Probably @Scandichick is the only one on here who will know what "nubbesallad" is but we had that today for dinner as it was too hot to cook or eat anything warmer than room temperature, that is 30 degrees C. It consists of matjees, a kind of pickled herring, chopped red onions, diced potatoes that can be substituted with something else and a sauce or dressing of mayonnaise, creme fraiche and sour cream, all mixed together and served on a heap of lettuce. Usually served as a starter but in this hot weather we have it as main dish now and then, the pickled maatjees herring is salty and that is what we need.
As it is called Nubbesallas you also want nubbe with it, that is a shot of aquavit so I got a small bottle of that plus some beer in, perfect. Warm summer evening, nice, filling food, a few shots of snaps and a few beers and we talked for four hours. Not that I had the time but I took the time.
Those of you who had hoped for disaster, I am afraid I will make you disappointed. We are building a friendship across generations and borders and have talked about the subject of Should children be physically disciplined or should there be legislation against it? He thinks it can be a good thing to punish children while I am violently against it and think it should be banned by legislation as children should be protected against violence.
We talked about rivers and streams, about France and Gotland, about love and I told him he didn't know what love is if he hadn't felt the pain of too much happiness and he agreed. Reluctantly, but did agree. I told him about love I have experienced and about love and pain and happiness with a few causal love affairs thrown in the mix.
We talked about when I possibly could come to France to visit and if it would be possible to go for a swim in the sea in November, ten degrees, no I don't think so even though I am supposedly of Viking origin.
We also talked about schools and teachers and I finally learnt that he and I have about the same IQ so advised him to contact Mensa, he had never heard about it before but I think the fact we share this is behind at least some of the attraction.I always found intelligence attractive.
He told me how happy he is and has been with us and happy he stayed a lot longer than he had planned and that I have taught him so much and yeah, well, eternal friendship I suppose. Oh the dear lad, he really is lovely.
And finally we hugged. I have been teasing him and tutoring him theoretically on the Swedish habit of hugging and told him that as he is to spend four months in Sweden he really had to get to know Swedish greeting habits and gone over the different kinds of hugs and in what circumstances you hug and in what way with whom but we haven't got so far as start practise it. But who would be better to start training hugs with but me? Tell you what? This lad didn't need tutoring on hugs, it was the most affectionate and loving hug and for the moment I am very content with the love and affection he expresses.
It was so nice we hugged once more.
