September to September in a blink of an eye

I think my computer is dying.  I can no longer update or properly shut it down.  I seem to recall a time that I could post via my smart phone but I believe that many people left 'blogger' because the platform didn't update with the times.  Yet, I continue to at least leave myself monthly clues to look back upon and cue my memories.

We were quite busy catching up with friends when we returned after such a long time to Stockholm.  Sweden and much of the Arctic Circle were experiencing large scale wild fires, and a drought all through Sweden.  This at the same time that once again (a few years in a row) California is having the same problems.  Each of my friends from each location around the globe said "...and governments don't believe in climate change..." I find it interesting when a sentiment seems to travel almost word for word intact around the world.

The band got an offer to play a show in Gorky Park, Moscow and I tagged along.  When would I ever get another chance?  The city felt like the largest I have ever been too.  It felt like NYC, LA and Paris all meshed together. I had a list of things I wanted to do and see, and I got to most of them.  We saw a lovely performance of the ballet Giselle.  The audience was full of families with children, and what look to me as couples out on a date night. 

The cosmonaut museum was another highlight.  I have always wondered about the dogs they sent to space and Sputnik-! The first satellite in space.  The museum did not disappoint. 

The train stations were also amazing, but SO loud.

The bands show was loosely organized but heavily attended and a lot of fun.

I am still grateful that I got a bit of winter- as we have a lot of logistics coming up between work and possibly selling the apartment.

I also have relatives from my fathers side coming to stay whom I have never met.  Our lives do always seem to go by a bit quicker when we are living in a city and/or in Europe.  I always feel like I have less time and yet I am getting more done.  

 

 

A fire here, a fire there, fires everywhere.

I don't do well in heat.  I am unable to have patience, my answers become short and snippy until I reach a point where I can barely find the words I actually want, and then I start just gesturing my irritation.

Stockholm was not built to avoid heat or the sun, Stockholm was built to maximize keeping the heat in.  Our first few weeks have been trying to avoid the worst of the heat and humidity.  The heat wave came with a drought and forest fires that the country was ill equipped to deal with.   Our neighbourhood with its green spaces meant we are surrounded on all sides by dying trees and brown grass.  As most of our friends were still away on vacations, we did the least amount necessary- and did our best to get some sleep each night although with an apartment that gets full morning sun followed by full afternoon sun, and the short two hours of darkness at this time of year...we mostly just took advantage of jet lag to call people in other time zones.

The most common phrase I met with when telling friends about the heat wave and fires was "Funny, and people think climate change isn't real.".

Speaking of climate change, Sweden has an upcoming election and although I would still put Sweden on a unique scale, I am hearing a lot of what I hear from friends in the U.S. and also worries I hold myself about Australia.

There is an all encompassing feeling of being under a gray cloud.

Only the reactions are varied.

I still do not feel much like adding to this blog- and yet I find myself using the blog to go back and look through what I suppose taking a phrase used by facebook 'my timeline'.

So the place holder I would want here is to remember there was a drought and wild fires for the first time in a very long time in Sweden.  Newspapers have stated 50-60 years, and even then not on this scale.  Importantly more than one place in the Arctic circle as well as at the same time California is burning which seems to be a yearly - all reminding me of the mid-1970s and President Carter trying (without much success) to get the U.S. away from fossil fuels.

At the same time, my personal day-to-day has been good.  I've seen old friends, my best friend is finding the heat pretty hard to deal with so, neither of us are cranky with one another.  Also, I am tagging along with him for a show the band is doing in Gorky Park.  I doubt another chance to see Moscow will come my way.

Another element of this blog that is harshing my efforts is I have continued trouble with adding photos to this computer.

Perhaps stating this in type will help me actually find and fix the problem but for now...friends have arrived and I should give them my attention.