Today marked our 33rd wedding anniversary. We celebrated by driving up to the loppis at Vagnhärad and buying some garden furniture and a selection of kitchenware for the stuga. It’s been a while since we went to the loppis, and it hasn’t changed much. Well, except for the boat, I guess.
We needed a few bits and pieces for the stuga ahead of any attempt to rent it out with AirBnB. Without specifically planning to, we spotted the garden furniture and liked the price. Six chairs were quickly folded and distributed evenly into Max. The kitchenware was distributed a little more haphazardly given the general lack of space. The girls sat on my lap for the short trip home.
The chap at the loppis must have recognised us because, while Mirinda was inside one of the sheds, he turned to me and said “How ya goin’, Mate?” in a roughly Australian accent. It wasn’t the only time today, I was also remembered by our waiter at Matstudio.
We had the same waiter the first night he worked at Matstudio, and he remembered me. The last time we saw him, he was worried he wouldn’t last the season. Well, he did and he’s loving it. He apologised for not remembering Mirinda.
His previous job was as a real estate broker which made him very depressed. Too much stress was leading him to a break down. He decided a complete change of employment and scene was required in order to save his waning sanity. He has returned to loving life. And now entertains patrons rather than homebuyers.
We sat outside given the weather. It was a glorious day and it just felt wrong to eat indoors. In fact, it wasn’t the only time we ate outside today. After the loppis, we headed down to Emils Backe for lunch. The place reopened last weekend and has been calling us. How could we possibly ignore it?
While the day was delightful, there was a slight blip as far as Mirinda was concerned. After lunch, she decided she wanted to go to a garden centre that Nicoline had told her about. Given it was our anniversary, I didn’t have to go, so she left me and the girls at the house then tootled off.
She tootled back not long afterwards with the gloomy information that the garden centre (and two others) closed at 3pm. She had stood at the door, beseechingly, as two people inside begged her to leave so they could go home. It was a very different experience to an English weekend, where the garden centres are open all day and flooded with eager gardeners and at least one irritated husband.
So, rather than lugging home entire walls of garden tools, Mirinda had a very relaxing afternoon, waiting for our walk to the restaurant. Where we toasted the years away. And it occurred to me that I have been married to her for almost half my life. I’m very pleased to say, it doesn’t feel that long. And I’m eagerly awaiting the next half…
And, just to prove what a creature of habit I am, looking back at the post from May 19 last year, I had exactly the same meal – starter and main. Both still tasted excellent, which proves the logic of my choices. Though, maybe next time I’ll try something else.
But it wasn’t just the anniversary of our wedding today. It also marked one year since the contract was signed on the red house. Two momentous occasions on the same day. Here’s cheers to that.
