Troubleshooting

 

I can't recall just now what it was that I really intended to blog about today. When I turned on the computer, I got caught up spending hours on "troubleshooting" instead, as the browser that I normally use with this blog suddenly refused to show up any larger than that very small square on the bottom of the screen in the photo above. No idea why. It's never happened before, and none of the tips I googled so far works - either because I can't find (see) the suggested thing to click on, or because clicking on it doesn't help. 

I asked AI for advice of course, but it just "pretended" to be helpful:

Key Steps in the Troubleshooting Process:

Define the Problem: Clearly identify the symptoms—what is the actual vs. expected state.

Gather Information: Speak with users, review data trends, and check error messages.

Identify the Root Cause: Isolate the issue by narrowing down possibilities (e.g., checking hardware connections or software settings).

Develop a Hypothesis: Guess the most probable cause based on information gathered.

Test and Fix: Implement a solution, but do so cautiously to avoid making things worse. 

I'm thinking that uninstalling and re-installing from scratch might perhaps fix it - but I'm too tired to try to "cautiously implement" that just now.

Luckily my alternative browser used with this blog did work (showing up full size) - but here I found myself logged out from things, so that took a while to sort out as well.  

Tomorrow is another day; but then I have an appointment with my dentist for a different kind of  troubleshooting. Back on Friday I somehow managed to lose a very tiny corner of an important tooth, of which the major part is already "fake". I'm not in pain, but I have no idea whether the dentist will find it a simple quick fix or  if it will turn out a Really Big dental job. All I know is that it won't self-heal! - so better seek help ASAP...

Entering the Month of May

 

Above, my photo calendar picture for the month of May (photo from mid April, 2025).

As we enter the month of May this year, there are also still cherry blossom trees in bloom.

On Friday 1st May (Labour Day and a holiday) I did not go very far, but just went for a stroll around the estate where I live. Even so, I caught quite a few "signs of spring":

 Narcissi, grapehyacinths and dandelions together in one flowerbed. (I'm guessing the dandelions weren't planted, but I quite like them in the mix...)

 

A single tulip next to a park bench where I sat down for a while.

 Cherry blossom in the playground park. 

 

On Saturday 2nd May, I took a bus into town and after my errands there walked back home through the city park and along the river.

 Chestnut trees unfolding their leaves.

The main square with the old Town Hall in the background, and fountain in the foreground. The Town Hall was built in 1910, and as the district court has just moved out of there to new premises, it's now under discussion what it's going to be used for instead. 

The fountain has images reflecting the town's history of textile industry.

The round building in the park is a restaurant/café.

 Yellow flowerbed along the river in the park.

The Green Rabbit, one of my favourite sculptures. It's official name is Mate Hunting, and its eyes keep moving (only a little each day) so that they're never quite in the exact same position as last time you passed by... Artist: Marianne Lindberg de Geer.

 

It was a summery kind of day, and people were even sunbathing along the river...

Linking to Weekend Street/Reflections  (More "street" than reflections this time!)

A Royal Celebration

In Sweden, 30th April (Valborgsmässoafton / Walpurgis Night), followed by 1st May (Labour Day and a holiday), is when we officially welcome Spring in Sweden. Among the traditions are bonfires, choir singing, and also student parades.

30th April also happens to be when our present King, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, was born. This year, he celebrated his 80th birthday with quite a lot of "pomp and circumstance". So on the national level, that kind of took over. (Ordinary local arrangements like bonfires and student parades probably just went ahead as usual, though.)

However one wanted to celebrate, we had beautiful, almost summer-like spring weather all over the country. For my own part, I'm not keen on going out in the evenings these days, so I did end up in front of the TV, following the Royal celebrations instead. A big party was held in the royal palace in Stockholm, with no efforts spared, and lots of foreign royalties and other important people invited. 

Among the advantages one has as only taking part via TV is that one is free to snap as many photos as one likes of the screen with one's own phone. So I did...

King Carl XIV Gustaf and Queen Silvia

  

Crown Princess Victoria,
her husband Prince Daniel,
and their eldest daughter,
Princess Estelle

Prince Carl Philip with his wife, Princess Sofia

 

Princess Madeleine with husband Chris O'Neill

One thing our present day royal family have in common is that they all - including the King himself - married non-royals. Prince Daniel was made prince by marrying the Crown Princess Victoria, and Princess Sofia was made princess by marrying Prince Carl Philip. Princess Madeleine's husband said "no thanks" to the royal title though, and remained Mr O'Neill. (Their children still retain the titles princess/prince, but have no official obligations.)

People giving speaches during the dinner:
Crown Princess Victoria (first), Queen Siliva (last),
Andreas Norlén - Speaker of the Parliament,
Ulf Kristersson - Prime Minister

The King listening to his daughter's speech.

The Queen, Princess Madeleine and Prince Carl Philip

People breaking up from the tables after dinner

The evening ended with a "Tattoo" (Swedish: "Tapto") performance in the castle yard.
(A military term for a drum beat or bugle call to signal the end of the day.)

 

King Carl XVI Gustaf

Sepia Saturday: Sisters

  

In his introduction of Sepia Saturday 824, the host Alan Burnett writes:  

"If you are wanting a theme you can have celebrations or cakes or two splendid ladies - the choice, as always, is yours."

What came to mind for me this week was my own mother (who liked to bake cakes), and her sister, who celebrated her 90th birthday this week. 

Below is a photo of the two of them together, from 1966 - i.e. 60 years ago.

Mum (36) to the left, and my aunt (30) to the right, sitting on the lawn outside the house where we had been living for about one year then. My aunt and uncle lived in the nearby town back then, and my little brother and our oldest cousin (also a boy) were the same age. So the two families used to get together quite frequently.

Later on, my aunt and her family moved farther away, and family get-togethers got less frequent. However, when my dad retired (at age 60), my parents moved back to their home town/area, which was by then also where I lived (and still live). And as my aunt and uncle also had both family and old friends here, we all saw each other a bit more often again. After my parents died (2009/11), my aunt and uncle also still visited me when they were in this area. Since a few years, they no longer drive this far from home, though. But my brother and I last met up with them last summer in Linköping, where they live.

My mum died in 2009, a few months after turning 79; and my dad did not live to celebrate his 80th either. But (as already mentioned) my aunt turned 90 this week. I sent her a parcel, and also phoned her on the day. Her main celebration will be with her own sons and grandchildren this weekend - and it seems that at age 90, she finds that enough. I kind of assume that a birthday cake in some form will probably be part of the celebration, though. What that one might look like I don't know, but here is one that my mum baked for some other occasion in the past (probably Christmas, judging by the table cloth):

PS. My aunt used to read my blog sometimes, but I'm not sure if she still does. I think in the past I've just referred to her and her husband as my aunt and uncle, no names mentioned, so I decided to stick to that with this post as well.

Skywatch Friday

 

Dramatic Moon -  28 April, 21:42 (looking south)

 

 Sunset, 29 April, 20:25, looking west

 Sunset, 29 April, 20:27 - looking north-west

  

Linking to Skywatch Friday, 30 April 2026