the pussybow blouse and other weekly snippets

I do believe Spring has finally sprung in Sweden. Although given the fact that last year the last snow fell on May 9, we should probably be prepared for that this year too... But that said, today it was +15 C, that awkward time of the year when you don't really know how to dress weather appropriately. And you feel like a dazed, shabby mole sticking your nose out the door.



Unless you're a cat, then you pretty much always look ypur snazzy best. And just absolutely love being able to roll around in the sun in the garden again after six long, dark, damp, cold months. And yes, I'm writing this on the veranda in the company of said furballs. Which is a pretty blissful way to spend a caturday.

I think I might call my week that was another cosmo geek one, which will certainly be reflected in this blog post. Let's start with some skin care.



One of my personal goals for 2017 - which remind me that I haven't set any obvious ones for this year, at least not in blog. Might still exist though, believe it or not - was to get my skin back to normal. Better but not quite there yet. Might be an age thing, might be stress, might be me not being great at sticking to strict daily skin care regimes. Be as that may. Work in progress, part of trying to figure things out, as life in general.

I then got this little bottle of a fancy serum from a friend, who couldn't use it herself because it wasn't compatible with her skin type. Moroccan rose superfood facial oil from Dr Botanicals. I'm not a huge fan of serums, they're super expensive in general and have never done anything miraculous to my skin. Perhaps I hadn't found the right one, perhaps my skin now is mature (like old cheese) enough to benefit from it.

Anyway. Opened this tiny bottle of the vegan superfood for face and was smittened at first sniff. Because that rose scent is absolutely irresistably delicious and calming. You only need a tiny drop under you're (not so) daily skincare, so the expensive bottle will last a long long long time.

That is, if your not too tired in the morning and make the fatal mistake of emptying practically the whole bottle over your left arm instead - I was afraid I'd grow a baby's arm due to that superfood serum overload, but I'm relieved to report that didn't happen. At this time in life I wasn't really interested in paying full pricey price for a new bottle, so I was so happy when the same friend picked up that someone sold a brand new bottle at Tradera (the Swedish version of Ebay).

And I was even happier I won the auction, the price was 75% less than shop/online bought. Well, won and won, I was the only one bidding, might be such a bizarre little product most people have no idea what it is anyway. Will. not. make. the. same. clumpsy. mistake. again. My precious.

I'm also thinking that when I've actually created an account and made my first Tradera purchase I will now do a bit of spring cleansing and see if I can sell things instead.



Sensitive readers might do well in averting their eyes from this image above. It is just what it looks like. A supersized blue willy painted on a wall. If it wasn't well in to April already I would have thought that it was an April's fool joke, but it isn't. It can be found on that same wall in Stockholm until Wednesday when it will be removed.

The background is that this inner city wall, in the district Kungsholmen, has been assigned to legal street art by the property owner. And every six months or so a new painting adorn the wall. However the motif of this particular painting hadn't been revealed to the property owner beforehand so at the denundation last week it came as a shock. The female artist claims it's an empowering mural, in the aftermaths of #metoo. She apparently painted another one in New York last year, a red one, and it was immediately removed as being offensive. Go figure.

Myself I can't see anything empowering (for women) in a yet another phallus symbol in a world overflowing with them already, it's just unsavoury. And if I was a neighbour to that wall I most certainly wouldn't want to open the blinds in the morning for six months seeing a gargantuan blue willy. I like the blue on yellow, but other than that I think the only amusing thing about it is the fact that it's painted just above the goods entrance of the supermarket chain Willy's. And that the carpark P sign points in in its direction. Just in case you've missed what it is.

The property owner said the nearby residents have complained (duh) and it will therefore only remain on the wall for a week. Hopefully replaced by art that actually is empowering.

Which brings me to another debacle of last week, involving the Swedish Academy, which is the institution behind the Nobel Prize in Literature. You can read the story in the New York Times article, so I won't write anything extensive about it. Again, it's just bizarre thing that shows the patriarchy is still alive and in parts thriving even in Sweden. The debacle stems from one of the academy member's French husband having sexually assaulted many women over the years, with the good memory of most of the other academy members.

