Driving

Last week was yet another busy week at work. At this time of year many people are sick, so I get lots of desk duty. Friday afternoon one meeting was cancelled so I was able to bring the other new employee to the storage for orientation purposes. We also got some minor projects done. We had received an addition to a donation of books, so we shelved those. The new employee surprised me slightly by saying he really enjoyed it at the storage.

Last week I also had to get treatment by the chiropractor. My back is doing better now.

The weekend was a little out of the ordinary. I was acting driver for friends who needed to get some errands done. We also did a few excursions to the countryside and got groceries at a store I had never been to before. It was interesting to see new environments. The weekend also included defrosting of my freezer, some cooking and general tidying up around the apartment. The weather has been very nice and warm, around 20 degrees and sunny. Very unusual for being October.

Gravestone inventory

Monday last week we finally got two new employees. It was greatly needed, we were really struggling. It's one man and one woman and they seem to learn the job rather quickly. They have already cleared the backlog on one floor of the stacks. I have taught them the routines and also gave a lecture on our database system. One afternoon I brought the woman to the stacks so that we could do some minor tasks there and for orientation purposes. They will soon have to do the storage round.

For Friday fika I was asked to buy the bread. Since I drive to work now I had to get it at the local grocery store. It turned out to be a hit, the bread was absolutely fresh and I received a lot of praise for my effort. I have a feeling this means that it will be my task every Friday from now on...

Saturday was a long and very interesting day. I got up early, packed a lunchbox and drove to the northern part of Skåne. First I stopped at a clothing store in a small village that I had never been to before. There is no public transport to this place. I got a long tunic and a pair of pants. I then continued on to the church in my birth town Norra Strö. I planned on updating the inventory I took of the gravestones back in the 1990s. When I walked through the gates I saw a group of about eight people that I recognized. They were locals who had arranged a tour of the cemetery to talk about the people buried there. I joined in and could fill in a few details since I had the files with me. It was fun meeting them and talk about the old days. Later I walked several rounds in the cemetery, writing down the additional gravestone inscriptions and those of the new graves. I also took photos of some graves. Some more visitors came in and wondered what I was doing, so I explained. After talking for a while we understood that we must be related... My mother's second cousin Ingegerd and her husband had come to attend to the family graves. I have a faint memory of having visited Ingegerd's mother, probably in the early 1980s. Really strange coincidence to meet these people in the cemetery. These surprise meetings meant that I didn't get that much time for the inventory. Perhaps I will have to visit again to take more photos.

In the afternoon I drove on to another town nearby to attend a birthday party. One of our family friends turned 65. The celebration was very nice with lots of good food and a great cake. Also, I happened to be seated next to people who were interested in family history. It was indeed a great party and I was very tired when I came home that night. Sunday there was not much activity. Mainly I tried to decipher the notes I had taken of the gravestone inscriptions.

Lots of desk duty

It was another busy week at the library. Three meetings, none of them was pleasant. There are problems in most departments right now, mainly because many people are sick or injured. One colleague had a bad accident involving a bicycle, where she landed face down on asphalt. She has now promised to wear a helmet in the future (we all asked her if she had or not). At work I had more desk duty than a normal week and also had to do the storage round one day (even though I'm technically exempt from that heavy job). In general, people have noticed that I'm back after vacation so I get involved in all sorts of discussions. Since I now drive to work every day, I have taken the opportunity to do some short excursions on my way home in the afternoons. It's mostly because I'm curious of outlet stores and charity shops I have never been to before. There were only some small purchases made. I have in fact given a lot more to charity than I have bought recently.

My mother and her boyfriend are now back in Borås for the winter. The summerhouse is closed down. It's rather dark and rainy here at this time of year. There are also some pretty bad storms.

Back to work

The first work week after my vacation was rather busy. There were quite a few tasks to attend to. Because of the straining situation I now have desk duty more often and also help my boss who had to take one desk duty even though he really doesn't have time. Last week we had the first meeting in the crisis team. We are about eight people who formed a team which will organize rescue operations for the books in case of water damage. We have experience from several different water leaks so we have made more formal preparations. There are now boxes with superabsorbents and plastic material to use if books get soaked. It may seem odd but the best way to save a wet book is to freeze it. So if there are large volumes we have to get them into freeze storage (which we don't have here). I hope this crisis team will never have to take action.

Friday I drove to the summerhouse in the afternoon. Saturday we went to visit our relatives in Vittsjö, which is in northern part of Skåne. We had a good time eating and talking, even though the weather was very bad with rainstorms and high winds. Sunday my mother wanted to go to the brand new shopping center in Kristianstad so I drove there. It was very nice, not excessively large with a good selection of stores. I got a pair of boots at reduced price because there were opening-weekend offers. We also got some groceries. In the afternoon I stopped by at my father's place on the way home. I was treated to moose steak with chanterelle sauce. Apple pie for dessert. I'm saying my father's girlfriend can really cook.

