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The busy time continues
Jun. 26th, 2022 09:58 amWhen last I posted we'd attended Spelmansstämman in Gammelstad on that Friday and Saturday, and decided to just head home on Sunday, which gave me Monday and Tuesday to mostly make a replacement baldric to carry my phone, Bluetooth adapter for my hearingaids, keys, and chargers.
Then I drove north again Wednesday morning early enough to go see a physical therapist about whever was going on in my hip. Everything was fine Saturday after dancing 4 hours, and I was smart enough to do yoga and take a hot shower before bed that night so that my legs wouldn't complain later. They didn't. Neither did they complain about the 2.5 hr drive home on Sunday, and Sunday's yoga went fine. But Monday night something at the base of my back/top of my right hip felt locked up, and there were some yoga poses that just didn't work. Keldor, who is normally no where near as flexible as I in those poses, looked at me not able to reach as far as he could, and encouraged me to make an appointment.
So I called as soon as they opened on Tuesday; they had one appointment available for 08:00 on Wednesday, so I took it. Of course that meant that I had to drive north, since the earliest bus couldn't get me to Luleå before 08:00. The physical therapist did some adjusting of my leg and gave me some exercises to do, which helped pretty much straight away. Then since my favourite big grocery store is pretty much next door, I stocked up on pantry foods we'd been getting low on before heading to work.
I managed to work enough on Wednesday and Thursday that my hours for the month are no longer behind, which is good. On Thursday D. called to say that he had a fever and wouldn't be joining us for the Midsommer dance performances. Since they had no covid tests at home, nor anything to treat the symptoms, I offered to walk upstairs to the pharmacy and pick it up for them.
There were enough people waiting their turn at the pharmacy that my number was 40, and they were only up to 32, so I suspected I would need to wait a while. But then L. came in, so I chatted with her a bit and we made a plan. She took my number (hers was 45), I went downstairs to work. Then she bought the care-package stuff for D. and C. and picked up her own stuff, after which she called me, I got the car, took her home, and then dropped the stuff off on D's porch before returning to work.
After work I picked up a few groceries for D and C and dropped them off too, and was disappointed to see that it is still too early for ripe berries at their place. Normally the first smultron (wild strawberries) are ripe by mid summer, but not this year.
Thursday evening Keldor arrived by bus and I picked him up at the station. Friday morning we got up early, I put on my folk costume, and we went first to a grocery store to pick up a few things, then on to Gammalstad, arriving around 45 minutes earlier than we needed to. So a short walk, then meet the others to practice the songs and dances for the performance.
Keldor happily sung along with the traditional Midsommer songs as we practiced, so one of the others tried convincing him to join them on the stage. However, he's been told (as have I) so often over the years that he "can't sing", that his first reaction was to say no. Then I pointed out that the stage has a roof, so will be shady and cooler than anywhere else on site. He thought that part sounded good, but I wasn't sure if he actually would join them when the time came.
After rehearsal we went inside and ate the traditional Midsommer lunch (of course, I ate only the salad, potato, thin bread, and cheese, while everyone else also enjoyed the meat, fish, and pickled fish). Buth for desert we had fresh strawberries and ice cream. It being a hot day, and my folk costume being lots of wool, I even took a little ice cream to go with my berries (about three or four times as much strawberries the others took).
Then it was time for the traditional Midsommer singing of O heliga natt, which the rest of Sweden thinks is a Christmas song, but which Luleå Hembygdsgille sings every Midsommer (and has done for well longer than the 12 years I have lived here). The men, with their rich deep voices stand up and sing it, showing off their ability to make the sound fill the room and resonate, while the rest of us sit, enjoy, and sing along. It sounds so amazing that I don't care that the text is religious and I am glad we have that tradition.
Then it was time to clean up and head across the street to the park. We gather near the entrance and the musicians play as we march through the thick crowd till we reach the stage.
Then the musicians take the stage, and the rest of us take up the decorated pole, bear it one time around the area before standing it up and doing the traditional dances around it.
Keldor did, in fact join the others on the stage to sing the songs, and found it pretty amazing to sing as the sea of people hopped around like small frogs etc. (not our group, but same dance)
After doing all the traditional dances around the pole we moved to the dance stage and did our performance dances, by which time my head scarf, which I had soaked in cold water before the parade, was completely dry and I was feeling hot. So I re-soaked it and then we went up to look at the information center, which Keldor had never been in before, despite having often been in Gammelstad over the years. They've changed the display since last I was in; much more high tech these days.
