hello, february 2021

You know what, today was the first day in about ten months that I woke up in the morning (late morning) feeling I had had eigth-ish hours of interrupted sleep and had the energy to actually feel inclined to do things without forcing myself to do them just because I should.

I had forgotten how life could/should feel. And how miserable is that?

 

I cooked, I took photos, ate some and then I took a long walk with little mum in our current winter wonderland. There were actually un-forced spring in my steps. Again, 10 months lost.

Since we went past the local church and I’d never been inside and it happened to be open, we stepped in and sat in the warmth for a while. I’m an atheist of course, but I can enjoy quietly contemplating in my own bubble in churches. However the organist was playing rather unpleasant music so there wasn’t any quiet time available alas. 

But I always like to light candles and remember beings lost and missed. And for things I wish to change.

No line thrown my way, yet, alas. But for now I’m grateful for a beautiful day with energy and without brain fog. And the fact that I’ve planned and put together a third Vegoforum (theme being Vego and animal rights in media this time) to be held on February 13th (two talks will be in English, speakers from The Vegan Society and Sentient Media, three in Swedish and then we’ll have a panel in Swedish). It’ll be held on Zoom and it’s free, but you need to book a spot for it. Or watch in on YouTube after. Where you also find last year's digital forums.

And with that I’ve tied together the tasks there wasn’t time to complete on my gig last autumn. It feels great to finally tick that box. The project has been fun, frustrating, exhausting, infuriating, inspiring and I've learnt oodles. Now I need to rest from that, and let someone else take the rein again. I must focus on finding my purpose, my people, my job. Simple (and difficult apparently) as that.

As this is quite an urgent situation now I also work a lot on my ability to really trust that the Universe has my back and attracting my goals. I think I've been very clear with what I want (ehat I really really want) for years now. But still it has been illusive and evasive. Come on 2021, I need your help!

Apart from continuing on my purpose finding quest, I’m planning to read more books now again. I’ve only finished three (of my 52 books goal of 2021), so I want to step that process up.

Next week I’ll be able to pick up vegan buns at my local bakery and assemble my own semla at home. Was afraid there wouldn’t be any semla at all this year, but I’m so happy to report that I asked and they said yes. It’ll be fun to make my own almond paste again. If I had a kitchen aid I'd bake my own vegan semla buns, but that's not an option now.

I hope this good day will not be a rare exception to the previous brain fog months. But for now I’m ever so grateful for one truly happy day. Let’s keep this post light and short for a change. Life’s rough enough in these times.

In the next posts I’d like to write about Two Fluffy Tykes art, baking vegan cakes and the miracle of aquafaba, more organic vegan food inspiration, philosophy, sheep, good books and the not so happy current things like my indoor heating that leaves a lot to be desired. Oh how I’m looking forward to the day I’m able to sort that out properly...

February, welcome, be kind and inspiring, and very helpful pretty please. 

thank you february, welcome march 2020

So happy to hear Agnes amazing voice again. One of the two truly brilliant voices that have won Swedish Idol winners since it started in 2004. And this song lift my spirits.

Onwards and upwards, on the very first day of spring (according to the calendar, with climate change it's difficult to know when and where things happen weatherwise anymore alas) a little recap of my February.

