Sunday, September 21, 2008

My birthday on Saturday!

Saturday was my birthday! After a lazy, calm morning chatting in the kitchen over breakfast, we packed up the car and drove to Farhult (the summer house) where we spent the night. While Bo was at home getting things done in the yard, I took our American guests to 'fika' at Krapperup Castle on the west coast of Skåne. The castle is privately owned but in the old stable area they have created an art gallery, concert hall, bakery shop and a small restuarant that serves delicious lunches as well as fantastically tasty desserts for FIKA! The castle has a large, well manicured garden. You can see that it was built in stages and in different time periods.
What a great way to eat my way through the 45th milestone! And how delightful to have young guests who are tolerant of my constant babbling about life in Sweden!
Maya and Nathaniel had carrot cake (which was my favorite), Erin choose apple cake with vanilla sauce, and I had....this interesting angelfood cake covered with a chocolate chip merenge crust, whipped cream and walnut sugar sauce. (it was very rich and gave me ....well, lots of "excuse me"'s later) The waitresses gave me a flag for the table when I told them it was my birthday! (A very Swedish thing to do!)
Aren't they so cute!? Nathaniel and Erin are travelling around the world to some very exotic places together over the next 6 months. Hungary, Cech Republic, Sweden, Turkey, Eygpt, Ethiopia, Kenya, India, Nepal, .....perhaps some SE Asian countries...depends on their money situation. They are very interested in environmental issues/law and will begin graduate school when they return to the states. This is the first time I've spent so much time with Erin although I've known her a long time (I'm closer in age to her mother and father). Bo and I can't get over how much she is like BOTH her parents...looks and especially gestures and speech patterns. So it is almost like having Melanie & Steve visit, too! And Nathaniel....what a nice guy!! (interesting to talk to, does dishes, reads Maya stories, looks to see how he can help....he's a keeper, for sure!)
They will stay at our summer house and use my folks' car for a few days while we are at work...that way they can explore Skåne at their own pace and interest. We'll be together again at the end of the week before they leave for Turkey.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Grattis på födelsedagen, om än lite i efterskott!