Last night we went out to Olof’s parents’ cabin for a family surströmming party. To those of you who know of this “northern delicacy” but haven’t seen it firsthand, yes, it is as bad as you’ve heard. Those of you who do not know of it, pause right now to thank the powers that be… Read More In which the fish was foul

Diligent housewife that I am, I just got done whipping up a batch of homemade apple butter while simultaneously making a dinner straight out of the Swedish husmanskost* bible, Vår kokbok** and supervising Lydia’s math and reading homework. Too bad the dinner is nothing I’d be caught dead eating (oven falukorv) and the apple butter… Read More An apple a day …

So I fixed the washing machine last night. My smugness about that was a bit tempered, however, by the discovery that I was the one who broke it in the first place. It all started innocently enough; I decided the other day to wash Lydia’s bedroom rug (just a little floor mat no bigger than… Read More Happenings

Lydia’s been having a bit of trouble with her reading so Olof made a computerized “flashcard” set to help her practice. Just now she was testing it out for the first time and the first six words that came up made a little story: “Kvinna blir jacka. ‘Varför?’ ropar katt(en).” Woman turns into jacket. “Why?”… Read More Reading lesson

The last two days have been clouded for me in a pelargonium haze and it hardly seems possible that the weekend is over. I spent a good bit of time fixing up (yes, again) my flower page and ridding it of the annoying Swenglish. I also bought, sold, and traded my little heart out over… Read More Sunday

Tage’s sick and I’m tired so it’s going to be a picture entry tonight. Trust me, it’s better than anything I’d write just now.

You know how sometimes you’ll see an old lady walking leisurely down the street and then you’ll see her cat following along ten paces or so behind her? Our cat Åsa is like that. Sort of. Åsa almost always follows us on walks, but there’s nothing leisurely or companionable about it. She’s a worrier, Åsa… Read More Just me and my shadow

Less screaming today, due in large part, probably, to the fact that Lydia spent the afternoon at Sandra’s house and after she came home we all drove to town for dinner at MAX. Whatever the reason, though, I’ll take it. Wonder of wonders, they’re actually playing together now, nicely and, more important, quietly, in Lydia’s… Read More Wednesday

I am sick to death of the screaming. The only thing I’m sicker of is the crying. Why in God’s name can’t they just Leave Each Other Alone? Jesus, I’m like a broken record — just now I had to pause to deal with Tage’s crying and, as if by rote, I said, “Lydia, can… Read More Noise Pollution

I found myself unexpectedly home alone this afternoon and almost didn’t know what to do with myself. The possibilities stretching before me seemed endless, but in the end I walked to the store for laundry soap (oh, the luxury of going to the store without the kids), started a load of laundry, and updated my… Read More Monday