February 2021

1^st Feb 2021

Most of the day I was writing my blog about Ireland.

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2^nd Feb 2021

Even this day I continued writing my blog about Ireland, but I also was on my way to buy a secondhand shelf. Unfortunately I was not really dressed for the weather, because I had not expected, that it was so cold and had to turn around and go home again, halfway to my destination. I did not really take the same route as I had come and I did not see the ice plot either. Though I slipped and got some pain in one of my hands and one of my hips. The person, who was waiting for me got angry, when I told her, that I slipped and could not come. Therefore I told her, that I did not do it on purpose. I never bought that shelf.

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3^rd Feb 2021

It was -9°C when I was going to the supermarket to pick up mig order. My smartphone was not working, though I could not name the order number to the shop assistant, but it was all OK, because she found the bags with the groceries by my name. Home again, I had a snack with the cheese I had bought, but I did not really like the cheese anymore. The ”Port Salut” was tasting like rubber and the Camenbert was not as creamy as I remembered. I think, I getting used to avoid non vegan food.

In the afternoon and evening I wrote my blog about Ireland again.

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4th Feb 2021

As well as the other days before, I continued to write my blog about Ireland. I was living there for nearly two years, though there was a lot to write about.

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5th Feb 2021

Meanwhile I was writing my blog about Ireland, I have got an email from my landlord, telling me, that I have to pay around 250 EUR for the stove there is in my new apartment, if I want to have a modern one. Therefore I surfed the Internet looking for stoves with induction hob. I can already tell you, that I did not want to pay 250 EUR for a stove I won’t use. I chose a GRAM SIP 17626, white, because of the push/pull buttons, the pyrolysis cleaning etc. I think, it is easier to cook my own meals and do my cleaning with such a stove. The induction hob I chose because of the short amount of time for heating up. It saves time and also is environmental friendly.

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6th Feb 2021

I was chatting with my son Marcus by Skype and started afterwards to write my blog, but my wrists did hurt and I had to take a rest. I was streaming a couple of movies instead.

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7th Feb 2021

I worked with my blog about Ireland again.

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8th Feb 2021

Finally it was time to upload photos on my blog about Ireland.

I also emailed my landlord about the old stove, asking, if the stove will be mine, when I pay for it and if I can sell it, if I want. By the way, I never got an answer on that question and the lawyer of the tenants’ association told me, that the stove is owned of the landlord and the landlord can decide, what to do with it.

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9th Feb 2021

My landlord agreed with me, that I buy my own stove and put the old one into the storeroom. If I move out or die, the old stove will be put back into the apartment. Unfortunately, there is no space in the kitchen for a normal sized dishwasher, but I can get a 45cm wide one. Meanwhile it was one of the employees of my landlord, who told me that, the other one, who takes care about the contract was surprised about it, as I was. At the end, but that was just the beginning, I agreed to meet at the apartment and measure the space for the dishwasher one more time. Directly afterwards I was on the Internet again, looking for, if all dishwashers are 60cm or 45cm wide. I found one with a wide of 58cm, but the address was in Rumania and I could neither find out, if they were trustworthy nor if they export to Sweden.

In the evening we had the monthly digital meeting by Zoom for our association of nature conservation. At the beginning I was asked something and could answer, but later on, when I tried to say something, I could not do it. All others were louder then me and it did not help, that I raised my hand – both the virtual one and my real one. Though I left the meeting.

Before I was watching the documentary (actually all was not really real, but it could have been in fact) about Norway with their Royals at the main point during WWII, I send an email to an electricity service, asking, if they know a dishwasher with the dimensions of a wide of 58cm as well as I was asking about the costs for the installation.

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10th Feb 2021

Already in the morning I had the email answer from the electricity service. I was told, that there are only dishwashers 60cm and 45cm wide, but there was no answer for the costs of an installation. Maybe I should name, that there is no dishwasher now, but an open space. Though to put in a dishwasher, there is a plumber as well as an electrician and a carpenter needed. I sent a new email to the electricity service. The answer was, that there will be a cost of 300 to 600 EUR. Therefore I decided to ask my landlord for the installation – and the dishwasher.

