Dorothee International 1st May 2021
I did not do anything special this day, but watched another movie or actually, three. They were part of a series, called Bicycle Adventures on Islands of the EU and, of course, broadcast by the education TV-station. The first one was about Greenland, the second one was about Island and the third one was about Ireland. It is very interesting to see things, where I never have been, but for me it has another dimension, when it is about countries I have visited.
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2nd May 2021
Finally I started to update my blog. This time for 1st to 22nd March 2021. In the evening I watched again the series Bicycle Adventures on Islands of the EU – the parts for Sardinia, Crete and Corsica. All of the parts of the Series were very interesting, but too short. It was a manifestation for the bicycle. There were used general bicycles, mountain bikes and an electric bicycle. They were all ridden by inhabitants from the islands. Some of them were sportsmen, other well-known persons of the islands.
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3rd May 2021
It was boules time again and later I had a meeting by MS Teams with some people of the the tenants’ association, I am a member of. Unfortunately, this meeting was a waste of time, because I did already know all the stuff, we were told. Anyway it was a link to the outside and during this pandemic, it is a kind of lifeline.
In the evening I watched another series by the same TV channel I have watched the days before. The title was Pilgrimage to Rome and there were eight celebrities from the UK, who was walking together. It was a mix of actors, writers and photographers. Most of them had different faith and one also was an atheist. I watch such movies only for the landscapes, they are passing. In addition to that, even it is said, they make around 1000 km in a week, they do not really walk all the distance. Often the spectator does not get to see the parts, when they are not walking, but one can understand, they do not, because the daily distances are too long.
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4th May 2021
Another parcel was waiting for me at a shop, which works for the DHL. I did know, it will not be a big one, though I used my bicycle to go there. At home again I continued to update my blog for March 2021, this time I made the rest of March until the 31st.
In the early evening I picked up my vegetables from the Reko-ring – mine delivered by “Oasen på Åsen” (The oasis on the ridge). I have a subscription with them. They are very nice people and hold a good quality.
This evening I had a Zoom (online) meeting with the Nature Conservation Association and as well another one with a group of people, which will start a “pilgrimage for the future”. In the announcement it was written, that everyone – not belonging to there faith, can participate, but there is more a pilgrimage than a walk and I was the only one of the people meeting by Zoom, who was not connected to a religious community. The plan for this group, a project of a deacon and other members of the same community, is to walk from the monastery in Vetlanda (a town in Småland, Sweden) to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. They are trying to make it as cheap as possible with overnight stays at parish homes and also asking for help with food. Furthermore, they try to find a sailboat for the passage over the English Channel – from Amsterdam to Newcaste upon Tyne in England, which is close to the border to Scotland. They are a group of eight people, because of the now pandemic restrictions. When we asked, if joining groups have the same opportunities as they, the answer was: Only of the planning, that means: How long they are walking each day and maybe, with good luck, to get a bed for the night, if they are not arriving at the same night like the others. It seemed, the most important was, that they will offer prayer times and devotions each time, where one can connect to them by Internet. Anyway, I thought, the idea is not bad and I do not need to listen to the prayers etc on the Internet, but can make the walk anyway. Though I had to find buddies, because I won’t walk by myself throughout the forest – even if not all parts of the walk will go throughout the forest, but a lot, especially in Sweden. Though I started thinking about, how to start a group – even it could be a smaller one with two or three participants only.
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5th May 2021
This was a gray and rainy day. Good for continuing with my blog. I made it until 21st April 2021. From our regional health authority arrived a magazine with the title “Min hälsa” (my health). Usually there are interesting changes about the service in there like reconstructions of hospitals and also new regulations. This one was about COVID-19, too. I did not read it this day.
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6th May 2021
It was time for new photos of my apartment, because I have come further with the decoration. In the evening I watched that education channel again. This time about camels in the North. There was a family, living in the very North of Europe – if I remember correctly, it was the very North of Norway. The children got a camel of their parents, because it is too cold there for horses. The family had to learn to handle the camel and for that, they were going to the country and people, where the camel was born and raised. It was in Siberia, if I remember right. That was also a very interesting movie.
