Rest in Peace...

Yesterday, I went to my Swedish grandmother's funeral. It was a very sad but also happy day. I loved that it was both. We were able to say a proper (tearful) goodbye to her at the church and afterwards we all went to my aunt's house to talk and have something to eat. It was a gathering of family from the north and the south of Sweden, talking about happy memories of the childhood in the north. It was so nice to see people I had never met before or I had only met as a baby, having something so recogniseable about them at first sight - they all kind of had the Englund nose, that I also see in the mirror every morning.

My father and his siblings used to spend their summer far up north in Tornedalen, oh so close to nature - actually bang in the middle of nature with nothing but fresh air. I loved to hear that even my great grandmother was a tough old lady! She was a big strong woman, raised on proper home made butter and fresh cream and weighed close to 100kg (about 200lb). She used to ride down a steep hill on her trolley, controlling the cirves of the road perfectly with that tremendous speed! I hope I got some of that in my blood!

My grandmother was a tough and determined lady that wasn't always easy to get along with, but she was my grandmother and I will always cherish the happy memories I had with her.

Vila i frid, farmor.