I spent a relaxing morning on this cold, drizzly Sunday sitting by the window and finishing off Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island. It's so grey and slushy out that I don't want to venture far from my cosy position here.




This is one of the books that I ordered in via the fabulous inter-library loan system. For only 10kr ($AU1.70!) one can order in a book from any library in Sweden, to be picked up at your own local library. It's a bargain and an essential service for a poor but avid reader like me. As you can imagine, the librarians know me very well and I am really grateful for the service. In fact I'm feeling somewhat chuffed that instead of ordering in several books I requested last month from another library, they actually bought them for our own library! Maybe I should charge a spotter fee?

I enjoyed the Bryson book very much as I have all of the others of his that I've read. He has a style of writing that appeals to me and I find them a relaxing read. The only impediment to my total enjoyment was that some misguided and overzealous proofreader-wannabe had borrowed the book before me and made all kinds of bizarre "corrections". I'm used to reading library books in English where some Swede had underlined a word, then written the Swedish word above it - annoying, but maybe understandable. But this moron had no clue about what they were doing. My guess was that their English was simply not up to the subtle interpretations required and perhaps they ought to have borrowed the readily available Swedish translation. So there were numerous crossings out of perfectly correct words and insertion of totally incorrect words in their place.

One example will illustrate what I mean. Mr Bryson has just stepped off the train and is about to head off on a walk along the regal sweep of Dorset's Studland Beach. He writes: "It was a glorious day to be abroad." Our proofreader friend has crossed out abroad and replaced it with aboard. "Are you serious?" I think, trying unsuccessfully to suspend my disbelief. "Aboard what? He's walking you dork. He has already got off the train!" I realise by the puzzled look that the dog is giving me that I've spoken this last sentence out loud. Just as well it's only the two of us here.

A quick look at the Oxford Dictionary would have told Mr/Ms Proofreader that there is more than one meaning for that word and possibly Mr Bryson may not have meant "in or to a foreign country", but rather "at large; in circulation" or even, heaven forbid "out of doors". This wasn't the only correction, but you'll get the idea. I think this person deserves the "Knob of the Week" award. I'm sure Mr Bryson will be highly amused. I would never dream of correcting a Swedish book like that. Sure I may (and often am) puzzled by a Swedish word use, in which case I consult a Swedish dictionary or ask Lars-Göran for an explanation. But I'd never advertise my poor grasp of a language so publicly!

I've carefully flipped through my next book (John Banville's The Sea) and am relieved that nobody has attacked this copy. Actually I'm the first borrower as this is one of the books the library bought when I ordered it in.

This weekend I've also tried the Swedish delicacy hetvägg for the first time. You already know that I love this time of the year for the yummy, calorie and cholesterol filled treats known as semlor. And yes, I know the link title is semla - that is the singular form of the word (as if you can stop at one, anyway!). I've always been hesitant to try it hetvägg style after reading that one of the kings of Sweden died after eating it. But when I read that



I knew I was safe. He ate fourteen of these in one sitting?
And after a big, rich meal? I think he was a coronary waiting to happen.

So Lars-Göran heated up a soup bowl of milk and placed the cream bun in the middle. No joke!




For those of us fortunate enough to live in South Australia, you'd probably recognise these buns as being not unlike the Balfour's kitchener bun (though we have almond paste instead of jam under the cream). Wow, I was googling these buns and found an entry in a wonderful website called Encyclopædia of South Australian Culture. I'm going to spend a happy afternnon pouring over this website! And what an interesting story about the kitchener buns. You know, I never realised that they were a strictly S.A. thing.

Anyway, picture soaking that bun in warm milk before eating it.




At least Lars-Göran was happy and I can at least say that I've tried it, though I doubt I'll be repeating the experience. I prefer my buns raw. (I wonder what google will do with that phrase)