bye july

Time to say goodbye to July, it has been a lovely, relaxing summer month of rain and sun which has been so good for nature. And sleep.

I know most Swedes are total weather grumps - all year round, no matter what the weather is, complaining is the thing. People are just boring and weird that way. - and of course they have been complaining and whining all summer long that it hasn't been a proper summer yada yada yada. But you know what, nature loves it! And there have been quite a few sunny days and decent temperatures around +25. The perfect mix. Much preferred over the last three summers which have been incredibly hot and left the gardens and nature in a dry mess. Plus seriously sleep depriving. I'm grateful I don't live in the south of Europe, the temperatures there seems crazy high this year too with no relief days.

If I would say one negative thing about the summer of 2015 so far it would be that on the cloudy days there has been a distinct, un-summery chill in the air. But still, why so many people dress in high boots (!) and thick jackets for that I have no idea, that's just crazy summer kill joy behaviour.

That said it has been a rather slow month, much like June (with the grand exception of Berlin then of course). I've treasured that slowness a lot. Reading, sleeping in, drinking tea, listening to music on the sunbed, watching movies - and a great style documentary -, eating strawberries, those are good activities.

• I cut my hair. Much shorter than I usually do. I needed a change. Not really visible in the picture, but it's assymetric and much shorter in the back than in the front. And I can still do a ponytail. Though, let's face it, if I don't do anything really drastic to my hair and diligently style it (which I rarely have the time or inclination for, despite all my awesome hair products) it will look pretty much the same - ie the curse of the the curly hair

• There was the tiny frog - whom I haven't seen since.
• There was the hedgehog 2015 - whom I have sadly not seen since either for some reason.
• My new cosy, colourful garden corner
• Three + two new bobs arriving - yes, two tiny more that have yet to be introduced...
• I've found not only one but two new great dresses of the Marimekko kind.
• Plus a cardigan and a frilly blouse.
• I've played tourist in my own city.

• I've enjoyed my blue sandals a lot, they have been truly wonderful to walk in.

• There have been regular eating of good brunches - and by that I mean a sleep in followed by a sandwich and pastry at a sweet garden cafe of choice.
• There has been working and ooing over my snazzy new office equipment, thank you Berlin.
• There is a bobbaloo car in da house.
• As well as a new but second hand wardrobe for all important recycling (plastic, tins, glass, paper, cardboard, deposit etc). The old sofa I thrifted when I moved to my second apartment 24 years (!) ago and then did a fine job re-upholstering, a job that through the years have been properly destroyed by various cats has finally been put down and sent to sofa heaven. I feel both sad and relieved. But is is cleansing. Finally I seem to be getting the hallway in practical and pleasing order, adapted to cat owning factors.
• Got an unexpected and pleasing email from a long term project-client. It's nice to be appreciated.
• But sadly no month without the madness of heartless people doing vile things to animals, I've cried over the horrific end for Cecil the lion. And for all the other poor animals who never ever get a chance of life because the is such a despicable thing as canned hunting. Hopefully some good things will come out of this from all the justified outrage and great people who work against the madness of vile hunters and animal abusers.

Now I'm looking forward to August with excitement. Even if I have worked all through summer it has of course not been as intense as it can be, I'm looking forward for it to be, new business collaborations and new clients, networking, lunches and discussions. It's going to be such fun!

But of course summer is far from over yet. Before all that fun begins there will be other funs, like shorter roadtrips and a visit to the Skåne region - and dinner at lovely Friden gårdskrog - as well as Copenhagen.

Thank you, July 2015, 
you have been a good month for mind and body.
Welcome August, we're going to have such fun together, I'm sure!

the little recycling wardrobe inspector

Needed a change. Mainly regarding the keeping of the recycling bins (paper bags). Thought a lot about smart and appealing solution, that the cats can't interfere too much with. 

Maybe create and build something? But came to the conclusion that up a cute blue (trying to have a blue theme in the hallway) second hand wardrobe would probably be an easy and affordable solution. 

