That was Christmas...

Ok, I have now done my Christmas for this year. This week I hve been to two what we call "julbord" (straight translation "Christmas Table"). That is a traditional Swedish Smorgasbord [ˌsmœrɡɔsˈbuːɖ] Christmas Style. In other words - more food then you could ever eat and still feel good afterwards.... This week I learnt that you "should" eat seven, yes 7, plates of food at at a julbord!! I don't think so....
It all starts with "the cold". That means herrings in lots of differnet sauses, salmon in lots and lots of ways, different kinds of meat and sausages and the traditional Christmas Ham.
After the cold comes the warm - tha is more sausages, now a different sort, meatballs, fish, ribs, Jansons (a potato dish with anjovis). After the warm food comes the deserts.... That table is soooo big and only loads of sweets of differnet kinds... And all this you have to eat at one go!!! Luckely there is the snaps to help!!! =)

Two of these julbord in one week is rather hectic for my tummy!!
The second one was a favorite since it was at a fish place, so most of the food was fish!! Lovely!

These two julbord was my Christmas this year.
In two days I leave this country with snow, cold and darkness for some sunshine!!
I hope to be able to send some news from there, but I can't make any promices...

MERRY CHRISTMAS
and
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Time flies...

We are already nine days in to December. 

Just a few days left this year.

Where did 2008 go? 

It feels like yesterday we started this year and I tried to make some plans for the new year that was laying untouched in front of me... It turned out to be a rather hectic year. 

If I look back I can see that it's been a long time - but still, 

I have done so much this year I can't believe it.

 I have collected so many great memories.

I'm really looking forward to see what next year will bring.

Right now I have no big plans for 2009 and that is a little frustrating... =)

I have some wishes.... let's see if any of them will come true!

But first - let's make sure to get a good end to 2008.

Turn on the lights please...

This morning I was very tired and a little late. Got to bed too late last night - again!!

The car is in for service and I had to go to work. As I mentioned I was a bit late and it takes me about 25 minutes to walk to work. I wasn't too worried since I my working hours are pretty flexible.So, I got ready for my morning walk. This time of year it is a mission to get ready to leave the house. It is cold; you need lots of warm clothes. It is dark; you'd better make sure you are visiable. Use reflectors!! Please!

Dressed in a heavy jacket, hat, gloves and a reflector vest I came out on the street and realized it was wet, a small rain - but NOT frozen! Wow - I could take my bicycle! I had put the bike away for the winter, but today was good enough weather for riding my bike to work. I got back up to my flat to fetch my bicycle helmet, down to the basement to get the bike and of to work. 

It was now about 7.15 am and it is pitch black outside and with the rain it gets even darker... if possible!! 

When I talk to people living in other parts of the world, who doesn't get this darkness they often ask if it's not hard and depressing. Normally I don't mind the darkness that much. I'm used to it and in a way it is rather nice when the dark days come when you can sit inside and light up a bunch of candles. But this morning it was darker then dark and pretty boring.

The sun was suppose to rise behind all the clouds at about 8.35am this morning. And when the world started to appear outside the window it was a surprise. It was snowing!! It kept snowing for a while and that lightened up the world around us a bit. At 3.45pm the sun set again and we were back in darkness. The snowfall had stopped and it got colder.

When I left work at about 6.30pm it was as dark as in the morning. The snow had turned into ice and it was VERY slippery!! I had to take my bicycle and WALK back home! In the

 dark!! 

We really need some snow now to lighten up our world! 

I'm very happy that I'm off to the sun in a few days time!! =)

What is unfair....

A question often asked by most of us is: Why is life so unfair?

Well, who will ever be able to answer that?? 

If I should give it a try I would start by asking myself, what is unfair? I think that is what we have to answer first. Before we can get to the reason why. But then again, who can answer the question; what is?

I guess that is up to each and every one of us. What is unfair to me might not be unfair to you. Most probably not. The answer we give ourselfs on that question will be based on our own experienses in life. 

So when life treats you unfair, why is it that it is so hard to feel that without a guilty consience. "There is always someone doing worse than me!" 

So? Whatever you go through that makes you feel bad is worst for you, whatever anyone else say. Don't said you won't respect the other person and maybe even feel sorry for them.

