I don't remember what time I went to bed but it wasn't too early. Maybe 10:30pm or 11pm? I woke up today at 5am so not too bad really. As always I try to go back to sleep again but it doesn't seem to work for me. Now I am catching up on house chores, my blog and eating breakfast. So far, this is what I eat every day.
 |
| Toast, butter, cheese and sliced turkey. |
Yesterday was actually quite nice as the sun was out most of the day. The wind is still very cold and the overall temps are not too warm either. I didn't look at the temp yesterday but maybe it got to 60 degrees? Today however, it is around 51 degrees and raining. I am not sure what the plan is today other than to go to the cabin around 3pm when Erik and his family arrive.
I have been thinking of something that both Farmor and Maj said to me yesterday. About how "brave" or "strong" I am for having come to Sweden by myself. I don't think of myself like that and I can't decide if it is a generational thing or a Swedish thing ... or maybe both. Farmor had said that many people she knows would never be "brave" enough to do what I did. Travel alone without my husband. I have traveled many times alone (to conferences for work or to concerts or even before I was married) so to me this is not a big deal.
Sure, it hasn't always been easy but I have lots of helpers around and my husband is usually just a quick chat away. I don't know ... it is weird because I have always been independent. Of course, I love having my husband around but I know I can manage on my own too. Maybe the pioneering spirit is in my blood? I was reading about how my mom's parents decided to move out west when they were young. They drove 3000+ miles to start a new life for themselves. They had also moved to Hawaii before it was the thing to do. They did just fine. My father's mother moved here from Japan and didn't speak English (still doesn't do it well) but she survived.
Anyway, I found some photos from yesterday in the camera that I will share ...
 |
| My rental car (Ford Taurus wagon) parked in our front yard. |
 |
| Farmor and Linnea playing croquet in our backyard. |
 |
| Farmor wins! Linnea usually wins so she is a bit shocked at first. |
 |
| But she uses her martial arts skills about sportsmanship and tells Farmor, "Good job!" |
 |
| I am standing under the covered deck and took a photo of the rest of the deck. To the right, you can see our bedroom door and window. |
I am independent like that too. I remember I drove for four days across Canada by myself, without my husband, to go visit my relatives that lived in Ontario.. I flew by myself many times without my husband, like when I flew to New Brunswick for my mother's funeral, or the many time's i've flown out either by myself or with the kids to Ontario, Canada to visit my family. This summer I was going to fly myself and Indy out again, and then Tea says, well I think I want to go, so I started looking for plane tix for the threeof us, and my husband pipes up (which he never does usually) - "hey, i don't want you guys disappearing for three weeks without me, I want to go this time too....lets make it a road trip!" so this will be a first, since the last time he came out east was for my mom's wedding and that was over 7 years ago. It strikes me as odd now, the idea of having my husband with me on a journey he usually never participates in, lol. This trip will take four weeks to get there and back and all the people i have to see. We've done a car trip as far as Calgary and Montana, but never fully across the States. We are going to go thru Yellowstone, go see Mt. Rushmore, go to see a friend of my husband's in Wisconsin, stop in Chicago for a day, visit a friend of mine that lives in Indiana, drive up to London Ontario to visit my Mom, Dad, and brother, then to a family reunion on my mom's side of the family, then up to Ottawa to see another set of relatives (and maybe a side trip to Montreal), then we are going to head back by way of northern Ontario, across Manitoba (a stop in winnipeg to have dinner with a friend of my husband's), to Saskatoon SK to see my brother in law and my father in law and my friend who live there, then a few days in Calgary to visit with some friends and family who all live there. It will be a crazy four weeks, and the driving for that long might kill us but we'll see a ton! Enjoy your trip and I look forward to reading more about it!
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun! We went to Yellowstone last summer and it was a great trip. I also remember as a kid traveling by car across the country. It was fun but a lot of time spent in the car! It will be good for you and the kids. At least when you go home, everyone speaks the same language as the rest of the family. I have to learn Swedish again every time I visit. :)
Delete