Lizardek

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...

13
May
2024

TRAVELER

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...

20
Apr
2024

READY TO GO

By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. HA! What a way to start a post. I’m leaving, on a jet plane. But I know when I’ll be back again, because that’s how round trip tickets work. I woke up at 3 am on Thursday night, sick as a dog, and throwing up. Fever, etc., all the not-fun stuff of a stomach bug. Sick all day Friday which meant not being able to go the office for our consultant’s last day in Lund, her farewell lunch, getting stuff done, printing necessary papers, and then also having cancel my hair...

16
Apr
2024

YOU DON’T PAY TAXES, THEY TAKE TAXES*

For something like 20 years the 1040 tax form in the US was pretty much exactly the same. Maybe even longer, and then, about 6 years ago, someone decided it needed updating. And EVERY YEAR since then, that someone has kept on updating it. It’s different now EVERY YEAR. So you have to read the incredibly confusing instructions every year and try to make heads or tails of it again. Is it simpler? No. Is it easy to understand? NO. Is it better? NO. It’s just different. GAH. It’s that time of year again when my obligations as a US...

January 2026
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