We left home just before 5 pm yesterday, dropping off Martin at the bus stop in Gårdstånga on our way to Klippan for Mats’ surprise birthday party. It was, of course, already dark, and, of course, raining. It’s been raining every day for at least a couple of weeks, and due to the cloud cover, it gets very dark early. No feeling of lightening at all, even though we passed the solstice several weeks ago.
It takes about 45 minutes to drive to Mats and Annelott’s house outside of Ljungbyhed, but the party took place at Norrehus, on the north edge of Klippan, so it was nearly an hour’s drive. There is no really straight way to get there and no easy big road to take; it’s all smaller country roads the entire way. They have lived in their house for at least 20 years, so we’ve been making this drive for a very long time. The Ljungbyhed to Klippan section isn’t as familiar for us, though of course we’ve driven that way several times, too.
We were at Norrehus back in the early summer, for an outdoor concert that was Mats’ present to Anders when HE turned 60. Now it was Mats’ turn, and he had no idea because Annelott and their son Viktor managed to keep it a secret. I think he thought that WE were coming to pick him up for dinner or something, and instead he was greeted by nearly 50 of his best, oldest, and closest friends.
Norrehus is lovely, a big square old building with a huge garden and lawn for outdoor events. It was originally built in 1899 as a private residence and then as a residence for owners of the leather factory and wool factory, which were part of the first industries built up in Skåne. It then housed many different businesses over the years, but was purchased in 2014 when it was nearly a wreck, and completely renovated. It now offers a bed & breakfast, monthly rental apartment, a restaurant on the ground floor, and hosts artists and concerts, as well as being available to rent out for private parties and conferences.
But, back to our drive TO the party. On the road from Ljungbyhed to Klippan, Anders suddenly slowed down, and both of us could see that there was something on the road ahead, despite the rain. Something large…a deer? NO! A MOOSE! It was a large male, with a full head of antlers, probably around 3 years old or so, judging by his size and the size of his antlers (and based on the moose that we met last summer in the Skäralid Moose Park). He was standing in the opposite lane, and seemed to be confused as to how to proceed. The lights of the car and the couple of streetlights were shining off his eyes and off his oily, wet coat, which was the reason we could see him so well. His eyes were like giant lamps!
He went back and forth a bit from the other lane into ours and back, while we stayed there, watching. There were metal barriers on each side of the road, just a few feet high, but enough that it was obvious he couldn’t quite figure out where to go to get off the road. Then we were completely dismayed to see the lights of an approaching car coming toward us. He was right ahead of us, at the beginning of a curve in the road and there was no way that the approaching car would see him until it was basically on top of him. Anders flashed his lights several times to try and get the oncoming car’s attention, and thankfully it worked…we could see that the car was slowing down, and thankfully stopping right before it came up to the moose, who then seemed to make a decision and leaped the barrier and disappeared, off into the rain and darkness.
That is the first time I have ever seen a moose LIVE in the wild. All the moose I have ever seen here were in zoos and moose parks. Everyone always says that you don’t WANT to see a moose in the wild, because usually that means you are hitting it with your car. 🙁 And you really don’t want to hit a moose with your car, because they are HUGE and TALL, and if you hit them, their body basically slams up over the hood into the windshield or through it. Anders said it was a good thing he actually was IN the road because it gave us the opportunity to see him in time. It’s when they come unexpectedly from the side of the road, in front of you, that you have no time to react.
Whew! So, that was exciting. We had a lovely time at the party, and I told Mats about the moose incident, and he exclaimed “Now you’ve finally seen a moose in the wild” and I answered, “Yes! Now I know they’re real!” hahaha!
But, when it was time to go home, since I was the driver, I wasn’t too thrilled about having to drive home again in the darkness and rain, on roads where moose might unexpectedly appear. Thankfully, we had to go pick up Martin, (shades of New Year’s eve) and the GPS took us a completely different way, over to the coast highway and down to Lund, so we weren’t on small country roads at all.
I have to say, I think I’m getting to the point where driving late at night, in the dark and rain, when I’m getting tired, is no longer something I want to do, even if it doesn’t happen very often. Anders and I might need to rethink this “designated driver for life” role that I’ve always filled for him. I’m getting too old for this shit, as Danny Glover would say. Moose or no moose.
Mood: thankful
Music: James Brown—I Got You (I Feel Good)