they are expensive. In addition to that, there were a lot of dust on them. I did not buy anything there, so did the other customers.

At the language café we were four Swedes – three women and a man. All in my age again. The people, who are new to Swedish were partly the same as the time before, but also others. One man and five women attended. I am surprised, that they are most women taking this opportunity and they were very interested to get help with special words for their education. Most of them were studying health related stuff, to be able to work with elderly and disabled people. We can be very thankful to have this immigrants, because we do not have enough of our own people, who like to work in this area.

I walked directly home afterwards and checked my letterbox on the way into my apartment. I had finally got the information about my new amount of  housing benefit. I only get around 1,000 SEK more a month, even I have much higher rent now and have to pay the amount for the electricity on top of it – as well as the broadband connection. I checked my former information and also on the website of the respective authority. Actually it was correct with that low amount. It makes me a little unsatisfied and depressed. It will be hard to travel again, but I hope I can make it anyway later this year. Trips I would like to do would be one to Germany and one to Austria – meeting friends and relatives as well as a trip to the South of Sweden – to meet my children, of course, before going back to Mexico for a couple of month. Maybe I also can see Guatemala during that trip, but I think, there will not be any possibility to see more this year. All depends on, how expensive it will be at the dentist and the doctor as well, how long time all will take.

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28^th Feb 2019

Even I awoke as usual around 8am, I had not finished my breakfast before 10am as well as I was going to bed for a little while afterwards again. I am sleepy, it may be the inflammation in my mouth, I have to fight with. It is not really getting better and hard to eat. I try to have a lot of vitamines with my meales and also take medicine against inflammation (and the pain), but it is not really helping. I hope, the doctor or dentist will find out, what is the matter.

In the middle of the day I was ready and updated my blog, before I had another meal. In the afternoon I continued with my frame project, but did only add photos from one more state of Mexico. I was so tired. I had a snack instead for a meal and was to bed around 8pm, but was on the Internet until 10pm.

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If you are still interested in my life, you are welcome to use the link for following me during the month of March 2019.