May 2019

1^st May

I had a “day off” again. Somewhere far away I heard drums, I think it was from the 1^st May demonstration. I had not seen any dates about it, though I did not care. I actually spent most of the day on twitter. Anyway I was serious about my meals. Trying to eat of all the vegetables I had bought for Easter, I made small pancakes of carrots and potatoes. Using all the carrots left, I had to take a related amount of potatoes, though it became more than I could eat at one time. I put the rest, one more lunch, in my fridge. By the way, even my tongue is not so sensitive anymore.

There is still a lot of the Easter food left, especially of the vegetables. Usually I do not buy so much vegetables at the same time, but it was for my son visiting me, who is a vegan.

I was to bed around 10pm, which is early for me.

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2^nd May

First time I awoke this day was around 6am, but after I had taken my medicine, I felt asleep one more time and awoke as late as 8:30am. I did not believe my eyes, there were snow on the cars and the greens, but the asphalt was only wet. It took until late, before the snow was gone again.

Even I had breakfast as usual, I became hungry very early and had a meal before I left for the SeniorNet, which starts at 1pm on Thursdays. I did take the bicycle, even the weather was not so warm anymore. It was around +8°C at the most this day.

One of the mentors did explain about the apps for the maps. He started with Google maps and showed then one for iPhone, which is working very similar to Google maps. There were two moments, he could not explain, but I could. He had that sign for the taxi still on Google maps. I think he has not updated the app for a while, because for me it already disappeared again. The other was the difference between, when the location access is activated or not. I have it always activated, because I need it a lot for being new in town. Coming close to the railway and bus station, I get information about, when next train, bus is leaving. I think, it is also one of the new features, Google offers. I could help a woman with her smartphone again. At the end of this days meeting, we were told, that there will only be two more (on Monday and Thursday the upcoming week), before the summer holidays. On Monday they will take about gaming, on Thursday we will have a little celebration with cream cake.

On my way home I made a detour to the grocery shop. I had to buy more almond milk and similar as well as tissues. I also found ripe avocados and could not resist to take some as well.

After another meal before the dance class, I was walking there. It was colder now again and I prefer to walk, instead of freezing on my hands. The dance class was great again. The leader had prepared name signs for all of us, therefore I finally learned the name of one of the male dancers. His name is Jykri – a very special name. I think it is a Finnish name. Later I was checking the name on Google and indeed the Finnish Prime Minister also has this first name. We were a couple of more people, but still not very many. We change partner every now and then, though we learn to dance with different partners. One of them put me away with a heavy swing, when we had to spin to the left. It was not easy to keep the pace. At the end, when all are going home, nobody ever asked me, where I live, because I am walking.

I had a little snack before going to bed. I was afraid, I would get difficulties with my stomach by eating so late, but I did not.

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3^rd May

When my son Daniel had visit me, he told me, that my shower thermostat is broken and I should report it to my landlord. I finally did this day and I even reported about the drain in the kitchen, which is full of hair. An employee of my landlord did call back soon and made an appointment with me for the upcoming Wednesday for one of their workers. I was very surprised about it. When I had reported broken things before, the servicemen were just coming and call on my door. Maybe this time the repair will take longer time.

After my lunch, which I already had at high noon, I baked cinnamon buns, first a half amount of a recipe with gluten free flour and afterwards a half amount of a recipe with usual wheat flour. Though I have special buns for me and the usual for my guests.

I also updated my blog somewhat and was on twitter during the evening. I felt hungry the whole day. When I made Quesadillas, I had five of them. I had filled them with humus respectively Guacamole, but the cheese. At the end, I was very full, but I was very surprised, I could eat so many at the same time. Usually I only eat two. Though I am afraid, I will gain weight again. I decided, to try to eat not so much again for one meal.

On twitter, there was a tweet about food, which makes us feel good. One of the answers was chocolate pudding with a picture of a jar with it. I was craving chocolate pudding and was into the kitchen and cooked it. I mixed it with bananas, because I have very ripe bananas. I also prepared Chia pudding for the upcoming morning. Very late in the evening, when the pudding had solidified, I ate a little of it. The rest will be snacks for the upcoming days.

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4^th May

In the morning I checked my Swedish account based on my receipts. All was fine. For lunch I fried diced potatoes with onion and cured and smoked pork loin, which is imported from Germany and there is called Kassler. I only had one slice of it – it was the rest of a bigger piece, which I had bought two month ago. I had sliced it and put it in the freezer, because it is not possible here, to buy just one slice of it. I had one of the avocados I bought the day before and mixed it with the rest of my Guacamole.

I became so tired after I had eaten and also was a little frozen, though I was going to bed and actually slept for three hours. That is very unusual for me. Before I started updating my blog, I had of the chocolate pudding, I cooked last night. Now the Swedish part of my blog is up-to-date again, but there is lots of work left. I hope, I will continue soon with the other parts.

