bobbaloos and socks

Bobbaloos and socks, two of the best things in life.

I am not ashamed to admit that I have kind of a bobbaloo-wishlist, consisting of colours/colour-combination and personality types. Yes, I'm that crazy. And proud of it. There are worse things to be a bit mad about. And most of us need more madness of the good kind in our lives. The kind of madness goodness that makes a world seriously awry a better place to spend some time in.

On top of said wishlist have been a white and red stripey bob, there's just something especially candylike whimsical to such a character. Not to mention a perfect motif for Christmas cards. With winter approaching I felt it was time to ask Kit kindly for one. And as bobs like to travel in pairs I thought that hey, a red and white stripey bob as company would be perfect for that distinguished role.

And yes, perfect they are, Wartle and Hefflebaum (they obviously play in the same team as Weegurt, Wifflesteinborgen, Miffwinkle and Kinklewort). A birthday-gift to self (and as a note so self here, before the promise to save money).

Of course they have perfect little heinies too.
Like any proper bobbaloo.

After having spent the night chatting excitingly with the rest of the Swedish settlement of small sized woollies they were given their first task today. The inspecting of the latest sock-project. They approved with gusto. (One sock nearly finished, week not over yet, perhaps there will be another one done by end of week.) And then asked about whether their magical sleeeping pouches will be finished some time soon or not. Because having a proper bobbaloo rest is so much easily achieved in a magical bed. So hurry up with those, please, human woolandneedler.

All bobbaloos are lovingly handmade by Kit Lane

sew psyched

It's been a rather exhausting day. Most of the birthday getaway photos aren't uploaded to Flickr yet. There are lots of thoughts swirling around in my head. Mostly good ones though. I'm not sure what to write about today, but write I must, so here goes a bit of randomness. Again.

~ Washed my hair in a new colour care shampoo today. Cucumber and green tea shampoo. When you sniff the bottle it's all delightful green tea, when you wash with it it's all cucumber. Quite delightful.

~ Opening a new bottle like that relentlessly reminds me it's well overdue for a pre-in-post-shower list/review  of skincare stuff. I haven't done one since August 2010. A few bottles have been used up since. Some more pleasing than others. Sharing is caring. November beauty it is.

~ I had a really good meeting this morning. In preparations for my new beginning. I hope to be reasonably ready and prepared (as well as one can be) for the next step in two weeks. Touch wood. I know I'm a stickler for details and I had prepared for this meeting. But when it was quite obvious I had thought my plans through much more than I'm guessing, by the way we talked, the average "planner of new beginnings" does, well it was rather anticlimactic.

I had anticipated someone to point out weaknesses in my ideas and strategy, but no it was a "this looks great!" and as flattering as that might be is, I was slightly nonplussed. Perhaps because I am a worrying kind, the little lawyer in me always wanting to be prepared for the worst. Be as that may, it's at times like this I feel I'm probably a little bit grown-up anyway. A good feeling of grown-upness.

I got a few nifty tips and it was overall a very positive, unpretentious meeting. We scheduled another one in a month. I hope to have something teensy-weensy going by then. It's about time.

~ At the meeting it was also stressed the importance of treating and encouraging oneself along the way. (Something I've, needless to say, always been wholeheartedly positive about.) I consider a pretty nailpolish a perfect treat. Also, a long search for that particular colour has now been put to satisfied rest.

~ Today was also the day of the (hopefully) last root canal. It has been a painful (even if I think I've been a brave trooper during the procedure, that much I have to say) and expensive experience. That amount of money could have been put to so much good, it is beyond annoying the whole ordeal. But admittedly, I'm also kind of proud of myself for having endured it all.

~ Obviously I had two reasons to get that new nailpolish.

~ I also sported another lovely nailpolish today. All dusty, dull green prettiness. It has a most appropriate name for what I want to feel and be right now. I even think it'll be my mantra and my motto for November. Sew psyched. Yes. Definitely.

Do you have a November motto? If so, what and why?

where have you been all my life, t-sac?

I do have a few favourite tea-strainers - the good quality ones that don't break or are warped thus let all the tea leafs out in the cup and are easy to clean - but my experience is also that they aren't very dependable in the long run, they break, they get warped and very many aren't that easy to clean. But so far, I do adore my little robot guy.

Though ever since we saw and tried these nifty (biodegradable chlorine-free) tea filters for loose tea past summer I've been looking for them. In vain until now. Suddenly the loose tea drinking seems much more effortless - yes, apparently we are just that tad bit lazy... - somehow. I would like to compost them though.

