Me & mushrooms

This is what I ate yesterday, grilled halloumi - a favourite thing of mine! - mushrooms, squash and paprika. Quick and easy and good foor both mind and body! It was so incredibly good that I had begun eating before I took the picture... Although my tummy didn't agree with the food somehow, I actually spent quite a bit of time in the loo afterwards... I totally blame the mushrooms - mostly I can eat them fine, and I do like them a lot. But when they don't agree with me, they totally disagree big time...

They were also to blame for one of my most - so far - humiliating moments in life, well I must say I acted really well considering the circumstances, but still, the mushrooms had hit again. It's years and years ago now, but somehow it's a vivid memory, ready to pop out whenever I think of mushrooms.

Imagine one really cold and snowy winter evening in the 1980ies, I were off to an aerobics class with a friend. The class would take place in a high-school in the city, I had to walk to the subway-station from home, take the subway for about 30 minutes and then walk some more. Before I left home my mum had made me an omelette with cheese and... mushrooms.

Sitting on the subway I felt the tummy acting up a bit, no worries, there'll be a toilet when I'll get there. Soon. But somehow we didn't manage to get there that soon, apparently we were a bit unsure of the way there, that cold, cold, winter evening with lots and lots of snow everywhere. I felt more and more desperate, badly in need of a toilet. Really, really, REALLY in need of one - now!!

And so the mushrooms had their ways with me, there and then, on that cold, cold, evening, in the snow. Just before we actually found the right high-school where the aerobics-class would take place. There they were, some very unwelcomed guests in my pants. A toilet with a big sink, please! I somehow manage to hide my predicament, slipped into the toilet - yes, a sink! - and began the washing up a k a drowning my unwelcomed visitors. As well as that could be done by hand, without detergents, in a toilet with a not so big sink...

The BIG question afterwards though was, what am I to wear when getting home, on that cold, cold evening with heaps of snow everywhere...? I only had the clothes I was to have worn at the aerobics class with me, mainly a pair of sportsocks and a pair of shorts. I couldn't very well get into those now wet and not very clean jeans again...

So my wardrobe back home had to be those knee-high sportsocks in my boots plus the shorts. On that cold, cold, evening. Teamed up with a long coat - thanks to that late 80ies fashion of really long coats with impressive shoulderpads - I actually manage to get myself home. Very litterally freezing my bottom off I might add.

So my longterm relationship with mushrooms is a bit split, but mainly good. When it doesn't come to cold, cold winter evenings.

Dare to fly

Sometimes, now and then, I still get that feeling of a tight knot in my tummy, a knot of tension and anxiety. The feeling that I really should pull myself together and get out there and get a proper job again, and earn some real money.

Forget those dreams, forget all this time that has past when I've actually had the time in midst of it sad, hurtful all to realize that the best way to live one's life is to follow one's dreams. When one has realized what those dreams are... And that really can take some time of soul-searching...

And still, I think I've grown as a person these past few years, dare I say, become a better person. Inside and out. I've become better in following my intuition and gut-feeling - trying to NOT getting a lots of knots there - become better in just being me, the better me. Trying not to carry all that weltschmertz om my shoulders, just living and loving in my own little world.

Chosing to mainly socialize with people that I really like and love, that I feel makes me grow and develop in new layers. That I can derive benefit and happiness from and not just exhaustion and sadness. And then of course the other way around too, that I can give them something in return, whether that is some hours of amateur shrinking, philosophy discussions or something more practical - all matters are relative - like a lunch, a goodie-bag, a necklace or two.

I heard of a motto in life that is: To have everything under control and still enjoy life
Perhaps it's just as easy, and hard. To both dare to fly and feel the wind beneath your wings and still keep an eye on the world down below. And not be afraid to land now and then. To be in contact with both worlds, maybe that's what it's all about? Both earth and sky. In harmony. Just dare to fly.

Dallmayr chocolate

New favourite chocolate is milk chocolate from German brand Dallmayr, in Munich. A simply melt in your mouth creating a taste bud sensation and caressing the palate in the most sensuous way-kind of chocolate.