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5^th May

Most of the day I was updating my blog – just the site “MY YEARS AT SCHOOL”. I could add photos, too and was very happy about it. For the photos I was checking my laptop and even I had scanned or taken photographs of my old photoalbums, I could take one and one of them by a special software (I use gimp, photoshop would be OK as well) and the quality was not as bad as I expected. Furthermore I had got scanned photos of my oldest brother. He scanned them with a special photoscanner and sent them to me – by email ;-). It seems he did not find the original negatives of the photo. Though the old photos itself have changed respectively lost colours, but still one can see, what was photographed. I hope, he will sent me more. I do not have many photos from my family, when we were young.

I cooked quinoa for one of my meals. Unfortunately it is hard to eat for me, but I try to get used to it. I did cook too much as usual, though I have to eat of it the upcoming day as well. Anyway I ate the rest of my chocolate pudding. I ate in time for going to our dance club, but the weather did make me stay at home. Though I continued with the update of my blog during the evening and half of the night as well.

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6^th May

My washing machine was full with towels, though I washed and dried them today. I also had to go by bike to the grocery. I did not need much, but cream, almond milk and a little more. There I have seen good-looking strawberries and could not avoid to buy a box of them as well as I bought more gluten free flour. It’s soon time to bake bread and pizza.

A part of the cream I used for a potato gratin. I had onion, garlic and leek in it as well and home grated cheese (in my food processor). Unfortunately I do not have a good gratin dish, though I took a cake “tin” – it is out of ceramics. It was working well, but I put anyway a gratin dish on my to-buy-list. As a dessert I had fresh strawberries with whipped cream (I whipped the cream in my smoothie maker – that was working fantastic well). It was tasting as good as it looks.

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This day I also got a message from the authority of our community for a class, where we election officials have to learn, how to do, that all will be done correctly. The class will be held only a few days before the election. There are movies for us to learn with, before this class.

In the late afternoon and evening I was updating my blog again. You see the result above.

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7^th May

This day was another day, where I cleaned my apartment and made my laundry, but I also had time to go to the polyclinic asking for the referral to a doctor at the clinic for medicine. My doctor at the polyclinic had announced that one around two weeks ago, but I have not had any in my mail box. Because it is easier to reach and get an answer, I was going to the polyclinic. There I heard, that my doctor at the polyclinic had changed her mind and did write a letter with some questions to the clinic of medicine instead. She had not got an answer yet. Always at the polyclinic I asked for the vaccination against TBE (it is a sickness, which one can get by ticks and Sörmland is one of the many areas in Sweden, where one can find ticks. Even it was stated on the homepage, that the polyclinic vaccinate against TBE, they only do it for children. Though I have to go to that bus, which is coming to the supermarket once a month. On my way home I bought a new pair of walking shoes. I do not have any more, because all broke, and I am really in the need of new once. I bought them local. They were for 1000 SEK – it is a quality brand. I was surprised of the prices that way, that there were not written 995 or 999, which seems to make them cheaper, but the fixed amount of 1000 SEK. I am actually happy, that the owners of the shop are so fair and write this price.

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8^th May

This day I was a little earlier up as usual, though I was ready in time to welcome the janitor of my landlord (I wrote before, that he will come this morning). He was around 20 minutes late, but very welcome. He is a very nice guy with a big portion of patience. He checked the thermostat of my shower and fixed the stopp in my drain in the sink of the kitchen. He also explained, how I can fix such a stop myself. When I tried some days ago, I did not know, that I have to hold for the air supply of the sink. I thought also it was smart, that he did let rin the water, though the shit is not coming up into the sink, but running down the pipe. He ordered a new thermostat for the shower, because he told me, he had never seen a thermostat before, which was working so wired. Before he left, he asked me, if I am the first tenant after the refurbishment av the apartment. I told him, I am not. Another woman had lived here before.

When he left I made my laundry and I worked on the files about my expenses during the trip to Mexico and Belize. I was just in the mood for it. Anyway I did not come far, because I had to go to the language café.

This day at the language café I helped a young woman with her exercises for school. It was about two short stories. She had to ask som questions about one of them and at the end to compare both of them. It was on a level of 9th grade. It was interesting to see, that she made the same misstake all the time – actually there were two of this kind. On one hand she did not put the subject at the correct place in her sentences and on the other hand she did use be insteas for have. I think, her original language is doing that way. Still at the library, I did borrow the book “Don Quichote a la Mancha” in Spanish. I hope, to read the book, will help me to improve my Spanish.

Before I was going to bed, I continued with my .xls-file.

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9^th May

After breakfast I started to make a pizza dough. Meanwhile the dough fermented, I did iron some items. I finished just in time for working further with the pizza dough. I was a little late for the SeniorNet, because of the pizza – I ate of it, before I left. By bicycle I still made it, even just in time. This time the app “Hitta ut” was explained. I already have had the map in my mail box weeks ago and have it on my bedside table, but did not really care about it yet. After the explanations I was really peckisch to start with it. “Hitta ut” is an idea of the “Geocaching” club. It is a kind of geocaching in and around Katrineholm. There are many more cities involved, but for me the best is to make it in my own community. I had been wondering, if I would get lost, when I follow the rounds, but of the explanations of the other members, it seemed to be easy to follow the map. It was the last time before the summer holidays, though it was a little festive. A woman of the board did sing two songs with old melodies and afterwards we did sing one song together. At the end, we did get pieces of cake. Everyone could take as much as ones wanted. The cake had bottoms with wheat flour, though I only did eat the filling and the meringue. Anyway I only took tiny pieces. There had also been a quiz-walk at the beginning of the meeting. All the questions were about water and I was surprised again about the subjects. I did not know all the answers for the questions. Meanwhile I ate my pieces of cake I had a chat with another member of the SeniorNet. He had moved to Katrineholm last autumn and had the same strategy like me: Becoming a member of clubs to get to know people. We did not talk about to meet outside the SeniorNet.

