Trying to Battle Jet Lag but Losing

Saturday, July 2, 2016:

Everything was unpacked from the flight home from Sweden and, YAHOO, nothing was broken.

I had a good night's sleep but I was still feeling the effects of traveling half way around the world in 11 hours.

I did my first weigh-in since leaving for Upplands Väsby on April 25th.

Happily, I lost 4.5 kilos/10 lbs. during my two months abroad. This is a tribute to lots and lots of walking in spite of continued dietary issues, a.k.a., FIKA TIME!

Today was a family day as Mike, Vanessa, Jacob and Mary were coming to Casa Contreras to watch the Italy vs. Germany Euro Cup 2016 game at noon.

Jacob was still proudly wearing

his new Team Sweden jersey

 Mike was in his Team Italy

jersey and celebrated Italy's

goal to tie the game

Jacob and Mary lost game

focus during extra time play

The game ended 1-1 in regulation time and the score was the same after the two 15 minute extra time periods.

In the wild shootout, Germany prevailed to 6-5 to move on to the semi-finals on Thursday against the winner of today's Finland-France game.

Only one thing to do now . . .

. . . play a game of Swedish Kubb,

a.k.a., "KILL THE PEASANTS!"

in the back yard

Aiki Parts gave me a Kubb set as a birthday present at Thursday night's BBQ at her home.

Mike and I had played it once back in 2010 in Hässleholm at a post-Hurricane game party and enjoyed it greatly.

GREAT PRESENT!!!

Not to fear, we moved Jacob and Mary out of harm's way before starting to throw the sticks Jacob is holding.

Jacob decided to be my partner but I don't think he understood all of the rules.

Neither did Mike and I.

GAME ON!!!

 Jacob's NRA inspired addition

to our Kubb game

 Nothing like a dip in the pool

after a hard game of Kubb

Well, actually, there is something else that works in this situation . . . 

. . . a Double-Double with Grilled

Onions at In-N-Out Burgers

I thought about their

100 x 100 but sanity prevailed

The Jet Lag attacked me again and I was in bed by 8:30 p.m.

Life is good.

A LONG Day of Travel

Friday, July 1, 2016:

After 66 days coaching and living in Sweden, it was finally time to go home to California.

Aiki Parts and Lotta Douhan

Lotta was nice enough as usual in offering to drive me at 7:15 a.m. to the Arlanda Airport in plenty of time to catch my 9:55 a.m. SAS flight to Los Angeles.

Aiki came along with us to keep us company.

Every EuroBall team should have people who work as hard as these to do in their constant drive to make American football a better product in every way.

Tack så mycket, ladies!!!

At Arlanda, checking in my bag, going through Security and Customs were all a breeze.

My check in bag weighed in at a ripe 22.05 kilos, easily under the allowable 23 kilo limit. Fortunately, nobody asked to weigh my carry-on bag that weighed a robust 19.4 kilos.

Net effect, everything that I packed arrived in California safely.

That's my route and . . .

. . . that's my gate

We departed on time and even landed 25 minutes earlier than scheduled! The total flight time was now a mere 11 hours and 55 minutes.

At LAX, the lines were short and I was out on the street fairly quickly.

Jacob was at the Los Angeles

International Airport (LAX) early

Back Home!

I was in full Poppo mode

almost instantly

Jacob had a lot of private issues

that he wanted to discuss

At my Mother's home,

a battle was raging 

Many died in combat 

Jacob seemed to like his

new Team Sweden jersey 

Breakfast in the Stockholm area,

Dinner at Camarillo Cronies

Again, THANKS to everyone in Sweden who helped make my stay a fruitful one and THANKS to Laurie, Mike and Jacob for picking me up at LAX!

Finally, THANKS to my Mother for making us a great Welcome Home lunch as well.

I'm going to bed.

Last Full Day in Upplands Väsby, Sweden

Thursday, 30 June, 2016:

It is just about over, two months with the Wäsby Warriors and their wonderful families was about to end.

Let me just say that of all my seven seasons coaching American football in EuroBall nobody has welcomed me any more than these people have. I have been so extremely blessed to meet tremendous, positive people in Catania, Hässleholm, Thun, Bron-Villeurbanne, Murcia and now Upplands Wäsby.

LIFE IS GREAT!!!  

I'm definitely back in Sweden

Rune Stone Country

Rich Designs

The Runby Neighborhood

Starts Here . . .

. . . and the Stora Wäsby

Neighborhood Starts Here

What is that?

Why it's an elevated Viking ship

I saw this from a distance on the 562 bus each time that I went to Icelandia III. Today I saw it up close and personal!

I opted to head into Stockholm for one last visit to this marvelous Nordic capital.

Joe Mollica, is that you?

The Royal Palace

in Stockholm's Gamla Stan

 Nice entry way in the

Royal Palace

 St. Andrew is in the Royal Palace!

A simple altar in the

Royal Palace

Royal Pulpit

Nice Royal Palace Organ

Royal Palace Guard Duty

 Another Important Statue

I'm Sure

Not sure what it is but I like it!

Stortorget one more time

 This way back to the train station

Stockholm is so pretty

Grave site at Santa Klara Church

 Santa Klara Church

My view on the train home

to Upplands Wäsby

 Optimus Prime lives here?

 Goodness, the Vikingagården

Gunnes Gård is OPEN!!!

Every other time that I have walked by here it has been closed.

Time to meander . . .

Scary Sentinel

Interesting Building . . .

. . . with a more interesting window

  

Viking Horse Toy

The Vikings were a no frills

group it would appear

OK, the liked a few frills

I need a horn

Viking Era Textiles

Kill the King (Kubb) Game?

 Another out-building

Viking wood stacking techniques

 Teaching kids Viking cooking skills

Feeding the chickens

 Sleeping Quarters

Barn

 Wood Working Shed

Fire Pit

 Lots of cut wood

Viking Tent

Midsummer left overs

 Nice Hat!

Yep, I'm the only

rooster in these parts

Sheep and Cattle at Gunnes Gård

We were scheduled to have a farewell BBQ/ Birthday Party at Aiki and Janne's home at 6:00 p.m.

I do turn 69 years old in just a week.

4:45 p.m. Rain Storm

Uh oh, BBQ called

due to a Swedish Summer rain?

 NOT ON YOUR LIFE!

It did rain hard but only for about 20 minutes. The Sun did come up in plenty of time for our BBQ/Birthday Party.

Here Janne, a.k.a., The Grill Master, is seen intimidating young Oliver to eat a mushroom.

Actually, Janne LOVES kids!

Lots of good people in one place

Dan "The Red" Pettersson

 was in the HOUSE!!!

There was lots and LOTS

of meat to be had

Aiki made this AWESOME

Birthday Cake for me

They all serenaded me with the Swedish Happy Birthday song.

How great was that?

As I said, there are GREAT people in Warrior Nation.

TACK SÅ MYCKET

WARRIOR NATION!!!!!!!

Friday morning at 9:55 a.m., my SAS plane will leave from Arlanda Airport non-stop to Los Angeles.

As fun as this has been, it is time to go home to my family.