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7th May 2021
It was already Friday again and Irene and I were in front of the town hall, demonstrating for the future. Already in the town center, I was going to a pharmacy and tried to buy one of my medicines, but I was not allowed, because it was too close to the earlier withdrawal. Since the pademic started, we have a regulation here in Sweden, that one only is allowed to get medicine for 3 month and the next again after nearly three more month have passed. I would not have tried to get the medicine a little earlier, but the prescription was running out in a couple of days. I was not happy about this combination.
My son Marcus asked me before to take photos of my store room, the room for bicycles as well of the laundry room. Though I did this day and sent them later to him. On the education channel I started watching a series about Africa. A well-known (but not by me) disabled basketball player were traveling around in Africa and visited each time three countries: In the North, in the Middle and in the South East of the continent. There were meetings with peoples as well as explanations about the political situations etc. This also was a very interesting series.
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8th May 2021
I made some photos of the close surroundings and was talking with a neighbor. She told me, she lives in house no. 34. She also explained to me about that little garden, which I can see from my balcony. Actually it is for tenants of the houses for elderly people, which means for no:s 34, 36 and 38. There is an unused plot as well. Though she asked me, if I was interested in it. Unfortunately, I am not. If I would have taken one, I only would sow flowers for the bees and other insects ;-), but by planing to do the walk to Glasgow, it is no idea to start using that plot.
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It was time to have a chat by Skype with my son Marcus, but afterwards I did go by bicycle to a farm outside our town. There were some steep hills to force, but I made it. Unfortunately, there were so many pollen in the air, that I had to sneeze me all the time. Sometimes I could not decide if it was liquid coming from my nose or if it was sweat. At that farm I did buy a rag for my kitchen. I do not really like rags in kitchens, but by the boring gray floor, I decided to buy a used rag for the kitchen as well. We had agreed, that I had to buy by Swish (I explained that system before), but sometimes, the 4G is not working and here, it was not. For this reason I also had cash with me, which was good. The rag should have been for 250 SEK (around 25 EUR), but I only had 300 in cash – no change. The farmer did not have any cash at all at home, though I had to pay a little more, but agreed. It was anyway a good price.
Back at home, I ate a sandwich with Nutella (hazelnut spread) and had a cup of coffee. During the late evening I watched the TV4 play channel, because of a hint, I had gotten of my son Daniel. It was a movie about traveling by train throughout Europe, South America, Mexico and USA/Canada. I am not sure, I watched this all the same evening. I would have had to watch throughout the entire night. Best I remember the train travel with the Chépe train in Mexico. However, the traveler (also a “well-known” Englishman) was taking a first class department I did not know there was on the train. When I had to pay for first class after the interruption of the journey, I did not get such a comfortable place. In Europe it was about the former Orient Express, which stretched from Paris to Istanbul. The traveler was taking the same route, but because of the not anymore existing train, he had to take a modern one. Anyway, it was a lot about the former Orient Express in that part of the mini series.
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9th May 2021
I tried to attend a class for trekking. The class should only be four times and it was for preparing for a long weekend in the Swedish mountains. In the confirmation email was written, that it should be in a hut called “Krämbolsstugan”. This is situated in the Krämbols forest. The organizers were the “Studiefrämjandet” (an organization for evening classes like photography, languages, needlework etc) and the “Katrineholms Äventyrsklubb” (Katrineholms adventure club). They mostly work with children for getting them out into nature etc. They have among others a climbing wall at their place in the forest. Because the class is about trekking and also because of my lack of walking, I decided to take my trekking poles, a daypack and walk to the place. For the first, it was not very easy to find, but I was lucky and got a description of a woman in my age, being in her garden. I was following that description, but either I did not remember right or she did explain it wrong. I was walking in the wrong direction, where I should have continued straight forward. After a while I was wondering, if I was right and with the help of Google Maps I find out, that I was not. I had to go back almost one km and go in the other direction. Finally I found my way, even there was not the same name on the sign as I had been told.
In the forest I did see the sign for the adventure club and a little one at the entrance of that place, where was stated, that for attending the class, one should leave the car on the car park and walk the trail. I did not really understand, which trail was meant, but I was going some steps into the area of the adventure club. I did not see anyone. Therefore I continued to the hut. There were none either and it had started raining. I found a dry place and took a short rest. Afterwards I was walking back home, where I wrote an email to the organizer, asking for the reason, why the group could not be found.
