Vitared at Last

20cm of snow frozen, thawed, and refrozen nightly. It is still winter at the top of the hill. The roads are clear though, even if my UK summer tyres can't get me onto the drive. We spent all morning unloading Darwin, just dropping stuff to the approximate part of the house it will end up in. Unloading the roof was hard work. The stuff on top is heavy but Boa at 6'1" is a big strong girl so we do OK. She has the day off and for that I am very grateful. Drop completed we took off for Ikea and every other bed store that Jonkoping has to offer. By the end of the day all we had to show for it was a cheese slicer, but I have a list of the beds I want. I am absolutely dog tired tonight. My thanks to Boa for her help, enthusiasm, and company. I had a great time.

Day 2: Pottering around my place setting up my kitchen. Messages backwards and forwards between Ernst and I, and an after work meet up to get the beds order together. It is all coming from Ikea hopefully for collection on Saturday. I have accommodation for 10 at my place, and I'm buying the beds as a job lot. Saturday we will be at the warehouse bright and early, Ernst and I, and Danial with his pick up and trailer. Ikea delivery all the way up to my place in the forest would be £125. While Ernst and I were on a roll we checked out televisions. Black goods appear to be cheaper than the UK. Broadband speeds are higher. Big TV's cost the same as small ones. There is no Freeview television but you can buy card to stick in the back of your telly. I am learning new ways of doing things. I need help. I do not know the stores. Question: If you needed to buy a step ladder as a newcomer to the UK would you recognise B&Q as a hardware store from the outside? What would tell you they had step ladders? There is no clue in the name, or the facade. In fact the racks of plants outside would suggest a garden centre, and you would drive on. That is my problem. You might expect the learning process to be slow. It is not. It is rapid. I have a mountain to climb, fast!

Day 3: Fresh snow falls. Enough already! I have to travel up to Vitared to clear snow to get the vehicles in tomorrow. Welcome to Sweden. Seriously, I am unstoppable just now. I love this place.