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a delightful visit with cousins!
Jan. 3rd, 2018 10:51 pmOn Monday evening I got a text message from my cousin, Carola, who lives in southern Sweden, saying that she and the family were north visiting some friends in Boden, and since they were in the area they would like to see me, too. They suggested Wednesday, since they had plans to head in to Luleå to play on the ice road and go to Alcatraz. (I had never heard of an Alcatraz in Luleå, so I was kind of confused, since I didn't think she meant the prison in San Francisco, but I didn't bother looking it up till just now, since I got the message on my phone, not the computer.) I replied with a suggestion that they come here for dinner, and the plan was soon set.
So today, instead of working full time (as I ought to do, given that upcoming trip to Durham), I worked till 13:00, and then went to the store, picked up some fresh fruit and veg, and went home and spent the afternoon making yummy stuff. First I baked a gluten-free lingon pie (Carola needs gluten free, but the rest of the family is fine with gluten), and while it was baking I made a fruit salad. Then I made an egg and cheese pie with broccoli, using one of the pie crusts my past self had made and left in the freezer (I had planned to do a mini pie without a crust for Carola, but when it came time to put the filling in the crust I forgot and poured it all in.) Then made an easy green salad of cucumber, tomato, and spinach, after which I cooked up some reindeer with kale, the broccoli stems, warm spices, and coconut milk in one pot, and a lentil curry with carrot and cauliflower. Finally I started the rice cooker and set some skinny fresh asparagus and long slices of zucchini on a baking pan, ready to roast. Then I had just time to do another 15 minutes of snow-shoveling (I did an hour's worth this morning to clear the parking area, and this evening was enough to get the first driveway clear and welcoming, I should do the final driveway either tonight or in the morning) before they texted to say that they were on the way, so I popped the veg into the oven under the broiler and set the table, and everything was done and ready as they arrived.
It was, as you can probably guess from the description, too much food for six people (more would have been eaten if David hadn't have been sent to Sundsvall for work today. He should be getting home soon--the evening flight from Sundsvall to Luleå, which goes via Stockholm, never mind that it is the wrong direction, left Sundsvall at 19:00). We ate dinner, then did a tour of the house, then ate the pie and fruit salad (more of desert vanished than did dinner, to no one's surprise, given that there were three kids in the group).
After dinner I introduced the kids to Tantrix which amused them for several games (to make it easy I gave them a simple version of the rules--keep a hand of six tiles, take turns, try to make the longest road in your colour. There are many other variations, and some much more complicated). While the kids played I showed Carola and her husband photos of the earth cellar in progress and other yard work, which includes photos of the sledding hill. Then I asked if they wanted to do some sledding, and they said yes. So they got the winter gear from the car, and we spent half an hour playing on the sledding hill before they needed to head back to their friend's place to get some sleep before their long drive home tomorrow.
I am glad that they made it over, it was a nice evening. They thanked me for visiting them two years ago when we were down south for New Years--that visit is what prompted them to go from day-dreaming about visiting Canada to emailing my mother and actually taking a trip that included a stop in Seattle to see my mom and sister and her family.
She asked for several recipes, and, having sent them to her, ( I may as well share them here too )
So today, instead of working full time (as I ought to do, given that upcoming trip to Durham), I worked till 13:00, and then went to the store, picked up some fresh fruit and veg, and went home and spent the afternoon making yummy stuff. First I baked a gluten-free lingon pie (Carola needs gluten free, but the rest of the family is fine with gluten), and while it was baking I made a fruit salad. Then I made an egg and cheese pie with broccoli, using one of the pie crusts my past self had made and left in the freezer (I had planned to do a mini pie without a crust for Carola, but when it came time to put the filling in the crust I forgot and poured it all in.) Then made an easy green salad of cucumber, tomato, and spinach, after which I cooked up some reindeer with kale, the broccoli stems, warm spices, and coconut milk in one pot, and a lentil curry with carrot and cauliflower. Finally I started the rice cooker and set some skinny fresh asparagus and long slices of zucchini on a baking pan, ready to roast. Then I had just time to do another 15 minutes of snow-shoveling (I did an hour's worth this morning to clear the parking area, and this evening was enough to get the first driveway clear and welcoming, I should do the final driveway either tonight or in the morning) before they texted to say that they were on the way, so I popped the veg into the oven under the broiler and set the table, and everything was done and ready as they arrived.
It was, as you can probably guess from the description, too much food for six people (more would have been eaten if David hadn't have been sent to Sundsvall for work today. He should be getting home soon--the evening flight from Sundsvall to Luleå, which goes via Stockholm, never mind that it is the wrong direction, left Sundsvall at 19:00). We ate dinner, then did a tour of the house, then ate the pie and fruit salad (more of desert vanished than did dinner, to no one's surprise, given that there were three kids in the group).
After dinner I introduced the kids to Tantrix which amused them for several games (to make it easy I gave them a simple version of the rules--keep a hand of six tiles, take turns, try to make the longest road in your colour. There are many other variations, and some much more complicated). While the kids played I showed Carola and her husband photos of the earth cellar in progress and other yard work, which includes photos of the sledding hill. Then I asked if they wanted to do some sledding, and they said yes. So they got the winter gear from the car, and we spent half an hour playing on the sledding hill before they needed to head back to their friend's place to get some sleep before their long drive home tomorrow.
I am glad that they made it over, it was a nice evening. They thanked me for visiting them two years ago when we were down south for New Years--that visit is what prompted them to go from day-dreaming about visiting Canada to emailing my mother and actually taking a trip that included a stop in Seattle to see my mom and sister and her family.
She asked for several recipes, and, having sent them to her, ( I may as well share them here too )