Happy Birthday to Me!

A Valborgsafton fire can be even bigger than
this one

Today, the 30th April is celebrated as Valborgsafton (Valborgsmässoafton or simply Valborg) named after a saint. (from wikipedia: 'The current festival is, in most countries that celebrate it, named after the English missionary Saint Walpurga (ca. 710–777/9). As Walpurga was canonized on 1 May (ca. 870), she became associated with May Day, especially in the Finnish and Swedish calendars.')

Cows enjoy the first day outdoors in 2012

People in many places in Sweden will set their old christmas trees on fire (very carefully) and watch the fire and sing songs and have a lovely time with family and friends.
Tomorrow is Labour Day and I will stay away from the protest and enjoy the 'red day'  (aka bank holiday) in Sweden.
Last year we went to a farm to watch the cows being released for the first time for the year. They have been indoors all winter and were rather excited to run out and play in the grass and bounce around as if they were bunnies. It was fantastic! I hope to do that again tomorrow.!

King Carl XVI Gustav and Queen Silvia

It is also the King of Sweden's (King Carl XVI Gustav) birthday as well.

Oh I also know a couple that was married 2 years ago on this day. :)
So why is this day so significant to me you ask?
Well, it is the 2nd anniversary of the day that I arrived in Sweden, not as a tourist but as a person living here. I am not an immigrant, but I do live here. So it is my swedish birthday. :)





The last 2 years have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. Many good time. Many terrible times. However it has been an awesome time.
I have learnt so much about myself and others. I have learnt alot about Yahweh and Yeshua. I have met so many people that I have forgotten names and faces without meaning to.
All in all, more than all that I have seen and done, Yahweh has shown Himself to be faithful. He is my Father, and Friend and continues to shape me into someone with more potential that I could have ever had on my own.
Thank you for these years Father.
Thank you Father for the people that you have placed around me. Thank you to the people around who have chosen to be friends. Thanks for all the chicken, and the movies and the laughter and the tears and for your love.
Happy Birthday to me!

Cycling in the forest, on ice... YEAH!

Jag och cyklarna

On Tuesday 16th April, I am my friend Josia, decided to ride our bicylces early in the morning. We met outseide Willy's supermarket at 06:20 ish... and after a little trouble with helmets and gloves, set off on our adventure.
I thought that it might be nice to venture over to the forest in which there is a nice little lake and dam.
Well, this was the first real time that I had ridden my bike since the first snow in November of last year, and it was clear that I had lost what little fitness had been achieved then.
We made it to the forest and stopped to take photos by the lake that we discovered was still very much frozen.

 

Frozen lake

We then rode through the gate to the field and after walking the bikes UP the wonderful hill, we continued to ride away on adventure.
OK, so I found myself in front, as Josia was busy taking photos while riding, and turned a corner and proceeded downhill. This was a wonderful thing until I realised that there was still ICE on the trail. Maybe this is a normal thing for some people, but I have NEVER ridden on ice before!
Anyway, the ice was soft so with a reasonable speed we both managed to get by it. We proceeded a little further and realised that if we continued on our path it would take a while to get back home and we both wanted to have the opportunity to have some breakfast before going to the office. With that in mind, we turned around and went back the way that we had come.

Riding on ICE on the way back

This turned out to be even more adventurous. There was a near collision on the ice. Josia rode next to me and slowed down at the exact moment that I needed to swerve to avoid sliding across the ice. In order to avoid a collision, I stopped abruptly, and put my foot down... on ice... and then began a little slide. It was fun getting back on the bike :)
The next incident came as I found myself riding in softish sand. While trying to get to the side that was actually more solid, my front tyre slipped, became stuck and I flew off the bike. I was fantastic. The only real injury was bruising received from the pedals or handlebars.
That was one of my best mornings. It is so nice and quiet early in the morning and being out in nature is one of the best ways to start the day. Skål!

Resurrection Day Weekend

It is the first day of spring today!
Well, no one is really sure if it is, but today the little machine came and cleaned the street. They removed all the little stones from the street. These stones have been there since late November when the first heavy snow came. They make it more difficult to slip and hurt oneself on the ice covered roads, though it is still very possible.

We have had some beautiful days recently. Lots of wonderful sunshine and warmer temperatures during the day, althought the nights are still quite chilly.


 I was blessed to be able to spend the Easter weekend with some friends-like-family in another city called Örebro. It was a lovely time of rest, food, and good chats.

Here is a photo of Uncle G walking on the water after lunch at the Nature Reserve. We needed the walk after that fantastic lunch.


 

I even had the opportunity to walk on water! Well the water was frozen and covered with snow, but that is not the point. It was still a first time experience. We went to a place called Kilsberg and walked across the lake and sat on mats in the snow and the sun and ate Fika.
This was certainly a different thing for a barbarian in Sweden to do. My other first that weekend was using the carpooling web group successfully. I was able to travel by train to one place, meet someone there and then get a ride to Örebro. It was kinda cool actually. Meeting new people and seeing slightly different parts of the country.
  

There were some ladies from Hong Kong visiting OM Sweden for an outreach last week who taught me to say 'The Lord' in cantonese.



Now I am back at the office. Many people are either taking time off or travelling for work.
I am looking forward to warmer days and the beauty of Spring.
Bye, bye Winter!