Easter Monday

 

It's Easter Monday, which is still a public holiday here in Sweden (and in several other countries too, I think). For my own part, Easter "celebrations" have been very modest this year, though - as I've hardly been out at all, nor had any visitors.

On second thought, that last statement is not 100% true. On Friday afternoon, someone  tried to pay me an unannounced visit, exactly during that half hour or so when I was out on that day (for my usual weekly walk to the recycling station some ten minutes away).

When I got back from that short walk, I found a pot of small daffodils sitting outside the door to my flat. No card attached, so it had me puzzled for a while who had brought them. I was contemplating putting a "thanks to whoever" on Facebook, when the benefactor called me. It turned out to be a friend still not using neither computer nor smartphone (so a message on FB wouldn't have reached her anyway). I thanked her of course - and the daffodils really were a nice surprise, as I had not got round to buying any myself. (No flower shop nearby, and when I was in town last week, other errands took priority.) 

I did not say what at the same time I thought to myself: that paying someone a surprise visit is not really the best idea these days - even if statistically, I'm likely to be at home "more often than not". 20-30 years ago, this person and I were neighbours. These days, we are both 70+, don't live in the same residential area, and our paths rarely cross spontaneously. So really better from several aspects to call first... 

With the weather forecasts for the rest of the weekend in mind, I also did not suggest that she'd "pop by" another day soon instead. 

Storm Dave from England had announced its arrival in advance (via the weather people on TV etc), and did not care one bit that most people might prefer some peace and quiet for Easter. The whole weekend was very windy, with Easter Sunday the worst: the wind noisily rattling the windows on the south-west side of my apartment all day yesterday, and including quite a bit of rain, too. (Luckily I had taken the warnings seriously, so had removed the plastic tarpaulin from my wooden bench out on the balcony and tied the bench itself to the balcony railing - not leaving the wind much to "play with" this time.)

Today it's been sunny again, but still with capricious winds blowing. I took out a bag or two to the bins by the corner, but felt discouraged from walking further. From national and local news I've also learned that quite a few trees have fallen over roads, trains and buses have been cancelled, and electricity and internet have been out for people in some areas. For my own part, power and wifi have been working the whole weekend, though.

So as blog readers may have noticed, I spent pretty much the whole Easter weekend  finishing my 1983 time travelling project instead. (With some food and TV in between.)