Road trip

Wednesday I went to Copenhagen by train for some shopping. I was lucky to find three pieces of garment that were all on sale. I was especially surprised to find a pair of jeans set at 150 DKK that were originally at 500 DKK. There was only one pair left and it was my size. Amazing.

Thursday I drove north to the province of Halland. I visited some parishes my ancestors had lived in; Harplinge, Steninge and Eftra. I drove around in the area and stopped at the cemeteries, churches and a local museum. I talked to the staff and also visitors at the Harplinge church but they told me there were no gravestones left and they couldn't locate the house I was looking for. I anticipated this, since it's such a long time ago (1870s). Even so, it was a very interesting excursion. I went to the beach north of Steninge where I knew ancestors had lived in a small cottage. Standing there on a cliff by the sea looking out over the barren and windy area, I wondered how it was at all possible for them to have made a living there. It says in the history books that people didn't do much fishing here because of shallow waters. There were factories which produced glassware and bricks providing some jobs and I know my great great grandmother started working at the brickworks aged eight. It is difficult for us to imagine such a life.

Friday I was at the archive center to do some various research. Saturday my library participated in Lund Culture Night. The two current exhibits were open and we had arranged three lectures on the subject of lithography (it's 200 years since the printing method was introduced in Sweden). Three people and a very old (but still functional) lithographic press were engaged from a museum in Stockholm. I attended most of it and have to say it was a smash hit! There was a constant line of people coming in and the museum staff were incredibly busy showing the equipment and how it worked. The lectures were also well attended.

And tomorrow I have to start working again... Sigh...

Funeral

Tuesday last week I drove to the summerhouse. It takes just over one hour. If I had started at my apartment and chosen to go by train and bus it would have taken more than three hours. Having the car will save me time and trouble. Late Tuesday evening my sister also arrived. The next day we (including our mother, of course) attended aunt Elna's funeral. It was a regular workday but all the nearest relatives attended. It was a sad occasion but we knew Elna had had a good life. She was an important part of our family. At the meal afterwards we had her favorite cake, a green princess cake (made with almond paste and lots of whipped cream). It was nice to meet the relatives, it's not often we see them.

I remained at the summerhouse for a few days and helped out with garden work. There were dead trees to cut down, among other things. We also went to a harvest fair, did some minor shopping in town and brought most of Elna's belongings to a charity shop. I was given one of her scarves and a small decorative box as something to remember her by.

Sunday was the election day and it seems to be a complicated affair where no one really won. It remains to be seen if they can sort that out and actually form a government. Monday I drove home to my apartment. I took a long detour by choice. My cousin has a clothing store with my size range. There were some purchases made; a tunic and a pair of pants. I didn't notice until afterwards that she had given me a discount. I continued on westward and had a great lunch at a golf club and then made it to two different shopping centers on the west side of Skåne. The one in Hyllinge was almost empty but had some outlet stores and cheap grocery stores. At the biggest one, Väla, I got a skirt, a blouse and some small things. I got back home at 7 in the evening, pretty tired.

Third week of vacation

Monday I voted for the parliamentary election. The actual voting day is Sep 9 but I chose to vote earlier. That same afternoon I attended a crisis meeting at work. Bad things have happened and they are struggling to make the daily chores. One colleague had an accident and is off for three months and several others have partial or full sick-leave for other reasons. I can't help them, my vacation is fully booked. We did however discuss changes when I return to work in mid-Spetember.

Wednesday-Friday I was in London. Mainly to go shopping. The hotel was surprisingly good; close to a subway station and breakfast was included and also edible. This is not common, in my experience. I usually visit the Hard Rock Cafe while in a big city and this time was no exception. I was seated next to the kitchen and it was entertaining to see the staff work. I recommend the hot fudge brownie for dessert. There was a new feature with some added memorabilia (mostly guitars but also a stage outfit Madonna had donated) in a vault, which I looked at. The shopping took me in all directions, some places like Hammersmith I had never been to before. I visited a large number of charity shops and clothing stores. In total I came home with seven pieces of garment, underwear and a handbag.

Yesterday I drove to the nearest mall to give weeded items to charity. With the way I have been shopping recently I had to get rid of some of my old clothes. I have to say I'm very happy about my car. It is very practical. I will not have to wait for a train or a bus and will be able to get to places out in the countryside. I can tell already now it's going to make me even more lazy...

And during the visit in Borås earlier my mother gave me a hair cut. Sadly, all the beautiful curls are now gone. My hair is straight and short again.