pigeons on bikes

I wonder how many of those who park their bikes by this train station who are aware of exactly which fellas it is occupying guarding them during the days?

Or possibly the bike owners are fully aware of it being an awesome way to keep all those nasty bike thieves at bay.

Go pigeons!

such a nice day for a bike ride

Like any good Swedish summer day today called for a bike-ride.
And a shoe per diem moment.

Lilacs hedge with flowers bursting into full blom any day now.

Ornamental tree in bloom, out of bloom soon then covered by the white clematis.

Oh how I heart this time of the Swedish year,
when spring turns into summer one day at a time...

sunday four

Remember I was gobsmacked by my friend wearing sandals the other day already? Well today I did it! Okey, no sandals, but no socks and that's huge in my world, not feeling cold without socks. The sun was very benevolent. When spring and early summer come for real, everything goes so so quickly. I hope this weather will last at least over next, long weekend. It's so spirit-lifting.



We ran a few errands and bought take-away from this fast food (with healthy options) joint at the other side of town which has great vegetarian options, my favourite being the fried aubergine with saffron rice. The portions are huge, which is a good thing if you share or take the the leftovers in a doggy bag but a terrible food waste if you don't. Had lunch on the veranda and it was lovely, didn't realise I'd missed the outdoors eating as much as I had. (This plate holds about a third of one portion, perfect for one reasonably hungry person, the rest will be enjoyed for two more lunches/dinners.)



Planned bike rides with colourful accessories and fika moments. I really have to use the bike more often this summer!



Someone small and furry loooved my foot - see I'm not the only one who enjoys the feeling of bare feet life.

How was your weekend?

thursday thought overturns

:: Was fortunate to share seats on train home today with the most adorable Rhodesian Ridgeback girl, 1,5 years old and such an irresistable, gamine, happy sweetheart. She apparently accompanied owner to her job at posh Stockholm department store every day where she had the best of times. Talk about company perk, such workplaces are totally enviable and too, too rare. Pleasantly surprised that that store of all places had such generous dog policies for employees.

Such little encounters really brighten up the day. A really nice round off to my-commuting-day. Which began quite in the other end of pleasantness.

:: Both train and bus were full of screaming school kids this morning. Accompanied by teachers who clearly don't embrace the word discipline in their vocabulary. Instead they just sit smiling in a not-all-hens-in-the-henhouse unworldly way, while the rest of the passengers try to escape to a calmer corner of the carriage.

When did things went so completely and utterly wrong with Swedish schools, discipline and overall common sense consideration? When I was a kid - which isn't all that long ago in the bigger picture. Really - the teachers, with few exceptions, did keep order in class and when on school trips and outings. And guess what, there was most always a bus pre-reserved for such trips(since the busdrivers repeatedly urge the today's teachers to do just that when the kids rampage the buses, I'm boldly guessing that option is still available).

Basic simple consideration should be as natural today as it was then. Instead there's just too much lost connections and glitches in brains of today.

:: I heart "Little Britain". The multilayered thoughtprovoking blend of mundane freaky (in real life existing in one shape or other) characters and phenomenas, with the horrific, borderline hilariously disgusting storylines is simply brilliant. People who are willing to flaunt their imperfections like this while making fun of themselves and others quirks and flaws are so admirable.

Currently they're bringing culture class and dignity to the US of A on Swedish television. Love it.

:: Why do teenage girls look like clones these days? At least the Stockholm teenage girls, they seem strangely void of personality and character, they look the same, they act the same, they talk the same. Huzzah for the exceptions to the clone-rule!

:: I've alwaysish thought it prudent when one finds a garment of some sorts one really loves, for some reason or other, one should get more of the same model (within reason and if possible of course). Just to avoid any regrets when a perfect model is discontinued (I'm thinking the obvious example for gals being the hard-to-find-the-perfect-fit/model bra) and why spend money and time looking for second best fit when one can get the best fit in different colours?

That said being true to the notion I got three really sweet, soft and comfy, perfect for any occasion shortsleeved cardigans on end-summer-sale. In a bamboo-viscose blend (one off-white, one pale pink, one dark grey) they've all been a source of comfort and joy.

As I've never worn anything bambooish before I was very careful following the washing instructions for the first-in-washing-machine-cardigan to the letter. But when hang to dry I was in dispair since it had seemingly stiffened and shrunk to this ridiculous almost-doll-size cardigan. Whatever should I do with the other two when washing?

As it turned out, when the cardigan had dried it, quite magically, returned to its original size, its original sweetest softness again. The strangest and luckiest thing.

:: Really wholeheartedly enjoying this latest class with Dreamweaver. Discovered I unknowingly already knew most of the stuff (at the same time as I get answers to those little things here and there I've wondered about. I e getting a completeish grasp of useful nerd terms), but now I have it 'on paper' as well.

