Author: lizardek

16
Jul
2023

TIP-TO-TIP: JOKKMOKK, JUKKASJÄRVI, AND THE ICE HOTEL

We got up early at the Treehotel, walked over to the shower facilities in the early morning, giving the mosquitoes their breakfast, before getting ours at the main building, which was delicious. Then we drove to Jokkmokk. I’ve always wanted to visit Jokkmokk, which is right on the Arctic Circle, because it’s where my first Swedish friend, from SEVENTH grade (in The Netherlands) was from. I’m still FB friends with her, but I haven’t seen her since we were 14. Jokkmokk was lovely, and we saw all the sights: the old church (actually a replica, because the original burned down...

15
Jul
2023

TIP-TO-TIP: UMEÅ, LULEÅ, AND THE TREEHOTEL!

We got up a bit later and enjoyed the hotel breakfast before heading on north again. We stopped in Umeå for lunch and to walk around the city center and riverfront a bit. They were hosting SM-vecka, which is the national championships week for all the little sports that don’t have their own world championships. We watched several games of 3×3 basketball, which I’d never seen before, but most of the events were scattered around the city and some were in venues you had to pay admission to. Fountain by Renmark’s square in Umeå, designed by Stig Lindberg Anders looked...

14
Jul
2023

TIP-TO-TIP: SUNDBORN, GÄVLE, HÖGA KUSTEN

After a delicious breakfast on the terrace in the sun, we said goodbye to Trollnäs and headed over to Sundborn for a tour of Carl and Karin Larsson’s home and gardens. It’s one of the most visited homes in Sweden and Carl Larsson one of the most beloved artists. His wife Karin was an artist as well, painting and textiles, but was very much overshadowed by her more famous husband during their lifetimes. The gardens and water were lovely, and the house super interesting, but we were not allowed to take photos inside, which was a pity because the house...

13
Jul
2023

TIP-TO-TIP: SMYGEHUK TO FALUN

We started our trip on Tuesday, June 27, by spending the night at Debbie and Ola’s AirBNB, which is a little 1-room apartment at the back of their garage extension. Debbie wasn’t home but we had a nice couple of hours chatting with Ola. This meant we were already down south for the start of our trip: at the southernmost tip of Sweden: Smygehuk. I’ve actually been there once before, but it was before we moved here, when we were on an apartment-hunting trip. This was the third attempt on Anders’ part to do this trip. He was stymied several...

26
Jun
2023

LOOK UP TO THE SKIES AND SEE

I can hear thunder in the distance and it’s dripping a bit of rain, though it’s going to have to be quite a bit more before I can leave off watering the vegetables today. I was planning to go walking with Lisel at 5 but we’ve cancelled, which is a bummer. Apparently, the summer weather that’s been non-stop since beginning of May is finally coming to an end and we can expect rain and thunderstorms this week. I wonder if we’ll have the same all the way up north or not. Looks like Karin is getting rained on in her...

23
Jun
2023

READY, SET, GO

Today’s my first day of vacation, though it’s actually a day off because it’s a holiday here in Sweden: Midsummer Eve. Tomorrow is Midsummer Day, which is a bit weird because the actual summer solstice was 2 days ago on Wednesday, June 21. Sweden celebrates midsummer eve on the Friday closest to the solstice, though, so it FEELS like today is the longest day of the year, even though we’re actually already on the downward slide to darkness. It’s Anders’ first day of vacation, too, though he said he has a couple of work things he has to deal with....

18
Jun
2023

SUNDAY MUSINGS

Nearly the entire month of June has gotten away from me, and it’s already the 18th and I am the lamest blogger ever. No wonder everyone has stopped blogging. Real life is so intrusive. There’s always so much to be done! When did we ever find the time before? It’s 3.5 days until vacation, and I can’t wait. Even though we’ll be gone for most of it, I’m still looking forward to not working. Even if not working is also stressful, because I know how much my team will be stressed out, and I know how insanely busy I will...

01
Jun
2023

27 YEARS AND COUNTING

It’s our wedding anniversary today. We’ve been married since June 1, 1996. That’s 27 years. Pretty crazy to think about! We aren’t doing anything today, celebrating, or having dinner, or anything, because Anders is away all week up north in Kumla. He comes home tomorrow, but I already have plans for dinner and a show with Debbie and Camilla. It’s also Debbie’s birthday today. Her husband is ALSO traveling, and I just sent her a text asking her why the two of us didn’t get together and do something, which she laughed at. We don’t usually do much for our...

31
May
2023

NO GOOD MOVIE IS TOO LONG AND NO BAD MOVIE IS SHORT ENOUGH*

Karin and I sat down to watch The Notebook a couple of weeks ago, but we only made it halfway before we stopped because of either it being too late in the evening to continue, or something came up, or Karin had to leave, or whatever it was. I knew already then that I wasn’t really interested in watching the rest of it, partly because they basically give the entire plot away at the beginning, and partly because I didn’t particularly care about ANY of the characters, most of whom were cardboard throwaways, OR what was going to happen to...

29
May
2023

ALONELIER

How much time do you spend alone? Are you lonely when you’re alone? I don’t know why I’m even asking YOU, the hypothetical reader, when I know it’s basically 3 people who sporadically read this blog, and while asking a direct question might elicit a comment, my question is mostly rhetorical. I’m alone a LOT. Martin has moved out, Anders is traveling all the time for work, Karin is home occasionally, but not every night, not by a long shot, even though she technically lives here, and while I am out some evenings and have plans and do things, I’m...

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