Kitty’s Place

It has been an odd week. Ibo was in Göteborg for the first 3 days. Tuesday was a good day at school, I felt like things were “clicking” on the grammar front, always a good thing. I slept poorly again Tuesday night, as I always do when he is away.

Wednesday morning I got up and made my sleepy way to the laundry room, only to find a big note saying that there was a problem with the power, so I had to bring my laundry back home. My fellow came home early in the day and went to the bank where he signed the final papers and got the keys for our new apartment. He called about 1200 and said did we want to go with him to the new place, so we all went and met with the previous owner and did an inspection tour. There were a couple things that needed fixing but she already had maintenance coming for those things. So it was a quick inspection. Then we came home after dropping the kidlet at school. My fellow didn’t go back to work because I had to go to school at 1530 (open house) and so he had to be home to pick up the kidlet at 1600. The open house was ok. We did a tipspromenad, which I always find boring as far as the questions but it was really interesting to see other parts of the school that I didn’t even know existed, like the machine shop under the building and the restaurant upstairs, where the students taking the restaurant course cook and serve food. By the time we finished the walk around it was break time. So we never did get to look at the homework that was assigned. *laugh* I saw some of the politicians and spoke to one of the women I have met previously. I thought it was nice when she said that she had been thinking about me and that once it gets closer to summer and there are less political meetings, she will call and we can get together with some of the other women. She said that it seems that at this point in time she probably sees more of my fellow than I do and she thought I must be in need of some time out with “the girls”. We actually tried to do this last year, they met to swim at the sportcentre fairly regularly. But it just worked out that whenever they planned to go swimming, I had other plans already. *laugh* I do hope we can get together, it’s always nice to meet some new people. During the second half of the class I said to the teacher that I had no idea the school was so big. She said we should have had a tour our first day. I said I started late so I must have missed it. I have no idea if there is a connection, but the very next day we were asked if we had ever been shown where to go in case of a fire. Only one student had ever had such a tour. So we did that on Thursday. *laugh*

I also met with the guidance counselor at the school Wednesday morning. She gave me a couple other options as far as getting my Canadian registration accepted here in Sweden, since I am not sure that Socialstyrelsen will accept my 2 year nursing diploma. I have another meeting in two week and we will go over all the paperwork for them and for student loan money for when I go to school fulltime. I took LL with and sat him at a table outside her office, where I could see him. He was busy colouring when I saw him get up and run. I was about to go after him when he came back into sight, with farmor in tow. Apparently one of the women in the office called her to say “your grandson is here!”, so she came to see him. *laugh* After my meeting I took him and showed him where farmor works and he thought it was cool to see her office. *smile*

Thursday I got up early again and went to the laundry room. The power was working but only one washing machine worked, the other had the hot water hose laying across the top of it. I washed the clothes and hung them in the drying cupboard, then did another load. I put that one in the dryer. An hour later when I went back, those clothes were still wet, because there was no heat to the dryer. *laugh* So they all had to be hung and the next person who had already done his washing early, took his home to hang up because he didn’t have time to wait for mine to be dry. I called maintenance and told them about the dryer and asked if anyone had called about the washing machine. No one had, so he came and looked at both and said he would have to call the plumber. It is always an adventure doing laundry here. *laugh* School went well and it was an ok night. I packed more things but I am so incredibly tired that I just decided to have a play on the computer and forget about everything evening. It was nice actually. We also went over to the new apartment and did a little mental lay out of where we will place things when we move in. We measured for the new appliances and for the new tub. The balcony door was already repaired, the shower door was fixed and the lock that wasn’t working was out of the door, so I am assuming they are going to replace it. It is the extra lock. My fellow arranged for a parking spot and got on the list for a spot in the garage. Some of the blinds need repairing. Not the slats but the strings and the thing that you turn them open and closed with. I have kept the number for the man who repaired our blinds in this apartment last year, so that we could call him when we eventually moved, if necessary. He is retired and comes to your home and does the work on site for really reasonable rates. So once we move, we will be calling the “blind” man. *laugh*