Admitting to this I realise I'm most probably way behind in being a cool, trendy on the edge computer savvy type, so be it, I chose to ignore while not so secretly flaunt that imperfection by saying that Dreamweaver rock my world. At least in a not-hugely-worldturning-but-still-pleasantly-uplifting-and-most-enjoyable-way.

:: Besides I belong to the (not so long ago really) 'generation' that thought writing one's uni degree finishing essay on an electric typewriter was the very essence of up-to-date-progress. Not only thought actually, it was. For a short while yet.

When I got round to wrapping up the whole thing - 'the thing' being a go through and analyze of the Swedish fiscal offence legislation. Oh my, does that seem eons away... - for a graduation I had turned computerized (übercool, my middle name). To be able to actually layout and presenting an essay in the ways offered by Word back then was, well... pretty darn cutting edge. Actually.

Not so long ago.

:: Have been experiencing intense, painful problems with left foot plantar fasciitis. I very much and completely blame a particular pair of shoes. What-began-as-not-cheap-new-favourite turned out to be less-than-up-to-usual-standard-quality ones (note i m m e n s e disappointment).

I'm able to make a complaint and get a new pair of shoes (if size and colour still available, touch wood), still, who knows when pain will subside, ah and my disappointment, the battered trust in the brand.

Goes to show with perfect and painful clarity, never trust a seemingly trustworthy brand to always fullfill your search (and dream) of the perfect shoe.

:: Where did this past week go? Can't grasp the fact that it's borderline Friday already. I'm very much leaning towards unplanning of weekend plans. It would be rather wonderful to just have a really laid back-sleeping-reading-watching-movies-weekend. And possibly some weather permitted biking of course.

That is, if computer says yes.

weekending goodness

Usually not one to make a big fuss about the weekend - small celebrations and appreciations every day is more my style - but come today, I found myself really tired, worn, lacking in concentration in desperate need for some r&r. Hence thank goodness it's this Friday!

The weather has sadly and suddenly turned rather autumnish, still being August I find it heartbreaking really. As much as I am looking forward inaugurating my new-on-great-sale-versatile-gorgeous-piece-of-autumn-spring-even-winter-if-it's-a-mild-one-coat *phew*, I so do not want summer to end this sudden, this early. I hope for many lovely Indian summer days to come!

But in honour of the next to last proper summer weekend I have a perfect (as always) plan -

If weather permitted not only to have divine sleep-ins, but ride the bike, visit the other two lovely new local cafés in this rural suburb - I'm very nearly over the moon about the curious fact that suddenly we're blessed with not only one, or two, but three new, quite different from each other waterholes within bike, walking, driving range. Think globally, act locally, they clearly need support and I'm game. Yes of course they'll have their own blog posts to come... - spending time with the loaf and the furries, finish a few books, knitting, watching movies, window washing and hopefully make a few stitches with the sewing machine... Just about everything one can jam into a weekend without it feeling crowded and busy. I hope.

I did start the weekend today with a bike ride and a nice lunchish thing at the third local waterhole, so I can at least tick a couple of my planned-weekend-boxes.

~ have a lovely weekend out there ~

in the best of both worlds

Sometimes one needs a gentle reminder of the fact that one lives in a place that in many ways offers the best of both peaceful, rural idyllicness (in my vocabulary there most certainly is such a word) and modern comfort facilities (at least in parts well executed) with easy access to city life and joys.

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~ :: Happy weekend :: ~

thursday thoughts, the random sort

:: Been feeling quite relaxed yet focused, all over content and satisfied all week, gotten loads done. I'm pretty certain it has something to do with the bike as well as using a generous amount of Nuxe Multi Purpose Dry Oil every day.

:: Tomorrow I will finish yet another project in computer class, yay! See above for my overall relaxed and yet focused reasons for that. Reward to myself for this achievement is to start reading a new book. What will it be, what will it be, oh the sweet bliss of brand new book.

:: Still, even if I have felt this sense of peace and contentment all week, it is annoying beyond words when people's cells ring constantly in classroom.
A) One usually doesn't have to be reached all.the.time. Life was good, life worked before the cellphone era too. Really.
B) Ever heard of the mute feature?

Extra annoying when they actually don't take their calls outside classroom but continue chatting nonsense when the rest of us actually are there to learn something. These overaged teenagers (in this case middleaged women) are also chatting private stuff in between themselves oblivion to the learning process of others.

However I can't be bothered comment (complain) about their lack of consideration (anywhere else than here). See above reasons for that.

:: I find it very curious that the suppliers of the public transportation system always make a huge deal about (the growing numbers of) gate-crashers when the trains, subways and buses keep running late. When one as a commuter pay for train/subway/bus tickets (month cards) it's a tacit understanding that one pays for the transportation to run on schedule and not waste all commuters valuable time.

