April 2017

1st April

This day is my eldest grandson’s birthday. This year he became four years old. I woke up when my son and his wife came to celebrate him. It was around 7am, but breakfast was served around 8am. My grandson has already got some birthday presents. There were puzzles, games and more and my son helped my grandchild to put the puzzles together. The games were played as well, the ring game as well, but it was quite difficult.

We had lunch and around 3pm the guests were arriving. There were some related families with their kids, but also adults (sibblings, grandparents, cousins and friends to my daughter in law) without kids. It is not like I am used to from Sweden and Germany as well, that for a child’s birthday party children were coming. The grandparents are attending later. Maybe it was because my daughter in law culture or because of my grandchild is not a school boy yet. I do not know. There were no opportunity to ask either because of all the people and afterwards I forgot to ask.

It was very noisy with so many people in an apartment of that size. Around 4pm a cake / gateaux was served and later on food, but spicy tamil food. Around 6pm all the guests were leaving. I had a headache and was not very happy. During the night I had heartburn of the spicy food.

By the way during the week before the birthday my daughter in law had ask me, if I could make a “smörgåstårta” (“sandwich cake”). When I asked her, what she want to have on this dish, she told me shrimps like it is usual. Though I told her, that not all of these have shrimps. It is common to make them with ham, roast beef, salmon, vegetarian etc. She was so surprised, she did not ask me about the “cake” anymore and when I asked her, which kind she wished, she told me, it will not be such a “cake”. I think it were her parents changing her mind.

 

2nd April

My son left with my eldest grandchild around 9:30 for attending the Tamil home language training. I left around a quarter of an hour later for being audience at the “Ekwall Show” – a TV-show, which also can be seen on YouTube. The TV-channel was TV4, a private channel and it was so different to be an audience there, than at the public TV-channels. This time we got drinks and food as well as we could win a football respectively got a free t-shirt. Before the show began lots of popcorn was offered.

While we were waiting for start a guy from Pakistan named “Fucki” helped us to warm up, though we should clap our hands hard and long enough etc.

Three different shows were filmed, with pauses in between. In the first one supporters till different football clubs were interviewed, in one of the other a young ski cross star was in the studio. Even this girl came out to early and left to quick, the show was recorded just that way.

It was a nice day and I walked the street “Drottninggatan”. I was window seeing as well. Actually I did not stop with window seeing. I bought some items on my way home – there are always wishes to satisfy. The walking shoes I really need, because of my athlete’s foot, I have had on Malta, I had to throw away my shoes. After my long travel period I had to throw away my hiking boots and now I only had my winter boots and sandals.

With all three bags I was going to the coffee shop for meeting the CS-people. There were people attending I had not met before and by the kind of event this is usual. Some of them came from the US, e.g. a guy from San Diego, who was working with a project at the University of Stockholm, a girl from San Francisco, who just had caught a cheap flight. There were also a Swedish guy from Lidingö, who was a captain, but now was working in a travel agency. All these people were just hanging out with CS. Nobody did host nor surf of them. Anyway it is a very interesting group.

 

3rd April

My daughter in law had to stay at home, because of her stomach flu. She was very sick and I would have liked to help her, but unfortunately that was not possible. Anyway I bought chamomile tea for her. Later on I was to Skärholmen Centrum again for buying thinner socks as I have – and I also bought a brie cheese, which I like very much.

 

4th April

It seems that springtime is coming. We have had 10°C around noon, even the morning has been foggy. The sun made it through!

My son took my grandson to Child Care Center for the 4-years-test.

I was continuing to find out about Mexico – what should I see on my trip, what should I do, how about couch surfing, hostels and public transport? Soon I found I had a problem: How can I manage to see most of Mexico in 180 days. There are 31 provinces and the capital district. There are not five (5) whole days for each of them!

 

5th April

Finally I took a walk again, but only around two kilometers. I shopped some fruit and nuts. At home I have got help to eat the nuts ;-). My daughter in law asked me to prepare the dinner (beef burgers, broccoli and macaroni), but when her parents came home with the kids, the kids were so hungry, that they won’t wait for dinner. Her mom gave them of the fish, she and her husband had eaten for lunch. I was disappointed, of course, because the dinner would have been ready in five minutes.