During the morning I also called my home insurance, telling them, that I have not got an answer on my card, which was aimed for them and the changes in my insurance. Anyway, all went well and the insurance was moved to my new address with the beginning of 1st April 2021 and I had got explained, that there is a 45 days overlap insurance included as well. Though I did not sign dubble up for the time I will move out of my now apartment until the 1st April.

Daniel, Samuel and I were chatting about the costs of electrictiy, because by the cold weather, we could read in the newspapers, that the costs were increasing and also, that we should not use our vacuum cleaners, because the Swedish electricity providers are running out of electricity. We also were talking about, how much the costs are for our subscriptions of electricity. We have all different providers, mostly because of the different areas we are living in. I did not know my price, though I asked my provider, who also was informing me, that I have the most expensive one for my new apartment, because I have not chosen, if I want to have a changing price, a fixed price for a year or a fixed price for three years. I was surprised, because my now contract is for three years and I am only moving in the same town. Though I thought, the contract will continue as it is. After a lot of emails, calls and misunderstandings I did sign a new contract with my provider. The contract did get me a lower price than the one I have now and is for a new period of three years. My son Daniel told me, that it is cheaper not to have a fixed price, but I think it is better with a fixed price, because the costs will increase – like everything does, and not decrease.

In the evening I still had the energy to upload more photos to my blog of Ireland.

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11th Feb 2021

I have got a letter from my Swedish pension authority. An employee wrote, that the authority has to change the calculation of, among others, my pension, because of a directive of the EU. My pension should be calculated by a working time of 40 fully years. They also sent me some documents from the other authorities I get pension from and asked me, to check the papers. The first mistake I saw, that my authority had done, was not to be aware about, that the yearly breaking point for the update of the amount of the German pension is not 1st Jan as well as it is in Sweden and on Malta, but 1st July. Though I had to write to them as well as I had to add, that I neither know the exact amounts of the pension from Malta nor from Ireland, but I did write emails to the social securtiy authorities on Malta as well as on Ireland and asked for it. Actually, the Swedish authority for pension had also attached a copy of a letter from Ireland, stating about my pension from there, but I could not see, if the amounts are correct or not, especially because of the breaking point in March and that they do not state if there is any special Christmas pay included or not. Soon I did get an answer from Malta, even it was not the final one. From Ireland it always takes such a long time. I think, I have to send them a letter instead for an email. Controlling all these amounts took some hours.

In the evening I watched a documentary about the climate change. It was very interesting and gave me some more knowledge as I already have about it.

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12th Feb 2021

From my electricity provider I did get a new contract – by mejl, but it was wrong again and I did get the feeling, that I have ended up in the world of the author Franz Kafka (see: The Process). This time the companys representative really apologized and promised a correct one.

Between 11am and 1pm I was demonstrating, because of the climate emergency, in front of the town hall in our town. Irene accompanied me. Back at home I had to take care about the two big papaya I had bought at the supermarket a couple of days before.

I continued to watch documentaries and this evening I have seen a trilogy about the world’s endangered cities: New York, Tokyo and Venice. The main problem they share is, that they are low laying above the sea level.

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13th Feb 2021

Finally I have got the correct contract from the electricity provider. I also was chatting with my son Marcus by Skype and checked my papers about my pension again. There was more to do.

The documentary I watched in the evening had the titel ”Nära jorden, nära skogen”, which means ”Close to the ground, close to the forest” and was about ecological correct farming and living.

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14th Feb 2021

That was one of my lazy days and I was freezing a lot – even after my warm shower. Two of my ordered books arrived. I actually found the books I wrote on sale – on the Internet. Because I lost all my books and it did hurt most, that I lost the books, I had written myself. I am very happy, I found them. Unfortunately I did not find all of them, but the three most important ones: ”Familj med särskilda behov” (Family with Special Needs), ”Min bror har damp” (My Brother has ADHD) and ”Schweden (k)ein Schlaraffenland” (Sweden, (not) a Country of Milk and Honey). Maybe it is stupid to be so sentimental, because my children will not keep the books, but anyway, I love to have them.

The documentary of the evening had the titel ”Kungahusen och Nazismen” (The Royal Houses and Nazism). It was about the European royal houses.

