A while back, the grandkids stayed overnight at our house. We talked about the time when their mom was a teenager and wasn’t feeling well. Their mom wanted to stay in her bedroom, so I found a little bell and told her to “Ring this bell, when you need me.” I tucked her in and went downstairs to finish up whatever I was doing. The bell idea didn’t work very well. Somehow I got too involved, and I couldn’t hear my daughter ring the bell. She finally yelled, which I heard!
I showed the grandkids the two bells we have at our house. One is golden and the other is white. The white one is larger and the ring of each bell gives off a different tone. Unfortunately, Hubby and I didn’t listen carefully to how each one sounded before putting them to bed. After going through the night time routine, we let each grandkid have a bell, which they placed on the dresser next to each of their beds.
As the dark night began to slip away, a little bell began to chime. Hubby got up, and checked the bedroom where our granddaughter was. She appeared to be fast asleep. Then he wandered down to where our grandson was, but his eyes were closed tightly as well. Hubby came back to our room and wondered which one rang the bell. It looked like they were both sound asleep. Maybe we were imagining it! Hubby jumped back into bed, we closed our eyes, and just as we were about to settle in, we heard the bell ring again. I wished I would have remembered what each bell sounded like. This time, I did the checking, and they both looked as if they were sound asleep. I went back to our bedroom, and we laughed and wondered who was playing this trick on us.
We heard it ring again and noticed, or were actually awake this time, and concluded that our grandson was the one ringing the bell. Grandson had a good little chuckle that day, and, of course, so did we. After their parents picked them up, I hid the bells! 🔔
A day without laughter is a day wasted. ~ Charlie Chaplin
Pieces were scattered Each one had a special place Except one lone piece
Winter is jigsaw puzzle time at our house. Sometimes, there are missing pieces. After this one was completed, we had one piece left over. We were puzzled. It’s not an extra piece to this puzzle, but appears to belong to a different one. Some box somewhere is missing a piece!
Are you a dissectologist (person who enjoys assembling jigsaw puzzles)?
We had to say good-bye to our son’s dog, Bauer. Matt was out of town, so Hubby and I agreed to pick Bauer up from the kennel the day before Christmas Eve. Bauer had been slowing down for a while, and that day he seemed to be slowing down even more.
Bauer was 14-years old and was a beagle and blue heeler mix. Matt found him at an animal shelter in northern Minnesota. That little beagle was quite the handful. Not only was he stubborn, but he was naughty at times. His energy level was very high and his bark was quite loud. Over the years, those things slowed and quieted down. Sometimes I would say, “I think I like “Old Bauer” better than “Young Bauer”!
In his younger days, Bauer was able to open refrigerator doors. One time he grabbed a package of raw steak out of the fridge at Matt’s apartment. He managed to remove the wrapper and chowed down the steak before Matt knew what was happening. Bauer liked to keep me company while I cooked. One time he hopped on a kitchen chair then onto the counter to see what I was doing! After that, I always moved that chair away from the counter. There was also the time I came home from work with a container of leftover lasagna. I was so excited to heat it up but made the mistake of setting it on the counter while I went through the mail. Bauer managed to jump high enough to knock the container off the counter. The box popped opened without spilling, and Bauer enjoyed each bite. One Christmas, after dinner, we found him on top of the dining room table sniffing the Christmas cookies. As far as I can remember, I think we caught him in time, and he didn’t get any. The last few years, he got into the habit of circling around the kitchen, dining room, and living room at our house. His little nails clicked against the floor as he went along. We joked that he was a security guard making his rounds.
One of Bauer’s saving graces was that he liked to cuddle with certain people. I happened to be one of those humans and Matt was the other one, of course. That night, Bauer was weak, and fell a few times while walking. Bauer had a stomach that tolerated anything, except that night. Hubby and I were surprised by an unprecedented explosion, if you know what I mean. Hubby called Matt to let him know how Bauer was feeling. Bauer and I cuddled on the couch while we waited for Matt to get back to town. When Matt arrived, Hubby, Matt, and I took a trip to the Emergency Vet a little after midnight on Christmas Eve morning. The vet agreed with our decision. We all felt Bauer was ready to go onto his next adventure.