• Visited the Spring art salon at Liljevalchs. Like last year it was quite disappointing, compared to the brilliance of 2018. Low quality a la kindergarten art reflected poorly on the few pieces that were truly wonderful and talented. Haven't uploaded all the pictures yet - but for the painting of the black cat Sigge who happens to be the spitting image of my Waldemar. Loved it! - so may edit later or make a photos only post of it later. But you know, I've become bad at keeping my blog word these past years (still no posts of the Freiburg trip. Ages since I posted about the vegan food box adventures, despite promises promises), so who knows...
• Continued to put in volunteer time for Vegoforum, but as it is a practically no budget project it is hart near impossible make an impression om social media and with marketing. It was actually easier to make things happen on shoe string-budgets BEFORE social media. Or well, at least before everything had a price and the algoritms were set in the dispiriting way they are now.
• I've been able to get a few sponsors, which I'm ever so grateful for, but despite looking for decent vegan food sponsors I've come up empty so far. And it's less than a month left. I'm truly surprised and disappointed, since I thought it was a collaborative and supportive community. But there you are.
• On the brighter side I spent some hours at the vegan fair Linköping Vego yesterday, with the Vegoforum-guys. It was such a good day, the train rides, lots of visitors, lots of meeting old and new friends and acquaintances, sampling great vegan food, being inspired and impressed by all the good stuff, and the engaged, good people. Bought some great food items, didn't have time to eat properly during the day, mean to get some at the station before boarding the train instead. But then I was so short of time that I had to jog trot to the train, with heavy heavy bags of food with no time to spare. I felt pretty shitty during those two hours on the train, without food and drink. So when I landed at the central station I had to rush to the cafe, get a wrap and coffee and just stuff myself with that before I had some energy to get myself on the commuter train. In hindsight it was all worth it though, even if my food plans - I always have food plans, since I easily get quite angry when I'm hungry, so plans are good. It doesn't have to be a lot of food, but it needs to be regular - didn't go accordingly.
• I've been to a Rotary-meeting - finally went. after a LinkedIn-contact had suggested it for years - no vegan food at the lunch restaurant where the meeting was held, so I had to have lunch somewhere else afterwards, the average age of the attendees was, as expected, very high. But the talk by Slöseriombudsmannen (The Wasting ombudsman) was very good. Waste as in municipalities, politicians and authorities wasting and incredible amount of tax money every year. We all know it's happening, we are just not very aware of just a devastating problem it is, and noone is accountable for it. Obviously.
  
  

• Have immensely enjoyed various versions of plantbased semla (or semlor in plural) during the past month. This is a new style, and award winning at that - semmelmunk aka semla donut. It was lovely. I even filmed myself eating it. But as I don't know how to embed it in a blog post, unless I upload it to YouTube, and that will never ever happen, there won't be any sharing of that. But this is my happy face after a mouth full. Bought at Söderbergs bageri, vegan donuts two days of the week, great bread and some other lovely vegan pastries too.
  
  

• Have had three extra special, inspiring, empowering lunch and fika meetings with three great women/LinkedIn contacts - one I simply met on a bus last summer, when we just started talking about global warming and climate change (as one does. Even us introverts start talking to strangers on public transports. It is that serious.) Exchanged business cards and now finally had lunch. The other one I met at one of last years recruitment processes. And the third one I've worked with, but never met irl until now.
• The finding my dream job, true purpose, my kind of people process continue to baffle, annoy and honestly infuriate. But after spending so much time figuring out what I want, where I could best serve, find meaning and happiness, I will not settle for less. Anymore. Been there done that, not again. 2020 is the year of Goodlife.
• I have an interview booked for Wednesday. Sounds like a great job, great company. Fingers crossed we'll click. I am however pretty jaded by now, so cautiously optimistic is my middle name.
• Went to a seminar on 'Circular business models for entrepreneurs' with speakers/researchers  from RISE institute. Very interesting. And inspiring. The challenges are daunting. The possibilities endless. 
• Had a pedicure. Much needed. Blissful.
• Bought a sweater in hemp and organic cotton. Or bought isn't the right word since I didn't pay a thing, but exchanged it for the voucher checks I got at the two second hand sales at Bric-a-brac last year. Most expensive sweater I've ever "bought", and I would never pay that much in cash for it. But now it felt like the right thing to treat myself to. 5-7 pre-loved garments out, a percentage of the sales to charity and one garment in. Slow shopping at its finest.
• Went to a seance again. It was a good one. Got a message, it was simple, but so very very  accurate for the place I am in life currently. Comforting, empowering and uplifting in all its simplicity. Sometimes that's everything, when you start to question yourself and your choices, your path. Happens to all of us, at one stage or another in life. 
• Currently reading Marie Forleo's 'Everything is figureoutable' (which, as you know, has been my mantra for, especially these past four years). It's a good read, not a quick one or offering a quick fix, but it makes a lot of sense. As one of those lovely synchronicity things I'm actually going to the release party for the book translated into Swedish in a couple of weeks. So I'm trying to finish the book before that.
  
  

So, how did February treat you? Kindly I hope.

Let's hope for an even better March, more positive, kind and healthy news for us all. Remember that kindness is infectious, and spreading a little joy on a daily basis is a good good thing. For all. Going vegan is of course the best way to spread both kindness, healthy vibes and positivity, so while nature is going green for spring, why not go green yourself? You can do it!

hello february twenty twenty

There are quite a few songs I've enjoyed so far this month, It's a beautiful life by the amazing voice of Billy Raffoul is one. A song beautiful, sad and wistful at the same time, and his voice is pure magic still.