I “licked my wounds” with a sandwich with Nutella and a cup of hot chocolate.
When I had been at the Krämbolsstugan, I had taken two pictures of it – to show, that I really have been there, but at home, I could neither upload the photos on my Google Account nor open it. It seemed, the files were too big – they had around 7 MB. Though I continued with the update of my blog and finished all of it, that means both the text until and including the 30th April 2021 as well as uploading related photos.
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10th April 2021
I attended the boules games again. I was in pair with a woman called Rosmarie and we were really good together, even we were not the best of the groups. When we had finished the games, I tried to help with the afterwork, but was always a step behind the other and did not get the chance. When I asked Irene, who is managing the place for the time we play, for the key for the door, which were not to use further this day, I did not get any answer, even I asked twice. She came to the table with her things on and told me, very angry, that there is only one large key there and that she can do it herself now. I did not get a chance to do it instead. I was surprised about her reaction. At home, I found out, that I had forgotten to put my hearing aids on and I might not have heard her answer for that. I thought, to apologize next time I will meet her.
I did not do so much during the rest of the day, but before I attended the boules games I had sorted out a few clothes for the secondhand shop of the Red Cross. There were two pajamas, because I do not use pajamas anymore, but nightdresses as well as a skirt and a dress, which I both bought in a too small size. I was thinking for a long while to change them by sewing, but I never did and I also have seen this day, that my idea about the skirt was not feasible.
In the evening I watched the series about Africa again, which I told about before. By the way, I watched all the rest of it.
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11th May 2021
Finally, summer is here! It feels so good. First time this year I am wearing summer clothes.
Anyway I had a slow start in the morning. I did not do much, I did not go to the Red Cross secondhand shop for leaving my few clothes either, but wrote an email to Katrinehoms äventyrslandet asking for the upcoming trekking course as well as for a phone number to the leader, because I found out, that he is the liable person for the class.
In the evening I picked up my Reko-ring vegetables at the nearby Lidl car park, but I had to go a longer way as usual, because further forward in our street was a water pipeline broken and workers were repairing it. I also was at the Lidl shop and bought papaya and ginger root. I am always very happy, when they sell papaya. I learned to buy one more and freeze it at home – in cubes, of course.
After my evening meal I wrote texts to my photos of my new home at Google photos, sent an email to my German girlfriend Erika and linked to them.
This evening I continued to watch the train story “Around the world by train”. This time it was about the Trans-Siberian railway. The actor was going from Peking to Moscow with some stops, e.g. at the Lake Baikal. He then was going further to Helsinki (which is not the route of the Trans-Siberian railway!). He also did a trip in Scandinavia, where he was traveling from Norway via Sweden to Denmark. In Norway and Sweden he stopped at rather unknown places, but in Denmark he was at the Tivoli in Copenhagen, because it is relatively old or maybe, they paid for it.
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12th May 202
I awoke with a headache and was not leaving my bed for a long while. Therefore I missed a MS Teams meeting with the tenants’ association of Katrineholm / Vingåker (Vingåker is our neighboring town). Last moment I tried to attend by my smartphone, but the app was not working.
After brunch I had a lot to do in my household, e.g. I repaired my winter jacket – a pocket was just a little broken. Afterwards I put the winter jacket in my wardrobe, but I still have to make it waterproof.
The evening I started to watch another series, called “Walking throughout Arabia”. It is described this way “Levison Wood explores the Middle East on foot, a journey through 13 countries. He wants to immerse himself in the lives of the locals and challenge the myths and prejudices that exist about the area. We get to follow him as he avoids war zones, crosses deserts and follows in the footsteps of childhood heroes.” Unfortunately I was falling asleep off and on during watching the third part of it. Though I have to see that part one more time.
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13th May 2021
This day was Ascension day. After breakfast I tried to sew (changing size and repairing a seam) my new housecoat, but I did not come far, because I ran out of sewing thread in the right color. Instead I started to shorten a pair of jeans for the summer. It is an old pair, but still OK. Anyway, I think, they are a little too tight around my legs. Shortened to shorts down to my knees, they will be alright, I guess. Unfortunately I did not have sewing thread in the right color for them either.