It’s so hard to say good-bye to our furry friends. Even though they’re no longer here, remembering the funny times seems to help. Thanks for the memories, Bauer! We will never forget you! ❤️
Beagles, first they steal your heart and then they steal your dinner. ~Anonymous
On Sunday morning, my son and I were looking forward to watching the Minnesota Wild play later in the day. Matt and I met for breakfast and decided to go back to our rooms until around noon when we’d meet up to go to Avicii Arena.
Before coming to Sweden, I read that Sweden is more of a humanist country than a religious country, so I didn’t plan on visiting any churches. Except, after breakfast, a little lightbulb went off in my head, and I thought, Today is Sunday, and I wonder if I can find a Catholic Church around here. I searched and found that St. Eugenia’s wasn’t too far away. I tried to figure out the mass times, but it all came through in Swedish, so I quickly grabbed my coat, scarf, and gloves and headed out the door. I’d figure it out when I got there.
St. Eugenia’s Catholic Church
Google Maps showed me the way, but when I found the church, it was different from what I’m used to. No big statues or neon signs were there to greet me. Luckily I saw the little cross above the entrance. The entryway is tucked in between a cafe and a book store. When I arrived, mass was taking place, so I wandered around the commons for a bit. I admired the beautiful prayer cards but noticed they were in Swedish, but I still took a couple. I also saw a prohibition sign indicating no pictures were to be taken. If you’d like to see pictures of the inside, click here. When mass was over, I settled in one of the pews and leafed through the prayer book. Soon the choir got situated off to the side and the organist began playing. The voices of the teenagers echoed around us. Before I knew it, that half hour had passed and the priests were walking down the aisle ready to say the next mass. The entire service was in Swedish, but, as usual, it followed the order of mass, so I was able to stay on track. When it was time to greet our neighbors with the sign of peace, the parishioners placed their hands in prayer position with their fingers pointed towards the sky. When they said their greetings, they bowed to each other. As I stood there, I couldn’t help but think how cool it was to be in that sanctuary worshipping with people I didn’t know miles away from home. Yet, somehow, I felt at home there, in that church, where everything was familiar.
With a few minutes left of the service, it was time for me to leave so I could meet Matt on time. When I turned around, I was surprised to see that the place was packed with standing room only, which made me wonder: Is it true that Sweden is not a religious country?!
Police Officers
My walk back to the hotel was nice, and I never worried about safety issues. A few times, we saw the police walking the streets or on horses. Plus, the cavalcade of endless baby buggies helped me know that all must be okay along the streets of where we stayed.
Matt and I took a cab to the arena, and on the way, we saw IKEA! The traffic moves swiftly there, and we were glad when we got to the arcade, which is in walking distance to the arena. After a few games at the arcade, we walked to the arena. Upon approaching the building, a gentleman informed me that no bags were allowed inside. (I should have known this!) We then joined the crowd that was heading towards a shed filled with lockers where we could leave my bag. There were three young people there selling claim tickets. By the time I got there, most of the items that were once in my purse were now stashed inside my pockets, but I still had to hand my bag over. Getting there was quite a jaunt, but we were there early enough and didn’t miss the start of the game.
There wasn’t a bad seat in the house! The game flew by but sadly the Minnesota Wild lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime. Since I’m not a sports writer, I’ll move on! We retrieved my purse and headed back to the arcade for some hamburgers, which were actually pulled beef sandwiches with barbecue sauce.
The next day, we had a few hours before we needed to get to the airport. I took that time to explore more of Stockholm and to take some pictures. It was the first time the sun made an appearance, which just so happened to occur right after a little dusting of snow.
NorrmalmMagpie
As I walked this path, I wondered how the greenery could still be flourishing even though the November temperatures hovered around freezing everyday. A magpie stood still long enough for me to snap the above photo.
The ice rink is located across the street from St. Eugenia’s.
Every day we were there, this beautiful flower shop had different plants on display.