Today the kidlet went to work with pappa and I went to school. We were going to go over the national exam papers we wrote in March. It was a really good experience. I saw just exactly where I need to focus as far as my writing. I was told that I am doing very well and improving quickly. I was told not to worry about the oral exam, that I am speaking swedish much better and will have no problem passing that part. So I will focus on grammar and proper phrasing. We are going to go and have dinner with my fellows’ parents. His dad is home from the hospital but will not be able to go to the bonfire this year. LL is looking forward to Valborgsmässoafton. He has already planned it out, first we go to the tivoli (carnival) and then the “big fire”. I am not sure he remembers there will be fireworks also. *laugh* Saturday is “Första maj”, labour day in Sweden. We will be going to the local centrum to hear speeches and there will be fun stuff for the kids. I need to finish the essay I am writing about the kommunfullmaktige möte we attended, over the weekend. This is extra writing for practice and I asked one of the teachers if she would proof it for me next week. It is only half done, so I better get it completed. *smile*

The weather has been lovely albeit a bit chilly the past couple of days. I am loving the sunshine and the fact that the days are getting longer already.

Uneventful school day today. Tomorrow I have laundry time at 0700, then a meeting at the school at 1030 and of course I have to go to class at 1530 if Ibo can pick up LL at school at 1600.

We got a wonderful parcel from Meaghan. It had treats for all of us. LL laid claim to a U of T wallet and Toronto Maple Leaf playing cards as well as the stickers. There were skittles for all and heaps of postcards as well as 3 prints I am going to frame for the new apartment. It was one of those packages where there seemed no end to goodies! Thank you Meaghan!!

I have emptied out two more cupboards and a couple of drawers. Packing it starting to make me crazy. Last night I dreamed that I had finally packed everything when I suddenly remembered our “secret” rooms. There were closets filled to the top in those rooms and I was standing staring at them wondering how it was all going to fit in the boxes we had left. *laugh*

Sunday my fellow called just as we were getting ready to go to the bus to see farfar in the hospital. He was done with conference and was out at the garage, so he called to say we could drive to the hospital with him instead. After our visit there we went to McDonalds and then to the airport to pick up farmor. We were in bed before 10 pm since we had to be up at 0430 on Monday. *laugh*

I saw my fellow off to Göteborg a bit after 0500 and then went back to bed for a couple hours. We had a quiet morning at home and then I took the kidlet to school and went late to my school. I really do hate going in late, since I am so shy and it sucks to have the class stop and watch me get seated and explain my lateness to the teacher. *laugh*

While school itself went fine, I have to rant a bit here. We were informed this afternoon that there will an open house at our school on Wednesday. I know I saw something about this a while back, maybe in the local paper and it was mentioned at the kommunfullmaktige möte last week. So if this has been planned for a while, why in the world were we informed this afternoon that we will have school from 1530 to 1800 on Wednesday instead of our usual 1230 - 1530? The morning class will be coming to school in our afternoon time slot so that there are actually students there during the entire open house time. I have no idea if I can arrange on this short of notice to have someone pick up LL from school and keep him until after dinner. I am doubtful that his dad can do it, he has a full day planned on Wednesday, which likely includes going to said open house in his politician persona. Others in class have already made evening plans for this week so they will either have to change them or not be able to go to school that day. I am just really ticked about this, it is indicative of all I find irritating about my school, poor planning to the max.

The good news? Today we are officially swedish citizens. I picked up our Canadian passports with cancelled permanent visas and the paperwork stating both I and Llywellyn are now citizens here. That was quite exciting!

We went to the hospital and visited farfar on Friday evening. This is the first time I have been to a hospital in Sweden, other than to outpatient services. It was cool to see how things were set up and such. After we stopped and had pizza for dinner at our favourite pizza place. It was a nice relaxing evening. I ironed clothes for my fellow for the morning and we went to bed early.

