floridatjej

Alla inlägg under maj 2017

Av EvaLena Hallgren - 31 maj 2017 20:31

Mom is in a better mood, and this time it didn’t come out of that box she and Elvy drank from.  I think it’s because finally, Lucy is healthy again. We did drive to a city and Mom made an appointment to get a new water pump. Avery nice girl helped us out and said we could stay for free at this beautiful campsite until Monday morning when the mechanic will arrive to install the new pump. The first night there was entertainment in a tent nearby and it was supposed to be music but in our ears, it was only loud noise. That ended at 2 am so we didn’t have a very peaceful sleep

   

Mom made her first supper in Lucy and it was Swedish pirogi's (called body cakes) with lingonberries, nothing that I had an interest in although I got a little taste of the bacon inside. At our walk along the lake, we came upon a big field of Lilly of the Valley. Mom said it smelled like childhood so she couldn’t resist picking a few despite the strong scent and her allergies.

 

Monday morning we got up real early and parked outside the repair shop very excited to get Lucy fixed, and the girl called at 8 am to let us know the mechanic was sick so they couldn’t help. A very disappointed Mom called around to other cities with RV shops and with a lot of begging managed to get help.

They too were extremely busy but agreed to help anyway and quickly replaced the pump which worked great, but now it was leaking in the faucet which also had to be replaced. These guys are like acrobats working in such cramped spaces. Mom went into their shop to look at stuff she wants but do not need, and she actually resisted buying unnecessary stuff. But she remembered the inspection guy had said something about the propane hoses needs to be changed out.

Girl in the shop was so helpful and came out to look at the hoses and found a hole!!!! so grateful for that discovery. The expert guy came to look and said the way that is connected is not legal anymore, the inspection person should not have overlooked that. Mom had 2 propane tanks with 2 regulators and a T connection to both. Now we have 2 tanks and one hose and one regulator.  

 

 

Mom was real happy when we left this place because she feels safe everything is working now.

The last thing was to rotate the tires and that was done at a shop in a few minutes. The left front brake was squealing but that was taken care of with some grease.

Our trip is continuing south Mom driving and I mostly napped until I recognized where we were going. I immediately got a whiff of the meatball factory and knew we were going to Lotta's house ……….I jumped around in my seat singing, can’t wait to see Selma and Morre, and of course Lotta too.

According to Mom, she’s an amazing cook and she’s preparing all Mom’s favorites.  


       

Selma was only a little kitten first time we met so I was hoping she’ll remember me, not sure she did because she hissed at me. Morre did too but he has always done that so I ignore it. He’s the same age as I am, so I understand he’s a bit cranky, (not that I ever am)

Selma did lighten up and was very curious about me, but she’s no Lilly so I mostly ignore her.

 

     


 

 Early morning Mom got to do some gardening before Lotta got out of bed, and that’s probably the therapy she needed to become happy again

 


This little guy is also contributing to the happy feeling as he is chirping away sitting on top of the roof.

 


A relative to Lotta from our hometown had visited recently, and she brought homemade Swedish matza and cloudberries...............what a breakfast treat

 

 

these creatures Mom likes cooked on a plate.............I say it looks gross and don't want anything to do with them, and that's a statement from a guy that eats horse poop Mom says.......meatballs I remind her

 

Lotta son came to put a house together where hens are supposed to live, and of course Mom couldn’t leave him alone, she just had to help. It was raining but they both kept on working until they found a few pieces that didn’t fit.

Convinced the factory had sent the wrong pieces they stopped and Mom went into town for some errands in Lotta's car and left me to watch over everybody.