Back at home, I used twitter for a while and had another part of the pizza before I was leaving for my dance class. Tobbe, one of the volunteers did talk with me about my participation as a voice receiver in the upcoming EU election. He told me, he is the chairman for his area and had seen my name on a list. He also asked me, why I will be in the area of Värmbol (a suburb of Katrineholm) and I answered him, as it is, that it was by chance, because the group in Värmbol got one man short. During the class I had some problems with a figure – a left hand swing, and Jyrki did try in a rest to help me with it. Even Tobbe came and explained, what I did wrong. I think, I got it by this help.

Back at home, I could see, I have got emails. One was from my eldest brother. He wrote about all our holiday trips, when we were children and teenager and answered my questions about it. He also promised to send more scanned photos. The other email was from the library. The movie “Mary Poppins return” was now available there and saved for me. I had a whole week to pick it up.

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10^th May

Before breakfast I checked, if I had gained weight again, but in the contrary, I had lost more. I have now the 65 kg I have been dreaming about for years. Actually that is still too much for my length, because I am only 158 cm short. Anyway I would like to hold this weight of two reasons. In my age it is good to have some extra kilograms for the case of, I will get sick. In addition to that, I should need to buy new clothes, if I will lose more weight and I have a lot of clothes I like to wear.

The service man from my landlord called soon after breakfast, telling me, that the new thermostat has arrived and if I am at home, that he can install it. I asked him to come in half an hour and he agreed. I actually was not dressed yet. Sometimes I do a lot of things, before I dress ;-). I did not try the new thermostat this day.

Later this day I was going by bicycle to the tourist information and picked up the gift, I was promised by a big postcard, continued to the library for early voting and picked up the movie. I was soon at home again. It actually saves time to use the bicycle instead for walking, even the town center is not very big.

Back at home I was answering a lot of emails I had got in January. In the evening I was watching the movie “Mary Poppins returns”. I chose to see it in English, it is a great choice to hold the language alive. I also got a WhatsApp message from my friend Teresa in Mexico city. She told me, she will come in July and was asking about, how much money she will need for the trip, but the flight. I answered her, that I will pay the expenses (because, when I was visiting them, they did invite me to several things, drive me around etc). She also congratulated me for Mothers’ day. It was Mothers’ day in Mexico – on a Friday! I told her, that we celebrate Mothers’ day in Sweden at 26th May (this year). It is always celebrated at the last Sunday of May.

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11^th May

I took the chance to start with the first part of Hitta ut. The map, I have got, is possible to cut in different pieces – all of the size of a A4-sheet. Every piece of eight is an own area with different amounts of checkpoints. I started with the town center and the area North. They were on the same sheet and had 20 checkpoints. I tried to start in the very center, but did not find the checkpoints, because I was told before, that they were a kind of hanging triangles – which I also had seen before in the forest, when there were competitions for the sport geocaching. I had also problems to read the map, it was very diffused and no street names were applied. Furthermore I had tried to activate the gps to show me, where I am, but it was not working.

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The third checkpoint I found and now I know, how they look like. It was a very help. At the following checkpoint I met a couple (they are friends), who also were following the Hitta ut map. I asked them, if I was allowed to join them, and I was. Though for some checkpoints I was following them and three pairs of eyes are finding the checkpoints much easier, of course. In addition to that, the man also used the gps – and his was working, which made it easier for all of us. When the couple finished for the day – because he had an appointment, he told me, where around I can find the next checkpoint and told me, that it is not easy to find.

In the area of the checkpoint, I was not as close, as I thought, but here I finally got my gps working on this map. I followed it and found the first of three checkpoints, but the other two were more complicated to find. They were in a grove. I had to push my bicycle, but could not use the way out of the grove – as it was seen on the map and had to go back the way I entered the grove. While it on the map was possible to shorten the way out of the grove, in real, there were an industry with a fence.

At the end, I had finished all the 20 checkpoints. The last one was close to my home. Anyway I was happy, that I started the other way around. It was around 7pm, when I was at home again and I had needed around 6 hours for this part. At the site for “Hitta ut” was stated, that someone had done all of the map in five hours – also going by bicycle. I think, they must have been very used to geocaching and this area.

I had only waffles for my evening meal, but have had sandwiches and water with me, which I had eaten before. The rest of the evening I relaxed with two movies on YouTube, both were comedies. Unfortunately by the last of the movies it became very late or better early morning.

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12^th May

I was really late awake this morning and it was already high noon, when I had finished my breakfast. I started a dough for crumpets and, while waiting for the dough to raise, I was updating my blog – just the last week. I had of the pork loin from the freezer, salad from the fridge and cooked macaroni for my mainmeal. Afterwards I continued with my blog. By the way, the crumpets were not the way I thought, they would be. The recipes at the boxes for the glutenfree flour are not really good. One has to get used to them and add knowledge from the baking with wheat and other flour with gluten. I think my next crumpets will be better.

