We’re gearing up to watch the Sweden vs. Italy soccer match in a couple of hours, and I’m actually looking forward to it, despite my long-held opinion of soccer as a nancy sport. I think I’m looking forward as much to sitting on the couch for a couple of hours with my husband and some blueberry-lemon cider as I am to the game itself. Olof’s much, much less of a sports fan than I am (though I seldom find anything worth watching since I moved to Sweden), so I’m a bit surprised that he wants to watch it. I think perhaps his patriotic sentiments were stoked a little bit after the 5-0 blowout on Monday night.

I’m feeling a bit disgruntled about Sweden at the moment, I must say. I’ll confess that it’s a general disgruntlement brought about by one specific incident, so it’s not at all fair to the fine country of Sweden, but as my mama taught me, “fair’s a place where men in coveralls toss cow chips for distance.” Anyway, we took my engagement and wedding rings to the jeweler the week before last to have them soldered together and sized down. They quoted us a price that nearly made me choke and told us to come back to pick them up ten days later. We picked them up today, and while they look fine enough, I could have gotten better quality work done in the States in a day or two, for one-fifth of what it cost me here. Sometimes the price disparities between these two countries are astounding. Oh well … I guess the important thing is that I have them back now, and they’re not slipping off my finger every time I make a sudden movement.

While we were in town, we stopped at the pet supply store and picked up a long, non-retractable leash to use for Asbjørn’s agility class. We also got a special comb for Moa so that we can keep up with her long hair and prevent it from matting up. Interestingly enough, I have noticed time and again that pet supplies are quite a lot cheaper here than they are in the States. I’m sure there must be some explanation for this, but I’ve no idea what it could be.