Unfortunately the one and only chocolate bar I got is now just a sweet lingering memory. I've searched for someone who sells Dallmayr in Sweden or over the Internet. So far without any luck... Can anyone help me and my poor longing taste buds??

Edit - since this post was written in 2006 Dallmayr has a website, more information and online shop to be found here

Sleeping sickness & cheese doodle weekend

It must have been something in this boring, grey - I wonder how many times I've written grey when describing the weather this autumn/winter... - rainy, windy and mild in temperature. Because I have just been so sleepy, so drowsy, so lacking of energy and eating boring stuff, and not very healthy things apart from all the usual carrots, for two days now.

I wonder if all these carrots somehow neutralize the cheese doodles, chocolate and muffins (yes, functional food-muffins from the Muffin Bakery, but nevertheless muffins...) that were my food of choice this weekend?

Mind you, I don't eat crisps, I hate crisps, so the ones in the pic aren't mine. Cheese doodles - and they have to be the originals from OLW, nothing else will do! - combine with crunchy carrots though, that's my kind of snack!

Although I now somehow feel a bit sick... Don't think I'll have anymore cheesy snack this side of New year... Think I'll just have some carrots the next time I don't feel like cooking. Or some crispy broccoli. Not with Barbara though, preferably with Daniel Dumbo in that case. In Venice.

WCB # 77 - Birthday cat Sigrid

My blacktortiespotted british shorthair Sigrid (a k a Int Ch Coccolami's Blossom) turned 4 years old last Wednesday, so I think it's just about right she'll be the postergirl for my WCB this time around.

And I just know she'll love all the treats this weekend's hosts at Cats'n'mom have set the table with over at the roundup. One of her favourite things to do is eat, if not THE favourite thing... When she doesn't snuggle up with a furry friend of more in the couch for a cosy nap, or take care of a kitten or two (being the mom to among others my WCB- cat # 74, Siri). A laidback kitty, a supermom with a big appetite, that's Sigrid!

The picture isn't taken by me, but the fab Norweigan photographer at www.kongro.no.

Shaken not stirred

Wow, I think it was a really good movie-experience, Casino Royale. The best Bond-movie I've seen actually. More human, more stylish, excellent stunts and special-effects - far from Lord of the rings... - and not at all in the Bond-genre of bed-as-many-women-as-possible-and-fiddle-with-at-least-as-many-corny-gadgets-as-possible.

The black-and-white-intro, the stylish pretext, costumes - that sixties-feeling was great - and yes, I do think Craig was perfect in the role, even with his Dumbo-ears.

I can't help but ponder over if Danes are suppose to be the new evils of this (movie)world and if so, why?

Casino Royale

Tonight's the opening night - for us ordinary mortals that is - for the latest Bond-movie "Casino Royale" with English actor Daniel Craig as agent 007 with a licence to kill. A competent actor I haven't been too impressed with in other movies, perhaps due to the moves rather than his acting skills...

But he sure has the rugged, sort of handsome looks to make it as mr Bond, a man without noticable depths and layers I suppose. And the ever cool Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen as the villain. I think that'll be a very nice and lightly entertaining couple of hours!

In the picture to your left it isn't the Casino Royale of Stockholm, unfortunately perhaps, but the old head-office of the Postal Service. A beautiful and magnificent building anyway!

Spinach for Popeyes (recipe)

Even if it might be hard to believe sometimes - or perhaps it's just a vicious rumour - I do spend my time with other things than shopping. One thing I've learned the hard way - perhaps the only way to really learn some things? - is that you have to treat youreself on a regular basis, not only with shopping of course, but also spending time with people that give you good vibes, intelligent discussions and a comfy feeling, eat well, sleep well and so on.

And one of those good things is spinach. Not only if you want to grow up to be a Popeye and save Olivia-damsels in distress. With spinach you hardly never go wrong. And this time of year a soup is a simple and tasty thing to make. With spinach it's actually really healthy comfort food!

So here comes my favourite recipe for spinach soup. Actually originated from an old Weight Watcher's recipe, but who cares, both lean cuisine AND tasty, yes please another piece of cake after that!