Saturday I slept in until 0800, woke in time to say bye to my fellow who has an all weekend political conference. The kidlet and I had breakfast then we headed out too. LL got his hair cut! They must have cut off 15 cm of hair, so now my little boy actually looks like a boy again and they did it without using the electric clippers. I definitely will not be going back to the hair place here in Valsta since it was a major issue every time I took him there. Then we headed in to the city to go to Leslie’s birthday party and also so I could pick up books. At T-Centralen we saw a group of women in matching jackets that said Canada on them. The kidlet noticed it right away and asked me why there were so many from Canada there. So I went and asked them. *laugh* 4 years ago I would never have done that but now I am brave enough to approach strangers if they are speaking english with an american or canadian accent. *laugh* They were the Canadian Women’s Curling Team and they were here competing in the World Championships, where they won the gold. So LL got to say hi to more canadians and that was cool.

We met up with Heather, Kim, Johan and Charlie at Brommaplan and headed out to Leslie’s. It was a lovely afternoon, lots of laughing and chatting. LL had a great time with Alex. He took Alex a gift, one of those doorknob hangy things that says “Mitt Rum” on it. It is the same as the one he got for his new room, with Eeyore on it. When we came back to Brommaplan after the party, we stopped at McDonalds (again, we had been there earlier for an ice cream and so LL could decorate a crown that we had a coupon for) since I knew we would be home late. I got a Happy Meal and ordered a grilled chicken ranch salad (for LL, I had one of them before and he thought they looked cool). The girl said it would be 3 minutes for the salad, so I got LL settled at a table and went back, but there was no salad up yet. I thought perhaps I misunderstood her and she meant ten, not three. So I waited a few more minutes. Then I got back in line. When she saw me, she remembered my salad and asked about it, but they hadn’t made it. I was told there was a misunderstanding but they would make one right away. She offered me something to eat or drink while I was waiting but I said no. I went back and checked on LL. who was eating fries and playing with the Happy Meal toy. I watched and waited and no salad was forthcoming. At that point LL had eaten all the fries, part of the hamburger and finished my mineral water. So I got him into his coat and gathered up my bags and went back to the cash. The manager took one look and literally ran from the back. My salad was sitting on the counter beside the girl who took my order. She had not called out that it was ready, not brought it out to me. Can you guess I was a bit ticked? *laugh* He handed over the salad and along with it a muffin and a coffee and apologized. I said that a half hour wait for a salad was a bit too much and as he could see, I was carrying two large bags and had a child with me, so I did not have a free hand to carry coffee. I did say thank you for offering it of course, I am canadian, we ooze politeness. *laugh*

We got onto the subway and LL had salad. But after all that fuss, he only wanted the chicken part, he doesn’t like all the green things (lettuce). *laugh* So grilled chicken salad sans chicken is what I ate for dinner once we got home. *grin* It was an uneventful trip to Central Station but once there, there seemed to be a problem with the Pendaltåg. None of the signs were working so there was no way to know which platform was for which train and which train was waiting if you missed it coming in where you can see the sign in the front. Additionally all the trains were between 15 and 20 minutes late, so there was a crowd. *laugh* We waited 35 minutes for out train and then had to stand till Sollentuna. But we had fun talking about our day. When we got to Märsta I put down the bags of books I was carrying and started to help LL out from the train to the platform when the doors literally closed on us, I zipped him back in as they closed and he was quite scared. I have no clue why the doors closed while passengers were still disembarking but there were a number of upset people when they reopened. *laugh* By then the kidlet was fine, he got over the scare quickly and laughed about it. Of course the bus was packed since the train was packed. We had to stand again for a couple of stops. The bus driver was an elderly gentlemen and was very friendly when we got on. When we got to the stop we will be using when we move, it took literally 5 minutes for people to get off because there were so many parents with strollers and carriages, that they had taken kids out and piled them, so they had to disengage 3 of the 5 at that stop. The driver was beginning to look a bit harried at that point. Then he drove past the next bus stop and two drunk elderly people began yelling at him for not stopping. He said no one rang and they insisted they had (they hadn’t). They continued to yell and call him names until the next stop when they staggered off the bus. At that point the driver was looking as if it was the worst day of his life. When we got to our stop I said to LL that when he went to say bye to the driver (he does that every time) he should say thank you as well because the driver was having a stressful trip. So LL ran up and said his hej då and tack and in the mirror I could see the driver’s face just light up. So perhaps his day was not so bad after all. *laugh*