During the rest of the afternoon and the evening I made my files about Mexico again. I was to bed as late as 1am.

 

6th April

My daughter in law finally is healthy again and was going to work. She really has had a very bad stomach flu, but I think it was also a little her problem. She did not listen to me about what not to eat and what she could try to eat. Maybe it was the first time she had a stomach flu.

This day I tried to find different options to go to Mexico. Earlier I find out that a flight to Los Angeles, California, USA would be an inexpensive opportunity. The bus from Los Angeles to San Diego is quite cheap, too and from San Diego there is the trolley to the border for just between 2 and 3 USD. Therefore I planned to start in Tijuana in Mexico. It also would be to start, where I stopped last time. I did not find any cheaper option at all. Flights to Mexico City and Cancun are much more expensive. I also was looking for the flights home from Panama (Panama City) or Costa Rica (San José). The flights from Panama are most expensive, but I should make my way back to Costa Rica, which also costs money. I did think about to choose Panama, but I was not sure about it.

Actually I did take a shower around high noon. I felt very well, because nobody was disturbing me and I had lots of time. It is not the shower I need that time for, but afterwards to lotion my whole body, take care about my nails etc. is, what takes time.

In the afternoon I was working with Mexico again. I had a hurry, because I had read that one should book the hostels ten month in advance, when going in the dry period or during the Christmas holidays.

The dinner this evening was different for the kids and us adults, the kids did not get the spicy version. Before going to sleep I watched crime movies. I watch mostly German movies. I would prefer to see movies in English language, but I cannot find them on the Internet.

 

7th April

Maybe I was watching the crime movies for too long time. I woke up really late – around 9am. I took the trash out after breakfast (not the only time I did!), sent the two Easter cards to my relatives, and bought almond milk and soya chocolate drink. Back at my son’s home I was working with the files for my expenses and taking photos of the receipts – I safe all that digital. I also made photos from other documents. Last but not least I explored Mexico by the Internet again.

 

8th April

My son and me went shopping – food for their needs. I prepared the dinner after lunch, but he and his wife did finally decide to have something else for dinner. I had an appointment with a CS guy. He had asked me to meet up and I thought it is one of them I met at the Sunday meetings, but he was never attending, he told me. We had a chat, during which I was talking much more than him, because he did not say much and he also repeated himself. When I did tell him a little about my travels, he did not have any question. Later on he fondled my hand. That was so strange for me, though I was not so open talking anymore. I tried to show him, that I am not interested in such a contact. The guy was in his twenties! He told me, that he would like to see me again, but I tried not to give him the impression, that I would like it, too.

Back at my son’s home I just had some snacks.

 

9th April

I was up as usual (between 7 and 8 am), but could not dress when I want to. My son and his family did prepare for a walk and it took such a long time before they were ready! Even the kids needed a lot of time, my daughter in law needed more. Finally all were dressed and they were ready to go at high noon. Now it was my turn and after getting dressed I cooked the dinner – it was Gulasch. I did it so early for attending a CS meeting at 5pm in the city, which meant, that I had to leave around 4pm. We agreed to have it at another Espresso House, because of the truck attack on Drottningstreet two days before. At the end, we were anyway at the usual place. The street was open for public again. Fewer people were attending this day. The coffee shop closed at 6pm instead for 8pm and we were continuing to McLarens, an Irish bar, where we took a beer.

By the way on Drottningstreet were hundreds of flowers on the street and two police mini busses dressed in flowers, too. There were also lots of letters or notes around there and on the wall, where the truck driver drove in the truck in a shop, where lots of notes, too.

 

10th April

My son in Malmö did call me about baking trays. When we finished the conversation I checked about Ekerö kommun, preparing for my upcoming move. It is really an interesting community with three or four castles / palaces, mansions and much more to see. I did not realize before, that even the Royal palace in Drottningholm belongs to Ekerö kommun. Five or six islands are included in the municipality.