Spinach soup
(per person you need as follow)

½ yellow onion (or more if you like)
100 g spinach leaves
2,5 dl vegetable boullion
½ dl milk (can be excluded)
oil, salt, pepper & cayennepepper

Serve with 1 hard boiled egg - or not

Fry the finely chopped onion soft in the oil. Add the spinach and the boullion. Let it boil and then simmer for a few minutes. Add the milk if you like and salt, pepper plus a touch of the cayennepepper.

Serve with egg-halves if you want and some nice bread, butter and cheese. Enjoy immensly!

Tip of(f) the day (2)

Treat yourself with a relaxing and pampering facial, massage, pedicure, manicure, aromatherapy-treatment or perhaps a whole spa-day.

Can be experienced in different ways depending on the size and content of your wallet:

A) at a beautysaloon/beauty therapist extravaganza. Hopefully you'll get what you pay for and the full luxuary treatment from head to toe!

B) at a beauty therapist-school, at reduced prices. In Stockholm for example at the Private School for Skincare and Spa. Well worth a visit now and then I think.

C) Create your own home spa with your favourite hair treatments, scrubs, bathbubbles, lotions, facial-masks, footpolisher, oils, relaxing music. Light a few candles and refuse to be disturbed by the telephone or other utterly unimportant matters.

And yes, you can switch off the mobile-phone, the world can actually go on without you for some hours now and then...

And then, by all means, treat yourself with a drink extravaganza too, perhaps an invigorating fruit-smoothie or maybe a tropical melon daiquiri - the recipe you'll find in the picture to your left!

Wonder of Wonders

Nothing much on the agenda for today, a doctor's appointment on the other side of town, having lunch with my mum, that was about it. A nice-little blogging about the lunch-food was to be today's topic.

But wonders of all wonders, when I went into H&M close to the doctor's to have a look around for those turquoise sweatpants that were sold out in town, and then a pair of cute red knee socks happened to find their way down in my shopping bag - which is actually closed for the season! - and then I was heading over to the cashier...

But what is THIS?! That Viktor & Rolf pale peachcoloured silkblouse I really wanted, but more REALLY didn't want to queue for, and that trench and some other V&R items as well. Was it really true or just a hallucination??

Since black is basically a no-no in my home (the amount of cat-hairs plus the costs of sand is basically the only negative aspects of sharing your home with the furry darlings, the hair being a thing that for me excludes clothes in black...) there wasn't much more of interest to me on that rack.

But I tried these to on, the trench being in a very weird shape, too bad, but the silk blouse was a true find. So home with me it came. Congratulations to me! And to the blouse of course, being a part of the very distinguished wardrobe of Pia.

And having continued to talk about clothes and shopping, I might as well continue with sharing this day's outfit with you. A bit too much clothes really for a mild - very untypical weather for the season... - winter day. But what is a winter day without a nice little wool cardigan to snuggle up in, not a day worth mentioning I'd say!

From inside out, top to bottom:

• lavender cotton vest, Indiska
• greyish blue cotton shirt, Jackpot
• grey wool cardigan, Odd Molly
• grey cotton leggings, Lindex (and yes, there is something called a size or two too big...)
• black/flowery skirt, Gudrun Sjödén (see above...)
• black boots, Vagabond
• hunter green corduroy coat, Jackpot
• violet mohairshawl, Pia K Stockholm

A woman of mental substance

I'm so very satisfied with my buys of today, mid November! Mood-lifting on a day when the rain and wind played oh so happily together and the mood couldn't be anything other than grey and low. At least to begin with.

A meeting with the career coach in the morning - guess what, as of today I somehow suffer from a great fear of bosses. A problem that I probably should "work on". Agh, shouldn't think so, an incompetent boss is always an incompetent boss. Idiots will be idiots, a pity they happen to be in the position of being boss now and then!

But apart from that remark - nominated to the stupidest remark of the day perhaps... - I think it was once again a positive and fun meeting. Now I have about two weeks to work with some tasks before we'll meet again. More about that later...

Now to the simpler things, but oh so fun, things in life, shopping really nice, totally necessary items! Ill-willed people would put an un- in front of that word, little do they know...