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15th Feb 2021

I met an employee of my new landlord at my new apartment at 11am and she showed me, that the space for the dishwasher is only 58cm wide – I did measure 59cm, anyway it is too small for a 60cm dishwasher, but I could see, that it seems, that there had been made a change, since I have seen the apartment for the first time and I was sure, that either the planning for this part of the kitchen had not been thought out or it was a botch. There was the sink on the right hand side and a cabinet for dish towels at the left hand side. As I saw it, the last named was the problem. This circumstances made me fight for a 60cm dishwasher instead for a 45cm wide one. I think, I did not become popular. By the way, the employee, who met me, did not have a face mask with her. I was wearing one, but as you know, that only protected her – not me. If you wonder, why I, as a single person, are so keen to get a 60cm wide dishwasher, it depends on, that I love to have guests as well as I love to cook and seldom have the problem, to fill such a dishwasher. A smaler one means, that I often should have to run two loads a day.

Back at home I started freazing again. Actually, I do it most of the time and I am sure, it is because of one of my medicines, but sometimes it is worse than usual. By freezing, I became lazy and did not even watch streamed documentaries that night.

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16th Feb 2021

I found two used flower pots in light lilac on Facebook and liked them. They will be good together with the two similar I already have. Though I bought them. Together they were for around 4 EUR and I had to pick them up close to my area. On the way I also was to the library and picked up a book I had ordered. Because of the pandemic, it is not possible to visit the library, but it is possible to order and pick the books up outside. To leave them back one can use the book box, which has been there ”forever”. The book has the title: ”Educated” and the authors name is Tara Westover. She was growing up in a family of very stricktly mormons and did not have a real education, but later, when she, by her own, could decide, what to do with her life. Unfortunately, the library had that book only in Swedish.

I also visited the Red Cross secondhand shop and found the kitchen table I have been looking for during some weeks. On Facebook, there were mostly bigger tables, or they did not have Pinewood tables. I paid for the table and we agreed, that I can pick it up at the end of the month of March. That made me really happy.

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17th Feb 2021

I was slow in the morning, but finally it changed. Among others, I wrote an email to the the tenants’ association, asking about my rights regarding to additional options like another kind of stove or a dishwasher.

In the afternoon I started reading the book I had borrowed from the library and I did not stop before I had read every word of it. It was interesting and appalling at the same time. Tara describes her life, grown up in a family of very believers (mormons). Especially the father did mean, that school is for, that the state can introduce the children etc. He tog his children out of school in a very young age and their mother’s home schooling did not really work, especially the father always asked the children to help with his work. Three of the six children did make their own decisions and studiet after they had left home, but it was a long way to go. The father often was violent and so was almost one of the sons as well. It is a really interesting book, which I can highly recommend. Why did I read just this book? If I remember right, it was named and recommended on twitter, but maybe it was on Facebook and I got interested in it.

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18th Feb 2021

I had a late morning, of course. One of the first things I did, was to read the answer of the lawyer of the tenants’ association. She explained, that these options are voluntarily, though the landlord can have his own terms about it. I was not really clear about, what she meant about the stove, because, as I wrote before, if I will take the option and choose another stove than the old one, I have to pay around 250 EUR and do not get anything for it. I think, I should own the stove after I had paid so much money for it, but I was not sure about that and my new landlord dit not answer that question at all. Anyway, I wrote an email about the dishwasher to the superiors, both the one for the janitors and the one for the marketing.

In the evening I watched the movie about Greta (Thunberg) as well as one of David Attenborough’s – about the next mass extinction and one with the titel ”Somalia i fritt fall” (Somalia – falling free), which was mostly about the politics of Somalia, which, of course, also affects the wealth, the climate etc. My last documentary for the night was called ”I kalifates ruiner” (In the ruins of the caliphate) and was about the IS, mostly in Syria.

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19th Feb 2021

I did get an answering email from the superior of the janitors. He had a strange way to answer me, including the sentences, that I was complaining, because I did not get my will, but also, that he thinks, that there is the correct contact for a stove with induction hob in the kitchen, but if it should not work, it would not be the landlords responsibility. If you do not know, for stoves with induction hobs you need a contact with five joints, which are: three phases, earth and zero. Other stoves only need two phases. The contacts looks the same, but it is the question if three phases are attached. I know that, because the seller at the appliances store told me.