Minutes, quarter of an hour, half hour, hour, more, in a year that amounts to a lot of lost time. User pay for the ticket - supplier make darn sure the system runs on time, if not it's a breach of contract, hence why should users have to pay full ticket (month card). I pay my tickets (month cards), and I grump about the system. I secretly applaud the civil disobedience of gate-crashers (minus the usual slacker free-riders).

:: When the bus is full of empty seats, why do some people insist on sitting next to others unknown (me)? I really like my space and being able to read comfortably in peace, not having someone irritating rubbing against one (me). Get your own seat will you.

:: I remember when in school (stone ages) we learnt heaps of new words in the dictionary every week and had word and spelling-tests every week (in Swedish "glosprov"). I loved that. I still remember the two words I got wrong. Call me a word-nerd. I've decided to have my own private one-new-word-a-day challenge - word of today: curmudgeon.

:: Had a conversation a while back about my job applications. Hot tip was that I really should curb my enthusiasm while applying, because The Employer's view on such energetic applications is 'how will this qualified and motivated person cope with the every day dullness of work?'. Silly me for thinking employers were looking for motivated, creative, passionate employees.

:: I've always wondered who exactly gets on and off at those strange bus stops you see in the middle of nowhere. Or seemingly nowhere. The living-under-the-tree-people? The gnomes, the trolls, the fairies?

:: As one (me) don't have a 9-5 life one (me) don't use as much of the wardrobe content as one (me) used to. Despite my closet cleaning episodes I still do have lots and lots of lovely garments I'm very fond of and want to wear. It's just that these days usually I don't have all that many obvious opportunities to wear them (unless I see it fit to strut around the garden, mow the lawn, walk the dog in snazzy suits and pretty dresses).

So with this above course episode I've decided that I'm going to keep an outfit diary. Just for myself - certainly no sharing of outfit-of-the-day photos online, been there, done that, it wasn't much fun really - to make sure I make the most of my wardrobe and combinations. Just because pretty clothes make me happy too, seeing them, wearing them. Indeed all this rekindle with outfits buzz might have something to do with the aforementioned feeling of contentment, relaxed focus and sweet satisfaction. I admit to being shallow that way, call me multilayered.

meet helmet, meet bike

This is my helmet.

This is my bike.

Inherited from my grandfather who curiously enough had a pink bike with flower stickers. Even if he was a worldly man I think he might have got it second hand to have as a spare bike. He was a great believer in bikes. Morning, noon and night. Which, sadly, in the end, was the end for him. Or perhaps it was just the way he wanted it to be. But that's another story. His name, Helmer, is still ingraved in the bike. I like the connection, the continuity of that sign. And then I've added my little quirks to the bike. Like ...

I'm pretty certain there's not a woman - or man with a fondness for girly stuff. Nothing wrong with that! - out there who isn't insanely jealous of my pretty bicycle basket adorned with sunflowers.

Not to mention this cool beyond words really, ladybug bicycle bell. You can admit it's very droolworthy even if you're older than five. It even has moveable wings. But I'm certain it will stay snug as a bug on by bike for many a ride to come.

august weekend

Some weekends are just perfect.

The weather, the company, the outings, the food, the sightings, the encounters, the purchases, the sleep, the reads. Life. Some glimpses of my overall rather perfect weekend (details as usual in posts of their own, some sooner some later);

hazelnut and lingonberry ice cream
that tasted heavenly on a warm summer day
(and i'm not a huge fan of ice cream,
so when i say it's good, it's really good, ya' know)

steam trains (which i've never been the least bit interested in.
this one had me pretty excited for reasons unknown though.
honestly it wasn't the not so jovial train conductor)

wonderful droolworthy curiosity shops and jumble sales

sweet ol' ladies just looking irresistibly cute on a bench in the sun

birdies to share food with

a lovely sunday brunch after a lovely as always cab drive

followed by an equally lovely bike ride on a really snazzy bike
(yes i am older than five, but only slightly)

a perfect weekend is not complete
without lots of cuddles with furry, quirky characters

Hope your weekend was a grand one too ~

monday musings, the random sort

:: Going on a trip is always fun, but the value of returning home to a good and proper own bed should never be underestimated.

:: The inauguration of helmet and bike when wonderfully well, although feeling rickety back on the bike again it was just such a lovely old feeling pedalling away. I'm sure I looked like a green helmet fool on the loose grinning my way down the slopes, but it just felt so incredibly, rushingly good doing it again, I'm sure I will have a bit of a sore behind tomorrow, but I'm adamant to stay on good ol' bike-track again. I mean, besides obvious health benefits, khaki green helmet and pink bike with a very special, sunny basket, who wouldn't?

