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!!