Meeting the lovely snowstormskies... in person!
Can I get a vacation from my vacation? *lol*
Anyway, to continue my story... After I'd been to the LARP that I wrote about in my last post, I had to do a quick clean in the apartment during the Monday because I was expecting some FINE visitor!
Who you might ask? Well, no other than snowstormskies!!! :-D
We've been chatting for almost three years, and when she went to study in Turku for a year, she started talking about coming to visit me. I was all game for that! :-D My economy ain't huge, so me visiting my online-friends is quite hard. However, entertaining people here? No problem!
So I was all excited about the visit, that's for damn sure! We planned a bit what to do, and snowstormskies was just a tad bit amused since unlike other people she has visited, I did not offer her bars and stuff, but going to visit museums and exhibits and stuff like that... *lol* My librarian is showing... ;-)
Anyway, so I went to pick her up on Tuesday afternoon/evening. I knew when her flight was to arrive, so I made sure to be there on time. Had to wait though, since she had to pick up her baggage and all that... Was very excited!
Finally she came! Short, curvy, redheaded and all smiles! SO SWEET! There were hugs all around and we talked like we'd never done anything else (which is partly true since that's what you kinda do when you chatt at night... *lol*). So not much else happened that first night more than eating and installing snowstormskies in Alexandras room and the sofa-bed in there.
Next morning we discovered that she might be more allergic to cats than she first thought... but was willing to try another night before we went for a hotel. Plan for Wednesday was to visit my mother and see wehre I grew up. Which is right in the middle of nowhere in the swedish countryside. Not quite as far away from everything as my brother lives, but almost. I thought it would just be my mom there and maybe my brother, but oh no... I should've known my mother. She'd invited her sister, my aunt and her family as well. Including my globe trotting cousin.
So it ended up being quite a little party with TON'S OF FOOD!!! Seriously, my mom seems to think everyone is starving that comes to visit her. And snowstormskies got a quick introduction to my insane and loud and crazy family... which just showed her why I am the way I am... *lol*
She loved it there, which made me really happy. Apparently the swedish nature is something else. And nothing like the nature in Great Britian, so she was absolutely fascinated. To me, I never really think about it, but it was fun to see it through snowstormskies eyes. :-)
That night and the next morning on Thursday it was clear she was very allergic to our cats though, so we booked a hotel-room for her downtown in the city center. Good thing we'd decided to have a lazy day because snowstormskies feel asleep in one of my comfy chairs in the living room... and stayed there until the afternoon. *LOL* Apparently it was a VERY comfy chair. ;-D The rest of the day we spent watching Game of Thrones. Apparently I'd told her that if she ever came to visit me, I'd force her to watch it. No memory of this, but now snowstormskies have a new fandom. ;-) And she blames me for it. *wicked grin*
Friday we'd planned to go to one of the lakes here for a bath. peting73 didn't want to join us, so it was me, Alexandra and snowstormskies. We went there, and again she was fascinated with the nature around the lake, since it's a hill/small mountain right next to it. Apparently mountains and big hills is not a thing in Great Britian... Told her she should go to Norway some day, since that country consists of mountains pretty much, and that's about it.
It was a warm lovely day, but Alexandra was a bit cranky and did not want to work with us, so I had to go all mom-mood and didn't get to hang as much as I'd liked with snowstormskies. She, however, had no complaints since she found a lovely shade and promptly feel asleep in it. We also baded our feet, since that was all Alexandra wanted to dip in the water. Still, it was nice and we had fun all in all. :-)
The evening was spent watching more Game of Thrones, and again my dear friend complained at me for pushing her into another fandom.. *lol* And that I was troublesome to watch TV/movies with, since I just won't shut up and kept poking her. *grin* Should ask my best friend about that, since I managed to give her a bruise once when we were at the movies... X-D Unintentionally, of course!
