Tagged: famdamily

26
Dec
2024

THE THREE RE’S: REST, RELAX, RECHARGE

It’s the day after Christmas. Boxing Day in the Commonwealth. Annandag Jul in Sweden. It’s a holiday here, too, though lots of stores are open. We had a lovely Christmas. The kids were both home for Christmas Eve. We watched Kalle Anke (which is obligatory in Sweden) at 3 pm with glögg and cookies, then opened one present from under the tree. Then we had julbord, which Anders fixed most of. All the trimmings: 3 kinds of herring, cold smoked and warmed smoked salmon, homemade hovmästarsås, romsås, brunkål, rödkål, and creamed kale (from our garden!), smoked sausage, liver paté with...

22
Dec
2024

EK FAMILY CHRISTMAS LETTER 2024

We still had Liz’s mom and Danely here until January 4 so 2024 started out nicely with family in the house. Karin, however, was still in Austria finishing up her second ski guide season. Anders went skiing up north at the end of January with his best friend Mats. Anders has had a lot of travel this year with work, with multiple weeks away in Kumla, Tingsryd, Italy, Norway, Germany, and Finland, among others. Good thing he loves his job! It’s been a busy year, for sure, with lots of travel, and lots of moving. Martin moved in with Theo...

15
Dec
2024

READY TO LOSE IT

I could do with a little less stress. I feel like every little extra thing is about to shove me over the edge. I’ve been so filled with worry about health-related issues and worry about my mom and guilt over my sister dealing with all of it, and the usual crazy at work, that tonight when I misjudged and hit a curb (AGAIN WTF) with the Tesla, I almost lost it completely. I’ve never had a car I dislike so much. I love having an ELECTRIC car, but I hate the Tesla more and more. Not just because of Elon...

30
Nov
2024

BUNNY BUNNY BUNNY

Just like you are supposed to say “rabbit rabbit rabbit” on the first day of the month, I feel like there should be something you say on the LAST day of the month. Like everyone else, I’m a bit boggled that it’s already the end of November. Maybe I should say “bunny bunny bunny” now! That sounds legit. I’ve made an excellent start on my holiday to-do list. Wrapped up the few gifts that have to be put in the post, just have to get them into padded envelopes and INTO the post. Unfortunately 3 of them were supposed to...

23
Nov
2024

BACK FROM THE DEAD

Yowza, three weeks flies by when you are having fun! I’ve been full up with all kinds of things. Mom and Sarah arrived on November 4 and we had about 3 days before Sarah left for Ireland, into which we crammed pottery painting, thrifting for night stands, and various other activities. I worked half days that week, and then we had the weekend, where we took mom to brunch at Torna Hällestads lanthandel (with Karin and Anders), and the following week, I worked from home every day, so that mom wouldn’t be by herself. We had massages, and met up...

10
Nov
2024

PLENTY OF UGH

I can’t write much about my reactions to the election results. I find I can’t think much about it either. I don’t want to talk about it, especially at work where everyone seems to think that a) I should defend them or b) I should explain them. Neither of which can I, nor do I feel obligated to, do. I can’t answer for the 51% of the country that voted for insanity AGAIN. I am angry, depressed, saddened, boggled, and most of all numb. I can’t watch or read the news right now, though I am still reading the newsletters...

03
Nov
2024

READY STEADY GO

2 months to Christmas, eeek!! I have actually already gotten several Christmas presents and stocking stuffers but still have a lot to do in that regard. But right now, my focus is on preparing for mom and Sarah’s visit and then for Friendsgiving. They will be here late on Monday night, hurrah! Yesterday, I slept in and then had a rather lazy morning. But I made up for it after I got up. I cleaned everything in sight. Bathrooms, kitchen, floors, dusted, vacuumed, windexed, etc. And I did a boatload of laundry: all the bedding for all the beds, all...

28
Oct
2024

HOLIDAY PREP

It’s nearly Halloween. I have the big bowl of candy ready and the kids are coming home tomorrow night to carve the pumpkins and decorate. Anders is gone this week but will be home on Thursday at some point, though I don’t know if he’ll make it for the trick-or-treat hours. Kirstin hosted the annual (3x makes it a yearly event, right) AIC adult party on Friday. I didn’t really dress up at all, since I don’t really like dressing up. I stuck my bat deelybobbers on and wore a bright orange shirt. That’s as dressed up as I like...

16
Sep
2024

GOING AND COMING

We moved Karin to Copenhagen over the past week. She moved in on Tuesday last week, and it was a super easy move, as she didn’t have so much furniture, and only a few boxes and miscellaneous other stuf. She and her best friend Elsa actually had the trailer filled before Martin even arrived in the morning to help. So we drove over to Copenhagen, and her new apartment is really nice. It’s a big 3-bedroom, brand new, on the south side of Copenhagen, quite near the water. We got her all unloaded, and then Martin and I went and...

17
Aug
2024

ERIN GO BRAGH – GALWAY

Waking up in Galway on your birthday is a good way to do it. Or rather, being awakened, as per the usual Swedish style. We had to get up early to catch our daytrip bus, so of course the kids and Anders woke me up even earlier with singing, hugs, and a new iPad (yay!). The next morning we walked through Eyre Square on our way to the hotel where we were meeting the bus. And Karin ran into someone she knows! Because of course she did! She knows everyone! Someone she went to school with, who had actually been...