I'm suffering from what hopefully is the last shivering of a very bad cold. This last week has been rather ugly... since I'm never ill and very seldom get colds like this I would normally think it is rather unfair to put me through this! 

But, the question is, am I allowed to? 

I'm surrounded by friends that are really hit by injustice. For them it's not a cold that gives a runny nose for a few days and makes you feel under the weather for a week - for them it is severe illnesses, death, devorse and things like that.

These things are terrible and yes, I would say unfair! 

But again - am I allowed to think my bad cold is unfair while these people are suffering!!?

A would say yes. Cos for me it doesn't mean I respect them less or feel less sorry for them. 

To all my friends out there that are suffering and right now sees life as very unfair;

You are all in my thoughts. Hang in there - it might not be easy to see, but most often something good will come out of a very bad situation. 

I love you lots....

Time is like a river

You cannot tousch the same water twice,

because the flow that has passed will never pass again.

Enjoy every moment of life.....

(Stolen from a friend's very wellwritten blog)

The 2008 Goat

The Gävle Goat (known in Swedish as the Julbocken i Gävle or Gävlebocken) is a giant version of a traditional Swedish Yule Goat figure made of straw. The goat has famously been the target of frequent arson attacks andvandalism, so much so that over the years they have been guarded by the police, webcams, soldiers, volunteers and dogs; whilst the city officially discourages the attacks on the goat, they have brought it recognition and tourism from around the world.
The first goat was built 1966 and since then it has only survived 11 times. It's been burnt down 22 times.
The tradition sais the goat is built and is inaugurated on the Sunday of The Christmas Fair which is most often the 1st of Advent. This years goat was built on Thursday and will declared "open" this afternoon. The plan is that he will stand there until New Year. We'll just see what happends.

This year he has no fire proof, so we'll see how long it takes til he goes up in flames!!
The tradition sais that if he is put on fire before Lucia (13th Dec) he will be rebuilt. I don't know what they have said this year.

The 2008 goat is dressed in straw coming from the barley used at the local Whiskey Distillery, Mackmyra!

Some Goat facts:
Total weight: 3,6 tonnes (of which straw is 1,3 tonnes)
Total height: 13 meters
Height of back: 7,6 meters
Length: 7 meters
Red Ribbons: 79,5 meters
The Goat's legs: 2 meters in diameter
Lights in the horns: 24



Unfortunately all the lovely snow we got in the ned of last week and the beginning of this week was taken away by the rain and high temperatures we got a few days ago. The poor Goat has to do with a gray rainy day on his big day!!
I went there this morning when it's still "light" to get some great pictures of him for you.



If you wish to read more about the Worlds biggest Christmas Goat and keep an eye on him through the webcam please visit the following links.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gävle_goat
http://www.gavle.se/ - press the english flag and find "The Christmas Goat" in the meny to the left.

Happy 1st Advent!

Hello - I'm back..... again!!

Tell me, why is it so hard to keep this blog going!? I really enjoy writing here about everything and nothing... things happening to me during the day, thoughts I get, dreams I get during the nights or the days... As I said - anything and/or nothing!

I must say, I don't know!

Maybe that's a good resaon to get my self together and get back to the keyboard!! 

I've had an interesting time this fall. After the summer it all started. My first adventure was a businesstrip to Canada. I did Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and back to Toronto in five days.. Seven meetings and lots of flying!! An interesting trip that resulted in an agent for our Elk!! The trip ended with a stop over in Reykjavik, Iceland. A rainy day with Whale watching and a dip in the Blue Lagoon.

I wasn't home long after my trip to Canada when I left for Beijing and the Paralympic Games!! What an experience!! Had a lovely time there! Before the Wheelchair Rugby started I got to climb the Great Wall, visit the Summer Palace, visit the pandas, do some shopping and much more. 

When I got back home a friend at work told she wanted to go on a trip to the sun and warmth during this fall. What a heck - I'll come!! =)

So last weekend we got back from a 7 days cruise in Western Caribben! We boarded the worlds biggest vessel, Liberty of the Seas!! (Ok, before someone tells me, I know they are three sisters of he same size). What a ship!!! And what a trip!! Very intersting and luxurious! Best of all - relaxing!! 

Just one thing - now after I got back I have caught a nasty cold... There has to come something bad out of something good I guess??!

OK! Now you are updated... I will now TRY to keep it up!! So, hopefully I'll see you soon agin - if there is anyone out there that haven't given up!! =)

The Gold hunt has started....