Anyway, so that was that day. Drove her to the hotel where she slept like a princess apparently. :-)
Next day we made sure we all woke up on time, because it was time for a visit to the zoo! :-D Borås Zoo is doing a lot of work to preserve endangered species and make sure the animals habitats are as good as possible and that the animals have things to do that challenge their intelligence. It's a pretty neat place, and Alexandra love it. The only habitat that I feel could be bigger and better is the monkeys, but I guess it's a work in progress. The place always evolving.
We had a really really lovely day there! Alexandra was in a much better mood, but then again, she loves going to see all the animals. :-) So ti was all one very wonderful day!
And of course, the day ended with more Game of Thrones, snowstormskies now on her way to turn into quite the fan... *lol*
Checking the weather, the next day was supposed to be really bad, so we all took a sleep in and then had a lazy day here at my home. :-) And man, was it bad weather! It was RAINING all day! A LOT! And some thunder to.
So guess what we did? ;-) Apart from shopping for groceries and playing with Alexandra that is. Watched Game of Thrones of course! Now we were determined to finish of season one before snowstormskies had to leave. :-)
We also had a traditional swedish Midsummer meal that day! :-D Early potatoes, picked hearing, raw spiced salmon/marinated salmon, a sauce based on sour cream and chives. :-) We also had hot dogs in case snowstormskies or Alexandra didn't like the fish. (They didn't.)
For the dessert we had fresh strawberries and whipped cream with a sprinkle of sugar. :-D I seriously love Midsummer food...
So Sunday ended up a great day to, despite the bad weather. :-)
On Monday, which was the last day we could really do anything, we went to the medieval castle/house that isn't that far from here,Torpa Stenhus.
It's a bit a special place that. It sure don't look like much when you look at it outside, which snowstormskies being british point out, but once you are inside, well... It's an amazing place with some really cool ghost-stories to! What I love the most about it though is that it has been with the same family since it was built... Let that sink in for a bit... ;-)
They have a tour in english at 11am every day, and it was only us there. The lady who were to give the tour walkld up to us and said to us that "Oh I hope you don't need any english today, I am not so good at it!" which had us giggle, because well... British person with us! *lol* She did great though, I gotta say even though she got caught on words now and then. But when she found out I'd lived in the US, she just asked my advice, so once the tour ended snowstormskies was very pleased and quite fascinated with the place!
They also have a very nice little store filled with crafted things, traditional swedish woodwork, handicraft, handiwork and... well, stuff like that. :-) If it was handmade, you could find it there. Again, snowstormskies melted and cursed the fact she had to small a bag with her. We of course made things worse, since there's another old house not that far from there built during the 1800's that has an even bigger store just like it... ;-) Enabling? Oh yes, indeed. *lol*
The evening that day ended with... You guessed it, more Game of Thrones! And we DID finish off season one! :-D So now she is going to buy season two and three as soon as she can afford to. :-) I am evil. I enable new fandoms as well. ;-)
It was fun rewatching season one though. I definitely see many characters in a whole different light, which is very interesting and eyeopening. This show is definitely something else...
Anyway, the next day we took a sleep in since I was going to drive snowstormskies to the airport in the afternoon. So we did, looked at various photos. Checked if she wanted some of those that peting73 had taken with his epic camera and just talking. It was nice and neither did we have to stress any.
And so the time came to drive her to the airport.
It was a nice drive there, and we kept talking back and forth what we'd done, the photos she'd taken, my insane family, differences between swedish and british culture... Just everything like we'd done for the entire week. :-) It was wonderful.
Once at the airport we had ourselves a fika at the airport so she could get rid of her last coins, and just had a generally good time. Got rid of her luggage, and then... the moment we dreaded. When she had to go through security, and that was it.
We hugged lots and hard, and got a bit teary. I'll never forget when she said "I don't wanna go." Dear dear sweet friend...
One more hug, and she'd left.
It was a sad drive home from the airport, but happy to. Because I'd had such a lovely time with my good friend. :-)
I miss her still, and can't believe she decided to spend such a long time with me, but oh so very glad she did. She already talks about coming back next year. I hope she does. There's more to see of Sweden and the area around Borås. Maybe we can visit my brother this time...?
You are always, always welcome back snowstormskies, my lovely friend. :-)
This entry is crossposted between LJ and DW. Comment where you are comfortable.
