Easter Saturday. Beautiful Lubeck

Good Friday. Lubeck

Thursday. Crimson Thursday.

Today is the day the witches fly to the blue hill. Be ready for little witches and wizards to come knocking on your door - Sweden's equivalent to trick or treat but with a different history to it. Just make sure you have some candy ready if you hear them coming.

Wednesday. Tyres are changed.

It is such a lovely feeling to have the winter tyres swapped for the summer ones. Now we are ready to do a bit of driving over Easter!

Tuesday. Biking home from school.

Makaila and I rode the 3km each way to school and back today. Downhill getting there, uphill coming back. It was such a lovely way to spend some time with my girl and we both feel proud of her efforts! Would love to do it every day!

Monday. The roads are again filled with bikes.

But I decided not to get in the middle of these guys - they looked like they could have been Bandidos Boys.

Sunday. No family

The freedom.
No sister-in-law ringing to see if we can babysit the kids.
No mother asking us to call in and see Gran, because she hasn't been well lately.
No fighting at Christmas about who will celebrate with who, where and doing what.
No obligatory birthday celebrations with the relatives.
No feeling we "should" invite them over for dinner.
No family get-togethers surrounded by people you hardly know anymore, or hardly knew in the first place.
No need to go watch concerts, dance shows or footballs games to show your support.
No need to fight about whose mother we'll ask to babysit, or if either even will.
No angry phone calls because  I haven't called or even visited in a while.
No father, brother or cousin wanting help to build the deck.
No expectation to do things the way everyone else does.
No one calling in, catching us unaware.
No need to put in an appearance, ever.
No one peering through the cracks, or even for them.
No rituals.
No traditions.
Ah the freedom.
The loneliness.

Saturday. At least it is sorted.

It sickens me to see what is thrown away here at the tip - or the recycling depot. We are lazy, wealthy and live in a throw-away society - what a combo!! Today I did what so many others do - in the name of an international peace-keeping effort. But is it really worth it?

Friday night football.

With one half-Aussie and one half-Kiwi on the team!

Thursday. Football camp.

 

Brommapojkarna offer a week long day camp throughout the summer.
This is what they say:
The program includes football in different forms, training, matches and individual exercises. But football is not just about learning to kick goals, and you do not have to have the best feel for the sport to join in.
The side-line activities are just as important. Football is a team sport and we discuss what it means to be part of a team. Everyone gets the chance to be the referee or lead a training. Care of equipment, personal hygene, knowledge of the rules adn the importance of eating right are other things we teach during the week.
On the last day we play a mini-world championship with the kids divided according to age. The teams are named after the big football nations (will that include Australia??). This is usually one of the highlihts of the week.

I'm not a big football (soccer) fan but it sounds great to me!! I think she'd have a blast.

Wednesday. My Aussie Boy.

Tuesday. Face painting in the supermarket.

It's amazing what can happen when you call in to pick up some milk and cereal. They also picked up a free candy/lolly bag each, jumped in the blow-up castle and Makaila collected her football/soccer membership card. Shame (not) we missed the entertainment!

Monday. Things are looking better and better.

Sunday. Bike for sale.

Girl's bike. 16" wheels. Basket, pack rack and training wheels included.

Saturday. Waffles for breakfast.

 

In my favorite waffle iron from the 1950s.

This one was mine - I like 'em well done!

Friday. Lunch with my girl.

We wagged today and ate lunch together.

Thursday. Team - the four non-blondes.

We would have won if Hester and Lynessa had been there!

Wednesday. Enjoying the sun.

Kaila convinced me to sit out in the sun after work/school today. She was so determined that she dragged out the blankets and pillows onto the rocks to make it all comfy, in her efforts to persuade me. She "promised" me I'd love it.

And yes, it was lovely. I did love it and I thanked her for dragging me out.

Tuesday. Frustration.

Life is not exactly how I would like it to be.

Monday. A better start to the week.

Signs of spring.

Football. And the season kicks off.

Where is the promised 15 C and sun? Makaila looking less than thrilled although she was actually very happy to start the season off with three games today - despite the grey, windy and chilly 8 C.

Saturday. The locals out for a walk.

Friday. Life can be so cruel sometimes.

Broken promises and dashed hopes. The shock of looking out the window only to see the familiarity of white flakes.