   

At dinner, we got homemade "palt"a dish mostly Northerners makes. and this time I made sure I sat next to Lotta because she is easily swayed into giving me some from her plate. I wink at her a little and she’s mine ………


 


We’re having an awesome time here and Mom is being pampered so now everything is just dandy. Lotta has washed all Moms stuff the mice had shitted in and tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny ……………..life is good again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Av EvaLena Hallgren - 27 maj 2017 23:43

Finally arrived at our destination and all is well. The flight is long and not very comfortable but as usual, I was on my very best behavior despite hours in my little bag. Oh and by the way, I got a brand new bag again, this is my 4th obviously they aren’t very well made. This time I got a very fancy bag that Mom ordered from Amazon and it arrived in pieces so we had to ask Bodies Mom and Dad across the street to help putting it together. Mom says when this bag brakes there will be no more traveling? ………..Ha, I don’t believe her, she’s like a Gypsy and she drags me along, not that I mind a little adventure.

   

Here at the farm, I’m allowed to roam free which is news to me? In the past, I wasn’t because Mom was afraid I would go and visit with those curly haired dogs next door (sheep) turns out they aren’t here anymore. Only time Mom get nervous is when I get near the outhouse (where I think there’s a fine aroma) she starts hollering. I try to ignore her, but she’s persistent so that’s a no-go zone for me. That doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying to go there.  


 


A week has now gone by and we haven’t driven anywhere with Lucy yet. The first problem was that mice had moved in for the winter, so everything had to be scrubbed clean. Secondly, the battery for the inside part was dead, and no charge would hold. After a new battery was installed that worked OK.

The third was the water pump that makes noise but does not pump water to the kitchen or bathroom sink. A fourth was the toilet that leaked, which is now fixed. We got lots of help from Ove and Helge which we are very grateful for.  

Elvy is an amazing cook, so Mom is already working on her weight gain, but since she refused my help of eating some from her plate I consider it her own fault so I don’t want to hear any complaints later on.

I’m pretty sure all that wine and beer she’s been indulging in are ending up on the hips too.. 

 


Everything seems to work OK now, except there’s nowhere in this village to buy a new pump, and Thursday was a holiday with most stores closed. I’m not complaining because I think it’s pretty cool around here, but Mom has gotten very cranky after all these difficulties, and for a moment I heard her talking about getting rid of Lucy and renting a cabin in the woods………

Didn’t worry me much because I know she’ll have cabin fever in less than a week and we’ll be on the road again. Later in the evenings, she seems to get in a much better mood after bringing out this box so I'm trying to figure out what's in it? but apparently, she had no intentions to share it with me?

 

I met a girl named Mitzy and she wanted to play, but since I’m a distinguished old man, I declined the invitation.

 

 

Mom feels lost at the supermarket, nothing looks like it does in Publix and here they’re keeping a reindeer in the middle of the store………….but they don’t let dogs in? Go figure?

 

the only thing I know that comes in a tube in the USA is toothpaste. Here is a whole rack of squeezable cheeses in different flavors.

Mom gave out a chuckle at these tiny melons, not even close to the ones we have in the US. They looked like the size of tennis balls Mom said.

 

 

 

 


As the snow melts on the mountains the river get filled up and the rapids bigger than usual and not suitable for a swim.

 

 

 

 

this is the view at Moms friends place from where we stayed for a week, not too shabby

 

we are now spending the night at a campsite close to a place where we can get a new water pump and have it installed first thing Monday morning.Meanwhile, we just sit around and relax. Amazingly gorgeous weather so far, sure hope it keeps up.

   


 

Sweden is 950miles long and the temperature differs a lot. We aren't all the way south, but lilacs are beginning to bloom and everything is green and beautiful, still nowhere close to where Mom would go for a swim.

   

Since it’s really cold and snow up North Mom decided we have to drive south and I agree with her. Our first stop as soon as Lucy are fixed, has to be Selma and Morris house. I’m looking forward to meeting them again, and it’ll be interesting to see if Selma remembers me. she was just a little baby last year and very nervous around me in the beginning, but with my charm, I won her over in a few days. Morre is another story, he tolerates me nowadays but first time we met he climbed up a window and hid under the valance………..hahaha a sight I never forget.  

time for bed, Good Night all

 

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