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The snow that fell during the week remains. Today has been sunny, but cold. Around -8'C (17-18 F) according to my weather apps - and probably feeling even colder because of wind. (Today I haven't been out at all.)
Yesterday I was expecting a delivery of groceries between 10-13. I was among the last on their list that day, and with the snow and everything, they didn't arrive until shortly after 13 this time. (And then it took me nearly an hour to unpack and sort everything into fridge, freezer and various cabinets. Because of all the holidays it was my first delivery in three weeks.) As I live only 1 km or so from the supermarket, I'm usually either among the very first or the very last on their route - and I never know which until the same day. But then I can follow updates of expected time of delivery on their app, and also get a text message when I'm next. With the present snow situation, one has to be prepared for delays; but they were only like 10 minutes late in the end, and I got everything I had ordered.
Today I had the laundry room booked for the afternoon, starting at 12. Normally I try to avoid booking weekends; but again, with all the red days lately, normal routines have been set aside. Recently I've felt more need of keeping the few non-holidays "free", in case I should need to transport myself somewhere for some errand or other. (But with the snow situation, combined with my knee, have ended up mostly just staying in anyway...)
One result of all this is that just now, I still frequently have to keep reminding myself what day of the week it really is!
We have a word for this in Swedish which doesn't have an exact translation in English (to be veckovill). I asked Google AI for an equivalent in English, but instead of just admitting that it didn't know, it came up with suggestions way off the mark (like "weekly").
Turning to an old and trusted printed Swedish-English dictionary, that simply gives the matter-of-fact paraphrase: "not know what day of the week it is".
Oh yes, now I can borrow your Swedish word "veckovill" for this lost in the week of whatever day it is! It sure is confusing. I keep missing the garbage pick up day. Though it's on my weekly calendar. But I am so out of it, I haven't looked at the calendar regularly. Oh well, I don't have much garbage.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, I'm hesitating to walk to the recycling station (~10 min walk away, but possibly more in snow), afraid to find the containers overfull - so instead, a mountain of recyclables building up in a corner of my own kitchen... (Well, so far only one full carrier bag - but who knows where it will end...)
DeleteCharlie Brown was right. I find so many other countries have words for things that we do not.
ReplyDeleteGinny, it works the other way round as well! (We "import" a lot of English words and expressions because it's hard to find an exact equivalent in Swedish...)
DeleteThat gentle disorientation feels entirely understandable
ReplyDeleteRo, soon enough we'll be back to everyday weekly routines with no extra holidays until Easter ;) ...
DeleteI wish I could take a lesson from Charlie Brown and only dread one day a week. Love the snow pics at the beginning. brrrr cold for me. my delivery is much like yours, mine is mostly about 20 minutes after the first slot because I am really close to them and I order perishables, frozen things, so they make me first. I get the text when they leave and updates of what time..glad your delivery made it. and now you are about to go do laundry as I type this at almost 4 am
ReplyDeleteSandra, I think our delivery vans have special storage for frozen things, they always come in separate bags with some extra notes written on them.
DeleteMy laundry day was yesterday and was finished before I wrote my post. (Time difference is a headache, a Swedish friend living in Australia and I have been trying to schedule a phone/video call via an app, remains to be seen if we succeed...)
That's the trouble with Christmas and New Year. It completely throws all knowledge of what day it is into a muddle. Even the dustbins get emptied on irregular days too over that period as the dustmen get back to a regular rota again.
ReplyDeleteAddy, yes, it's the same here.
DeleteOoh, it's cold with you, Monica, but it looks so beautiful. I'll welcome a cold, bright, sunny day always over dull and damp.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm 'veckovill' all year round - wonderful word and very useful.
Janice, it's mostly my knee problem since three months now that makes me sigh about the snow...
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