In January I had a little outing to Enköping - for you who've followed me for years, you might remember how much we enjoyed visiting the cute Cafe Tant Gredelin and the cab rides there over the years - with little mum. First time on public transport, train there, bus ride home on dark country roads. It was really enjoyable in all its simplicity. The health food cafe with plenty of vegan options was as lovely as usual, but alas the old favourite Tant Gredelin had exactly zero options for vegans. It's mindboggling that this is the case in 2020, but well, that's (to be honest) ignorant Swedish small-towns for you.



January also held a purchase of a beautiful red raincoat - you who know the movie Don't look now, know how off-putting a red coat with a hood can be..., but I decided to go for red because it is still a beautiful colour - from Swedish Stutterheim. Alas it was a complete failure. First UPS made a mess of the delivery. Then the coat itself was way smaller than the online size chart. A 7 centimetres diff is a lot...

Plus that's most certainly not a proper A-line model. I rarely return things I order, it's simply not a sustainable habit, but obviously this had to go. So, no matter how beautiful and well-made the Stutterheim raincoats are, they are truly ridiculously small in sizes. Waste of time if you're not short, skinny and flatchested.

I'm so tired of the weird, windy rains we've experienced this past year. Umbrellas don't work when the rains go horisontal, and no matter great coats you always end up soaked. I really want a hooded raincoat, but as I'm particular with quality, model and colour that seems to be as difficult to find as a unicorn. Marimekko have lovely ones now and then, but they're always patterned and this time I want a solid, bright colour.



January also held some seminars, meetings, networking, business lunches. And the lessons I learnt from those are;

• Plenty of confirmations that people are weirdly anti-social and frankly rude when it comes to occasions where networking opportunities are unpretentiously simple, even for introverts. And despite being an intro/ambivert I would never be as rude as so many, too many Swedes are. And oh, how they like to hear themselves talk, while asking questions and truly listening to others is a rare rare quality. (At least as rare as a perfect raincoat.)
  
  I would be a very rich gal if I had gotten a dollar for every time someone effusively turn their back when I present myself and what I work with. Or for every occasion someone just ignores me and start talking with someone they already know, although we're sitting or standing at the same table having our breakfast or lunch. Sometimes I'm too tired (not a morning person) or otherwise not interested in networking at seminars, then I go sit by myself or work on the phone. I really don't get why this blatantly rude, egocentric attitude is such a usual thing at mingles. And it most certainly aren't the introverts acting like this.
• I still prefer one-one-one meetings and networking. It's most always the most meaningful way to meet and interact with people, as far as I'm concerned. 
• At one potential job-meeting I had, that rude attitude also reared its ugly head. It was the female equivalent to that not-speaking-the-same-language-interview some years ago. First of all I don't think it's very pleasant to meet up for a professional meeting in a busy and very loud lobby, surely there must be a quiet room or corner available? And it was soon painfully clear that we really didn't share the views on communication, sustainability, greenwashing and values. I have no idea why she even wanted to meet me.
• At a sustainability lunch with local businesses, arranged by my municipality, I met a various bunch of people, from a rather passive aggressive middle aged white man who questioned both communication as well as the whole idea of sustainability (and yes, he questioned the speakers too) - he obviously ticked all the prejudicial boxes - to a very lovely mother-son couple who run an urban-farming startup whom I really clicked with.
  
  Unfortunately their urban farming business also holds a fish farm, before I realized that I felt it would be a grand business to work with communication for. They gave me a ride home in their Tesla though, that was pretty awesome. The talks were very interesting too, and the fact that Sweden is so impressive in knowledge, innovation and management when it comes to waste is brilliant. Compared to countries like Spain and Greece where 57% resp an appalling 82% of waste go to landfill. Infuriating. Heartbreaking.
  
  I wish the vegan option for the lunch itself had been decent too. But it was half - like the avocado business in 2012... - a wrap filled with some green leaves, chopped red onion and a couple of olives (olives are one of few vegetables I can't stand). It's mad that caterers in the year 2020 don't understand that vegans want to get full after a meal, and enjoy protein and seasoning. I have given feedback and offered my knowledge for future occasions.

