Anders and I went to a parent meeting at the school this evening with all the rest of the parents of soon-to-be preschool kids who are starting “nollan” or “grade 0” as it’s commonly referred to. Karin is moving on up. They informed us that her class consists of 23 children…NINETEEN of which are boys. They are counting Karin among the 4 girls. Do you think we should warn them?

No matter how many times you go through it, the death of a beloved pet never fails to rip out your heart. My mom and brother got the news tonight that their dog (originally John’s but living with my mom for nearly 2 years after he moved to Germany) died last night at the kennel in Michigan. She was nearly 11, a beautiful rust and white husky with pale blue eyes and a smartass attitude. Akela, you’ll be sorely missed by our family.

Spring springity spring, spring! Sproing! Little dandelions have jumped up out of nowhere, the grass has sun freckles. The sky is a pure, peerless turquoise, but from the window I can see wispy cirrus clouds stealing over from the west. Our little garden out front is exploding, too. The lewisia and columbine are up, the stonecrop is coming, the sedum is rounded and shining. Pink and purple flowers already standing high from the polka-dotted-leafed plant whose name I can never remember. Anders and Martin were playing frisbee earlier but it’s too windy for that, really. Mom is making humpke soup,...

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in 8 years of living in Sweden, as well as 6 years living in Europe as a teenager, not to mention all 40 of them moving around my whole life, it’s that if you get into playing the comparison game about the place you currently live, you might as well just go home already because nothing will ever measure up. I was always taught to view life as an adventure, and the places we moved and lived in were a part of that. There was never much point in comparing where we were with...

Geez louise, I’m sick. I’b so sick I habn’t wridden in 3 days. That’s pretty damn sick. *cough* “Nobody wants to read that,” says my mom. Dude. She’s right. More later. *wheeze* *snuck* Cracking Me Up: We Licked Our Hands

Uuuunnnggghhh…next time remind me to have more sympathy for my children when they’re sick with something I’m going to get. There should be a law that parents have to be sick first so that they know what they’re dealing with. Ow my head.

The next two weeks are just insane. Insane, I tell you! Look! Look at this!! Am I right or am I right? Monday: Scout outing with Martin Tuesday: Car inspection Wednesday: choir Thursday: Open house & dance recital at school Friday: Sushi night and John arrives Saturday: Emily & Martin for dinner Sunday: Brunch and Tropikariet in Helsingborg Monday: Parent-teacher conference Tuesday: whoa. nothing! can it be true?? Wednesday: choir Thursday: Book group Friday: Social circle & dinner Saturday: Potluck AWC dinner Sunday: Scout outing and then dinner with Anders’ parents Monday: Mom & John leave, AWC monthly meeting My...

I have a couple of essays or, at least, paragraphs, that I want to write about, but they seem to still be percolating. One is about the concept of sacred, and one is about the loss of a sense of proportion in the world and how that lies at the bottom of so many things I think are wrong with people nowadays. Hopefully they’ll bubble to the surface soon so I can spit them out and they can quit bothering me. The fever virus is obviously highly contagious because Karin came down with it last night and I have few...

I’ll never stop missing my mom when she’s not with me. I don’t think I’ll ever be too old for my mama. And now she’s here! And it’s great. 🙂 It’s been a crazy couple of weeks with work and class and sick kids. Anders is going to be gone all next week on a business trip so I’m even more grateful that my mom is here to help out, and the kids have been wound tight as rubber-bands counting down the days to her arrival. Now they’re ignoring us all equally in the wake of the fun gifts that...

Home again today with a feverish child (different one) which is giving me fits because WORK!* but at least I can get the last things done around the house before Mom comes tomorrow and burn that CD for galestorm. Thank goodness Anders and I can switch off mornings and afternoons. It Never Fails to Make Me Laugh: “I’m crushing your head!” *I know they don’t get sick on purpose to keep me from work, but AAGH.