2008.08.08 has passed and it is now started - the "circus" in Beijing!! I had a new excperiense for the Opening Ceremony. Since it started in China at 8pm it was 2pm here in Sweden I had tolisten to the Opening Ceremony on the radio in the car. That was different!? Very interesting... I got to my friends just as the flame entered the Birds nest... so I got to see that amazing lightening live. 

Later in the evening I watched a resume from the opening. A fantastic show! 

And today, on the second day of competition we got our first medal! A silver medal in Women Road Race! Well done!! 

Hopefully that is just a great start for Sweden in this Olympic Games... Let's hope so!!

Long time no seen!!!

It's been about three months since I was here. These three months was rather hectic and somethings had to stand back, this blog was one of them. I will try and visit you more frequently but I can't make any promices.... 

So, what's happend these three months... I won't go into details cos then we will be here for the rest of the summer... 

Let's see, since middle April I have:

• spend 4 weekends seeing my friends in Sunne and Torsby

• been to the same area for work once

• visited a big food, bakery and wine expo in Stockholm

• visited Interpack (big packaging expo) in Düsseldorf, Germany

• visited my family in Skåne (Scania) twice

• attended the last weekend of Wheelchair Rugby in Stockholm.

• run 5 km in a race for women.

• been to Beijing a week for the final NTO course for the Paralympics.

• been to 2 wine tastings

• reached the quarter finals at the 2008 Hea Open Outdoor Dart tournament

• done a three day course for our new CAD system at work

• visited Copenhagen and won a price for best Display.

• had mum, dad and the littel dog for a weeks visit.

• been to Deventer, The Netherlands for a meeting

and much much more......

This means I have:

• been on a flight 11 times

• visited 6 different airports - (Arlanda Airport Stockohlm - 11 times)

• unfortunatilly only had the time to do 10 sessions at the gym

• worked lots and lots of over time - longest day = in 06.04 - out 19.38

• spend not more than 5 weekends at home....

• and packed my bag about 15 times and not unacked it fully more than maybe twice...

So, it has been a hectic time these last few months. Lots of great things done, but sometimes too much at the same time. And it is not over yet... 

there is still lots going on!!!

Hopefully I will get back here to tell you about it every now and then...

While I'm here I can recommend you all to go see the movie "Mamma Mia". A brilliant movie based on the music from Swedish Worldfamous ABBA. I loved it!! 

See you......

Signs of Spring!?

Picture from www.gb.se

För nästan två veckor sedan kom jag hem efter min härliga tripp till Kapstaden. Ett underbart avbrott i vardagen. Sol, värme, god mat och dryck och en hel massa upplevelser var precis vad jag behövde för att komma ur dvalan jag hamnat i under den mörka vintern.

Jag var borta hela mars och hoppades så klart att efter den dåliga vinter vi haft att jag skulle mötas av en begynnade vår när jag kom tillbaka. Måste erkänna att jag var ganska nöjd när jag satt i solskenet där nere och hörde att det var snö och kallt hemma.

Men det fick jag för. De första dagarna efter hemkomst regnade det i stort sett konstant!

En och annan solglimt skymtade förbi, men det var mest grått grått grått!! Så förra lördagen kom den, våren! En fantastiskt vacker dag, som jag spenderade i tvättstugan för att ta hand om all resetvätt!! Tänkte att jag tar igen det på söndagen och ger mig ut i friska luften. 

Eller hur!! Söndag morgon och det spöregnar igen!! *suck*

Och vad händer efter det... Jo, då kommer snön!! Hela veckan har vi haft SNÖ!! Först idag är den så gott osm borta och solen gör ett tappert försök att lysa upp våran tillvaro!

Kallt är det fortfarande?!

MEN, ett säkert vårtecken har vi i alla fall fått... GB har släppt sina nyheter i årets glasssortiment! Lakritspuck är tillbaka!! *mums*

Jag är inte mycket för glass, men just Lakritspuck är en favorit som jag kunnat sakna ibland. 

Det var ju ett tag sedan den var i ropet senast - närmare bestämt sedan 1993!! I femton år har den varit borta från våra frysdiskar.

Tittade igenom GBs glasslistor från 70-talet och framåt och det bjöd på mycket minnen!