For February I decided to go Vivid Violet, a colour refresh I hadn't tried before. It had a pretty decent effect, but it won't be a favourite (enough colour left in the jar for one more rinse). I always enjoy the deep conditioner feature of every vegan Maria Nila colour refresh-product though.



Remember the amazing spring art salon at Liljevalch's museum in 2018? Last year's exhibition was a disappointment. And so was this year's. But one of the few pieces I enjoyed was this painting of black cat Sigge, who clearly is the spitting image of my Waldemar.

The longest time spent at Liljevalch's wasn't looking at the art, but in their museum shop, scouting for the perfect words for a diy bracelet. More of that in another post.



I've enjoyed last year's brilliant find of vegan semla a few times already. And so have the felines obviously.



Read a couple of enjoyable books so far this month. (While January was a poor reading month, only managed to finish one.)

My January held a lot of good, and some bad. First it felt like I was finally close to finding what I'm looking for. But alas, I was not. Truly inspiring meetups, and some ugh really poor ones. But all in all, oh so many lessons learnt.

Now I wish wish wish and work work work for February to finally swoosh me right into the arms and company of my kind of people. Life is short and for all the energy, oomph and strength I might exude, I would lie if I didn't admit it's also draining and exhausting to have been searching for the right place, the right people in vain for so long now. Staying true to yourself, your values, your path must pay off and that's that. The Universe. Has. My. Back.



Says the woman who looks just like her memoji. February, pretty pretty please, bring the joy and awesomeness on!!!

la dolce sustainable vita, bullet journaling and other cosmo geek week ingredients

Where to start? It's been such a busy week I don't know where to begin, or honestly if one post is enough if I'm going to tell everything I'd like to share. Or if I should simply keep every bit really short and if you want to know more, you can watch, listen and learn elsewhere. Here goes.



Last weekend I attended the annual Vegoforum in Stockholm. A day brimming of interesting seminars on sustainability, animal rights, health, ethics, science and politics. For you who've been following me for a while, you know I'm no great fan of fairs, festivals and big crowds. Team that with things I'm really passionate about and heartbroken over (ie how we treat our fellow earthlings), that's no place for me.

But a friend who volunteered coaxed me to go. And I'm so glad I did. Because of the various seminars I could concentrate on the practical, inspirational, important things for change rather than the matters that are painful. Thus science, plantbased food, vegan entreprenurship and politics for me.

I listened to a talk by WWF and how their One Planet Plate-project is one important piece of the sustainability puzzle.

I listened to a talk about the pros and cons for vegan entrepreneurs and business owners. From startup Nogue Foods, brilliant Oatly, crowd funding investor Kale United and vegan shoe shop Green Laces.



I listened to a talk by a professor and scientist from KTH about how crucial it is that we change (preferably yesterday) to a low meat society. Which, to be honest, most everyone knows but the politicians are still to cowardly and dependant on industry lobbyists to actually do something about.



And then a panel discussion with scientists, doctors and politicians on just that, why don't politicians act, despite all the research pointing in the same direction.

Apart from the odd bit of mansplaining here and there (sigh) it was a really enlightening and uplifting day. There are, we are, actually people who care and have the facts. Facts on which you can't argue. Well, unless you're plain ignorant, selfish or heartless.

And yes, the simple vegan food on offer in the restaurant that day was great too.

Plus all talks were filmed and are viewable on website and on YouTube. I really recommend a watch. In Swedish only.



Later in the week I attended a work shop in Bullet Journaling. Of which I honestly hadn't heard until last month, when I got a membership email from the bookstore in question that arranged it. But I'm big on making lists and using notebooks, so I thought it would be a neat way to learn more about productivity and structuring your life.



It was an inspirational evening, but not fully grasping the concept yet, I didn't dive in creating my own first bullet journal. But I've bought books to fully understand it, so any day now I will. Plus, to tell the truth, I'm not a great fan of the stickers, doodle, drawings, colouring, scrapbooking way of bullet journaling. Not my cup of tea, I prefer other types of creativity while keep my planning more focused and straight forward, as it was originally intended. But each to his/her own.



In this digital world, and working in it, I miss the analogue. Often. I now have my colourful, practical bullet journal to be, and my pens. So looking forward to learn and start creating my own journal!