Yes, overall it seems rather a waste that a household with so much teabags and vegetable peels not has a compost, I know. There was two large horrible looking plastic compost bins when we moved in here (10 years ago). I got rid of those eyesores after a few years and have been meaning to get something smaller, modern, less visible and convenient since. One of my goals for this year was actually to finally get one. I haven't. And I don't plan to start looking now, during winter.

So I'm thinking one might make a DIY project compost, something small and simple. Kind of 'for teabags only'. To begin with. Until spring. I obviously need to Google 'make your own compost'. While drinking more loose tea and throughly enjoying my new friend the t-sac.

for the week to come

I'm looking forward to:

~ taking some more steps towards my new life (incl the revamping of my office space)

~ finishing a couple of socks and a few magical sleeping pouches

~ foot feeling better

~ meeting a new friend for fika - food - whateverish

~ possibly trying out a brand new café

~ sporting some new socks

~ baking and filling the freezer

~ welcoming a couple of small sized woollies - remember tomorrow is the last day of entry in the bobbaloo book giveaway

~ getting a big box of goodies from MOO

~ finishing another book


I'm not looking forward to:

~ the (hopefully) last root filling on Tuesday

~ the gloomy weather promised for the first week of November (winter), forecast says cloudy glum until nest Saturday. Not that I trust the forecast, but still... (Happy we made it all through October this year without snow though.)


I'm glad there are more things to look forward to than not.

So, what are you looking forward to respective not so this upcoming week?

on the last october weekend

Sadly the pink flowers will most certainly be scarce on my weekend - but briefly a week ago they were mine to admire - the blue skies probably too.

But there'll be reshuffling of furniture to make room for a brighter future (in many ways) and, what I hope is, an entertaining movie. That will do. Quite possibly inauguration of purple shoes. And baking of cakes. That's quite nice too.

Whatever you're up to this last October weekend - dear month, you've been quite a good month, I'm sad to see you leave -

I hope you'll have a lovely one!  

post-travel reflections

It was lovely to get a bit of sun, warmth and change of scenery. It was indeed a pretty, picturesque city (more of later) with nice things to see and do, but there where also two drawbacks that make it less than likely it'll qualify for my "favourite-cities-list".

1) To say the least it lacked a lot where vegetarian food was concerned (thank you cheap Indian restaurant near the hotel, it wasn't your fault the breakfasts and lunches were far from decent).

And apart from the lovely vegetarian/vegan restaurant we went to on my birthday - thank you so so much for your kind wishes! - I found both the lack of fresh vegetables served with food (I want my carrots!) and an overall organic thinking quite observable. In this day and age, when it's so easy to get information thus make a change this leaves me sad and yes, I admit it does put a dampen on a holiday. For me.

2) Pretty much every street was cobbled. Looked lovely - one can only imagine the work once upon a time gone into this... - was hell to walk on. I'm used to walking a lot and for hours on city streets, the feet may be tired, but they're never sore. Until now. Jeez...

In my early teens I had issues with calcaneal spur on my right foot. It petered out and has never caused any major problems. Well, until now. Suddenly, major pain in right heel after having walked uphill, downhill for a day - in sensible shoes, always - forcing me to compensate with the left leg, which gave twinges of pain in my left knee which couldn't be ignored. I actually couldn't help myself but bawled my eyes out twice on the streets of an unknown city. Luckily taxi was cheap.

So. It was a getaway with both sweet and sour moments, some more ignorable than others. But as always, it gave useful perspectives on my way of life, on the Swedish way of life, the good and the bad. And after all, inspiration and perspectives, that's what travelling is all about. For me.

It also brought a pair of pretty shoes. Good travelling does that too. Purple, brogue, oxfords, what's not to adore? Hopefully they will also prove to be comfortable to walk in - once feet are more their usual selves again - and then I will show and tell more. Because shoe posts are good posts, right? Right.



PS Travel literature was good too, haven't finished it yet, but will very soon DS

happy birthday to me ~

Last year I wrote this on my birthday. But it's not until very recently I've seen those changes coming and some comments in this post played a part in that. I am grateful for those words of comfort that made me think, and then again.

When this post gets published I'm hoping we're walking, the not so rainy, streets of a beautiful European city, doing some castle spotting, having coffee and custard pie (the local speciality) in the afternoon, a lovely vegetarian dinner in the evening. Possibly a pair of shoes/boots will be found during the day that calls my name. What more could one ask for on a birthday?

