Saturday, June 18, 2011

Forsvik and a surprise


Saturday, June 18, 2011

Oh, we had such a nice lunch!  First course was a luscious potato salad and herring followed by the main course of chicken, risotto and fresh vegetables (broccoli and carrots).  I felt a nap coming on just after lunch.  Jill wanted to read and do some painting and Chuck felt a strong need to lose another cribbage game or two to Birdie.  (Birdie 5, Chuck 1 before lunch, now she got another after lunch, a close one, leaving Chuck out two points.  He is so nice to her!)

The weather is wonderful today, the cruising idyllic.  The scenery is so familiar, the geography like the Boundary Waters.  (I know, I said it before but it bears repeating.)  The houses along the coast are neatly cared for and simply beyond description, like pictures!  Before lunch, passing one of the two old hand-turned locks, there was a little boy helping with the lock.  He had a little help, since he could barely push the big lever.  He managed. 

The boy and the lock

We sat for lunch and savored it.  As we enjoyed the company after lunch, Chuck noticed a couple that looked like friends from church, Jerry Anderson.  I joked that this might be the real Mr. Anderson and those at home were imposters.  Chuck informed me, “Gerry Anderson is a woman.”  Now this wouldn’t be much of a story without some other occurrence.

One little town named Forsvik along the Boda Kanal is known for a family that meets the boat every trip and has done so for fifty years!  The assembled members
One of the Norske Princesses and her bouquet.  She looks like a Beach Angel!
of the family sing hymns, offer blessings and bestow bouquets on some of the passengers.  We stopped to honor their talents, enjoying and clapping.  There was that couple again, an hour later.  As Jill stood by the rail, “Gerry’s” partner called out “Jill!”

The familiar couple was Runo and Ulla Davidsson, our cousins, whom we had not seen for four years when they were last in the US.  They had made a Saturday excursion to meet us.  We had a very nice visit, if brief, with our relatives.  They had prepared a map for our return visit, which we got with handshakes over the side rail of our boat.  We will meet after Falun and spend more time with them, June 27 and 28.  This was almost unbelievably touching.  Birdie and Jill got the bouquet.  We have been reveling ever since!
Runo and Ulla Davidsson

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