Long overdue post (and long )

H.E.A.T at Väsby Rockfestival

Matilda, me and Peter

I have no excuse but I can blame summer (?) and wanting to take a break. Last I wrote it was the end of June and now we have August already.
July consisted of, mostly, vacation. The first week though I worked but July 4th we went to Svardsjo in Dalarna to visit G and P and their wonderful house overlooking lake Svardsjon. We also attended a singalong held at the "old farm" lead by a very popular artist here in Sweden, Lasse Berghagen.
The weather was just beautiful with sunshine and over 4 000 people in the "choir". Afterwards we went home to the house where we have a wonderful dinner with BBQ together with G, P, G, S, K and O :-)

Waiting for Lasse Berghagen and singalong

Returned home Sunday afternoon and the next day we left to check-in at "our" hotel Marina Tower. Sadly enough we didn't get our favorite room :-( but at least a room with a view over the sea. The next day we gladly took the ferry to Nybroviken in order to enter a ship for a 1000 island cruise but when we arrived we were told that the cruise was cancelled due to tecnical problems. It later turned out the boat was taking in water (!). We went on a 2,5 hour sightseeing under the bridges of Stockholm instead which the company treated us with. Later we re-scheduled the cruise.

Me at the terrace of Orenas castle

I then took the train to Malmo to visit my Mom's cousin something I try to do once or twice a year. I'm so grateful to have her and that she tells a lot about all my relatives and people I didn't know I was related to. We also have so much fun when we meet and we talk and laugh a lot :-)

Kerstin at Orenas castle

This time I rented a car and we took two days of roadtrips. The first they we went up in Scania. First having lunch at Orenas castle with breathtaking views of the island of Ven and across to Denmark. We sat out on the terrace in sunshine and had our lunch. Why do I always talk about sun and the weather you might wonder? Well, if you have rain almost all July and no really high temperatures you tend to mention the days where the sun shows :-) On my part I'm happy with temp. around the 20-23C mark since I don't cope with heat (!?) that well.

In the garden of "The girls Lundgren on the Skerry". Isn't the house gorgeous?

Anyway we continued up to a place called "The girls Lundgren on the Skerry" (The Skerry is a place not an actual rock) When we finally arrived there after having gone far to far up north we had a wonderful time having coffee with cakes in the beautiful garden. In all we were on our outing for 10 hours.

The oldest house in Ystad dated 1480

Next day we drove down to Ystad which is almost as south as you can come in Sweden. We strolled to the city which is just beautiful, a small town filled with old houses. The oldest one dates back to 1480! This is a town where several of our relatives have lived and some are also buried in the graveyard here, which I didn't know. We then had a wonderful lunch at Ystad saltsjobad which is a hotel and spa situated on the coastline with a lovely sandy beach.

Kerstin and me in Ystad

After returning from Malmö and Scania I had a couple of days at home where I had time to see my hairstylist and also attend Väsby rockfestival where H.E.A.T performed. What a show and what a crowd! So much fun and even Hasse came along and had a lot of fun.

Waiting for H.E.A.T

Next day we went on a cruise to Turku/Åbo in Finland me, Hasse, Danniel and Emil. We didn't have the best weather which you want when you are on this luxury ship with big balcony but still we had a good time together.

Two brothers on the huge balcony

And me in the sunshine

Home again for repacking and then off to a road trip with my friend. First we went to Old Linkoping which is like a museum with old buildings (a bit like Skansen in Stockholm). We actually stayed in a hotel inside this Old town, a hotel from 1600-something. The old facade but inside fully modern and very comfortable. The only thing was that downstairs the ceiling was so low that even I could touch it.

Our gorgeous hotel in old Linkoping

The day after we first stopped in Soderkoping for lunch and to fetch a cake we had ordered for Peter Johansson and Matilda Grün to give to them at their concert.

Peter and his friend and collegue Bruno Mitsogiannis

We then continued to Sankt Anna church where the summer concert was to be held. We were there 2,5 hours before but there were so many people already there so we stayed after first delivered our cake.

The cake we gave them (it says: Thank you for the music)

The concert was fantastic, as always, and this year the theme was film melodies. In the middle there was a quiz or rather a crossword where you should recognize well-known film melodies, take the color coded letters and get the name of a film. And who do you think won?? Yes me :-) I won all their records in a collectors box and you can imagine how happy I was.
After the concert we continued to the cottage we had rented for the night just be the sea. Fantastic is the word. A new-built house with beautiful views of the sea. We had a great dinner at the nearby archipelago tavern.

Breakfast with a view

The morning after we had breakfast in the boathouse or rather on a balcony on the boathouse. The sun was shining and the sea glittered in the sun. Very peacefully.
We then started our trip home but on the way we paid a visit to Rickard at Torpa inn where we have had conferences several times. Also a gorgeous place which we will return to on September 4-5.
He treated us with coffee and cake and we had a good chat.
After all this it was time to go back to work which I did last week. Do you remember I wrote in the beginning that the cruise was cancelled? Last week on Thursday it was finally time to go on the cruise.

Sandhamn harbor

Gunilla and Per at Bullero

And it was well worth waiting for. A fantastic cruise through Stockholm archipelago visiting 3 island but passing at least 1000. During the almost 12 hour cruise we had coffe twice, lunch buffet and also a 2-course dinner with a pre-drink. All included. A fantastic day where we fled the rain in Stockholm and instead went for the sunshine. It was such a contrast to see the black clouds behind us and just blue sky and sunshine in front :-) Just as we returned to Stockholm the sun came out.

Sandhamn

 

This Saturday it's my sis Helen's birthday - CONGRATULATIONS SIS. Love you

OK, now I'm done :-) I hope it won't take as long before I write again.
Take care!