A Little Geneology

Swedish meatballs
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Leaving the resonating charm of Stockholm, we made our way out of the city and into the large Swedish conifer forests, that in turn, eventually turned to golden wheat and rye fields dotted with red farm houses and sheds, with the occasional old country stone church for good measure.  Sweden's topography and landscape are stunning, and enjoys a solid infrastructure as well; every road appears to be freshly paved and the ditches are free from debris.  So far so good.

Returning from mushroom gathering
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We arrived at Ebba and Agnita's farm (somehow we are related to Ebba), where we would spend the next five nights being treated as if royalty.  Agnita is a chef by profession, and we enjoyed everything from crayfish, wild boar, King Edward potatoes, and yes, Swedish meatballs.  I gained no less than 12 kilograms.  (conversion is multiplied by 2.2 for pounds)  Ebba gave us a tour of the farm, which is also used for corporate team building complex via obstacle courses and other team-building activities.  The real fun however is the area where the bachelor parties are held.  Here there are a multitude of fun activities, all of which we participated.

continuing the traditions of our strong gene pool

Chief "Brian Ax"
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For starters, there was ax throwing.  Now here I must admit, I'm not entirely Swedish.  From the onset, it's quite apparent that there is either a hint of Cherokee, or perhaps Seminole, in my blood.  I hit the wooden target nearly every time, landing the weapon solid as if in a serious battle.  Next we move to skeet shooting where it's apparent that Nathan is somehow related to Billy the Kid, hitting the first five targets that were propelled into the air.  I only hit 50 percent.  On to the wooden log throw, where dad went for height versus distance.  Nathan took this event as well.  To finish things off, there were several motor/racing activities including side-by-side tractor racing, a funny car in which one person controls the brakes and gas while the other attempts to steer a wheel that is rigged to go the opposite direction the person is steering, and a Volvo that has two front ends with two sets of steering wheels--acting much like an oversized fire engine in which the back wheels help negotiate tight turns.  It was quite entertaining watching Nathan and Roger mow down barrier cones while maneuvering this bizarre vehicle.

What the?
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Now to the final night.  Ebba and Agnita, along with their two children Elina and Hilma, hosted a large family reunion where we were made the guests of honor.  Two mid-sized wild boar were cooked over an open fire, accompanied with all the fixings, served in their barn that has been converted into an entertainment facility.  Of the 45 plus in attendance, I estimate that I was related to over half the people.  One of my cousins (T. Hall), and don't ask what relation, has spent a fair amount of time and effort compiling information on our family tree.  Several years later, and a good chunk of effort I might add, he now has a family tree that measures over eight feet long and about 2.5 feet wide, with several pictures included.  Unbeknownst to me, my previous name could have been Andersson, Johnsson, or Hall.  For unknown reasons, my great grandfather switched his name to Hallgren, while the other-I don't know, maybe 10-siblings changed their last name to Hall.  Looks like I got the unique guy.  Interesting none the less.

Going for height
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It was time to depart the farm where hospitality reigned during our stay.  We are indebted to Ebba and his family, and will attempt to match their courteousness when they return to America, hopefully in 2009.  If we can not match their hospitality, I'm sure the men will still continue to resolve the world problems over shots of Vodka and other libations, continuing the traditions of our strong gene pool.

bkh