It started raining, though I stayed inside and opened an xls-file for my Mexico travel. I did not come far, because I checked distances by Google maps – I was looking what was possible to make during one day. I think I will hitchhike in Mexico and I think, I cannot go to all the places I wrote down before. Therefore I started to change my itinerary. Anyway, when I started to set dates on the route, I saw, that I cannot make the rest I have left during only 180 days. I also changed my destinations after hostels there are. I hope, I will find a lot of CS, but I have to be sure, that there are places for the nights. By that I found a place, which advertises, that nobody need to book a bed or a room in advance. They write, that plans often are changing, though it is better to just come and rent a bed. This hostel is in the area of the Copper Canyon and also offers guided tours.

By the way my daughter in law has holidays, but the kids are fortunately at the kindergarten. I do like the kids, but not all the time around me.

 

11th April

I called the audiologist, because I do not need the appointment I have later this week. We agreed, that I should do it, if I am happy with my new hearing aids and won’t leave them back.

Hilma, a new friend of mine, called just when I started to prepare the dinner. She called later again. We agreed to meet the upcoming day and visit a gallery together. The rest of the day I was mostly on the Internet – preparing for Mexico.

 

12th April

I awoke of my oldest grandchild’s scream, but fell asleep again. Though I had breakfast around 8:30am.

I met Hilma at the underground station “Aspudden”, from where we continued by underground together. We visited “Sven Harrys Konstmuseum” and the exhibition with Urban Larssons work: Landscapes, still life and portraits. Both of us liked the still life paintings best.

The art gallery is not very big, though it did not take lots of time to go around and watch all the paintings and the outside sculptures. Therefore we continued to Bonnier’s, meanwhile I took a coffee, Hilma visited the exhibition I already had seen. I wrote about it a time ago – it was that one, where one has to listen to noise and had a title about space. She accompanied me later for a coffee as well before we continued to the building next door, even one of the Bonnier’s. There we could enjoy art, they have there all the time. We also used the elevator, because it was one totally in glass, but some brass bars. It seemed that Hilma never had used such one, I already have experienced that feeling.

 

 

After a short walk to the underground station “Fridhemsplan” we said good-bye and took different routes of the underground to our homes. I was back around 4pm and the first one of the family. Though I looked for my spare batteries for my camera, which I was missing and my other gloves as well. I did not find either of them.

I cooked meat sauce this time. As well as my daughter in law as my grandkids seemed to expect that I cook the dinner. In the evening, when the boys were asleep my son did talk with me about Mariefred, because he found, that there will new houses be built and they are looking for a house or townhouse. He had got an invitation from an estate agent to take a look at the new project. My son did understand, that the place would not be an option. It would take too long time to come to his and his wifes work.

 

13th April

I awoke as usual, made the dishes, which were left from the evening before and had breakfast. The kids as well as my daughter in law were at home, but she did not play with her kids, but was watching TV respectively used her laptop. Anyway later that day she was going out with them for visiting a friend. I was writing some emails and that takes time, of course. I have to write in different languages – for different friends, of course. I prepared the dinner again – the boys are asking early for dinner – always when coming home their question is: Is dinner ready? They are so used to the favor of my cooking. Anyway they often all three of them do not like the dinner I cook. My son thinks, the kids should learn to eat different food, but his wife prefer to serve food she knows, they like. Other times she orders “matkassar”, that means food after recipes of a business, who sells all the ingredients to the dishes, recipes included in a bag. We tried it out several times, but even my daughter in law ordered food for kids, it was no success. This evening my daughter in law fried “Wienerkorv” (a sausage) for their eldest son and herself, when he was awake after he was falling asleep as soon as they came home.

Luckily I found my spare battery. I had fallen down in another compartment in the storage box. I also have been to Skärholmen Centre this day and bought almond milk etc. Unfortunately I also bought some Easter sweets. They were all of sugar – I did not find chocolate ones :-(, but they were rubbery. I did not like them, anyway I ate them all, because I had bought them. That is just by my education of my late parents.

 

14th April

It is Good Friday. I had heard the eldest grandchild cough during the night, but I also heard, that he was with his parents, though I fell asleep easily again. I woke up around 8:30am. I did answer some more emails before I was falling my son and grandkids for shopping. The youngest one was falling asleep the short way to the shopping centre, though I stayed in the car with him during the first errand my son had. Later on my son did put the sleeping boy in a baby-seat in a trolley, which I had to run and care about the little one. It was OK for me.

This day I told my daughter in law, that she should cook the dinner, because they will have salmon for dinner and I am not so used to cook fish, because of my allergy to it and seafood. She did and I prepared Falafel for me.