Minns ni Pommac från 81, Lollipop med tuggummistång från 84 eller min andra favorit Jelly Split från 85?? Visste ni att den första Magnum kom redan 1989 och att det sedan 1992 kommit minst en ny Magnum om året. En del har stannat länge, andra försvunnit direkt. I år finns det inte mindre än sju sorters Magnum i frysdisken!

Så nu hoppas vi på att vårsolen får lysa över oss och värma vår tillvaro lite så att vi kan prova GBs nya och gamla sortiment!!

About two weeks ago I got back from my wonderful trip to Cape Town. A lovely break in my everyday life. Sun, warm weather, great food and drinks and lots of great adventures was just what I needed to get back on track after the long dark winter.

I was gone for almost the whole of Marsch, and of course I hoped the bad winter we've had was gone and that the beginnign of spring should meet me when I got back. I have to admit I was rather happy when I was in the nice sun and I heard it was snowing and cold back home. But that got back to me. The first days after I came home it was raining almost constantly!

Ths sun tried every now and then, but had a hard time to show, it was gray gray gray!! But, last Saturday spring came. It was a beautiful day, which I spent in the laundry room taking care of the laundry from the trip. I planned to go out in the fresh air on Sunday. Well!? Sunday morning and the rain is back!

And what happends after that - well, ths SNOW is back!! We've had snow all week!! Only today it is almost gone. The sun really tries to shine over us, but it is still cold.

But we've got one sign of spring anyway... the icecream company GB has released the news for the season! And my favourite "LakritsPuck" (Liquorice Puck) is back! I'm not very much into icecream, but LakritsPuck is one of my favourites that I missed from time to time. It's now back after it has been gone since 1993! For fifteen years!

On GB's website you can see all the icecreams for every season fron 1967. Had a look at it and it brought back lots of memories. There is a few I would like them to take back again.

Well, now we hope for the sun to come and shine over us to warm us up so that we can try the new ieccreams for the season!!

Great White and more...

For some reason I never got to continue the stories from my trip to South Africa after the balloon flight. Sorry about that. I will now give you a short summary of my last week in Cape Town.

My last week in Cape Town was filled with great events. The Nedbank National Champs started in Stellenbosch and I was there to see some friends. It was great seeing you all. Sorry I missed a few. I'm also sorry I missed the finals on Friday, but I had no chance to get to Stellenbosch. I was stuck at the TAX Refund office for hours... It was more than me leaving CT that weekend.. However I got to be there twise and I'm very happy for that!

I also got to go to "work" and say goodbye to the people there. 

But, there was one thing I did that last week that was extraordinary!! I went to Gransbaai to meet eye to eye with the Great White! And I did!! A sat in that cage in 11° water for what felt like forever... just waiting! But hey, it was worth all the waiting when that great big shark came straight towards us and swam very close to the corner of the cage where I stood!! What an experience!! I saw lots more shark from upper deck on the boat later! I'm so glad I did that trip!!

On the last Saturday, me and Ali took the four boxes of clothes that me and my colleauges send and went to a shelter in District Six to donate them. It was a great feeling to do this donation to people that really needed the stuff we cleaned out of our closets!! Thank you all!

That same night we went to The Barnyard Theatre and the show Sixty Something. What a great show!! We had a fantastic time. I went to bed 2.45am and got out of bed again to go to the airport at 4.00am. It was time to go home...

There couldn't have been a better way to end my fantastic time in CT.

After a long journey and an almost missed flight in Frankfurt I closed my own door behind me at 2 am Monday morning. 

Five hours later I'm back at work... and everything is back to normal!

Ballooning in the Winelands

It's been a while. I'm still in Cape Town doing loads of great things and having lazy days in between... Just enjoying myself soo much!

Have to tell you what I did this morning. I went ballooning over the Winelands of Paarl. That was amazing! It was my first time in a hot air balloon. 

The day started already 04.36 am when I got the wake up call and the

 final confirmation that we are flying. I got out of bed and drove to Paarl where I met the pilot, his crew and the other passangers. We took off out to the farmlands and found a nice spot to take off from. everyone helped to prepare the balloon. Well I must admit I did take photos most of the time, but I was the only one there without a following person. So I think I might be excused. I did help too.. 

When the balloon was out on the ground it was filled with air from the help of a fan. The air then got heated up by the burners and the balloon started to rise. 