Anyway, to continue my story... After I'd been to the LARP that I wrote about in my last post, I had to do a quick clean in the apartment during the Monday because I was expecting some FINE visitor!
Who you might ask? Well, no other than snowstormskies!!! :-D
We've been chatting for almost three years, and when she went to study in Turku for a year, she started talking about coming to visit me. I was all game for that! :-D My economy ain't huge, so me visiting my online-friends is quite hard. However, entertaining people here? No problem!
So I was all excited about the visit, that's for damn sure! We planned a bit what to do, and snowstormskies was just a tad bit amused since unlike other people she has visited, I did not offer her bars and stuff, but going to visit museums and exhibits and stuff like that... *lol* My librarian is showing... ;-)
Anyway, so I went to pick her up on Tuesday afternoon/evening. I knew when her flight was to arrive, so I made sure to be there on time. Had to wait though, since she had to pick up her baggage and all that... Was very excited!
Finally she came! Short, curvy, redheaded and all smiles! SO SWEET! There were hugs all around and we talked like we'd never done anything else (which is partly true since that's what you kinda do when you chatt at night... *lol*). So not much else happened that first night more than eating and installing snowstormskies in Alexandras room and the sofa-bed in there.
Next morning we discovered that she might be more allergic to cats than she first thought... but was willing to try another night before we went for a hotel. Plan for Wednesday was to visit my mother and see wehre I grew up. Which is right in the middle of nowhere in the swedish countryside. Not quite as far away from everything as my brother lives, but almost. I thought it would just be my mom there and maybe my brother, but oh no... I should've known my mother. She'd invited her sister, my aunt and her family as well. Including my globe trotting cousin.
So it ended up being quite a little party with TON'S OF FOOD!!! Seriously, my mom seems to think everyone is starving that comes to visit her. And snowstormskies got a quick introduction to my insane and loud and crazy family... which just showed her why I am the way I am... *lol*
She loved it there, which made me really happy. Apparently the swedish nature is something else. And nothing like the nature in Great Britian, so she was absolutely fascinated. To me, I never really think about it, but it was fun to see it through snowstormskies eyes. :-)
That night and the next morning on Thursday it was clear she was very allergic to our cats though, so we booked a hotel-room for her downtown in the city center. Good thing we'd decided to have a lazy day because snowstormskies feel asleep in one of my comfy chairs in the living room... and stayed there until the afternoon. *LOL* Apparently it was a VERY comfy chair. ;-D The rest of the day we spent watching Game of Thrones. Apparently I'd told her that if she ever came to visit me, I'd force her to watch it. No memory of this, but now snowstormskies have a new fandom. ;-) And she blames me for it. *wicked grin*
Friday we'd planned to go to one of the lakes here for a bath. peting73 didn't want to join us, so it was me, Alexandra and snowstormskies. We went there, and again she was fascinated with the nature around the lake, since it's a hill/small mountain right next to it. Apparently mountains and big hills is not a thing in Great Britian... Told her she should go to Norway some day, since that country consists of mountains pretty much, and that's about it.
It was a warm lovely day, but Alexandra was a bit cranky and did not want to work with us, so I had to go all mom-mood and didn't get to hang as much as I'd liked with snowstormskies. She, however, had no complaints since she found a lovely shade and promptly feel asleep in it. We also baded our feet, since that was all Alexandra wanted to dip in the water. Still, it was nice and we had fun all in all. :-)
The evening was spent watching more Game of Thrones, and again my dear friend complained at me for pushing her into another fandom.. *lol* And that I was troublesome to watch TV/movies with, since I just won't shut up and kept poking her. *grin* Should ask my best friend about that, since I managed to give her a bruise once when we were at the movies... X-D Unintentionally, of course!
Anyway, so that was that day. Drove her to the hotel where she slept like a princess apparently. :-)
Next day we made sure we all woke up on time, because it was time for a visit to the zoo! :-D Borås Zoo is doing a lot of work to preserve endangered species and make sure the animals habitats are as good as possible and that the animals have things to do that challenge their intelligence. It's a pretty neat place, and Alexandra love it. The only habitat that I feel could be bigger and better is the monkeys, but I guess it's a work in progress. The place always evolving.