I did enjoy the afternoon on my balcony. It was so sunny and nice. Before bedtime I watched the series “Walking throughout Arabia” – the part I missed by falling asleep and the rest. It is a series in only five parts.
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14th May 2021
I am interested in having more sheets for my couch. The ones one put directly on the mattresses. I have enough for my bed, but actually none for the couch. Usually I use the ones for my bed even for the couch, but sometimes, I run out of them – when I am not able to wash them in time. To make the long story short: I bought four sheets at an auction after I had asked about the size and was answered, that they are 220 x 260. Perfect, I thought and was picking up them this day.
I also was to our town center and tried to buy sewing thread, but both needlework shops were closed. The funny thing was, that one of them will be open next day. I left the clothes, I had sorted out before, to the Red Cross secondhand shop on my way home. Meanwhile I was at the Red Cross it started raining a little, but it stopped as fast as it started. I pass close to a Lidl on my way home from the town center and did take the opportunity to buy some more papaya.
At home again, I was using Facebook for a while, reading about the “Pilgrimage for Future” again. I had written a letter to the editor of our local newspaper, asking for buddies for the walk and this was published as promised. I think, it was a perfect day to publish it, because it was a “FridayForFuture” and a day were people has a lot of time to read the papers. By the way, Irene and I did not go to the town hall with our signs, because there will be none working.
That evening I watched the part of a travel series about a former model, when she was visiting India, the land, where she was born and raised the first three or four years of her life. The family was from UK and going back there, because of the Independence of India. She was to three special places and the movie was interesting. Anyway, I am wondering, why the always need well-known people for such series.
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15th May 2021
I had the usual Saturday Skype chat with my son Marcus, but this time only for 30 min. Usually we talk around an hour with each other.
I continued with my sewing projects and, among others, I started to change kitchen towels in such one, which are easy to hang on the handle of my oven. They are perfect when cooking or baking.
Before bedtime I watched more of the series of India and continued with the part of Japan – the former model met geishas, of course, but not only.
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16th May 2021
I made a new try to find the trekking class in the Krämbols’ forest – this time by bicycle, because the leader had written, that I have to park on the car park outside the area. I made it as a joke and told them after arriving, I had to take the bike, for having something to park. The first thing the leader was aware was my backpack – the little one I bought in Germany. I told him, I will have that one for the weekend in the mountains. It has a volume of 35 liters and I think, that is enough. He did not complain so much about the volume, but that lack of a waist belt. He told me, it is not comfortable to have all the weight on the shoulders. He had some backpacks for hiking and trekking with him and helped me to test two for women. The first one was too big for me. The problem is, that the belts over the shoulders are too long. The other one, was perfect for me. It was a Canyon 50, which means it has 50 liters only. I did not find any make on it. He also talked about storm-proofed stoves as well as he had some examples – all for gas. Mine is for a kind of alcohol, which is much heavier to carry than gas. By the way, there were lots of mosquitoes and pollen in the forest.
Just started on my way home, it started raining. Fortunately I had my rain clothes with me and put them on under a tree, a few meters from the place we just had been. It was nice to come home and to my towels ;-). I ended that day buy watching more about places in Japan.
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17th May 2021
Finally I tried to use one of the sheets I had bought by auction, but I discovered that they only are 120 x 260 and not at all wide enough for neither my bed nor my couch.
I was again going by bicycle to the town center and hurried to be in time for maybe buy a new pair of shoes, a private person offered to sell. Actually we agreed for the next day (I mixed it upp), but luckily she was at home. I tried the shoes on, but they were too big for me, even they were signed with the correct size for me. When I told that the seller, she told me, how the shoe should sit and I answered, that I am old enough to know, what fits my feet and what does not.