Now it was time to get ready for the Sunday evening dance. It was only this one and one more time before the summer holidays, but there is a dance night out 29th May. It will be held at the dance scene at the camp ground at Djulö. I will miss the Sunday evening dances, even our dance class will continue for a week afterwards. It is much more expensive to attend dances outside of the dance club, because at the dance club I only pay for my membership, but not for the dances. The difference is, that barn dances and also on other places, there are bands playing. Some bands make the events very expensive. By the way, we danced the first 45 minutes non-stop. I was so satisfied and happy about it. After this round we had a rest and some guys already left. I had some more dances during the rest of the evening, but not many.

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13^th May

I decided to go another part of the “Hitta ut”. I started at high noon and had to go by bicycle for almost half an hour. Long outside I had to find the first point. It was on my right hand side, but I had to enter an allotments area, even it was the very side of it, I felt like I made something unallowed, but nobody cared. The next checkpoint was father out and I had to go into another direction. I found a place, where I could park my bike and entered the forest by a very narrow path. I had to look around, go forth and back before I found that one. There was stated, it was in a group, but there were groups on both sides, which made it so hart to find. Now I had to go back a bit. At an information point for tourists I parked my bike and was entering another narrow path, but that one was not as good as the one before. This one was overgrown and did suddenly end. Though I was afraid to hurt myself, if I would look for, where the path continue and returned instead. Unfortunately I did not take my bike with me, but let it be at the information point. Though I had some kilometers to run. I found another checkpoint, even I had to climb a quite big rock. First by leaving the rock again, I could see the checkpoint. It is often done that, that you need to look at it from a special angle to see it.

There were more points in the forest, but with the bad experinece, I did not look for them, but was going futher. The next was easier, it was fastened on a bridge, but even here, I had to look from the right sight of the bridge, though I could read the character on it. I was first thinking about to brake, but decided than to take another one. It was in between a housing area and even I had not expected, there were a lawn to cross, I found out, I had to. The checkpoint was quite close to the lawn, though it was no problem to find it.

I was walking back in the direction of my bike, when I met a couple, also trying to find the checkpoints of “Hitta ut”. They are from the area and it was a little easier for them. They told me, that they had found the checkpoint, where I gave up, but it had not been easy. There was written, that it was by a stone, but there were many stones, they told me. We made company to the next point and it felt more safe. Actually, it was me, who found the checkpoint while my company was looking for it in another direction. We only had company for this checkpoint, because they would continue to the checkpoint I already have been. Before we left each other, I was told the character for the checkpoint, where I had returned from, without finding it. It helped me a lot, that we had looked for one checkpoint together. Now I was more confident and continued to look for one of the missed checkpoints. It was very hard to find and also to follow the right path, but I did it and I also found my way back to my bike.

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There were two more checkpoints, I had not been, but I was getting very hungry now and decided to look for them another day. On may way home I stopped at a shop called “Food from all of the World”. Unfortunately, there was not so much to find. Mostly it was “halal” meat, even from lamb, but unfortunately no lamb chops. I bought some items, but did not really found, what I was looking for. I continued to the shop Lidl for buying pappers (toilet paper, kitchen paper and and tissues). I plocked a lot more things like sunflower seeds, nuts, almonds, bananas and avocados, but also some German kind of sausage, a litte blue cheese etc. The bill was for nearly 500 SEK, which surprised me a little. Anyway it will last for a while.

My backpack was very heavy now and the basket on my bike was filled with all the papers. It was really hard to go by bike – some areas I did push the bike. The backpack felt not so heavy, when I was cycling. Though it did not matter, if I was cycling or not, both had an advantage, but it was going faster by cycling, of course. Finally at home around 7:30 pm, I was so hungry, that I had a snack and cooked my meal as soon as possible. Afterwards I updated my blog and filled the file a little more – for my expenses during my last trip. I came to mid of July 2018.

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14^th May

I was really early up to catch the train at 7:56am for Stockholm. I had an appointment at a dentist and had to been there at 10:20am. I was there at 10am and was happy, I had got a last-minute-ticket for 107 SEK. I was also happy, that there were no maintenance work of the rails.

I really like my new dentist! He is serious and did not tell me, that all my issues are coming from my teeth. When he saw my tongue, he told me, he had never seen something so horrible. He also told me, that it might be a combination of my problems with my stomach/heartburn and all the metal in my mouth. He will help me, to get the change for free. Unfortunately I have to contact my GP for it. He also made a new estimation of the upcoming dental work for my upper gum. Three teeth will be extracted (150 EUR), two teeth will be filled (110 EUR) and a new denture for the three extracted teeth as well for one, which was extracted before will be for around 360 EUR only. That will be a denture without metal. I finally see a possibility to go ahead with it. Anyway, the best of all is, that the dentist take my problems in my mouth and on my tongue serious.