Then I changed out of my costume and we drove home, stopping along the way to pick up his dad’s lawn mower.
Then I harvested rhubarb while he cut the grass. It took about the same amout of time for me to harvest, wash, and cut 16 liters of rhubarb as it did for him to mow the whole lawn.
Saturday I started my day with a workout followed by my fortnightly zoom call with my sisters (except for B, who forgot and went to bed early). Then Keldor went in to work on a helm for a friend. He did this in the workshop at work, where he has access to helpful technology. For example, this helm will be rivited, but he used the spot welder to hold it together in the meantime.
Meanwhile, I made a couple of lentil/veg pies with a bread crust, one of which is in the freezer so we can take it to Medeltidsdagar, and the other we can eat this week.
Then I made my yearly batch of "hais". My version no longer much resembles the Medieval recipe in Cariadoc's miscellany , since I use far more types of fruit, nuts, and seeds, and this year I didn't use breadcrumbs either.
My version hais
2 c pistachio
1 c almond
0.5 c walnut
0.25 c pumpkin seeds
0.25 c sunflower seeds
1 T sesame seeds
1 T flax seeds
3 c soft dried dates (600 g)
2 c soft dried figs (400 g), stems removed
1 c soft dried apricot (200 g)
1 c home dried black currants
0.5 c home dried apple
0.5 c raisins
0.5 c dried cranberry
1 T store-bought dried blueberry powder
1 T rosehip powder
Grind the nuts and seeds, one type at time, in the food processor (or use a meat grinder). Then grind not more than 1 cup of fruit at a time, along with a handful of mixed ground nuts.
Once everything is ground one time mix it together. It will be crumbly at this stage.
Then run one cup at a time through the food processor till it changes texture and it starts to hold together. Once everything has been run through the food processor (or meat grinder) second time knead it together and then roll it into small balls. (Oil your hands before touching it! I used almond oil, since it contains almonds. Some years I use butter, but then you can't feed it too people with a dairy allergy)
_____
I missed having these at Double Wars, amd am happy to have some on hand again.
Today we need to pack and load the car, tomorrow morning early we drive north and I go to work while he goes to play in the Smithy. After work we will put up the pavilion at Grundet and on Tuesday I will work again. On Wednesday the Broken Arrow SCA event will start, and we will already be set up.
The event runs through the weekend, then we have 1.5 weeks before Medeltidsdagar, after which it will be time to hear to Norway for that summer job. Wish me luck getting everything done that needs doing before then.
Then I drove north again Wednesday morning early enough to go see a physical therapist about whever was going on in my hip. Everything was fine Saturday after dancing 4 hours, and I was smart enough to do yoga and take a hot shower before bed that night so that my legs wouldn't complain later. They didn't. Neither did they complain about the 2.5 hr drive home on Sunday, and Sunday's yoga went fine. But Monday night something at the base of my back/top of my right hip felt locked up, and there were some yoga poses that just didn't work. Keldor, who is normally no where near as flexible as I in those poses, looked at me not able to reach as far as he could, and encouraged me to make an appointment.
So I called as soon as they opened on Tuesday; they had one appointment available for 08:00 on Wednesday, so I took it. Of course that meant that I had to drive north, since the earliest bus couldn't get me to Luleå before 08:00. The physical therapist did some adjusting of my leg and gave me some exercises to do, which helped pretty much straight away. Then since my favourite big grocery store is pretty much next door, I stocked up on pantry foods we'd been getting low on before heading to work.
I managed to work enough on Wednesday and Thursday that my hours for the month are no longer behind, which is good. On Thursday D. called to say that he had a fever and wouldn't be joining us for the Midsommer dance performances. Since they had no covid tests at home, nor anything to treat the symptoms, I offered to walk upstairs to the pharmacy and pick it up for them.
There were enough people waiting their turn at the pharmacy that my number was 40, and they were only up to 32, so I suspected I would need to wait a while. But then L. came in, so I chatted with her a bit and we made a plan. She took my number (hers was 45), I went downstairs to work. Then she bought the care-package stuff for D. and C. and picked up her own stuff, after which she called me, I got the car, took her home, and then dropped the stuff off on D's porch before returning to work.
After work I picked up a few groceries for D and C and dropped them off too, and was disappointed to see that it is still too early for ripe berries at their place. Normally the first smultron (wild strawberries) are ripe by mid summer, but not this year.
Thursday evening Keldor arrived by bus and I picked him up at the station. Friday morning we got up early, I put on my folk costume, and we went first to a grocery store to pick up a few things, then on to Gammalstad, arriving around 45 minutes earlier than we needed to. So a short walk, then meet the others to practice the songs and dances for the performance.