The picture doesn't show the things I came home with today, but the things that absolutely screamed in a very demanding way to come home with me last Saturday. And them being:

My search for a red jacket/coat this winter seems to be totally futile. So in order to still keep the economic wheels of Stockholm, Sweden rolling I really had to find a sort of option... Of some sort. Which happened to be a lovely, beautiful jacket in medium blue winter velvet, at one of my favourite boutiques, Noa Noa (Danish fashion rules!).

And then a nice "little" bottle of awardwinning ultrarich shampoo, shower gel & bubblebath Melon Daiquiri from Philosophy *mmmm*

And for the really basic things in life one (being me) might head to a high street store like Lindex and pick up some washingbags (which always seem to tear while washing), a pair of grey leggings (or longjohns like Lindex like to call them. Where's the sence of fashion there?) plus a really nice pair of dark brown and patterned over knee long socks (for a day when I really feel like wearing a skirt without jeans again...).

So now, we have come up to date with today's shopping. Since I somehow to my great surprise seem to have some money left over this month I thought I might as well treat myself. A bit. Big department store Åhléns has 20% off any one chosen item this week for members only.

An opportunity which o b v i o u s l y can't be missed - so hey, home with me came yet another Odd Molly cardigan, this time a supercute grey lambswool bow jacket. And a red cotton-vest on sale.

Åhléns nowadays also sell Origins great beauty-without-cruelty products, that range of cocoa products, and lavender-vanilla, ginger, a perfect world, mmm, just too much to chose from all those must-haves. I'll be back...

After having a nice lunch at Texas smoke house (the only thing I can eat there is the veggie burger with portobellu mushroom and it's soo tasty!) we headed down to Noa Noa once again, where I got a really cute, short-sleeved brown chiffon blouse plus a sort of lavender coloured cotton vest to go with that.

On the way back a grande latte at my favourite place for good coffee in Stockholm, Coffee Cup. For the train-ride back home I really think I deserved a good magazine, Damernas värld once again. Unfortunately such an investment more often than seldom makes me all starry eyed an eager to shop again...

But since I am a woman of mental substance and integrity of course I won't fall for such cheap tricks! My must-have-buys for this season is over and done with! Yes indeed. Over and out.

Wellbeing for the soul

In Swedish there's an expression I like very much, always good when you want to somehow defend (why on earth that should be "necessary" is a whole other topic, in these days of obesity vs anorexia...) eating chocolate or cakes;

Hälsa för själen i e Health for the soul, but I think Wellbeing for the soul sounds better.

And here comes some wellmeaning chocolate for the soul then: clockwise from left

• green tea
• cardamom
• basil
• ginger
• gingerbread
• blueberry (the middle one)

My favourites of these were... green tea and cardamom, I think. But the prettiest one was blueberry! All from the Pralinhuset (House of pralines), made their way to me from my friend Anne. Now they are no more, departed down into my tummy. Yum!

WCB # 76 - The more the merrier

The more, the merrier! This time around it's the gang of 3,5 in a basket that'll light up my part of the WCB this time around. The litter consisted of five kittens, three girls and two boys, but only three were able to fit in the ever-loved-kitten-basket. Cream coloured british shorthair, my favourite colour! And of course my favourite breed...:)

From left to right then, half a kitten is brother Egbert Ebberston, the girl with the sort of conehead-apperance is my darling Eulalia Eilean Donan, in the middle/front is Ermyntrude Eyam and to the right is Eggletina Embo.

The picture is actually eight years old, but I often use it when I want something mood-lifting to look at. The kitten I kept from that litter Eulalia is the granddaughter of Aurora from last weekend's WCB, and she really is one of the cutest cats and brits I've ever seen with a dollface expression and cobby body, cuddly-cutie and all mine!

The round-up of WCB # 76 you'll find here at Catsynth.com

The Workman always rings twice

Isn't it both typical and annoying that you can never ever set a more specific date and time with a workman...? MY time is obviously not as valuable as THEIR, since one has to put a whole day on hold just to be home when they decide to call with whatever they call with.

Can you think of any other occupational group that says, well sometimes between 8 and 16, we can't be more specific...? I can't.