When we're back home again in a few days I'll be a busy busy bee and a very excited such, but for now, a few days away is simply a perfect way to spend that one annual day in.

One year older, one year wiser,
may next year be a good one, a wiser one.

travel literature

Picked up two new books to have as travel literature - as if the piles unread I have already wasn't enough to chose from, but there's just something irresistable with a brand new book bought for a specific purpose I think - a Swedish suspense novel that many have raved about "Döden på en blek häst" (Death on a pale horse) by Amanda Hellberg. Set in Oxford, where the author apparently lives herself.

Admittedly I am very hesistant to try out new Swedish crime novelists, because there are so many crap of them around. Bestselling, often translated too and I can't for my life understand why, but alas the yearn for rubbish literature seems endless. But the gorgeous cover alone made me intrigued, the plot too. I began reading it at the kitchen table when I got home and was immediately drawned into the story. Had to restrain myself from continuing, it is after all something I want to enjoy on a long flight. But hey, how wonderful it was, the rekindle of the feeling of not really wanting to put a book down!

I also got John Irving's latest, "Last night in Twisted River". Given I wasn't very fond of his previous one - sadly, since he is one of my favourite writers ever - it was a bit hesitantly I did so. This time I got it in Swedish, half of his books I've read in Swedish half in English, many books lose a lot of their identity in translation, but his has always been excellently translated. I hope this one will have been too.

I will probably put down a half-read book (due to the losing reading-mojo issue) in my bag too, hopefully a spark has been lit and it would be magical if I could finish an old-ish book to!

Time for packing the suitcase, we're off tomorrow - to the not so secret destination - and will land in Sweden again by the end of next week. The Internet connection at destination sin't boding to well, so the tales to tell and photos to show will have to wait until return. Cat-, dog- house-sitter is installed. The forecast for the destination shows rain, rain, rain, I bet it's just because I whined a bit about it not being a destination I had hoped for. Wanted autumn weather streets to stroll, got it. Just when I had gotten used to the idea of summerish weather and sun. Ah well, I'm sure it'll be fabulous anyway.

I hope your weekend will be lovely and
the October week to come too -

and hey, don't forget to enter the my-first-book-giveaway if you feel like something joyous ~

nick brandt at fotografiska

Nick Brandt have been one of my favourite photographers for some years now. The soulful beauty and sorrow his animal pictures exudes is simply stunning and mindblowing. Today we visited the Fotografiska (Photographical) museum to see his exhibition "On This Earth, A Shadow Falls". I wept my way around the room, I weep writing this.

For all the innocent life the egoistic mankind in complete lack of compassion so willingly extinguish. There's just something so completely and utterly wrong with a too large part of the human race. For that I weep.

Part of the exhibition was also a fine little filmed interview with Nick Brandt, where he talked about his work, the African animals, the human overexploitation and poaching. In 2010 he founded the Big Life Foundation dedicated to the preservation of African wildlife and ecosystems. You can donate money, buy prints and there's also a gorgeous signed photo book (I would love to get for Christmas) to support this more than worthy cause.

The exhibition "On This Earth, A Shadow Falls" with overpowering photos by Nick Brandt is on at Fotografiska - a wonderful museum with a lovely café on the top floor, with a stunning water view over Stockholm, and a nice gift shop, very much worth a visit when in Stockholm - from October 6 to January 8, 2012. Go see. Bring tissues. And donate.

scarves ~ one finished, one in progress

Sock knitting season hasn't quite begun yet and I'm trying to take it easy with the crocheting - to not work that apparently now sensitive thumb grip too much... - but I finally put the last details to one scarf (which still needs to be stretched properly) I begun knitting last summer. Tie-dyed cotton yarn in fab subdued apricot-beige hues.

And for some reason the Scandinavian bobbaloo settlement always have some eager colour matching beings up for photo posing, no matter colour of yarn. Not quite decided if that's a good or bad thing. Or simply a natural side-effect of yarn and bobbaloo addiction fondness.

The work in progress is my first attempt at the ripple pattern. I don't know what took me so long, it's so easy and make for such a lovely result in any project, big or small. This is of course also a scarf - yes, I am guilty to an addiction fondness for scarves too. Apart from shoes and handbags, the perfect scarf will lift any outfit, possibly even any day - nearly done, some essential details and finishing touches, then it's ready for spring wearing 2012. Pretty in pink, mint-green and violet cotton.

Now what yarn project to begin next...

How's your yarn projects for autumn coming along? Anything finished yet? For yourself or others?