Otto's Graduation

Mood: Mellow
Music: Pleasant outdoor breeze, birds, planes, trains, and rustling trees.

Wow, a high school graduation in Sweden. Quite a bit different of a celebration. A load more hoopla, and noise than anything I'd seen/whitnessed in the states. And days and days of celebration too! So, Otto, Doug's brother, was the graduate. I took pics during the day, Doug was on video camera, and then Doug took pics at the party later... where Otto's own little celebration took place. The whole day was eventful. We began in our kitchen by preparing 'pigs in a blanket' as munchies for the party... as requested by Otto. We followed Emril's recipe from the food network... I highly recommend it. With a wheat flour too! oh yum! Then, Otto was running out of time, so we ended up preparing tossed salads and some dressings for that, and cut melons too.

Man the feast this guy was preparing. He in the mean time prepared oven-baked chicken pieces, massive amounts of potato salad, and others prepared this lamb rice dish and a fish dish... then there was 2 cakes sorta cornbread style cake with coolwhip and loads of fresh berries all on the top. Yum yum!

Now, that all came with the evening party back at home, and in their courtyard, but let me show you some pics of the entertainment earlier in the day...

The left pic are the students gathering before their ceremony. The ladies are in white and the fellas in dark suits... all wear that white sailor hat. It's what they wear, customary. The next photo on the right is just folks milling about, waiting for the graduates. It's funny. The grads go inside and only them. Family and friends wait outside. (The next pic, is another group of students, and Otto is in the center, facing left.) Soon enough, they emerge by class, and we hunt down our peep with signs made up with a kid/baby photo and their name and class on it. Something that's also very traditional, these name signs. Otto's mum is holding the sign and Doug & Otto's niece, Gabby is on the left there with yellow roses.

Next, we have a pic of a little band that was raising some noise in celebration for the grads. And then Otto and Doug in a happy moment. The next is a family shot. From left to right is Uncle Nils, Otto, Doug, Jacklyn, Mum, and Dad. (Gabby missed this pic due to running about with herphoto camera, I think looking for Otto ^_^)

There were a bunch more pics, and I think I'll have to post them to the flicker site and y'all can check them out there... cool hug shots and such. None the less, the day moved on! While Otto gets to drive about with friends blowing whistles and noise-makers and waving streamers all through town, the rest of us get to prepare the party. Bring the food out, bring the furniture out to the courtyard, set up the marimbas, yup! Otto and the band played some live music for us! So cool.

Here's Gabby and Dad. He's just adjusting his old grad cap. And a couple shots of the marimba band. The lady in front with the blue shirt is the instructor/lady in charge of the band and marimbas. The rest are in it, and I know there's possibly a few more too, that play drums and such, but this crowd was enough for the celebration. The next picture shows Otto jammin' with the band. I tell you, the moment he steps up to the intruments, the band just oozes and bursts with energy. People couldn't help but look out from the windows into the courtyard! Finally, a family came out onto a deck to watch. That was cool. It's like the Swedes knew something fun was happening, but didn't know what to do! You see Nils in the next shot, just letting the music work right into his bones. He's so funny! He just can't help but move to the tunes. There shakin' her booty, was the lady in the blue shirt, the instructor, just enjoying the rhythms as well. I'm tellin' ya, smiles all around!

And almost lastly here, you see Otto getting some folks up to dance. He's teaching them a little count deal that they can keep boppin' out to the music. Good times, good times. And what really cool thing, that I absolutely love... is rainbows. We saw a full arcing rainbow at the end of our day as we were heading home. So clear and full, always take my breath away. Simple little refracting light waves, but none the less, impressive.

And, this all took place on a Wednesday! I tell ya, should have been Friday, but I guess they intentionally spread it out to accomodate all the graduating classes. This all took my breath away. Cheers and here's to great celebrations! Also, Happy American Father's Day to all you dads out there!