The kids and I climbed up the little ladder and the big ladder and effectively emptied the cherry tree tonight before dinner. It was our fourth foray up into the branches and we filled two big bowls, bringing our total of big bowls filled for this harvest to 7! I have no idea how many liters or quarts or pounds of cherries we got, but it was a lot. I brought two big containers into work last week and the five of us who are working snarfed them down. I gave away 2 big bags to neighbors and 1 big bag to my sister-in-law. I decorated Karin’s cake with cherries, and still we have a great big bowl to savor before they are all gone for this year.
It’s weird, I don’t remember EVER eating cherries as a child. I think I thought I didn’t like them. I don’t remember really liking or eating blueberries or raspberries either…maybe I only thought strawberries were safe? Anyway, I love them all now…but cherries are SO good. At least ours are: tasty and sweet and utterly decadent. Mmmmmm
I went back to work last week and it wasn’t as hard as I expected. There are only, as I mentioned, a handful of people in my department at work, and we have to walk over to the other building for breakfast and fika because everything is closed. Last week and this week are dead season here in Sweden: EVERYONE is on vacation. We don’t have a a heck of a lot to do, either…it’s just our summer worker (a college student who is helping out) and me on my team, and I need to keep her occupied which means I have to restrain myself from my usual pace or neither one of us will have anything to do after 10 a.m. tomorrow. 😀
I can’t seem to settle down to read a book lately…I find myself just playing endless, mindless games on the iPad instead. Martin and I are watching Sense8. It’s really good but frustrating; you really have to pay attention and there’s just so much going on.
There are lots of things rushing about in my head…but I need to start winding down and getting ready for bed. I was up SUPER late both Friday night and last night and I hope it doesn’t mean I’ll have a hard time falling asleep tonight. I called and talked to my mom this afternoon and then found out my uncle and grandmother were going to be at her house a little later, so I called back just so I could say hi and chat to them for a minute. I was really hoping to talk to my aunt, but she wasn’t there, and it bummed me out. She’s still in the midst of chemo treatment and things go up and down. My grandmother just celebrated her 99th birthday so I was glad of the chance to say hello to her. 99! Imagine.
We are already starting to think about what to do next year…my sister has told me we need to get planning. Next summer we have the following things to celebrate: Martin graduates high school, Anders & I celebrate our 20 year wedding anniversary, my sister turns 50, my mom turns 75 and my grandma turns 100 !! We need a BIG party to encompass all of that!
It’s hard to believe we’re heading into the last week of July already. I know I say it every year, but man, time flies. We’ve already got things on the fall calendar: a crayfish party in early September, the Gothenburg book fair (I’m going to hear Laini Taylor speak!) in late September and Top Hat at the Malmö Opera House in October. It doesn’t feel like it’s been much of a summer here, though I’ve heard the weather is supposed to improve in August. I’m not complaining, though…I’m just grateful it’s not been boiling hot. People can complain about the weather in Sweden as much as they like…I’m GLAD we live in a cool, northern country. It stormed yesterday and poured rain but today was nice and mostly sunny, if chilly.
Okay, that’s enough inanity. Ciao for now!