Sommarlov is almost over

I took a look at the calendar and realized that the girls have only 2 weeks left before school starts and I have 3 weeks. Wow! This summer went by quickly that is for sure. We have had some warm and sunny Swedish weather (probaby 80 plus degrees) for about 3 weeks and now a respite with the usual mixed up weather (sunny sometimes and rain the next but a nice 70 plus degrees). During the heat of things we enjoyed going to a different beach every day. I liked the private ones that you only know about by living here. You can either get to them by foot if you live close enough, or park your car and walk some distance. We parked and walked past a private observatory run by a university; past the Chairman of Volvo's home; past a traditional Swedish farm house painted falu red with white trim; past a forest and wheat field and thru a forest. We got to this secluded beach with rocks and little grass but nice swimming for the kids. So after several days of checking out new locations with hours spent at the beach I kind of was all sunned out. We bought a pool instead for a change of pace. A pool bigger than our back yard. I tried to fill it myself and did a poor job so it was pretty lopsided but the girls loved it. Today with summer winding down we borrowed a pump and emptied it.
Today I took a walk in the forest just 3 houses down from us. There is a wonderful walking trail that is lit for darkness. It was very calming to be on my own while the girls were with Mattias on the boat. I have also been weeding the garden a bit more. I wasn't sure what was a weed and what are meant to be there but as I've looked more have figured it out I hope. Liv spotted something red in the garden which turned out to be a potato. Well, we had several plants that were ready for digging so the girls and I enjoyed a the surprise treasures we found today. They are called mandelpotatis here. A different variety and size. We cooked them and at them and they were delicious. Now we are waiting for the blackberries to ripen. We get maybe 5 a day but the bush is wrapped clear around a wood shed so we are expecting hordes! We hope to freeze them for future use.
With so little time left before school we will quick have to get some visiting in and do little things around town. We will go to Mattias' family farm and then to visit some Minnesota friends who have a summer house here in Sweden. Mattias will have to work a couple days in Uppsala so we can decide if myself and the girls will travel there as well for a first time visit or hang at the farm.
This week we will continue to work on our house. Our kitchen is not finished yet but functional. We have not spent days slaving on it but pick at it when we feel like it. I would like to get moving on it more before the school starts again.

More later,
Carrie