Once we got home it was after 2000 so the kidlet got ready for bed. Then we phoned and chatted with Aunt Maud, who called 3 times in the past two days and missed us. The kidlet went to bed very late, it was almost 2130. My fellow got home from his conference about 2345 and after a quick email check it was bedtime for him.

This morning I was up at 0700 to do laundry, my fellow left about 0800 for day 2 of the conference. The kidlet woke up about 0900 and had breakfast. I have done 4 loads of laundry and packed two more boxes. Now I am having a tea break. *laugh*

This has been an ok week. School has gone well, I am feeling comfortable and feel like I am “getting it” more every day. The kidlet has had fun at school and my fellow is feeling better.

Yesterday I got LL ready for school. I belted his jeans because while they are always tight when he puts them on, after a couple hours they stretch out enough that he has to keep hiking them up. I belted them too tight and he said that, so I loosened them one hole. Then I headed off to school and left him with pappa. They headed for LL’s school and as they were leaving my fellow said “do you have everything?”. The kidlet said yes and pappa said, “you have your knapsack?” which of course he didn’t. He ran back in and got it. Then halfway to school he told pappa that he had forgotten a belt on his jeans. So they came home and my fellow searched the bureau for a belt only to have the kidlet discover he was already wearing it. *laugh* It is stressful being a dad. *grin*

Last night I went with the SFI group to the kommunfullmaktige möte (municipal council meeting). It was a lot of fun, but it was very obviously boring for a lot of the students. *laugh* My teacher pointed out to some of the group that my fellow was a politician and would be at the meeting, so of course they wanted me to point him out. He came after I did so I had to say sorry, he isn’t here yet. *laugh* It was interesting topics they discussed last night, budget stuff, education related stuff. I was surprised at how much the politicians moved around during the meeting. I am used to seeing council members sitting in assigned spots and very very occasionally would someone get up and talk to another council member while the meeting was in progress. Here though, they all got up and moved about, talking to other members. My fellow said that here the council meetings are where everyone is together so it is when they get to talk about things. The other meetings that go on all through the month are the individual groups. I got rather upset that some of the students felt that since they were bored, they should have conversations with one another and block out the sound of the boring politicians who were speaking. I know they only came because it was for school and because it meant they could miss school today, but they could have had more consideration for those who actually were listening.

As always I was impressed with the mayor. He really is a great speaker and that surprises me because he actually seems to be a rather shy person. At least that is how he has seemed to me when we have met at different functions. He is the youngest ever mayor here, I think he is perhaps 26, but am not positive. I have to say that I really really enjoyed the whole thing and I would love to be able to go every month, it was much easier to keep up being there in person, than it is to listen on the radio (which is my habit now). When I left I called farmor to say that the kidlet could come home. I got home first and he was a bit put out, he wanted to “win”. *laugh* They had been to the hospital to visit farfar and the kidlet is going to show us where he is today when we go to visit. It is much too funny to hear that little voice saying “Löwenströmska sjukhuset”. *laugh* As I was putting LL to bed he asked me if my back was hurting. I said no, why did he wonder and he said if it was I could have an operation like farfar just had and then he could visit me at the hospital. *laugh* I guess he thought it was cool to go there. *smile*

Today I didn’t go to the school, since I went last evening and there was no-one to stay with LL today. Instead I have been packing. My fellow brought home a dozen more boxes and I am deep into the packing now. I have a birthday party to go to tomorrow, laundry time on Sunday and I imagine we will visit farfar over the weekend as well. I have finished all my homework so I don’t have to look at my books all weekend. I am hoping to get the bulk of the packing done so that next week I can concentrate on school. We get the new place a week from today and I am really excited about
that.

