O for a muse of fire

Last year, we attended Valborg at Trostorp so felt it only right that we should visit the ritual burning at Trosa this evening. Marking the end of winter with a big bonfire, some sketchy music and a speech we managed not to hear, was a delightful way to celebrate April 30. And, apart from a few drops of rain, it was the perfect evening for it.

And the bonfire was pretty impressive.

It was good to see so many people out and about. Not surprisingly, we ran into six people who knew us and stopped to chat. First up, there was a rather tipsy Rickard and his fishing friend. I didn’t hear much of what Rickard said as his fishing friend decided I’d like to hear the same conversation from the last time I saw them.

A little later, as the fire really got going and the smoke cleared, we were spotted by the Button people, Victor and Ebba who told us about the progress of their vegetable enterprise. With great sadness, they told us they’d had to get jobs. Still, they will be selling surplus crops when they arrive and will let us know so we can help grow their coffers.

Finally, I was tapped on the shoulder by the ever effervescent Sean and Fi’s favourite Scotsman, Jim the Poodle Man. We heard all about Sean’s friend in hospital, his tiring job and how he’d walked 200,000 steps today. Not that Sean ever exaggerates, mind you.

Jim filled us in on the house selling progress and told me a very funny story about a dog and its anal gland clear out – the term in Swedish makes it somewhat confusing about whether it’s the dog or owner receiving the procedure.

Anyway, all round, it was lovely and the girls received a lot of little kid action with groups of them racing over and asking if they could pat and cuddle them. The girls were happy to oblige, given the patting helped alleviate the shivering. Slightly.

But that was all at the end of the day, I started off by heading to Stensund Folkhögskolan and KSP’s English class where I told them about heading to and growing up in, Australia.

It was great fun and I made them laugh a few times. Of course, when I told Mirinda that she rolled her eyes and said that education is no laughing matter. I solemnly gave my usual response of, “I’m an entertainer first and a teacher second.“

As ‘payment’ I was treated to a marvellous lunch of fried herring, a delicacy I’d not tried before but hope to again. However, I promise never to serve it to KSP at Chez Gaz. KSP does not like fried herring. She pulled quite the disapproving face when confronted by it.

I’ve just realised that if you add an ‘n’ to fried, you get ‘friend’. Though KSP finds fried herring particularly unfriendly.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to her class and hope to do it again soon. As long as I didn’t bore my audience however unlikely that may be.

I should state, for the record, that the photo above is one I took ages ago. I forgot to take any of the school today.