Memm, jag har någonting till dig. Och nej, vi ska inte slänga dem.

“Mum, I’ve got something for you.” (Doesn’t even need to look at me to guess what my response would be to seeing this thing.) “And no, we’re not throwing them away.”

All right then. Mending it is.

Schoolteachers here like giving kids reading challenges for the longer school breaks. Both Ingrid and Adrian have them for this summer break.

Adrian’s challenge is twofold: read 10 minutes every day, plus a bingo card with specific challenges. I think it’s the same one he’s had before; probably something the teacher found on the internet and now keeps reusing for every single school break. At least the “read in your swimming clothes” square makes a bit more sense now that it is summer.

Except swimming clothes are actually not that comfortable when you’re not swimming, you know? So Adrian used the same workaround as he’s done in the past. Put his arm through his swimming trunks, read for 10 minutes, and crossed of that square.

He really takes this thing seriously, even though there are squares there that he really doesn’t look forward to. It’s more of a compulsion than something to enjoy. And he is quite uncomfortable with the idea of cheating, or even thinking outside the box, when it comes to this. Even when it is as innocent as the swimming clothes thing.

Least favourite square remaining: read in a car or a bus. I’m pretty sure he’s going to ask me to keep him company. And I think I’ve convinced him that it is perfectly valid to do this when the car is standing still and the doors are open.

[ Monday, July 19th, 2021 — in Adrian, Dailies, Photography — No comments ]

Adrian and ran some errands in Bromma. Ingrid wanted us out of the house for as long as possible so she could get some time on her own, so she sent us a link to a nearby ice cream place. The ice cream place turned out to serve the most delicious gelatos. (Swedish raspberry and chocolate sorbet for me. I’ve never had chocolate sorbet before.)

Before covid, I’m sure there would have been a long and tedious queue outside the door. Now they had a ticket dispenser instead, which makes waiting a lot more relaxed. And the electronics store we visited before had the same. I’d much rather move around while waiting than stand still in one spot, covid or not.

Like with working from home, I hope that these changes persist.

We cycled to the recycling centre in Bromma. All the way there and back, the sky loomed over us and the air felt like it should start raining any moment, but not a single drop actually fell.

Cycled to Myrorna in Sundbyberg with Adrian, mostly to get out of the house and get some exercise. Adrian cycling naturally at a sustainable speed is a good match for me with a trailer cycling with not much of an effort.

Adrian has an entire collection of fiddle toys in front of his bed, that he uses while I read for him at bedtime. (Currently reading: Howard Pyle’s Robin Hood.) These have accumulated over the past few years. The magic snakes appear to be the best, because they satisfy both his fingers and his brain. They were a bit loud and “clicky” to begin with, but with some use they’ve softened. Or maybe I’ve just gotten used to the slight noise.

The boys taking care of the dishes after dinner.

Adrian and I got fresh summer haircuts.

Seeing our hair side by side reminded me just how gray mine has become.