We sailed in the air for about an hour, watching the fullmoon, the sun rise, the spectacular surroundings, the animals below us and it was all quiet, exept for an odd puff from the burner... So lovely!!

We landed and again helped to get the balloon packed up and

 back on the trailer before going for champagne breakfast at a nice hotel in Paarl. 

What a lovely day!! 

First couple of days in Cape Town

Hallo my friends. 

I have now spent close to a week in Cape Town. Crazy how times fly...

This first week, or I prefer to say couple of days, cos it doesn't seams to be as much, has been great. I got my self a car, so I can drive around the surrondings. It is scary how easy it is to adapt this time. To the traffic, leftside driving! To the language and to find my way in the cupboards in the house... It is like I never left... and maybe I didn't really leave!

These days I have tried to plan some tours that I would like to do. Hopefully I will be able to do most of them. Lot of the tours has a minimum of four people in a group and that is kind of hard to fulfil when you are travelling on your own. So now I'm busy waiting for the travelagancies to get back to me with details and to sey if there will be a tour or not. Let's wish for the best.

What I have done this week is quite a lot. I went to the finish of the big cyceltour Argus on the Sunday I arrived. On the Monday I got my car and went to the Tourism Office to get some information to work with. On Tuesday I got back to town to change the car... long story... On Wednesday I visited the company I worked for down here earlier. While I was there I left the lights on on my car, so I neede som help to jumpstart it to be able to get back!! I have had sushi at my favourite place, I have had calamari tubes at Ocean Basket, I have walked on the beach... I have even been to the Paschal Meal. 

AND - I caught this bad cough that I'm now busy trying to get rid off again!! 

This Friday will be a quiet one. I will stay home, watch TV and try to get rid off this cough of mine.

I'll get back to you when I have been on one of my tours, to tell you all about it.

Travel diary!

While I'm travelling I will write this blog only in English. Swedish readers are welcome to my travel diary at www.resdagboken.se. 

Since I have one diary in Swedish I will try and update this blog for you nonswedish.

The Saturday I have been waiting for for a very long time, is finally here. I woke up very early this morning, like a child for christmas. After a kind of bad breakfast (fridge is empty) a shower and some last packing, I was off. Took the train to Arlanda Airport. Where I am at the moment, waiting for my first flight, the one going to London. In London I transfer to Cape Town. Tomorrow morning I will touch ground in my paradise and I'm looking forward to it soo much!! 

here in Sweden it is gray and some rain and it is great leaving that for a few weeks to get some sun... according to my computer it will be about +28°C in Cape Town tomorrow...

I like! =)

Have to go now - boarding soon. 

See you all in Cape Town.

Last weeks news

The past week has been quite hectic and filled with surprises. 

Last Friday I went to the movies to see the premiere of a new Swedish movie (Morgan Pålsson, världsreporter - for my Swedish readers) made by my two favorite comedians. It was thier first movie, after years of TV and live shows (Hipp Hipp). I think they did a great job with the movie. The caracter they used for the movie isn't my favourite amonst all the caracters they have done, but I enjoyed the movie.

It was long hours at work and a few strange projects this week. The worst project I got this week I got on Thursday at about 10.30 in the morning, and the costumer had to have it on Friday... leaving me with about four hours to start and finish it!! It was a big half pallet display. And guess what - I made it!!?

Earlier that same morning I received my official invitation to the Paralympics in Beijing in September. I am selected as one of three international table officials for the Wheelchair Rugby. The rest of the group will come out of my students I've been to China to educate.

It's going to be such a great experience to go to Beijing. I'm so happy, honoured and excited!

Yesterday was a girls night out. Eleven of us started the evening with a very interesting winetasting and continued to a resturant for some great food and after that to the local pub. Late at night, or you can say very early this morning I lumbered home...

It put a great end to a day that hadn't been that great.. I decided to borrow the washing machine at work to wash some clothes. My plan was to wait until most people had left for the day, but for some reason I got the machine going a bit earlier than planned. About half an hour later they came running for me... The machine I was using was broken, and had been broken the last few months... and the only three not knowing that was myself and the two I had spoken to about borrowing it... So, now we stood there with water up to the ankles!! It was the company we chare building with that noticed the devastation when the water come in to them from under the walls... For the next 30 minutes there was about six of us trying to get rid of the water!! We left the buildning with all the doors open and a fan to dry it all... 

