Now I'm on my way northwards with the train. I'm re-discovering Norrland with its cold, snow and darkness. It's Sweden accentuated, concentrated with more of everything that makes it different from my present home country Belgium: big distances, few people, fresh air, spruces, pines and lakes but also people who are very "natural" and don't care about being polite (but luckily about being friendly). My parents and I spent this afternoon with my former German teacher. He is now retired but remains a bastion of civilisation in this northern country playing jazz and giving private language lessons. Talking to him describing the lack of interest for languages in Sweden I'm glad to have managed to escape. Being a bastion of civilisation has its charms but it's also very challenging in the long run because it's like continually trying to sell something to people hat they don't want to buy. I don't think it's my calling. Now back to my crochet.
Right now I'm sitting by the fireplace enjoying the little remains of a lovely lazy Sunday. I went to church in the morning. On foot in spite of cold temperatures but it was lovely in the sun. It's a 30 minute walk up the hill. My first time experience of going to this church of my childhood all by myself - so far it was a family thing. It's something else to be an individual and to be "the daughter of". And so far, in the Lutheran church of Alnö I've always been the latter. I was the only church attendee without a task in the service. So I felt important. : ) I think of the song of Frank Sinatra when I see this! I'm so happy when I see this - even if I don't plan to ski - because this is the way it should be in Sweden at this time of year!
Love from Sara Something less nice was the stomach flu I seem to have picked up on the way. There were a lot of little kids on both flights (I went with Lufthansa, via Frankfurt) so I guess one of them might have passed it on to me. So, as I was laying there in my bed unable to even drink a sip of water without immediately throwing it up, my very enthousiastic father came up with the idea that I should have some fructose! I refused though until the throwing up had ended. Then he told me he once in his childhood on the farm outside Göteborg probably saved the life of a cow in that way: it had a stomach flu, his family feared for its life but my Dad went to the farmacy and bought fructose with which he fed the cow and it swiftly recovered! Well, of course when I heard it I ended up having some, and it nicely stayed in my stomach without coming up the wrong way.
So, somewhat weakened by this short but intense flu I am now entering the Christmas season in my snowy home country. I wish you all a very blessed Christmas and happy new year! Love Sara |
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