It is fall once again! Four years ago we had just arrived in Sweden....... Looking back I am still reeling at how excited we were then..... Well, we all know things do not always end up the way we want or the way we think. It was a learning experience. I am so glad I did try and glad I had an opportunity to live where I truly thought I "belonged," sad to say I found out that the country I came from, the place I dreamed of returning to, was no longer right for me or us. Perhaps I should correct that by saying it was not exactly the place that was not right, it had more to do with the culture and personal experiences relating to people! We were too different and unwilling to change, assimilate on principle and/or what was right for us. I have been away from "the swedish way" a long time and have had such a different exposure to life, the way things might be done, the views on service, work, differences in relationships and friendships and yes even family relations.
Soooooooo.....Now that we are back on this side, there is so much I/we miss, so much we truly admire and treasure from our "swedish experience," some awesome people, some tight wonderful relationships that we developed. We are eternally grateful for their kindness and hopefully lasting friendships. Yet we also had amazing and for us hard to understand experiences to the contrary.
A new chapter. Thinking I am on chapter number Forty-Two or somewhere thereabouts!
We have just moved into a house in an unusually lush and green California landscape as we live right near two golf courses. A truly wonderful place to walk with Ralle!
Presently front yards and homes are decorated with pumpkins. Trees are loaded with pomegranates, the flowering myrtle trees are coming to the end of their season, while the roses are blooming as well as the bougainvillea, even in our courtyard!
Slowly we are getting organized and settled in a nice little house that is light and has a pleasing open floor plan. Mister Cat has his own house, Ralle is back to being "an only" dog child and life is good in our new neighborhood!
Maria drops in often for tea or a soda. We walk the dogs together. Perhaps tomorrow we will walk on the beach in Monterey?
Now it's time to fix dinner..... a small pork roast, a bit of sauce glorifies with some dried chanterelle mushrooms courtesy of Ann-Britt and Bosse our ex-neighbours. Brussels sprouts cooked in a grill pan with a tiny bit of bacon. A crisp and crunchy Asian Pear Salad typical for autumn, made with sliced and diced celery, a couple of scallions, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, and of course the STAR ingredient Asian Pears tossed in a light dressing consisting of lime juice, rice wine vinegar and finely grated fresh ginger.......... Aaaaaah....... Det kallar vi fredags mys! Have a great week end everyone.
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