My stomach was so upset with nerves before my doctor’s appointment this afternoon that I seriously thought I would throw up. All for a little lump! I got there early and the doctor was an older man, a bit bear-like, with a kindly expression. It was the fastest I’ve ever been felt up in my life. đ He examined me and then said that he couldn’t really feel anything that warranted worry: “nothing dangerous,” he said. But he’s scheduling me for a mammogram just to be sure. I feel much better, I have to say.
Tomorrow is my last day of work before a month-long vacation. Today was the last day of school for the kids. Tomorrow Anders is leaving for 3 days to participate in the VĂ€tternrundan bicycle ride up north in Sweden. It’s 300 kilometers (186 miles) and his start time is 3:30 a.m. on Saturday morning! There are 18,000 cyclists registered this year. They cycle around Lake VĂ€ttern, which is Sweden’s 2nd biggest lake. It’s not really a race…they don’t keep official times or award prizes to winners, though participants can keep track of their own times, thanks to the special chips they receive for the ride.
Even though next week is the first week of vacation, it is as busy as a “real week”. Tomorrow after work I’m taking the kids out for sushi (what else?). Saturday Karin has a soccer match in the morning and a birthday party (in Malmö) in the afternoon and the kids and I are going to a grill party in the evening. Monday I’m going to to help a friend organize her home in the face of impending blindness. Tuesday I’m having lunch with Carol’s parents and dinner with brief_therapy whom I haven’t seen in far too long. Wednesday I’m (hopefully) going to see a friend & colleague who just had a baby, Thursday my brother & Simone arrive, Friday is midsummer and a party with friends and Saturday we are going up north to Sotens Fiskeby for a week of actual relaxing vacation and some canoeing and hiking and biking and sightseeing, weather permitting. Points to those who figure out WHICH day in the calendar madness listed above actually has nothing planned in it.
Weather?! Listen up! PERMIT ALREADY.
I’m feeling pretty good about things, despite the apparent crazyness of that schedule. After we get back from up north, we have a few days here at home and then we’re going down to Holland for a week where 4 of my junior high girlfriends are gathering for a mini-reunion. My best and oldest friend Becky among them: HURRAY! I see her so seldom, it’s like Christmas in July that she’s coming!
AND I booked tickets today for my work trip to the States this fall: 2 weeks in September. Sadly, I will just miss the Squam Art Workshops (organized by the incredible woman and friend formerly and forever known as Bluepoppy) by a week, but my mom is making plans to come with me as she’s done the past 2 times and I’m just thrilled about the whole thing.
Sugar Cinnamon Butter Birthday Wishes to Jeanine and Heather and anniz and A BONANZA BUNDLE OF BELATED ONES need to be given to jes6ica!!
*Title from a quote by Elizabeth Barrett Browning