A little over a week ago my brother had a very serious motorcycle accident. His body is very broken. The doctors at the Trauma Center put him into a medically-induced coma in order to stabilize him so that his heart and lungs could handle the strain of the needed orthopedic surgery (or surgeries). He lost a lot of blood that first couple of days. ( Read more... )

I've been back in the states since a couple of weeks back and I'll be "over here" for another week ( Read more... )

This is me holding Michele, circa 1986.


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Björn and I took a walk in a lovely neighborhood the other day. In the end our walk took us through a churchyard where there was a serene little memory area. Nearly all Swedish churchyards or cemeteries I've been to have a little corner devoted to giving visitors a place to remember those departed loved ones who aren't necessarily buried nearby. ( ( Read more... )

While in the kitchen today making a stew that's traditional in my family it occured to me that December has been an oddly satisfying month of blended holidays ( Read more... )

My Aunt Lynn was ten years old when I was born. Which means that she was 14 when I first was old enough to pay much attention to her. She was 15 when I was about to start kindergarten. When I was six I would get to ride in the car with her when she drove to the store for milk. By the time I was 7 and she 17 I was mesmerized by her. And when I was 8 ( Read more... )

The flood of tears took me completely off-guard.

I usually come to the states on business twice a year and combine the business trip with about ten days of vacation time during which I travel from family member to family member, staying only about three days with each one. It's good to see everyone, but I never feel like I really stay with any one ( Read more... )

One of the first"> Life Symbols that comes to mind when I think of my mom is spoons.

One of my earliest childhood memories was of my mother with a pair of spoons. Someone was playing a piano (perhaps it was my grandfather), people were singing and my mom was playing the spoons.

She was awesome.

If you've never seen anyone live playing a pair of ( Read more... )

My pregnant daughter is coming for a visit in January ( Read more... )

Every time I visit Stockholm I see at least one famous person. That's maybe not so unusual in the capitol city of a country as small as Sweden, but it thrills me every time nonetheless.

One time I saw World's Strongest Man Magnus Samuelsson whom I had recently followed on the Swedish version of Dancing with the Stars (and one of the many famous ( Read more... )