Our day started with a tour of Sophia's workplace, a day care center a few minutes from her home. Two- and three-year-olds were playing outside, enjoying the 60-degree weather as well as the maypole, bikes, and playground equipment. It was fascinating to hear Sophia describe the values that the teachers taught to their young charges: neatness, cooperation, taking care of the environment, recycling; don't waste, play outside, everyone is special, and be calm. (I think we teach some of these things to American kids but I know we don't stress calmness, saving the environment, and cooperation as much as we should.)
We enjoyed lunch with Sopha's mom, Gunilla, who prepared traditional Swedish meatballs. Gunilla recently moved to this town with her husband Seth, but he is now living separately in a nursing home. Gunilla is adapting to her new town and lifestyle. Her apartment is decorated with lovely paintings as well as pictures of her grandchildren, but she is also an avid Internet buff. We hope to visit Seth briefly tomorrow. Though his memory is fading, Seth remembers us from our trip more than 15 years ago.
After lunch we travelled to Trollhatten, about 50 minutes to the west, home of our cousin Nomi, a creative coach to film producers. She kiddingly refers to her town as "Trollywood." The community's name means Troll's Hat, but even though we looked under several bridges, we could find no trolls in this charming town. After a stroll though the shopping area over to the town's scenic waterfalls, we said a sad goodbye. I mentioned to Nomi that I will see her father Jacques tomorrow and go with him to the cemetery where Nomi's grandparents our buried. We looked around for a stone to place on the gravestones, a tradition for Jews who visit their loved ones. I promised to place the stone from Trollhatten's street on Simon and Olga's graves. We don't know when we will see Nomi next, but we hope she will come to the Full Frame Festival in Durham next April.
We returned to Lidkoping in time to meet Sophia's brother Joachim, his wife Elizabeth and their two beautiful daughters, as well as Phio's brother Nicholas and mom Gunilla. They hosted a big party for us with delicious crayfish and cheese pies and salad and bread and lots of alcohol. Usually this type of festivity is held in August, but the calendar was accelerated for us. As Swedes begin the celebration, they wear silly hats and sing "puntsh songs," which are meant to encourage more and more drinking. Courtney was happy to oblige with the singing and his fair share of alcohol consumption. Apparently Swedes need a little encouragement to socialize and the liquor serves as a strong, spicy lubricant. Since there are strict laws against drinking and driving, all of the guests had to take taxis home if they imbibed even a drop. Does it tell you that we all got a little smashed if we sang every national anthem we could recall?
We bid farewell to Phio and Thomas and their kids tomorrow. It will be another sad goodbye. Even though they are not related to us by strict genealogical terms, we think of them as family. Phio has always held a special place in our hearts for the good start she provided to Jennifer, and as her own family grew, we have come to admire and love each one of them. Taksamekeet, Phio and Thomas.
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