helsinki thoughts and snaps

I'm glad to report that despite health issues - and no, still not feeling better... - the little trip to Helsinki was fabulous! It really is such a pretty city, filled with wonderful and interesting architecture, fantastic design, nice people - although I was very surprised how few that seemed to speak Swedish this time around compared to some 10 years ago when we were there last... - I'll write a proper "random thoughts on..." about it soon, but for now, here are a few snaps from the recent week, when two Swedish trolls roamed the streets of the city (picture evidence above).



A beautiful city no matter weather...



which offers shoe choice issues galore...



stylish places to eat...



trams to fall completely in love with...



... though not the best place to visit if you want lots of vegetarian food options, although one particular place may be all that you need...



swoonworthy architecture everywhere...



surprising cafés and...



Marimekko temptation EVERYWHERE...

Now, how was your week?

aha honey honey

I've never liked honey, too sweet, too distinct a flavour and all those times you were *forced* to drink honey water or honey milk when you had a cold as a child, brr... But my mum is a great fan of honey, a honey addict even and today is her birthday. So honey it is.

Tomorrow we'll go on the Helsinki-trip after all, too much trouble postponing it, so here's to what hopefully will be a lovely trip despite health not being what it should be! The honey mum deserves a good treat.

In my efforts to cut down on and eventually hopefully exclude dairy products from my diet - because I've finally reached the point were the dairy industry utterly disgusts me - I've found that honey round of the taste of tea in a similar way to milk. Unfortunately I've also found that loose tea in general has a more bitter tang to it than tea bags, honey just can't disguise that.

Soy- oats-, almond- etc milk isn't an option, it may work with coffee, but completely ruins tea flavour. Thus I'm working my way through different kinds of honey to see if I can find a favourite for tea.

Do you have any favourite honey brand/flavour? How do you take your tea? And what do you use instead of dairy products in general?

current things that make me smile

A few *things* I'm enjoying right now - with the current state of Pia being a battle with the cold-virus-whateverish, energy level is perhaps not zero but still very close to that. Half way through the course of penicillin and other medicines, not nearly my usual self yet but at least the air pipes allowing me to breath more properly again - are as follows;

Sharing the very shabby sofa - that will meet its maker once the blue boys have moved, no need to get a "new" sofa until then - with these three loveable oddballs. And hey, make that four.

The very stylish (not) shaving of little loaf, complimentary the vet. Well at least it's very airy, low maintentance and will grow back.

And then there's a new iPhone in da haus, bobbaloo inspected of course. Basically the only, or at least the very main, reason for updating is the way better optics. I rarely carry around the DSLR in my handbag these days, I never use a compact, but make do with the iPhone - it's good to challenge one's quality standards and such... - thus this is a good and versatile little gadget. The Prosit gadget. Which of course needs a decent protective case. There are so many nice ones around, it's tricky to chose. But it's a nice issue, a proper, silly luxuary problem to take one's weary mind of other issues in the current state of me.

Plus; there are scillas in the garden.

april 15, 2012 randomness

A hundred years ago today, the "unsinkable" Titanic went to the bottom of the ocean, 1514 people losing their lives. For as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by this story, and for as long as I can remember I've been afraid of deep water, and very sceptical about ships and boats. Yes I travel by boat sometimes, but I'd rather not. Although I've never let myself become absorbed by its destiny the story of Titanic somehow resonates deep inside of me. What fragile lives we live. And despite all the technical wonders nature always have the last word.

They showed the mini-series Titanic on TV here today. As much as I adore Julian Fellowes other series this was just a too short, abrupt, anticlimactic series to be really good or interesting. Which is a pity of course, given many things including the great actors.


~ My recent appointment with Dr Feist sadly did not lead to an instant approvement of my strange and wearying "cold". Needless to say, I don't like it when you get to the doctor, a specialist, and she acts baffled at the symptoms and then the tests show nothing obviously out of order. It was a nice chat, I got some medicine and if things didn't improve I was welcome back. Not what I had hoped for. If I may self-diagnose I'd say it's a combination of pollen allergics - I, who have never ever been allergic to anything ever - and a cold, which has drained me completely of energy, concentration and mojo.

Given all the medicine I'm eating now - another I, who basically never eat medicine - I'm hoping things will perk up again. Soon. I'd lie if I'd say I'm looking forward to the rather imminent Helsinki-trip right now, hopefully we can postpone it for health reasons. If the medicine doesn't work.

Just to blog about the crap things in life often make them seem less crap, make things better. Perhaps, hopefully this is such a thing that will indeed improve by blogging.

~ Malte was back to the vet for a check-up on Friday, he's basically his old self since the orderal, but apparently he's showing signs of testucular neoplasms, poor thing. Thus needing to be neutered soon. Eight plus years of not having a single ailment, now they line up. Poor sweet little loaf guy.

Another thing to worry about.

Life sure isn't only smooth sailing, and it of course isn't suppose to be, it's the rough patches that make us become better, more compassionate beings, but really, sometimes it would be nice to at least have a few connective months of good stuff only. Please. Since there will always be things that need sorting, dealing with even if life is in turmoil, smooth sailing months will thus be very appreciated, life, allowing one to get  into routines.