I can deal with, between 12-16, even better with 14-16. But what the f**k, 8 hours of a non-specific-time?? Such a total nuisance!!

I wonder how a workman keeps his appointments with a doctor, dentist or a lawyer for example. Sometimes between 8-16, can't be more specific.

So today I just sit here and basically wait for the delivery of that heat pump I'm not really sure I want or need - but Mats is a sucker for "new" technical solutions that perhaps, maybe, will save some money in the long run... The delivery is today and the installation in about for weeks.

Yes, and that's a whole other story, the installation of things. One has to act like an (unpaid) workman-assistant, keep a close eye on the cats and a close one on open doors - because obviously workmen have never ever heard of closing doors or being careful when arriving at homes with pets.

And then, of course, it's just a matter of time before the magic words are uttered... Oh, here you have a lot of cats! And then they have probably just seen two of them...

Yes, A LOT of cats, yes workman, I see you know what you're talking about here... A lot of cats it is indeed, more than one to be more specific.

I was talking to a friend about what a nuisance workmen can be and how much I'm looking forward to them invading my home - not - when it's heatpump-installation-time. She tried to comfort me and said it'll most certainly be a good-looking 25-year-old with a pinch-friendly bottom who adores cats. When the installation-work gets him all warm and sweaty he'll take off his shirt, show his breathtakingly... interesting-looking upper torso and ask for a cup of tea (preferably Yorkshire Gold) with lots of milk...

Ah, I'll try and keep that image in mind when I open the door for the 50-year-old-overweight-baldish-man-with-a-beer-gut-smelling-of-old-sweat and his tiny assistant by the name of Smeagol. Preccccciousssss.

Tip of(f) the day

Enjoy a smoothie made of your favourite berries & fruits plus vanilla yoghurt. Perhaps a hint of cinnamon or cardemom?

Mix in a blender and add a topping of some sunflower and psyllium seeds, or some nuts. Will do good from inside out! Promise!

Weekend cat blogging # 75

This time around I'll let my oldest british shorthair, the apple of my eye, my sweetheart Aurora be the poster girl for this weekend's cat blogging. 13 years old, bluecream/bluetortie she's a little darling and from my very first litter of brits.

In her youth one of Sweden's most successful british shorthairs at catshows, now she's just enjoying a quiet pensioner's life at home.

And yes, she does enjoy snuggling up in my knee, especially when I knit something soft...

The host of this weekend's catblogging is Skeezix, and all the participants you'll find at Skeezix's scratchingpost.

And these are the upcoming hosts for WCB:
Nov 18 - Catsynth
Nov 25 - Hot(m)Bc
Dec 2 – The Hidden Paw
Dec 9 – Belly timber
December 16 - Kitchen Mage
December 23 - chefsarahjane
December 30 - Champaign Taste

Outfit Nov 10th

Perhaps the outfit-demon has gotten me in its grip, since I thinks it's kind of fun to look at others outfits-of-the-day and take pictures of my own. No award-winning pictures though, probably not any pictures the least bit worthy to be a part of the big Photographic-fair (Fotomässan 2006) which takes place this weekend at Nacka Strand, Stockholm.

But somehow a documentation of a day in November in the life, yes in the world according to Pia. A silly, little documentation, but a documentation nonetheless.

So, what to wear a really chilly, windy, but oh so sunny day in the middle of November in Stockholm, Sweden, Scandinavia? Well, longjohns would have been appropriate, but wasn't up for it. Felt like staying at home, in the closet. So from inside out, top to bottom it was like this:

- Kaki linen, Indiska
- Brown jersey shirt, longsleeved, Odd Molly
- Mustard-yellow wool vest, Gudrun Sjödén
- Jeans, Levi's
- Kaki anorak, origin unknown
- Multi-coloured wool scarf, Pia K Stockholm
- Cognac-coloured boots, origin unknown
- Handbag, Mulberry Roxanne a k a Blända
- Chinablue mittens, Odd Molly

So, what did you wear today?

Rosa, Viktor & Rolf

Right now I'm contemplating if I should have been a real nerd and queued for the launch of Viktor & Rolf's fashion-collaboration with H&M this morning.

