Magpie and Muttonfly » sweden

The party’s over …

moi — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:13:36 +0000

Today will be our last hooray. We plan to spend the day downtown, strolling about, shopping, sipping kaffe, and trying to forget what lies before us…

The last time we saw my brother and sister-in-law, you see, was three-and-a-half years ago. A mighty long time for someone you love. I knew before we ever arrived that my mum would have a hard time saying goodbye. After all, she would be leaving her baby and first and only grandbaby behind. But I wasn’t quite prepared for it being so difficult for me. There have been several times in the last couple weeks that I’ve had to avert my eyes … go in the other room … otherwise excuse myself, lest the tears fall.

Tomorrow morning will not be pretty.

So here’s my wish for you, dear reader: when you have the luxury of being near those you love, enjoy them. Hug them, kiss them, tell them you love them. Laugh, and dance, and sing – and make goofballs of yourselves. Relive the good times of the past, and make new memories for the future. Make the most of each and every moment – both big and small.

Perhaps the quote on the top of the Jones Soda candy can (courtesy of Michelle, from Centerville) says it best: Until further notice … celebrate everything!

The forest for the trees …

moi — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:15:16 +0000

Örebro is the sixth largest city in Sweden. A University city, it’s vibrant and full of life. There are peoples of all nationalities. There is architecture to admire, shops to shop, cafes in which to sit back and watch the world go by. There is also the beauty of the forest.

Behind my brother and sister-in-law’s neighborhood lies a wee bit of forest surrounded by a paved path. Reminds me of something Pecos Bill might have lassoed from the top of a mountain and plopped down in the middle of a city, simply for others to enjoy. And so we did. On our first day here, we were so excited for a break in the rain, we headed for the forsest path. Until the diluge returned, it was quite lovely …

The only problem was the fact that the rain brought out the slimy slugs. As I was admiring the beauty around me, I heard my mom yell my name. I stopped, looked down, and below my looming foot was this …

A slug the size of Texas. I EEK(!)-ed, jumped back, danced a little jig … and then waltzed back over to take a picture. No need to thank me. It’s just the kind of dedicated blogger that I am.

We also took a short drive to a lake. There was not another soul in our little patch of the woods. Just us, the water, the trees, the mossy rocks, and wildflowers. We discovered some gold of the forest – or yellow ‘shrooms – took a swim or two, roasted ourselves some hot dogs, made banana boats, and, of course, sipped our java.

Surrounded by family and friends, and the beauty of the forest, I had a hard time fathoming how one could believe our world little more than cosmic happenstance. From where I sat – on the stump of a tree – I saw the brushstroke of the Master all around …

Beautiful, wish you were here

moi — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 06:44:50 +0000

Yesterday was a glorious day – blue skies, sunshine – the perfect setting for a stroll downtown. Rather than wind our way to the park and old town, we stayed in the heart of downtown. We went to The Planet for Kebab pizza. If you’ve never tried kebab pizza, and you get the chance, you simply must. What is it, you ask? Good question. I’d do a Google search, but it’s all in Swedish. What I do know is it’s topped with a little bit of lamb, a little bit of lettuce, a white sauce – and it’s oh-so-delic.

From there we shopped a bit, strolled through the castle a bit, and finished the day with an ice cream cone.

And I will tell you now, if you have a certain ifinity for either coffee (kaffe) or ice cream (glass), Sweden may just be the place for you. Both are in abudnant supply – the coffee’s dark and rich and the cream smooth and flavorful. They make the perfect endcaps for a perfect day …

Göteburg

moi — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:51:02 +0000

We spent the last three days in Göteburg – or Gothenburg, as you may be more familiar. Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden. And it seems just that – a large city. It can be loud, busy, and dirty, lazy, alive, and beautiful all at once. There was plenty to see and plenty of places to shop. Once we past the city center, there was plenty to photograph as well. Since our family is typically more intersted in the historical, we called this our modern excursion. Here are a few snapshots of our wee “road trip.”

This was Micah’s first train ride – nearly three hours in length – and we’re fairly certain, he did better than any of us …

Upon arriving in Gothenburg, we marched in a line – stroller in lead, suitcases in tow – to our hotel. We were informed to turn right and it would be the boat at the end. This is what we came to …

Now you must understand, my sister-in-law was raised as a missionary in Africa, I … was not. She took one look at this boat and thought it quaint. I took one look, stopped in my tracks, and thought, WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!