When I got back to the hotel, I double checked to see if I had my things packed, and we checked out. The cab took us to the train station, where we found the Arlanda Express. Luckily, we found a seat and settled in. The Arlanda Express travels between the airport and City Center and can reach a speed of 120 miles per hour. That was a fun ride but traveling that fast made it a little difficult to see the scenery!
The prayer cards made it home with me, and I entered the Swedish words into Google translate. This one is my favorite:
Day by Day
Oh my God, all that I have, all that I am, everything I do, I give to you. Come and stay with me during my day. Give me your spirit, said your still presence breaks through all my thinking, my speaking and my doing. Never let me live alone for me myself, but through Jesus, connected with you, and given to the people. Amen
There are so many sights to see in Stockholm, but I would love to go back for some more bites of the tasty food! We chose the restaurants on our own, without any recommendations, which went pretty well. Here’s my list starting with most favorite to least favorite.
When my son, Matt, and I went to Restaurang Prinsen, we didn’t have a reservation. We were escorted downstairs and ate at the bar. Close by, we saw some Minnesota Wild Hockey fans that were from Duluth. Many from that group ordered the Vara Hemtrillade Kottbullar, which is what I ordered. It’s what, I believe, is Sweden’s traditional dish of meatballs in cream sauce, lingonberries, pickled cucumber, and potato purée. It was quite the comfort food! Everyone cleaned their plates.
After our visit to the ABBA Museum, we searched “food near me” and happened upon a little cafeteria located inside the Nordic Museum. I ordered the haddock with potatoes and beets. Was it the butter that made it so delicious? What a surprise to find such a nice meal in a museum. The Nordic Museum has five stories of collections numbering over 1.5 million objects. Not being in the mood to explore that much, we just visited to enjoy our meals.
Since I only signed up to watch The Wild play on Sunday, Matt went to the game on Saturday by himself. The restaurant, which is located in the hotel where we stayed, was so quiet that night, I could hear myself chew! This beef stew and side salad filled me up.
I ordered this delicious salad when we stopped for lunch while visiting the Vasa Museum. It was another cafeteria-style place and was packed with people. The chicken was very moist and tender and accompanied the veggies so well.
Restaurang Riche was the first restaurant we visited. Many people were eating oysters. I ordered the half chicken, with fries, and a side salad. While we were chatting, Matt recognized Pat Maroon, who plays for The Wild!
This bolognese from Il Cabo in the Arlanda Airport was a treat. We ended up splitting this. You know how filling noodles can be!
CrabPotatoes and Broccoli
This one was not my favorite, so I won’t mention where we were. You might be wondering what it is. It’s the body of a crab. At home, we typically eat the crab legs, so I wasn’t aware that other parts of the crab are edible. That fact made me wonder what the Americans are doing with the meat that comes from the body of the crab. Maybe it gets canned… There wasn’t much to nibble on, when it came to the crab, so I was glad we ordered the potato and broccoli side dishes, which were quite tasty.
Thanks for reading the posts.❤️ Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!
Next stop: About Town
It’s so beautifully arranged on the plate – you know someone’s fingers have been all over it. ~ Julia Child 😂
The first museum my son, Matt, and I went to in Stockholm was ABBA The Museum.
I know practically every word to every song ABBA ever sang, so how did I not know that the two couples were romantically involved? Seeing this poster helped me come to that conclusion. 💕
It was fun to hear their songs in the background, while visiting replicas of their working areas and seeing some of the original costumes.
Waterloo Stage CostumesReplica of their officeReplica of their lakehome getawayThey sewed their own costumesMake-Up RoomWaterloo Guitar from Eurovision Song Contest
The year 2024 will mark the 50th Anniversary of the song Waterloo. I sing that song every time I have coffee or tea in my new cup that I got from the gift shop!
The next day, the view below greeted us as we crossed the bridge to get to the island ofDjurgården. The Vasa Museum is in the same vicinity as the ABBA museum. We heard and read that the Vasa Museum is the place to see while visiting Stockholm. It is the most visited museum in Scandinavia.
