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Veronica's mother (Ulla-Karin), boyfriend (Haekan),
and Anders girlfriend picked us up at the bus stop in
Motala and brought us to their summer home in the country.
Here we were deciding who would sleep where.
Captured June 24 2004 6:13:14p
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This is the main house -- there was also a small cottage
on the property (off to the right) where a couple of
us slept.
Captured June 24 2004 7:51:45p
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A native black slug. We don't have these in the States
-- I thought they were cool.
Captured June 24 2004 8:09:06p
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Another magnificent mollusk.
Captured June 24 2004 8:11:54p
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This is the lake where we would have all been swimming
had it not been cold and rainy.
Captured June 24 2004 8:18:04p
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Captured June 24 2004 8:17:22p
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Anders & Tilda
Captured June 24 2004 8:18:24p
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A nice group shot, but not everyone was present.
Captured June 24 2004 8:20:47p
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Gavin operating some of the heavy dredging machinery
we found at the lake.
Captured June 24 2004 8:11:04p
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Gavin, Kate, & Tomas stayed on to do some swimming in
the frigid water. Veronica was the event photographer.
Captured June 24 2004 8:33:17p
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Veronica and her mother, Ulla-Karin, who was a marvelous
hostess. I hope she didn't regret inviting the lot
of us. I fear we were quite a bit of work for her,
but she seemed to be enjoying herself all the same.
Captured June 24 2004 11:51:15p
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Anders girlfriend, Katrine, with a midsummer wreath
in her hair.
Captured June 25 2004 1:10:27p
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Ulla-Karin works at a flower shop, and made some very
professional wreaths for the girls in the group.
Captured June 25 2004 1:11:55p
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One of the many delicious meals we enjoyed during our
visit.
Captured June 25 2004 1:16:23p
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Kurt & Antonis are close friends in Alan's group.
Captured June 25 2004 1:17:22p
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Midsummer ladies.
Captured June 25 2004 1:18:38p
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Captured June 25 2004 1:29:24p
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Tilda
Captured June 25 2004 1:48:57p
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Kate & Veronica
Captured June 25 2004 2:27:39p
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Pretty maids all in a row. Julie was so pleased with
her headdress; I think she wore it all the way home.
Captured June 25 2004 2:30:47p
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Midsummer(?)
Our midsummer was a bit wet, but we were told this was
normal.
Captured June 25 2004 2:36:45p
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Kurt being the perfect gentleman.
Captured June 25 2004 2:35:28p
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Julie sharing her umberella with Max.
Captured June 25 2004 2:38:53p
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On the way, I spotted this burrow in someones yard,
which I assume is used for storing wine or somesuch.
Captured June 25 2004 2:43:55p
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At the festival, they were giving out mineral water
from the town spring, which was purported to have healing
qualities.
Captured June 25 2004 3:04:56p
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To Health!
We all gave it a try.
Captured June 25 2004 3:05:02p
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Old Apothecary
They had a turn-of-last-century apothecary in the small
town where the festival was held, and Julie asked me
to take this photo of her with the pharmacist in her
traditional clothes.
Captured June 25 2004 3:12:34p
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This was a nice tea setting in the adjoining room.
Captured June 25 2004 3:11:55p
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The main activity of the festival was of course dancing
about a floral pole to some very silly summertime songs.
Captured June 25 2004 3:18:30p
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I'm guessing this must have been the "moose dance."
Captured June 25 2004 3:20:53p
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The costumes some of the participants wore were marvelous.
Captured June 25 2004 3:25:49p
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Captured June 25 2004 3:26:41p
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Tomas, Katrine, Kate, Veronica, Gavin, & Julie all joined
in the dance.
Captured June 25 2004 3:30:52p
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I even got dragged into it at one point.
Captured June 25 2004 3:30:55p
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Luckily, no one was hurt.
Captured June 25 2004 3:31:10p
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It was rather a big crowd gathered there.
Captured June 25 2004 3:38:33p
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Later that afternoon, we played a few games of croquet.
Captured June 25 2004 6:19:22p
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We were all learners, and some of us learned faster
than others.
Captured June 25 2004 6:19:34p
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The Winners
Veronica & Kate beat all the men, individually and as
a team. There must be something about wearing flowers
in your hair that makes you a superior croquet player.
Captured June 25 2004 6:19:45p
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Francisco was quite keen on the game, not that it did
him any good.
Captured June 25 2004 6:35:26p
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Tomas is a proficient juggler, as it turns out.
Captured June 25 2004 6:35:53p
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And Veronica is a proficient cook.
Captured June 25 2004 8:28:52p
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There were two groups at dinner -- those who were interested
in the football match between Greece and France, and
those who weren't.
Captured June 25 2004 10:39:39p
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Home Victory
Antonis and Julie were ecstatic when Greece one, and
Julie called to hear that everyone was going crazy after
the game back home.
Captured June 25 2004 10:40:07p
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The trip home was rather like the trip there, involving
cars, buses, and a train.
Captured June 26 2004 11:52:36a
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We said thank you and farewell to our hosts.
Captured June 26 2004 11:52:53a
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Waiting at check-in. Some of us headed different directions
once we landed at Stansted (London). My next destination
was Leicester, though I hadn't yet realized that I was
a day early...
Captured June 26 2004 2:04:11p
Page created July 1 2004 9:02:02a