I put my laundry in the RIGHT machine and finally it was washed and dry!!

I felt relieved that I didn't stuck to my plan to do the washing after everyone left... =) 

This weekend I spend doing the last preparations for my trip to Cape Town. 

It is very close now... In a weeks time I'm in the air and on my way... =)

A tribute to Chip..

Yesterday it came to my knowledge that I've lost a friend of mine.

A true friend that didn't leave my side for over four months

if he wasn't forced to... or if his real mummy was home!

He came in to my life in February 2007 when I moved in to his house. 

From that day he was by my side whenever I was in the house. 

In the afternoon, the 2 July 2007 I closed the door for the

last time and went back home to Sweden. The last thing I saw

was three pairs of big brown eyes looking at me. One of them belonged Chip.

It was really hard to close that door that day!

Chip, had a great peronallity and garded you with his life.

Unfortunatilly I won't see Chip when I come back to his place in a few weeks.

Thank you Chip for the time we had together!

I will never forget you and your slobby face in my lap.... 

Rest in peace my friend!

Lots of love to the three girls back in the house!

You are all in my thoughts and I'm looking forward to see you shortly.

P.S. I Love You!

Denna "Alla hjärtans Dag" passade jag på att gå på bio. Såg "PS I Love You". En av de bästa filmer jag sett på väldigt länge. Rolig, sorglig och väldigt välgjord!

Gå och se den, jag tror du kommer att gilla den!!

Runt om på hela bion var det placerat lådor med servetter. Lådorna var tryckta med motiv från filmen. Inte så svårt att räkna ut att det skulle bli en sorglig film. Och det blev det!!

Väldigt sorglig!! Men många goa skratt också!!

KRAM på Alla Hjärtans Dag!!

I went to the movies this Valentine's Day. I watched "P.S. I Love You". I have to say it is the best movie I've seen in a very long time. Funny, very sad and well made! 

Go see it, I think you'll like it!! 

All over the movie house they had put boxes of Kleenex. The box was printed with pictures from the movie. Not hard to see it was going to be a bit sad. And it was!! Very sad! But lots of laughter as well!!

HAPPY VALENTINE's DAY!!

FETTISDAG!

Dags för årets Semla - eller fastelagsbulle som vi skåningar säger.
Företaget bjöd personalen på nybakad Semla till eftermiddagsfikat idag.
Det smakade ju bra!! =)
Så nu är det gjort för i år!
Dags att dra till träningen för att göra av med så mycket som möjligt av den igen!! =)
Det var lite skoj att skriva den engelska informationen om denna dag. Jag måste erkänna att jag inte hade koll på allt detta innan!! Men så är jag ju inte så kyrklig av mig heller. Jag äter ju hellre?!? =)

Today it is "Fat Tuesday" here in Sweden. It comes from the word "fett" (fat) and "tisdag" (Tuesday). Fat Tuesday is the Tuesday after Fast Sunday. Fast Sunday starts the Liturgical Year (The Christian Year) in Sweden. The Sunday is also called "Meat Sunday". The following three days is "Blue Monday" (or pork Monday), "White Tuesday" (or "Fat Tuesday) and Ash Wednesday. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday is the build up for the 40 day fast starting on the Ash Wednesday and ends at easter.
Originally, this was the only day one should eat "Semlor" (Semla) (fat Tuesday buns). Made of white flour (White Tuesday). Unfortunately these buns are now found in most grocery stores and bakeries for weeks before and after today.
A Semla is a sweet bun that you cut the top of. On the bottom part you put a small lump of almond paste and on top some whipped cream. Then you put the top part of the bun back and powder with some icing sugar.

I have eaten my annual Semla at work today. The company bought for all of us. It was nice!! =)
One tradition is to eat the bun, with cream and everything in a bowl of hot milk! I have never understood that. I prefer it as is!
But I don't think I will do the 40 day fast til Easter...

One day of winter

I åtminstone 2-2,5 månad har jag väntat på att vintern ska anlända. Några gånger har jag trott att det var så, men det har inte varat särskilt länge. Framförallt har det varit för varmt för att ens kalla det för vinter. De dagar vi haft temperaturer under 0 är lätta att räkna på mina tio fingrar. För att räkna dagarna med snö - då behöver jag bara en hand!
Det är så trist! Jag såg verkligen fram emot vintern. Jag missade ju (även om jag inte sakande) förra vintern. Vi hade en hyfsad vinter i början av 2006, innan jag åkte till SA. Men den här har bara varit bedrövlig.
En hel del regn, grått och väldigt mörkt - och som jag sa ganska varmt!!