When we got there, we wondered why we never heard about the maritime museum before. We thought it was remarkable to see the warship Vasa, which made its maiden voyage on August 10, 1628. The ship didn’t make it a mile because it was too tall and didn’t have a large enough hull. When a gust of wind hit, it tilted and water entered through the open gun ports. There were 150 people on board and 30 people died. In August of 1956, Vasa is discovered by Anders Franzen, a fuels engineer, when the drag of his boat catches waterlogged pieces of oak. The Navy decides to investigate, after seeing the evidence. It takes a year and a half to prepare the ship so it can be lifted. From April 1962 to 1979, many people worked on preserving and piecing the ship back together. It had to dry out and was constantly sprayed with polyethylene glycol, a preservative. From 1979 to 1989, the ship was left to dry. Over 98 percent of the original structure is intact.
The VasaBowReplicaSternWhat is believed to be the colors that were used to paint the Vasa.Replica of inside of VasaAll the pretty colors
Down on the lowest floor, a few of the skeletons are displayed under glass. Some of the skulls have been modeled to show what the poor souls’ faces must have looked like. That part was creepy to me! That’s science, I guess. To me, it’d be better if they could rest in peace. Both museums were well worth visiting. If you get a chance to visit Vasa, be sure to watch the movie and join in on a guided tour.
When we left the building, we were greeted with darkness. The cloudy days slipped by quickly as the sun set around 3:30 p.m. It was close to 5:00 when we stopped at Junibacken. Junibacken is a fairy-tale house inspired by the writings of Astrid Lindgren. We stopped at the book store to buy some Pippi Longstocking paperbacks. The photos below are of the outdoor park. The darkness didn’t bother the children as some were still romping about. We heard their voices and saw their quick shadows disappear.
The park is by a beach. Below is a photo of the view from the park.
We walked back the way we came. When we got closer to the moose, we knew the hotel wasn’t far.
I wondered what Sweden’s fascination is with the moose. A quick Google search let me know that Sweden has the densest population of moose in the world, which is estimated to be between 300,000 to 400,000. There’s a lot of hunting that takes place, but I never saw moose on any of the menus. I’ve never tried it. Have you?
Next stop: The Food!
I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day. ~Vincent Van Gogh
Matt and I walked to Gamla Stan, Old Town, three times during our stay in Stockholm, Sweden. Gamla Stan is Stockholm’s original city center. It’s located on Stadsholmen Island. Most of the buildings are from the 1600s and 1700s.
The first time we visited, I wasn’t sure we were in the right spot. Things didn’t appear how I imagined after reading Rick Steve’s Snapshot Stockholm guide. After visiting the second time, we knew we were where we wanted to be. By the third time, I was brave enough to snap some pictures. The cold and damp made me hesitant to take my warm gloves off. Each day we were greeted with temperatures hovering around 30°F. Oh, and the wind! Some days it was quite sharp, but this day it was calm.
Statue of Charles XIV Johan in the Square in front of the Royal Palace.
View from the Square.
The front of the Royal Palace is being renovated and is covered in plastic. We peeked inside and were welcomed by this stunning entryway.
The back of the palace.
We visited an antique store and purchased souvenirs from a few of the other shops. I wished I would have bought one of these Pippi Longstocking dolls for myself. Granddaughter has the doll now and seems to like her too! I hope she guards it well! 😉
It was fun to walk about the well-cared for cobblestone streets and see the beautiful buildings.
On our way back to the hotel, we ran into Nordy, the Minnesota Wild Hockey Team’s mascot.
What a great photo op! Then, we had to get going, because the game was about to start.
Our walk back took us closer to this bay in the Baltic Sea.
Next stop: Two museums and a park.
Everything great that ever happened in this world happened first in somebody’s imagination.” ~Astrid Lindgren, Author of Pippi Longstocking
Last Mother’s Day, our son, Matt, visited and asked if Hubby and I wanted to watch the Minnesota Wild Hockey Team play in the NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. Immediately I said yes, but Hubby didn’t want to. Sweden wasn’t a place I thought I’d ever visit, because Hubby and I talked about traveling to our “ancestral homes.” As far as we know, we do not have any Swedish ancestors. Yet, given the opportunity, I jumped at the offer, and I’m glad I did. It’s a very safe and welcoming town, and it was nice to spend time with Matt.
