Lizardek

01
Jul
2024

MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF WTF

I started this post by writing that I was ashamed to be an American again. But you know what? I’m not. I’m ashamed of the 7 conservative members of the Supreme Court who have been bought and paid for and made a mockery of actual justice. I’m ashamed of the Republican party and all of those who have kowtowed and worked tirelessly to put the US in the state it is now: divided, corrupt, following a felon, rapist, power-mad lying psychopath who cares about absolutely nothing but himself. I’m ashamed of everyone who voted for him the first time, and...

30
Jun
2024

TO DO AND DO AND DID

How is it already the last week of June? How is it already 2024? How am I possibly going to be turning 60 in a little over a month from now? The mind boggles. It’s been a mostly relaxing weekend, with one beautiful sunny warm day and one chilly, rainy grey day, though the skies have mostly cleared now at 8 pm and the sun is shining again. Yesterday, I had a to-do list that consisted of housework: defrosting the freezer, lots of laundry, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, emptying garbage cans. I got it all done and had plenty of time...

23
Jun
2024

THINKING ABOUT THINGS

Eesh, there is nothing like working on an inventory of ALL your stuff to make you realize exactly how MUCH stuff you have. Years ago, I started an “inheritance inventory” of our belongings, designed to be a list for my children to know the history and provenance (as much as possible) of all the items in our house. We have furniture from my grandparents, from my parents, from Anders’ parents. We have art and knick-knacks and figurines from all over the world. I read about this somewhere and my little organizing-devil OCD mind thought, “oooh, what a great idea!” I...

22
Jun
2024

MIDSUMMER MEALS & MORBIDITY

Another midsummer eve in the books and contrary to CNN’s strange idea of how Swedes celebrate, we only did the drinking part. And actually only 2 of us did the drinking part, since one was driving, one doesn’t drink, and the other can only drink limited liquids due to a heart condition. We had an absolutely lovely day, weatherwise, which was extra appreciated, because today is rainy, cloudy, and humid. Anders was out in the yard for most of the day: mowing, weeding, trimming the hedges, and putting down slug-killing pellets. I cleaned inside and outside, tidying up the deck,...

17
Jun
2024

WE’RE ALL A LITTLE IRISH

Has this online journal become a Monday-night special? It’s possible. It’s a good excuse to sit and write a post while I listen to what Spotify’s Discover Weekly might have to offer me. Sometimes not much, sometimes surprisingly many songs that catch my ear. I’m sitting here sweating because I just folded all the laundry, and then went outside to water the garden, and then I came in and did my knee exercises. You wouldn’t think that standing up from a sitting position 30 times in a row without using your arms would be strenuous, but you’d be wrong. Some...

10
Jun
2024

SEASONAL STUDIES

Things that mean spring: pied wagtails, forsythia and lilacs, opening the windows, cleaning the porch and oiling the deck, a slew of Swedish holidays, walking outside round the village, the return of the light, cleaning windows, baby birds, Eurovision, semlor, tax time Things that mean summer: putting up the sun umbrella and hanging out on the deck, tall glasses of ice water, popsicles, growing vegetables in the garden, the growl of lawnmowers, honeysuckle and roses, sleeveless shirts, gelato, ripe cherries, Swedish strawberries, perfect artichokes, vacation Things that mean autumn: sugar beets on the side of the road and the sugar...

03
Jun
2024

LA LA LA

Sometimes I feel out of step with the other members of my team. I don’t know if it’s because of ME, personally, or a cultural difference (they’re all Swedish), or my age, or what. They all agree on some things that I don’t agree with at all, or at least I don’t care about. I’ve talked to my manager(s) about it, and they seem to think that it’s just me, and have reassured me more than once that they are grateful I am different. Ha! Tonight it’s cooled down quite a lot from the humidity and high temps of yesterday,...

29
May
2024

GRATITUDE POST

Things that are good right now: Spring into summer in Sweden: sunshine, perfect temperatures, cooling breezes, green growing things, flowering trees, wild daisies along the roads, birdsong, bumblebees and butterflies, the sounds of children playing in the neighborhood (and lawn mowers and hedge clippers) My family: being celebrated for Mors Dag (Swedish Mothers Day) with double rose bouquets, chocolates, and a Lego peacock, spending time together and eating delicious dinners that Anders cooks, planning a birthday trip (with Anders), crosswords from Martin that blow me away, Karin’s enthusiastic drive to do odd jobs around the house for money (and her...

24
May
2024

LET ALL THY JOYS BE AS THE MONTH OF MAY, ONLY NOT SO FAST

May is flying by, as is spring, and though I am trying to notice it every day, notice the flowers, the green, the sunshine, the skies, it’s all going too fast, and I can’t believe it’s nearly June. We’ve had nearly 2 weeks of gorgeous warm summer weather, not too hot, but lots of windy days and yesterday it poured rain all afternoon. Which we needed so no complaining. Due to the summer heatwave, all of Sweden is quite dry and that one afternoon of rain wasn’t nearly enough. The lilacs are nearing their end. The 6 lilac bushes at...

17
May
2024

WOE IS KNEE

I promised a knee post, but I don’t really feel like writing about it more than what I already did in my last post, especially since I don’t think anyone cares except me. My knee is MUCH better, improving every day. Almost no pain, and I can walk without crutches, or with just 1 for balance. I can straighten it and bend it more than 90 degrees though that is still a little bit of a struggle. I’m continuing with the doctor’s orders until I see her again next week for a follow-up. I am most wary know of overdoing...

October 2025
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