Injuries and chores

Easter was another four day weekend here, ending today. Very nice to get time off. I have tried to take it easy. Thursday at work I had an unfortunate incident with a metal book end. It had sharp edges and I dropped it on my foot. It caused a minor injury to a toe, but it bled quite a lot and it still hurts. I also tried on my new shoes, and of course I got blisters from them. In addition to this, I have just been to get treatment by the chiropractor, so my back is a little sore. Despite all these problems, I got some things done this weekend. I mended that long cardigan and another top that was ripped when I got stuck in a metal book shelve at work. I also did some translating and genealogy work, cleared out some old clothes, moved some winter clothes to the attic, cooked herring in the oven (first time ever, turned out delicious), disposed of the recycleables, went grocery shopping (twice), cleaned the kitchen (very necessary) and tried to keep the balcony flowers alive in the warm weather (so far successful).

It is a little ridiculous, but they don't empty the mail boxes in my town on weekends. I wanted a postcard to be delivered to my aunt tomorrow, so I had to go to Lund to mail it. While I was there anyway, I took the opportunity to go to the mall. There is a cheap store where I stocked up on hygiene products. Also looked through the other stores, and noticed that many of the clothes I had seen just a few days ago were now sold out. That cardigan, for instance. It was very nice and affordable, so I can understand that there weren't any left.

Today I went to my favorite mall outside Helsingborg. I have been looking for a pair of white leggings or pants for quite a while. I can't believe that it should be that difficult to find any that fit me. I came home with some sleeveless tops instead.

The weather has been very nice this weekend. I have spent some time on the balcony, enjoying it. It seems like the summer has already started here. The trees and flowers are blooming like never before. The train was passing by pretty hills filled with yellow and white flowers. It's around 20 centigrades out and rather sunny. This kind of weather is endurable to me, as long as I remember to bring my sunglasses. In July it will be different, I will be complaining most of the time then.

I need to know if any of my American relatives are thinking of making a trip this way within the next four months - please contact me if you do.

Shoes, books and clothes shopping

The weekend was busy, like they often are. Saturday there was a book flea market in Lund arranged by the local Amnesty organization. They always have their books in such a good order. They divide them into categories like History, Geography & travels, Social studies and so on. It's appealing to a librarian, definitely. I spent most of the time going through the books in the History section, but browsed through all the others also. I only got three; a book about Sweden in English, one on emigration and one on cultural history. I was at the sale with a colleague who lives in the same town, and she bought many more books than I. After the sale, a coffee & cake and some chatting, we parted and I went shopping, first in the city and then out at the mall. I found quite a lot, actually. There was a knitted long cardigan that had been slightly torn, so I got it cheaper and will be able to mend it myself. I think I tried on something like eight items in one store, and that is unusual to find that many. Though I couldn't wear all of them, of course. I ended up buying only one item there. Also found underwear at half price off the reduced price at another store.

Sunday I was at the library, mainly to use the computer. I did some research for the trip I'm planning for August/September. Also some genealogy.

Yesterday evening, when I was waiting for the laundry to get done, I read through some of the paper ads you get in the mail several times a week. I noticed that there was a pair of shoes for sale at a store in Malmö that I might be able to wear. They were sandals with adjustable front almost all the way. I have serious problems finding women's shoes, my feet are both long and wide. I knew that if I would have a chance at buying them I would have to go there right away, so this afternoon I left work early and took the bus to Malmö. They had two pairs left in my size (EU 42=US 11) and I got both. They were cheap and might not last that long, but it doesn't matter.

When I was in Malmö anyway, I went to some other stores also. I found a blouse at half price off the reduced price, so it was really affordable. There is, by the way, a saying in our family that none of us rarely makes a purchase if the item is sold at full price. So true. After this extensive shopping, I had dinner at TGI Friday's. A very nice bacon hamburger and mud pie for dessert.

