5.25.2008

Sweden 7b

Lukas and I are at Texabo, my mother-in-law's farm from way way way back. We're trying to lift this impossibly heavy stone, called the drängalyft (that is, the farm hand's lift). It was the true test for a man looking for work on a farm. If a man could lift this stone, it was a sign he was strong enough and so he'd be hired on the spot. You can tell easy from this shot that I'd've died of hunger in Sweden if the only job available for a guy was that of farm hand. I'm doing a bit of research into this stone, how common it is across Sweden, the weight of it, etc. More to come.
And though Mikah loves his food, especially the godis (candy), I'm telling you, he is not trying to eat this dandelion. He's blowing on it so that the seeds can spread and next season morfar will have that many more weeds to mow.
We came to Sweden with swing in hand. But there aren't any medium-sized trees to be found. Not at the Barnarp house, anyway. There are the smaller and very colorful apple trees, and these mammoth ones. The ladder is extended to practically twice its original length. And guess who got to climb it and do all the work of putting up the swing? You guessed wrong if you said me. Nope, it was my father-in-law. He's very iffy about letting a PhD in English and Creative Writing touch any of his tools. And this job required power tools, at which I'm not so adept.
A couple of other birthday party shots. Tina looked at the birthday blog and noticed I'd not put up hardly a shot that showed any other kids. She thought that wasn't so nice. I thought, You know, my brother's going to insist that I made up the whole party story and faked the pictures and in reality nobody showed up. But here's the proof. There's two Fredericks (one who spells it Fredrik), Simon, Benjamin, and Björn (I'm assuming that's the 'o' to use on his name).
And the same boys on the bench outside the back door. I'm still shocked they sat long enough for this photo. They were so full of energy.

A couple of other notes: Lukas is trying to make the argument to stay up long into the night to watch a movie because, he says, "It's still morning," even though it's close to 9PM. You see, the sun will not set completely here this time of year, and so though it gets a bit on the darker side, it don't by much. Not to be taken in by a fast-talking kid, we, his parents aren't falling for his line of logic.
Also, I was remiss yesterday to mention Anonymous in my list of folks helping keep the blog going with comments regarding how we Americans are so cool and in control. That's my reading of it, anyway.
And, Michelle, you'll have to keep coming back to the blog because Tina is on the verge of deciding what Avon products she's about to order, and I told her I'd post her list. And so if you don't visit often, you just might miss placing her order. And the more you visit, the higher my counter for the blog goes, and then I don't have to keep visiting and visiting my own site to make it look like my blog gets hit by a ton of folks. If you would, too, let your parents, Leslie, Jenny, the Coopers, and Amber know we're thinking about them and praying for them. And Brad and Terri and the girls, the Bygels, the Reeds (the whole bunch of them out at the homestead), the Carrs, Emmett, Peggy, the Smiths, Miss Dortha, the Ungers, Tyler, Max and Hazel and their bunch, Berverly, the Escudiers, the Southerlands, and the rest. I'm trying to go row by row at church and so if I'm forgetting anyone, I'll blame it on this Swedish air.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

So it takes two PhD's to put up a swing...and the senior PhD thinks the junior PhD is on the rookie side...ofc i would have to agree.

Unknown said...

I wonder what would've happened if you'd've added a Masters in bean counting to the racket? It would've gotten really confusing then. At least the near Masters in Engineering was busy studying for his final class, or else this would've really become a huge mess, and seeing that we're in socialist Sweden (which is awesome when it comes to good clean roads but horrible with the red tapers) we'd still be out there trying to figure out the best way (not necessarily the least expensive nor the most effective) to put up such a contraption without endagering the welfare of children or the welfare system, and the ant colonies that might could exist in the trunk of the tree but most likely don't that would be exterminated as a result.

Unknown said...

I must correct the above: I, René, was the poster of the comments, not Thomas. I was at his computer when posting my long-winded comment back to Anon and failed to realize I was using his name.

René Saldaña, Jr. said...

Apologies to Thomas. I did it again.

Anonymous said...

hahaha, makes one wonder how the above obtained his PhD!?

Anonymous said...

well i never saw the diploma. he just came home one day demanding we all refer to him as Dr. Rene Saldana Jr.

BTW you were so focused on getting work trying to lift that stone that you failed to notice the dinosaur bone laying next to it.

René Saldaña, Jr. said...

First, my PhD's in literature and creative writing, and the diploma, little brother, is rolled up in some mail tube at home. Second, I didn't fail to noitce the bone. I just don't ask questions when I'm way off in some secluded farm and what if it's not from a moose or a dinosaur but from some overly large Swede and I happen to ask the 'wrong' other Swede who'll eye me suspiciously and then there'll be two bones lying next to a huge rock and no one would be the wiser. So there to the two of you! A pretty smart answer or two to prove the worth of my diploma (and I'll swear in court I didn't get it off no online sight).

Anonymous said...

lots of fancy smancy rhetoric will not abide us, we will need a screen-shot of above referenced diploma...

René Saldaña, Jr. said...

I'll take a shot of it when I get back to the States. I've taken it out once or twice to check its veracity myself, and lo and behold, it is, so far as I can tell. It does have the official Tony the Tiger seal on the top left hand corner.

The question remains: where's the proof of your high-falutin' Masters in BA?

Charles said...

Just like a Jeff Gordon fan not pick up a rock! Make sure that Avon order is big enough for Michelle to buy a house.

Unknown said...

Charles: great to hear from you. I'll make sure the Avon order is enough for a downpayment on a house for Michelle. And about that rock: just wait until I blog about what all we did on the farm today. Think chainsaw, me, my father-in-law, Ingamar and lots and lots of fallen trees, unlike any trees I've seen in Lubbock.
Go Jeff Gordon!!!

Lesa said...

Hi Rene and Tina,

I thought I would fall out of my chair laughing at the pinata story!! Too funny! Looks like Tina outdid herself again, boy is she talanted. Just wanted to let you know that everything is fine at your house. Your plants are still alive!! I know the cats miss having someone around. I went by Monday and tried to play with Cotton for awhile. The other kitty kept his distance from me. We sure do miss all of you but I know you are having a great time!!! Take care!

Love,

Lesa and Leslie

Clorinda said...

Looks like Tina did another great job with the cake. Kalea loves looking at the pictures. She sure misses Lukas and Mikah. Be sure the Avon order is huge!! It is due this weekend. Hope you had good luck with the trees. Sure would like to see you really work.
Go Tony Stewart!!!!!!!!!!!!

Russell Raymer said...

Your father in law was right to guard his tools :) I've worked with you on a few projects. :) :)
We enjoyed the stories and the photos, keep them coming. Debbie keeps picking up the phone to call Tina and remembers that she is in Sweden.
BTW: I am not an English major nor a PhD, but I do depend heavily on my spell check, although some things do not get caught by spell checks like "sight" instead of "site" *in reference to one of your comments in this line of .......thoughts :) But I will let you keep to the writing and I'll keep the tools :)
Abrazos,
Russell, Debbie & Carena

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