We had a really really lovely day there! Alexandra was in a much better mood, but then again, she loves going to see all the animals. :-) So ti was all one very wonderful day!
And of course, the day ended with more Game of Thrones, snowstormskies now on her way to turn into quite the fan... *lol*
Checking the weather, the next day was supposed to be really bad, so we all took a sleep in and then had a lazy day here at my home. :-) And man, was it bad weather! It was RAINING all day! A LOT! And some thunder to.
So guess what we did? ;-) Apart from shopping for groceries and playing with Alexandra that is. Watched Game of Thrones of course! Now we were determined to finish of season one before snowstormskies had to leave. :-)
We also had a traditional swedish Midsummer meal that day! :-D Early potatoes, picked hearing, raw spiced salmon/marinated salmon, a sauce based on sour cream and chives. :-) We also had hot dogs in case snowstormskies or Alexandra didn't like the fish. (They didn't.)
For the dessert we had fresh strawberries and whipped cream with a sprinkle of sugar. :-D I seriously love Midsummer food...
So Sunday ended up a great day to, despite the bad weather. :-)
On Monday, which was the last day we could really do anything, we went to the medieval castle/house that isn't that far from here,Torpa Stenhus.
It's a bit a special place that. It sure don't look like much when you look at it outside, which snowstormskies being british point out, but once you are inside, well... It's an amazing place with some really cool ghost-stories to! What I love the most about it though is that it has been with the same family since it was built... Let that sink in for a bit... ;-)
They have a tour in english at 11am every day, and it was only us there. The lady who were to give the tour walkld up to us and said to us that "Oh I hope you don't need any english today, I am not so good at it!" which had us giggle, because well... British person with us! *lol* She did great though, I gotta say even though she got caught on words now and then. But when she found out I'd lived in the US, she just asked my advice, so once the tour ended snowstormskies was very pleased and quite fascinated with the place!
They also have a very nice little store filled with crafted things, traditional swedish woodwork, handicraft, handiwork and... well, stuff like that. :-) If it was handmade, you could find it there. Again, snowstormskies melted and cursed the fact she had to small a bag with her. We of course made things worse, since there's another old house not that far from there built during the 1800's that has an even bigger store just like it... ;-) Enabling? Oh yes, indeed. *lol*
The evening that day ended with... You guessed it, more Game of Thrones! And we DID finish off season one! :-D So now she is going to buy season two and three as soon as she can afford to. :-) I am evil. I enable new fandoms as well. ;-)
It was fun rewatching season one though. I definitely see many characters in a whole different light, which is very interesting and eyeopening. This show is definitely something else...
Anyway, the next day we took a sleep in since I was going to drive snowstormskies to the airport in the afternoon. So we did, looked at various photos. Checked if she wanted some of those that peting73 had taken with his epic camera and just talking. It was nice and neither did we have to stress any.
And so the time came to drive her to the airport.
It was a nice drive there, and we kept talking back and forth what we'd done, the photos she'd taken, my insane family, differences between swedish and british culture... Just everything like we'd done for the entire week. :-) It was wonderful.
Once at the airport we had ourselves a fika at the airport so she could get rid of her last coins, and just had a generally good time. Got rid of her luggage, and then... the moment we dreaded. When she had to go through security, and that was it.
We hugged lots and hard, and got a bit teary. I'll never forget when she said "I don't wanna go." Dear dear sweet friend...
One more hug, and she'd left.
It was a sad drive home from the airport, but happy to. Because I'd had such a lovely time with my good friend. :-)
I miss her still, and can't believe she decided to spend such a long time with me, but oh so very glad she did. She already talks about coming back next year. I hope she does. There's more to see of Sweden and the area around Borås. Maybe we can visit my brother this time...?
You are always, always welcome back snowstormskies, my lovely friend. :-)
This entry is crossposted between LJ and DW. Comment where you are comfortable.