I continued to one of the shops, selling fabrics. They did mainly have cotton fabrics, but I bought some sewing threads, because I had run out of sewing thread for different colors (not only for the housecoat and the jeans). Then I continued to the other shop for fabrics. The owner had sale, because she was shutting down her shop. Anyway she had a lot of nice fabrics left, but no patterns. She told me, she had sent them back just a couple of days ago, because she had them in commission. Actually, I have patterns, but I was just interested in another one, which would be easier to use. I was looking for woolen fabrics and found some nice ones. I told the owner, that I will sew a cape and have double fabrics, but she advised me, that it will be too heavy, especially when the cape get wet. I was thankful for that advise and bought other fabrics for the lining as well as the fitting sewing thread. I had forgotten to buy white sewing thread at the other shop, but this one did not have any. It was sold out. By the way, the owner told me, that she already had planned to close the shop three years ago and canceled her lease. For the white sewing thread I had to return to the first shop.
It was my intention to ask at one of the pharmacies in town about my vaccination against typhoid fever. It will run out in some days, but I did forget it.
Next stop was the shopping area, called Lövåsen. A shop called ÖoB advertised cheap things for hiking and camping like tents and sleeping bags. I did not find anything announced until I had ask employees for the second time. It was the second employee, who showed me the shelf. I decided to buy a sleeping bag as well as an inflatable sleeping pad. It should inflate by itself. For the tent, I was not sure, that it would be good enough against rain. I try to share a tent with someone instead. I won’t need a tent more than for the trekking in the mountains in August.
After a quick and early lunch I was to the boules games again. Irene was as friendly as usual again. At the end, she told us, that she will not be able to open for us the upcoming week for an appointment she has, though there will not be any boules games that week. I told her, that it is fine for me, because I will go to my son that day and it would be too much stress to attend the boules games before.
Finally back at home I was too tired to sew, even I had thought to do so. Before going to bed I watched the rest of the series of Japan as well as a movie called “Beloved elephant”. The last named was about a woman, who had started a sanctuary for elephants – a kind of national park. First it was told about the elephants’ situations including how few Indian elephants are left, e.g. that elephants working in tourism are forced to do so by violence of their owners. This woman with the sanctuary had bought an old, blind elephant, who just had worked in this area. The movie showed the transport of this elephant and also it was told, that the former owner of that elephant was convinced by that woman to open a sanctuary himself instead. Finally the result was, that that elephant owner earned more money with the sanctuary than by the earlier tourism activity.
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18th May 2021
I tried the inflatable sleeping pad, but it was not really taking in enough with air. It was not possible for me to inflate the part of the pad, which is meant as a cushion. The sleeping back was OK and I also managed to get it back into the cover.
In the middle of the day I was to the polyclinic and got my second vaccination against COVID-19. I nearly missed it (:-(
I sew the things I had prepared, that means the jeans and the housecoat. Before I watched a pilgrimage in Spain – on the Way of St. James, I picked up my vegetables at the Lidl car park. I get vegetables every week now, instead of the Reko-ring without subscription, where one only can buy vegetables biweekly. If I remember right, this pilgrimage was about a blind man who was walking. He had a lot of assistance to help him on his way and there were tears as well by the assistants, because this man was very demanding. Despite all high and lows, he made it the whole way. Anyway I am mostly interested in the views of the countries.
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19th May 2021
I was leaving back the sheets I had bought recently, the ones with the wrong size. I was told, that I have to wait for around three weeks to get my money back. That will be a good business for them. I am so fed up with this auction trading, I unfollowed them on Facebook. They are selling by an site for auctions as well, but the not so nice items, they are advertising on Facebook, I eventually found out.
I continued with my sewing project for the kitchen towels, but did not come further than to cut all the parts I need. It will become six of them.
I even continued to watch the series of the blind man on his Way of St. James. I got a little pain in my arm of the vaccination the day before, but it was not much.
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20th May 2021
I was going by bicycle to the shopping area Lövåsen again and the ÖoB shop and left back the inflatable sleeping pad. That was no problem, even I had to explain, what was wrong with it. My next stop was the supermarket. I bought such things I cannot get in the shop next to me and, of course, other things I anyway needed.
When I tried to delete old emails, there were popping upp again and again until I decided to delete all the emails in the trash. By this, I stayed on the Internet and did not even watch a movie in the evening.
