Welcome back

My understanding of this phrase is that it is used when someone returns to a place they have been before.  However, this sign at the exit of Hemlingby outdoor recreation area shows the problem with translations.  The sign is meant to mean 'come back soon' or 'hope to see you again', but the translation used, though it is a welcoming statement, is from a different point of view.

But, there was no mistaking the warm welcome I have had all week here in Gavle.  I have a lovely space on the lower level with plenty of room and my own bathroom.  Jennie has loaned me her very nice commuting bicycle and I have explored some new and not-so-new areas of town.  I have been particularly indulged in my love for great dark bread and flavourful cheeses.  We have sampled the offerings of some very tasty restaurants.  I have been introduced to a number of superb new recipes and made some preserves that I have never made before.  It's been a wonderful time.

And I can't forget the best part of the week -- the little miss.  TovaElise is changing so rapidly that there are notable changes just in the 7 days that I have been here.  Her eye-hand coordination has greatly increased and she has found her fingers to lick and chew.  She coos and giggles and smiles and blows bubbles and is a very happy baby.  She snuggles very nicely, but is also quite independent for periods.  Jennie and Richard are terrific parents and the little one is thriving.  What a wonderful family to be a part of -- even if just for a week.

Thanks so much, Rich and Jenn!

Green means go

For those of you not initiated into the European style of lights and signals, this is a traffic light for bicycles.  In most intersections, the bicycle signal and the pedestrian signals are for the same area, though in separate lanes and sometimes working independently.  You activate each by pushing a button and besides the visual information, there is also an audible prompt to go -- the beeping goes though a fast stage (about 3 per second) compared to the usual beep of about 1 per second which means 'wait'.

And go I did today.  This morning it was into town to the market area to be tempted by wonderful sourdough breads, blue cheese, a new creme fraiche topping, and hot smoked salmon.  There was the usual trip to Ahlens for socks (it's tradition) and a check of Clas Olson for canning jars.  Jennie has been making all kinds of preserves and needed some small jars for red pepper jelly.  No luck.

We enjoyed another lunch at the nursery just behind the house and then I cycled most of the afternoon, to and from some grocery stores where I was stocking up on some Swedish items to fill my suitcase.  I have about 4 kg of stuff to replace from my weight coming over, so there is lots of space.

I wasn't the only one on the go -- little miss loves to stand and there will be no stopping her. Already she has a determined low-voice grunt where she tenses her whole body.  What a strong little one she already is!  Watch out world, she is going places!

Happiness is

Even not so keen observation will tell you that today was a sunny day -- not a drop of rain and virtually no clouds.  You will also notice that I was with a bicycle -- yes it is Jennie's town bike which has three gears and shopping basket.  What you can't see is the huge smile on my face as this is the first day in 2 months that I have been on a bike and it was WONDERFUL.  And, before you get worried about my foot, I rode on virtually flat ground and at every incline, I made my left leg do all the work.  No problems, -- happiness!

Also delighted was little Miss TovaElise at her swimming class with her mom.  The lesson is in the therapy pool at the hospital, so it was beautifully warm.  There was movement and singing and the babes went under the water.  Amazing little one who did not complain -- a few blinks and lots of good kicks.  She is a water baby for sure.

We got the chutney into jars and the rhubarb drink into bottles.  Jennie is a happy lady.  (I need to pick up some of that preserving agent that they sell for keeping juice in bottles.  I think that we could make some interesting drinks.) 

One-third year birthday

TovaElise is 4 months old today -- already 1/3 of a year.  She is up to 7.5 kg and 65.5 cm.  She was sitting on Jennie's lap yesterday and I remarked that if she keeps up that growth, she will be as big as her mom at one year.  No, that won't happen, but she will be a big girl.

This morning was Baby music -- a lovely class in a local church where a very energetic but gentle woman leads in singing, clapping, moving with the help of drums, guitar, horn, claves, whistles.  It was all in Swedish, but even I (father's mother) could understand 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star'.  It's a half hour class, and many of the little ones, like TovaElise are totally exhausted at the end -- but there was no crying at all.  I can see why there is a waiting list!

This afternoon was green tomato chutney -- at least the chopping and measuring part.  It has simmered all day and is just now deemed done.  The scent of sugar and spices and vinegar have been enchanting us all day.

Just as yesterday was Jennie's early Christmas, today TovaElise got her Christmas gift.  It is a highchair -- totally low tech, but one of the most remarkable chairs I have ever seen.  It is adjustable for everyone from baby to adult.  In fact, last week Clara was on one in the cafe at the National History Museum.  Yes, one pays more for a clever design, but this could be something she keeps for her own children.

We have some pieces in our home that have come from Ian's parents from when Ian was a child.  Amazing that they have managed to keep it in useable condition.  The one piece that I have kept is the crib which I made when Richard was born.  It got a new coat of paint -- it had been through a number of my nieces and nephews-- and now serves for the grandkids when they come to stay over.  It's that feeling of history, never was important to me before, but now I think about it and posterity too -how we touch on eternity.

