Skogshyddan

A bit unsure about the weather but we took the chance and went to Lidköping for a fika, out to Skogshyddan by the Vänern, one of our favourites. We were lucky, the skies were a bit grey but no rain so we could sit outside - very Covid-friendly!
It's really nice to be out and about all of us together so much more than last year!

Sweet summer days

I am so enjoying living life during the summer here in Sweden, the freedom, and the space. I keep on taking my daily walks, in any weather really. Sometimes it's sunny, sometimes more gray. Always beautiful.

Both Lucas and I have enjoyed immensely playing padel, both with each other, but also in the Americano Tournaments at Skara Padel. Lucas didn't perform too shabby at the last one! I'm so glad seeing him enjoy it so much.

I have hardly watched any TV this summer. Honestly it feels like that's all I did back home in Abu Dhabi the past 1,5 years of pandemic living. It has felt so good filling my days with more LIFE while being here - with movement, with sports, with friends, with nature! I have much rather been sat out here in the evenings, in the glassed outdoor space, than inside in front of the TV.

I passed a big milestone on my Apple Watch, 500 days of continuous exercise (at least 30 minutes a day)! That's quite something!

Because of the weather that hit us this week with quite a few rainy days, Mormor and I got to pull out a puzzle which is our go-to for rainy days. Hopefully the rain wont last though, even though we both enjoy a good puzzle.

34 years and counting

Usually it's always us traveling around Sweden all summer long, visiting friends here, there and everywhere. This year I was so pleased that one of my friends made a special trip down to Skara all the way from Uppsala, just to come and see me - Jenny, my teenage bestie.
We took the kids to the swimming hall, and while they were wizzing about in the slide we spent our afternoon in the hot jacuzzi, chatting away.

We've known each other since I moved to Stenum in 7th grade, when we were younger than Linnea is now. Jenny and her family lived just a few houses further away on the road, we hung out most days and did everything together.
We even bought these cool mopeds at the same time!

Ralph

Another little friend we enjoyed catching up with this summer was another one of the kids' second cousins, Ralph. He too had grown a bit, obviously, in the two years we hadn't seen him, and now he enjoyed showing the kids around his room and making Linnea read him stories.

The Matchstick Museum

On our last day in Jönköping, before we were to catch our trains again in the afternoon; we took the kids to the swimming hall and left them there while Pia and I went back into the city to go visit the Matchstick Museum.

This museum is located in the area of town where the large match factory once stood, and the production of the first matches began in the middle of the 1800s. Yes, safety matches is indeed a Swedish invention, and Sweden is still the world's largest match producer.

In the museum they show the production processes of the time, all the way back from where the matches were completely handcrafted to when machines gradually replaced the human manual work. The factory here in Jönköping was in use until 1970.

The museum also talked about the, sometimes rather horrid, work situation of the employees.

On the second floor, a huge collection of different matchboxes in different shapes, sizes and from different countries was displayed.

 

Sure, this museum is indeed rather random, but it is small and quick to visit. I certainly became more knowledgeable about this industry about which I didn't know much previously. I found it very interesting as the safety match is a product we all know and use today all over the world.

Holidaying in Jönköping

We have planned to go down to Bunkeflostrand next month the whole family, to see the Hybholts. But Pia and I wanted to spend more time together so we decided to meet up in Jönköping for a weekend trip away, because - why not?
Jönköping turned out to be a quite charming city! The hotel we stayed in was situated smack bang in the middle of it all, we found an Asian restaurant down by the water which was so good we actually went back there twice! We did lots of walking about, shopping, explored the city, ate good food and had fun - a great few days together!

 

Buying ice cream by weight. Not so Covid-friendly (the shop mandated use mask and gloves, still it felt so-so...), but a fun concept! Even though of course by the time you got to enjoy your all the different flavours, you had forgot which was which... ha ha.

Jönköping groupie!

 

 

Sixten

One of the kids' favourite people to see when we are in Sweden, is their second cousin Sixten, who is now already almost 5 years old; and I think the feeling is very much mutual.
Sixten had been really looking forward to seeing his "big friends" ever since last time he came out to visit at my parents' place, and Mormor had told him that they were coming soon. Well, he thought "soon" meant later that day, so then he didn't want to go home... ha ha!

I tried to get them all smiling for the photo, but Sixten was more interested in the cookies and cinnamon buns..!

Naturum

We have been to Naturum before, but it is always a nice excursion spot. Even though this time the roof terrace was shut off, so we couldn't get the views from up the top.

 

Instead we all did the walk out to the end of the boardwalk, and spotted a lot of birds along the way.

Best of summer

So far we have had such luck with the weather. Beautiful summery days, with just the right temperatures, at least for us.

I have done lots of walks in the woods, and tonight Lucas and I did the 9 km bike ride to Axvall to play some evening padel. Great fun, and such a gorgeous bike ride back home in the evening sun as well.