This came to light with #metoo and ever since it has been an internal discussion that kind of blew up after the police investigation. Several members have resigned, the good guys, and now the female permanent secretary, Sara Danius, was forced out yesterday. Since it's a royal academy the Swedish king is also involved in this decision, and he is most certainly not known for his feminist views or his irreproachable lifestyle. All and all a most sordid story on so many levels.

Since Sara Danius - needle felted version at the Liljevalchs art exhibition last month - is well known for her fabulous outfits and fondness for pussybow blouses, yesterday many women (including myself) wore that in support of her. Hashtag #knytblus and #knytblusförsara on Instagram. Enough now, patriarchy, enough now.

I don't own a pussybow blouse at this time - but I should, they're lovely and I used to have a few of them - so I made it up with making a big bow of an old, gorgeous silk scarf I got in Venice years ago. That works too.



Which brings me to the next topic, namely clothes. When I get rich, monetary that is - might be on my both professional and personal list of goals this year - high on my wishlist was a wonderful blouse from Marimekko. Yesterday I popped by the recently renovated flagship store in Stockholm to see if they had it so I could try it on. The model yes, the colour no.

This is my grumpy face before I tried it on, it's the yellow one hanging on the wall. No I will never master the decent angle full-length selfie, nor do I wish to. But it's nice to try it in a clean dressing room, compared to my full length mirror at home with a usual messy hallway. And I had a pretty good hairday.

Anyway. The blouse turned out to be of a spectacularly lousy fit. A really narrow bodice, if you're not tiny and flatchested don't bother, and oversized arms. Ah well, I saved myself not only money but also the disappointment and hassle of ordering something I'd have to return by courier.



I'm also happy to report I did finish that second book I had hoped to during Easter. As Anna Gavalda is one of my favourite authors, for her insightfulness of human nature and unique language, my only reason for not having finished it two yeasr ago when I got it is my lost reading mojo. But it was a lovely read, as usual. 'La Vie en mieux' isn't translated to English I think, but in Swedish it's called 'Livet vi drömde om' (The life we dreamt about).



I still hope you keep your fingers, toes and paws firmly crossed for Ms Sustainability 2018, should know more this upcoming week. However I don't have the luxuary (?) to passively wait for other people to make their mind up on things that very much involve my life. Thus I continue to be open and curious about other possibilities.

So this past week I went to a really nice speed meeting at a recruitment agency I already knew. Similar to the business speed dating I really like, but it's only you and a recruiter for 15 minutes. You have to tell your very condensed story, the whats, hows, whys and wants during that time. And let me tell you, 15 minutes go fast. Really fast. But it was lovely experience, and just look at that gorgeous wall paper they had in the room. How about that for a fabulastic sign of great things to come?



After that meeting, which took place in their office at the same street as Sturekatten, I had a sweet solo lunch at just Sturekatten. Turns out they have vegan options there now too, I opted for a fine lentil soup and a cup of tea (of course). My favourite cafe in high school, countless cups of teas and apple pies accompanied by philosophying and giggles have been consumed there over those years, it was nice to be back. Rarely visit these days, for various reasons, but I highly recommend it, a Stockholm classic.



Rounded the week off with being contacted by a recruiter via LinkedIn about a job at a startup where they wanted a "rockstar copywriter". And as much as I'm allergic to that startup buzzword rockstar this rockstar unicorn that - whatever is wrong with simply having many star qualities and great capacity, values and visions? - I was intrigued by the company and its vision (and they quoted Nelson Mandela) so I said I was interested.

Who knows if it'll lead to anything that's a great fit, or if it was just one of those generic, highly unreliable contact efforts from recruiters who hasn't really checked you out at all despite what they claim? For now I'm just calmly curious and Ms Sustainability 2018 fingers crossing in a confident pussybowl blouse wearing way.

You've been pretty great and overall interesting so far, April, let's keep it that way, okay?

the nobel peace prize 2014

A year ago today I (re)tweeted this, a year later it came true. I think the Nobel Peace Prize laureates of 2014 are awe inspiring and well deserving of this recognition. If more people were so brave and dedicated to important causes like these two, what a fine world we would live in.

