Here's a post I've been postponing so long now that I barely remember all I was planning to write about! It's a summary of a few weekends past - which I'd originally planned to chronicle one at a time, when time was short and events were crazy. Well, it was crazy from a normal, comfortable, I imagine pretty ordinary stride of life. Now that things have calmed down a bit... for a day at least, here's that summary of all the good that's been going on in my life the past month, ever since tee green valley, and this little interlude, written in a rare moment of time and clarity.
So what's up? The last weekend in May I went road tripping and couch surfing with buddy Bear, to his place out in Torsfjärden. Basically it's in the middle of nowhere, though comfortably close to a long road that runs through this vast nothingness. We drove up on Wednesday night, slept over in Sundsvall, arrived in Torsfjärden late Thursday, and got up early Sunday morning for a long drive back. I mean early/long like: up at 6 AM. Home at 6 PM.
We visited Kvarnvattnet, Hällingsåfallet (a beautiful waterfall, and the deepest canyon in Sweden), Gäddede, Alanäset Skansen (an old military dig-out from WW2), Strömsund (we drove over the fabled Strömsund Bridge and visited Dunerklumpen - a mythical stone monument from a children's tale that directly translated means the super lump), and even took a short tour into Norway, for super-expensive ice cream and souvenirs in Sandviken.
We also checked out the Nordli, Gustaf Adolf, Alanäset and Nacksta churches along the way (my buddy's the religious one), ate lunch at Restaurang Grankotten on Norrberget in Sundsvall (beautiful place, great food; great museum nearby), and stopped for lunch on Max in both Gävle and Hudiksvall on the way there and back. Not to mention various shorter stops along the way, second-hand shopping (Sundsvall had a couple of great places), and the transitioning towns and landscapes we drove through, South to North and back again, from where summer was in full bloom to colder reaches where lakes were still covered in ice and the trees just starting to sprout their summer greenery. It was a 1,400 kilometer trip just back and forth, with plenty of additional drive time between aforementioned place and surrounding sights.
It was a pretty intense four day trip, but a ton of fun! On the way back we passed my parents in Sundsvall, heading up to our summer place a hundred kilometers further North. We arrived back home late Sunday, were back at work Monday morning, and I was backstage at a Royal Republic concert that same night, and INVSN the night after. Royal Republic were awesome! I'll post a recap on all concerts some other time though.
A few workdays flew by, and come Thursday night me and my sister headed up North again, to our summer place this time. Our dad met up at Luleå airport, and I drove us home in icy winds and an oncoming rainfall that soon turned to hail, slush, and snow. The temperature dropped down to 1°C, and we hoped the roads wouldn't freeze over, our winter tires long gone. It didn't, fortunately, and we made it to our place just after midnight and a couple moose sightings, in time for a late dinner as the storm raged outside and last year's gray grass was once again covered in a layer of frosty white.
The first night was cold. We slept with hats on, the fireplace well-fed, and a bundle of blankets, but come the next morning the sun was out and the snow was gone. Well, except for large leftover mounds of the recent winter hiding in shady areas of the yard. The world slowly warmed up during our stay, though it wasn't warm enough yet to swim or take out our summer clothing.
We didn't do much sightseeing here, but one canoe trip out on the lake - high on an abundance of spring water, to a stream where toads swam on the surface and stopped as we slid by. We weeded the garden for this year's crops, fixed fences, took down the boats and canoes, took out the bikes and tables, and pots, and plants, and plotted, and prepared for the coming summer. Time passed fast. Monday night came and so we flew back South, and after a missed bus (the plane was late) and time-filling airport lunch at McDonald's (the only place still open) I was back home again, in time for another light midnight snack and one day to rest up. The fourth of June! Sweden's national holiday.
The next weekend I went for a helicopter tour over Stockholm. It was awesome. Hope to post some footage later on, but no promises considering what other abundance of material I have yet to post that I never seem to get around to. The helicopter shook a bit during take-off, but during flight it was steadier than expected. I also took two tours of Täby Paradise Adventure Golf (minigolf - they have two courses and I had two rebates) with a cousin, this week and the next, and on the next one (which was last week) I went to the Gröna Lund concerts of The 1975 and Monster Magnet. Both awesome. This week it was Rob Zombie and SUM 41. Both even more awesome, and I think that about sums it up. 41...?
Next week my nephew's coming down for a day, and if there's time to spare there are two more concerts I hope to go to. Did I mention work is hectic as hell lately because we're launching a new webshop this summer, I'm the webshop admin (though we've contracted a freelance firm to build the platform), and the coming week's my final week of work before I leave on a one-month vacation?
Usually it'd be at least eight weeks straight, but I might have to come back for a week or two in August to help out with the launch, due on the last of July. I hope it'll be just one of the two, but considering how much work is on the table right now it'll probably be double. I'll get to extend my vacation with another week for each week I work, and they'll pay for the extra flights, but it just so happens the first of the two weeks coincides with a much anticipated visit of Big Bro & Co, and that one week will probably be the most important one for work. I doubt most people have as generous circumstances for vacation though, so although the uncertainty is weighing on my mind a bit I really shouldn't complain. I'll be up North all July at least, so hopefully I can shed all superfluous webshop thoughts on this sacred stretch of days and really take in summer to the fullest.
Flogging Molly and First Aid Kit were a couple of artists I'd have liked to see as well btw, but didn't feel like I had time for. But hey, I've had time for plenty. I've spent a couple days on long walks and games with a buddy too (though overall way too little walking - I'd jog but my knee won't let me), and yesterday we celebrated Midsummer, with good food and Corona. This weekend it's time to try to both take it easy and get a shitton of stuff done before the final stretch.
And then I leave, to our humble abode in the hazy summer, amidst soft fields, shimmering waters and high pine in that place that seems to define time: The North. The Source of all things worth doing chores for. Paradise, if just for a few moments. I've been looking forward to it all winter, but when the time does come it's always too soon! That'll be the break of all this recent craze, but until then: I'm preppin' for at least a few more amazing days of both great and chase. As much as I'm able. Cheers and tables.