Even I did not have to wait for the train home for more than 20 minutes, I was finally back at home at 3pm, but I liked to spend that time on it. My next meeting with the dentist – and with an appointment at a Qinopratic to find out, which dental material I am allergic against. The price for the session at the Qinopratic is very low (for me), though I am open for it. I had a big smoothie for my late lunch.

Afterwards I thought, how I have to contact my GP to tell her about my dentist etc. I decided to write a letter and leave it at the polyclinic, because I anyway have to give her the pages my dentist printed, though she knows, what it is about. I was too tired to write the letter in the evening and decided to write it the next morning, though I can print it at the library the next afternoon. This evening I watched a movie again before I fell asleep.

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15^th May

After breakfast I did write the letter to my GP. As always it did take quite a lot of time. I needed a meal before going to the language café and did not write anything else, even I have another letter to write – to the social authority of Ireland for my changed address. They did not accept my information online. I do not have a hurry, but one day I have to send them the documents.

I was late to the language café, because I was late with my meal. I did not care. I was welcome anyway, but there were already more Swedish trainers than foreign people. Therefore we Swedish trainers did have a chat. Afterwards I printed my letter, paid for it and went home, where I signed the letter and put it, together with the printed sheets from the dentist, in an envelope and wrote the name of my GP on it. The polyclinic is open 8 – 17 Mondays to Fridays, though I had to wait for the upcoming day to leave it there.

After a light supper I watched two more movies this evening, but before I opened the laptop, I was answering an email from the Pirate Party – our board in Stockholm. It was about bill-posting for the EU-election. I answered him, that there is no co-ordination here in Katrineholm and I do not know, whom is doing what etc. I ended up to become the co-ordinator. I wrote an invitiation for the upcoming Friday evening and sent it to the board, though they could spread it, which they did. I also had to order posters and folders in the hope, they will arrive on Friday. Back to the movies again: I was looking for a movie called “Narcos”, but the Cineasterna, where I can see three movies a month for free, did not have that one. I was looking for all the movies, they offer and found two movies about Skrållan – movies after books of Astrid Lindgren. They are extended Saltkråkan novelles. I was interested for a long time to see them. Though I took the opportunity and watched both of them.

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16^th May

I had decided to look for the two missing checkpoints in my last “Hitta ut” activity. On the way to the area of Värmbol, I first visited the polyclinic, asked there for a new prescription of “Omeprazol” and left the letter for my GP. I was told, that I can get my medicine the next Wednesday after 5pm. I do not understand, why it will take such a long time, but did accept it.

Finally in the area of Värmbol I did not find the path, from where I could reach one of the checkpoints, though I was going by bicycle to the path for the other checkpoint. That was not so very hard to find. Anyway I could continue from there to find the other one. When the path, I now was using, ended, I asked at a villa, if they know anything about “Hitta ut” and maybe can tell me, where the path to the checkpoint starts. I was lucky, they did know, but there was not really a path, but I was told, that I could reach it, when I go into the wood nearby and it would be an easy walk from there. They also told me, that the checkpoint is on a hill. Actually I had seen on the map, that it has to be on a hill, but the usual help in the app, telling, where to look for it, was not attached. I have to explain two things for you: For the first, the Swedish forest is not easy to force, because there are stones – smaller and bigger ones, everywhere and close to them it is hard to walk. For the second, usual it is stated in the app by the checkpoints if one has to look for the sign on a hill, at a steep, between stones etc. This checkpoint had not such an information at all. If I would not have my gps, I would not have found it and it was anyway hard work. I should come close to a woodland lake, but did not see it. Happily I did not get wet either. I found the hill, but it took time to find the checkpoint, because it was halvways up the hill and not on the top and of course, the way I was coming, I could not see it. Though I had to go downhills in another direction before I found it. I was happy, I filled all the checkpoints for this area and was going back to the path close to the villa. I did find a shorter way to come there, but just before I could leave the forest, I fell. There was a twig, I stumbled across. Luckily I did not hurt me. Back at my bike I was going home as directly and fast as possible.

I had time enough for having a meal before I had to go to my dance class and I won’t miss it. I did not. We had a supply teacher this day and she did not fully know, what we had learned so far. She did drill us in two disciplines. At the end we were allowed to dance after the men’s will. In dance that is OK ;-). It was working well for me all the time. Anyway we had learned more with our ordinary teacher, but I think, we will catch up next time.

When I was back I was tired and became frozen, though I was going to bed immediately and listening to music only.

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17^th May

As usual on a Friday I cleaned my apartment. I also was to the supermarket. I actually bought more, than I had planned. I was lucky to get all home, because I cannot take so much on my bike. I did not get the posters and folders from the Pirate party this day. If I have to put the posters up by my own, I have a problem, because we are not allowed to fasten them on street lights. I do not know yet, how to handle it. My experiences from Hamburg were so positive, because we all was working with it and nobody needed to be single and care about it. We always had one with a car with us. I never needed to know, where it was allowed to put the posters and where it was not allowed, because my tandems always knew. Even Sweden is almost as bureaucratic as Germany, the Pirates here are not as well organized as the German Pirates. I really miss them.