Sweden is where Astrid Lindgren created Pippi Longstocking, one of my favorite childhood book characters. Plus that’s where the band ABBA is from! If you don’t know who ABBA is, they are a Swedish Europop band that topped worldwide charts from 1974-1982. Some of their hits were “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen,” and “Waterloo.” I knew I’d have fun at the hockey game, too! 🙂
Here are some photos of the Nobis Hotel, where we stayed.
Italicized text below is from Claesson Koivisto Rune’s book “Nobis Hotel, architecture and design.” There was a copy of this book in my hotel room!
Nobis Hotel is set in two magnificent late 19th-century buildings, both representing the finest of Stockholm’s bourgeois stone city that emerged in the latter half of the 1800s, at the outset of Sweden’s astonishing Industrial Revolution.
The light-colored building was originally a private residence for industrial magnate Walter Hirsch. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the building’s ground floor housed several legendary restaurants. It was later turned into a bank palace. In 1973, the building was dramatically thrust in the limelight of world news, when a bank robber took four people hostage in a drama that stretched out for six days, “The Norrmalmstorg Drama.” It is from these dramatic events that the expression “The Stockholm Syndrome” originates, relating to the complex bond that can develop between a hostage taker and his hostages.
We stayed in the dark-colored building next door, which “Originally… housed apartments for affluent Stockholmers, including one with 22 rooms, plus servant’s quarters. This building, too, was later turned into a banking palace. …The buildings have been revamped and modified several times over the years. …Large parts of the original interiors remain intact and are protected for the esthetic and cultural values by the Swedish National Heritage Board.
Upon our arrival, we were happy to see this gorgeous lobby.
Views of the lounge can be seen through the windows along this beautiful staircase.
My interior room overlooked the lounge.
View from my room
This was a cozy room to stay in. The windows stretch up to the ceiling.
Complimentary breakfast was available every morning in one of the restaurants.
There’s a yogurt bar; sandwich station with cut meats, cheeses, breads, and crisp bread; buttery croissants, eggs, bacon, and sausages. We enjoyed the coffee and different types of beverages at the juice bar, too.
One afternoon, I had a cup of coffee in the lounge and wondered why the hotel has this huge portrait of Zac Efron adorning its walls.
At one point, Matt said, “This place is too fancy for us!” I said, “No, it’s not!” I brought my dressy black boots! Anyway, it was a lovely place to stay.
Next stop: Gamla stan, the Old Town.
It is good people who make good places. ~Anna Sewell, author of “Black Beauty”
Hubby and I met Roger, this beautiful horse, on the last day of our trip. There were about 10 of us on the carriage ride that we took with Old South Carriage Company. When the guide started the tour, everyone wanted to know the horse’s name. Andrew, the guide, seemed used to not having people ask him his name. He told us anyway! The horses are bought at auctions and most are from Amish farms. It was Roger’s third week giving rides and he did a wonderful job! The carriage traveled a block to pick up our route. The City regulates where the tours go. There are three different companies, and it’s the best way for each to have a fair chance and to also spread out the tours. The guides don’t know which tour they will be leading until they stop at the stand.
One of Andrew’s first lines was, “History is a buzzkill.” Then he told us the nitty gritty details of how things were when the immigrants first arrived. Only a third of the immigrants from England survived the trip. Some were so relieved to make it, that they drank too much liquor and died. They didn’t have family close by, so they got buried in a mass grave. At one point, we rode over that mass grave, which contained corpses of thousands of people. The mass grave happened to be close to the prison and insane asylum. Andrew talked about how people didn’t last a year in the prison. Now it’s being renovated and will become an office building. I don’t think I’d want to work there! If you’d like to see photos of the prison, click here.
