ice ice baby and other january snippets

Thinking about my professional and personal goals for 2019 I thought "writing two blog post per week" could be one. That obviously isn't going to happen. Moving on.

Moving as in walking outside is otherwise currently not recommended on these latitudes, climate change offers all sorts of crazy, scary weather these days. And last week's heavy snowfall was quickly followed by rain and then the temperatures dropped significantly below zero C. Leading to knobbly, extremely icy roads and streets.

With little or no road maintenance this means most streets and roads in the Stockholm area, and probably in other parts of Sweden too, are beyond scary right now. For the first time ever I'm wearing spikes on my shoes, which does help, but still, scary it is.



Did venture out to pick up a parcel today, and get some grocery. Apart from a rare sun shining it wasn't a pleasant experience at all. Noticed the neighbourhood's big garbage can was barely used, it's usually almost full the day before it's weekly emptying. I guess people actually have gone into hibernation.

I celebrated the icy outing with a big cup of hot cocoa. Vegan and dairy free of course, with oat milk, whipped coconut cream and plantbased marshmallows plus a sprinkle of cinnamon. It was really rather delicious.



Between the last post and the ice I've had some lovely lovely green lunches and inspirational talks with friends and aquaintances. I've continued the quest for my tribe, had a couple of interviews, but as far as I know and feel I'm no closer to finding it alas.



I've had my second meeting with the physiotherapist, which revealed both good and bad news, partly things (mobility and pain) has improved, but partly the mobility will probably never be what it was, since the wrist and the bones have healed rather differently than the original position. I still don't regret saying a firm no to surgery, with all the risks that come with that option.

Slowly things will improve more, apparently you'll have to wait up to a year to evaluate the situation. And you adapt to new circumstances, and how things are. Even if the compensating with the right arm and other muscles for the loss of mobility in the left hand/arm has led to other aches and pains at times, it's doable I guess. It could be worse.



I got a pedicure as a Christmas gift from my mum, I try to go at least once per year, preferably twice (pre-summer and winter), it was bliss. I stumbled over a pair of irresistable cat socks on sale on my way there. So as an extra treat I could put on a fresh pair of colourful socks after the treatment. It's the small things.



On our way to late lunch afterwards we had the most bizzare incident with what can only be described as a mad mad elderly woman on the bus. She started a fight, that even got physical, with another elderly woman (innocent to the kerfuffle) over the impaired seats. I think we all froze because it was so unexpected and crazy, and who knows what the mad woman had in her big bag.

Things calmed down, but I later heard from a friend that she had also been a witness to a similar incident on the same bus route and then the bus driver had stopped the bus until security guards got there and removed her. I've rode that bus route countless of times over the years, but this was certainly the first time anything like that had happened. I do hope I won't cross paths with that crazy one again. Touch wood.



I was told by Facebook that my fabulous happy coat number one turned 5 years old last week. Time flies.It's still one of my best (clothes) buys ever.

And I was finally brave enough to put my happy coat number two into the washing machine. Even if the washing instructions say "machine wash 30C" I've dreaded it, who knows what can happen to a costly (worth every penny!) fluffy quilted jacket when it spins in the washer... But I don't want to use the dry cleaners unecessarily either.

It went well. Phew. I don't know if it helped that I washed it with three new tennis balls, using the old trick for down jackets (which this obviously isn't). But so pleased it's done. With a positive outcome. That coat is so very I. And it's a good memory from a rough year, when everything changed.



I still haven't used my new anorak, the last thing I bought in 2018 (meant for future dog walks but which is to pretty for it anorak), partly because of the weather but mainly because buying a coat with big black flowers was obviously a less that well-thought through idea. My two reasons for never getting or wearing black are a) it's a depressing, boring, uninspiring non-colour for people that only wants to blend in and b) it's a magnet for pet hair and lint.

And if it's something I'm mentally allergic to it's clothes and fabrics with fuzz. I'm super careful to not let the cats near my work/out and about clothes and only wear the shabbiest of comfy cuddle-friendly clothes at home. It has worked well for all these years. Apparently I let my guard down and thought "surely a sturdy partly-black cotton canvas coat can't be that liable to cat hair and lint?" - I was wrong.



Something I discovered when I took these pictures. I had been super careful with the coat, and still it was full of cat hair and lint. I know black clothes in stores are all fuzzy hanging on the rails already, with all the black-wearing Swedes I guess noone cares about that (but me). There's only so much a lint roller can do.

That said, I've invested in a new, much recommended heavy roller and refills, and have decided to try and not let the pet hair and lint issue bother me. At least not that much. Let's see how that works... Maybe a good lesson for 2019?



I've bought a cute handcarved hook for the coat, so it can hang pretty and by itself. I chose a duck, and not a cat, simply because the animal hooks with beaks or protruding noses were more pleasing to the eye. From the Swedish company Wildlife Garden, which has a lot of lovely garden and animal related interior things.



As I mentioned earlier, I've contemplating a haircut of change. A way to start the new year fresh I suppose. I will never have the time or inclination to put a lot of time into styling, even if the frizziness often is annoying. Keep it simple is my hair motto (with great shampoo and conditioner and hair paks of course).

One morning last week I looked in the bathroom mirror and was finally so tired of the dull, dry hair ends that I just took the scissors and made a blunt cut. Managed to cut much shorter than I had planned, but I like the look. Of which I don't have a decent picture yet - and no, it isn't me in the picture, but my newly arrived, much belated thanks to our rubbish Swedish postal *service* PostNord Christmas greeting, spirit animal/guardian feline angel. Thank you Lizzy, she's adorable!

I'm still in a blended state of shock/liberation. It was a very long time since I had it this short. I can still get a tiny ponytail, but on the other hand I rarely do that anyway. New hair, new year, here I come!



New year also means new bras, or at least it will from now on since it's such a great thing to get new at the beginning of a fresh new year. I was delighted to discover that my reliable model for 15 years (yes, really, I'm so relieved I've found the model I'm comfortable with, trying on underwear is one of the most dispiriting activities ever) now comes in pretty spring colours too. So tired of the boring black, beige, white. Baby blue and peach are so much nicer than that. Now I wish for red, green, pink, orange, yellow, pale grey, navy and violet too...



Musn't forget to acknowledge we apparently have a government in Sweden again, it only took the toddler politicians 4 months to come to an agreement. An agreement I suppose is neither very bad nor very good. However the most pressing issue, the dire need of drastic changes in our habits for at least a slim chance to evade the worst climate change consequences, that has hardly been mentioned. Which is heartbreaking as well as infuriating.

On the subject of climate change, if you haven't read the report about the planetary health diet from EAT/Lancet, you really should. I don't know how many research reports that are needed for people to change their eating habits and politicians to set the rules, an endless amount it seems. If we're going to have a livable, peaceful future on this planet it needs to be plantbased. Period.



Now, while under siege of the ice I'm planning to figure out and set my goals for the new year. I'm so relieved and grateful I mostly work from home, -

Not only for the ice situation, the commuter train delays all autumn have been ghastly, and it has become even worse after new year's. I don't know how people who do commute on a daily basis can stand it. Especially as the ticket prices have gone up again, while the service only gets worse. Swedes are simply too docile. -

that I'm able to take that kind of step back. I have the enclasping goals set already, I just have to break them down in more tangible entities. Focus.

I'm also planning to have groceries delivered, which will be a new thing for me. And dusting off the excercise bike might be a good thing too. And what better time than now to tentatively work myself back to a yoga routine.

Onwards and upwards, 2019!