Luckily, we turned right from there and found our Ibis …

Sigh. SO much better! If you are unfamiliar, Ibis is a Swedish chain of affordable hotels. They are clean, and courteous, and quite lovely. They are also efficient, meaning the rooms allow only for the necessities. If you are large – in height or width – I can’t recommend. As it was, my mom kept hitting her head on a shelf, and I couldn’t seem to get around the bed without moving the chair with my large butt.

We put in a lot of miles on these here cobblestone streets. Partly because we’d rather walk than ride the trolley or bus, and partly because we were wandering aimlessly about a good deal of the time.

Fairly certain we were the obvious American tourists in Liseberg (the amusement park), giggling while taking photos of the lusty gardens or certain statues. But seriously. People. It was a little funny …

Our favorite was the Universeum – partly because there was a lot to see and do (for the price of entry), and partly because we were seeing it through the eyes of someone seeing it for the first time …

Lest I bore you to tears, I will tell you this – we saw a lot of beauty and made a lot of memories …

And while Micah may not remember his first train ride, or his first trip to Gothenburg, we will most certainly never forget …

The sun got lost …

moi — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:11:32 +0000

My brother likes to say when the sun gets lost, it finds itself in Sweden. Such was the case today. My mum, brother, nephew and I decided to take advantage of the blue skies and sunshine and headed for downtown. Here’s a brief overview of our adventures …

It’s currently “Open Art” season – meaning anyone can display their art, anywhere downtown. This, for instance, is located in the castle’s mote …

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Or, one of our personal favorites, displayed above a shopping plaza …

We meandered about in a park …

Before frolicking amidst old town – a jaunt not complete without ice cream …

We even walked the banks of the black river. Though to us it looked like molten chocolate – as if you could dip your finger in its waters and come away with a delectable delight …

It was a full day of traipsing this way and that. We’re parched – our feet are dusty and tired – but I don’t think I have to tell you, we wouldn’t trade those miles (or kilometers) for anything in the world.

An aside: for my faithful readers, we’re roadtripping tomorrow through Thursday. I shall return on Friday.

A Swedish Sunday

moi — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:29:38 +0000

It’s hard to imagine, as I sit here typing, that people back home are just now getting ready for church. We, on the other hand, are settling in after day full of new friends and family. It was a day of bible readings and song; a day of sharing tea with friends, and a big meal with extended family. A day of laughing at our differences, and finding common ground in such things as cars or ice cream. But most importantly, it was the day of Micah’s blessing.

It truly was precious. Mom cried during the blessing, I cried during the sermon - between the two of us, we had tears covered. There’s just something special about being with a group of believers – you may not speak the same language, but you serve the same God. And we could not have been made to feel more welcome. The pastor gave the blessing in both English and Swedish. They even had an interpreter for the rest of the service.

And there lies my humiliation …

We were sitting right in front of the interpreter’s booth you see. As the priest got up to say the final blessing, the interpreter said he couldn’t interpret since the priest was not wearing a mic. Being ever so polite, I turned around to acknowledge – Chuckle, chuckle! Oh, that’s okay. Only I didn’t mouth it; I said it–Out Loud. With earphones on. It was only when my mom punched my leg and I turned to see her look of mortification that I realized something quite possibly was amiss.

Oj! Those stupid Americans …

Here we are…

moi — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:11:02 +0000

In Sweden. After nearly 20 hours in airports and airplanes we landed safely in Stockholm. During the two-hour drive from the airport to Örebro, the scenery that flashed past the window looked much like that of Idaho, Oregon, or Washington – clusters of birch trees and pine, mingled with stretches of wide open fields. The only indication that we were on foreign soil was the occasional red barn, painted with the kilometers to the next McDonalds.

And the jet lag? It kicked our butts! Luckily the skies have been grey, and the rains have poured. Perfect weather for staying in, lighting candles, eating cake, and sipping good, strong coffee. Just the recipe for savoring life’s simple pleasures, like…

Kissing this face …

Eating toast with jam and gouda …

Kissing this face …

Walking in the rain …

Kissing this face …

Sensing a theme? Yeah, poor guy. Good thing he loves his nana!