Lagnö Bo is the commune where we stayed for ten days prior to moving into the Red House. It’s an amazing place where the garden produces excellent organic veg and the building provides shelter from the weather and a place of community. We are gradually getting involved in this community. And, best of all, we feel accepted. It’s almost as if we already have a circle of Swedish friends.
Tonight we attended a Harvest Festival at Lagnö Bo where food was eaten, a single speech was given and a band played Russian protest songs from the 1980’s. It was an amazing night.
My contribution to the evening’s activities was a whole orange cake.
I made the cake first thing in the morning in order to give it time to cool properly. I thought the frosting could have been a bit thicker but, other than that quibble, I was very happy with it. And I was given multiple thumbs up from those that ate it.
In the afternoon, Mirinda and Amanda enjoyed some cake themselves. They had walked around a lake then, on the way home, stopped off at Emils Backe for some apple crumble. While they were gallivanting, I recorded my next Letter from Sweden for the Talking Newspaper. I also tried to watch a couple more episodes of Tomorrow.
But then we all headed out for the commune.
Nicoline was there and she made sure the three of us were separated, in order to talk to strangers. I talked to a Polish woman who teaches Swedish. She wasn’t from Lagno Bo. She knew Nils who was her…I never found out but I suppose ‘man-friend’. She was astounded that we had moved from Surrey to Trosa.
After telling her it was because we needed a change she was even more surprised saying she didn’t like change at all. When I suggested that her moving from Poland to Sweden was a big change she replied that she had no choice. I didn’t get to question her more on that as the table I was on was rocked by the news that Amelie and Johan had become grandparents. They rushed off to Facetime with their daughter and see the baby.
Nils, by the way, was a man who trained border collie’s to herd sheep. His whistle is pretty good. He used to have three dogs, back when he lived elsewhere. When he moved to Lagno Bo, it was only because there was a flock of sheep he could look after. Sadly, his last dog died a couple of years ago and he’s stopped tending the sheep. Still, he seems to be happy, living at the commune.
The highlight of the night was the band. They played on the small stage in the middle of the Winter Garden and were very good. Okay, we didn’t understand any of the words but that didn’t really matter. Also, Nicoline occasionally supplied us with translations. There was even some dancing.
After the band finished their set, the residents gathered around the guitarist and they all started singing songs together. Nicoline said this was very common; that Swedes loved a good sing-along. I only wished I knew the songs, so I could have joined in as well. Maybe one day.