I became sad and mad by his answer and replied, that it is not customer friendly to write about me as a person, who complains, because I do not get my will as well as it should be known, if there are three phases attached to the contact or only two. I put the superior for the marketing in cc.

This day I also talked about it with Irene, when we were demonstrating for action about the climate change in front of the town hall. She reminded me about, that one simply can check the phases by a voltage meter (usually formed as a pen or skrew drawer).

Back at home, I wrote another email. This time again to the employee, who showed me, that there is not space enough for a 60cm dishwasher in my new kitchen. I was very sweet in my words and told her, that I still not (really) know, if there are two or three phases in the contact for the stove. I begged her to ask a janitor to check it by using a voltage meter. She was answering this afternoon, stating, that she finally had got an answer on my question and that there are three phases.

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20th Feb 2021

As usual I was chatting with my son Marcus by Skype in the middle of the day. In the evening I watched a documentary of Louis Theroux about people outside the society.

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21st Feb 2021

It did not happen anything special this Sunday, but I watched a documentary about Nat King Cole in the evening.

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22nd Feb 2021

I already informed the tax authority about my upcoming move and new address by using the corresponding function on their Internet site. Furthermore I fixed the forwarding of my letters – if there are some 😉 from end of March this year for a whole year, but first I came to the wrong site. I have been on the correct site before, even it may be more than one year ago, but remembered, how it looked like och even the amount for the forwarding service. Though I left that Internet site, that I just tried to use and looked for the correct one, which I found quite fast. It is really important to be careful on the Internet.

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23rd Feb 2021

The German book I had ordered finally arrived. It hade been sent 9th February and I cannot understand, why the transport did take such a long time. Usually letters or small parcels from Germany arrives here within five days.

I had a walk this day again, starting with leaving back the book of Tara Westover to the library, continuing to the Red Cross secondhand shop, where I did not buy anything this time. I was actually looking for a desk as well as for book shelfs. I had decided to have white furniture in the bedroom, but the bed itself, which is in a black colour. There were neither white desks and book shelfs nor some in a different colour or in natural wood. The last stop on my way was the little supermarket called ”ICA Nära” (ICA Close), where I picked up a parcel as well as I bought bananas and oat milk.

Back at home I was working on my blog again ur maybe better, I was writing the text for January for the blog using an Office document.

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24th Feb 2021

I awoke already around 5am and could not fall asleep again even I still felt tired. I was freezing, but muy very warm cover.

Around 8am I took my thyroid medicine and at 9am the medicine for my stomach as well as I got dressed. I was still freezing.

Now I filled and started the washing machine, but ironed my clothes after breakfast. After I had made my bed I hang the laundry.

It was time to visit another secondhand shop. The shop owner announced on Facebook and for this week with very low prices. It was around a half hour walk to go there. The shop called ”Snusdosans loppis” (Snuffbox flea market) was nothing special, but that the owner helps homeless people with the possibility to take showers etc once a week. It was most for her social focus I visited this shop. Anyway I found a shower curtain for 1 EUR only. The curtain was fresh. I had 10 EUR with me for spending and left the rest for the owner’s work for the homeless.

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In the afternoon and early evening I started to sort out very old documents. I should have done that before, but had no possibility, of course, while I was working abroad respectively traveling foreign countries. Furthermore it was very cold on my son Daniel’s attic, when I was there. It is just so sad, because I lost most of my books, but not these documents. I was cold again, though I sat in my bed and watched another documentary, This time about the Foreign Legion of France. I did not know, that there still is one and I did not get an answer, why just France still has one. Anyway, I was surprised, that so many young men from all over the world still attend that legion.

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25th to 28th Feb 2021

These were boring days, during which I sorted out more very old documents. Lots of them were from my former publishing house. I was very happy, when I was done on 28th Feb. By the way, in the evenings I usually watched different kind of movies, often documentaries.

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If you will follow me next month as well, this way → March 2021