And here it is, not completely assembled yet, the frame needs to be attached. But I love the style á la Mickey Mouse-ish and certainly bobbaloo approved. And with lots of room for recycling of everything.

No room for cats inside. But this is what I found on top the same evening it arrived - snoopervision from above. There's no escape from that.

Looking forward to my new and improved hallway - with pictures to follow!

strawberry smoothie delight

With all the strawberry action going on these days it's, believe it or not, easy to get tired of eating them berries in a bowl. So I decided to do something I rarely do these days (mostly because my blender is pretty useless, old and tired); a smoothie.

And I don't think I've ever made one with fresh strawberries actually.



Initially I thought I'd just go with the strawberries and a splash of almond milk, but that turned out to be too liquid and really rather lacking in natural sweetness. So I added a couple of bananas and a dollop of agave syrup. Which certainly did the perfect trick! The smoothie turned out perfectly delicious and satisfying. And certainly gave me a vitamin C overdose that day.

What's your favourite blend of ingredients
in smoothies you make yourself?

there's a bobbaloo car in da house

I really really have been looking for a proper small sized woollies car for a long time. Promise. But up until now the closest they have been to a car is the rather slow bus tour some years ago.

No more of that now. A fine red car has arrived in da house! So far five of them has tried it out, for a very very very short trip. For a comfortable ride there's room for five, possibly seven if they are of the extra small size. I fear there will be all sorts of uproar about car trips from now on though. There will have to be some system set up.

Still pretty certain they are still too tiny to go on longer road trips on their bobbaloo own though.

when a rag rug meets a sunlounger

Spotted this in a shop window display recently and I have to say I think it's pretty brilliant in all it's simplicity.

Many of us who have inherited old rag rugs and even if they are beautiful not all of us are inclined to cover our floors in rugs. Luckily there are many good ways to use them and this is one.

Sunlounger + rag rug = true.

new office equipment for prosit

I'm a firm believer in surrounding yourself with cute and special office equipment. Work gets much more fun when you look around and your environment makes you smile.

Here are a few goodies I (unexpectedly) laid my happy hands on in Berlin.



I've been looking for a snazzy cordless computer mouse for ages. Ideally I want a Marimekko Unikko one, but those are sadly not available in Europe (for odd reasons unknown). But I guess a white one with pink speed stripes will have to do. For a fraction of the cost of a possible Unikko one I'm sure. And it is really fast! And has been paw approved!



And who knew my (office) life lacked a tweetering paper clip collecting wee bird? Adorable! And, needless to say, massively paw approved.



I also got me Berlin skyline ruler - something I also have been looking for for ages, an extra fine ruler - butterfly clips for papers, a cloth to keep glasses and computer screen clean and obviously something cat related: a hugging, magnetic cat that will keep a firm hold on your stuff.

What's your favourite office equipment?

Computer mouse from the electronics chain Saturn
Ruler from Monkeybusiness
The rest from Pylones

the value of a moment

A lovely moment.
A lovely sentiment.
A lovely cake.

i bought a frilly blouse

Yes I know. It's certainly not as if I need any more clothes. But this sheer blouse, isn't it gorgeous? When I first saw it in shop window little over a month ago I just stopped and sighed. Loved all those delicate details at first sight. But too expensive for me - if not for the work itself - I thought I wait and possible have a look and try come summer sales.

So today I went to have that look. Ideally I was looking for the pale blue one (picture below) because that's certainly not a colour I have in my wardrobe. But unfortunately that was obviously the case for everyone else. I tried it on in the beige colour above and white. They both looked really lovely and it did turn out you don't need to be flat chested to wear this style. Ended up with the beige one because it's less see through and easier to style.

Lovely piece and all the attention to details, such summer sweetness. And I love how it simultaneously incorporates both business- and holiday-mode depending on the accessories.