 

15th April

We had brunch that day, because I just felt for staying in bed for a little longer while, actually until 9:30am. Even my son’s family had not had breakfast already. The little family was going to “Leo’s Lekland” after brunch. It is an in-house playground. Though I could enjoy the silence. By sms I asked my son if I should cook a late lunch, but he denied. They were eating out. Therefore I continued with my itinerary for Mexico and I found, that I cannot make the country in 180 days – the allowance for tourists. I wrote an email to the Mexican embassy / consulate in Stockholm, asking for a visa for 270 or 360 days.

 

16th April

My daughter in law was taking my eldest grandchild to the Tamil school. It is a kind of “hemspråksundervisning” (native language education). Afterwards my son’s family and her parents visited Tamil friends. There ate neither lunch nor dinner at home, though I did eat left overs. My son and me were talking about the minced beef in the fridge, before they left. I was preparing a meat loaf in the evening otherwise the minced beef would become bad. These things only happens by bad planning. Anyway I saved the beef and money.

I made new itineraries for Belize and Guatemala as well. I decided to continue to Central America after I have been in Mexico. Preferably I would like to see all of Latin America in a row, but I will do it slowly as usual and it would take around three years. I cannot be abroad for such a long period in a row by law. In Belize and Guatemala I can stay for 90 days each, but Guatemala is a part of the C4-country agreement and they only allow to stay 90 days together in all four of them, though if I use 90 days in Guatemala, I cannot visit the other three countries: El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua without leaving Guatemala for Mexico or Belize for a while.

 

17th April

I awoke by the sun around 7am, but tried to fall asleep again, because I did not sleep many hours during the night – I could not fall asleep before 3 or 4am! My son did take care about his boys and around 8:30am one of them shouted “help a ghost”, because I have had my head under the cover and now I had taken the cover away.  My son made coffee and all of us had breakfast together.

My son started cleaning and I took the trash out, because of the Pampers – they smelled awfully.

Later on I was on the Internet again, of course ;-). Actually I wrote emails to my other children: How could I forget to send Easter greetings to them in time? Now I did.

My daughter in law asked me, what we should have for lunch and I answered her: The meat loaf, potato and vegetables respectively salad. She thanked me for the meat loaf and was expecting, that I will prepare the rest of the meal, too. I hope, my son will help with the dinner. He bought Entrecôte and I never have cooked that.

Most of the day the family was watching TV, e.g. The Chocolate Industry. I have seen that movie before and do not like it, though I did not join them.

The Easter weather is still grey in grey and it is not warm outside – only +4 to +5°C. This evening it is even snowing again. Luckily it did not stay.

 

18th April

I awoke of the noise when the kids got ready for the kindergarten. My son was working from home this day. I made my laundry. It became a nice day with a chat with my son and lunch together. I also checked some special Online shopping sites, I have got tips of by my son. Furthermore I was continuing with my itinerary for my next part of my RTW-trip. I started with Costa Rica.

I was wondering by myself, when I will get answers about the name change and from the Mexican embassy, because I had not got one today either.

 

19th April

This day I was the first awake around 6:40am. Though I took a look in the bedroom of my son and his wife. She was still half asleep, but when I asked her, if she won’t go to work as usual, she got fully awake immediately. Actually they had been oversleeping. Therefore she was going up and dressed and told me, that my son has to care about the children.

I made the dishes, took the trash out, folded my clean clothes and was to the nearest supermarket for some almond milk for me and cow milk for my son and his family. I also picked up my order from the online pharmacy. I started to use it for the lower price and there are no costs for sending the items. In addition to that I made my economy files.

In the afternoon I was on the Internet again and for dinner I cooked a potato and leek soup. The kids did not like the soup – as expected. By the way I always check with my daughter in law what to cook and she does agree for the most. She did for this dinner, too. I think she is not really aware, what or how the things are, because she told me – after eaten a little of the soup – that she does not like leek. In addition to that, she always make the soups creamy in the blender and with cream. She did so with all of the soup, but I like to have pieces in it.

