313 days and 12 hours to go!...

One of the reasons for my absence has been the fact that, as some of you know, I've been on vacation - almost 2 weeks, up in the Springy North: Sweden.

Though I did pack my computer (for some moments I thought of not bringing it along, but the clear authoritative tone on Mr. B.'s voice immediately chased off such an "insane" idea), I tried my best to make sure it wasn't to be used all the time, so I could really take in the surroundings and put to practice the so longed for plan of lying belly up on the grass, with a pillow and a book for company.

I've realized that I have told you already about the trip to Sweden - the delays, the "baglessness", the health issues that followed... But I haven't quite told you what happened next and so it's now my intention to let you know a bit of the fun we had. :-) Ready for it? Here we go...

So... We left home on the afternoon of the 27th of May, with Frankfurt (Germany) as our first destination. We did leave from here, but with a delay of over half an hour, which later resulted in us running as silly all the way through Frankfurt's airport, just in time to get on the plane to Copenhagen (Denmark) - the 3 last passengers boarding the plane. But we did it! On the other hand, our bags didn't, which then led to us arriving in Copenhagen around midnight, exhausted and bagless.

Dad-in-law was waiting for us in the airport, slightly puzzled at first to see how "light" we had been travelling, used as he is to all sorts of luggage issues when it comes to us (as in "I cannot fit this in my bag, will you mail it to me instead?"). Then it was the seemingly long trip up from Copenhagen, over Öresundsbron (the bridge of Öresund), towards Skummeslövstrand, in the kommun (municipality) of Laholm, in Hallands län - 153 Kms (or, as they say up there, little more than 15 Swedish "miles").

In the way, we made a quick stop for some drinks and - highly important! - toothbrushes. :-) And then, tired and in pain, we finally got to the summerhouse, where late night tea was waiting for us.

We finally hit the sack some time around 3 a.m., though it wasn't such a long night's sleep... A couple of hours later, I was up, still unaccustomed (will I ever get to be?!...) to the amount of light outside so early in the morning and in terrible pain. When I finally managed to fall asleep again, around 7 a.m. or so, mom-in-law wakes us up with the news that she got me a doctor's appointment - apparently, while I managed to get some minutes of sleep, Mr. B. informed the household of my newly acquired illness. And that's how my vacation started with an interesting visit to the health center down in Laholm...

The visit was quick and effective - I would even say pleasant, when compared to the national points of reference, but those who know me, know well enough of my deep allergy to all this medical, so it'd definitely be too much a long step for me to take with that particular adjective. Ruled that I had an urinary infection, I was just supposed to head down to the pharmacy, where my prescription would be waiting for me - so UN-Portugal! :-) The pharmacy visit was painless too, though it did look a bit crowded, like a supermarket on rush hour.

Back to the house, we had lunch and received the visit of one of Mr.B.'s cousins and his 3 children. That was a first for me, as I hadn't met any of them yet and almost a first one for Mr. B himself, considering how long it was since he had met his cousin last. Then it was Mr. B's oldest brother and his girlfriend's turn to pass by and stay for a couple of hours. And then... bed! bed! bed! :-) - for some hours, anyway, as it was light until so late and light again so early, that this usually so sleepy person was wide awake at 5 a.m. :-S