I’m back! 3 weeks in the US went at the speed of light. It was, as always, great to spend time with my sister and my mom, but a bit disheartening to see my mom’s memory issues up close and personal. Karin was the perfect traveling companion. Thankfully, I was recovered from the stomach bug and traveling wasn’t an issue.
Our plane from Copenhagen was delayed and then delayed again, which was fine with us, as it meant we could sleep a bit longer before leaving for the airport and it also meant our long layover in Toronto was shorter by a couple of hours. The plane to Charlotte was also delayed but only by an hour. However, when we got to Charlotte, our bags didn’t show up on the carousel for an hour, which was extremely frustrating because there was NO informaton from the airport or Air Canada about what the issue was. Bryce picked us up, and it was nearly midnight by the time we arrived at my mom’s.
Aggravatingly, I came down with a head cold 2 days in and was sick for a couple of days. The worst part was that I gave it to my mom, who was really sick for nearly a week, and is still not 100%. 🙁 Danely was also sick at the very end of our 3 weeks, but I don’t think it was my fault.
We spent most of our time, especially the first week, shopping. We went to the mall, the outlet stores, a couple of art festivals, and to a succession of antique malls and secondhand stores. We spent one day doing glass art fusion which was really fun. Karin spent a lot of quality time with Bryce playing pickleball, which he’s taken up. I wasn’t planning on buying a lot of stuff, but still ended up with new pants, new tops, new sneakers, and a new (very discounted) Coach purse. I also found several stocking stuffers for the kids, and birthday presents for Anders, along with the socket set he requested. The US is very expensive, and since we were also eating out quite a lot, I felt like we went a bit overboard with spending. Oh well, you only live once, right? We did end up cancelling a planned 2-day trip to the Biltmore, which was a pity as I would have liked to have gone, but it was CRAZY expensive, plus would have required an overnight hotel stay.
I worked 4 days of the second week, with Wednesday off in the middle as it was May 1 and a holiday in Sweden. On Friday, I finished early and we roadtripped 4.5 hours to Greenville, which is where Danely finished her university career at ESC, so we could attend her graduation ceremony on Saturday morning. Karin did most of the driving (which was true of the entire trip, actually). We stayed at a hotel about 45 minutes from campus, and the next morning got to cheer as she went across the stage and got her name called and her diploma. Then we turned around and drove the entire way home again. Crazy.
We ate at Yama, where Bryce works, 4 times, which was amazing every time. We went to several favorite restaurants and I got to have English muffins and Jimmy Dean sausages, and Reese’s Fast Break bars. We also got to see cicadas and hear the beginning of the cicada double-hatch which was a big deal because it is TWO different broods hatching simultaneously, one of which only hatches every 17 years. The weather was mostly gorgeous: summer, hot, sunny, though we had a couple of crazy crash-bang lightning-and-thunder storms.
Sarah and I also spent a day gathering all the important info from mom so we have everything needed for future: financials, lawyers, medical, etc. We know where everything is and who to contact for what, so that felt reassuring. I worked 3 days of the last week as well, but Thursday and Friday, which I had initally planned to take off, were ALSO holidays in Sweden. Win!
So, a good trip all around, which went too fast, but we were glad to be heading home on Friday. Martin moved while we were gone, and we have yet to see his new place. Karin and I had SO much heavy luggage: 2 big overfull suitcases, 2 large and heavy carryons, 2 bags, and a huge box with a painting in it, that I inherited from my mom and day (it’s an oil painting by my dad’s great-aunt Nell Brooker Mayhew which I have loved all my life). We had smooth flights and minimal delays and a shorter layover in Toronto that went relatively quickly. After we landed, we managed to handle getting all the luggage from the airport to the train, which was PACKED with people, due to the Eurovision final taking place that evening in Malmö.
Anders and Martin met us on the train platform in Lund and we drove home, arriving around 1 pm, at which point I stumbled coming through the front door with my suitcase, and something SNAPPED in my bad knee. EXCRUCIATING. GAH!!! I couldn’t put any weight on it, and it hurt SO much. Thank god we still had my crutches from the time I sprained my ankle a million years ago. I will write more about the whole knee saga in a different post.
Karin took a shower, unpacked, repacked, took a power nap, and then Anders drove her to the traing station again to get to the airport as she is spending this week in Turkey with her ski guide friends. Anders will be gone Tuesday-Wednesday this week for work, but Martin has offered to come home tomorrow and help me out. I can get around enough but what timing. At least I didn’t bust my knee up DURING the traveling. And I did get to watch Eurovision, though I went to bed before the voting started and didn’t see who won until the day after. Which was fine, because I didn’t really like ANY of the songs. You know you’re home again in Sweden when Eurovision is being hosted in the nearest city.
Guess how many photos I took while I was gone? Almost none. Living in the moment. 😀
Mood: jetlagged
Music: Sparks—When Do I Get to Sing “My Way”?