welcome july, thank you june 2026

Published this earlier today on Instagram, it’s a relief that basically copy-pasting your own work/thoughts is not stealing. Just making it easy for an exhausted brain and body on a Friyay summer evening. 

This post will be similar to the previous one, random photos from the past month and thoughts to explain. Plus sprinkles of my beloved cherry blossom season á la 2026. Because when I again managed to upload photos to blog, why not add some extra pink beauty? You can never ever have too much of that, right? Right. 

Just like the previous blog post, I will take it slowly adding my thoughts, and hopefully write the finishing sentence on Sunday. Welcome back then. 

But first (before I get my beauty sleep - ha - can we take a little giddy #friyay moment of praise and gratitude for these shoes (that arrived at my door step last night, after a long laboursome travel from Poland), please!

As I wrote recently, my search for a classic pair of black loafers in non animal-derived leather had been in vain since I got those beauties prior to Easter and the had to be returned as they did not fit. I then tried getting a second hand pair on Vinted. Despite having been pre-used (but in fantastic condition) they didn’t fit me either.

I used to be a shoe size 40 for most of my adult life. But 15ish years ago I reluctantly accepted size 41 would make more room for weather related feet changes. So that has been my reliable size since then. Never ever have I been forced to go up a full size (not even in sneakers).

But apparently (vegan) loafers are a whole other story! 🤦🏻‍♀️

So I give you a gorgeous lavender purple pair in size 42 🙀 And even if they do need a little inner sole for truly perfect fit, it was such a breeze and relief to finally feel the footsies slide in fairly effortlessly like this!

A true shoe bargain from a Vinted seller in Poland, and I’m so happy I went for them! As ling time readers know, I’m definitely no fan of the colour purple, but I have a very soft spot for lavender dreams, so these shoes are summer perfection in that aspect too. 💜

They may not be of everyones’ taste (and I know they look like something a gangster from 1980ies Miami would wear *well hello there Miami Vice/Don Johnson*!) 

but for a true dopamine dresser like me, they are true perfection ✨✨✨✨✨

I took them out for a spin today, as the weather has cooled down (phew) considerably, to see how they felt and which adjustments I have to make for them to work for my 🦶🏻🦶🏻

I can now announce they were just as comfy as they initially felt. However that extra inner sole is a must, because feeling and looking like a human size Daisy Duck is never a good look for a human…

To be continued part I.

I think I’ve mentioned books by Mats Strandberg before? He is the co-writer behind the hugely popular super-natural teenage book series beginning with ”Cirkeln” (The Circle, a part of the Engelsfors-trilogy) published 2011-13. I never read them, but I can understand the immense appeal for the age group ”teens/young adults”.

My first book experience of his’ was the Färjan (The Ferry, made into a Swedish/English TV-series in 2026 (Netflix-tied?). I was blown away (by the book (series very pale by comparison).

Have never been a great fan of the vampire genre, but the way he masterfully weave it together with something as commonly known for us, specifically, Stockholm/Swedes and Helsinki/Finns as the ferry cruises between Sweden/Finland that most all of us can relate to through our lives, certainly adds an extra layer of high relatability to the story for us. 

If you’re looking for superb horror reading this summer I highly recommend picking up one or all three of these! My three firm favourites of his.

From excellent writing, to capturing the fraility of life, and what humanity means he vividly paint multilayered stories within the horror genre. 

The next book was ”The Conference” that I praised everywhere at the time. For all of us working/having worked in highly toxic/corrupt workplace this story is HIGHLY relatable. And a horror galore experience in a very mundane setting.

The last I have just finished was his latest ”The Muse”, during the same irl time as the book is set: the week leading up to Midsummer Eve.

I will never again look at the concept of a nepo baby in the way I used to… The reality is much more sinister than you think… or is it…

This is my little neighbourhood, my community association (Swe. samfällighetsförening). I’ve lived here since 2001 (yup I’m that old 👵🏻) when I sold and moved from my nearby right-of-occupancy-apartment or communal housing apartment ot whatever it is called 😵‍💫 in Swedish its name is simply ”bostadsrättslägenhet”. 