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21st May 2021
Another Friday and another demonstration together with Irene. When we are standing in front of the town hall with our signs and no interested person is passing by, we chat a lot. Though I told her about the trekking class and the mountain hiking. She answered, that she had done that a lot of times, when she has been younger and I was surprised, how much she has done in her life, because she also was working in a lot of other countries at the embassies. She really has had a very interesting life. She gave me some advises for the hiking like to tape my feet before hiking, for not getting blisters. I also told her, that I maybe will go by bicycle for the climate / future instead of walking. It depends on, if I find buddies for the walk.
The series of the evening was a train trip throughout Australia. I had seen two parts of it before, the others had not been online at that time. Now I was watching the third and fourth part of it.
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22nd May 2021
I should have participated in a bicycle demonstration for the climate, but I awoke too late and also was still very sleepy. Though I sent an sms to one of the leaders of the group, telling her, that I unfortunately are not able to come. She messaged back, that there is still time to come, they are still waiting behind the centralstation. I neither had taken all my medicine nor was I dressed at this time and had to explain it for her. Then she understood.
My son Samuel and his wife as well as I have planned, that I will visit them, when I am going to the dentist and stay for my youngest grandchild’s birthday. He will turn six years old. I already had bought the birthday present for him – a ball, as he wished. Now I was happy to bake some biscuits for them, too. They always are happy in them. I used the convection oven, which means, I have to bake with lower temperature, but it took a little longer time as usual.
Well done and after my evening meal it was time for the last parts – parts 5-7 av the series about traveling Australia by train. For accuracy reasons, the main person in this series did not only use trains, but also flights and boats, but from one or another train station. Again, it was a travel I never will be able to make, because it is too expensive for me.
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23rd May 2021
Even it was Pentecost day, our trekking class was taking place. It was drizzling all the day and I walked with my trekking poles to the outdoor class. The lesson for the day was to handle maps and compass. Compasses are much more convenient nowadays as when I was a teenager.
I prepared for the time at Samuel’s, though I packed my backpack, packed an IKEA-bag with the birthday present (in a quite big box) and the cookies as well. I also checked the picnic basket, a late birthday gift for my daughter in law. I wrapped a bottle of wine and the gift for my son Samuel – the scrap map, which luckily also fitted in the IKEA-bag.
Furthermore I had a phone call with my son Samuel, asking him for arriving the next day. First I had planned to visit my dentist first and then to go to my son and his family, but with all these things to carry, I asked him for arriving a day in advance, which will be the next day.
This day I was early to bed, without watching series or movies.
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24th May 2021
I prepared all necessary for being from home for a whole week like watering my plants. I was afraid, they will anyway die during my absence, especially if it is sunny. I could not prepare enough and the only one I feel close enough to ask to water my plants is working full-time, has a family of five and a house with a garden to care about. I do not have conscience to ask her for help. Maybe during the summer I get to know my neighbors better, that I in such a case can ask one of them for help, when I need.
My train was going at 17:23 in the late afternoon from Katrineholm. I took the bus from my home around one hour earlier. With the next bus, I would have been too late for the train. I had booked 1st class again and there were not many passengers in that car, but unfortunately I had my seat directly behind another occupied seat. Anyway all went well. Samuel picked me up at the train station Södertälje Syd, where the train should have arrived at 18:06, but was a little late as well was Samuel. He had taken his firstborn son with him and bought birthday presents for the other one. They also have had a meal somewhere, before they met me. Samuel had called me and asked me, if I had eaten something already, which I had. Therefore he had the meal with his son before picking me up.
I was very happy this evening, because both the boys were no longer sky to me. Especially the younger one had been very shy before. I was so surprised, because we had not met since New Years Day. The cookies and gifts for the adults were appreciated. After they had tasted the cookies, Samuel’s wife put them away for the birthday party with the kids upcoming Saturday, she told us. Before going to bed, Samuel, his wife and I planned for my dentist visit the next day.
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25th May 2021
I had to be ready to go at 8am and I was. Tharsiny, Samuels wife, took me to the underground- and bus station in the next suburb, though I did not have to make a longer walk in the suburb they live. On the way, she left Leon, the elder boy at his school. It was good for me, that I had decided to go with them, because after my breakfast I had to go and pee several times and this day more often than usual. I had to leave the bus halfway at another underground and bus station looking for a toilet. Later I had to change to another bus and there I had to look for a toilet again. Fortunately there was a pizzeria and they let me use their toilet without ordering something. They did not take paid either.
