Sorry this edition is so late.

However, on Monday last week, I awoke to find that we were covered in snow. As I'd said previously, we'd had snow on Sunday, but it had melted soon. NOT this time! It was several inches, and the roads had not been gritted. I had a car booked out, and I gingerly made my way to work, leaving very early! There was hardly any traffic, and many people were late, due to the nongritting of the roads. Things were much better by the time I headed home that day, as the streets were free of the snow.

Tuesday the snow continued, as well as on Wednesday, but we soldiered on. It was nice to have snow, but as many said, it would have been nicer in December/January, before the daffodils, crocuses, etc. had started coming up.

Thursday morning I was up early to get to the train station for my trip on GNER to Newcastle Upon Tyne, where I took Easyjet to London Stansted Airport. Easy trip. I had been concerned that the weather might delay us, as it was still snowing, but all was okay. I then transferred to Ryanair for my trip to Stockholm. When I got to Skavsta Airport, I boarded a bus for 1 hour and 20 minute trip to Stockholm center. When I arrived, there was my friend, Anders Mothander, to greet me. It had been 21 years since we had seen each other. He has not changed, except for a bit of gray in his hair. Wish I could say the same. Stockholm was covered in snow, and we drove to his home, to be greeted by his lovely wife, Ellinor Jakobson, and their son, Simon. We immediately started in on the red wine, and laughed, talked, caught up ,etc. for hours. They had prepared dinner, and we ate and continued to talk. A bit before midnight, I realized that I'd been up for HOURS, and I needed to go to bed! Plus, Ellinor had to work the next day, so off we all trundled to bed.

Friday morning I awoke to a glorious day! Anders had the time off while I was there, and after breakfast, we headed to the Town Hall for a tour. This is the location for the Nobel Prizes; well, all except the Peace Prize, which is given in Oslo, Norway. What a lovely building, and what interesting things we learned. On our way there, I'd noticed how lovely everything looked covered in snow, as if the city was wearing a shawl. It just enveloped it. There was ice on the Baltic Sea, and the large city lake was completely frozen. The sun glistened off the snow and ice, and made it appear sas though there were diamonds in it! After our tour, we left and Anders drove me to the different islands for me to see how things have changed there. We wound up at Langholmen (which means Long Island), where he was living the last time I was there. He had an apartment in a converted prison! Well, how things have changed! There has been much building, and now, part of the former prison is a hotel and restaurant, and they still retain the "prison" feel with the doors, etc. We had a late lunch here, in the restaurant of the Langholmen Hotel, potato pancakes with bacon and lingonberry jam! Delicious!!! We left and did a bit more exploring, and then we returned home. Ellinor and Simon were there, and Simon was off for the weekend for a retreat. We had planned to go out that evening, but the late night before had gotten to us, and we had Japanese take-away instead and more wine and beer, of course! We DID have an earlier evening though.

Saturday did not dawn as lovely, but it was snowing again. There was no wind, and as I was eating breakfast and watching it fall out on the terrace off the kitchen, I was transfixed as it came down. As there was no wind, it looked as though someone had opened a very large pillow and was shaking the feathers out of it! We'd thought we'd take a tour on the Baltic of the inner archipelago; however, we then decided to do an alternate tour of a museum. Anders and I went to do some shopping, and the snowing stopped, and the sun came out! We called Ellinor and told her back to the original plan! Then it snowed again, and it was back to the museum plan. However, it stopped, and we decided to go ahead with the boat tour. It was wonderful to be breaking through the ice and hear it as we headed out to see the homes, museums, etc. on the other islands. A good time! We got back and decided to go for lunch, and I consumed more fish! Afterwards we went for a walk in the market hall in the center of town. So much for sale, and so nicely presented. We then headed home, as Ellinor's son, Jens, was coming over to see me. He and I had met 24 years ago when he was 11, and he'd remembered the fun time we had speaking English! Well, he's changed! Now, he's taller than me,and he doesn't look like an 11 year old. He had to go to work, eventually, and we had to go meet some friends of theirs, Tommy and Kirstie, at the Spagettin Opera! It was in a converted movie house, and we had a good dinner, more wine, and enjoyed the singing of the performers. Afterwards, we wandered outside, and it was snowing again! We walked a couple of blocks and had a few beers in a restaurant, then said our goodbyes and got a taxi home.

Sunday wasn't as bright as the day before, and it had snowed all night. Anders and I went to Hallwyska Museum. What an interesting place. It had been the home of the Count and Countess, and she had collected and catalogued things for 30 years. Seventy books of information and pictures, everything from a needle to pots in the kitchen! The place was lovely, and who would have thought that on a tour in Sweden I would meet two people from Caracas, Venezuela! It is a small world! Afterwards, we did a bit of shopping, and then we headed back to the house. We then decided to go to Cafe Tranan, where Jens works. We had a good time, and we sat down in the bar area, where he was working, and we had a true Swedish meal: marinated herring, herring in mustard, herring in tomato sauce, herring with chopped onions and garlic, along with wonderful breads and horseradish vodka schnapps! Then came the main course: grilled herring with salad and mashed potatoes! Wonderful! By the time we left, we were all waddling! We made it home, and again out came the wine and more talking. We eventually realized that we needed to get to bed!

So there you have last week. A thoroughly enjoyable week in snow, with good friends and good food, drink and conversation. What more could one want?

Love,

Denny