There was a cute blouse there I really wanted... On the other hand I have too much selfesteem as to degrade myself to doing that... That's why I totally refuse standing in line for anything, normally.

If not completely necessary like the check in for a flight or something like that. You'll never ever see me queuing for concert-tickets, outside nightclubs or events. No way. My time is worth far too much. Time is money.

And no it doesn't matter if it's something more exclusive than H&M-clothes. A slight perhaps and maybe and exception to the rule, if it would be a supersale at Mulberry. Maybe.

Having said Mulberry once, I have to say it twice. Since my pink baby is back home with me and her family now. Rosa, my Rosa. Mended and safe again. She's a bit cold and stiff, I haven't been able to get anything from her about the experience of travelling far and being away from the family for over a month. Poor thing. She spent the night with her family beside my bed. I hope she'll be able to talk real soon. It's better to let it all out than to keep that kind of chocking experience inside.

And from expensive to cheap, I must admit that I actually bought something at H&M yesterday. Again. The fourth item this week. Hope that's not a sign of a downrolling spiral...? Anyway, it was a cute, knitted skirt in mohair & wool (plus some nasty synthetic material I don't want to think about...). Golden beige/brown, cableknitted. I just love it. Only in size 34-38 though, but it's really a stretchy material and I'm happy to admit it fitted quite nicely!

I would have preferred the skirt to be a bit longer, but it'll be neat with jeans or other trousers too. Now I really think it's time for the cold winter weather. It's just to mild for all my favourite shalws, mittens, hats and caps! Weathergods, snow and a bit of storm again, please!

The picture? Yes it's a jewellery of mine, Pia K Stockholm. I found some forgotten pics I had taken this Summer of the jewellery, quite a few of them was really good I think. And green almost always makes one happy, calm and content. The green Venetian glassbeads are accompanied by the semiprecious stone Hematite, which is said to help decrease negativity and balance the body/mind/spirit.

Just what one might need while contemplating the missed opportunity of that Viktor & Rolf designed chiffonblouse...

Too much of a perfect day just isn't good for you...

I was just browsing through all my pictures in order to find good enough ones for a brochure. Apparently I didn't have all that in the order I thought I had... But I did find som unexpected pics there, some really nice ones too. I found the perfect pic for next weekend WCB for example...

Anyway, I did say I would share the niceties I bought last Saturday - so here goes:

At the handicraft-fair:
- some lovely wool yarn in heather colours, for a long time planned crocheted shawl
- some new, interesting linen yarn with a hint of cotton (for the right shape when worn) in kakigreen
- some nice brass/silver details for jewellerymaking

- A big bag of cat food, Royal Canin-style - who said all shopping worth mention is the more superficial, but oh so essential, stuff?

- A couple of really comfy jersey plush indorrish kind of slacks, one grey one pink. They had them in brown and turquoise too, maybe I'll return for more... At a store I don't visit very often, its name beginning with a H and ending with a M. But sometimes you just can't beat their prices for the simpler things in life...

- A nice pair of pale beige coloured - I wonder how that solour will survive a long, hard, Nordic winter... - boots, Vagabond. One of my favourite shoe-brands. And a Swedish one too!

A very nice day shoppingwise!

Lunchwise it was utterly bad though. There's a Danish food-chain called Jensens Böfhus (ie Jensen's steakhouse) which has also opened restaurants in Sweden since a couple of years or so. Since I'm a veggie-girl (who sometimes cheats by eating fish...) I've never visit any of their establishments. But when it was pretty close to the parked car and Mats was eager to go for the meat (yuk) I gave in for once.

And once and never again it'll be. The grilled salmon I ordered was served with microwave pasta, both overcooked and dry and with a strange yellow colour, practically uneatable. Half a grilled tomatoe, only grilled on the upper side, raw inside. Two very small pieces of salmon, nicely grilled but nothing that will satisfy a normal apetite. And a cup of sauce of your own choice. For that kind of food I think the price of 109 SEK is quite hefty! Do I have to mention I'll never, ever, ever visit that place again...?

I suppose one shouldn't expect to have a good lunch too when having made all those nice findings shoppingwise. Too much of a perfect day just isn't good for you...