MEN!! Något hände på januaris sista dag. Ok, det startade väl kanske någon dag tidigare, men jag förstod inte förrän den morgonen att det verkade annorlunda denna gången. När jag vaknade och tittade ut genom fönstret var det vitt!! Underbart!!

Redan ett par dagar tidigare fick jag en glad överraskning. När jag lämnade jobbet för min 25minuter långa promenad hem, var det LJUST!! Jag blev så glad!! Det har länge varit mörkt på morgonen och mörkt på eftermiddagen, och mest mörkt däremellan!!
Denna eftermiddag var det ljust!! Ljuset höll i sig ända tills jag var hemma, ja, det var i alla fall ljusare än mörkt... Morgnarna är fortfarande väldigt mörka! Men den mörka delen av dygnet blir kortare och kortare för varje dag som går.

Så när jag vaknade denna morgon och tittade ut fylldes jag av en härlig känsla. Skulle vi verkligen få vinter nu? Det såg faktiskt så ut!
Det var en underbar morgon. Mörkblå himmel, månen var fortfarnade uppe och fick snön att gnistra, med lite hjälp av gatlyktorna! =)
Det var inte jättekallt, men det bet lite i ansiktet. Härligt!!
Under natten hade vi fått ca 1dm snö. Mer än på väldigt länge.
Jag älskar ljudet av tystnaden snön ger. Det är som att lägga ett stort tjockt täcke över stan. Alla ljud dämpas och man kan nästan ta på tystnaden!!

Det var en underbar morgon, men dagen blev något bättre. Klarblå himmel och strålande sol! Härligt!
Tyvärr hann solen försvinna innan det var dags för mig att gå hem från jobbet, men jag passade på att smyga ut några minuter på dagen för att ta några bilder på det underbara jag kunde se från kontorsfönstret.
En härlig dag som jag hoppades skulle vara ända till helgen så att jag kunde gå ut och njuta!
Behöver jag tilläga att så gott som all snön var borta morgonen därpå, på grund av regn och för höga temperaturer. Vi fick en fantastisk dag av vinter. Jag fick uppleva den under en halvtimme och känner mig väldigt priviligerad!!
En dag med en så underbar känsla fyllde på mina energidepåer ordentligt!! Jag hoppas bevara den energin resten av den sk vintern, tills våren kommer.
Eller snarare lär det väl bli tills jag möter solen i Kapstaden!! =) Jag får titta tillbaka på bilderna och fylla på med energi!
Jag är glad för att jag tog de där tre minuterna för att springa runt fabriken och få mina minnen från denna dag av vinter! 

For at least the past 2 -2,5 months I have been waiting for the winter to arrive. A few time I thought I was lucky, but it didn't last long. Most of the time it's too warm even to call winter. The days that the temperature has gone below 0°C is easy to count on my ten fingers. And to count the days of snow I only need my one hand! It is sad! 

I was really looking forward to winter. In a way I missed (but I didn't miss it) the last one. We had a pretty good winter in the beginning of 2006, before I left for SA. But this one is just so bad. Lots of rain, very dark and very gray - and as I said pretty warm!! 

BUT!! On the last day of January something happened. Well, it kind of started the day before, but I didn't realize until the morning that this time was different. When I woke up and looked out the window it was white!! Lovely!! 

Already a few days earlier I got a happy surprise. When I left work in the afternoon to make my 25 min walk home, it was LIGHT!! It just made me sooo happy!! For a long time it's been dark in the morning and dark in the afternoon, and most of the time dark inbetween!! This afternoon it was light!! And it was light (well lighter than dark) until I got home.... It is still very dark in the morning! But the dark time of the day gets shorter for every day passing.

So, when I woke up and looked out that morning it was such a great feeling. Should we finally get some winter!! It did look that way! 

It was a lovely morning. A dark blue sky, the moon was still up and the snow was shining in the glow of the moon with some help from the streetlights! =) It wasn't that cold, but a bit bite in my face. Geat!! 

