This is the last week of “vacation” but I’m feeling too stressed out by everything we’ve got coming up in the next several weeks to be able to relax and enjoy my few remaining free days.

Lydia desperately needs a haircut before school starts next Wednesday, but none of the places here in our little town take credit cards and we’re woefully low on cash just now. We can’t go to Skellefteå tomorrow because it’s Tage’s birthday and we’ll be busy, one way or another, all day with that. Saturday, maybe, but I’m not sure what’s open–Sweden’s strange that way–so I guess I’ll have to do some calling around. If we can’t get it done over the weekend, that leaves just Monday, since Olof is leaving for Uppsala Tuesday morning and won’t be back until late Friday (my lack of a Swedish driver’s license prevents me from driving anywhere outside our little town).

And this Olof-going-out-of-town business is stressing me out, too. A couple of weeks ago he told me that he’d have to go to Uppsala for a couple of days at the beginning of September. After confirming that it will be September 2-3 I was okay with it, because Lydia’s birthday is the 1st and her big party the 4th, so he won’t miss either. Then when he told me last week that he had to be in Uppsala Tuesday through Friday next week, I again took the news gracefully (very unlike me, but I’m trying to improve in that department). When he told me a couple of days later, however, that he was expected to be in Malta September 22-29, I couldn’t maintain a brave face any longer. That’s a lot of travel in a short amount of time, expecially considering that he usually travels for work only two or three times per year. Nothing I can do about it, though–aside from dreading it–so I’ll try not to complain too much.

I know I’d feel a lot better about him being gone if I had my driver’s license and could pop into town to do some shopping or visit friends, but I know I won’t be able to do everything that needs to be done to get it in the next five weeks. If it weren’t so expensive and time-consuming, I would have taken care of it long ago. The whole thing is very frustrating and annoying. I mean, I got my first driver’s license over half my lifetime ago and now I have to start from scratch. Bah.

In happier news, the weather has cooled down considerably and it’s been much more pleasant the past couple of days. Last night we closed our window and left the fan off and we still slept very comfortably. It’s been getting dark for a couple of hours at night now, too, so it’s starting to feel more normal. Lydia’s a bit disappointed that we might not be able to have Tage’s party outside tomorrow, but I want to stay inside and show off my new living room. I’m really happy with the way it’s turned out. It’s going to be so cozy this winter when we’ve got candles lighted and a fire in the fireplace.