Time to get back to packing. *smile*

I am over the worst of this bout of homesickness (I hope *smile*)!

Saturday we went to a birthday party. There were 10 kids there and they had a lot of fun. But before that we went to McDonalds for breakfast and then shopped at Eurostop, letting pappa sleep in. On the bus home we met up with a boy that we used to see at playgroup. I asked him mom if they lived on the street we are moving to and they do, in the same block of buildings, so we share the same courtyard. She said there a lot of kids LL’s age and they play outside all summer, so that is great news. Then at the party he was introduced to a little girl (we knew her before from playgroup as well) who lives in the building beside ours. So he already knows 2 of the kids there. *smile* I stayed and had coffee and visited with the adults while the kids partied. It was so nice to see Monica again, she has made me feel comfortable here in Sweden since the first week we moved here 4 years ago. She offered up babysitting for LL on Friday mornings if I am stuck, so that I don’t have to miss the extra writing classes. Then she laughed because right now she is going to school fulltime and her husband has taken 6 months parental leave, so really she was offering for him to watch LL without asking him first. *laugh* She said LL is absolutely no problem at all to have around, which didn’t surprise me, he is a good kid. We headed home a bit before 1600 and then had a quiet evening here.

Sunday we slept in. I told LL he had to wait for one of us to get up with him, he was not to get out of bed and turn on the computer as soon as he woke up. So it was about 8 am when my fellow woke and said the kidlet could go watch tv. We played in bed for most of the morning, the kidlet making a fort out of my blanket and hiding his stuffed animals in it and assorted other activities that led to gales of kid and parent laughter. Then the kidlet made us breakfast in bed. *laugh* That was at noon and he made sandwiches for all while I made the tea. Farmor phoned while he was doing that and it was too funny hearing a 5 year old telling his grandmother, “oh, I am making breakfast for everyone”. *laugh* We went to my fellow’s parents for dinner and that was fun as always. It was another early night, I am so tired it is ridiculous. *laugh* My fellow was a bit stuffed up and had a scratchy throat so he went to bed early too.

Yesterday I packed some more, organized all the stuff that I have already packed in a corner of the living room, did dishes, vaccumed, all the things that get left over the weekend. My fellow came home at lunch and took the kidlet to school then I picked him up early and we went and did a big grocery shop. My fellow picked us up and brought us home, then went directly to his meeting. I did homework and made dinner for the kidlet, then made dinner for the adults when my fellow got home about 2130. He was really stuffed up and coughing a lot, so I dosed him up with some Benylin. It didn’t help too much though, he coughed and sniffed and tossed and turned all night. I called and talked to my grandparents. That was fun but Grandpa had a real hard time hearing me this time. I suspect it was because Gram was on the other phone, since the last time I spoke with him on the new phone it worked really well and I know that Aunt Maud made Gram hang up the other one. *laugh*

This morning my fellow has a nasty sounding cough, pain in his sinuses and one of his ears is draining. I suggested a doctor visit is in order but we will see if that transpires. He hates going to the doctor, but I think he needs to deal with this now so it doesn’t get so bad he is right off his feet with it.

I have been majorly depressed and moody for the past couple of weeks. I cry at the drop of a pin, I am absolutely pining for my family in Canada. I have no patience and the attention span of a gnat. Is this some kind of bizarre spring fever? *laugh*

Yesterday I sobbed for an hour because I had so wanted to spend this birthday in Canada, today it was because I got upset with my fellow before he left for work. The kidlet asked me why I was sad and I said I missed Canada and then he had a cry too. I asked him what he was crying for and he said he missed it too, he misses all his friends there and wishes we could go visit now too. I said we have to save up money and he offered up the cash in his piggy banks. *laugh* He does miss them all too, he talks about family over there almost every day and it has been a year and a half since we were there last. He said he would like to live there again some day but not now, he would miss all his friends here if we moved. I am surprised he has the same sense of torn identity since he was only 18 months old when we came here, but I have always made sure he remembers we are Canadians and that he knows his family there, so I guess it is as much home to him as it is to me in some ways.