 

Blouse from Swedish company Hunky Dory.

the daily wonders

There's no denying alas that we're living in a, for many reasons, bleak world. But instead of only dwelling on that - and my best tip is still not reading the newspapers or watching the news - let's focus on the good stuff as much as possible, okey? Be on the lookout for small and big wonders.

In doing that we will
a) feel better ourselves
b) get more positive energy
c) be able to focus that energy on contributing with goodness to this world



This is one of my personal little wonders of this summer: the rose bush which I didn't even know I had. So far, since I moved in here nearly 14 years ago, it has only produced one gorgeous rose every summer. Planted by the previous owners I haven't given it much thought only admired that one beauty every season. This year however it was suddenly a whole rose bush bursting with buds, I counted to at least 30 of them at one time.



Such a gorgeous, unexpected surprise. And in an amazing colour. Nature's little wonders are indeed aweinspiring. I rarely cut flowers from my own garden. But I admit to having cut a few of these beauties. It's been such loveliness having them in a pretty little vase in the office.

What's your best little wonder/s of this summer?

'tis the season of rhubarb

I really, really, really miss my lovely, generous rhubarb plants.

They were reliable and plentiful for many years and then suddenly a couple of years ago they just vanished. I blame the Spanish slug. Even if my garden has been reasonably spared from its invasion they are still here since a few years back.

Despite that I thought I would stay positive and plant new rhubarbs, namely three of them. Done in late May. They are sadly not doing as well as I hoped. Usually they would be thriving and plentiful by now, but this little bundle is the first harvest. From ALL three plants.

I do hope there will be more and that they will survive and thrive. If not, at least I got a bowl of rhubarb cream...

swedish strawberries, british inspector

As usual the swedishness of these strawberries doesn't tempt me more than if its origin was another country. Still there are a lot of them around this time of the year and I try and eat as many as possible, without getting tired of them.

So far the quality has been 50 - 50 ie, half have been very good, juicy and sweet, half has had one of these flaws: not sweet or juicy, unripe or moulded within 24 hours before I could even clean them (those were the most expensive once from an organic food store that turned out to be very less than 100% organic AND sold their non-organic strawberries in plastic containers...).

My very best li'l kitchen gadget, the stem gem, has worked a lot this summer. And I have consumed a large amount of vitamin C in strawberry shape.

Hopefully there are lots more to be enjoyed. Summer food delight.

coffee at home

I thought I'd try making coffee at home. Tried it years ago and failed miserably, I am such a lousy coffee maker. But with a coffee press and carefully selected coffee - with hints of hazelnut, chocolate and caramel - maybe that could change?

And with special coffee oat milk Oatly iKaffe it was actually quite nice. Though I'll never be a coffee drinker - apart from the regular excellent soy or oat lattes - and I don't see myself buying coffee like this again, it was drinkable. More than drinkable. And sometimes that's all you need, a small victory in the big scheme of things.

Coffee making at home is also apparently very fascinating for all.

the art of capturing the impawtant stuff

And make it your verrry own.
The black and white edition.

Now go forth and capture your 
very own impawtant stuff - 

happy new July week!

the saturday sweetness

Six years ago I wrote about meringue heaven. Which was sadly a short lived pastry perfection for the bakery in question - which isn't anywhere near here - hasn't offered anything really calory worth while since the few times we've bought anything there when we've passed by.

Until now. Because now the bakery apparently make supersized macaron style - but actually tasty, myself I can't stand the sugar overload and butteryness of the macaron pastry - pastries with chocolate truffle (much like my tiny chocolate treats I sometimes bake) and they are delicious. Not overly sweet and chewy, plus because they are so big it's a treat that lasts/can be shared.

Not only with bobbaloos but with paw inspectors too.

the art of ageing

Someone on Instagram tipped me about this documentary on Swedish television about older women being absolutely fabulous and proving getting older does not in any way mean you have to get drab, grey and settle for a senior-mode or an inactive lifestyle. I never catched it on TV but it is still available on SVT Play (in Sweden only, with the title Pantertanter och krutgubbar: Mode) until August 6 - and I do urge you to watch it!