March 13 is Source Criticism Day (Källkritikens Dag) in Sweden. A day when the tabloid Metro and its Viralgranskaren (The Viral Scrutinizer, which sounds alike a superhero, which I suppose it is in a less flash way) had an open seminar on source criticism and how vital it is to question things and sources on news and rumours. Especially in this day and age when it seems fake news are more prominent than ever.



The Swedish Minister of Culture and Democracy, Amanda Lind, presented the award Det gyllene förstoringsglaset (The Golden Magnifying glass) for the "Kolla källan" (Check your source) to two recipients, one person/organization and one person/organization within the educational system. Because source criticism is obviously essential for democracy.

The evening was filmed, and can be watched online. Partly in Swedish, partly in English.



I handed in five very very old of glasses of mine, to my optician, which no longer are of any use to me and my eyes, but can still change someone else in need's life. Recycling at its best. It's interesting to see how either my taste in glasses design has changed over the years (I think these pairs are about 10-15 years old) or what's on offer in way of design is much richer now than it was then.

Might have ordered another pair from their brand new collection. Possibly. Think I need to get some sort of snazzy shelf for the glasses I currently use, so I can have a clear view (no pun, promise) of my morning choices.



On the subject of shopping. And identity. I've finished this book "Vi är vad vi köper" (We are what we buy), written by two Swedish professors. The book is about Homo Consumericus and consumerism. It's a both entertaining, enlightening and infuriating, sad read I'd say. Mass consumption is one of the imminent threats to our planet and yet there's no quick, viable solution to the problem since consumerism is such a huge part of society and our lives. How do we consume smarter, less, healthier and more sustainably?

Next week I'm having fika with one of the authors. We've been talking a lot on social media and realized we also share the love for Marimekko. Which is such a fun coincidence. Thus of course we had to have a Marimekko clad meetup, over coffee and talk about the most likely system breakdown we're facing plus other interesting cultural and anthropological observations.



And on the topic of glasses. On my way to doing the above drop-off of the old glasses I was waiting for the bus, when I noticed an elderly woman who looked so stylish, with red hair, green scarf and cool glasses. I thought to myself I should compliment her for her brilliant style. But instead when we got on the bus she sat down next to me and said I had super-cool glasses that suited me perfectly. How funny and brilliant wasn't that!

So of course I said the same to her and we got chatting on style and design, and how boring and uninspiring too many people dress. If more people dared to use colour, patterns and fun accessories, the world would be a happier place for it. It's so very nice when you just spot a stranger person who you're instantly drawn to because of their personal style. And it's mutual. Awesome. Plus age is just a number, style is eternal.



We're getting close to the end of the week now, promise. (And if you're getting exhausting by reading about all of this, think of how tired, but inspired, I am, as an intro/ambivert, experience it live...). And time for the annual sustainability forum arranged by Konsumentföreningen Stockholm (Stockholm Consumer Cooperative Society). Its name was La Dolce Vita, the evening was once again filmed, and should be up soon on YouTube. The sweet life as in how do we live the sustainable sweet life.

There was a wide and interesting range of people on stage, some better and more relevant than others, but all in all, a great, hopeful evening. The talks all revolved how we can work to reach the Agenda2030 sustainability goals, both as a society and as private citizens as in the Good Life Goals.

Participants were the former Secretary General for Naturskyddsföreningen (The Swedish society for Nature Conservation), now at Fossilfritt Sverige (Fossil-free Sweden), a vegan food blogger, the sustainability manager at CocaCola (if that's not a paradox, I don't know what is...) and the same at Coop, the Secretary General of ViSkogen (agroforestry) and WeEffect, the founder of CHOOOSE, the sustainability manager at Max burgers and the chief strategist at Futerra.

The one quote that stuck with me the most was "You can't chose where you're born, but you can chose whether you close your eyes or engage yourself." Are you the person you want to be today, on the right side of tomorrow?



Rounded the week off with an appointment with the physiotherapist, who said the mobility in arm looked great for a complicated fracture 7 months down the line. Unless I felt I needed support she didn't want to see me until a whole year had passed since the accident for review on the status and options. I should just remember not to lift anything heavier than 0,5 kilos until then... Which I obviously have already, a lot. Kitty litter and cat-food bags, there's no escaping. But at least it isn't like regular weight lifting at the gym and such.