Congratulations to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai
and may all your good work to come lead to a more peaceful, kinder world.

a nobel day ~

"Att läsa är att resa - To read is to travel"

December 10th is not only the Nobel Day but also Animal Rights Day as well Humans Rights Day. Last year I was not in a good mood about this day, my mood du jour is granted better this year, but as usual a sad little has really happened to make this world a better place for those who can't speak and defend for themselves.

The only two Nobel prizes that interest me are the ones in the categories peace and literature. This year's winner is of course the Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer, I know many people think he should have won years ago and he's generally lauded for his work -

well not by that illiterate, small-minded American critic who wrote a completely spiteful article about the whole concept of the Nobel prize in general and Tranströmer in particular. I know I saved the link to that article, but I can't seem to find it right now. It was such a both sad and laughable piece, easy applicable in any situation where small-minded people feel left out of the party and need to raise their voice. I really need to find that link... -

and even if granted poetry is in general not a literary genre that has ever appealed to me, and I have yet to read anything of Tranströmer, he just seems like a very, very likeable man from what I've seen and heard of him.

So befitting of the day I got a book of his collected poems (samlade dikter 1954-1996) from my mother today. I will definitely have a go at it, a wee poem here, a wee poem there, I'm sure that can't hurt. And look, Miffwinkle was might impressed by the book from the time I unwrapped it. I even think she has begun reading.



Have you read anything by Tomas Tranströmer?
If so, what did you think?
Do you enjoy the poetry genre?
Any recommendations to someone who isn't overly enthusiastic about it?

the noble animal rights day

December 10, Nobel Day in Sweden.

These days I'm an angry person, getting angrier by the day. Such large sums of money, costly festivities in general when the world's burning, the planet is crying, living beings are dying in cruel ways and for unnecessary reasons peak my anger. And sadness. Money could, should be much better spent. Festivities are certainly nice and needed, but thought, perspective and compassion, people, perspective and compassion.

A year ago I seem to have been in a better mood, the Nobel Day post of 2009 hit a lighter note.

Today is also Animal Rights Day. As well as Human Rights Day. I think that surpasses the importance of Nobel Day in every way imaginable. When we've sorted that out, the true rights of every being to rule their own life, to be respected and respect others, to have the right not be used and abused by others (those others who in a blatant assumptive way think they're superior to other beings) - then we can celebrate. In a truly noble style.

december 20th - books

Lately I haven't felt inclined or focused enough to read as much as I usually like (have) to when life is more in tune. That lack of reading makes me sad so I hope it will change soon - that I have finished writing all Christmas cards, run out of yarn (well, that's so not a possibility) and the good influence of a red calendar may also play parts in me getting my reading mojo back - soon. Especially with some new wordly lovelies I felt appropriate to order in time for Christmas.

Some books from already favourite authors, some I found intriguing reading the cover (or just liking the cover design...), some recommended from fellow bloggers (thanks! I hope, I better wait with gratefulness until books are read perhaps...). Now which book(s) to begin with from this eightsome...

:: Helen DeWitt - The Last Samurai. Recommendation. Reading about it, at first glance it seems like a mix of Murakami's "Kafka on the Shore" and poor Bertie's life in the 44 Scotland Street-series. I'm sure it will prove capable of standing on it's own literary feet though.

:: M. Ann Jacoby - Life after genius. Recommendation. The story seems like a blend of "The Secret History" (Donna Tartt) and the wonderful "Special Topics in Calamity Physics" (Marisha Pessl). Be as that may, the story about a boy genius who suddenly turns his back to the world of academics instead embarks on his new life as a furniture seller / embalmer sounds quite special anyway.

:: Alexander McCall Smith - Love over Scotland. As I'm just finishing the second in the delightful 44 Scotland Street-series I might as well throw myself into the third right away...

:: Herta Müller - Herztier (swe 'Hjärtdjur', eng 'The Land of Green Plums'). My first book by the 2009 Nobel Prize in literature winner. It's about 200 pages, seems like a good place to start exploring her writing.

:: Jed Rubenfeld - The Interpretation of Murder. I liked the cover, I liked the unusual crime novel story set in 1909 New York, a murder and a visiting Sigmund Freud.

