Big bed of purple

Oh, what joy to wake up to the sound of birdsong rather than compactus trucks crunching up detritus from a building site while electric grinders whizz and whirl barely metres from the bedroom window. And so much better than listening to big groups of diners leaving the restaurant on the opposite corner at 2am, wishing each other well as they go their separate ways.

That’s not the only stress that has vanished. This whole two-week period has been very stressful for Mirinda which the stay in Stockholm has only partly alleviated. As a result, the stress has changed to a bad back. Originally, Mirinda was heading to London today, but the back has said, “No!” The whole trip was rearranged over the day.

I, of course, went shopping, given I was going to be cooking for both of us rather than just me. While I was away, Nicoline dropped in and dropped off a back massager which, Mirinda said was amazing. She started feeling better very quickly.

On my walk, I noticed two things that made me smile. First there was a small note on a chained bike.

This bike, with no front wheel and a chain going around the bike rack, has been abandoned. It has sat in the same place for over a year. I pointed it out to Jason when he arrived last year.

My theory is that the owner locked their bike up and went to catch the bus to work, as usual but never returned. Maybe they were kidnapped or sold in a slave market. Maybe they suffered a blow to the head and developed amnesia. Maybe they died. Interestingly, it has not been stolen.

Given it’s been there so long, I can’t see anyone coming forward now.

The other smile inducing occurrence was a big bed of purple by a road where I rarely walk. Because I needed to visit the System and ICA, I walked via a triangle and came across this glorious bed.

I could have done without the rain but, the walk was actually quite good. For one thing, I managed to avoid the very uphill section from the river to the outdoor gym on the way home.

PS: I made ramen for dinner and Mirinda actually enjoyed it.