Friends for dinner

Mr. Napkin Man comes to visit for dinner. WC politely shakes his hand.

The Headless Man comes to visit. WC is not impressed.
(Photos taken this summer at the cottage.)

Sunday menu

Reindeer stew with red wine, juniper berries and rosemary gravy. Served with mashed turnips.

Recipe:

1. Go to the snowy mountains.
2. Find a reindeer.
3. Catch it with a lasso.
4. Cut its throat.
5. Cut out the best parts with a sharp knife.
6. Take the snowmobile back to civilization.
7. Put the meat in a hot pot.
8. Keep stirring.
9. Add red wine, cream, juniper berries and some fresh rosemary.
10. Ready to eat.

Early fall hiking day

 Two hikers in the Nacka Reserve.

 The sun is shining. The weather is nice. WC is sporting his new Polarn & Pyret shell pants and Tretorn wellies. And of course - no hiking outfit is complete without a warm John Deere hat.

 Hand in hand with mommy!

 Strenuous walk uphill - one has to concentrate!

 

Mother and son on the trail, posing for Mr. Camera man.

 Dad and WC on the trail, leading from the city into the Nacka Nature Reserve. WC enjoys the comfort in his Vaude Baby Butterfly Carrier.

(Click on the map to increase size.)

Our morning hike was a pretty easy one, but it is always nice to get out and enjoy the early fall colors. We met a few people in the forest that were looking for mushrooms, and we saw a fair amount of blueberries left on their bushes.  We started at 10 AM by the Hammarby-backen (red dot) and then walked across the forest in nice elevation. After an hour, we crossed the road and walked across the meadows(where the trail is man-made and a lot wider. This is where WC was let out of his harness so that he could do his own little hike). We arrived at Hellasgården (blue dot) around 11.40 and enjoyed the warm noon weather  (around 50-55 F). The whole family had lunch at Hellasgården and took a bus back (blue lines) to the inlet at Järla lake, where we got off and hiked back along the shore of Sickla lake (burgundy arrows). By this time, our son had already fallen asleep on daddy's shoulders.

Has he gone to sleep yet?

Nietzsche and Wittgenstein hiding under our kitchen table until the terror of the house is sound asleep.

Warning! Reading can make your child smart!

Warren Christopher takes up a central part of our life. So it is only fair that he should have the central part of the family bookcase.

WC's first bath in ocean water

At the beach in Skummeslövsstrand, on the Swedish west coast.

Cute smile for the camera!

The entire family walks in together.

One little brave guy in 60F-something ocean water!

 Heading out together.

WC is getting dry after his bath in his pirate towel!

Playing with Dad's old toy cars. Yes - of course they are Volvo cars!

On the swing at our cottage!

Great grandparents visit the cottage

Gamla-Farmor and Gamle-Farfar (Dad's Grandmom and Grandpop) visit the summer cottage and take a ride on the swing sofa with WC.

John Deere next door

At the summer cottage, Farfar and WC take a closer look at our neighbor's tractor.

I'm the NRA!

"I'll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands."

Gamla-mormor (Daddy's Mommom) and WC!

Three generations of Nilsson-Lindgren together at the senior care center in Helsingborg.

Summer cottage days

Fun in the sun!

Mom and Dad join in the fun!

Big wheels are the best!

Going hiking with Dad, piggy-back style!

During our first week in the summer cottage, in the middle of July, we enjoyed plenty of sunshine and temperatures bordering 90 degrees.

Sound Asleep with Woody

WC taking a nap, with a firm grip of Uncle Chris' blanket.

Midsummer in Sweden!

Our balcony in full sunshine at 8 PM; pickled herring, fresh potatoes with newly cut dill, served with cold lager beer and Swedish bitter dram snaps.

!

"Oh! Please Mom! do I have to wear your silly flower wreath?"

Midsummer Afternoon

WC and his personal favorite - the German police car - crawling across the open lawn. The family went outside to enjoy the weather in an almost deserted inner city on Midsummer's Eve, and eat strawberries and ice cream.

In the playground area.

In the swing of things...

Some of WC's first steps...

 Sometimes a walk in the park is no walk in the park. Good thing to hold on to Daddy!

Please! Give us a Republic!

Oh well, what's a royal ball? After all, I suppose it would be frightfully dull, and-and-and boring, and-and completely...ANACHRONISTIC!!!

Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Victoria Bernadotte yesterday married Kermit the Fr... sorry... her personal trainer Daniel Westling, henceforth His Royal Highness Prince Daniel Bernadotte! And the servile attitute of Swedish journalists reached an all-time high with the coverage of the wedding. Gone are the days when the servants were kept in closed quarters... or, well... not that former Swedish kings didn't spread their wild oats but at least they never formally mingled with peasantry or anything short of pure blue blood.

So with this final rule broken, what are the the reasons for keeping the royalties gurgling Pommery Grand Cru (the champagne chosen by His Majesty the King for last night's event) on my (and other taxpayers') expense?

And.. here's a funny twist... The monarchy is supposed to be great PR for Sweden, but the Swedish public broadcasting company made it impossible for AP and Reuters to get live footage from the event. 

Tara and Kim did a boycott on us much of this event as possible.

Instead, we celebrated a nice summer evening by having fresh asparagus for starter together with sparkling wine, and a European plaice for main course, served with fresh potatoes and compôt of tomatoes and shallott onions. And to finish it off we ate homemade chocolate sauce on vanilla ice cream and a strawberry cup in white wine. God Save the Queen? We don't think so!

Warren Christopher 1 year!

Today, on June 12, 2010 our son got to celebrate his one year birtday! 

FFA theme for everyone!

Father and son in party hats and a table decorated with a Swedish flag.

Mommy's boy dressed up in a bowtie.

A onesie that says it all!

Sitting nicely for the camera on a chair from Farmor and Farfar and in a slipover from MomMom and PopPop. (Please! Everyone... notice the John Deere socks!)

Yes, it makes sounds when you push the buttons... we know!

Master Chef Mom had prepared a sandwich cake in the shape of a locomotive!

Grocery shopping in the sun

WC and Mom after some grocery shopping in the sun.

Everyone under the age of 1 will have Mommy's homemade salmon pudding.

The grown-ups are having 
Marennes oysters
Fried char from the Swedish highlands, served with fresh potatoes and cod roe sauce
Fleur du Cap Chardonnay

For the Swedes:
Någon som gillar god mat är ju Ulf Elfving, ... förstås... och ett par tre flaskor rött!!!
Varför inte en Hawaiiburgare, eller fransk makrill? Men först... Boys II Men med End of the Road.

Nietzsche and a flower pot

Our New Sculling Machine!

Yes! Yesterday we got ourselves this great new sculling row machine!!! Workout sessions in our apartment just became a lot easier.