:: Scarlett Thomas - Dead Clever and Going Out. Two more novels from favourite writer. Somehow I doubt they'll be as mindblowingly brilliant as "The End of Mr. Y" or "PopCo" but they will surely be great reads in their own way.

:: Rachel Zadoki - Gem Squash Tokoloshe. I liked the book title, I liked the cover, the story about a girl growing up in rural parts of South Africa in the 1980ies seems both beautiful and heartbreaking.

Have you read anyone of these books? Any thoughts?

december 10th - nobel day

Alas there won't be any fancy three course dinner served in residence of undersigned this evening. Nor will there be any distinguished prize received (darn it, says the knitter of many magical tings. I can't see why there shouldn't be a Nobel Prize in the knitting of magical socks, wristwarmers and other secret things, really).

That said knitter has just ordered a bunch of books though (as it must be deemed prudent to build on book heap for Christmas) including a first (and only or of more remains to be read) novel by Nobel Prize Laureate in literature Herta Müller.

Dinner will probably revolve around beetroots. And cake was eaten yesterday - very close to the Swedish Academy's headquarter one might add. Side note; there's something very lovable about an institution with its main objective being to work for the ’purity, vigour and majesty’ of the Swedish language. Go, Academy! -, I do believe that can be perceived as somewhat reasonably festive too.

Something I've always wondered, the vegetarian guests at the Nobel banquet, what kind of delights do they get served?

Happy Nobel Day ~

this and that monday musings

:: The interviews went well, the first one was both fun and jolly, the second one well, we can't all be congenials asking the right questions. I suppose. As the whole employing procedure has been, to put it mildly, muddled I am *dash* sceptical. There's a third interview scheduled later this week and oh, I don't know, it feels like 'on the one hand still rather interesting tasks on the other hand quite not well thought through'. Being involved in such a lengthy process does invite a whole lot of (possibly over)analyzing of the situation...

:: Despite wash bag shawls and scarfs with tassels and fringes always come out of the washing machine looking like this. I can't seem to find any fool proof way to wash tasseled stuff. Any suggestions (other than careful, slow motion handwash)?

:: As much as I loath superfluos silly English phrases in Swedish commercials I can't help but being highly amused by German phrases (spoken by Germans) especially car commercials, 'das auto' has such a comforting quality ring to it somehow.

:: Season one of "True Blood" airing here. I'm completely entertained and enthralled.

:: Once upon a time I shared the odd lecture and odder pen at university with the previous Swedish minister of justice / solicitor / writer / your average politician Thomas Bodström. He probably has his points, but I can't say I was impressed by him in those days, can't say I am now. To me he is a textbook example of the unfortunate fact that connections and nepotism counts for a lot. I'm all for politicians having a real job being in actual contact with real life. I'm all against their too often misappropriate use of public funding.

Again and again we whine and grump about the fact the ethics as well as regulations regarding this, that and then some just don't apply to (or so they think themselves) certain people in certain groups. Again and again they get away with it. As long as there are no severe measures taken and obvious expensive penalties for this blatant disregard of common decency they will continue to get away with it. Again and again. Bafflingly enough.

:: First Kenneth Branagh version of the Wallander-series on TV here. Well, what can one say, such a pity on a good story as well as good actors that they decided to film it in Ystad/Sweden and with the original names. Because it is beyond ridiculous that everyone speaks English in Swedish settings, with Swedish names and newspapers. The English prononciations of Swedish names are hilarious ' Wåll and Ör' 'Istad', 'Cört', 'Hasselholm', 'Sanndinn' to name but a few. Really. How I wish they had decided on changing the names and the setting to some small town in England instead.

Wallander personated is of course always brilliant actor Rolf Lassgård, the Krister Henriksson series are overall of a rather poor quality. He's usually a good actor, but he just doesn't work as Wallander. Or maybe it's the overall rather second rate cast makes him look bad.

