It’s shameful the way I’ve neglected my blog lately, and I assure you that I am indeed ashamed. I can’t say for sure what’s kept me from posting. We have been pretty busy with friends and family and home improvements and Mosaic Minds and getting ready for back-to-school/back-to-work and various other activities, but there’s been nothing so pressing that I couldn’t have carved out time for a new entry here and there. I think mostly we can chalk my negligence up to the heat.

That’s right, though the heat wave broke for the rest of Sweden some time back, it’s still hot and miserably humid up here in Norrland. It’s rained maybe three times the entire summer, and not at all in recent memory. There’s not a green lawn in sight and the river through town is pathetically low. Every day we wake up to blue skies and hot sun, and it doesn’t show signs of stopping. We could probably single-handedly save the threatened potato harvests, if only we could figure out a way to collect our perspiration … at least then we could feel that all this sweating was to a good purpose. Did I mention it’s miserable?

In cheerier news, Tage celebrated his fourth birthday yesterday. We had a little–well, not so little, considering the size of this family, but you get the idea–family party on our front porch, and a good time was had by all. The birthday boy received a veritable wealth of presents, but the hands-down best gift came from his two-year-old cousin, Irma: a whoopie cushion! He had never seen such a thing before, but as he has only quite recently discovered the unmatchable delights of farting and fart jokes, such a gift could hardly have come at a better time. In the short time he’s had it, it’s already provided hours of fun and uncontrollable laughter.

So, now we’ve got two birthdays down and just Lydia’s left until we’re off the hook for another year. As luck would have it, she has decided to forego a big peer party this year in favor of a small bowling outing for her and her best friend and me and Helena. It feels like I’m getting off so easy there that I almost have to pinch myself to believe it.

Finally, I’ll leave you with a few pictures from Tage’s party yesterday.