Andrew explained why the front yards are small. Since there wasn’t indoor plumbing like we have today, a lot of the homes stored rain water on top of the roofs. They used that as a sort of plumbing, but all the waste got sent out into the street. That’s why there were so many fragrant gardens in the back yards and perfume was really popular then! Yikes!
Fortunes were made by selling gold rice or fertilizer. The wealthy people’s children were taken care of by the Africans. The Africans taught the children about African folklore. The children started to believe in ghosts and the houses were painted with blue haunt paint. Blue haunt paint was supposed to trick the ghosts into thinking it was water, which the ghosts couldn’t cross. Andrew told us about the lady who is pretty in the day but steals skin at night. After looking this up, I learned those ghosts are called Boo Hags. You can read more about Boo Hags here.
Blue Haunt Paint
We learned about prohibition and the speakeasies. There were bars called “blind tigers,” which is where liquor was sold illegally. The bars were disguised as establishments that sold tickets to see a wild tiger show, except the people never saw the tiger. The “audience” got “free drinks” but they got away with it because they bought tickets for a show, not for alcohol. This scheme helped the establishments evade the Prohibition laws.
After the tour, we walked to White Point Garden, which is located on the peninsula. The park was originally called South Bay and then was known as Oyster Point. It was known as Oyster Point because many oyster shells were there that were bleached white from the sun. The shells have been replaced with grass.
Homes we passed on the way to White Point Garden.Across the street from the beautiful homes.White Point Garden GazeboWilliam Gilmore Simms Author, Journalist, Historian – 1806-1870Civil War Cannons
I was expecting to see a beautiful garden of flowers at this park, but these were the only flowers we spotted. Can you find the monarch butterfly in the blue flowers?
After our walk, we had lunch at a restaurant called the Blind Tiger! We went back to our hotel until it was time to go to the airport. Even though this trip wasn’t quite over, we talked about where we might want to go to next. On the way to the airport, the driver asked if we saw the Angel Oak Tree, which is supposed to be the oldest living tree in the country. We hadn’t, but maybe some other time?
Happiness is planning a trip to somewhere new, with someone you love. ~Marie Cribaillet
Another beautiful day greeted us on our second full day of travels. There are many places to see in Charleston. Hubby and I took a water taxi from the Wharf to Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. A few dolphins flipped their fins at us as we bobbed along in the boat.
We disembarked close to the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina.
First we toured the USS Laffey Destroyer. During WWII, the USS Laffey survived six kamikaze attacks and five bombs off Okinawa, Japan. It’s known as “The ship that would not die.” It was a surreal experience to walk through the halls and on the decks of the ship. Along the way, we saw the electrician’s room, barber shop, galley, mess hall, and sick bay. A person couldn’t help but think of the young men who had climbed up and down the ladders and run through the halls.
USS LaffeyElectronics Technician ShopGalleyMess Hall
Next stop was the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier, also known as the “Fighting Lady.” This is the greeting at the entrance of the aircraft carrier.
USS Yorktown
The Yorktown is another impressive ship to see and is home to many cool airplanes.
There is a replica of the Apollo 8 Spacecraft on board. Yorktown recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and spacecraft in December 1968.
The wind picked up as we waited for the water taxi to take us to Waterfront Park. We stopped at Fleet Landing for a lunch of soup and salad on the deck overlooking the bay. After visiting the City Market and a few other sights, we went to Kaminsky’s Dessert Cafe for a slice of pecan pie and a healthy-sized chunk of chocolate torte.
Later that night, as we walked down King Street, a group of about 20 college kids rode their bicycles past us, with their boom box blaring. College kids can be seen around the area at all times of day. The College of Charleston is close to where we stayed. We had a light meal at Fire Grill Asian Fusion, a Thai restaurant, which was filled with college kids. Not really eavesdropping in on their conversations, it was fun to hear their exuberant voices.
Even though a lot of sights were seen, we talked about the places we’d like to go to the next day.
Oh, the Places You’ll Go!You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.You can steer yourself any direction you choose. ~Dr. Seuss
My Reality Show 