I chose Prosit as my business' name for many reasons, one being it means "may it benefit you" in Latin. At the moment I have *tad* difficult to see how all this will benefit anyone, me included. 2012 began so darn well, apparently I just shouldn't expect it to continue going well uninterrupted for too long.

Kittens, bobbaloos and spring flowers are always good for soul and mind though.

the blue boys

The cutest thing about this past Easter weekend was definitely this - the arrival of the blue boys!

I bet you didn't see that coming, huh? But yes, as I said before, I was hoping for these two litters, the Z-girls have been such a joy (apart from the first week...) and I do hope and think these guys will be too. Until they move to new forever, loving home at 12 weeks to spread the joy only a cat can do in those new homes.

The birth was one of the most uncomplicated I've ever been part of. From start to finish in a couple of hours.  I woke up one night of a squeaking thinking I had accidentally locked in Zigne somewhere, but instead there was a tiny one born under the orange armchair - diligently overseen by Zigne though. I moved Viola into her kitten box and the firstborn was shortly followed by two brothers. Quite the opposite to the Siri-Ztina-Zigne-experience...

It's been ages since I had kittens in the classic blue colour and I'm so pleased - and surprised in a way, that they all are blue even if one is bluespotted - about their colour. They are fat little boys and have been growing steadily since birth. Viola is a slender, small cat, Siri is a big, sturdy, very British Shorthair looking cat, one would think that their respective births and kittens would apply to the other mum, but apparently nature thinks otherwise.

Both Ztina and Zigne are very curious about the tinies and their squeals in the kitten box, it's going to be so much fun when they're old enough to play, although there'll probably be times like this and then this.

The boys' names are - alphabetical, enjoying the Swedish alphabet, English castles as well as a wordplay - Åskar Oxburgh, Ågaton Alnwick (bluespotted) and Årvar Orford.

Rutger never got to be a dad one last time, before he was neutered, but now he's a maternal granddad at least. The blue boys are the seventh generation of Luddkolt's cats. I'm quite proud of that, yes it took me nearly 20 years to get here, but then again, you can't rush neither quality nor care.

perky gardening 2012

Easter weekend was quiet, some of the things on my wishlist was granted by the Easter hare, some not. The weird cold did not go away alas. Well into my third week of blah I'm so glad I have an appointment with Dr Feist tomorrow. Since 2009 it seems like April and May have been generally bad health months for me, too bad, since they are such nice Scandinavian months, generally.

When I'm feeling better again I will be most happy to make use of my new pruning-shears, yay I got the violet one named Viola! And a matching little spade, because matching is good for you. Plus an extra shears on super sale. Red. And a little scissors for the key-chain. Yellow. All from classic Finnish design company Fiskars.

Last Easter, violet shoes, this year violet pruning shears and a spade.

I'm again reminded about the fact that I lack an Easter yellow bobbaloo. And a violet one. To name a few. Oh dear.

How about you, have you bought something nice and new for your garden work this season?

byno and chanel coco blue

Yes, in case you hadn't noticed before, in my world having a colour matching bobbaloo for every occasion is very important.

When it comes to nailpolish I do heart the blues and the greens, red and pink just isn't my cup of fingernails tea - yes, that wordplay was a tad gross, sorry - so even if the cost of an OPI polish is my general limit I did splash on this Chanel one recently. I drooled over it when I first spotted it in a magazine some months ago, but it didn't arrive in the shops here until just now. So I had plenty of time to make a little market research about price vs quality and people seem to think that a Chanel polish is THE polish where these two go hand in hand.

There's a blue Chanel spring trio this year, this one being the lightest one, in a hue that reminds me of pale 80ies jeans (hate them) but which luckily is pretty awesome on nails. The two darker blues, prettier imho, where just too similar to some of my other blue polishes, so I went with this one. It hasn't chipped yet, but then again this past week has been a slow one and I haven't exactly worked with my hands as I usually do. But I enjoy it very much, it's perky, pretty and unusual. It looks great with pale winter skin, I'm thinking it will look wonderful with a tan.

Yes, you can spend your money more wisely, for many reasons, but sometimes a nailpolish is the perfect little treat, for many other reasons.

What's your favourite nailpolish colour? Any special brand?

the yellow lovikka mittens

Just a little something yellow to perk you up, in case having a long Easter weekend doesn't completely do it for you, I give you the Lovikka mittens completely finished well before Easter. Of course they won't be inaugurated until next winter (hopefully at least seven months from now), but they have been test-driven by bobbaloos.

The comfort gets thumbs up by Seth and Miffwinkle - the height endured does not. Some bobbaloos thrive with heights, others do not. Obviously.

The yellow mittens also made me realise there are actually some colours missing, really, in the Scandinavian bobbaloo settlement. Like Easter yellow and cerise pink, to name a couple.