After 9pm I was updating my blog and listened to music. Afterwards I was working a little more with my photo frame, because I was thinking, I should put in some more photos even I have already more than 700 photos on that SD-card. I also prepared for the meeting with the other members of the Pirate Party, but none did show up, even I was waiting for two hours. The waiting time I spent to check the photos on my photo frame. I was a little disappointed, that nobody was coming. On the other hand side, I understand, that the meeting was anounced with too short notice.

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18^th May

I continued with the “Hitta ut” activity this day. I was visiting the Djulö area. One of the poles was missing, but there was still the cable ties, ist had been fastened with. I took two photos of the place – one of them very close up. On another place was the number of the pole missing, but it was so easy to find and with the map and the app I was sure, which number it was. It took longer time, as I had expected, because there were only 10 poles – often there are 20, but it was a big area, where they were put.

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Back at home I find out the email address for the organiser and wrote to them, adding the photos. My phone was ringing, but only a few signals, though I did not manage to answer. There was no other try this evening.

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19^th May

It was Sunday and I prepared already in the morning for the evening dance. I had decided, that I this time won’t miss it, especially because it is the last time before the summer.

I was working with my xls-files for my last travel. I was so close to finish it, when it was time for going to the dance, though I did not go anyway. I worked further with my files and also wrote the related blog post.

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20^th May

Early in the morning a woman was calling me from the polyclinic. She asked me, if I could be at the clinic of medicine next morning at 7:45. It was about an x-ray, she told me. I agreed, even I do not like this early hours. During the day I was wondering why I was called for an x-ray. I also thought, it might be something serious, because they called me for the upcoming day. Usually I get all information from the polyclinic by mail.

I spent most of this day with my economic files for January to May 2019. I also was awaiting a guy by CS – he had been contacting me a couple of days before. He had only ask for one night, because he was coming home from Vienna, men could not go further that night to his hometown Växjö. I usually do not welcome this kind of couchsurfers, but it would have been a chance to have one again. Usually people do not ask for couchsurfing here in Katrineholm.

In addition to that, the parcel from the Pirate Party had arrived. I had to pick it up at a COOP supermarket, which is situated on the other side of the railway station. I did tack my scroller with me, because I expected that the parcel would be a little bigger than A3. It was a 4kg shipment. Actually it was not so big and I could have picked it up by bike. At home I opened it at once and now I found, that the A3-posters were bend. The parcel had a lot of free space as well. It contained also folders – I think around 100 of them. They were put in two bundles. The first I did with the posters was to put two of them on the inside of my allroom window. One to the right and one to the left. I also took a photo of it from the outside – because one can see them best from the outside, of course and posted the photo on twitter.

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Before I was going to sleep I was watching an old movie with the actor “Hans Moser”. I was remembering him as well as Paul Hörbiger and Johannes Heesters meanwhile I did write down notices about my memories and also by related tweets on twitter from other users.

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21^st May

I was in time at the x-ray station of the hospital. I was told, that they will make a bone density measurement. That is not an acute treatment. It took around twenty minutes. I had be happy, if they had told me the day before, that they will do that instead for just telling me, I had to come for an x-ray. To get the result, I have to wait for two to four weeks! I think there is no problem with my bone density, because I never broke a leg or an arm, even I was falling from time to time. This tests are made, when one e.g. has problems with the thyroid. The bone density becomes less with the age, but some diseases can make it happen faster, I read, at home again, on the Internet.

When the postman had been in our entrance, I checked my post box. Usually I do not have anything in it, but this time there was a lot, including a big letter from the Swedish Pirate Party, welcoming me as a member and sending me posters, folders and flyers. They write, that I may be interested in to act for the party. That letter was too late, because I already have so many folders. Still thinking about, how I could put up som posters, I decided to start with hand out folders and flyers. I started around my home. All the ports of the houses of my landlord are open during daytime. Though I made my neighbours happy with the folders. I used more than I expected, but had a lot left, when I was going to the underpass for the railway station and tried to give flyers to the people arriving by train and also people close to the underpass, because there are two squares there. There were a lot of foreign looking people. After a couple of them told me, they are not allowed to vote, I did ask the following, if they are allowed to vote and offered them the flyers in the case of a yes. I could not give away a lot of the flyers, because it was already 6pm, when I arrived at the underpass. The best thing would be to go there early in the morning, but for that I am always too tired. Around 5pm may also be a better time.

The evening I was on twitter again. Unfortunately there are not a lot of Swedish people I know on twitter, I mostly follow Germans and some of the people I met during the first part of my RTW.

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22^nd May

In the morning I prepared a couple of posters for hanging somewhere, that means: I took a moving box, cut it in pieces and used of them to put the posters on. I only made two that way, because a whole moving box does not give more cardboard, than for two A3-posters. The other pieces are too small. I also prepared a poster, using the cardboard similar to my signs for “Fridays For Future” and “Save the Internet”. I fastened it on my bicycle. Furthermore I made some laundry.