Because it's a great British documentary from 2013 - I remember hearing about it back then but it hasn't been shown in Sweden until now sadly -, showing 6 different, active women from the age 73 up to 91 that are absolutely aweinspiring and fantastic. It's called Fabulous Fashionistas and if you're able to watch it outside Sweden you really should.

Read more about the documentary here and here. None of the women had had plastic surgery and some of them showed that looking fabulous and stylish has nothing to do with money, charity shops, thrift stores and flee markets are great sources when you're on a modest budget.

Some truly inspiring 45 minutes of your life. Promise.

all marimekko dress-ed for success

This has certainly been a summer for quite a few dresses moving in with me. And the Unikko one is not the only Marimekko, it now has the company of two more.

And while I still advocate downsizing, wardrobe cleansing and not hoarding plus anti-consumerism I apparently struggle a bit to not only talk the talk but walk the walk. Of that I am aware. But that, my dears, is a whole other blog post. So in order to keep this one a bright, light, carefree, non-guilty and happy post, let's talk dresses. Because dresses is always a happy subject, old and new.



For the last-ish 25 years I've been a skirt and blouse/sweater gal. Rarely have I been seen, or comfortable, in jeans and trousers. They make me feel uncomfortable and restrained, like I've dressed in someone else's clothes. While skirts make me happy, at ease and comfortable. From a lawyer in a suit, to a lawyer in a skirt and cardigan to an ex-lawyer whose suit is basically just that; skirt + shirt + cardigan althrough the year.

The past 8ish years or so I've been lucky enough to find really great dresses too. Possibly not as many as I would like to have as a change in my wardrobe all-year-round, but more than good enough for most people. *She writes with slightly pink cheeks*.



Because to be honest, a really good and comfortable dress that fits your body-type and curves (or non-curves) and will last in quality and style is hard to find. So whenever luck would have it and a perfect one comes your way you really have to say yes to the dress, right? Right.

So that's what I've done recently, not only once but twice apparently. First one is, granted, the kind of dress I've dreamt about for years and years but never ever found the perfect model that fits; the shirtdress. I had oogled this fabulous orange-white linen dress since this spring.



I would gladly have tried it on pre-sale except it has not been available in the Swedish Marimekko shops in this model. I've laid my hands on the same fabric in another dress though and it was so lovely. I adore linen, but rarely find good clothes in it. (Laid hands as in touched, not bought,)

So when the sale finally came I was really keen, even though I didn't know my size or fit of dress, to buy it online. I'm so happy to say it fits like a comfortable glove. So I am now avery  happy proprietor of a great summer shirtdress! Yes it does have side pockets. Fab fab fab.



A professional AND summery relaxed all in one dress me thinks. Over to dress number two:

When in Berlin I tried a Marimekko jersey dress on just for fun. It was in a black and white doodle pattern, oversized with side pockets and it looked lovely - although I never ever buy black/white things ya' know, this one did have a quirky pattern - until I put it on and the top part of the dress model was so ridiculously tight while the bottom part had room for someone 10 sizes larger. Such a pitiful design flaw. But well, I definitely hadn't thought of getting yet another dress this summer. I really hadn't. It was alright. Really.



Then as luck would have it I popped by one of the shops in Stockholm where they now have 60% sale and spotted a black/white doodle jerseydress in a likely to fit size all alone there on a shelf. tried it on and it was adorable! I will never ever be a black/white person of course, but this one is such a fun piece (alas no side pockets, it wasn't the same model as in Berlin). For a really great price. I will save it for autumn I think though, it will look great with colourful stockings and red shoes. And it's nice to have something unworn and fresh to look forward to I think.

And that's the story about this year's summer dress-mania. Hopefully they will make many a day stylish in the many years to come. All dress-ed for success etc etc.

what is your great carrot?