Then I rushed to what was the third interview for the communication position I applied to a few weeks back. (No matter what will come form this, I have to say that it has been a very efficient and pleasant recruitment process.) As the company's headquarters are neatly situated in my suburb, I had thought it would take me about 5-10 minutes with bus and walk to get there. Sadly I was mistaken. The newly built industrial area it's located in, is poorly designed for people without cars and I had to walk about 2,5 x 2 kilometres in pouring rain. (There is apparently a bus, but it's not my regular bus a few yards away, and it only runs twice per hour.)

But for that little inconvenient, time-consuming snag, I felt the interview went well. Interesting company, where no doubt there would be a lot of work and structure to put in place, but also a lot of room for creativity, possibilities to achieve great things together and for personal development. They'll now chose from the three people left, will know more in a couple of weeks. Fingers crossed.



After this extraordinarily full week I totally deserved the vegan semla above. Teamed up with semla tea. And a snoopervising semla to cuddle.

Looking forward to a less hectic week, and time to collect my thoughts (in a bullet journal perhaps!) some more, and plan on my next steps. I do however have a little interior design workshop at IKEA of all places, by the end of the week, which will be fun I'm sure.

Other than that, March, keep impressing me, you've done such a great job so far! xox

bold by nature and other march snippets

The month of March has had a flying start - on the first I got a call back for a second interview already. It took place mid week and it felt great, so even more fingers crossed for a third one. Of course, like most always, afterwards the brain starts questioning should I have talked less about this, more about that, been more this, less that. Which is obviously a waste of energy, what is meant to be will be and I went to the interview with hope and good, honest intentions. And yes, it still sounds like a great position where we could thrive and grow together. Will know more late next week.



The Liljevalchs spring art salon was a disappointment this year alas. Looking back at the photos I snapped I see there were some lovely pieces, like this monkey and chicken painting. But the overall impression was a lot, to put it mildly, naive art. Or not so mildly, toddler's daub. In other words, a vast difference from last years wonderful, high quality and very varied exhibition.



These guys weren't impressed either. A sad void of good places to watch and pose, when you're tiny. I think the best thing about the visit was that I inaugurated my Palava sheep o'hoy dress.



Hello there. Although no full length mirrors to be seen, so even though it really really deserved a proper sort of glamourous selfie there was only a toilet mirror available. Sorry, sheep dress, there will never be a chance for a new inauguraton day photo, but hopefully we will have many fun and sort of glamourous days together from here on anyway.



Afterwards we had a vegan burger and sweet potato fries at favourite place Mahalo, that never disappoints.



The weather continue to be scary. Lots of snow one day, heavy rain the next, -10 degrees C one day, +5 the next. Which obviously have led to icy streets here and there. I hope it will only rain from here on. And that the temperatures can keep around zero C. Climate change in your every day life is incredibly energy draining.

Not really visible in this picture, but the snow is falling again, the winds are icy and on the ground of this cemetery are patches of tiny, yellow flowers sprung and eagerly waiting for spring to come and stay.



I was up way too early for comfort, basically half asleep still, for a breakfast seminar on inbound marketing (it was great and unpretentious) earlier this week, when this gorgeous sunrise appeared. The way my house and garden are built I never get to see these amazing sunrises or sunsets when I'm home. So it's a rare treat when the weather conditions are perfect and I happen to be in the right place.



Something else extraordinary happened this week too. I found a pair of trousers that actually look half decent and are wearable. For most of you that sounds pretty trite I suspect. But if you haven't found any trousers that fit for the last 10 or so years, I can assure you it's close to a miracle.

Since my early twenties I've always preferred skirts and dresses, for so many years I've found trousers to be very limiting and unflattering and skirts/dresses liberating. Now and then I still wore the odd pair of trousers back then. But with age the body changes and to be honest, when you find you look like a tall version of the Astrid Lindgren character Karlsson-on-the-Roof, when you still live in hope and sometimes actually go into a changing room to try them on, that's just dispiriting and not empowering at all. Unlike the magic that happens when you try on a really great dress.

But then something miraculous happen when I put this pair on, I'd never ever contemplating trying this type of model on before. I'm not sure what changed my mind. But I'm really glad I did. They were on sale and I wish I'd gotten a second pair, but they're all sold out now. And I have to be grateful I at least got one pair. Maybe they'll produce the same model for autumn again.

