Around Christmastime each year, the Greek Church reads off the names of the dead to eternalize their memory.

I received my list last Thursday and went through the 25 names to be recited. I am pleased to report that it was a struggle to get to 25. On the list, was Giagia, Mom Hansen, David, Amber, Dad, Paco, Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Chris, and so on.

The next day, Friday night arrived and so did the start of Halloween festivities. Jay and I walked in the door with our usual stride.

**CRASH** **SHATTER**

Jay and I look at each other. Is someone in the house?

I walk towards the stairs and notice a frame has fallen and shattered from the windowsill. It is one of my dad. The picture is fine but glass is everywhere.

I look at Jay and then at the wall and say, “Hi, Dad. Guess we were not talking to you enough.”

Shortly later, we head to the car, the kids dressed as Jessie from Toy Story and a Zombie, in honor of his Plants vs. Zombies addiction. Off to zoo for Ghouls at Grassmere.

(Click the photos for bigger images)

At the zoo, Thane was a hit in his light up Zombie skin and Mara was Belle of the Ball , Western style.

Towards the end of the night, we came across a preview for the new DinoTrek exhibit. It’s an upcoming Dinosaur Exhibit at the Zoo (no, not real dinosaurs). There is a sign with a date announcing its start.

It does not say:

**COMING SPRING 2012**

or even

**COMING MARCH 2012**

No, instead it gives its date to the day…

**COMING MARCH 16, 2012**

aka…Dad’s Birthday.

Wow, guess he really wanted to be a part of our Halloween.

Mr. Incredible and his escaped con took their kids, Jessie (only costume she would permit) and a knight and then a Yellow Clone (ie. Storm Troopers before they were bad) to 4 different parties in 2 days.

Do you know what the problem is with Mr. Incredible? He does not have any pockets! Where oh where does he keep his wallet?

So, wallet is now misplaced. All through the weekend and into Tuesday. When Jay gets pulled over for expired tags (Sept ’11) and does not even have a driver’s license to show, we decide we should probably look.

When we get home, I agree to empty the dishwasher (the bain of my existence) while Jay looks upstairs. As he is heading up the stairs, he yells down to me:

“Tell your dad to help me find my wallet.”

**Pause**

**Pause**

**Pause**

**CRASH**

**Pause**

**Pause**

Jay: “I did not do that. I was nowhere near it.”

Jay’s hockey stick, which had been standing in our bedroom for weeks without movement fell to the ground.

5 minutes later he found his wallet.

Happy Halloween Dad!

Friday night I sat in my hotel room, typing a post for the Herald and watching cheesy TV. Around 10:30 pm, the lights went out. I peeked out the hall and the emergency lights were on but everything else was off. Outside, the city seemed to still have lights too. Without TV, lights, or internet, I decided to call it a night.

I woke after midnight to someone trying to use their key card to get into my room. Apparently this was not the wording I chose when speaking to Jay…I said someone trying to get into my room…and that conjured a different image. The different image was pretty accurate in my mind though. Phone was out and my cell could not call the front desk. The hallway’s emergency lights had shut down. Panicked, I called Jay. He looked on his phone and did not see anything going on in Boras. OK. Deep Breath.

A few minutes later another unwanted visitor arrives at my door. And keeps trying. I hold the door closed (not that they could open it) and say hello several times without a response. I finally give a firm, self-defense class worthy “Stop!” That gets the point across and they move along.

Full disclosure, it was pitch black in the hallway. My door was like 3 doors down from the elevators. It was Friday night and there was a bar downstairs. People probably just coming my way and moving down until they opened their own room successfully. None of that mattered.

Terrorism aside, I finally calmed myself down enough to go to sleep. Around 3:30 I woke up again….all the lights and the TV went on full blast. Probably should have done something about that in the first place.

I found out later that some of the people we were there with had an early flight that morning and had to make it out their room and down 5 flights of stairs with the light from their cells. There were apparently people sleeping in the hallway that they had to walk around. At least I did not have to do that.

On Friday, we got a ton of work done and were able to call it a day early. A perfect opportunity to finally do some sightseeing around Boras.

Boras has its roots in textile, so it is reflected in much of the city.

We first headed to the market which was celebrating the start of the weekend with a festival. The roads were closed and the street was packed with people. The vendors were selling everything from souvenirs to clothes to flowers and food.

I met up with a lovely Greek couple there too. I was able to speak some Greek to them and learn about his recent arrival in Sweden from Greece and their baby on the way. We had such a good time talking I lost track of time and had to catch up with the team.

After the market tour, we walked some more and saw the famed Pinocchio statue. Its purpose or meaning in Boras is quite unclear but it is quite a sight. Several restaurants around town bear its name as well and it has become quite the attraction despite its unknown origin.

After that, we headed for another short walk (Boras is a very walking town) and found a wonderful Thai restaurant for dinner. More on that with the food post to come.