Sweden America Day

I returned to work today. My vacation was mostly spent in or around the summer house. The weather has been rather varied, either rainshowers or 30 centigrades and sunny. The half day I was able to be on the beach meant that I got burnt by the sun, unfortunately. The water was cold, but I had decided to jump in, so I did.

Sunday the 19th it was Sweden America Day in Önnestad. It's an arrangement by the Historical Society there and the Vasa Order of America in Kristianstad. It was very hot weather that day. One of my relatives, Rolf Anderson (Leroy's son) was there to receive the Hans Mattson plaque in recognition of the work Rolf does to spread information about his father's life and music. The event started with church service and a lunch. Then there were lots of ceremonial procedures, severeral speeches and music by a brass band etc. We got to hear that the big Leroy Anderson centennial concert in 2008 has meant a great deal for the music life in Kristianstad. Nowadays musicians of all ages and talents are more ready to co-operate and play with other bands than they normally would. A small section of the symphony orchestra played Syncopated Clock and The Typewriter for us in the park (they used a very old, but functional typewriter). Rolf gave his speech in Swedish (!!!). He had been practicing on it, and it was fully understandable. The Swedish sch-sounds are very difficult to master, but he is eager to learn.

Rolf was in the Kristianstad area for about a week and there were lots of people who wanted to meet him, so he was busy every day with lunches and visits to different places. His visit was noted also by the local press, which had a few articles about it. I met him again the following Wednesday, when my father and I were invited to a lunch in town. One of the orchestra leaders had gathered some musicians and others, and it was very difficult to leave because we had so much to talk about. But we brought Rolf to the Historical Society Museum in Norra Strö that afternoon, where we visited the old school room and looked at the baptismal dresses they had on display. Rolf handed over a donation from the newly formed foundation in his father's name, www.leroyandersonfoundation.org. We also had coffee with Mats at the old family home in Övarp. It was great to see Rolf here, I hope he will come again. He continued north this Friday, he wanted to see more of Sweden before he returns home.

The general activities at the summer house were not that active. There is no internet access, so I had to take it easy. My mother and I solved crossword puzzles, sat on the porch fighting off the wasps, admired the squirrels running up and down the trees, and went shopping in Åhus. My aunt came to visit a few days also. And we washed the back side of the house, it was pretty dirty. I returned home Saturday, after stopping by at a birthday party for my mother's friend (good food). Yesterday I tried to save my balcony flowers by watering them excessively, and most of them seem to have returned from the near dead. The balcony faces directly south and there is no shade.

The day at work was very busy, a hundred e-mails in just ten days and then the movers needed assistance. They started loading books at a new site today, a place they had never been to before.