:: As much as I see Barack Obama as one of the truly good guys capable of and with means to making and influencing great changes all over the world I'm more than slightly dumbfound about him being the latest Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Not so silly me have always regarded that prize as an acknowledgement to someone who has already made a real and positive difference in a very substantial way already, and not as an incentive for positive vibes and something good that hopefully might come one day. Being given such an honourable - granted not all recievers have deserved it - prize for a work in progress seems like an obstruction rather than a prudent decision.

Building on the Book Heap

I never borrow books, when I can avoid it - but I'm certainly very pro-libraries of course! - because I believe that books should be owned, definitely scribbled in, devoured, fondled, have an admirable retirement in the bookshelf and if you're not borderline obsessed with new favourite literary findings, be close at hand and re-read whenever you feel like it.

Recently I made some new acquirements to the ever growing heap of books - yes, making my 13 and a bit more bookshelves less messy is also on my to-do-list, my goal is to fit all (most) of the beloved books in the shelves in a not too far future... - and some of them I'm more than thrilled about. Others have been on my to-read-list for ages and I thought it was about time they moved in. I'm of course looking forward to read them too one day, albeit maybe with less of a thrill factor involved.

The above heap is from when I last shopped around for the best book deal - I find it really amazing how cheap full-price books can be these days, the annual Swedish February book sale is just very uninteresting and obsolete as far as I'm concerned. Me I like making book bargains all year round - all glorious ten of them. What can I say, I'm only one woman, the books worth reading are just too too many, but I'll certainly do my best and proudly present;

* Fredric Bedoir - Svenska slott och herrgårdar, en historisk reseguide / Swedish castles and mansions, a historic travel guide (perfect for some more castle spotting)
* Nancy Drew Horan - Loving Frank (interesting semi-fiction about architect Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney, a love story, a Swedish connection, feminism)
* Adam Gopnik - Paris to the Moon
* Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (finally)
* Samuel P. Huntington - The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order (read an article about this book and its author, intriguing to say the least)
* Lloyd Jones - Mr Pip (finally)
* Haruki Murakami - The Wind-up Bird Chronicle (Murakami, need I say more, can't wait to begin reading!)
* Murakami - Norwegian Wood (see above)
* Bengt Ohlsson - Gregorius (finally. Award winning Swedish novel)
* Lisen Sundgren - Lisens Örtspa / Lisen's herbal spa (remember the Rosendal ethereal pottering? Now I've got the book too, more than foot salt here I come. Also jam packed with gorgeous photos)

I swear my firm intention when I dropped off some stuff at the charity shop last weekend was to look for a perfect sideboard and nothing else. Definitely not books. I totally blame M for getting me to once again browse through the boxes of 10 books for 10 SEK ~ 1 USD (who needs booksales.) I alas didn't find the perfect sideboard, however I did find some pretty nifty books, one of which I've had on my to-get list for a long time. Huzzah. Meet the tensome;

* Jeffrey Eugenides - Middlesex (liked the movie "The Virgin Suicides", same author, why not)
* Robert Fulghum - All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things (sounded fun)
* Marian Keyes - Anybody Out There? (I know, I know, I did say I'd never read anything more by Keyes, but come on, 1 SEK...?)
* Barbara Kingsolver - The Poisonwood Bible (yes! Gosh, to find this thrown in those boxes, waiting for me just me and for 1 SEK was amazing, simply amazing)
* Björn Kumm - Terrorismens historia / The History of terrorism
* Toni Morrison - Love (I faintly recall I might have one or two of her old books, unread, in the shelves. Despite being - or perhaps because... - she is a Nobel Prize winner I somehow get the impression her work isn't that commonly known in Sweden. The size of this book looks like it should be a good one to begin with)
* Johanna Nilsson - Hon går ut genom tavlan, ut ur bilden / She walks out of the painting, out of the picture (finally. Acclaimed Swedish debut novel)
* Orhan Pamuk - Snow (this will be the first book I'll read by this Nobel Prize winner)
* Philip Roth - The Human Stain (I really liked the sad movie based on this book)
* Patricia Tudor-Sandahl - Tid att vara ensam / Time to be alone (written by a well-renowned Swedish psychologist who seems to be a very interesting woman indeed, though I think I'll just give this book to someone who needs it more than me, since I have no troubles in spending time on my own and by myself. Rather the contrary.)