Several flea markets

The outdoor flea market in Lund started several weeks ago, but this Saturday was the first time this year I was there. It has been too cold before. There was a new thrift store nearby that I also visited. I found an EP record there with the Boston Pops/Arthur Fiedler, performing a few pieces (one was Bugler's Holiday). Very unusual to see something like that here. I got it for 5 SEK (less than a dollar). There was a large flea market in the indoor sports arena this Saturday also. It was very crowded, but interesting. I got a few egg cups there.

Sunday my father and his girlfriend came to visit me. For this reason I spent Saturday evening and Sunday morning cleaning the apartment and the balcony. We went to the mall and I got flowers for the box and pots on the balcony. My father got me the flowers as a birthday gift, which was nice. I brought down the chair and table from the attic also, so now I'm ready for sunny and warm weather. In the daytime it's about ten centigrades and occasionally sunny. Still chilly in the mornings.

The week at work has been very hectic, like it usually is at this time of year. I have started to teach an intern at the library how to retrieve books also, so we are rather busy. I hope that we will get help from him this summer, in addition to the one who will be hired in May. I have been given permission to take six weeks of leave in August/September, so the planning for a trip to the US has begun. I will leave about August 6-8 and spend about a week in Minnesota, then two weeks in the Chicago area, and maybe a week or so on the east coast.

Busy week

It has been a little difficult to get through this week. Lots of things have been going on here. One of the most interesting ones was the annual meeting of the social club. We have to have a public meeting once a year, to elect new board members. Usually about eight people show up. This time we asked a colleague to give a speech on a historical person after the meeting, and it proved to be a success. We were more than 20 attending the event. There was food served afterwards, and that was also appreciated. It was the first time I had acted as a chairperson at such a meeting, and I think I managed to get everything right.

This week I have been involved in the process of interviewing people for a position in the stacks. I have never had to do that before. I was completely unaware of how it works. It has been an interesting experience. We will interview about ten people, and hope that one of them will be able to learn the trade very fast. I really want vacation this summer. I have applied for six weeks of leave.... I was thinking of spending one week in Minnesota, two weeks in Chicago and one week in New York. I will know next week if I get all the vacation I want.

My birthday passed by almost unnoticed. My parents called me and I got a few cards in the mail. Some delayed e-mails too. For the coffee break today (a few of us arrange coffee and sandwiches every Friday) I baked peanut butter chocolate cookies. They were praised. Surprisingly easy to bake, but next time I will try not mistake the baking soda and the vanilla.

Trip to Borås

The long weekend in Borås was very nice. I went by train Thursday afternoon and arrived at 7 PM. The relatives from Stockholm, an elderly couple, had arrived there also. They stayed in my mother's apartment and we stayed at my sister's place. Friday afternoon we visited the textile museum. I had been there before, but it was still very interesting. They have old looms and sewing machines and other types of machinery used to process textiles and clothes. We watched a documentary film about a former tailor's shop in the area also. Historically, Borås was known as a textile center, with several factories and many people out in the small villages did sewing work at home. We also looked at a gallery of clothes from the 20th century, arranged chronologically. We recognized many types of clothes from the later decades, of course. Saturday was the big flea market day. First we went to the second hand store my mother works at as a volunteer. They were very busy. We looked at many of the items in the two buildings. All I found to get was a book on baking from the 1940s. The others shopped quite a few things. After a couple of hours we went to another place outside of town, where there are two different stores. After coffee and even more shopping, we went back home again. We got waffles at my sister's place, and later a delicious fish dinner. Somehow I also got time to play with Lego, have a pillow fight and watch a cartoon movie with my nephew. Sunday the relatives returned to Stockholm and I went back to Skåne (by three trains and most of them were on time).


The day at work didn't start well. One colleague was sick and another on vacation. It was a challenge to get everything done in time, but we made it. I could see that the Friday had been challenging also during my absence, because they had forgotten (or hadn't had time) to do several things.


I would say that the weather has changed and it feels much more like spring here now. The flowers of the season are already blooming in the park in front of the library. I don't have to wear my winter coat anymore either. It was a really long and difficult winter and we are all glad that it's finally over.