Classic Swedish Lovikka mittens usually come with a tassle, created so you can easily hang them up to dry after being out in the snow. I usually skip the tassle, but I made one on this pair. Not sure if they add something or simply look gaunt attached to the woolly big mitten, I could of course make them thicker with more yarn, this was just an easy way to secure the loose ends.

In making the mittens I also, once again, thought about how pink, in some version of its colour awesomeness, always adds that special thing to anything. Mmm, I'm so glad I chose its creative perfectness for the office, the pink office.

Now, back to the tulip project for me.

happy easter 2012 ~

Little Loaf is doing well (touch wood). He's naturally not too happy about his plastic funnel, but he has also discovered it's a great new way to chase kittens, you can kind of scoop them up in the funnel if they're not fast enough (which they sadly, from his point of view, always are).

I've also realised that giving antibiotics to dogs aren't like giving it to cats, I don't trick cats to take them, I simply force them, and yes we are still friends, the felines and I. A dog obviously needs to be tricked, there's no way I can force his jaws open to something he doesn't agree on. But on the other hand he's oh so easily tricked, anything hidden in a small edible matter is happily swallowed.

The medicine gives him new and interesting flatulence habits. Delightful. Or not. But after this ordeal he can fart all he wants (in moderation over time of course).

Now all I want from Easter, my very favourite holiday, this year is as follows;

~ getting rid of the cold, for real
~ finish something yarny, like the, ahem, tulip project... and
~ possibly paint some furniture
~ a new pruning-shears - I lost my best one (don't know where, don't know when) some years ago, I have my eyes set on a fab violet one called Viola...
~ good sleeps and lovely fikas
~ I would also love to have a yellow Easter Hoptimist, a Chick or a Chuck, but sadly they were sold out when I returned to shop... I suppose I could order online, but that's just not as much fun

Next week I promise to have sweet news of this and that plus of course announce the tea giveaway winners - yes, it would have been nice to have done that in time for Easter, I know...

Oh, I almost forgot that Ms March is of course followed by Ms April - but no it's a long time yet until the wood anemones arrive, probably by late April.



now I will just wish you all a wonderful, relaxing,
kind and caring Easter time,
happy weekend!

the most pitiful little loaf in the world

The past few days have been pretty much as far from fun, interesting and lovely as one can come - well, I know there are much worse things in life, of course, but nevertheless craptastic they've been - as if me having continued feeling tired to the bone, generally hapless and uninspired wasn't enough - it's a weird cold of some sorts, I won't bother you with the details, but they symptoms are strange and the process very atypical from anything I've experienced before. I'm hoping the Easter weekend will make it go away, if not I suppose I'll have to go and see Doctor Feist next week -

Malte aka little loaf aka loaf dog extraordinaire showed symptoms of not being his usual self either. On Friday afternoon he was tired and started limping on one leg. We hoped he'd get better or at least not worse until my usual vet was back at work on Monday, but when he wasn't eating, drinking, peeing or wanting to walk at all on Sunday we went to the veterinary hospital. With a very dirty, unhappy dog in bad need of a Spring shaving - those extra things that makes one feel like a really bad dog owner.

It was just a horrible visit, I thought it might be some sort of tick-related virus - yes those nasty things have already shown up for the season - but the vet kept insisting it most probably was intervertebral disk displacement, which would mean a very dire, lengthy, perilous, costly process with a bad prognosis "and given his overweight...". Needless to say I was insulted and aghast, angry and devastated, not only was she very categorical with the diagnosis she was also clearly one of those persons who don't know the Norfolk terrier breed. He was admitted to the clinic and they would call us the next day. Home we went with only the leash. One of the saddest situations one can find oneself in.

I talked things through with a dog breeding friend and she assured me things couldn't be as bad, that the vets on call during weekends aren't specialists etc. It made me feel better, but I didn't sleep a wink that night. The next day a very cheerful vet called me and said little loaf was much better, that he rested and walked on his leg again after having had antibiotics. And the issue was something as bizarre as a wound on his left hindleg pad which had led to an infection making its way up to left testicle which also was swollen and infected. Do I have to mention I was once again appalled by the weekend vet who didn't see this but instead basically gave him a death sentence?

The cheerful vet said he wanted to keep him at the clinic another day so he could observe the swelling. Today M picked him up after work. Little loaf isn't his usual self, with all the things he has been through and the antibiotics who would be, but at least he is eating, drinking and likes a cuddle. And he was returned with a strange, but airy shaving, bathed and with his claws clipped, thumbs up for that. For the next ten days there's an impressive amount of wound-care, ointments and antibiotics to be given. Plus he needs to wear one of those plastic funnels. Not a happy loaf. Not very happy cats.

Poor, poor bunny loafie. But I suppose that the fact that he has been completely injured free for 8,5 years is quite an achievement for a dog. I'm glad he's well-insured. And I'm so much more than glad that the initial vet with an obvious lack of competence wasn't the one who continued to take care of loafie. And happiest of all I am that he's back home again!

You are more than welcome to send good vibes and healing thoughts for his speedy recovery.

Not the nicest way to start April, on that we and the most pitiful little loaf in the world agree.