Through ups and downs of life it has always been a safe haven for us all. In this day and age nothing feels safe anymore obviously, but this is how close it gets given the surrounding factors etc.

On the last day of June 2026 it was the first day for over a week when it was once again possible to go for a daytime walk outside. It was still exhausting though. 🫠

But I was so proud of that little seemingly insignificant achievement of ours. It was also a day that made 🧠 functions work a bit better again. 

This is me contemplating my lifestyle changes over the last years. Mainly post-pandemic.

Have not travelled by airplane since Oct 2016. The planet crisis is in 🔥 full swing and there’s no reason for me to fuel (ha) that. So I do not plan to change those semi-regular habits back to leisure flights ever again…

That’s a major habit change that’s a no brainer really (for people not having family outside of their own country or work-commitments). Holidays does NOT have to involve flying to faraway destinations, not the way the world looks now. Period. Wants do not equal musts. It is not a human right to fly. Human rights are clean water, clean air, a safe place to live. 

So. I’m actually more proud about the fact that my clothes/shoes shopping habit has fairly drastically changed. Even if I for as long as I can remember has focused on long lasting quality pieces that last practically forever. Never ever fast fashion.

But I could really do with downsizing my wardrobe. And what I eventually buy should be of necessity and/or fill a purpose, match with a lot of already existing pieces.

I have to say that the @naturskyddsforeningen Max 5 challenge has done wonders for my strategic consumption thinking!

Last year I purchased 4 of my max 5 new produced pieces. The rest were second hand.

This year so far (6 months through) 2 new ones. The rest pre-loved. Using/rediscovering old existing things in wardrobe is a simple joy. 

My focus these days is obviously to sell more than I buy. Which is going pretty well overall.

The ootd in the photo is my new organic cotton Unikko skirt (yup on of the 2 purches of the year), old organic white cotton t-shirt and a 15ish year old pair of blue sandals from ART (which I probably blog raved about at that time).

Celebrating 10 years fully vegan this spring 2026! Just realised that, and Ihaven’t fully acknoweledged that, bad bad me… 

The number one best decision for the planet and environment I once made was going fully VEGAN of course. So every single day I do make the world a little bit better, a bit (or more) less violent and painful. That’s also something to be VERY proud of 💚

We have plans getting another Bageri Passion vegan cream cake for my mum’s second name day in late July, now I see another reason to a fancy celebration at the same time, yay me!

As perfect as the veganized Swedish Princess Cake is, I’m thinking we should get another flavour this time though. There are 6 different vegan ones to choose from: I’m thinking fresh raspberries and cream cheese would be very summer befitting. 

So what are the best Climate Action lifestyle changes (more recent years) you have done? And how did you reset your brain to actually do it? I would love to be inspired!! ‼️

NB blogwise I have noticed over the years, and more frequently recently, that my older posts get a lot of attention. More or less well deserved and more or less well outdated. I am certainly not the same person that I was 20 years ago, or even 10, 5, 1 years. Not even the same last month, last week…

Once I wrote about fancy handbags or a certain piece of clothing, but the thing is that in 2026 most of the fancy handbags are sold and have most certainly moved on to new adventures of appreciation than I could more often than not not give them.

And like in the case of a certain denim jacket in a post from 2012 (?) it never really got the use it deserved. I sold it on in 2024ish. Hope the new owner has and will continue to have a lot of happy moments experienced in it.

I don’t update those old posts (obviously) and they are so obsolete and out of reality touch now. What happened in 2010 is left in 2010. Life is all about change and growth. Old writings are just a glimpse of whom I was then, not 2026, they can of course still be read for entertainment or mood/inspiration purpose. But not as an inspiration for consumerism 2026.