The blouse is from Marimekko. It's a tricky model to match so I'm happy to see it actually goes well with the trousers.



On the subject of Marimekko. And clothes. (Of which we should all buy less, even if it's sustainably made, of course. Not quite there yet. Obviously. Work in progress.) As is pretty obvious by now I adore their designs, patterns and colours, especially the Unikko flower (over the years, hello dresses, pencils, notepads, shower curtain, umbrellas, bag, vest, once upon a time iPhone cover, sneakers, anorak...).

And trying the dress visible in the top photo on the other day I was rather smitten. Even though I would have preferred brighter colours it's not like anything else I have in my wardrobe and I've found it's the type of model that fits me. Today there was a little fashion event in store which I attended and after trying it on again, and again getting so many compliments for it it's a bit embarrassing, but also empowering, I decided to get it. The dress is a blend of bold, classy and playful and will look great with red shoes and accessories/red lipstick.



Given the fact a lot of guests tried the pattern on in various models, I fear there will be a lot of women clad in navy blue Unikko pattern-clothes strolling the streets of Stockholm this spring through. Or maybe it will be a happy change from all the drab, black clad people of Sweden. The new flower power army hits the streets. Oh the joy.

I just couldn't resist taking a picture of a sales girl and a customer wearing the same Unikko kaftan dress, aren't they adorable? The Marimekko theme for spring and summer is Bold by nature. A statement which naturally appeals to me, not sure how bold the average Swede will be though, mixing patterns and colours like this.



But it does look great, so I hope I'm wrong in my assumptions of un-boldness.

The pretty flower cookies on Marimekko offer were vegan and natural superfood cookies, another tick in the Pia boxes of approval.



For Fat Tuesday this year I neither bought a dairyfree semla at a bakery, nor baked my own. Instead I bought ready made semla buns at the grocery store, and they were of a surprisingly lovely quality, whipped soy cream and made my own almond paste. Then assembled them and sprinkled powder sugar on top. They turned out really very tasty.



And so thought the cats and their tiny tongues too. I love how they also embrace plantbased milks and cream. Dairy is scary. Cow's milk is for baby cows. And that's that.

On the subject of that, this weekend I'll most likely attend a vegan forum, with various interesting and important talks. And then I'm all set for another exciting March week. Have lot of great things and workshops booked for the evenings so it will be a busy one.

Cheers and thanks, March, keep on bringing the good stuff!

the highs and lows of february update

Dear potential clients and companies, please do not get in touch asking about my availability and fees and think I'll be so happy to be asked I'll work for free. The right approach would be to actually a) know your own budget and b) do research the market fees. And by all means never ever get back and say things like "unfortunately we have a very limited budget and we've talked this through and we feel this is something a student can do." That is just utterly offensive, disrespectful and unprofessional.

Freelancing business owners and consultants actually do their jobs as a their living. Free-lancing doesn't mean we work for free, I'm sorry that you've misunderstood that. We have more or less experience within our fields, but we're all professionals and that's what you pay for. So go ahead and let a student do it, and you'll get the result you pay (or not) for. And you know, that besides me never wanting to work with you, that I'll never ever recommend you as a client to someone else, right?

And after all these years, no, firmly no, I am a not a serf just because I decided to go my own way and offering my experience and services via my own business instead of being employed.



Now, that's the most annoying thing that happened last week out of the way - and forever available in writing on the internetz. Here's a close-up glimpse of the gorgeous sheep dress I mentioned in the last post, from Palava. It makes me happy.



Zigne has reluctantly paw approved it, but she still thinks it's such weirdness of all weirdnesses that amongst all the animal prints they've designed there are still no cats visible anywhere. She has even let Palava know about that blatant disrespect for the best animal in the whole wide world.



I'm also happy to report that I managed to make the cold a reasonably short one, with all that ginger, citrus and spices, and it was gone within less than a week. Grateful I am.

I've had the new Marimekko coat out for s spin a few times, and I'm doing my very best to look past its lint-and-cat-hair-magnetic-properties. Apart from that annoying trait it's both practical and cute, and a source for compliments apparently. Which is always nice.