You don't have to suffer from the carrot defect or be a carrot lover - although what strange person isn't?? - to need a good carrot in life. Because carrot is one of those nifty words that carry double weight and meaning.

So what is your great carrot in life?
What motivates you to carry on and
strive for better things,
a better you and
a better world?

welcome flutterbob, stumpy and verna

Say hi to the new woolly kids on the block - Flutterbob, Stumpy (who had an unfortunate incident with Lars the goat) and Verna (who isn't the smartest cookie in the jar).



Arrived yesterday they've already done a bit of sightseeing, vegetarian food sampling...



... fika and cat meeting. Because there is an universal truth that says you can not have a fika or a photo taken in this residence without a cat emerging all lens-lousey.





There has been nature outings, bridge openings and excellent breakfasts.





And there has been garden visits, lovely drinks (bobbaloo certified) and the smelling of roses. They may be small, but they hold an exuberance of curiosity and excitement of all things new, kind, sweet and tasty.





All bobbaloos are made by talented Kit Lane.

stay curious!

Apparently I'm now the proprietor of not only a gazilion bobbaloos - which never is a bad thing of course - but also three Sonny Angels.

I've been wanting a carrot one for ages so I was *a bit* excited when I finally found one. Felt sorry for him to be all alone, so I got him a friend. Since there was no beetroot, raspberry or pineapple (my second fav vegetable and favourite fruits) I saw one with a funny pink bathing cap. But since the store clerk said it was a carnation (a flowr I have no special relation with) I went with the Morning Glory because it was such a perky "hat".

When I got home I saw that the "carnation" was in fact "cherry blossom", a flower I adore. Thus I got a third one. That's how quickly things can happen.

But as the title and quote say, stay curious and dip your toes in new waters. You might love it!

And three IS a magic number.

movies times six

The obvious pros of rainy summer weather is that its perfect for reading books and watching movies. Yes I've read books ready to be reviewed too, but this post is all about movies.

The very good, the awful and the one yet to be watched.

Pride - loved it! Heartwarming, funny and hopeful. That it's based on a true story is actually quite mindblowing.

Birdman - absolutely. utterly. awful. One of the worst movies I've ever seen actually. Pretentious and laughingly bad. That it won an Oscar for best movie is completely incomprehensible.

Paddington - so. much. love! Finally got to see it. So well made and adorable, the dark and sad streaks made it even more lovable. Oh the colours! The fabulous home of the family Brown. And Mrs Browns wonderful wardrobe (those purple high heel oxfords...). The expressive fluffy Paddington bear. With the voice of lovely Ben Whishaw.



Kingsman, the secret service - hadn't heard of this one, but I really enjoyed it very much. And not only because Colin Firth played a major role. And the thing is, that the bad guy does have a valid point when it comes to how to save the planet. Which people who always root for mankind won't like. Though why let a Norwegian play the Swedish prime minister?

The Imitation Game - not the first time this true story is told, but in a very very good way. So much more deserving of the Oscar than the above Birdman-crap (pun intended).

What If - have heard so much good about this one so I have high hopes for it. Even if it's difficult to see Daniel Radcliffe as nothing else than Harry Potter. EDIT: Have seen it and it was darlin'. I find it sweet that the movie they go and see each on their own is "The Princess Bride", I did go and see that on my own too. Somehow it's a movie magical romantic and perfect to see by yourself.

So, a rainy weekend can be really really good for you. Movie-wise.

hedgehog 2015

It's finally time to say "hello!" to the hedgehog season of 2015!



Spotted the first one in May already, but outside garden still and haven't seen any on a regular basis since. But now they seem to have found their way into the garden, the first stodgy one I found scratching his head loudly in the lilac hedge this afternoon.



And I'm certainly not the only one who's happy to see the summer guests. The littlest cat was awfully keen on playing with the prickly guest. Hedgehog not amused.



And she desperately wanted to spoon Ms/Mr Hedgehog. She/He even less amused.



I love this time of the garden year.

Previous hedgehog summers here and here for example.