Now, where to begin...

~

Bonus information for the club of interest - my currently reading books together form this poem-like sentence; "Loving Frank, the Historian, Hurry, come and see, Her softest voice, the Passion."

Fierce Creatures & Funky Squeakers

Since wee hippo at the moment (finally) is having a well deserved rest & relaxation time under the small bookshelf with his friends the squeakers - though by the looks on their faces I'm sure they're up to something no good under there, like forming a loud toy band by the name Hip Hippo & the Funky Squeakers as means of revenge for loaf dog torture. One of these days whining lamentations and litanies of squeaker sorrow will be heard from under that shelf - time has come to tell the story about the Nobel Prize quality invention of one garden hose toy that's without a doubt the most durable and reoccuringly fun toy as far as doggie loaf is concerned.

Once upon a time the hose lived a quiet, yet hard working, life in the garden of one red house in the suburbs of Stockholm. After years and years of that hard hose work it was time for retirement and long lazy days of doing nothing much at all. Or so the hose thought when it was retracted from it's usual place at the water barrel in the garden. Then attached to an iron pipe it sighed and thought "finally, from here on only many lazy days in the sun and rain and snow come summer, autumn, winter and spring for me, myself and I. I will now reap the fruits of all my hard garden work".

Little did the garden tube know, that soon, all too soon, would one supercharged, energetic loaf doggie extraordinare discover the uttermost joy of biting, fretting, tearing, drooling, yip yapping the poor hose to exhausting borderline (from hose point of view) scraps.

After more than five years of loafie company garden hose still persevere almost unharm (from human point of view) in the most stoic and dignified way, still being numero uno favourite toy but still with times of rest and relaxation by loafie oblivion.

At the moment though it is one of the most annoying things and past times under the roof of one red house in the suburbs of Stockholm, heard from afar slithering on floors, bumping into walls accompanied by pitter patter of paws and excited snorting, upon that all but one extraordinarily fierce creature can agree.

Although one day - in an hopefully not too far future - one garden hose will most probably seek refugee some place secluded, dark and out of reach from relentless loafie fangs and from that dark, secluded place will soon be heard heartbreaking jeremiads of never previously performed in public complaints from unforgiving one toy band Honky Huffed Hose.

AGA, Milles & TinTin

In the pretty suburb of Lidingö, outside Stockholm you'll find the head office of the Swedish industrial gas company AGA, founded in 1904. As Lidingö also is the home of sculptor Carl Milles' Millesgården (Milles' Mansion) one of his sculptures (Hand of God) can be seen adorning the lawn outside the offices.

The office is situated in a vast industrial area called Dalénum - named after one of the company's prominent figures, Nobel Prize laureate in physics Gustaf Dalén, the man who invented the world renowned AGA cooker in 1922 - with many quite lovely looking red brick buildings. It feels like the time somehow has stand still there, in an esthetically very appealing way.

I've only briefly read about the company AGA - since 1999 German owned - details surrounding heavy industrial companies isn't exactly one of my core interests, but from what I read it seems like an interesting company for various reasons, and well before its time in the early 20th century regarding employment conditions and worker's benefits. More information can for example be found at the company's website

This bust of above mention Dalén, also outside the offices, is IMHO rather heinous, the hairstyle makes him look like a crazy and ageing TinTin, whilst the glasses (he went blind through a gas explosion in 1912) makes him look like he's planning to lay in a sunbed or dressed up to scare small children and grown ups alike at Halloween. Why on earth did they chose to depict him like that, I don't know...

The (In)Famous Liquorice Cousins & I

How could I resist getting these completely adorable pendants when they so very clearly are inspired by none others than my (in)famous *everywhere, anywhere, present all the time, preferably at high-velocity* liquorice cousins??

And quite obviously so very inspired by yours truly too, far too many of my quirks are depicted for things to be a coincidence... Had to have a whole bunch, even though chosing just a few was a task one can resemble only to the Nobel Prize achievements. Next task on agenda is to create something perfect and complimentary to both delightful pendants as well as high-speed, shiny black, furry models. Labour of love.

