Family Weekend
My sister flew in from Long Beach last Friday. We planned to immediately get on the road and head North to the family in Redding, but we were sidetracked as usual.
The previous night, Nicki had forced me to purge my closet of all clothes I had not worn in six months. What a ridiculous idea, I thought - but looking into my now managably full closet, I realize she was right, I didn't need fifty tank tops (she actually counted once a few years back). But my sister and I constantly trade clothes as we shrink things and decide our style has changed- and on this Friday, my sister had a field day in the botique o' leah that covered my couch.
Then it was off to the Nordic House. What a gem in the middle of downtown Oakland. The Nordic House is south of the MacArthur and Telegraph intersection in Oakland - not exactly where you expect to find a store dedicated to providing the Scandinavian population of the Bay Area with swedish, danish and norweigian food and gift items. I had been given a mission, to purchase Vademakem (a Swedish mouthwash) for min mormor (swedish grandma), but a stop at the Nordic House always takes longer than expected - nostalgic memories of last summer and sad attempts to translate phrases printed on magnates ensue. By the time we left, we had the two sacred bottles of Vademakem, a few precious bags of gummy candies (they aren't called Swedish Fish for nothing), marsipan chocolates to be quickly consumed by me and my mom upon our arrival home, and a new licsence plate holder for my sister that reads, "Caution: Swedish Driver." My dad thought that last one was for my mom, and was disappointed we hadn't gotten one for her too - so it looks like the Nordic House hasn't seen the last of me yet.
Below is a picture of me and my sister looking a little ragged after a day of familial visitation and errands (I got new brakes for my car - and locked my keys in my car at the shop) . But despite our fatigue - and a strong food coma that set in after partaking of my dad's enchilladas - we made it to the (in)famous Sundial Bridge for a short after dinner stroll.
Despite the craziness that ensues when the whole family gets together (my eyebrows aren't weird, Marie! and I promise to consolidate my loan, Mom! and I will someday remember to check my oil and tires, Dad!) it was really hard to leave on Sunday evening. I miss you crazy people - even you Marie-bee!
The previous night, Nicki had forced me to purge my closet of all clothes I had not worn in six months. What a ridiculous idea, I thought - but looking into my now managably full closet, I realize she was right, I didn't need fifty tank tops (she actually counted once a few years back). But my sister and I constantly trade clothes as we shrink things and decide our style has changed- and on this Friday, my sister had a field day in the botique o' leah that covered my couch.
Then it was off to the Nordic House. What a gem in the middle of downtown Oakland. The Nordic House is south of the MacArthur and Telegraph intersection in Oakland - not exactly where you expect to find a store dedicated to providing the Scandinavian population of the Bay Area with swedish, danish and norweigian food and gift items. I had been given a mission, to purchase Vademakem (a Swedish mouthwash) for min mormor (swedish grandma), but a stop at the Nordic House always takes longer than expected - nostalgic memories of last summer and sad attempts to translate phrases printed on magnates ensue. By the time we left, we had the two sacred bottles of Vademakem, a few precious bags of gummy candies (they aren't called Swedish Fish for nothing), marsipan chocolates to be quickly consumed by me and my mom upon our arrival home, and a new licsence plate holder for my sister that reads, "Caution: Swedish Driver." My dad thought that last one was for my mom, and was disappointed we hadn't gotten one for her too - so it looks like the Nordic House hasn't seen the last of me yet.
Below is a picture of me and my sister looking a little ragged after a day of familial visitation and errands (I got new brakes for my car - and locked my keys in my car at the shop) . But despite our fatigue - and a strong food coma that set in after partaking of my dad's enchilladas - we made it to the (in)famous Sundial Bridge for a short after dinner stroll.
Despite the craziness that ensues when the whole family gets together (my eyebrows aren't weird, Marie! and I promise to consolidate my loan, Mom! and I will someday remember to check my oil and tires, Dad!) it was really hard to leave on Sunday evening. I miss you crazy people - even you Marie-bee!
posted by LeahT at 10:23 PM
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