During the night we got about 100mm snow. More than in a very long time. I love the sound of silence the snow do to the nature. It's like you put a big duvet over town. All sounds are softer and you can almost hear the silence!! The morning was stunning, but the day got even better. A clear blue sky and bright sunshine!! Yummi! Unfortunatilly the sun was gone before my day at work, but I sneaked out for a few minutes to get some pictures of what I could see from my office window. It was a lovely day and I wished for it to last to the weekend so that I could be outside and enjoy it! Do I need to tell you that most of the snow was gone the morning after, due to rain and high temperatures. 

We got one absolute fantastic day of winter. I got to enjoy it for half an hour and I feel very lucky!! That day with the feeling I have missed gave me new energy!! I hope I can save it for the rest of the season, until the spring comes! Or more likely to the day I meet the sun in Cape Town!! =) 

I have to look back at the photos I took and fill upp the energy! I'm so happy I took these three minutes to run around our plant to make my memories of our day of winter!

Hair...

Finns det någon där ute bland mina läsare som kan något om hår??

Jag har hört att vissa av oss har hår som inte kan växa längre än en särskild längd. Jag tror att jag är en av dem...

I juni 2006, strax innan jag åkte till Sydafrika klippte jag håret rejält. Jag klippte det väldigt kort eftersom det var så jag oftast hade det. Under tiden i SA lät jag det växa. I början kändes det som om det växte fort och blev fort långt, men plötsligt tog det stopp. Jag klippte det några gånger, oftare efter att jag hört att det stimulerade tillväxten att klippa det. Men det blev aldrig längre, bara större!! =)

Under de senaste sex månaderna har jag klippt det några gånger för att försöka få det att växa längre, men det blir inte längre än innan jag klippte det...

Knepigt! Hur kommer det sig att håret inte kan bli långt för vissa av oss??

Hur som helst, jag har alltid haft kort hår, väldigt kort - så jag gissar att jag får stanna vid "halvlångt" om jag inte ska klippa av det igen!?

July 2006  December 2007

Is there any of you readers that know anything about hair?? 

I have heard that some of us have hair that can't grow beyond a certain length. I think I am one of these people... 

In June 2006, just before I left for South Africa I got my hair cut. I cut it very short cos I always did that. During my stay in SA I let the hair grow. In the beginning it felt like it grew quite fast, but suddenly it like stopped. I cut a few times, more after I heard that cutting it stimulates it to grow. But it never got any longer, just bigger!! =)

For the last six months I have cut it a few times to try and get it longer, but it never gets longer than before I cut it.... 

Strange! How come the hair can't grow long for some of us??

Well, I have always had short, very short, hair - so I guess I have to stop at "half long" if I don't cut it short again!?

Dark dark dark =(

So var vi halvvägs genom januari. Det nya året började i full fart!! Massor med job på en gång och några långa dagar på kontoret. Jag är så himla trött nu för tiden, men jag skyller inte på jobbet, för även om det är mycket så är det inte värre än vanligt - jag skyller min trötthet på mörkret. Det är mörkt - hela tiden!! Jag går till jobbet på morgonen i mörkret, i klädd reflexer från top till tå. Jag sitter inne hela dagen och vi måste ha lamporna tända. När det sen är dags att gå hem - är det mörkt igen!!

Vi är lyckligt lottade om vi får några timmars ljus mitt på dagen! Det vi behöver är snö! Gråvädret och regnet hjälper inte till för ljuset direkt!!

Snälla, ge oss lite snö!! Och det skulle vara skönt om det blev kallt också.... =)

Jag har inte gett upp än - snön kommer förr eller senare. JAg gissar att det blir senare!!

We are almost halfway through January. The new year started out hectic, hectic, hectic!! Lots of work and some long days at the office. I am so very tired these days and I don't blame it on work, cos even if it's hectic it is not worse than normal - I blame it on the darkness. It is dark - very dark!! I walk to work every morning in total darkness, dressed in reflectors. I sit inside all day long and we have to have the lights on. When it is time to walk home - it is all dark again!!

If we are lucky it is light for a few hours in the middle of the day! What we need is some snow! The gray weather and the rain doesn't help for the light!! 

Please give us some snow!! And I would like it to be cold too... =)

I haven't given up yet - the snow will get here sooner or later. I guess it will be later!!