Memories in stockholm....and Rat attacks..... Vasa, This three hundred year old ship is Stockholm's largest tourist attraction. It was very cool, and I felt like it was one of the most interesting museums for children. After touring the museum, CC ,Yarmo, Carl and jeanette and all of the kids headed to a cafe on the water. All over stockholm is these great outdoor cafes where you sit and eat and drink staring at the water, interesting boats and beautiful architecture. It is my favorite way to spend my time here, and if I could I would sit there all day waiting to be hungry or thirsty the next time. Right next to the cafe was a place that rented canoes and paddle boats. So as we sat enjoying our beers the boys paddles around the water in front of us. It was all going great until brock had the brilliant idea to ram a big red pole in the water. I am not sure exactly what the pole was, maybe a marker of some sort. Well long story short they got stuck on it, and jim and carl had to take a canoe out for a rescue mission. I think they liked this. When carl said they were stuck on a pole, I expected it to be a small pole that perhaps they didn't notice but once they were set free a rubber pole that was bright red and six feet tall emerged from under their boat. I guess they could not claim to run it over by accident. Later that night we went to a jazz club called stompen. Just a two minute walk from our place, is this really cool place with all sorts of fun strange things hanging from the ceiling. Things like a mannequin leg and old wagons and old boots. Inside this tiny dusty little club a old hippy with dred locks down to his ankles played guitar with the band. He was so old and soooo good. The whole band was great and played funk music , jimmie was in heaven. We all stayed till the bitter end dancing until they finally shut us down. The next day CC, planned a picnic in the park. We were able to meet Cecilias sweet family and I thanked her dad for making her because I love her so much. We were able to be with all the people in sweden who we have made connections with at one time, and it was surprising how in such a short time we have so many friends here. Linea who spent a week at our house brought her parents and grandmother. We adored this girl so it was great to meet her family. Linea also had a friend visiting who is a friend of my friends at home and a cousin of friends in tahoe and here we met her in stockholm. Such a small world. It was a great afternoon and a great way to spend our last day. We decided to go to stompen again. This time Carl, Jeanette and CC and our boys joined us. The music was great again, this time very old men playing big band music. The singer was eighty years old and has been playing at this club since he was sixteen. How cute is that! I think its a great thing about europe that you can bring your kids to bars with you. The kids came running up to me and said" we love going to bars because the bartender just gave us a free coke!" It was so fun to have them here with us on this last night because they have grown equally attached to all of our grown up friends. The sweetest thing happened. The trombone player made a special announcement that a young man named brock requested a special song. He asked him to play Loui armstrong Wonderful World. He said brock wanted to dedicate this song to his mother. Brock looked up at me with those big soft brown eyes and melted my heart. He then led me to the dance floor and we danced to the song ,slowly rocking back and forth, My sweet little angel in my arms. I think he melted everyones heart in that room. People clapped and he clapped and he looked so proud that he had done this. It was so precious and I will never forget it. Sadly the night had to end. As we were leaving the funniest thing happened. CC spotted a big rat on the walk back scurry behind something. Soon jimmie saw one too and was amazed by the size of it. I never saw one, but as we walked a little further one of those furry brown little monsters scurried right over the top of my foot. I screamed and cursed so loud I am sure all of stockholm heard me. As I felt this heavy soft animal on my foot I naturally kicked as hard as I could and felt it dislodge against me. For several seconds I did a frightened screaming chicken dance and I may have pulled my dress over my head but I didn't care all I could think was ,get this thing off me.I was wearing a long dress and sandals and I am so glad that it didn't get caught up my dress. So GROSS! That gave us all a good laugh to end the night with. We had to say our goodbyes. Sad. The time had come. Two months has flown by for us. I cant believe its over. I am leaving my heart in sweden.