Keldor happily sung along with the traditional Midsommer songs as we practiced, so one of the others tried convincing him to join them on the stage. However, he's been told (as have I) so often over the years that he "can't sing", that his first reaction was to say no. Then I pointed out that the stage has a roof, so will be shady and cooler than anywhere else on site. He thought that part sounded good, but I wasn't sure if he actually would join them when the time came.
After rehearsal we went inside and ate the traditional Midsommer lunch (of course, I ate only the salad, potato, thin bread, and cheese, while everyone else also enjoyed the meat, fish, and pickled fish). Buth for desert we had fresh strawberries and ice cream. It being a hot day, and my folk costume being lots of wool, I even took a little ice cream to go with my berries (about three or four times as much strawberries the others took).
Then it was time for the traditional Midsommer singing of O heliga natt, which the rest of Sweden thinks is a Christmas song, but which Luleå Hembygdsgille sings every Midsommer (and has done for well longer than the 12 years I have lived here). The men, with their rich deep voices stand up and sing it, showing off their ability to make the sound fill the room and resonate, while the rest of us sit, enjoy, and sing along. It sounds so amazing that I don't care that the text is religious and I am glad we have that tradition.
Then it was time to clean up and head across the street to the park. We gather near the entrance and the musicians play as we march through the thick crowd till we reach the stage.
Then the musicians take the stage, and the rest of us take up the decorated pole, bear it one time around the area before standing it up and doing the traditional dances around it.
Keldor did, in fact join the others on the stage to sing the songs, and found it pretty amazing to sing as the sea of people hopped around like small frogs etc. (not our group, but same dance)
After doing all the traditional dances around the pole we moved to the dance stage and did our performance dances, by which time my head scarf, which I had soaked in cold water before the parade, was completely dry and I was feeling hot. So I re-soaked it and then we went up to look at the information center, which Keldor had never been in before, despite having often been in Gammelstad over the years. They've changed the display since last I was in; much more high tech these days.
Then I changed out of my costume and we drove home, stopping along the way to pick up his dad’s lawn mower.
Then I harvested rhubarb while he cut the grass. It took about the same amout of time for me to harvest, wash, and cut 16 liters of rhubarb as it did for him to mow the whole lawn.
Saturday I started my day with a workout followed by my fortnightly zoom call with my sisters (except for B, who forgot and went to bed early). Then Keldor went in to work on a helm for a friend. He did this in the workshop at work, where he has access to helpful technology. For example, this helm will be rivited, but he used the spot welder to hold it together in the meantime.
Meanwhile, I made a couple of lentil/veg pies with a bread crust, one of which is in the freezer so we can take it to Medeltidsdagar, and the other we can eat this week.
Then I made my yearly batch of "hais". My version no longer much resembles the Medieval recipe in Cariadoc's miscellany , since I use far more types of fruit, nuts, and seeds, and this year I didn't use breadcrumbs either.
My version hais
2 c pistachio
1 c almond
0.5 c walnut
0.25 c pumpkin seeds
0.25 c sunflower seeds
1 T sesame seeds
1 T flax seeds
3 c soft dried dates (600 g)
2 c soft dried figs (400 g), stems removed
1 c soft dried apricot (200 g)
1 c home dried black currants
0.5 c home dried apple
0.5 c raisins
0.5 c dried cranberry
1 T store-bought dried blueberry powder
1 T rosehip powder
Grind the nuts and seeds, one type at time, in the food processor (or use a meat grinder). Then grind not more than 1 cup of fruit at a time, along with a handful of mixed ground nuts.
Once everything is ground one time mix it together. It will be crumbly at this stage.
Then run one cup at a time through the food processor till it changes texture and it starts to hold together. Once everything has been run through the food processor (or meat grinder) second time knead it together and then roll it into small balls. (Oil your hands before touching it! I used almond oil, since it contains almonds. Some years I use butter, but then you can't feed it too people with a dairy allergy)
_____
I missed having these at Double Wars, amd am happy to have some on hand again.
Today we need to pack and load the car, tomorrow morning early we drive north and I go to work while he goes to play in the Smithy. After work we will put up the pavilion at Grundet and on Tuesday I will work again. On Wednesday the Broken Arrow SCA event will start, and we will already be set up.
The event runs through the weekend, then we have 1.5 weeks before Medeltidsdagar, after which it will be time to hear to Norway for that summer job. Wish me luck getting everything done that needs doing before then.