The day before the wedding

I woke up not i the best of shape the day after the crayfish party. Had been sleeping on the couch downstairs in the livingroom in lack of other places to sleep. The night before was still foggy. It was with a pounding headache and a wounded body that me and the boys started cleaning up from the night before. Carrying tables and taking out the trash. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and not a cloud could be seen, but at that moment it felt like the weather was against me. It was a welcomed suggestion when Henrik proposed that we should head out to take a swim.

The water was warm and refreshing. We was fooling around the some toys we found by the beach. It was the perfect antidote for my hangover and I was already feeling better. We later headed back to the farm, where we helped out Thomas, Staffan and Henrik's dad, with packaging minced meat. After packing all my things we headed out to Granhedsgården, where the wedding reception were going to be held. On the way we picked up Anton, one of the groomsmen and Bea, his girlfriend.

Staffan, Lou and Henrik went back to the farm for dinner, leaving me, Anton and Bea at Granhedsgården. It was calm and quiet, as nothing ever seemed to be happening around there. Wondering what we would eat because none of us had brought any food with us. Luckily some of the Candian guests kindly invited us to dinner. Inspired by Murray's tales of sea kayaking, me, Anton and Bea went down to the lake after dinner for some evening canoeing. We took a short trip around the calm water as the sun was setting. The silence was only interupted by Bea's screams, triggered by Anton's rocking of the canoe, followed by a childish smile on his face.

The sun had disappeared behind the tree line and only a small glims of light was slipping out. We sat down on the porch by the water, waiting for the others to arrive. More and more guests was joining us as the light disappeared and the stars was coming out on the sky above. As the cold came creeping more and more guest left for the night leaving just a small company on the porch star gazing.

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The Björklund crayfish party

This is about a great friend of mine and about the end of one era and the start of a new. It all started with a phonecall, don't quite remember when, think it was somewhere around last fall. It was Staffan, an old friend from my time in Luleå. We had started out in the same class the first year of university and had hung out quite a lot, partying like animals and had also been roommates for two years as well. We had made some great memories together.

He was calling about a wedding. His wedding. He and Lou was going to get married after finally ending a two year long distance relationship between Sweden and Canada. Saying he wanted me there, as bestman, together with a mutual friend Anton and his brother Henrik. Of course! Bestman, wow! I was both honored and humbled. We didn't had that much of contact during the last year so it came a bit as a surpise. It was going to be my first wedding I attended as well so I didn't know what to expect neither what was expected of me.

Fast forward a year. It's summer and I sittning on the train to Flen, to meet up with Staffan. He had invited me to join two days before the wedding for a crayfish party with his and Lou's family which had flown in a few days ahead. I'd gotten free from work and was going to join them. After a short drive from the train station we arrived at Staffan's childhood place. It was a farm with an old house on a hill with a beautiful view of the farmland all around. I arrived late in the afternoon and the sun was setting sending a warm and inviting light over the hill.

It was people everywhere, streaming out and in of the house. Greeting and saying hello to everyone I had a hard time just to remember who was who and what relation they had to the bride or the groom. But at the time it didn't seem to matter, the mood was as good as it could be and the weather appeared to had been affected by it by showing its best.

Staffan and his family was running around, setting the table out on the porch trying to get everything ready. I was trying to help, but was still feeling a little out of place and decided eventually to just keep out or their way. When the crayfish and people each had found their place everything fell into place and I suddenly felt at home. The mood snatched me away and I could do nothing but ride along. The same mood that kept me riding for another 3 days. Had such a great evening with wonderful people.

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Laxloppet

Johan hade övertalat mig att delta i en löptävling, laxloppet på Junkön i Luleå skärgård. Jag visste inte om det var rätt beslut då jag var förkyld och hade i sprungit något på ett år. Det visade sig bli en trevlig dag trots en väldigt jobbig löprunda i 30 graders värme.