Summer holiday - mid report

So, half of our summer holiday has now passed. It has been eventful, to say the least. I really don't know where the days have gone, but we sure haven't been lazy. Met several friends in and around Stockholm (and had a well deserved hair cut, thank you Lisen!), including Lena, who had come with her kids all the way from Puyallup, Washington.

Picked Tim up on the Friday, and then drove to the island where my parents have their summer house. It rained! (So much that I had to stop the car in a panic, since I couldn't work out how to get the wind screen wipers to work on max - very embarrassing!) It was great to see Tim again, although he still had not really landed mentally - it would take him a few days to relax from work.

Saturday, my darling parents had planned a surprise birthday party for me. Unfortunately (or luckily for me, whichever) one of my cousins had managed to say a little too much, and I had already worked out what was going on (which I found quite convenient, because then I could dress up a bit and put on makeup, something I would normally never do when just relaxing in the summer house). I did not, however, know who would be coming, and it was great to see everyone who turned up, although I hardly had time to talk to them all. The biggest surprise was to see one of my oldest friends, who I hadn't spoken to for years. Tobias and Lisen and baby Vera spent the night, and chilled out the day after. Tim, my niece Felicia and I had the first swim of the year. It was absolutely freezing!

On the Monday we drove down south, to meet one of my cousins and his family, who were out with the boat. We swapped the car for the boat, and then sailed off. Five days at sea followed. Tight, no personal space, sunny (got, as I do every time I'm sailing, terribly burnt), rainy, ran out of bread the last day, but also very nice, and good to spend some time with the family (without computers, TVs or anything). It was, however, also very nice to come back to a hot shower (jumping in and out of ice cold sea water just isn't the same) and a proper toilet (with privacy!)...

Today, we swapped back - car for boat, and headed back. Mum and dad stayed at the summer house, while I drove Tim and Felicia to Stockholm. This weekend will be spent seeing some more people (I am, after all, not the only one to become old this year). I am looking forward to seeing everyone we haven't seen yet, as well as having some 'us time'.