Finally at the dentist, the first I had to do was to ask for the toilet. Fortunately, on the way back I did not have this problem. My dentist moved in March this year and it was a little adventurous to find his new place. I made it very close, but did not find their door. His assistant called me, when it was time for my appointment, though I could asked her, which door of the house I should enter. All was well by her nice way to treat me.
I was happy, that the dentist now has another possibility for x-rays of the teeth – the one without need for a plate in the mouth. I asked for it and got it. It is a little more expensive, of course, but it does not hurt. The plates always do. The dentist could not find any holes in my teeth, but there is some plaque because my dentures does not fit anymore and I can only get out the one in the upper jaw hours after I have taken out the one for the lower jaw. Though I could not brush me teeth as usual. The dentist dit make my dentures fit again and I have got an appointment for the dental hygienist. In around a month, I have to go back to the dentist, but now I will find it easily.
When I left the dentist, I was walking to the center of the suburb, looking for a mall, which I found. I was walking around in that mall looking for a meal. There were lots of restaurants, all with different food like Indian cuisine, Burger King etc. I found a place selling kebab and falafel. Though I bought a falafel – and it was a big one, what I did not know before I have got it.
Full and satisfied I continued with bus and underground to the city center of Stockholm, where I was looking for an outdoor equipment shop. The first one I entered – and was recommended by the trekking class, did not have good service. Anyway I found an outdoor food box (see photo) and a compass – just that one I wished to buy. I was happy, because the outdoor food box was for sale. I did also only find the one I took. With the help of a staff member I tried trekking backpacks, but nothing fitted me or they were 50 l backpacks, but without the waist belt. Most of the backpacks were smaller or there were the big ones for males. The smaller ones do not have waist belts either. I did not find the make I was looking for, men was not expecting it either, because I did not find that make on the Internet even I was searching the Net for several days.
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The little round box, laying down, is for salt and spices. There are three compartments in it.
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Now I was looking for the outdoor shop, where I had bought my hiking paints, hiking shoes etc before I was traveling the world. The first shop was closed. One could even not see anymore, that there had been that kind of shop. The other one was still there and I was looking around among the backpacks. I tried one or another as well and find out, that I should take a backpack for juniors. Than I have got help of a shop assistant. She tried to sell of the bigger ones to me first – but for 50 to 55 liters. When none fitted, she first told me, that my hipbones are not as high as they are. Later she told me to try out one of the backpacks for juniors. Finally I was there – and it fitted. I was not really sure, if I would buy that one, because it was for around 180 EUR and is a 50 liters powder blue (the only color they had and actually the only one of this kind), even I know that it is the usual price for backpacks and even a little more pricey, because it is a junior one. I left the shop, but was going back, thinking about my Malta account. Unfortunately there were not really so much money on it, because my pension from Germany is coming the last of each month, though I had to pay with my Swedish account anyway.
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26th May 2021
My youngest grandchild Vincent celebrated his 6th birthday. Samuel had taken a day off to spend time with him. I think, that is the best birthday present a child can get. I helped, where I could this day. In the afternoon Tharsiny served a home baked cake with chocolate bottoms, strawberry jam, whipped cream and fresh strawberries. It was a really nice day to enjoy.
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27th May 2021
Vincent had a day off from pre-school, because it was not open. I tried to take care of him, but that was not possible all the time, because he was not interested in it all the time. Tharsiny had asked me to exercise letters and numbers with him. She thinks, it is good, if he can it already when starting at school. I tried to. In the beginning, I let him write the way he wanted. He had only a book with lines, where elder children and adults are writing on. Though I then made three lines and showed him how to write the f, g, y etc, but he was already too tired to try to write proper letters. I also was looking for an app, which maybe will help him – this also because of his mum asked me for it. I found one, which seemed to be good. Tharsiny told me, that it would be good, if I would come more often and help Vincent with the letters. She also told me, that they do not have time for it. Anyway, I have got the feeling, that Vincent is not really interested in. He can play Warcraft on the computer and does from time to time – when he is allowed. To learn to read by the computer would, of course, be much better. I think. When I was talking with Samuel in the evening, that it maybe is not so necessary to learn Vincent all the letters and numbers before he starts at school, he told me, they do not learn at school how to write letters and numbers properly and that he (Samuel) had been exercising with Leon a lot for that reason. I was very surprised about it.
