Special friends

The other night I was chatting to a friend on Skype and we got to talk about friendship and special friends.

It all started with a chat she had with a very special friend of hers and the feeling of having a friend that is always there for you no matter what.

For me there are three kinds of friends; friends, real/good friends and special friends. Everyone needs friends, but not everyone has the same need of friends. It’s important to be surrounded by people that you enjoy, trust and respect and that do the same for you. That makes you rich. Amongst these people that you call your friends there is a few that you know a little bit better and that you have a different relationship to then the others. These are your real/good friends. Then we have the special ones. They are not that many, but they are very important to you in some way. These are the ones knowing you inside and out and are still standing by your side when the wind blows, those who loves you and care for you no matter what…

The tricky part is not to find friends; it is to keep them… and to find out whom to trust to be your special friend. Who you can share your darkest secrets and your happiest moments with without using them and draining them.

My special friends are very important to me. I have a few, a handful or so, that I call my very specials, and them I care about and love lots. I could walk to the moon for some of them, but it’s important to not overdo it. Be there, but not interfere. Care, but not overprotect. It’s like a balancing act.

The most important in any friendship is to show who you are and allow people love you for the true you.

Yesterday, with this chat in mind, I got reminded of another kind of friendship and love, the unconditional love you get from animals, and how close we are to our pets.

A friend, a special friend I must say, contacted me to tell me she had to put her dog down earlier that day. I know the feeling of doing that and it is the worst ever. You feel like you are deciding for someone else’s life and that is horrible. Even if your pet has tried to tell you for a while how ill or hurt they are you still have to decide when to end it. That is awful. But at the same time you know you’re doing the right thing for the animal. Keeping it alive with pain and sickness would be cruel and selfish, but it is still a tough decision to make. A decision based on a lot of love, trust and respect – something you can only get from a very special friendship, whether it’s a human being or an animal.

Brake down...

There are two things that has to be done at least once a year that I really don't enojy. One is the dentist and the other is the annual check up of my car. It's not that I'm scared of either - it's just that if something is wrong it will cost me loads of money...
One of these I had to do to day... I had to take my car in for a check up. Every year I sit there while they knock with their little hammer, have a close look with the flashlight and what ever all they do - and is so nervous they will walk up to me telling me I'm in big trouble.
My car is almost 10 years old now, but in very good condition, and every year I've walked out of there with a paper saying "Passed"... but not today! Today was one of these days that I'm affraid of every time.
We didn't pass, my car and I. The front breaks are "uneven". I need to get them fixed and come back and show them befor mid May. I went straight back to the office to call the car service place...

Even if my wish was to pass without remarks, I think it wasn't too bad. Breaks get worn out and does need to be looked after every now and then. I'm glad it wasn't a bigger problem then that.
The guy even said it might be some kind of "coating" and will be fixed rather easy.
Anyhow, I will hand the car in and have it checked and let them go through it too to see if something else needs to be done at the same time - new oil or so...


And no - no dentist appointment in the near future! =)

"Handle with care"

Today I was (again) reminded of how fragile life is. How a split second can make a major change.
I am kind of a "what if" person and do suffer from "catastrophic thinking" on and off. So, today when my phone suddenly made the noice of an incoming text message and I didn't really get the message - I instantly thought it was bad news. And in a way it was...
Luckily this time the news, that was kind of bad - was to tell it was still pretty ok after what happend.
Still it got me thinking...

When you have most of the family and friends far away the fragility gets very obvious. When something happend to a person that is close to you and that you care for you feel very small when all you can do is send a text message back telling how sorry you are. When what you really want to do is give the person a big hug while telling how sorry you are.
In these situations you feel pretty small and useless for not being able to be there for the person you love.

I'd like to take the opportunity to tell all the people I care for that where ever you are in the world my aim is to be there for you - always!

Take care of your self, your life and the people you love and care for!
You never know when that split of a second changes things around! Good or bad!


TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER!

Time?

What is it about time?
Why is it that we always think we don't have enough time?
Time must be the most fair thing in the world - who ever you are, where ever you live - we all have the exact same amount of time! 24 hours a day - no more - no less!
The 24 hours are as long or short every day, and still we think that one day are passing quicker then the other.
The experience of an hour can also be very differnet from one to another...
We all know that time goes faster when we are enjoying our selfs, and is very slow when things aren't as fun.
We often complain about not having enough time... and that is what got me thinking!

