bye july, welcome august 2022

Welcoming August in fresh, crisp sheets I am. Won an auction on Tradera with one of my favourite Marimekko prints on a duvet cover, isn’t it wonderful?! 

— One example of my little pockets of joy I’m hanging on to, in an otherwise bleaker, crazier, hotter, more violent and frustrating world than ever. —

I most likely messed other bidders plans up with only bidding on this one piece, it was two of them available but in different auctions and most people seem to prefer buying in pairs. I only want/ed one, I’ve just never been a fan of matching bedsets, in a relationship or not. It’s like matching outfits, ugh no.

It’s second hand of course and the quality is excellent, as it mostly is with Marimekko. The only one bed set with significantly lower quality was the leopard print I got in memory of Zigne last year, and I have yet to email Marimekko about that. I will, it just haven’t been a priority…

It’s been 1,5 months since I last wrote something in blog. It’s been a hot summer, not +40C - though close to some days, and on a relentlessly sunny spot over that - and the best thing has been to stay indoors, blinders down and no windows open until it gets cooler in the evenings. 

As I have watched quite a bit of movies and TV-series during these hot times it has still been warmer indoors than ideally, but I have to say, why haven’t I realised until now that having the blinders down in EVERY window makes the world of difference??

Haven’t got a ruling from the court of appeal yet, it’s still in the middle of Swedish holidays so I don’t expect that to happen any time soon. 

A week after the trial permit I did get a remark on my appeal from the county administrative board firmly keeping to their views that I’m unfit to have animals and the ban should stay since I would endanger any animal in my care. Without any single evidence, than very inconclusive journal notes from one vet hired by them, on where exactly the danger lies. Yes, it really is just as kafkaesque crazy as it sounds. And the power they have to devastate perfectly normal pet owners lives is scary beyond words really. 

Yes, I did reply to this to the court, with a note from my vet that from these ’findings’ and the journal notes it was far from obvious that Pelle’s status were due to a long term condition ignored by me, there could have been several acute reasons to his condition, without neither blod samples nor an autopsy there is no way of knowing the true reasons unlike what the county admin. board claims.

The thing is, it shouldn’t have been I who had to get a second opinion of sorts, had the authority had someone with competence in cats and a common sense they would have known that the things they claim can be contested by another vet. Just like different doctors, different experts can come to different conclusions. It wasn’t my responsability to prove my innocence, it was theirs to prove my guilt beyond any doubt whatsoever. And they have not. They only stick to their claim I couldn’t possibly be innocent and my mental capacity to care for my animals is flawed.

And if the proof that you have taken your animals to the vet both prior and after the tragic event with Pelle, isn’t proof enough that you are a good, knowledgeable pet owner that do care about your animals then there is no way you as a private citizen in Sweden can prove your case against an authority (with clearly shady motives). Which is anything but legal security and in accordance with the rule of law.

Please, please, August, Universe and sane legal minds in court of appeal, bring my fur babies home! 

Even if they live well in their current home away from home, they have also started to show sign of restlessness and michiveousness (not the cute kind). It’s such a pity and sadness they can’t spend time in the summer garden and in their home as usual. 

And cuddle with me.

I take a lot of joy (another small, but not so small, pocket) in the fact that at least the summer hedgehogs of 2022 have arrived. First one I spotted, and had a very close encounter with (a lick and a nibble even, I may be the patient zero of the next pandemic. It was so worth it!), was this tiny one. 

Next day I spotted a bigger one, and then another small one. It’s a precious little family. Of at least three hedgehogs, and I think they live under my veranda even. Love.

Before Midsummer I also picked up my three new glasses. I’m happy (small pockets of joy) with them all. Especially so as I haven’t had new prescription sunglasses since 11 years ago, so it’s so very nice to be able to have new ones meeting my current needs.

The pale lavender ones I’m somewhat disappointed I didn’t chose tinted purple glass for, but even if I could change that within my subscription I feel it would be rather wasteful to do. The most important thing is after all that I enjoy the frames and I can see well.

And no, my hair isn’t this grey, I may sign on to being grey-hair-don’t-care, but this is just the camera and editing playing light tricks. 

It’s been a month of replacement buses for the commuter trains on my stretch, for the umpteenth summer…, it will be back to normal on August 1 ie tomorrow. So in theory I can have city dates again. Or just go on some nice outings on my own for some change of scenery. 

To be honest though, after two years of pandemic isolation and this whole upsetting story with my cats and Swedish authorities being abusive in a way that I could never ever have imagined, and the world being upside down and more polarized than ever, I’m happy to stay at home pottering around the house/garden, go for walks (when weather allows), trying to figure out my life and where I’m going next amidst all this, not having a lot of interaction with people irl at all. It feels weird to admit, but there you are, or rather here I am, in life at the moment. Just going with the flow as it is here and now. And it’s okay.

I’ve been accepted to both the university courses I applied for, said yes to them both, so my autumn will be spent part-time studying ’Circular economy, theory and practice’ and ’Cats, personality and communication’ - that will be a mix of fun and very interesting!

On September 11 we will have our elections too. As the one and only question that concerns us all and our destiny, and should be THE priority for ALL parties, is the environment and the climate emergency there is only one party to vote for if you care about at least a sliver of a livable planet for humans and the future. Go green!

But for now, thank you July, despite the heat and everything else going on right now, you were decent and interesting. 

Welcome August, happiness, kindness and exciting new beginnings please and thank you very much!