In the afternoon I was to the language café. We were only women this day – four Swedish and four foreign. I had taken with me a small book about the special Swedish celebrations. I thought, it will be good, that the foreigners get to know something about our traditions. While another Swedish woman told about Easter at the time it was, there are some celebrations during the summer, when we do not meet. There will be our National day (6th June), midsummer (Saturday between 20th and 26th June), crayfish party (Augusti) and fermented baltic herring party (Augusti / September). Actually we do not celebrate our National day as much as the Norwegian people do celebrate theirs. By the way, I put the links to Wikipedia about this celebrations in, but in my book “Det ska vi fira”, published by the Svenska Institutet (Swedish institution), the celebrations are described a little different, just from a Swedish view. The youngest of the foreign woman, who was sitting close to me, was off and on looking into the book. Unfortunately I did not get the opportuntiy to explain with own words.

From the language café I was straight away going home and had a meal, because a couple of hours later I had to go back to the library for a meeting. We have EU election on 26th May like most of the EU countries and I will be one of the “voice receivers” at a polling station, that means I will be one of them, who check the identies, look for that all is OK at the polling station and at the end count the votes. There are special regulations for it, of course. Though this evening we were invited to meet and learn, how to. We also had got links for videos before as well as a pdf online. I had already read all of it and this evening it just was another opportunity to be sure, that I know, all I have to know about it. In addition to that, we could ask other questions like if there is a restaurant close to the polling station or if there is a microwave at the polling station. Unfortunately there are not, but a fridge. Therefore I decided to have potato salad with pieces of Hamburgers and eggs for the first meal and sandwiches and a banana for my second meal. We will be working from 8 o’clock in the morning until maybe 11pm. The polling station will close at 9pm, than we have to count the votes. We will have two times 1 hour rest.

Home again I felt for reading my blog about Belize. I found a lot of mistakes, but by reading it by my smartphone I got too tired after a while, to correct all of them. Another day I have to open the blog by my computer. It will be easier to correct. It seems the most of the incorrect words belong to the automatic word correction.

By the way I have got defective wounds in my mouth again. Maybe, because I did have usual cinnamon buns one day, maybe because I ran out of my medicine against too much stomach acid. The following day I can buy new medicine at a pharmacy – I had to wait for, that the doctor will leave the prescription to the pharmacy system – it all works online.

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23^rd May

It was raining in the morning, though I did not have any hurry, even I had planed to put up some posters, but also to distribute the rest of the folders, I have. By the rain I did update my blog instead. Mainly I corrected the site about Belize, but I only came to the 12th June 2018.

In the evening I attended the dance class again. We were a few people this day, only 3 couples – the dance leader included.

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24^th May

It was raining in the morning, though I postponed my activities to the afternoon. Before I left I checked my post box. There was a letter from my GP, telling me, that I, for my teeth errand, should look for a GP in Stockholms county, because my dentist practice there. I was very surprised about that, for my GP has now all my pappers about my medicine history. I decided to call my dentist the following week and ask him, if he can recommend me a GP in Stockholms county.

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I finally put up the posters for the Pirate Party, I also distributed more folders. I did that in another area, where I know, there are more apartments of my landlord. Actually in that street I was, there were only one building with different entrances, but on the side of it were some others buildings, were the entrance doosr were not locked. These also had the post boxes in the entrance and I was soon done. Though I was going back to the city center and handed out flyers. Unfortunately it was raining, but I was standing under the underpass for the train station. I needed around an hour to get rid of them I had.

On my way home I was to the pharmacy to buy more medicine against too much stomach acid (Omeprazol). I was surprised, when the pharmacist told me, that there was another prescription – for calcium medicine. I had not got any answer about that bone density measurement, but the pharmacist told me, that the medicine was because I have osteoporosis. I bought both of the medicines as well as new eye dropes. I was not awaiting such high expenses and was wondering by myself, if I will have money enough for the birthday gift for my youngest grandchild, Vincent.

I also met a little group of people demonstrating for a better climate. They had a hand painted picture of the activist Greta Thunberg and the big banner as well as flyers. By the flyer I understood, that they are members of an association for protection of the nature. In Swedish the name is: Naturskyddsföreningen. I made company with them for a little while. I did take a photo as well and asked the female activist on my photo, if I am allowed to use it online. She agreed to it and also thanked me for asking. I told her, that it is obvious. – I did not see any pupils striking for the climate and their future.

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25^th May

I was going by train around 2pm to my son Samuel and his family. I could have taken an earlier train, but I decided to take the cheapest one. It was for 82 SEK. Samuel did pick me up as usual at the train station Södertälje Süd. I told him, that I have to buy the birthday gift for Vincent. We were going there together and he was also shopping some groceries in the same area, before we were going home to him. His wife, Tharsiny, was baking cakes. I had eaten a sandwich on the train, which I had with me. Though it was no hurry for a late lunch or a dinner. My train back was leaving at Södertälje Süd at 7:12pm, though there were no many hours I could visit them. I promised to stay for longer next time. Before I was going back home, I did get dinner, even the rest of the family did not have a meal at that time. By the way, when I gave Vincent his birthday gift, I told him, that he was allowed to open it already, if he wishs, but he did save it for his birthday  – the following day.

There was no problem to catch the train and also the change to another train was smooth. Usually there is no need to change trains, but it seems, it is different on Saturday evenings or maybe it is a new timetable. If I had taken the next train, I would have to change as well, but the ride had been for around two hours. The direct trains take around 50 minutes, the one I took was for a little more than an hour. I was not willing to spend two hours for going home.