:: Had a brilliant day in Copenhagen last week (despite hoards of visitors, as usual); the Baresso ice latte still being the world's best, did my bit of fueling the economy (the main recipient being NoaNoa, what a surprise) which was rather dreamy and still is when I look at the sweet things I got that so perfectly fill the wardrobe gaps (I suppose some would argue there really are no gaps, but technically there always are, if not visible to less discerning eyes), had a lovely meal at a favourite restaurant that had been re-opened, the sun was shining and Copenhagen was wonderful as always. More details later.

:: I have a lot of ideas and (half finished) projects involving sewing machine, but I just can't seem to sit myself down and start sewing. Perhaps I'm feeling a dash more scatter-brained than usual, I don't know, or perhaps I'm just afraid it won't look as amazing finished in reality as it does in my head.

:: Returning to computer class later this week (yes, I do make a point of returning to work or whatever after a vacation in the middle of the week, I really can't stand having a full week immediately after all this lovely rest and mental relaxation) and right now I don't feel particularly happy about it. Even if I think it has been great fun and good learning it feels a bit definitely summer is over in a way and the course will last all the way until October. Which of course in itself is a rather smashing month. Graduation time will be by birthday gift to myself. Yes, now it all feel so much better. I just have to remind myself about that come 6.30 am in a few days. Such is life. Hopefully it will lead to something new and exciting. And not just another dead end.

:: Now. Teatime, summertime, bedtime, readtime.

monday morning

It may be melancholy August, but it's also the month when non other than Miss August will adorn the municipality's inhabitants' walls in calender. As if that isn't reason enough to celebrate today (all month through really), it's also the first real day of the sixth year of one extraordinary loafie dog.

And I lucky gal, (hopefully) finally get to wear my green helmet and ride my pink bike today. So. Life can be good, even if summer mercilessly draws to an end.

What are you happy about this fine Monday morning?

random monday musings

:: after two pretty intense, but frightfully fun, weeks of computer classes I'm now allowed to breath and reload for some holidayic weeks, before it continues in August. If I could have chose I would have continued with the course for at least a couple of more weeks and postponed my vacational time. It has been such a fun learning process, that perfect mix of rekindling with stuff one already knew and eureka problem solving moments.

I'm so pleased there's no forced socializing involved, that you're actually allowed to be a completely absorbed by learning nerd, that hi and goodbye is pretty much all you have to utter during the day, and if you have any questions there's always teachers around to ask.

I love that I after a short introduction have been left to my own devices and it's been a blast to read, practise and solve tasks. And as I did finish the first project just before vacation time I can't wait to continue with the next one.

It would also be awfully nice if all this learning could actually lead to some great challenges with a pleasing income attached, and not just another nifty thing to add to the CV...

:: Finally. I'm now a (somewhat) proud owner of a bicycle helmet. I do wonder how we survived all those years riding bikes without one. But as we live in Sweden, the land of safety addiction, it's the prudent thing to have. As I really didn't want one of those butt-ugly Darth Vader style helmets it took for ages to get one.

But the perfect one revealed itself recently and I opted for not a pink (not because it looked like I was wearing a giant strawberry ice cream cone on my head, but because it seemed to get dirty within a blink of an eye), not a black (reasonably nice, but somewhat bland, as usual with black) but a khaki green. The shade is apparently called dirty, which will team well with my all pink bike.

My pink bike that I actually inherited from my grandfather. He was not only a man with green fingers and a passion for art, he also rode a pink bike. I like that.

:: One would think that being a busy bee these past two weeks would have made me read less, nope, quite the opposite. As commuting is usually such a dull thing the reading has been very scheduled and an as always very helpful relief from dullness. I've finished not only one, but three, soon to be four books. Reviews to come. All quite, quite good, one even brilliant and of course the latest entry on my-favourite-read-ever-list. Hint - PopCo.

:: I haven't felt very inclined to try new recipes for quite a while. Suddenly I have an inclination again. If they turn out plus edible there might be some more recipes posted in a blog near here. Still this is not, nor will it ever be, a food blog. But still, I do love to praise vegetarian cooking whenever I can. As the benefits, both ethical and health wise, are endless.

:: I've never been much of a history buff, it might have something to do with less than engaging school teachers and more than a sneaky suspicion that historical "facts" are very less than reliable since history is infamous for being written by "the winners". Now and then I do find history and its "facts" quite fascinating though.

One such example is the TV-series - and book that I just placed an online order of, I think I deserve a refill on the heap after being a such a diligent little reader these past weeks... Every excuse is a good excuse - Terry Jones' Barbarians. Which shows quite another truth than that claimed by the ancient Romans. Interesting glimpses of the bloody European history presented in an easy and humorous way. I wish I had had history teachers like Terry Jones in school.

Btw, I never knew goths were suppose to have originated from Swedish island Gotland. Go figure.

:: Now. Bedtime. To spend some quality time with new books. Who could ask for more a fine summer night like this? (Yes, there were red berries involved in dinner.)