Goodbye noughties! I can't believe it's been 10 years already. Abba summed it up very well already 30 years ago and still do
It's the end of a decade
In another ten years time
Who can say what we'll find
What lies waiting down the line
December 31, 2009
December 29, 2009
Summing up the year
Another year has soon come to an end. Last night laying in bed not being able to sleep (I have slept too much I think) I tried to think what I actually have done this year and after a while I realised it's been another busy year. The whole year feels like a blur though since the days seem go by faster and faster for each day and year.
January
Came down with pneumonia on the 2nd day of the new year. Not allowed to speak for a week. Not a good start. To Copenhagen.
February
Finally back to the gym. To Helsingborg twice.
March
To London. Kissing by the Thames. To Copenhagen. Annual travel fair.
April
Spring arrived. Easter. Asthma attack.
May
To London. Kissing in Square Mile. Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - The Musical at the Palace Theatre. Visiting the best 2-year-old in the world.
June
To London twice. Kissing on Embankment. To Windsor. To Stockholm.
July
To Amsterdam and Hook and lots of trains in-between. 4 weeks off. To French Rivera. The best 2-year-old in the world visiting. Turning 37.
August
Back to work. Job in jeopardy when 200 people have to leave the company. Aussie visit from London.
September
Mum emergency surgery. To Slough. To Oslo. To Copenhagen. Visiting the best 3-year-old in the world.
October
To London. Kissing on the Strand. Inherit the wind at the Old Vic. To Oxford.
November
Visit by the best 3-year-old in the world. First snow.
December
To Kiel. Extremely cold. More snow. White Christmas. No work December 23 – January 7.
January
Came down with pneumonia on the 2nd day of the new year. Not allowed to speak for a week. Not a good start. To Copenhagen.
February
Finally back to the gym. To Helsingborg twice.
March
To London. Kissing by the Thames. To Copenhagen. Annual travel fair.
April
Spring arrived. Easter. Asthma attack.
May
To London. Kissing in Square Mile. Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - The Musical at the Palace Theatre. Visiting the best 2-year-old in the world.
June
To London twice. Kissing on Embankment. To Windsor. To Stockholm.
July
To Amsterdam and Hook and lots of trains in-between. 4 weeks off. To French Rivera. The best 2-year-old in the world visiting. Turning 37.
August
Back to work. Job in jeopardy when 200 people have to leave the company. Aussie visit from London.
September
Mum emergency surgery. To Slough. To Oslo. To Copenhagen. Visiting the best 3-year-old in the world.
October
To London. Kissing on the Strand. Inherit the wind at the Old Vic. To Oxford.
November
Visit by the best 3-year-old in the world. First snow.
December
To Kiel. Extremely cold. More snow. White Christmas. No work December 23 – January 7.
December 27, 2009
Pilsbury bake-off finalist
I'm so happy and proud of my friend Susie who has become a finalist in the annual Pilsbury bake-off contest and has a chance to win $1000000.
Competing with Caramelized Red Onion Feta Burgers I'm sure she will knock out any other competitors when it's time for the big finale in Orlando next year in April.
Go Susie! I'll be rooting for you all the way from Sweden!
Competing with Caramelized Red Onion Feta Burgers I'm sure she will knock out any other competitors when it's time for the big finale in Orlando next year in April.
Go Susie! I'll be rooting for you all the way from Sweden!
December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas!
It's here. Three days of traditions, family gatherings, (although very small) eating and drinking. And of course my favourite Christmas song of all times – The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
December 23, 2009
Christmas break
First day off and I wake up at 6 am well-rested. How is that possible?! Anyhow lovely to have a long and cosy breakfast without being in a hurry. More snow arrived last night so it really looks like we are going to have white Christmas. The first one in 10 years I think.
Will do a bit of tidying up this morning and some last preparations for tomorrow's festivities before a walk in the snow. Yes, voluntarily. Usually me and snow don't mix together, but dressed up like an Eskimo (to quote the Christmas song) it's totally OK to be outside and enjoy all that white and fluffy stuff. Sounds like I've found a bit of that Christmas spirit after all.
Will do a bit of tidying up this morning and some last preparations for tomorrow's festivities before a walk in the snow. Yes, voluntarily. Usually me and snow don't mix together, but dressed up like an Eskimo (to quote the Christmas song) it's totally OK to be outside and enjoy all that white and fluffy stuff. Sounds like I've found a bit of that Christmas spirit after all.
December 20, 2009
The End of the Affair
I watched The End of the Affair on TV last night. A film from 1999 with Ralph Finnes and Julianne Moore based on Graham Greene's novel. I remember reading the book in my late teens or early 20's but I do not remember the book being so painful.
The film was excellent, but from the very first scene I could feel the pain that comes from love, desire, jealousy and betrayal. Maybe it's experience, maybe it's age talking, but nevertheless I haven't been able to lose that feeling all day. Pondering and wondering why such an easy thing as love is so damn complicated.
The film was excellent, but from the very first scene I could feel the pain that comes from love, desire, jealousy and betrayal. Maybe it's experience, maybe it's age talking, but nevertheless I haven't been able to lose that feeling all day. Pondering and wondering why such an easy thing as love is so damn complicated.
December 17, 2009
Uses for a man
Being a hardcore single gal sometimes makes me forget that that are actually plenty of good uses for a man. And this is of course all said in good spirit... Guys, what would we do without you? You're the best.
Bringing you tea in bed in the mornings
Forgetting your anniversary, but then wildly overcompensating with a completely over-the-top gesture, preferably involving diamonds
Lending you (often without knowing it) a razor
Explaining the rules of cricket, slowly and in words of one syllable, every two years
Looking nice in a dinner suit. Every man has an inner James Bond
Removing dead mice from the house
Alphabetising your record collection
Being able to wear the same pair of shoes for 25 years before buying a new pair
Warming the bed
Making those trips to Ikea such a stress-free delight
If not exactly fixing the car, then at least looking purposeful until the AA turns up
Ordering a lovely big bowl of chips in a restaurant which you then eat most of — without, of course, having actually ordered any yourself
Mixing the perfect gin and tonic
Having more hair on his legs than you
Doing up the zip on your dress
Opening jars (as loosened by you)
Presenting Top Gear.
Diving, in exotic destinations
Bringing you tea in bed in the mornings
Forgetting your anniversary, but then wildly overcompensating with a completely over-the-top gesture, preferably involving diamonds
Lending you (often without knowing it) a razor
Explaining the rules of cricket, slowly and in words of one syllable, every two years
Looking nice in a dinner suit. Every man has an inner James Bond
Removing dead mice from the house
Alphabetising your record collection
Being able to wear the same pair of shoes for 25 years before buying a new pair
Warming the bed
Making those trips to Ikea such a stress-free delight
If not exactly fixing the car, then at least looking purposeful until the AA turns up
Ordering a lovely big bowl of chips in a restaurant which you then eat most of — without, of course, having actually ordered any yourself
Mixing the perfect gin and tonic
Having more hair on his legs than you
Doing up the zip on your dress
Opening jars (as loosened by you)
Presenting Top Gear.
Diving, in exotic destinations
December 15, 2009
Another photo to be used
I've been uploading my photos to Flickr for about 4 years now. Just as a safe way to store them besides on a remote disk, and of course it's a great way to share the photos with family and friends.
Every now and then I get requests asking if a special photo can be used on different sites and ever time I get so surprised. My Creative Commons license is set to Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works, but I know that many, many (too many) don't asks so I find that very nice. Secondly I'm not a professional photographer I just snap photos of things I like either it's a building, cow or person, and still people still like what I'm doing. That is so cool and of course always a boost to the ego.
This photo I snapped on very hot day walking down Avenue Jean Médecin in Nice. I just happened to see the reflection of the cathedral and had to take a photo.
Every now and then I get requests asking if a special photo can be used on different sites and ever time I get so surprised. My Creative Commons license is set to Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works, but I know that many, many (too many) don't asks so I find that very nice. Secondly I'm not a professional photographer I just snap photos of things I like either it's a building, cow or person, and still people still like what I'm doing. That is so cool and of course always a boost to the ego.
This photo I snapped on very hot day walking down Avenue Jean Médecin in Nice. I just happened to see the reflection of the cathedral and had to take a photo.
December 13, 2009
Looking for Christmas spirit
Just like last year I'm having a hard time to feel any Christmas spirit. The family debacle on Christmas Eve last year isn't exactly helping. The closer we get the more I feel like running away or at least hide somewhere. The pressure is on me now and I'm not really sure how to handle it. If I got to decided I would stay home reading, watching TV, eating, drinking and just mind my own business.
Well, that's not going to happen so I need to find that spirit. Any ideas where to look?! And how do I handle being the only child coming home for Christmas? Sigh, why are the holidays never easy?
Well, that's not going to happen so I need to find that spirit. Any ideas where to look?! And how do I handle being the only child coming home for Christmas? Sigh, why are the holidays never easy?
December 10, 2009
How is it possible?
That I still remember German grammar. I have been in Germany for less than 12 hours and my German is more than rusty (it's almost embarrassing...) but I still remember prepositions for accusative and dative. Frau Sollermann, I think that was her name, knew what she was doing when she was banging the pointer in the floor while we reeled in chorus.
Here goes:
Accusative – durch, für, gegen, ohne, um
Dative – aus, ausser, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu
Here goes:
Accusative – durch, für, gegen, ohne, um
Dative – aus, ausser, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu
December 08, 2009
To Germany
I'm off to Germany and Kiel tomorrow night with one of our ferries. After almost 4 years in the company I'm ashamed to say that I've only been on our ferries to Denmark.
After a not so funny crossing over the North Sea to England about 23 years ago (has it really been that long?!) I'm not very happy to spend the night on a ferry. That's a trip I will never forget. The wind was so bad they had to turn of the engines for a couple of hours because the waves were too high to go against.
This time I've been promised a cabin above the water line and pretty smooth ride since we never really get out on the open sea. I'm also in the company of 20 colleagues so I'm pretty sure the time will fly.
After a not so funny crossing over the North Sea to England about 23 years ago (has it really been that long?!) I'm not very happy to spend the night on a ferry. That's a trip I will never forget. The wind was so bad they had to turn of the engines for a couple of hours because the waves were too high to go against.
This time I've been promised a cabin above the water line and pretty smooth ride since we never really get out on the open sea. I'm also in the company of 20 colleagues so I'm pretty sure the time will fly.
December 06, 2009
Old classmates
A month or so ago (at the same time as my old school was burned down actually) an old classmate from 1-9th grade found me on Facebook. For 9 years he was one of my best friends just living a block way. I still have a porcelain dove he gave me when I turned 10, somehow I just can't throw it way...
During junior high-school it was him, another boy, me and another girl and we were together all the time. Our parents laughed at us, but at the same time I pretty sure they felt happy that we stuck together like that – The gang of four.
The summer after 9th grader we all went to Gibraltar for three weeks to learn English. An amazing time and probably a bit of becoming of age summer, but also the last summer together before starting different schools all over town. We tried to meet from time to time, but a new school meant new friends and when you're 17-18 they are the world to you. When it was time for university we went in different directions over the country, and haven't really met after that. Maybe postcards and Christmas cards in the beginning, but time marches on... Until M found me on Facebook.
A week later A, the other boy, found me on Facebook and again it felt so very good to see him. He had found M as well, but we still haven't found T, the other girl. Her surname was quite unusual but she can of course have gotten married, which is quite likely. So if you're out there T, let us know. We are looking for you.
After reconnecting with M and A again I have also found several other classmates from 1-9th grade. It's good seeing them again, but when you have gone through "what are doing now" and "where do you live" we really don't have that much in common. Over 20 years do that to you, but when I look at their picture I don't see a 37 year-old man or woman. I see a 10 year-old boy or a 12 year-old girl in a happy go lucky world and that's the way I want to keep it. A sunny childhood where no one never grows old.
During junior high-school it was him, another boy, me and another girl and we were together all the time. Our parents laughed at us, but at the same time I pretty sure they felt happy that we stuck together like that – The gang of four.
The summer after 9th grader we all went to Gibraltar for three weeks to learn English. An amazing time and probably a bit of becoming of age summer, but also the last summer together before starting different schools all over town. We tried to meet from time to time, but a new school meant new friends and when you're 17-18 they are the world to you. When it was time for university we went in different directions over the country, and haven't really met after that. Maybe postcards and Christmas cards in the beginning, but time marches on... Until M found me on Facebook.
A week later A, the other boy, found me on Facebook and again it felt so very good to see him. He had found M as well, but we still haven't found T, the other girl. Her surname was quite unusual but she can of course have gotten married, which is quite likely. So if you're out there T, let us know. We are looking for you.
After reconnecting with M and A again I have also found several other classmates from 1-9th grade. It's good seeing them again, but when you have gone through "what are doing now" and "where do you live" we really don't have that much in common. Over 20 years do that to you, but when I look at their picture I don't see a 37 year-old man or woman. I see a 10 year-old boy or a 12 year-old girl in a happy go lucky world and that's the way I want to keep it. A sunny childhood where no one never grows old.
December 03, 2009
December 01, 2009
December is here
And so was the sunshine and cold weather. It almost feels like the all the sunshine today was more than we got all of November.
The sunshine and being done with November really lifted my spirits and when I heard Chris Rea singing Driving home for Christmas on the radio I knew that it will be Christmas again.
The sunshine and being done with November really lifted my spirits and when I heard Chris Rea singing Driving home for Christmas on the radio I knew that it will be Christmas again.
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