Day 91 – 92 Life As It Happens

Dear G, Friday I was invited to lunch by Melker Andersson, gourmet chef and owner of restaurants like Fredsgatan 12, Kungsholmen, Grill and Smak. By the way, he also has a silver medal of Bocuse d'Or and at least one Michelin Star.

Here is Melker himself, holding a little speach about his life, his wife, the tv-show he had been to the same morning and of course, his latest cookbook. It's a homestyle cookbook, kind of odd, he said, as he's never at home. His wife pulling the wagon of their 7-months baby back and forth, laughed politely.

The lunch was held at his private home just outside Stockholm. I was transported there in a big cab, suddenly stopped by a great man standing in the road. It was one of Sweden's most famous radio hosts, asking for Melker Andersson's house. So he got in the cab…

Arriving at Mr Andersson's we had cava (Spanish Champagne), some amuses and then grilled Porchetta(meat) served with all sorts of side dishes.

Afterwards we had Clafoutis with cherries, cherry sauce and whipped cream. We also got to see his house, obviously styled by an interior decorator, very un-Swedish in every aspect of the word.

Leaving I received a copy of the cookbook, with a dedication from the chef to my maiden name.

The whole experience was somehow surreal. Was I travelling in time? Was it a strange coincidence, perhaps even a mistake, that I was invited? Or was this afternoon the beginning of my new life?

Perhaps not. Saturday our family was four double booked. There was the obligatory fixing day at the preschool (if you don't come you get to rinse the toilets, or similar), the big track and field athletics day at A's school (a great chance to get to know the new friends), A's tennis (with her best friend) and J's gymnastics (with his best friend) – all for children and all at the same hour.

So we packed some sandwiches, coffee and the three children in the car, started early at the preschool and worked efficiently. Then, an hour late, arrived to the sports field. Yes, the very same sports field were I, in my schooldays, learned to hate track and field athletics so deeply.

There are pros and cons with being a homie.

Something has changed, however. At 15, I realised I'm a runner – not a short distance runner, but a middle or long distance runner. And as adults, we all get the opportunity to be judged for other things than our ability to do athletics. Which, in my opinion and position, is a move in the right direction.

So in a very good mood I did the long jump, the 60 m race and a 400 m relay. Thanked our club that I'm in a much better shape than most of the mothers and have a lot less to sit on.

Running the 400 m relay I was even so fast the photographer couldn't get me. The photographer taking care of three kids, that is… I'm first in the far right, and then in the middle, just about to hand over the stick.

Life is changing, life has changed. And of course there is gold at the end of the rainbow!