PS Siri helps me sort out the buys in the picture. Very helpful indeed! DS

A sea of tulips

Just an inspirational picture to get you through a gloomy Autumn day!

Weekend cat blogging # 74

But it'll be my first one, WCB that is! I've always found it a really nice weekendly thing, but I have thought it was just for distinguished food-bloggers, which I'm not. Not really. Just a very random one. An extremly random one.

Anyway, who'll be my first cat out amongst the hairy, much loved bunch then... Why not start with the youngest one, little, chubby blacktortiespotted british shorthair Siri (from my own breeding) 7 months old.

Little, pretty, cuddly one!!

This weekend's catblogging is hosted by Lali et Cie! at the French Riviera. All the participants you'll find here.

The outfit of November 4th 2006

I thought it could be nice to keep a diary of one day in the life of Pia, regarding beautyproducts and outfit. I don't think I have the energy to keep that up every day, but now and then. So before I tell you about my good Saturday I'll tell you what products I used - from shower products to makeup (and it wasn't a day for a lot of that) - and what clothes I wore.

In the shower:

• Facial scrub, Nuxe (nice!)
• Moroccan sugar scrub, Tesco (I finished the can, and it wasn't a very good product...)
• Cinnamon-orange soap, l'Occitane (supernice!)
• Blue Malva Shampoo, Aveda (so-so)
• Conditioner WhyKnot, Aussie (great! Love their cute names on every product)

Post-shower:

• peanutoil, Apoteket (good to prevent dryness allover)
• deo, Nivea (you never go wrong with Nivea)
• couperose serum, Babor
• glycare lotion, MD Formulations
• night-cream, Babor (my superdry winterskin needs that both day and night)
• blusher, Stila
• lip balm, Kiss me red Philosophy
• hairmousse volume, Taft Schwarzkopf (not a good product)
• edP Fragile, JP Gaultier

And it's sort of fun to see what people wear in a pic or two, so above you can see yesterday's outfit. I really need to get som new, tighter fitted jeans... But these are so comfy baggy, well-worn and supernice to wear...

Anyway, from top to bottom, inside and out:

• kaki vest, Gina Tricot
• darkgrey shirt, Odd Molly (a new favourite model!)
• short puffsleeve, petrolblue chequered blouse, Vila
• jeans, Levi's
• brown suede boots, Jackpot
• earrings, Heather Wynn
• necklace, Pia K Stockholm
• rings, Yvone Christa
• pink/beige woolen cap, Charlotte (my alltime winter favourite!)
• brown oversized velvetjacket, Marc'o Polo
• olivegreen handbag, Mulberry Tooled Bayswater

And with that outfit I went to the handicraft fair and out on the town for some shopping yesterday. A day with snowy rain and slippery roads and streets. Today the rain has melted almost all the snow away - it's difficult both for body and mind to come to terms with these quick changes in weather... Not to mention the difficulties in planning for and chosing the right outfit!

Halloween philosophy

Plans are just made to be changed, whether it's the planned way of life, career, education, breeding, shopping, food for dinner - more often than seldom plans change, have to be changed. And more often than seldom you just have to go along with that, accept it, make the best out of it somehow.

This is equally true - even if true is a matter of opinion - if it's something life-changing or something more trivial. Like sleeping a few more hours than planned and missing out on a great day - surely - on the town.

So now I plan for Saturday - All Saint's Day in Sweden - to be a much more structured day...With for example a visit to the Syfestival at Sollentuna mässan (sewing festival at the Sollentuna fair). I really don't like crowds at such events so we opt for being there when they open and hopefully we'll sort of browse through it all before the hordes arrive and invade...

And some other much needed shopping and a lunch on the town. Yes, that sounds like a plan!

Oh happy days

Can anyone please explain how 2-6 weeks suddenly become 2-12 weeks? It's now been 5 weeks since dear Rosa went to England to be mended at the Mulberry factory, it was suppose to take 2-6 weeks. I've patiently waited for our reunion.

When I called today those 6 weeks at the most had suddenly turned into 12 weeks... Can't say I'm to impressed about the service, one should think that paying the prices - yes, for really excellent bags, no question about that! - one should get the finest of service when something is wrong with them. One doesn't, apparently...