This day I have got an email from the Mexican embassy / consulate asking me for confirming my income – so I did. I have got an answer from the authority for the name change as well. They did write me, that it takes seven to eight weeks before I can expect a decision and it might be four weeks more if the name change has to be announced officially – though, people who already have this name can counter about it.

 

20th April

I was awake around 7:30am and had to wait for the bathroom. I took my daily medicine. I also realized one more time, that my daughter in law is not very good in Swedish, even she came to Sweden as an eight year old girl. She still makes mistakes like “han har inte drickit” instead for “han har inte druckit”. I am surprised about it also because of her studies at a Swedish university. I hope it will not make it too hard for my grandchildren at school and I was thinking I might have taken the right decision, when I only spoke Swedish with my children. They are really good in it and not semi-lingual as many immigrated children are, because their parents speak their native language at home.

The rest of the day was as usual with dishes, dinner and working with my itinerary.

 

21st April

This day I was to the German embassy in Stockholm and picked up my document “Verzicht auf die deutsche Staatsangehörigkeit” (renouncement of German citizenship). I had an appointment at 9:40am, but had to wait until 10:30am. Anyway I have got that important document I had asked for. The main reasons, that I have asked for it are, that I do not like the German Immigration politics. I cannot understand how a democratic country can initialize and agree a contract with a country with a dictator. Even the Turkish president is not a dictator officially, but his behaviors are and a lot of Turkish people and also people with other citizenship has been brought to jail by him. On the other hand side I did ask for my German citizenship, when I was working and living in Hamburg. I was politically active and eager to vote. Unfortunately I have never got that chance, because of getting a job on Malta instead for being unemployed in Germany.

There was also a third reason coming up: The change of my name. To change a last name in Germany is usual only possible by marriage. If one has a very unusual name, which gets him mobbed, it might be possible to change that, but not the easy way like we are allowed in Sweden – even we need a lot of papers for confirmation if we do not chose a newly created name. Though if my name change is accepted from the Swedish authority, it will not be accepted by Germany and I would have to live with two different names and two different passports as well. Last but not least I am afraid, if I will be in trouble in a country and ask for help at my embassy, that both embassies will cup my errand between them and I will not get help at all. I trust the Swedish government, even it is not ideal – but there is no country with 100% democracy, because we are all people.

On the way to my son’s home I also was to my Swedish bank for an errand and Svea Vaccin, but in the city centre for a vaccination against yellow fever. Close to that place is a shop, which sell-out items, they buy of companies in bankruptcy or from industries, which did produce too much and cannot sell it by other shops. For my upcoming own household I was entering that shop for their announcement of sale of spices and herbs. I picked around 10 of them and went to the cashier. I was so surprised about the really low price, though after I had paid I went in again and bought some more.

 

 

22nd April

I found a second-hand KALLAX bookshelf on Internet (Blocket). It is the really big one (182 x 182cm) I am looking for. In addition to that it has doors in the lowest row. That’s perfect! The price is good as well, a new one with doors should cost almost three times as much as the seller is asking for. Furthermore the shelf is in Södertälje, close to where my son is working – no extra kilometers to pick it up. Though I made a deal with the seller. Until we pick it up I am still nervous about, if the seller might sell it to another customer, but on the other hand side, he also rebuild it, that means, that we pick up the shelf in its planks, not as a whole. Finally we can wait to pick it up until Monday, when the time fits my son.

As I wrote before, there is not much space in the apartment of my son, therefore I called my future landlady, asking her, if we might put in the shelf already on Monday. She is occupied all Monday, but we are welcome on Tuesday, even the old tenant still is there. The shelf may remain in the car for a night my son agreed.

My daughter in law is taking the boys for vaccination to Skärholmen, even they only will have holidays on Mallorca. She is always very afraid of bad water, bad food etc – even at home. She has a lot of ideas about, how to do with the food for healthy reasons. I think it has to do with the culture of her parents. Her father is accompanying her to the vaccination and also stays with them, when they are back. My son is spending time with friends this evening. I cannot let be to think about how I had to care about my four children by my own. I never had so much help, actually I did not have help at all.

 

23rd April

My son and me took a walk to Bredäng, the youngest grandson was in a stroller. My son stressed me a little, because he agreed with a friend to exercise afterwards. I took care about my grandkids, that means: I played with them, when we were back home because my daughter in law was preparing for their holiday trip. She needed a lot of time for that even they booked an all-inclusive on Mallorca.