Today I had great intentions of getting lots done this morning, but instead I got caught up in this latest lj_images thing that Andy posted a few days ago. I bookmarked the link for later and today was later. *laugh* Actually I have been looking at lots of cool links today, the crafty chica ones and others. I finally slowed down for a bit and had some fun online. *smile*

Why is it short weeks always seem so long? *laugh*

It was a nice day. This morning I worked on a craft project for a couple hours, played with the kidlet some and then headed off to school. Today Anne-Li was ill so we had two other teachers for the afternoon, both teachers I know and both are really good ones, so it was a great afternoon.

After school I picked up the kidlet at school. Tova’s mom told me that they are having a birthday party for her on Saturday and Llywellyn is invited. I heard about it yesterday from Tova’s dad, he apparently had forgotten the written invitation for the past couple of days so he told me in person. So LL will be going to his very first birthday party on Saturday and mom gets to stay and talk swedish with the other moms. *smile* I think it will be great fun. They had a party at school today for Mohammed and tomorrow there will be one for Tova. So it is a party week. Last night Meaghan phoned and LL was telling her that it was Mohammed’s birthday today. He turned from the phone and asked me how to say “Mohammed” in english. *laugh* I explained that it was the same in both languages. It was great to talk to Meaghan, we always have the most varied conversations, flitting from topic to topic. It really made my day. *smile*

I mailed off our passports so now it is just another wait until we get them back. It will be nice to be done with this and have our swedish citizenships.

Today was the first day with the new “grupp” at school. I have been dreading this for the past two weeks because it is so hard for me meet new people. So imagine how happy I was to find that I was not moved to a different C group, instead there is now a D group in the afternoons and some of the english speaking people from the morning class have switched to this class. So instead of a bunch of strangers, it was a bunch of my classmates from last term and some of the english speaking group that I met when we wrote the national exam. It was a really comfortable group to be in and I think it will go very well. *smile*

Janne was away today so we had two teachers I had never met before. Well the one I had met, she was the teacher that took over a couple years ago when Janne got ill and had to stop teaching the evening class. She taught us nothing for those couple of weeks, she literally just read to us every week. It was ok today, we listened to a tape and answered questions. Then the second half of the class we had a different teacher. I had never seen him and he asked me if I knew his name. I said no and he introduced himself as being quiet, reserved blah blah and the class all disagreed with that. *laugh* He really was quite interesting, I learned more about kommunal politics today than I have learned in the 4 years of living with a politician. *laugh* We are going to a kommunfullmaktige möte in two weeks and I am so looking forward to being there in person instead of just listening to it on the radio. (what does that say about me that I sit at home and listen to local council meetings on the radio? *laugh*) After we had finished going through all the overheads about government structure etc., someone asked him about his interest in politics and surprise, he used to be the a politician here and actually was the party leader (so he was the “mayor”) a few years ago. He left politics 8 years ago. I must say this was one of the most interesting afternoons at school this year. *smile*

This morning we got a letter from Migrationsverket. It was the request for our passports. So I will mail them off this week and if all goes well, we will be swedish citizens by the end of the month. I think I will however include a little note explaining that we are moving on May 8th and give them the new address, just in case.

The kidlet’s fever is gone, he has a little residual cough but he feels up to school, so we will be heading for school this afternoon. I have been cleaning some but I feel like it is a lost cause with all the boxes everywhere. I think I am going to organize them in a stack in the living room and then it won’t feel so mazelike here. *laugh*

I had a lovely birthday card in the mail yesterday from Kim. Thank you! *smile* I also recieved some cool ecards from Jennifer, Marie, Liz and Sula. Thanks to each of you, I thoroughly enjoyed all of them. *smile*

Today is Meaghan’s birthday. Wishing you a wonderful day and a terrific year to come. I was wishing this morning we could repeat last years’ birthday and be meeting you at Arlanda again today. *smile*