“Sussi and Stina, of course,” she said, grinning.
As the evening sun was setting over Sardinön, mother and daughter were once again standing by the window looking at the woman on the mountain.
“It’s just like that slow TV thingy”, Linn said, hesitantly.
“Yes, like the moose in Norrland. People just love watching them. Perhaps I should put up a camera and film the yoga lady, people would go bonkers” Emelie said.
“But, I’ve read that you can do yoga everywhere. Why go through the trouble of climbing a rock every evening? It seems dangerous. Do you think she does it all year round?”
“Impossible, it must be super slippery on the mountain in the winter” Emelie said.
Jingle Bellsechoed through the house making them both jump.
“Oh, that bloody doorbell…” Emelie muttered as she walked over to open the door.
Linn went out into the kitchen to prepare the coffee and called up to her sisters that it was time for evening coffee and cookie evaluation. Stina and Sussi came into the hallway, giving Emelie and the younger girls big hugs.
“I’ve wondered quite a bit about this house,” Sussi said, and Stina nodded.
“It looks rather normal from the outside, but on the inside….”
“It’s okay now after we have packed away most of the Christmas stuff, but I have no idea what to do with it all. But Astrid has decorated the kitchen with Santa and Christmas tree wallpaper – I’m not joking. You can see for yourself – we have Christmas wallpaper in the kitchen,” Emelie laughed pointing at the kitchen walls.
Sussi and Stina’s eyes grew wider.
“You’re kidding, what a funny old lady!”
Emelie nodded.
“Did you ever meet her?”
“Oh yes, in town, and then always when there was a happening at the community centre. She was a jolly old lady. Now that you mention it, she was always dressed in red,” Stina said.
“Doesn’t surprise me one bit. Come on in and try some of Linn’s cookies and check out the Christmas wallpaper”, Emelie said, showing them into the kitchen.
When Linn and Emelie had the poured coffee for the adults and cordial for the kids, the cookie tasting began. They each got one of all the different kinds of cookies and then were instructed to grade them between one and five. Linn was standing by the sofa table like a conductor leading her orchestra.
“Now everyone take a bite. I want you to evaluate taste, texture and structure”, she said strictly.
Stina looked up on her from the sofa, she was holding a round cookie with a pink edge in her hand.
“Will that make three different grades then?”
“Yes, I guess it must,” Emelie said, looking to Linn to see if she agreed.
Linn shook her head.
“No, one grade, but you have to weigh all the different aspects,” she said with determination.
The three grown-ups and the two kids looked solemnly at Linn and on her command, they all took a bite of the cookie.
“Mmm, it’s delicious…”
Linn silenced Liv with just a stern look.
“Give it a proper taste! Everything has to be perfect,” she said harshly, and Liv nodded solemnly towards her big sister.
They chewed thoroughly, tasted, hummed and eventually, Linn let them speak their mind. She pointed at Sussi.
