At long last we’re getting some of that rain that everyone in southern Sweden has been bragging complaining about for the past couple of weeks. It’s been coming down off and on all day, which is fantastic for both my mood and my lawn. It was still wretchedly muggy earlier today, but at least it’s cooled off somewhat now and the temperature inside the house is bearable. Summer is typically so short up here in the polar regions that I hate to wish it away, but really, I could do with some fall-like weather right about now.

Speaking of fall, Lydia got a letter in the mail today welcoming her to the fourth grade and letting her know who her teachers will be. I’m not quite sure that she believed me until she read the letter that school really does start less than a week from now. In some ways it really does seem that the summer flew by, but I can’t say that I’ll be sorry for her to go back to school. Lately we’ve been getting on each other’s last nerve, the two of us, and I think a little less together-ness might be just what’s needed to help put us back on an even keel.

Though we don’t have a start date–haven’t even turned in the application yet, actually–we’re also going to start getting Tage out of the house some, and into daycare. When kids turn four here, they’re eligible to start going to daycare for free for fifteen hours a week (they call it “public preschool”). In the main, I’m not a big fan of daycare, but I do think that a few hours a day will be terrific for Tage’s Swedish development (he speaks almost exclusively English). A little more peer interaction wouldn’t come amiss, either; he doesn’t exactly play well with others, I’m afraid.

So, with Olof going back to work next week, I guess that will leave Petra and me more or less on our own for quite a number of hours each week. I don’t have my crystal ball on me, but I can foresee plenty of coffee dates in my future. Ah, the life of a pampered luxury wife . . .