Sunny day.

A picture of Leia playing at the place yesterday, before everything went so bad.

Thank you both for your comments! I appreciate it.
Not sure about the jealous thing, though. The only thing that anyone could possibly be jealous of is that I haven't lived in the same town for my entire life.

I'm not expecting these people to be my friends. I'm actually certain that once I got to know them, that I wouldn't want to be their friends, based on how they might be as a person. I don't want to be friends with them, unless by chance something clicked. But I do expect them to make eye contact and maybe smile or say 'hi' or something of the sort.

I know I've not be the best conversationalist since living in Sweden. I think moving to another country with a very different language can have that effect on you. You are trying to learn a new culture and language that you've never heard before and you know you don't fit in but you are desperately trying ... You move to a new place, really only knowing 1 person ...

I don't feel American any more, and I don't feel Swedish.
I'm somewhere inbetween. I don't really feel like I belong anywhere.
I think that people here that know me, Fredrik even, forget this. That I'm not Swedish. That I am having to learn a new language and a new way of doing things, even after living here almost 6 years. I don't think I'm given enough credit or respect for the life changes that I have made. Or the sacrifices.

Those that know me in the US know that I am very quite and shy. I always have been. But those that know me VERY well know that most of the time you can't get me to shut up ... there is a reason why I can write and write and write on here ... :P My mind is an endless flowing source of dialogue.

So here I am in a new country, in a new town ... trying to just get to know some people, and I can't even get any of them to make eye contact with me.

I have never, ever felt like I fit in here (in Sweden). And maybe since I don't feel like I belong, it makes it difficult to feel like I can fit in with the people, and makes me more hesitant with pushing my way into social situations.

Fredrik said that Swedes talk and make conversations by very quickly finding something that they have in common and then talking about that. I guess that I'm just not used to that kind of conversation techniques...... Americans are very open about conversation ... something that Swedes need to learn.

I'm certain that it isn't me - that I'm not the problem in these little get-togethers. Someone could easily wave me over or say "sit down" or "join us" without waiting 10-15 minutes and then asking.... They even don't have to talk to me after that ... I wouldn't be offended if they didn't. But maybe a nod in my direction or a smile or an acknowledgement could make me feel better if I did get up the courage and get over my fear of speaking in another language to a bunch of strangers.

Fredrik is really, really annoyed with the parent-group people ... They know that we know no one and that we need to meet people here. Maybe they feel that pressure and want to avoid us because they know we want to make friends and they aren't interested. But they shouldn't be so egotistical to think we want to be friends with them. But he thinks they should try to make us (me, at these get-togethers) feel more welcome and try to include us, since they KNOW that I don't know anyone.

Ehhh..... ....
I don't know if I should talk to these people in English or Swedish..
I think the age is a bad age, too ... for us to come in and make friends.
I think if we (and them) were younger or older, then it would be easier.


Carie, you guys need to move to England or Germany so that we can come and visit you guys all the time.. :P :)) That would be awesome.

Here are some flowers that I cut from some bushes in our yard. The smell is divine, I absolutely love them. Maybe one of the reasons why I wanted this house??

Leia has just been the perfect little girl. She always is. It is just her sleeping that comes and goes and makes Mamma so tired.. :/ So we are anxious for Mormor and Morfar to come and stay with us and give us some helping hands for awhile. :)

Fredrik called the BVC and we are giving Leia 1 teaspoon (tsk) of her medicine now, and she said to up it to 1½, but Fredrik and I both easily decided to give her 2 tsp. I had the same medicine before, and it did absolutely nothing for me when I took it.

The weather has been just beautiful, and hot, hot, hot. At least 25 degC (78 degF) and it is supposed to be warmer this weekend. We plan to grill a lot, and I am going to make Fredrik his first rhubarb pie of the summer. :)

Yesterday I got a paper in the mail, inviting us to the National Day ceremony in Åmål. To receive "something" (no idea what) from the town, to celebrate me becoming a citizen. Everyone who became a citizen will be invited .. for all I know, in such a small place, with so few foreigners, I might very well be the only one.. :P

So we will be going to that next Friday, June 6th - Sweden's National Day (their 4th of July). :)) It is in the afternoon, and Farmor and Farfar will be around, so we invited them to join us.

That is all for now, I think Fredrik and I are going to watch the first half of "To Catch a Killer." Only ½, seeing as the movie is 3 hours long and I don't think that I could possibly stay awake to see the whole thing before passing out.. :P :)

Leia, this morning, taking all of her toys out of her toybox: