Dana Deems

travel is more

2012-01-15T18:35:00.004+01:00

We're off to Rome in a few days. I can't wait.

cat litter tray

2012-01-13T18:24:00.001+01:00

The cats have been living with me for 3 and a half years now.

Today, as I was cleaning out the cat litter tray, I wondered how many times I've been doing it since they arrived... I clean it out every single day. During the years I might have missed out cleaning it out perhaps 5 times. Not more, maybe less.

That's 1270-odd times emptying the cat litter tray!

The cats litter tray is hidden inside a 19th century travelling coffin, that I bought in a second hand shop. I cut one of the side panels out et voila - no more ugly plastic on show in the house! The pics here is taken when they first got it - Tylor is checking it out curiously.

When I first got the cats I used non clumping cat litter as it was cheaper. I soon realized that the pennys saved weren't worth the extra job trying to get the damn thing out of the tray, so I switched after 6 months or so.

The first two years I cleaned out the tray completely once a week - emptied it, bleached it, changed all the litter and so on. Then I discovered the beauty of baby wet wipes. I started using them to clean the tray without having to empty all the litter out and without having to bleach. It is heaven. Now I only do the full on clean every two weeks.

On top of that I clean out their 2 water bowls every night (they have one each - Kif one on the bedroom floor, Tylor one on the dining table... It was his choice - not mine!), change the bowl of Tylor's cat milk every day (to fatten him up) and clean their food bowl once a week.

Also, every day when I get home from work I have to give them half a slice of ham each - Kif's on the floor in medium sizes, Tylor's on the kitchen table in tiny pieces (his choice, not mine).

Now, I'd like to know who said having cats is less hard work than having dogs as pets???

dream

2012-01-11T23:32:00.000+01:00

I always have very vivid dreams. Quite often I can relate to them and see how they were constructed out of my every day living. But sometimes... Wow... Sometimes the mind boggles!

The other night I dreamt I met my friend Lizzie and her family somewhere. We were going for a picnic in her sister's car, and there were sandwiches to be made for all the kids.

After a lot of hassle finding plastic bags to put the sandwiches in we were on our way. However, all of us didn't fit into the car, so Lizzie's mum and myself set out to walk to the decided destination. We ended up on a big square - possible a buss station. The crowds were huge, the smells and noise unbelivable and it all resembled a public square in northern Africa.

All of a sudden the crowd scattered as a tramp in rags came walking. He/she reeked, was covered in dirt and hair in filthy knots. One of his/her ears (the left ear, to be precise) was humongous. Twice the size of it's head the left ear poked out like a human funnel.

Inside the funnel ear sat a brown hen on top of her nest built out of straw, looking very happy and content.

Now, someone please tell me what that was all about?!

gutted

2012-01-08T23:03:00.000+01:00

I don't mean to moan. No, I take that back - I DO mean to moan. Childish as it might be I was gutted over the lack of Christmas cards this year. I probably sent around 25 cards, and got 5 back.

Five cards! Yes, I'm gutted. At least I didn't write Christmas cards to all employees this year, as I have done previous years... Because I was signed off work at Christmas I never had the time to do so, and even though I never exept cards back from staff I think it would've broken my heart to have written 60-odd cards and only gotten back 5.

it's new years eve... Time for a list!

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000+01:00

1. Did you do anything this year you’ve never done before?
Yes, I took a course in silver forging and loved it! I made some really nice jewelry - but best of all was the mindfulness of it all. Pure therapy!

2. Did you keep any of your New Year’s vows?
No, I didn't manage to fulfill my vow of last year. I did, however, try my best. Hopefully I'll succeed to do it this year.

3. Did any of your friends become parents this year?
My brother and his wife had Max in March, and I became an aunt, whoop whoop!

4. Did anyone close to you pass away?
No. Luckily.

5. What countries did you visit?
I was back on my beloved island Jersey this summer. And how I loved being back! Showing the mr. around the rock, seeing old friends and enjoying island life again.

6. Is there anything you miss 2011 and want for 2012?
Lots of things and hopefully those wishes will come through in 2012.

7. What day from the year 2011 will you never forget?
A drunken night in a shabby pub talking to the mr properly for the first time. Boy did we talk! And talk. And talk.

8. Your biggest success 2011?
None what so ever.

9. Your greatest mistake?
Taking shit from people. I really should put my foot down a bit more.

10. Have you been ill or hurt yourself?
I have been, and am still ill. Getting better slowely though.

11. The best buy?
As vein as it might sound - I looooved getting my hair permed. I've dreamt of curly hair for years, and it was well worth the money, the ruined hair and all. Curly hair rules!

12. What did you spend most money on?
Rent, probably. I really ought to buy my own place soon.

13. Did anything make you really happy?
Two things: having a wonderful job for 6 months which I loved and of course meeting the mr.

14. What tunes will remind you of 2011?
Adele was big this year. Also a lot of childrens tunes, which I learned to sing during my fab job for those 6 months.

15. Where you happier or sadder this year compared to previous years?
Pretty much same as usual.

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
sleep and standing my ground.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Work.

18. How will you spend New Year’s Eve?
At home, with nice people, nice food and nice drinks. And the cats, of course!

19. Did you fall in love this year?
Yes.

20. How many one night stands did you have?
None, of course!

21. Favourite TV programme?
Got quite into The Mentalist this year. Didn't actually follow any series religiously though!

23. The best book you’ve read this year?
El Choko by the Swede Marcus Lutteman. Well worth a read.

24. The greatest musical discovery?
Cornelis Vreeswijk. Better late than never, I guess.

25. What did you do on your birthday 2011?
I had a lovely birthday with presents and breakfast in bed, then an outing with tea and cake at Zetas garden centre, a lovely walk followed by dinner and more presents and cake in the evening.

26. Is there anything that could’ve made 2011 to a better year?
Could’ve should’ve would’ve… No use thinking along those lines.

27. How would you describe your style 2011?
Mad hair. Denims or skirts, chunky boots or shoes, lots of colour and cardigans.

28. What made you feel good?
Lovely people who showed that they cared when things got hard.

29. What celeberty were you interested in?
It has been good fun following the royalties this year! Weddings, scandals, pregnancies etc. Never a dull moment there...

30. Who did you miss?
Lots of people of course. But it has been a year when I've missed my mother more than usual I think.
31. The best new acquaintances you met?
With that new job that came and went this year I met a bunch of lovely people.

packing up

2011-12-20T18:07:00.000+01:00

I have dreamt alot about moving lately. Moving from Jersey, moving to Jersey. Things going wrong.
For a week or so I dreamt of missing the plane or not having the right ticket. Now, for the last couple of weeks I've dreamt about not being able to pack everything...

... It's either not being able to access my belongings to actually start packing, or having too much to pack and not being able to carry it all. Or, like last night, managing to pack it all up eventually, only for the carboard box to break and the strap on the carrybag to snap.

I'm so obviously stuck in something I don't know how to get out of. I seem to have an unsolvable problem on my hands.

nothing cheap about sheep

2011-12-17T14:11:00.003+01:00

When I was little I used to cuddle our lambs. They had the softest puds, and I used to love stroking them. I could sit with the sheep and lambs for hours, just cuddling (and probably singing to them too - I had a bad habit of singing to our animals constantly).

Every spring me and my brother got to name a couple of lambs each. The ones we named were ours - that's until they got slaughtered of course. It was nothing strange about the lambs being slaughered. It was part of nature, and we thought nothing of it. I remember the look on some of my dad's colleuges whilst at a party at our house once: I walked around as a happy 8 year old, pretending to be a waitress (my dreamjob as a kid), carrying a silver tray offering the guests "smoked Peter". Peter had been one of "my" lambs, and I knew he'd been slaughtered and smoked... Et voila! There he was, sliced up on my silver tray!

These days I live in a flat in the middle of Stockholm. I sometimes miss having lots of animals around me. Luckily my sister has a farm not far away, and every now and again I get to cuddle a sheep.

Today I suddenly realized that Tylor's puds are very much like lamb puds. And his fur is very similar to theirs too... Could this be why I liked him so much from day one?

loading ones batteries

2011-12-15T20:51:00.000+01:00

How do you reload your batteries?

an apology and an eggyolk!

2011-12-14T16:52:00.001+01:00

It's been a whole month since I last wrote something on here. The reason being is that I haven't been well and been working too much. As a result I'm now signed off sick, which is NOT what I'll write about now...

No, I'm going to write about my beloved cats. It's been far too long! :-)

As some of you know, Tylor has a history of puking. He's being sick after eating quite regulary. This is something I've gotten used to over the years - it happens in periods, and then it doesn't for a while. I monitor his weight and fur, and he never seems to be affected by this vomiting palaver. Even the vets say it's ok as long as he doesn't start to loose weight, fur etc.

But lately he's lost a little weight. Not much, but he is skinny and a little weight loss on him is like me loosing a couple of stone (which isn't a fair comparasing as I would look all so much better for it whereas he doesn't... But you get my drift I'm sure).

In hope of finding some new weight gaining tips for cats on the internet - I've tried about a thousand already - I sat down and googled today:
Raw eggyolk.
Hmmm. Not a bad idea, I thought and got an egg out of the fridge. As Tylor will not eat anything cold straight from the fridge I put it in the microwave for a few seconds.

Tylor must've known I was up to feeding him something, because he was nowhere to be found (which was quite nice after having him on my shoulder for the previous 4 hours. No exhaggeration.).

When I found him on the shelf above the TV I put the bowl of eggyolk in front of him. He miaued his "stop it and get that out of my face"-miau.

I dipped my fingers in the eggyolk and put my fingers in front of his nose. He sniffed it. Came a bit too close and managed to get a tiiiiiny drop of eggyold on his nose...

...Oh the disguist! He wouldn't even lick it off, but instead used his paw to wipe it away, meanwhile doing his "why are you so mean to me"-miau.

He ran off. I rinsed the bowl and heated up his baby kitten milk instead. I guess old faithfuls are the ones to stick by...

tänkvärt

2011-11-13T23:49:00.002+01:00

Den rike industrimannen blev förfärad när han såg fiskaren ligga bredvid sin båt och lättjefullt röka pipa.

- Varför är du inte ute och fiskar?, frågade han.

- Har redan gjort det, har så det räcker, svarade fiskaren.

- Men varför inte åka ut och fånga mer? fortsatte industrimannen.

... - Varför det?, undrade fiskaren.

- Jo, för då skulle du tjäna mer pengar. Då skulle du kunna köpa dig en större båt, bättre nät och få större fisk. Sen skulle du kunna sälja fångsten och köpa dig en ännu större båt och sedan kanske ännu fler och större båtar. Till slut skulle du kunna bli lika rik som jag!

- Jaha, och vad skulle jag göra sen då?, undrade fiskaren.

- Sedan skulle du kunna njuta av livet!, utropade industrimannen.

- Och vad tror du att jag gör just nu?, svarade fiskaren....

blonde but handy

2011-10-17T19:34:00.000+02:00

I'm not one for usually discussing gender issues. I think humans use their assets if they can, no matter if they are women or men. I know I have. Used the fact that I'm a blonde woman in certain situations to get help/get favoured etc.

However, it pisses me off when people presume that intelligence and interests are based on ones gender:

I love DIYing. Wallpapering, painting, putting in new floors. I hate cleaning. So big f-ing what?

The other day my new landlord came around to inspect the flat. He spoke to me as if I was a bit thick. He asked me if I had had the floor boards in the kitchen changed. I told him I'd done it. He asked me who'd done it for me. I said - again - that I'd done it. Myself.

His whole approach to me changed within a second. I wonder why? It can't be that rare, can it?

2011-10-16T09:45:00.000+02:00

age change

2011-10-14T19:27:00.000+02:00

I feel no different to when I was 20. But looking back at photos from that time in my life, I sure have changed physically.

I remember, as a child, standing next to my mum as she looked herself in the mirror and said "I wish these hamster pouches would go away" as she was pulling her skin under her cheeks. Back then I thought it was a strange comment as I loved my mother just the way she was and thought she was stunning. Today I know exactly what she meant, as it is one of the facial features I've inherritaged from her.

The same with the weight gain. Again, as a kid I didn't understand why my mum had clothes in her wardrobe that didn't fit her (and, as far as I knew, never had fitted her). Today I know. I still have my favourite jeans from years ago - back from the time when they actually did fit. They will never fit me again, I'm pretty sure. But I keep them. Just in case.

A thing that I do like, however, are my wrinkles. I have always had a baby face, and I remember vividly how I (on my 30th birthday!) discovered a big crease in the middle of my forehead. I was over the moon! "Finally I might look my age" I thought to myself. And the crow feet around my eyes that have started to appear the last year or so - well I like them. Weird as it might sound.

But as far as inside - I'm pretty sure I'm the same old Dana as I was in my 20's. Maybe a little wiser, a little less restless. But apart from that it's pretty much the same. And we all know it's the inside that counts, don't we?

remember to wash

2011-10-07T22:41:00.000+02:00

disappointment

2011-10-05T22:41:00.000+02:00

I have been insulted and humiliated this week. I feel completely shat upon and I really don't know how to shake it off. It's a horrible feeling and I really don't know how to shake it off.

I can't talk to anyone whom it concerns about it, as it would only make the situation worse. I tried today and it just blew up in my face.

Oh I wish mankind would be more honest. More sincere. I really do.

the snail meeting

2011-09-30T20:29:00.000+02:00

I saw a snail on the patio the other day and got my macro lens out to take a close up...

He noticed me, but I managed to get a good close up of his little face.

Then he withdrew himself into his shell. Never letting me go with his little eyes.

All of a sudden one of his tentacles/eyes came straight into the lens as to say "are you still there?"

I guess he then decided the lens wasn't too dangerous after all, because he decided to come out and play again. :-)

the cleaner

2011-09-28T20:29:00.000+02:00

I don't care that it's politically incorrect. I just love coming home to a clean house, ironed clothes and a made bed.

Just imagine leaving the house in a rush in the morning. Breakfast stuff in the zink. Bed unmade. Cat litter on the floor and that pile of ironing you were going to do last night still lying on the chair... And then you come home and everything is spotless. Shining. Smells nice.

Yes, people. I have a cleaner. And as snobby as it might seem - I love it and it's worth every penny. The amount I pay her is nothing compared to the time and angst saved. I might not be supportive of the Swedish guvernment, but boy do I love their idea of lowering the costs of household services!

today

2011-09-14T23:45:00.001+02:00

Today I have done absolutely nothing. And I've enjoyed every minute of it!

flat emotions

2011-09-12T15:10:00.000+02:00

I love my flat. Absolutely love it. And now, when it's proven to be too small for all of us, we're thinking of getting a new place to live.

It's been a bit difficult to even begin to think I'll find a flat which will be as nice and homely as this one. After all, I've moved soooo many times, and this place is the first one in many years that really feels like home.

But on Saturday I was about to get ready to go to a christening - only to find out there was no hot water. After a bit of "what to do" I had a freezing cold shower and got going. I came home Saturday night only to find... Yes, you've guessed it... No hot water still.

Sunday I had to boil water to do the dishes as there was still only freezing cold water coming from the taps.

Today... Well today there has been a sprinkle of luke warm water. Just enough to fool me. I got undressed and jumped in to the shower, and there it was again. That freezing ice cold water.

Today is a good day to look for a new flat. I'm fed up with this palaver. Last winter this was an ongoing problem too, and the landlord promised it was fixed. But hey - winter is coming up and the water problems start again.

New flat it is. I can make the next one as cosy as I've made this one, right?

My trip in pictures

2011-09-07T10:25:00.001+02:00

The little white house has been painted green!!! It's all wrong.

A trip to the Jersey zoo had to be done.

Voisins - a posh department store... Not so posh looking from the back.

Gronez castle. One of my favourite spots in Jersey.

No. That isn't me. It was too cold to go in the water. At least for me.

Down st. Aubins harbour having a fag break.

Me and Macy waving to the sun.

Very windy on the north coast.

Lizzie, me and Macy on our way to meet up with some friends.

Mission impossible.... :-)

I'm back!

2011-09-06T01:02:00.000+02:00

Sorry for the lack of blogposts lately. Work just got out-of-hand-busy and then, when I finally went on holiday, I slept for a week.

I knew it would happen, and so I planned my trip away a week in to my holidays. It was a good thing. I could go away not being completely worn out and tired, and instead enjoy myself to the full.

It has been 4 years since I last visited Jersey. I can't believe it's been so long - it most certainly didn't feel that way. Most things were the same. Friends were the same and it felt like I'd never been away.

However, it wasn't hard leaving this time. This was a new feeling to me. Definetely a new chapter in my life, where I don't feel like there's nowhere else for me to be but Jersey. I'm quite settled in Sweden, actually. Funny how things turn out...

THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS ‘N’ DOGS

2011-08-14T00:57:00.000+02:00

Excerpts from a Dog's Daily Diary:

7:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVOURITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVOURITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVOURITE!
12:30 pm - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVOURITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVOURITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVOURITE!
5:00 pm - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVOURITE!
7:00 pm - OH BOY! PLAYING BALL! MY FAVOURITE!
9:30 pm - OH BOY! SLEEPING ON MASTER'S BED! MY FAVOURITE!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary:
DAY 183 OF MY CAPTIVITY

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. Pricks. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant. Today my attempt to kill my captors, by weaving around their feet while they were walking, almost succeeded; must try this at the top of the stairs next time. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile bastards, I again induced myself to vomit on their favourite chair.

Note to self: I think I'll try crapping under their bed, too. Wonder how long it'll take them to find it?

Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was. Damn! Not working according to plan. There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the food. More importantly, I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of "ellergeez". Must learn what the Hell this is and how to use it to my advantage.

I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a bloody half-wit.

The bird, on the other hand, appears to have become an informant, and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room, his safety is preserved.

But I can wait; it's only a matter of time...little bastard.

weekend on the farm

2011-08-09T21:40:00.000+02:00

I spent the weekend at my sister's farm, looking after her wonderful animals whilst she was away.

In the mornings I let the hens out early, then sat down on the drive outside the main house with a couple of slices of bread. They came running straight away!

"feed us, please!"

The horses didn't enjoy being outdoors during the day as it was too many horse flies about. So they got a little feed indoors instead.

Time to go outdoors in the evening time. Acke the horse looks a little suspicious.

The stable doors are bolted and Acke was so happy he gave me a BIG kiss.

Sheep cuddle. Sheep love.

sometimes one needs a hug

2011-08-02T22:50:00.002+02:00

10 000 anniversary

2011-07-21T11:09:00.000+02:00

When I started this blog I had no intention of keeping it going for any lengh of time. Nor did I expect anyone to read it. But I have kept it going and you have kept on reading. It's great!

I don't care that nosy people such as management and ex-wifes have been visiting to have a nose around. I have nothing to hide (well, if I do, I certainly wouldn't be so stupid as to write it on here anyway). I have lots to share. I love writing and I also think this blogging palaver is a great way of sharing thoughts, photos and nice stuff with people.

Today my visitors-count reached 10 000. Even though I didn't get the visitors-count right from the start of this blog I think it's a great opportunity to say thank you to all of you.

Keep visiting and I'll keep writing!

trip around the archipelago

2011-07-17T23:07:00.001+02:00

This weekend was spent as a true tourist even though I touristed in my hometown.

I lived in Stockholm for a good 7 years now, but never been out to see the archipelago. But on Saturday this changed. We booked a day trip on an old boat, and it was such an experience. I'd most definetely recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen the islands around Stockholm to do it!

Everyone knows a good day starts with a good breakfast! :-) Bacon and egg sandwishes, orange juice and cups of tea before leaving for the trip.

Just leaving the harbour we passed the Nordic museum and the Vasa ship museum. I've spent countless hours in the Nordic museum's library, and the visited the Vasa museum several times too. But never have I seen the museums from this angle. It felt unfamiliar.

On the first island outside Stockholm, Fjäderholmarna, I saw this house and fell in love. This is where I want to live!

Some islands looked kind of barren and strangly unfriendly. This island was not my cup of tea.

Other islands were very tiny. As cute as it looked I kept wondering what it is like to live like this in the middle of winter, during a snow storm? No shelter what so ever. Don't think I'd like it one little bit. No, the first island, with green trees and a little private beach and pier would suit me just fine.

...Anyone fancy buying it for me? It is my birthday soon after all!

three year anniversary

2011-07-10T14:30:00.000+02:00

This week I celebrated three years with the men of my life: Kif and Tylor. It's been three wonderful years, and quite honestly the things that haven't changed up until now probably won't ever change...

Things I should know by now:

-Kif won't take no for an answer.

-Tylor will puke if given more than a tiny amount of food at once.

-When Kif insists of waking me in the middle of the night it's because they've ran out of food. I'd better get up straight away, as he will continue to jump on my throat until I feed him.

-There's no point closing the bathroom door to get some peace and quiet in the bath. The boys will scratch on the door and screem until I let them in anyway.

-leaving sweets/popcorn/peanuts/icecream on the coffeetable means the boys will scuff it all, wether I'm there or not.

- The boys don't care a single little bit when I scream at them.

-ignoring bad behaviour doesn't make them stop behaving badly either.

Things they should know by now:

-screaming by the front door never ever results in me letting them out.

-scratching the wardrobe door never ever results in me getting up to play in the middle of the night.

- lit candles are hot.

-pudding my face in the middle of the night for a cuddle session never ever results in a cuddle session but instead a very firm push onto the floor.

No, this is not them trying to wake me up. This is just an average night for the three of us.

Cleaning Dana-session whilst I'm fast asleep.

Watching tv with boys in my lap

Afternoon nap

midnight crows

2011-07-09T00:12:00.000+02:00

The other night I couldn't sleep. This bothered the cats quite a bit - they usually sit by the bed until I've gotten under the duvet, then jump up into the bed and go to sleep. But this night I sat in my settee and the cats came into the livingroom several times, looking if to say it was well past their bed time...

... All of a sudden I heard a swoooshing noise, and I saw uncountable crows flying past my window. The cats went mad. We all ran out onto the balcony to have a look what was going on. The crows landed on the roof on my neighbouring house. And they just kept coming. And coming.

I've never seen anything like it! This photo was taken before all of the crows had arrived. I went in to leave the camera, and the next time I came out on the balcony there were nearly twice as many as there is on this picture. Quite amazing.

Kif enjoys the sunshine

2011-06-23T15:17:00.000+02:00

my seven deadly sins

2011-06-16T00:36:00.000+02:00

1. blowing your nose in the shower.

Don't do it! It's disguisting! Finding a bogie on my shower curtain will put you in my bad books for a veeery long time.

2.not pulling your weight.

Be it money or work load - people who are tight or lazy have no place in my heart.

3. being two faced.

Say what you want to say. And do it to the person it concerns.

4. no phone manners.

If you can't answer your phone with a polite greeting, don't bother answering. A "uuuuhhh" in the other end of the phone instead of a hello and good bye gives a serious impression that you haven't evolved at all and really belong in the stone age.

5. animal cruelty.

My father once said to me "people who treat animals bad or doesn't like animals almost always have a diagnosis". I believe he was right.

6. silent violent smells.

Sitting in a train, plane, bus, car: hold that fart in! I might have another 30 minutes of my journey where I have no other option than staying put in my seat. And then someone places a quiet but deadly fart or two so the rest of the passengers can't breathe. It's not nice. At all.

7. pretend you always know best.

It's no point. Everybody sees through you. And dislikes you for it.

cat bath

2011-06-13T21:52:00.001+02:00

This is EXACTLY what happens if I close the door to the bathroom whilst having a bath. Kif just won't take no for an answer. He seems to believe it's my duty to inform him of my whereabouts at all times.

(cartoon taken from my favourite blog http://catversushuman.blogspot.com)

kitchen update

2011-06-08T22:28:00.000+02:00

I came home tonight, tired after a long day's work to find my kitchen finished! Finally! I have a new kitchen unit, new tap, new tiles and it's looking gooooood.

It certainly took a few weeks longer than planned, but at least now it's all done. The mold is gone. The kitchen looks nice and I don't have to do the washing up in the bath any more. What a relief. It's been a bit tricky being without water in the kitchen... All utensils around the livingroom rather than in the kitchen drawers... The bin on the floor instead of under the sink... The cat litter on the floor instead of under the sink... You get my drift, I'm sure.

Tomorrow I'm tidying up a little, and Friday I have a cleaning company arriving first thing in the morning. They're cleaning the whole flat - top to bottom, polishing windows and scrubbing walls.

And then, Friday night after work, I'll come home to a clean, fully functioning flat again. It's been a while.

Here I go again

2011-06-07T18:32:00.000+02:00

I've finally done it! I've booked a trip back to my beloved island! I'm heading home in August!
It's been far too long and words cannot describe how excited I am to see the old rock again.

sunshine

2011-06-05T18:03:00.001+02:00

I'm not the only one in this household who loves the sunshine... Wonder what my sun tan will look like after today's sunbathing/make out session? :-)

sometimes

2011-05-29T00:21:00.000+02:00

Sometimes things happen when you least expect them to.

Sometimes these things happen when you least want them to.

Yet it is strange that when one of those rare things happen it's the best thing ever.

This time it was one of those things. It happened when I least expected it to and least wanted it to. But it is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Sometimes one has to thank fate.

roadtrip wonders

2011-05-25T13:28:00.000+02:00

After my weekend up north we drove down to Stockholm again. It was nice - three girls on a roadtrip through Sweden, chatting and eating sweets, looking at nice views and houses alongside the roads.

At one stop at a petrol station in the middle of nowhere I used the bathroom. I was amazed to see this:

Isn't this the weirdest thing to have in a common restroom at a petrol station?! Hand and body lotion, aftershave but no soap?! And the padlock? What is that all about?!

Later we stopped off for some food in a village somewhere along the road. The car park was empty apart from one car. And finally I realized that the saying is true: If it can't be fixed with ducktape, it's broken. Hence - this car is fine. :-)

class of '91

2011-05-23T00:28:00.000+02:00

This weekend we had a reunion from our class of '91. It was great. Truely great - everyone were the same and it certainly didn't feel like 20 years had passed...

Ante and I before dinner.

Part of my class before dinner. As it was back in the days at school, I sat with the boys. I never used to hang out with any of the girls in my school. Guess I was a tomboy in some kind of way.

My best friend Ann from the 90s. She went to a different school, but we used to skip class and visit one another at eachoter's school, have a fag and a chit chat. Nothing has changed there either. Apart from skipping classes of course.

The wonderful boys Martin and Jens. Martin and I go back 30 odd years back. It was such a treat to meet up with him again!

one of those questionnaires I've been sent

2011-05-15T16:09:00.000+02:00

How much cash do you have on you? not a lot. I use my plastic everywhere I go.

What T-Shirt are you wearing? I don't wear t-shirts. Ever. But I'm wearing a tank top which is blue and white right now.
What brand of shoes do you like wearing? I love "Duck Feet" and all kinds of clogs.

What were you doing at midnight last night? I drank red wine at a friend's 50th birthday party.
What's your current desktop picture? Gerard Durrell's house at Jersey zoo.
What's a word that you say a lot? Absolutely.
If you were a crayon, what colour would you be? Green.
How is the weather right now? Sunny. A bit breezy.
hat is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? The eyes and the voice.
Are you too shy to ask someone out? Absolutely! :-)
Can you do a headstand (not using a wall)? No. But then again it's probably about 15 years since I tried.
Who would you like to see right now? My friend Lizzie who lives far too far away.
How many pillows do you sleep with? One at the time.

How do you want to die? Peacefully, of course. And not just yet.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor. Or a rich housewife.
What country would you most like to visit? Ethipoia.

How many things, in your past, do you regret? I don't think it's worth regretting things. But there are a hadfull of things I would've done different if I could turn time back.
Do you think you are attractive? No, but I have nice teeth.
Do you believe in yourself? Yes.
Do you want to get married? Not today.

first BBQ of the year

2011-05-12T09:34:00.004+02:00

Last weekend we were invited to a BBQ at our friend Göran's house. We were increadably lucky - the day before the happening it was windy and even snowing for a couple of hours! But on the day in question the sun was out and it felt like proper spring.

On our arrival we were served drinks (yes, me being a typical tomboy opted for a pint of lager...).

After a fantastic meal of BBQd spare ribs, chicken, fillet and corn on the cobs with lovely coleslaw and salad, we sat down in the livingroom and carried on drinking and talking...
... And of course, after a while we began dancing around the livingroom like teenagers! Great fun!

Nina, Gunilla, Rebecca and myself having a little boogie around the livingroom!

In the evening a fire was lit in the fireplace and we sat around it chatting and drinking. It was such a perfect night with such wonderful people. I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again:

I am truely blessed with wonderful friends!

when in doubt

2011-05-09T10:25:00.000+02:00

a bit of cat-o-drama

2011-05-07T17:45:00.000+02:00

Ah. So that thing that I've been dreading would happen DID just happen.

As you know my house is covered in plastic. It's not a good combination with that fact that I've got a molde infested kitchen. And so I have cut holes in the plastic with a Stanley knife to let the air into the flat/the smell from the molde out of the flat.

Today I've been indoors all day, pottering. The cats, who just got a climbing pole, are a bit over excited today (which is brilliant as it means they will sleep well all night!), and have been running around and on top of me all day.

All of a sudden I heard Kif screaming his "I don't know if I like this... It's a bit scary"-scream. I went into the livingroom to see what he was up to. But he wasn't INSIDE the flat. He was out on the balcony!

The cheeky monkey had squeezed himself out through the plastic and out onto the balcony. There he was, quite confused, scared but curious. I ripped the plastic open and squeezed my upper body out too. That little bit of company made Kif confident enough to try and jump up on the balcony railing!

Well, I shat my pants. I know there is scaffolding around the house. I know there is plastic covering the scaffolding and that he'd most probably wouldn't fall down 7 floors and die. But the likelyhood of Kif finding his way back if he started to run around in plastic covered floors of scaffolding is very unlikely...

... I mean, I'm talking about the cat who got lost in our little attic here!

I screamed "No, Kif! Don't you dare! Sit down!"in my deepest, most serious voice as his first attempt of jumping up failed (thank god he is fat and clumsy). And believe it or not - he stopped, sat down and looked at me. I reached out and grabbed him by the skin of his neck and dragged him back to me.

And lost my grip of his skin... I nearly cried. But he didn't move. He just sat there looking at me. So I just picked him up, threw him inside and closed the window.

What Tylor was doing during all this palaver? Sat between my legs (which were indoors) the whole time and puuuuurrrrrrred!

I still love tea

2011-04-30T18:32:00.000+02:00

faraway friends

2011-04-26T09:09:00.000+02:00

It's amazing how someone can play such a huge part in your life even though you never see them.

This last month or so I've come to think of this more than once.

My one in a lifetime wonderful friend Lizzie has been there for me countless times. So even this time. And despite not seeing her in over a year now, I know she's there for me in spirit and thought.

Yes, I'm blessed with amazing friends spread all around the world. Truely blessed.

Easter so far

2011-04-25T00:34:00.000+02:00

What a glorious Easter weekend it has been! Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine. It's like summer already, and I've really tried to make the most of enjoying the rays.

On the down side I found out that my kitchen is pretty much ruined with molde and fungus under the worktop. That explains the headaches and nosebleeds then... Not fun, and as it has been a bank holiday my landlord's office has been closed. Really need to sort it out on Tuesday, or I'll need to find a second hand place to stay. At least for the cats sake!

On a positive note I've been taking looong walks in the forrest every day. I've also spent time with my brother, in-law and my beautiful little nephew Max. He's adorable (and so are his parents, but right now I will admit my focus is on the little one).

Saturday night was spent at a friend's wedding party. It was a muslim wedding party which was really fun and interesting. I finally picked up the courage to join the dancing - and loved it! It's amazing how different cultures have different ceremonies. It was an honour to be part of it all. (photos to come, I promise).

Tonight I'm cleaning out the wardrobes. Tomorrow, when I've made room, I'll get my summer wardrobe down from the attic. Yep, good people. Summer has reached Sweden! And I'm looooving it!

my eyes

2011-04-14T14:15:00.001+02:00

Tylor decided to have a severe cuddling session with me the other day. I just love this photo of us - it illustrates clearly how posessive he is of me, bless him.

"She's my mummy. Back off"

I, however, felt a little left out in the photo, so I decided to put my eyes on Taylor! :-)

nina hemmingsson

2011-04-12T14:10:00.000+02:00

"Get up! According to a German study a brisk walk each day is the most effective cure against depression, better than medication even! But what the heck, stay where you are, gloomy and ugly, at least I tried my best. Good bye"

I'm obsessed with the swedish cartoonist Nina Hemmingsson. She is so spot on. Funny and deep/dark at the same time. I can't read any of her cartoons without instantly applying the characters to people in my surroundings. I love her. I love her drawings and sharp look for the burlesque.

"Oi! Twelfth night has passed and that's the date when all christmas decorations and shit should be packed away! Are you completely social misfits? If you don't step up I'll call the landlord!"

my long lost brother

2011-04-09T13:47:00.000+02:00

I had the weirdest dream last night. Well, perhaps that's an overstatement as I'm known for having weird dreams. But last night's was different...

... I dreamt I got to buy a cottage on a remote Swedish island for next to nothing. It had no monthly fees, no electric bills no nothing. Just that 7000.- (£650) payment and the cottage was mine.

The cottage was situated at the very end of a little lane, close to the water yet still close to the local shop. The sheltered garden was full of weeds and stinging nettles, and so I started to pick the nettles to make nettle soup. As the shop was up a hill, I decided to buy a donkey as a means of transport. Also, I reasoned, the donkey could help me getting rid of all the weeds in the garden as well as keep me company if ever I got lonely.

As I was rearranging the rugs on the floor of my little bedroom I heard a car pull up outside the house. I looked out to see one of my severly autistic patients -however in my dream my long lost brother- getting out of the car...

... I ran outside and asked the people in the car who they were and why they were dropping off my long lost autistic brother without even preparing me or knocking on the door to inform me he was arriving? The driver looked at me apologetic and drove off.

I tried to catch the registration plate on the car to be able to trace the mystery people. I didn't get it. Luckily my very autistic brother knew it off by heart, of course.

The last thing I remember dreaming was putting my arm around the brother, showing him the spare room which obviously was to be his, going back to my own bedroom and grabbing the phone to try and trace the car's owner...

How peculiar. It was such a peaceful yet disturbing dream.

each day

2011-04-07T11:58:00.000+02:00

DU FRÅN VÄRMLAND

2011-04-04T12:55:00.000+02:00

Hej, kära Värmlands-besökare!

Du tittar in på min blogg allt oftare märker jag, och självklart är du välkommen att läsa min blogg.

Dock kan jag meddela dig om att jag aldrig kommer att skriva om något som lämnar ut varken mig eller någon annan gemensam bekant.

Är du intresserad av min pågående lägenhetsrenovering, mina katter eller annat jag skriver om är det såklart bara kul att du är här inne och hälsar på... Annars känns det lite fjortis-aktigt.

auntie

2011-04-03T21:56:00.000+02:00

I'm an auntie. I'm the proud auntie of a perfect little baby boy. The little bundle arrived last Sunday, and tonight I got to hold him for the first time.

I reckon we'll become good friends, me and this little chap. I like him already.

a rant

2011-03-24T14:11:00.000+01:00

Quite often I get to hear I'm impatient. That I rush things and make decisions too hasty. I've heard it for years - I dare say I'll get to hear it for years to come too.

The last couple of years I've really thought about this. Always thought a thing through that extra once to make sure I make the right decision, always waited for people around me to feel grounded in what I'm about to do. Still, I get o hear I'm impatient.

Quite frankly it is starting to annoy me. Because I find people really slow. I quite often think twice as fast as people around me. However it would never occur to me to say "you're so slow". No, that would be considered rude, wouldn't it?! So why is it ok to tell me the opposite?

I always think twice. Always. Sometimes I even think three or four times before opening my mouth or making that decision. I analyze the chain reactions my decisions will come to have. I try and predict how people will react if I say or do something. Is that impatient behaviour? If so, what more can I do? And honestly - what gives people the right to expect me to change to fit their personalities better? Why should I? Wouldn't that be the same as saying their personality and their behaviour is better than mine? It bugs me. It really does.

question time

2011-03-20T10:35:00.003+01:00

the morning so far

2011-03-19T15:25:00.000+01:00

I woke up by a vile smell this morning. It took me a couple of seconds to realize it was Kif, who was lying on my face, had been farting.

Oh the smell! The disguisting, horrid, rancid smell of a small cat's bottom! I seriously don't know how it is possible for something so small to produce something that gross.

Well, I managed to fall asleep again, only to be woken up about an hour later by the neighbour playing the not-so-fantastic-tune "I dreamed a dream". Over and over again she played the damn tune, kranking up the volume a little more for each time she pressed repeat.

As the music stopped Tylor jumped up on my face and started having a cuddle.

... Anyone who's met Tylor knows of his dribbling when having a cuddle. For those of you who hasn't met him it's kind of hard to explain. But imagine the Victoria falls applied into a cat's mouth and then picture yourself being the reciever of the saliva... That comes pretty close.

I was therefore drenched in Tylor's saliva after a while. He purred and purred and dribbled and dribbled and I realized I stood no chance of going back to sleep. Instead I got up and made breakfast.

After putting the kettle on I went back into the bedroom only to find both Kif and Tylor fast asleep on my pillows. Cheeky buggers.

one reason I can not sleep at night...

2011-03-13T19:30:00.000+01:00

This fabulous piece of truth was found on http://catversushuman.blogspot.com/

plastic and a smelly flat

2011-03-11T13:55:00.000+01:00

My house is wrapped up in plastic. For real.

For a good month now, the whole house is wrapped up in big plastic, and all wondows are blocked with thick, dirty plastic sheets.

They're restoring it, of course. And of course I'm glad they are. It's been looking like sh*t for the last 5 years and a bit of new plaster and paint will do it a world of good.

But it is dark indoors. No sunlight manages to break through that horrid plastic. No air finds its way into the flat. The cats can't watch the birds as they usually do. I can't go out on my balcony for a cigarette.

I tried - in desperation - to smoke a ciggie under the kitchen fan one night. I still regret it. Everything indoors smell of ashes. It's disguisting.

They say patience is a virtue and in this case it sure is. I wonder if it'll be like this all through the summer?

alarming alarm

2011-03-09T22:37:00.000+01:00

Went into work on Saturday to do the last bits of preparation for the grand opening of our new unit, which was due to open the following Monday.

I will admit - I was hangover as hell. I did a few bits of paperwork, drank loads of diet Coke and listened to Cat Stevens as I mopped the floors and pottered about. It took me a good 5 hours until the place was spotless and in shape of opening its doors two days later.

I was knackered but satisfied. Took my bag and turned the lights off in my office. As I'd done so and put my foot out in the hallway the alarm went off. And boy was it loud!

I fumbled my way into a room full of digital gadgets and located the screaming alarm's base. Read the instructions without understanding bugger all, and eventually found a phone number to the Security-firm.

The girl on the other end of the phone couldn't find my unit on her computer. She asked me if I was allowed to be in the unit at all. Eventually she promised to look it all up and give me a call back. And so I sat down in the ear numbing noise and wondered how long I'd be waiting.

After what felt like an eternity (but in reality only was about 45 minuter) two Securitas men turned up, turned the alarm off and asked me for ID. Then they asked me if I didn't have the code for the alarm. I told them no. They asked me if I had an electric key for the door. I said yes. And did I have a code for it? Yes indeed.

The men looked at eachother and smiled as they told me all I'd had to do was to use the key and code to shut the damn alarm off.

... Oh well. I guess I know til next time...

they don't make them like this no more...

2011-03-06T12:07:00.008+01:00

my mother

2011-03-05T22:20:00.000+01:00

Today my mum would've turned 65 years old. But she never even got the chance to turn 50.
It is 16 years since my mother passed away and in some ways it feels like a lifetime ago.

Don't get me wrong - she's with me in my thoughts almost every day. I strive to be more like her. I wish I'd gotten her wonderful ginger hair instead of my blonde. I wonder what advice whe'd give me when in doubt. I wish she'd had the chance to meet her first grandchild and it's most marvellous mother/wife of my brother's.

But there are so many things I don't remember about her. And things I want to forget too. I don't remember what she used to smell like. Or what her teeth looked like. Or what it felt like hugging her. I remember a scar on her pinkie but can't for the world remember the story behind it - even though I know she once told me.

I would like to forget all the horrible things I called her as a teenager. I would like to forget how she worked herself half to death with a full time job, kids, a farm and voloneer work all at once. Or the look on her face when I caught her crying once when she thought she was alone.

Everytime someone tells me I remind them of my mum I take it as a compliment. Everytime I throw her old, 70's bag over my shoulder as I'm on my way to work (just as she used to do) I send her a thought. And best of all is when I sometimes look at my brother and see her smile in his. She lives through us all I'm sure.

wallpapers

2011-02-28T19:38:00.001+01:00

I've been thinking of wallpapering the bedroom. I found this wallpaper and fell in love with it. The problem when it comes to wallpaper, though, is that I tend to fall in love with a lot of different styles. I'd need about 30 bedrooms to satisfy all my ideas of interior design of bedrooms...

... Because as soon as I decided on the wallpaper above, I found this one and fell in love with it. It was love at first sight...

... Until I realized all that pattern would clash terrible with my Tibetan Altar Tables. And I found this. Serene, peaceful. Perfect. Would match my Altar Tables beautifully.

Oh, don't quite know what to do. Which one do you like the best?

Studying again

2011-02-26T19:57:00.000+01:00

Yippie! I've been accepted to a uni course starting next month! Work is paying for this one too, as it is work related. The course is called "Social work; social and group psychology". I'm so looking forward to it.

Time is really reeeeaaally sparse right now, as my new job includes still doing my old job as well as starting up a couple of new units. 24 hours just isn't enough hours in a day. But once a geek always a geek, right? I love studying and can't wait to get started.

Dogs

2011-02-22T17:38:00.001+01:00

I might want one of these. A Mexican hairless dog.

And yes, I know it bears a little resemblence to my cat Tylor. I can't help it. I have a thing for big ears.

But a part of me would very much like a Bullterrier too...

They are cool beyond belief. And have big ears too.

:-)

Today I have...

2011-02-20T21:33:00.000+01:00

... done bugger all.

How I love weekends where there is time to do nothing. Read a book. Watch a movie. Cuddle the cats and the Mr.

How I love long lie ins with breakfast in bed whilst reading the newspaper. Fall asleep for a bit again.

Yes, long live the weekends! I just wish they could last a little bit longer.

cat commands

2011-02-12T15:05:00.000+01:00

They're doing building works to my house. Which means the house - including the windows - is covered in thick plastics.

My poor cats... Have nothing but white plastic to look at when sitting in the windowsill.

... They are bored!

Kif is very good at entertaining himself. He runs around the flat in super speed, jumps up and down on all the furniture and screams.

Sometimes this isn't enough. Sometimes he wants me to chase him. If I don't he jumps up on me, aiming for any sensative area on my body to get me interested in a little Hide and Seek.

Tyler, on the other hand, isn't as easy as please.

He might be bribed with a cuddling session, but if I don't carry him around and smother him in love he gets started in scratching the shit out of the wardrobe doors.

If I tell him off he looks very pleased and comes running towards me - purring.

Tylor has learnt a few commands very well: he ALWAYS responds to "vänta" (wait) if I use the verbal command togheter with a handmovement.
"Nu, varsågod" (now, go on) is the command I use after "vänta", which he also responds to like clockwork.

Kif, too, has one command which he obeys like nothing else... Guess which one it is?
"Skinka" (ham) of course.

terrible train ticket

2011-02-08T10:40:00.000+01:00

The other evening I sat down in front of the computer to book train tickets up north, as I was planning to visit my father. I booked a ticket for the 2nd March and emailed the confirmation to my dad to show him the dates.

On Monday evening he phoned me and asked me what I wanted to eat on my arrival, to which I snapped a bit.

“Surely we’ll have time to discuss that closer to the date” I snarled.

“But it is only 2 days away until you arrive?” he said, rather confused.

I checked my email confirmation and sure – I’d booked the ticket for the 2nd February instead of 2nd March. I tried to rebook the tickets, but wasn’t allowed. I tried to get a refund. I wasn’t allowed. I asked customer support if I could sell my tickets on eBay and let the buyer change the name of the ticket. Nope, no, niet, bugger nothing.

On Tuesday morning I reschedualed all my meetings for the week, cancelled appointments and made room for a visit up north a month sooner than I’d originally planned. It was doable, however I had to work my arse off all Tuesday to make it so.

After a long day at work myself and the Mr. went to the pictures to see a preview of “The King’s speech”. Back home late in the evening I treated myself to a glass of wine and chilled.

…When it hit me. The tickets! I needed to print out the tickets from the internet! Bollox. The train was due to leave 7.20 am the following morning and there was no chance I’d manage to print them off anywhere before then.

I phoned customer services who were closed for the day. So I got up at 5.30 am on Tuesday, phoned them and explained my predicament.

“No problem” a very friendly voice said to me. “I’ll change it on the computer so that you can collect the tickets at the train station”. He gave me a booking number and off I went to the station.

Standing by the ticket machine I typed in the booking number several times without receiving anything but a message on the screen saying “no tickets found on this number”. I went to the customer service desk and waited in the queue for a good 15 minutes before I could explain my dilemma for the woman at the desk.

“Ooops”, she said whilst looking at her computer screen. “He must’ve clicked on the wrong button when he tried to help you over the phone this morning. Your ticket is gone”.

With 6 minutes to spare before the train would leave the station I nearly cried. The woman at the desk quickly wrote a few lines on a piece of paper, signed it and gave to me. “Give this to the train host and you’ll be fine”.

So I legged it to the train and made it with a minute to spare befoe departure. The train host accepted my piece of paper. So really I should be happy. But truth be told I’m sick and tired of things not ever going smoothly. And there was no tea on the train either.

air guitar

2011-02-04T09:36:00.000+01:00

Only your imagination limits your life!

Ménage à trois

2011-02-03T22:17:00.002+01:00

Kif really DOES sleep in top of my face. Here he's cleaning my hair whilst I'm fast asleep.

One of my favourite pictures ever. Kif fast asleep on top of a fast asleep Mr.

Every morning two little cat heads pops out from under the duvet to say good morning.
Sometimes three (or four) is a crowd for sure, but most of the time it is lovely!

weekend activities

2011-01-30T22:17:00.001+01:00

We've been pretty good at doing fun stuff over the weekends lately.

The other weekend the Mr. and I headed into the city to go ice skating in the park. At first it sounded like a great idea - after all I used to be good at ice skating as a kid. But when counting I realized it was approx. 25 years since skating around the ice...

... I was useless at it. And terrified. But it was hilarious! The Mr. succeeded better than myself getting around the ice I have to admit.

I, on the other hand, managed to fall over whilst standing still, which surely is an achivement not everybody manages! :-)

After skating, laughing and falling over (me at least) we went to "Sky Bar" and had a chili coctail before heading home. Perfect ending to a perfect day.

We also went to see the Modern Dance Theatre "XPSD" over a weekend. Quite frankly I thought it was bad, but still it was fun to see. To compensate for all the fine art that evening we had a stroll through town afterwards, and stopped off at McDonalds to have a big Mac...

... One needs balance in life!

This weekend we visited the Museum of Technology. Their exhibition about NASA and spaceships newly opened, and it was really interesting. After the exhibition we went to a little wok place and had lovely supper before heading home.

It's nice to pretend to be a tourist in your home city!

bollox

2011-01-23T15:06:00.000+01:00

I couldn't find my log in-device for my bank the other week. I kept looking around the flat but it was nowhere to be found. In the end I gave up and phoned the bank to order a new one. They apologized and told me I had to visit a bank office to get a new device, as it was nothing they could send in the post. He asked me how long I'd had my current one, and ensured me there would be no cost in getting a new one at the office.

The following day I entered the bank office. Took a number for the queue and waited my turn. And waited... For a good 30 minutes I waited until it was finally my turn, only to be told I had been waiting in the wrong queue and had to start all over again in another bloody queue.

Needless to say I wasn't overjoyed.

When I finally reached the right desk and explained my problem with the lost log in-device, the clerk told me it was no problem, I could have a new one for 400.- (£40). I explained I'd been told I could have a new one for free. I also explained I'd had my old one for over 15 years and surely it was time for me to have a new one anyway?

She looked at me, kind of winked and told me if I'd report it to the police as stolen I could have a new one for free. I said it wasn't stolen, and refused to do a fake police report for the sake of getting a free device - something I thought I should get anyway.

The clerk then continued to tell me I could have a second hand one for the price of 250.- (£25) as I was a long time, loyal customer.

The cheek. I was raging. Asked her if she really thought a second hand one for 250.- was a "reward" for being their loyal customer for over 20 years, and then explained that I'd take my services elsewhere, to another bank where I'd get the god damn device for free. (Authors note to you readers: this was not a threat. It was a fact!)

She said nothing for a while. Looked at her computer screen without doing nothing. Then, like a dr. Jekyll and mr. Hyde-switch, she turned to me with a big smile and said I could have a new device for free.

What a twat face! What a pile of bollocks! I took my new, free device and left the bank. Not very likely to recommend the bank's services to fellow human beings, am I...?

inside a woman

2011-01-16T20:25:00.002+01:00

games galore

2011-01-14T13:21:00.001+01:00

Maybe it's the bad weather or maybe it's just insanity, but me and the mr. have started to play alot of board games. Scrabble is one of the favourites.

fuckwits

2011-01-12T13:20:00.000+01:00

What makes people mean? Quite frankly I don't understand it.

Children say and do mean things, sure. It's part of growing up, part of testing bounadries and lessons not yet learnt. But adults? Adults who have no excuses of not knowing better just can't get away with any sort of shit - bad childhood or not. I'm sorry but I don't buy it.

We got talking about this at work the other day. A member of staff told me she'd never worked in a workplace before where everyone were so nice. As flattering as it is to hear such things, I was gobsmacked to hear about adult bullying in staffrooms and on wards. And then, that same evening as I was getting ready to go home, another (male) member of staff came up to me, patted me on my stomach and said

- you've put on some weight, haven't you?!

I was caught off guard and so I just laughed a little surprised and said yes. He continued to say:

- I don't mind big bellys on women. But you need to buy a bigger coat I think!

Still in chock I said nothing and walked home. And got really angry. How dared he?! The cheek! And as angry as I was at his unnessecary comment I was even more pissed off at myself not snapping back at him.

It was then it hit me why nastiness takes place. Because normal, nice people don't hit back due to chock. And due to good manners and sanity. And so the fuckwits that enjoy making others a misery can carry on.

Of course some poeple are just plain and simple thick. Don't have the intelligence to say and do the right things. They are excused for being involontary nasty. But the rest of the fuckwits are not excused. Not one little bit. There just isn't any excuse in the world for being rude, behave insane due to jealousy or bitterness, have bad manners or being bitchy.

And I hope what goes around comes around for those people. I really do.

more courses please

2011-01-06T14:06:00.001+01:00

I've done it again. Signed up for a couple of Uni courses this year. One in Leadership and another in Psychology. Great fun, great distraction to life's more boring sides.

Now, fingers crossed I'll be accepted!

Lucky lucky

2011-01-05T22:20:00.000+01:00

Sooooo true! It's not always easy to date a cat owner...
(found on http://catversushuman.blogspot.com/)

The awards – 2010

2011-01-01T20:48:00.001+01:00

1) Best day of the year: Midsummers day was a lovely day in every sense. Wonderful company, wonderful weather, great food, great views… Yes, perfect in every sense of the word.

2) Best holiday: There was no special holiday for me this year. Travelled nowhere exciting. However, without doubt Lizzie and Macy’s holiday visiting me was the best! It was truly lovely to have my best friend visiting for over a week.

3) High Point of the year: Meeting the mr.

4) Low point of the year: it’s a close call between work and health.

5) Best read: “Brick Lane” by Monica Ali.

6) Anthem for 2010: “how far you go” by Tim Christensen

7) Regrets: I don’t regret things. Just remember bad moves so that I won’t do them again.

8) Best Night out: a drunken night in the beginning of the summer. It was in a scruffy pub in Stockholm and the company was fantastic. The outcome even better.

9) Worst Night out: all those nights that I had to cancel due to working overtime at work.

10) Best purchase: the kitchen wall paper. The antique living room furniture. And I’ll be so vain I’ll mention those high heel calf high boots with wooden sole too. It was love at first sight.

11) Best relationship: The one that began.

12) Worst relationship: The ones that got infected partly due to the one that began.

13) First show of the year: I went to see the premiere of “den banala kärleken” in Uppsala in January. My sister-in-law invited us as she worked on the production.

14) Last show of the year: was “The Real Groups” Christmas concert in Stockholm in December.

15) Best decision made all year: to study those uni courses besides working. I think I’d gone mad otherwise. And to take that pottery course. It was great fun!

16) Plans for next year: enroll more courses. In pottery. Photography. God knows what. And getting something more challenging to do for a living. And get healthy, of course.

Christmas spirit

2010-12-27T01:00:00.000+01:00

This year's tree got a very animalistic feel

...with birds and elephants...

... more birds...

... and a camel!

The Christmas stockings this year are home made. VERY much so. Found these old socks in a box at my dad's, filled with stuff from the 19th century! And because whoever wore them back in the days had gigantic feet, I thought they'd be perfect as Crimbo stockings. (The red lace/frills and red loops are of course added by me)

The cake rack also got into the Christmas spirit.

Long ago, I was given this Winnie the Pooh snow globe. It has been with me every Christmas every since.

And this year's advent candles were put on a pewter tray filled with star aniseed and cinnamon sticks.

Hope you've all had a lovely Christmas!

give and take

2010-12-25T15:35:00.001+01:00

On the theme of recieving (see previous post)...

Amongst other Christmas presents I yesterday recieved a book about happiness. Not one of those hippie-bollox books about happiness, but a lovely, thoughtful book. One thing really stood out in the book, and that was the chapter about giving and taking:

There is a lot of happiness to be gained from giving.

But to constantly give will consume you heart and soul.

So learn to take a little -

a stroll in the garden, exhibitions and cafés.

Enjoy it.

Let birds, flowers, books,

art, music and generous friends

fill your reserves.

Humans need nourishment.

So true. And so therefore his week I will dedicate my time on me. On things I like and things I want to do. No musts. Will you join me?

unexpected gifts

2010-12-24T21:35:00.000+01:00

It's the thought that counts. Always.

Sure it's nice to recieve gifts from close ones, but it's the gifts from those I didn't expect that really moves me.

Yesterday I recieved a most wonderful present from someone I care for very much, but haven't had the opportunity to get to know as well as I would like to. We seem to have a lot of things in common, and hard times recently have brought us together. And yesterday I recieved a picture frame containing the words

Dana

intelligent

impassioned

Thank you

How thoughtful! How wonderful! I am blessed with being surrounded by some truely beautiful people. And despite not always being good at staying in touch or expressing my gratitude I love you all.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T23:13:00.000+01:00

Nearly Christmas!

And despite being so very organized I still have a present to buy (yet no idea what to buy), the stockings aren't up on the wall yet and the gingerbread house isn't made.

... In other words it is the same lovely stress before Christmas as previous years...

detective work

2010-12-12T13:46:00.000+01:00

1. cat sick in bed. However, no buiscit/cat food in the sick. Strange.

2. kitchen cupboard opened.

3. bin on floor, not in kitchen cupboard.

4. spare rib bones on floor, not in bin.

Tracking and analyzing the above evidence my conclusion is Kif... Kif the master thief has struck again.

(I hope he enjoyed the spare ribs before puking them up again. After all that hard work he was kind of worth it)

my pottery

2010-12-05T15:12:00.000+01:00

My little ceramic house. Made to have a nightlight inside. Don't know how the paint on the roof got so bizarre, but I have to admit I quite like it.

My pride and joy! Four tea mugs made by me - not bad for someone who's never thrown pottery before, eh?!

Not my pride and joy. A plate which I messed up completely with the paint - supposed to have been green all over, but ended up with bold patches. Never mind.

... Last but not least: cat bowls. I wouldn't be a good cat owner unless I made them something too. I have now wrapped them up and put them in the cats stockings.

worth keeping

2010-11-27T23:29:00.001+01:00

development in progress

2010-11-25T10:30:00.002+01:00

Will there ever be a time when I will get enough and settle?

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate what I have and things I've done. It's not that. It's that constant feeling of wanting to thrive, develop and move on.

I have studied - one bachelor's and one master's degree. I thought that'd be enough. I thought it'd be ok to do the odd evening course for fun to keep the old brain going. But lately I have wondered about doing a phD. For no other reason than wanting to. I have no urge of becoming a doctor, working as a professor or certainly not spending the rest of my days in a university setting. But I want to germinate.

I have travelled. Thought I'd gotten that out of my system after 10 years of continent hopping. But now I'm itching. Thinking about those places I've yet to see. Places where you need to spend a month or two to get to know properly. And I've dusted off those lonely planet's guide to Ethiopia that I never got to use. Because I want to do more. See more.

I like my job. But feel I have so much more to give. I have knowledge which I'd love to share with other, new people, and I would like to meet new people to learn new things from too.

I love my flat. However I keep thinking of buying something new, so that I could learn more about renovating and decorating. Because I want to develope and not become stagnant.

Some people say I have a midlife crisis. But boy, this "crisis" has been going on for a good 20 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Wonder if there's some kind of medication to cure my curiosity?

welcome!

