Meanwhile in Salzburg...: May 9 & 10

May 9^th, aka our glorious day off! Hanna and I set no alarm-Why would we? We could wake up as late as our bodies would allow—which ended up being 7:00… Can’t win ‘em all.

I read Veronika Decides to Die for an hour, and then we made cheesy potatoes for breakfast. Afterward we walked to the lake, Hanna with her journal, and I with my book. I tried valiantly to flip a capsized boat for a quarter of an hour, employing an ingenious lever system as well as my brute strength to flip the vessel. No success…

I found a little blue boat!

trying to flip the boat using math

Miss new booty

PANORAMA

Skipped stones. Read. Found a toy boat. Read. Stretched sore legs. Read.

Kerstin and Hans were coming to the farm to pick Hanna and I up at 5:30, so when we got back from the lake I decided it was time TO TAKE A SHOWER!!! Yes, I broke the 7-day no-bathing streak and cleaned up for my family.

At 5:30, Hans, Kerstin and Kristoffer came to the farm to get the low down on this Björklinge farm, and drive us to Uppsala for dinner. It was fantastic seeing them, especially Hans, because immediately I remembered him from my grandparents wedding, and not only that, but I remember thinking he was great, too. The five of us went to Uppsala, which is really a university town, and we walked to the old church there. Cherry blossom trees are in bloom now, and they reminded me of my campus back in Portland, which I will see soon (weird).

Dinner was at this nice Italian restaurant, and my food was a.m.a.z.i.n.g. We got dessert afterward as well, and Hanna and I almost couldn’t handle the rich, delicious Tartufo Nero (I think it was called) after eating primarily cabbage this past week. Dinner was wonderful, and it was so good catching up with family. That is something I always find interesting. You can go 7 years not seeing someone, but knowing you are family gives you this automatic bond. It was so good to be with family! and, of course, Swedish family is the best.

After dinner, coffee and dessert (SO full), they drove Hanna and I back to our little Björklinge farm. It was around 9pm, which meant we would sleep very well on full stomachs.

BEST DAY OFF EVER.

EVER!

Finished Veronika Decides to Die...hm

May 10^th

Watered the plants and made lunch with Hanna. Another girl is here now, her name is Paulina and she is originally from Poland, grew up in Vienna, and lives on the farm here in Björklinge. Today we worked until 6:15 planting onions from the back of the tractor.