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26^th May

I was up early, because I had to. I had agreed to be an electoral assistant this day – for the EU-election. Another female assistant did pick me up at my home, because it is a litte far to go by bicycle, especially early in the morning and to go home by bike during the night is nothing I was looking forward to. The opening hours for the polling stations were from 8am to 9pm. Afterwards we had to count all the votes.

The head of the election officials had managed, that we could use a microwave at the polling station (a kindergarten) and instead for potato salad I had potato mash with me – with meatballs. My lunch there was a macaroni salad I had fixed at home and I ate cold, because I have had macaroni left overs from a meal two or three days before. It is hard to cock only as much macaroni I eat for a meal. I always have left overs. That is the same with rice and potatoes. In addition to the both meals I also had a banana with me. Unfortunately I did not get the opportunity to eat the banana, but back at home, even I was very hungry, when the polling station closed.

Our head of the election officials did make a lot of work before the polling station closed – just during the last hour before, he did put back as much furniture as possible and during the day, the bags for the votes were prepared. There is not only a bag for every political party, which gets a vote, but also for invalid votes etc. The Pirate Party only fick one (1) vote at our polling station.

Well at home, I had my banana and afterwards, I was looking for, if the Pirate Party had got enough with votes. I did not find their votes, though I guessed, they did not get enough to send a deputy to the EU-parliament. I also opened twitter for a short while and found out, that Germany had got one deputy from the Pirate Party into the EU-parliament and the Czech Republic three. I was happy, that there were Pirates entering the EU-parliament, even I had been happier, if also a Swedish candidate had made it. I was to bed and fell asleep directly afterwards.

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27^th May

I awoke as usual, but was so tired, that I was going to bed again. I decided to take the posters of the Pirate Party down in the afternoon, but it was raining all the day and I actually slept until 5pm. This made me be awake for hours afterwards. I started watching movies, but also was to my post box, where I found a letter from my GP, telling me that I have osteopenia – that is a minor osteoporosis and she also wrote, that she had sent a prescription to the pharmacy ;-). By the way the Swedish Pirate Party did not get enough with voices, to get a seat at the EU-parliament, but the German Pirate Party did get one seat and the Czech Pirate Party three!

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28^th May

I was watching movies until around 4am, but was up as usual in the morning, that means around 8am. After breakfast I made a part of my laundry, updated my blog and was then, finally, out for taking down the posters, I had put up, for the EU-election. I would have done it earlier, but it was raining after breakfast. The two posters I had put on the official places for canvassing, which I had fastened on the pins for posters of another political party (they had fastened their on the top and there was lot of space below, which I used of) I could not find anymore. All political parties, but one, had already taken down their posters. The posters I had put on a billboard, were still there and I took them down and with me.

I combined this activity also with a visit at the medical and polyclinic, asking for the appointment for the announced test of thyroglobulin. At the medical clinic I was told, that the test will not be done – the doctor regretted the decision. Though I told them, that it was a no-go not to inform me about it. I was also visiting the reception of the polyclinic to tell them that and asking, why that decision was made. Of the employee at the reception I did get the answer, that she could not tell me, because she has no competence to read my files. The added, that I have to call. I was very upsett about, that I have to call, because it is hard to do it for their opening hours. When I had done my work with the posters of the Pirate party, I was even going further to the grocery shop and bought vegetables, fruit, almond drink etc. It was my intention to buy some bread as well. The bread, free of gluten, I found, was old. The best before date was gone between two month ago and a week ago. Though I did not buy any bread.

At home I checked up, what the thyroglobulin is good for and why tests of it, will be made. I read, that it helps to produce the T4 and T3 hormones and is an indicator, if there still is cancer in the body of a human being. Because I had this kind of cancer in my thyroid, which usually is not spreading, I do not care about this test, but I still do not like to get a message, that the test has to be done and afterwards is cancelled, without any information to me.

During the evening I was not only updating this page of my blog, but also the route I had taken throughout Mexico. I will continue with checking all my sites about Mexico and try to correct the spelling mistakes – as well as the layout. I think, there are sites as well, where I have to add some photos.

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29^th May

I started with twitter this morning and had a brunch instead for breakfast and lunch. I did feel cold all the day and it also was windy outside, though I did not go to the last dance event for spring of my dancing club, because it was outside – at the dance pavillion in Djulö.

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30^th May

There is nothing more to remember, than the correcting my blog about Mexico.

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31^st May

I did not remember, that it was Friday, but after checking my smartphone. I checked my HSBC account and was happy, that not only my pension from Germany was booked, but also an extra amount from the Malta pension authority. It was already my holiday pension – it is only Malta, which offers a holiday and a Christmas pension amount. Even I only worked 1 1/2 year on Malta, I have, by this extra amounts, higher pension, than from Irleand, where I worked for a little longer. I was very happy about this extra amount, of course and could transfer 600 EUR to my Swedish account.

Even this day we did not have summer weather and I continued to correct my blog from Mexico. By the way, I have not called my dentist, asking him about a GP, who works together with him, but I wrote emails to the supervisory authority and claimed, that it is not the correct way to be treated.

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If you would like to follow me even for next month, please use the link for June 2019.