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28th May 2021
Samuel was at home, even it was a Friday. He did not feel good. Anyway, later that day he and I were going by bikes to a bike store. I was riding Tharsiny’s bike, because Samuel wanted to buy a carrier for her bike. He also was buying accessories for another bike. I made all of the hills, but one, where I had to go off the bike just at the end. When I first took that bike, I was very astonished about the low high of the saddle, especially because she is five cm longer than me. Samuel had to adjust it for me. By the way, they have biweekly cleaning service, though I had to pack my things, but the cleaning lady did not come, because her child was sick.
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29th May 2021
Vincent had another birthday party. This time with three classmates. Two other boys, in the age of Leon, was also invited. They became two groups and were keen in playing with the same things like the swings and the trampoline, but it went out well. The ball, which Vincent had got of me as a birthday gift, was in use, too. One of the younger boys was a little naughty and I was surprised about myself, when I told him, that it was not good, what he just had done instead of to tell him, that it is him, who is bad. I became really proud of me. Surprisingly all the kids were happy in grilled hot dogs, but not in the cake, which was served later. I think, nowadays it is the best to offer hot dogs or hamburgers and ice cream as a dessert. Also this day I did my share.
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30th May 2021
In Sweden Mother’s Day is always the last Sunday in the month of May. Therefore it was this day. Samuel was early out and running with a friend of him. I first thought, he told that for Tharsiny, but was buying flowers. Actually it took a long time for him, coming home and he also called Tharsiny, telling her, that his friend had served breakfast to his wife, but the wife had asked him, if the meal was re-warmed (old). Tharsiny did not enjoy that message. When Samuel came home and really had flowers with him, she was, anyway, not happy either. I was also somewhat disappointed. I was staying for this day, just that there was no need for them to come to Katrineholm and court me. He sent Leon to me in the basement to give me a mug with sweets and the text “Mom You’re the Best” instead for giving it to me himself. I had helped Leon to court Tharsiny in the morning, but Tharsiny was not so happy about it either, because Samuel did not do it.
After lunch, I followed with Samuel, Vincent and Leon to a playground. We were going by bike there and Vincent tried to use one of his birthday presents – a fish net, with which one also can catch butterflies. Unfortunately there were no butterflies and no small frogs either. Though they played ball on the ballground and we also met a neighbor to them, who is German. She loved to talk German with me. While they were playing on another playground, we rode to later, my son Marcus called me by Skype. We did not chat longer than around half on hour, because the connection was not good.
When Samuel did drive me to the train station, we were talking about, how women feel about Mother’s Day. I told him, that on Father’s Day Tharsiny should court him instead, because they are sharing all the jobs at home, but on Mother’s Day Tharsiny should be the one and only courted, but me.
Surprisingly Teresa, my Mexican girlfriend did contact me by WhatsApp this evening. She also asked me for photos of Vincent’s birthday party. She was interested in, how it looks like, when we in Sweden have a birthday party. Unfortunately I had not taken any photos of it.
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31st May 2021
I was short of money on my Swedish account because of the backpack I had bought. Therefore I was keen in transferring an amount from my Maltese account to my Swedish one. Already at 8am I checked the Maltese account, but my pension from Germany had not arrived, though I checked the account half an hour later again and luckily that amount was reported. I made my transfer and hoped, it will arrive at the same day on my Swedish account. It did, but in the afternoon.
When I was ready for the day, I picked up my medicines and did get a lot done before I was going to play boules again. I was going by bicycle to the boules games. We were happy about the sunny weather. Unfortunately, on my way home, I had to push my bike, because the front wheel lacked air.
I had a meal on my balcony, but I felt cold after a while. The temperature had decreased already around 5pm. At 6pm a young woman visited me as agreed to pick up my last moving boxes (for free). She was very happy about them. I had to go to the grocery shop and during the evening I was busy with twitter and similar apps.
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If you will follow me next month as well, this way → June 2021 (coming soon)
Dorothee International 