The Morbid Entry

Friday, I biked out to Granby on the eastern edge of town and biked around Vaksalakyrka - this cute little church - bummer I forgot my camera - beautiful day and the old cemetery there is like the one at Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala). Then I stumbled upon a modern cemetery! So that's where they bury their dead! I have asked several students about funeral home and funeral but most of them know nothing about them or have never been to a funeral. I'm pretty sure that there are no funeral homes. And I saw my first hearse in Sweden last week. I have wondered about that, too. Death is not something Swedes talk about or want to think about so only now am I really find out the answers to my questions. But then, I am an American and we have those great things called funeral homes where it's practically like a family reunion when someone dies and lots of cemeteries. I will have to go back out there to take photos.

Spring Is Here!!!

The past few days have been so sunny and beautiful. It's getting a bit warmer every day so I'm sure that spring is here now. In faith, I'm going to put away my winter coat. :) The gloves and hat I still need for night time bike travels home. But it's so good to be biking again. I have missed the exercise with a purpose. To me it's like sunbathing, it's so pointless to me to just lay in the sun and do nothing. I can justify it if I'm reading a good book. So I like to feel my muscles burn after getting some kind of task done. Sunday Lindsey had a picnic after church by a lake near Uppsala. She had rented a car and driven a lot of people back and forth but the guys and I decided to bike there and back. It was great! The legs got a work out. I measured that we biked 16 1/2 miles (or 26 1/2 km)!

It's so nice out even this morning. I got to sit outside in the sun reading and drinking some Stash Raspberry White tea. (Thanks, Mandy!) It's so funny how hot it can get in the sun but in the shade it's really chilly. So clouds are a bit of a problem. But as long as it doesn't rain, I don't mind. 

Yesterday, I sat by the river with one of my Swedish friends Pia eating ice cream and sharing stories of life. It is amazing to see so many people down there. They must think spring is officially here, too. You can also tell by the bike parking. A few months ago, you could find a spot almost any where in town to park your bike in a rack but now almost all the racks are full and you have to make the most of your kick stand and part of the curb. And then there's all the dogs. I have never seen so many people walking their dogs and dog walkers with 3 or 4 dogs pulling them along. It makes me wonder how the dogs lived through the winter. So many people live in small apartments. I'm trying to picture the number of people who have been shut up all winter with their German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Irish Setters, or other large breed of dog. Although, Checkers doesn't mind if he doesn't leave the house for a while but then we're back to he is a 30 lb. Beagle who is greatly effected by his daily dose of Benedryl.

We hear that spring officially arrives on May 1st: Valborg. It's basically a big day of drinking, partying and boating so we'll see if it's any more spring like after that.

It's About Time....

So I figured it is about time I wrote something on here. I have been living in Sweden for almost 8 months and have been an utter failure at updating my website and sharing my thoughts here. I have good intentions but bad follow through on things like this. So I have been on the phone with my old friend Mandy Guss for the last hour and 45 minutes while she drove home to Bowling Green from Louisville. Thank the Lord for modern technology like Vonage phones. I just discovered her blog while we were talking. See I'm not as great of a friend as she thinks. :) But I have been nudged towards inspiration by reading about her thoughts on her visit to Sweden a few weeks ago. So here's my official first entry. Lindsey will be proud, too. Here's to you both since Lindsey talked me into starting this thing and Mandy inspired me to write something.