Clambering over the boulders

Jud and Sharon insisted on wearing full rain gear today, as we set off for a walking tour of Trosa. I laughed at this folly. The big black cloud above us was, I insisted, going away. Then, as we entered Tre Små Rum, everyone insisted it was going to rain. I once more indicated the sky, suggesting that the clouds had drifted higher and, therefore, would not deposit any rain. Obviously, I was wearing shorts and t-shirt.

I’d already walked into the centrum to buy meatball essentials and a few tipples from the System. The weather had gone from heavy rain in the early hours to warm and humid by the time I left, trolley in hand.

Trosa was delightfully empty, though not quite as empty as it was later, as we walked out to the World’s End in the increasingly heavy rain. Still, it was all beautiful, even Dead Tree Island which was showing some vague signs of life among its forest of leafless twigs.

Needless to say, we all managed to get soaking wet. While, sadly, I didn’t take a photo of us all drenched, I did manage an earlier, drier, image.

I should say that Sharon was wearing her sunnies because she has broken or can’t find her normal glasses and not, as I thought, to avoid being recognised by members of the Swedish chapter of her global fan base.

Of course, the wet weather gear (and the sunnies) had served them well as they climbed fjords (the ones for which Slartibartfast won his award) and mounted many massive boulders in the Pyrenees. It was the latter that Jud regaled us with as we sat, much later, dry and well-fed in the living room. While Jud was more than a little excited about the hike, Sharon was a little less than enthusiastic, claiming that childbirth was the only thing worse.

We were full of Swedish meatballs that I had made, more than ably assisted by my sous chef (Sharon, obviously). Because we had cauli mash yesterday, I went for a swede, celeriac and Parmesan mix which, I thought, turned out rather well. Everyone ate it, anyway, so it can’t have been too bad.

After dinner, there was much swapping of stories and showing of photos, including one which highlighted Sharon’s natural buoyancy top. I did wonder the need for a life jacket which she was instructed to wear for kayaking in the glacial meltwater.

There was also a bit of chat about how dim everything is in Swedish homes. I maintained that I liked it because it gave everything a cosy feel. Mirinda just said it was too dark. Sharon demonstrated her feelings on the subject by wearing a head torch in order to knit. We thought she looked like a Borg, though I’m not sure why a Borg would be knitting.

Of course, Mirinda and Sharon decided not to talk for a few hours beyond a normal person’s bedtime, because tomorrow we are off to Stockholm and have an early start.

It’s supposed to be dry and sunny tomorrow. Let’s hope so.