On the subject of compliments. I bought some fragrant necesseties at the Body Shop outlet last week - the Moringa body butter is one of my favourite skincare products ever, sad to hear they'll discontinue the extra large jars - and when I had to give my personal number to the cashier she just exclaimed "I must say you really don't look your age!". Upon which I answered, well thank you so much, it must be for all the fabulous skincare products I use.

Which obviously isn't the whole truth. Thank you genes too. And even if noone can stay completely away from heartache, sorrow and pain in life - and noone should, since it's through them we grow into better, more compassionate people - but most of us can at least take care of ourselves, inside out, eat well and stay away from harmful, toxic substances (and situations) that we are aware of.

Swedes usually make a big deal of having to show their identity card at the Systembolaget, to prove they're over 20 years old. As I never shop at Systembolaget - ie I rarely drink alcohol - that has never happened to me. But really, I'd much rather get a skincare professional in a beauty shop saying I look much younger than my age than a cashier selling alcohol.



I also went to the optician last week, and decided on a couple of new glasses so I could finally have sunglass clip-ons. Unfortunately the pair I tried on a while back was sold out at the moment - and here's I thinking I'm so unique, when half of Stockholm apparently chose the same frames, bah - so I chose others. But hopefully these frames will be back in stock soon.

After finding my beloved dotty glasses in 2011 I've never looked back at contact lenses again. I've sadly never found anything similar in frames as those, but I have enjoyed most of my glasses a lot anyway. It's difficult to imagine myself without glasses, they're so much me, a style statement I suppose.

But when the optician asked if I wanted to try on lenses to make it easier to chose frames I said yes. It was such a weird situation, to be able to see so well and not having to watch the world through spectacles. Unfortunately, despite what the Body Shop cashier said, the age apparently show when I wear lenses, I get long-sighted and can't read and write properly close up. Photos and photo editing is just a blur. Thus I'd need reading glasses to have contact lenses. Which was a bit of a shocker actually. Who knew it would be so much easier to just wear glasses?

Still thinking of having a box of lenses available anyway, to wear with all my old sunglasses I never can wear these days (since I'm blind as a bat without my glasses/prescription sunglasses).



Have also had my first lovely semla of the year - from Bagar'n Hornstull, a bakery that have a lot of vegan buns and pastries. The funny thing is that the bakery, situated close to the underground station Hornstull, was around even before I was born. My family lived in that neighbourhood when I was a kid and I remember we shopped breads and buns there even then. 



And I got to meet the army of cuteness and kindness. Pug Baron and labrador Mynta. We could all sleep safely if that was the only army around.





Was reminded that today was the day we were forced to say the final farewell to beloved Little Loaf. An exceptional little character. And since my every attempt so far to welcome a new doggie to this house have been unsuccessful, perhaps he was the one and only woof for me. Well, what's meant to be will be, but you can't help but wonder...



As you might have noticed by the pictures already, the snow and ice have basically melted already and very quickly. Spring is very much in the air, which is quite scary on these latitudes. Much too soon, as in 1-2 months too soon. As much as one usually looks forward to spring and the absence of dark evenings, ice and snow, after last year's horrific hot and exhausting, and all the wild fires, summer I'm seriously afraid of how things will look this year. Climate change moves faster than ever, and the growth is exponential.

And with that in mind everyone should be afraid, seriously worried, demand change and not least change themselves. Yet, so little is done - apart from the amazing school strikes #fridaysforfuture started by the inspirational, smart Greta of course - it is truly heartbreaking.



Then clever copywriting and advertising like this makes me happy. "Have the balls to make the world a better place" by Swedish Stockholm-based vegan family company Vegme - that makes excellent plantbased protein for the present and the future.



A pun is never wrong, in my opinion. And even better when it's actually a tasty pun that can save many innocent lives.



Talking about tasty food that saves lives, I finally attended a much talked about vegan brunch yesterday at the Radisson Blu Royal Park Hotel in Stockholm, suburb Solna. It was great, with a few kinks, and I was really impressed about all that was offered, the inventiveness and ambition of the weekly plantbased event.

I'll share more views and photos of the food in a post of its own - which it certainly deserves! - later this week. For now - a post-vegan-brunch-coma-wefie, with my friend aka Sporty Spice in animal rights garment "Always on the side of the animals" and me in Marimekko, but no less on the side of the animals.



And, February dearie, more goody goody goodness my way, m'kay?
A plethora of gratitude in advance.