If we don't have enough time - why is it then that we wants time to fly when we have something to look forward too and wants to get there as fast as possible... and at the same time we wants to get the most out of the days leading up to the D-day!
And then - when D-day is laying for your feet - again it's time for time to slow down...
cos now we got where we wanted and now we have to get the most out of it!

What if we could rule over the speed of our time!?
No, I think it's better to take care of it and make sure to use each and every minute well!

… but I will always make sure I have something to look forward to -
to help time go a little bit faster!! =)

Spring Bike...

Today I decided to start spring... Most of the snow is gone and the roads are free from ice - meaning it's time to get the bike out of its winter storage. That is bike as in bicycle.
Yesterday morning I woke up and I heard the birds singing outside my window. Today I woke up and I heard the rain... Not until late afternoon the rain decided to stop. That's when I started spring, at aobut 4.00 pm today, the 3rd April.

After I moved into my castle a year ago I don't have a parking for my car. I have to park on the street (and pay for it too). Due to our snowy winters we have to park on one side of the road each day - changing every day... If I keep my car here not only do I have to pay for it I have to move it every day too. So I took a drive and parked it where it can have a safe and good rest after a long winters hard work. I took a walk back home to get my bike out of the storage where it spent the long cold winter and out in the fresh air.
On the way back I walked through the big city park and I had to smile when I saw the tiny greens comming up of the ground... in a few days with good weather there will be spring flowers all over!! Lovely - it means there is still hope for the winter to go away for this time...

So from tomorrow morning it's me and my bike going to work!

From now on I will spend a lot of time on bikes... Outside my "city racer" and inside on a Keiser spinbike!!

Pictures from Google

And I must say I'm really looking forward to it...
I've missed my bike this winter!

Am I back?

After almost 2 years I suddenly felt like blogging again. Don't know why, cos I haven't been very good at it the other times I started... Well, let's see if this time is different and if blogging is something for me.
I enjoy writning and express myself with words and I enjoy sharing my thoughts - but will I enjoy doing that in this forum. Time will tell!

As a start I thought I let you get to know me better...

I Live: in a castle! Well a nice flat up under the roof in the center of Gavle, Sweden.

I Work: far too much!!

I Talk: too much when I get nervous and not at all when I get upset.

I Wish: my bank account was fat - obese even..

I Enjoy: a glass of good red wine - or two...

I Look: for options for my next life project.

I Find: life rather difficult!

I Smell: the tulips on the table.

I Hide: from confrontation.

I Walk: when I don't need to drive - should let the car rest more often tho!

I Write: very long emails, to-do-lists and from now on maybe a blog...

I See: the snow is almost gone and spring is on it's way!

I Sing: very rarely and pretty bad.

I Can: if I want!!

I Watch: TV every day without watching!!

I Daydream: a lot! It even gets too real sometimes!

I Want: my dreams to come true!

I Cry: easily and often!

I Read: crime novels and travel magazines.

I Love: travelling!

I Sometimes: wonder what the meaning of life really is!

I Touch: only if I'm allowed to!

I Hurt: my bum 3-4 times a week - after spinning! Hey, naughty...

I Fear: I'm the one standing in my own way!

I Hope: to make a differense to someone.

I Break: my own heart every now and then - I hope I don't break anybody elses.

I Eat: far too much chocolate!

I Quit: my job and went back to school about 10 years ago. Good plan!

I Bathe: in the sea when it's warm enough.

I Drink: 1 liter of sparkling water every day.

I Stop: at red lights.

I Save: Flight Miles!!

I Hug: people that deserve it.

I am in: a funny state...

I Play: along

I Miss: my friends

I Hold: on to my hat when the wind blows...

I Forgive: you if you appologise and really mean it!

I Drive: a blue Ford...

I Learn: something new every day, but can't remember it all.

I Have: sat my feet on the gorund in at least 35 counties! So far...

I Don't: drink coffee

I Made: a fool out of myself and I'm sorry!

I Kiss: you back any day! :*

I Believe: I need a change!

I Wait: for the right moment - but I'm affraid I have to stop waiting and act instead...

I Need: that change! and a lot of money!

I Feel: lost

I Know: the word "Cheers" in about ten languages.

I Wonder: if anyone made it this far...

I am: Carina, a lost soul