Some progress in learning Swedish

[kareina]

Last night was our nyckelharpa class. Usually there are four to seven students and most of them are experienced musicians, so they stay downstairs with the main teacher and I go upstairs with his wife who is willing to teach slowly enough for me to actually learn.

This week, on the other hand, lord_kjar and I were the only students, so we both stayed downstairs for the whole lesson. This would have felt overwhelming, since I cannot learn the tunes as fast as he can (since he can already play them on the violin), but since I am pleased with how much I have learned at all I didn't stress about it.

During the mid lesson fika (coffee break) we sat around the table and chatted, in Swedish. Now, the fika conversation is normally in Swedish, but most weeks I just sit and listen, since it is much too fast to follow, let alone participate. However, with just the four of us I found that I could participate in the conversation, a bit.

I may not be the most interesting conversationalist in Swedish yet, but if they slow down and give me a chance to process what has been said I can participate.

This evening is our annual business meeting for our choir, which is happening as I type. Last year I could follow none of it, other than to notice when all present chorused "ja" to approve whatever motion had been put forward. This year, I am pleased to report that I can often tell what the topic of conversation is, even if many of the details are beyond me.

In other news, I took the excuse of my work computer needing a re-installation (see last post) to stay home and make progress on the house. The pile of boxes in the living room is smaller, though there are now stacks of book boxes in the library/craft room and bedroom next to their shelves ready to be unpacked.

The upstairs of the nice shed has been swept out, and empty boxes have been settled into their new home there. The bits of hay that got left in the carport have been hauled off to the field (thanks to the former owners for leaving both the wheelbarrow and the pitchfork head that made this task possible). The old mouldering folded carpet that someone left under my beautiful tree ( see recent post with house photos) has been removed and put into the trash bin (and I swear she thanked me for getting rid of it for her). I also climbed a bit in her lower branches, because, really, who could resist? She smells as lovely as she looks, and gives the best hugs.

Note that I did not choose my partner for his name, but "gran" means this sort of tree (which has always been my favorite tree type), and "berg" is a rocky outcrop or small mountain. So his whole family has been named for two of my favorite things. No wonder I am so fond of them.

Comments

[kirieldp.livejournal.com]

In Australia, mouldering wool carpet is the nicest thing you can do for trees - it stops moisture being evaporated from the roots. Maybe in Sweden it has another purpose... to keep them warm?

[kareina.livejournal.com]

Well, this one wasn't wool, it had a nasty plastic backing, and was not spread out nicely, but in a clump, more on a large stone than anyplace useful for the tree--all it was doing was transforming a beautiful play area into ugliness.