Being completely baffled, how did someone know using bicycle at odd hours was perfect pastime for miniature household panthers by the name of Waldemar?

Adorable pendants, prints and other lovely stuff can be found at primoriginals, totally enjoyable even for those not blessed with the personal irl set of depicted liquorice trolls

World Book Day

April 23, this is the official international day of the book (and copyright), an indeed very likable initiative of UNESCO in order to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property. Can't say it's a big hullabaloo concerning this notable day here in Sweden in general, alas. How is it where you live?

Myself I have celebrated with begun reading a much new (as in paperback edition) anticipated book today - Kleopatra's kam / Cleopatra's comb by one of my favourite writers, Swedish Maria Ernestam who wrote the brilliant book Caipirinha med döden / Caipirinha with Death (yes, an amazing book I still simply implore you to read!).

And I've also been fondling my latest batch of new books that arrived by mail this week.

And yesterday evening I attended this pleasant little event at the concert hall Berwaldhallen that was called Med hjärtat för boken / With the heart for the book hosted by Dorotea Bromberg. Owner of the small but well-renowned publishing company Brombergs, with different literary discussions and readings by people like Horace Engdahl - who by the way apparently also rave about the John Ajvide Lindqvist books - the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy (the institution which award the literature Nobel Prize), poet/writer Kristina Lugn, actor/director Philip Zandén and a bit of music that wasn't too bad. A nice and quietly thought-provoking and badly needed mind-clearing evening.

~ Happy world book day! ~

The Unknown Stockholm City Hall

The Chinese photographer Yanan Li spent a year documenting Stockholm's beautiful City Hall, from tiny details to grand views, from lurid to black-white. The photoproject also resulted in a book called The Unknown City Hall of Stockholm

At the moment there's a lovely little photo-exhibition on at the City Hall, with some of Li's pictures. Quite a few gorgeous ones. And very inspirational too. The photos are soon to leave Stockholm and head out on a worldwide travelling exhibition, on which some of the stops will be Washington, Brussels and Beijing. If you have the chance to see it, catch a glimpse of Stockholm - and a waft of the Nobel Prize festivities - please do. Entrance fee to the exhibition in the City Hall is 20 sek.

The Northern Cemetery

Certainly no Woodland Cemetery, but in parts absolutely beautiful and very impressive in its very own way - the Northern Cemetery. Situated, perhaps as an always present reminder of our mortality, just below one of Stockholm's major hospitals, Karolinska University Hospital.

The cemetery was inaugurated in the beginning of the 19th century, and there are quite a few wellknown Swedes been laid to the last rest there. To name but a few; lovely actress Ingrid Bergman, film director Victor Sjöström and Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize.

The cemetery is also situated just beside one of Stockholm's major approaching highways as well as being seen from the c-train when approaching the city. Oh, I've been meaning to visit the place for many years, but as often is the case one has a tendency to postpone visiting, doing all sorts of things that are fairly easy accessible. Seeing, talking to people that will always be around. But of course there's no such thing as always in this frail existence called life...

But then, finally I did have the opportunity to wander around this vast stretching graveyard the other week. It was a crisp winter day with a faint sun, and yet it felt like spring with all the tiny birds happily chirping of a brighter season to come. It was such a lovely walk, with time for both memories, contemplating life and death. Discovering withered beauty everywhere, as well as *rather* distasteful signs of pompous and quite misplaced superiority feelings.

Exploring a place of unusal monuments, sculptures, tombs as well as more than eerie places of morning. And in midst of all this, suddenly four shy deers ran over the path just a few metres in front of us, disappearing just as fleetingly as they had appeared. Alas I was too slow with the camera, only got a very blurry capture of that magical encounter in what is actually somewhat in the middle of quite a busy city.

Dispiriting though, was the fact that some of the newer parts of the cemetery showed appalling signs of anything but the pleasingly aesthetic and special ambiance that most parts of the cemetery have. Such a pity, and where's the Beauty Council when Stockholm is in dire need of it...?

Other than that, it's a place well worth a visit for many reasons, and I've also heard of guided tours which I'm definitely going to take one of these days. Since there isn't such a thing as always, I'm planning for it in not such a far future...