Traditions -- old and new

Yesterday was the day of finding the chanterelles, so today was the day of enjoying them.  Jennie did a lovely omelette this evening with goat cheese and the chanterelles.  The mushrooms paired deliciously with the other flavours and with a piece of walnut and raisin limpa bread, it made for a wonderful supper.  Thanks Jennie!

In chanterelle season it is tradition to have them fresh, so we also had chanterelles for lunch.  There is a lovely little nursery and garden shop a five minute walk behind Jenn and Rich's house.  I have certainly been there before, but never for lunch.  They do an interesting salad buffet and today the hot main was slow roasted beef with a chanterelle cream sauce.  Divine!  And if that wasn't enough, they had a fabulous hammock chair on sale which made the perfect early Christmas present for Jennie.  She and TovaElise were so comfortable in it at the shop and now there is one hanging on the back porch.  I love giving gifts that are exactly what the person wanted.

The other tradition is, of course, a visit to Ikea.  The closest one to Gavle is in Valbo, about 10 km away.  I hope to cycle there someday -- there is a wonderful path that goes from here, but today was not the day despite the lovely weather.  My foot is improving, but I think that big a ride for the first time on a bike in 2 months, might be a bit much.  I did, however, walk into town, and although I was not fast, I did make it in 20 minutes.  The forecast for the rest of the week is quite good, so I hope to be able to do some riding before I leave.

There are a number of items from the garden which needed to be processed.  We cut, chopped, and froze chives. The third harvest of rhubarb is being made into a Swedish drink -- it was chopped and is sitting for 2 days with water, cloves and lemons.  Ikea sells juice bottles with resealable lids, so this must be a very common procedure.  The apples are on the stove steaming away and becoming applesauce.  I even picked a small dish of raspberries this afternoon.  Still on the plants are hundreds of cherry tomatoes -- most green, which will be processed into a chutney.  It has been a very good garden year.

If you go down to the woods today

You are certainly in for a big surprise -- and it is NOT a bunch of bears having a picnic, though there were enough goodies for a picnic.  I speak of blueberries and chanterelles.

We drove about a half hour north of Gavle where one of Richard's fellow teachers lives.  Their house backs onto a section of woods where Jennie had an amazing picking experience last weekend, and she was game to share that with me.

First there were blueberries.  I think we are close to the end of the season as it was obvious that many of the bushes had already been harvested.  However, there were still enough for us to get two one-litre containers using our handy berry picking devices.  I have seen them in Canada, but never used one before.  They made gleaning the tasty little blue gems quite easy.  With fingers to caress the berries and a design that catches most of the leaves, it is quite efficient.

The second treasure we for which we searched were chanterelle mushrooms.  I have NEVER gone mushroom hunting before.  Make no mistake, there were many different kinds of fungi in the woods -- most larger and more spectacular looking (and no doubt more poisonous) than the little yellow stemmed ones for which we combed the undergrowth.  There were pockets of them growing in the thick moss which covers the whole of the forest floor.  Little miss had a lovely 2 hour nap in the woods!

Back home we cleaned the berries with the handy dandy berry sieve which keeps the berries on top and drops the leaves through the slots.  (Hurray for the right tools)  The mushrooms got their stems trimmed and gills checked. Great treats for tomorrow's cereal and omelettes for dinner.

Travel-ease

Although Ian hates travel in general and airports in particular, I am always amazed and delighted with the ease of travel.

I was 2.5 years when I came to Canada with my Mom, Dad, and 2 siblings.  The Arosa Kulm left Bremerhaven and 11 days later arrived in Nova Scotia.  For my parents, it was the only true vacation they ever had -- nothing to do for more than a week but to show up for meals that someone else prepared and cleaned up, and play with the kids.  I also know it was a monumental excursion as they were leaving behind one life and coming to something virtually unknown -- although a number of my aunts and uncles had already emigrated, the amount of information which filtered back across the Atlantic, was sparse and without the answers to the myriad of questions they must have had.

And now to my day where I had researched and booked my flight and train tickets all in the comfort of my own home and on my own time over the internet.  I knew which tube station would get me to Heathrow easily.  The self-serve kiosks at the airport no longer intimidate me.  (I even can change seat assignments so that I get the aisle seat.)  I now have my own luggage scale so that I can confidently put the suitcase on the belt.  I can negotiate through Arlanda airport though I know no Swedish (OK, most of it has English translations).  Changing trains in Uppsala (with only about 2 minutes to make the change) went smoothly.  And Richard, on the platform in Gavle, already knew that the train would be late.  How much more relaxing than my parent's journey.

And when something goes so smoothly, one is inclined to do it more often!  Especially when there is such a sweetie waiting.