The snow plus storm has hit Sweden and Stockholm. Winter is finally here, and it very promtly came on November 1st, sort of first day of "real Winter". I just love it!! At least if it wasn't for the fact that it's not only lots of fluffy, white snow but also a lot of cold, cold, nasty wind too - hard to believe it was only a few weeks ago one could wear short sleeves and be bare legged on the streets of Stockholm... And it was only a week ago I took this picture of sunflowers in late bloom...

Now one can really enjoy all those fantastic warm winterclothes, wool-cardigans, hats & caps, shawls & scarves, gloves & mittens - oh happy days!

One thing that really, rally, REALLY puzzles me every year when snow hits though, is the fact that NOONE working with public transportation or HARDLY NOONE driving a car remember that it most certainly will be snow in Sweden(use winter-tyres) and difficult to drive train, buses and cars. Hence the chaos in traffic - every year the same thing. For an average intelligent person this wouldn't come as a surprise and it's easy to be prepared...

I tend to see a pattern, I know it'll snow and I don't own or drive a car nor do I work with public transportation (just use it) - I draw the conclusion that I still have some sort of intelligence left in wintertime. The people above mention obviously don't. At least they don't now how to use it. So please, if you want to show off yourself like a sort of intelligent and reasonable human being, don't drive a car or work with public transportation!

Rupert & the Veterinarian

Today was the day when Rupert - one of the famous blue-whites - was going to get de-nutted at the vet's. Little did he know what the day would bring... Left there in the morning, picked up at around lunchtime.

A family emergency came up for the vet, the neutering was going to be postponed until the afternoon - poor Rupert... - possibly until next week. The vet was going to bring Rupert home in the evening - service-mindedness!

The hours went by, no Rupert, so we called. We really could pick him up ourselves - or rather Mats-self. So Mats went to pick him up half an hour later - little did he know then that he was going to pay a hefty price for the de-nutting plus ID-chipping...

A hefty price of - zero (0) SEK!! The vet thought it had been to much trouble with it all, so she was extremly generous enough to do it all for free!! A vet that's worth her weight in gold, especially these days when most of them sort of try to rob us poor pet-owners/breeders...

So now I'll have to think of some nice way to thank her properly - and not only by dropping by for a consultation and care on a regular basis - a card and a flower-cheque perhaps?

A most suitable cake (recipe)

So, here comes the recipe of the homemade birthdaycake I made and served last Sunday. It's a pretty popular and common cake (meringue-style) I guess, which go by names like Britta's cake, French cake-length etc. It's also pretty versatile and allows you to fill it with whipped cream and filling plus topping of your very own liking.

It doesn't matter what name it has, it's always as good if made with love and a lot of hazelnuts!

A warning though, you shouldn't be very particular about how neat the en result will be - this cake is never ever neat, just yummy!

The Cake
4-6 servings (4 if you like a bit of cake, 6 if your not too keen on that)

200 g hazelnuts
½ tsp bakingpowder
4 eggwhites
2,5 dl sugar

Filling:
3 dl double cream (filling)
berries & fruit of choice,
bananas, raspberries, blueberries, grapes,
currants, blackberries, gooseberries,
almost anything goes

Roast the hazelnuts in the oven, 175 C. Then rub the crust off. Chop the roasted nuts coarsely. Mix them with the bakingpowder.

Whip the eggwhites stiff. Add the sugar slowly. Continue whipping until the mixture is smooth.

Add the nuts to the meringuemixture. Spread it out in a pan with a baking sheet. The pan being of an appr. size of 20 x 30 cm. Leave a few cm on every side so the meringue can widen when baked. Bake at 150 C about 40 minutes. The cake should be slightly, slightly brown on top.

The cake shouldn't be put togehter with the whipped cream and fillings until just before serving. So it can easily be made the day before the actual serving.

Try and cut the meringuecake in two parts as neatly as you can - which will be nearly impossible - put the filling of whipped cream and berries/fruit of your own choice on one part. Then put the other part on top of all that yummy stuff. Garnish with some berries and perhaps some grated chocolate.

Enjoy!!