Actually she did cook the lunch and the dinner this day. I did neither see my son nor my daughter in law after they had brought the kids to bed. That is usual. There is not a lot of socializing. – My future landlady did email me her account details.

 

24th April

I agreed with my son about the book shelf and offered him to assist him. It won’t be on Tuesday already, but on Wednesday that we can leave the shelf at my new home and we will take the ferry of course – which I have to pay for. I cooked lentil soup for dinner and was also to the supermarket, buying almond milk. Around 4:30pm I was going by bus to meet my son in Södertälje for the shelf. My son did actually pick me up at the bus stop – it was perfect timing!

 

25th April

After a late morning I was to IKEA by bus for shower curtains. I also looked for the door mirror – a mirror, which one can hang on a door like door hangers. It was too heavy, though I decided to buy the mirror another time. My daughter in law had asked me for buying face clothes for the children, but she did not tell me, that I have to look for them in the children’s department. Though I looked at the textile department and the bathroom department, then I asked an assistant, where I can find them ;-). It was a big waste of time.

The dinner was fish and I had prepared it this time. Myself ate a leftover soup. I asked my son if we could drive to IKEA before leaving my shelf at my new place the upcoming day and he agreed, but told me, that we have to leave earlier as planned.

In the evening I did send job applications for summer job to some employers, mostly to human resource consulting firms.

 

26th April

Even this morning I was not up early, but I anyway sent one more job application. When my son were home from work we did go to Ekerö, my new home commune. On the way I bought the mirror, though we left the shelf in blanks and the mirror as well. As agreed we were using the ferry on the “Ekeröleden”, that means between Slagsta to Ekerö. It takes only 10 min. to cross the lake Malar and saves lots of time compared with driving the motorway.

This day I also fixed, that I can send job applications from my tablet. It was about the documents to upload on job sites, what I had to change.

 

27th April

I send more job applications, even to the “Veteranpoolen”, a consulting firm, which supplies private people with seniors to help them mostly in the garden and in the household, but this was as an assistant for the manager.

I also was to IKEA again this day, because of my new bed will be very big (160 x 200cm) and I need sheets for it. Once there I added hangers and a box for all my spices.

 

28th April

Lazy morning, but ordered at mat.se. Unfortunately all I want was not in stock. Also I did not order all I need as a first equipment in my new home. Some food and also other things like paper is cheaper at Lidl. I was not really happy with the homepage of mat.se. The food I will buy is hard to find, also som special brands are not easy to find. It just depends on, what one is looking for and I imagine, that I will get used to the site.

I also was caring about my belongings, though I will have all the things with me, which I have at my son’s home. My son worked from home today and he was also showing me how to put the children’s safety seats back in the car.

 

29th April

These day I started after breakfast with looking for a home insurance again. I did it before, but there is so much to read. It is not always the lowest rates are the best insurance.

After lunch I was going by bus to “Kungens kurva” and bought a bicycle. My son had told me, where I can buy a cheap new one. Anyway he asked me, if I do not prioritize my travels, because I am buying so much things incl. food. I was going back to my son’s home by bike. He was surprised how fast I was back – anyway I took the longer way. There are maintenance work on the way and it was not easy for me to find the shortest route.

In the evening I was to the nearest supermarket and bought almond milk and some more stuff for me. My son had ask me for buying some items as well. I actually remembered half of it, but not the beer and not the eggs. My daughter in law was planning, packing and buying things for their holidays, when the kids were asleep.

 

30th April

My daughter in law was angry again at my son. She tells him, he is not helping enough, even he helps a lot. I do not like to hear that conversation. That is one of the things, why I am happy to move.

This day I made the vacuum cleaning, but I forgot to take care about the laundry, what my son had ask me for.

I am still looking for a good home insurance and found a site from “Konsumentverket”, on which they compare home insurances. It helped me to decide, but I could not sign up by using my tablet, though I used my laptop instead. I signed the insurance with Moderna försäkringar. It was not the cheapest one, but the cheapest with the kind of insured items. It costs around 1200 SEK per year, but I will pay it monthly.

 

For following me under the upcoming month, please click the link for May 2017.