2010-11-21T17:16:00.001+01:00

Welcome, you!

For the last few months I have had an increasing number of visitors on my blog. It's fab. I like it.

I like it a lot and don't care that some of you readers might have ended up here by mistake, others by curiosity of who I really am and some of you by pure interest of what I write about.

You are all welcome. Feel free to have a root around and please leave a comment when you're here. Comments I like lots and lots.

holiday so far

2010-11-19T12:28:00.000+01:00

I so miss these two whilst away!

Luckily, I have this one instead - constantly purring in my lap!
(and yes, I know, hideous outfit, but I've been clearing the attic out today)

Not to mention this crazy, adorable puppy!

Kif's box

2010-11-18T15:06:00.000+01:00

After moving flat a couple of years ago, I had a couple of banana boxes standing on the floor for a couple of weeks, full of knickknacks I didn't know where to put.

The cats really loved the boxes. And so I couldn't face throwing them away, but kept one for them.

But boy those banana boxes are ugly. To stand having an ugly box in my flat, I dressed it in a funky wallpaper that matched the bedroom interior. And the cats loooooved it...

... For a month or so.

So yesterday I decided to throw it away. Placed it in the hallway so that I wouldn't forget to take it out with the rubbish. And as soon as I'd done so, Kif was there like a shot. Jumped in and out of the box. Scratched it, talked to it, licked it (well, hey, it's Kif we're talking about here. He licks everything, remember?!).

"what a peculiar toy! never seen this before! wonder what happens if I scratch it?"

"stop mocking me. I'm enjoying my new toy. leave me alone"

"my precoious!" picture perfect or what?!

Needless to say I have an ugly banan box dressed in wall paper standing in the hallway now. I just can't face throwing it out. Again.

hearts galore

2010-11-16T12:47:00.003+01:00

I was looking through some websites to find new crimbo decorations, and noticed the shabby chic-trend has infiltrated christmas. Everywhere I looked there were old fashioned baubles, paper garlands and so forth.

... Not to mention all the cotton hearts! Loads of web sites sell little "home made" heart shaped cushions to hang in the tree or around the flat. I can make that, I thought to myself and got the sewing machine out. And look! I could!

Place your orders here, please. :-)

if FB was around in the beginning of time

2010-11-14T22:13:00.000+01:00

lego-hawkins

2010-11-14T10:40:00.000+01:00

it cracs me up, this picture does.

loveliness

2010-11-13T20:06:00.000+01:00

The other day I had some very good news. You see, I have been ill for some time, but after the last trip to the doctor's I got the all clear. Good news indeed.

I celebrated by treating myself to sushi after the dr's apt. And whilst eating my sushi I sent a text message home to share my good news. I recieved a message saying "Damn good news. we should celebrate tonight!". I thought nothing more of it, finished off my sushi and did some errands around town before heading home.

But as soon as I came home I found the mr. by the cooker - making the most amazing dinner. There were beers in the fridge. A bunch of flowers on the dinner table. Chocolates for afters... So thoughtful! Such a wonderful treat!

We had a lovely evening. Like most evenings really, but in a different kinda way. And posh dinner and beer on a worknight doesn't happen every day for sure. I'm not used to being pampered like that. I think it almost topped our roadtrip last weekend, where we went to see the eminent Ed Harcourt. That says alot.

Good news, yummy food and lovely, wonderful thoughtfulness all in the same day. Who could ask for anything more?

I don't like it!

2010-11-12T23:29:00.001+01:00

I'm in a situation where my working life collides with my private life. And I do not like it. Not one little bit.

I am a firm believer of keeping private life and work life apart. Mixing the two would be like asking for problems. That has been my motto and my work ethics, which I have stuck to since god knows when.

So, for years and years I have gone to work, done my job, and gone home. Sure, I have told co-workers about my personal life. But nothing private personal. And sure I have told private friends about work - but nothing private regarding work. I believe in respecting privacy as well as promices of secrecy.

And now the two worlds of mine have been mixed up. All due to people who cares about me, I'm sure. People who perhaps are scared to ask me directly, or perhaps don't have the same look upon keeping work and private life apart. However, whatever the reason, I feel completely violated and betrayed.

Am I being silly for wanting the two parts of my life not to be entangled? Am I being paranoid? I don't know. I just wish people spoke more with me rather than about me. It would make life less complicated.

time

2010-11-12T19:27:00.001+01:00

My friend Brian wrote this poem which I really loved when reading it. (You'll find more poems of his on his blog http://andradepoems.blogspot.com/)

A word to all the non-believers

A word to all the non-believers,
leave your troubles, your worries tonight.
If horror still haunts you
without God to guide you,
receive this one word insight.

Time.

Time can make all things possible.
Time can wait for need to arise.
And create things unimaginable,
unbelievable. Tried, revised,
its power is constant, its motion complete.
without the gumption to end, or repeat.

Time is everywhere.
Time is everything.
Time boggles.
Time contrasts.
Time is a moment, a millennia,
a mountain, a mouse.

Time is Time, time and time again.

If you have anything to fear, anything to love,
be it time, believe it or not.

new favourite

2010-11-04T17:36:00.004+01:00

I have a new favourite blog. Cat versus Human.
http://catversushuman.blogspot.com/

things we do but don't mention

2010-11-01T15:15:00.001+01:00

Last week I've read two articles about men not liking women to spend time on themselves. They claim they like "natural women".

Well, humbug, I say!

What those men mean, I'm pretty sure, is that they don't like women to wear too much make up. Make up that shows, that is. Because every time my male friends are discussing good looking vs. not-so-good-looking women, the NATURAL women loose the battle of the good looking title alright.

You see, we women tend to do an awful lot that men say are vanity. Therefor, we women don't tell everything we spend time on doing. If we did, men would say we were vain rather than "natural". And well, we like them to keep thinking we are naturally hairless, smooth and and so forth, don't we?

Because women remove hair. Either by shaving, waxing, epilating or plucking.
Or all of the above. Women have facial hair. Nasal hair. Hair on their nipples or on their toes. Now, show me men who think that kind of "natural" is attractive?

Women do not have smooth skin thanks to God. No, skin tend to be exfoliated, scrubbed, filed, moistured, buttered, lotioned for that smooth, "natural" feeling.

Women aren't blessed from blemishes/dark circles/broken veins/grey hangover skin either. But we know how to use concealer and foundation to give our face an even skintone.

I just needed to point this out. Because it's the way it is.

tatties

2010-10-29T01:08:00.001+02:00

I had another tatoo done a while back. A little fish between my shoulderblades.

I do like it a lot, but still don't feel my back is "complete". I have another two tattoos I need to do before my back looks the way I've pictured it. However, everytime I visit the tattooist or a web page with tatoos I keep getting inspiration for even more...

... I could do with an extra set of skin. And an extra bank account. So that I could do twice as many tatties.

the wolves inside

2010-10-27T22:51:00.001+02:00

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life…

He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.

The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”

They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?”

The Elder simply replied, “The one you feed.”

love

2010-10-25T10:39:00.000+02:00

More than a nice melody

More than the sweetest of words

This is the love I have found

And with this love I am found

I found this poem ages ago on the internet somewhere. Can't even remember where or what I was looking for. But somehow it stuck in my mind. I think it is lovely. And true.

cationary

2010-10-24T21:34:00.001+02:00

Yes, I stole this from the internet because I loooove it. So sue me.

just remember this

2010-10-22T21:34:00.000+02:00

Things I'd like someone to explain

2010-10-20T15:02:00.001+02:00

Why does my hair always look its best the same day as I’m due to have it cut?
Why does most pyjamas come in a vest and long trousers? I tend to have my legs under the duvet and my arms on top of the duvet, hence a longsleeved top and shorts would suit me much better!?
Why is it that bog roll sheets are approx. 15x15 cm? Who on earth would use ONE sheet that size to wipe their bum?
Why does my cats only scratch me on the top of my chest 2 seconds before I’m due to go out and have a low cut top on?
Why is everything I like to eat very unhealthy?

plant a tree

2010-10-18T12:43:00.001+02:00

A couple of years ago I started to plant trees instead of buying presents to friends and family.

Today I arranged to have a monthly direct debit to ViSkogen, who plant trees around the Victoria Nyanza area in Africa.

When was the last time you planted a tree? Go on, buy some trees for Christmas! The world needs it.