December 10th

Today was the day of the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony, always on Dec 10th. For reasons inconceivable I wasn't invited to the festivities - although honestly, believe it or not, I don't much care... - so I'm going to have a celebration of my very own instead.

Whilst the height of the party is going on at the City Hall right now, I'm breaking the rule of not reading more than nine books at a time - ok I know, it was once a limit of eight books, but hey, some rules are simply screaming to be broken! - and will put myself to bed with the latest and last Harry Potter book. It being the 10th book on my Currently Reading-list...

And yes I know, if you read it in English you "should have" read it by now, but I'm sharing the series with family members not conversant to the English lingua so I enjoy them in Swedish. And the Swedish translation has just recently been published, and now I finally own a copy myself. I shan't lie and say I find the HP books astonishingly well-written and immensely high quality literature, with all sorts of noteworthy phrases and passages. Since they aren't and have not. However, the lovely inventiveness and fancifulness make up for the lack of well-writteness. So I'm looking forward to some easy and entertaining reading, even though admittedly I already familiar with The End... Strange how non-avoidable that is.

So if you can't party with the nobility on this Nobel day, then beginning to read a 10th book is quite a noble substitute in my world. Actually, I'd go as far as to say it well surpass that kind of partying... Happy Nobel Day!

Most Beautiful When Night Falls

Many have heard and adore the song that accompanies the SAAB-comercial, Release me with Swedish band Laura - I even bought the whole record, and well, let's just say most of the other songs were far from that good...

And no, nothing whatsover would compel me in to buying a SAAB, as far as I'm concerned some of the ugliest looking cars ever been made. But still, this comercial is hertbreakingly beautiful, it brings tears to my eyes every single time I see it and listen to the lyrics. Singer Frida Öhrn's hoarse voice is absolutely perfect for rendering all that immense feeling of desperation and sadness the lyrics calls for.

And even if I didn't particulary like the whole CD with Laura, I do, very much so, enjoy the CD with Frida Öhrn and Bo Sundström - from one of my favourite bands Bo Kaspers Orkester - with poems by Swedish author Pär Lagerkvist (won the Nobel Prize in literature 1951).

I can't recall reading anything in particular by Lagerkvist, he was probably someone compulsory to read in high school, but obviously he didn't leave any impressions in me. Then. When I listen to this CD - den lyckliges väg / the fortunate's road - I find the lyrics, the poems stunningly beautiful, wistful, insightful. And they make me think this is someone I have to read and learn more of.

Lyrics, music, voices for contemplating - and now I got the answer to the matter why it is most beautiful when night falls...

Briefly Chocolate

It's been quite a busy week for me, with lots of nice outings and happenings. Too little of sleeping - something both I and my little grey ones enjoy and need to have in order to avoid grumpiness, not to mention getting a serious case of wittiness reduction - and more than a lot of shank's pony using *gee ha*.

Right now I'm feeling completely worn out, but in a very satisfied, pleased way. Some nice Friday night dinner - and for well-deserved dessert some of that delicious chocolate I bought at the annual Chocolate Festival today, open all weekend if you happen to be interested, not that it was all that well worth visiting, but... -, feet up, curling up in the sofa before I crash into bed - this weekend will most probably only be spent pottering about in house and garden, cuddling with kittens *little do they know what awaits them...* and relaxing. And just maybe a bit of semi-coherent blogging...

And of course - Congratulations to IPCC and Al Gore for winning the Nobel Peace Prize!

At Last...

Just when one thought the announcement of this year's winner of the Nobel Prize in literature once again would be that of a completely unknown author, and frankly more than slightly unreadable - it turned out to be such a very pleasant surprise and very well deserved winner, English writer Doris Lessing.

Someone I only yesterday had a discussion about, someone I had no idea was a serious contestant - since I rarely care about the Nobel Prize in literature for the above reasons... - and so I was both surprised and delighted, for many reasons, when I heard the news. At last, someone I'd both heard of and much appreciated reading. Admittedly, not nearly as much as I should have, but that just gives me a lot to look forward to...

My heartfelt congratulations, Doris Lessing!