Extend your Christmas gifts this year and support the help efforts being made now in Asia by donating what you can to the organizations helping thousands of people to get through this hard time. I have.

'Nice and sunny for christmas day'... baah humbug! It has been -15 and now it is snowstorming out there. We went for a little walk though but just down to the local garage for some extra milk. When we got back we were all covered in snow and looked like a pair of walking snowmen. But it was great fun!

Sorry for the lack of posts but its been hectic, both at work and here at home. My sister and her bf arrived tonight after the long drive from Gothenburg and they are sleeping here. And as the computer is in their bedroom im sure i will be showed the door soon because they are very tired. So is James who already has gone to bed, poor soul was up early since they started at 5 this morning but at least he now have 2 days off before heading back to work. And we havent got anything planned what so ever part from Christmas dinner at mums tomorrow. Just relaxing, eating lovely christmas dinners and maybe a walk for Christmas Day since they have promised nice and sunny, but cold.

Happy Holidays everybody and see you after the weekend!

I think I'm all set for Christmas. Presents bought and wrapped, decorations are up and glittering, the tree will be appearing tomorrow if we can find a decent one and now some soothing Christmas carols are playing on the stereo. The Christmas cards haven been dropping in as well, thank you everyone. Only thing missing is SNOW! All of the previous snow has melted away in the tropical +6 we've had all week. And its rained and rained and rained. It is so grim and black outside at night, haven't seen any sunshine since... I cant even remember!

We are having a little Christmas (lill Jul in Swedish) tomorrow with our friends Rosie and Pär, they are coming over for dinner and pressie swapping. I'm looking forward to that. Some time for relaxing and just having a good laugh is in order I think considering how hectic work has started to become. It really got into full swing yesterday and the queues where getting longer and longer at the shop. I prefer it busy and lots to do then slow and boring so it suits me just fine and it helps to know that I'm not working this Christmas so can really relax over the holiday!

Today will be mayhem at work as we are having a free taster of the Swedish Christmas food at work. Lotta just phoned and said the parking lot had been full since 9 when we open the shop, she now has a grand view of the supermarket from her new flat. So I presume lots of shoppers enjoying some free food and not buying so much, but that is what you usually get. It's actually quite fun watching them when they struggle to get as much free food as possible, not just ones but 3 times and we always know which ones will be coming for their seconds and thirds and so on... But that is the joy of having freebies isn't it?

Back again. It was a very annoyingly stubborn stomache flu and i really didnt feel better untill last thursday when i went back to work for one day before having a long weekend off in Gothenburg with James and my mum visiting my sister. We had a great time in Gothenburg even though the city seemed mad with Christmas shoppers everywhere. Not to mention the big Christmas market they have at Liseberg (big amusement park that opens again 4 weeks before christmas) At one point im sure we were packed as sardines in a can and could only move if the others moved as well!

It is my day off but i got a To-Do list as long as my arm so i'd better get cracking and getting on with things on it! But... I'' be back!

Will be posting soon again, got hit by stomache flu yesterday night so cant hang around really. You all might get it!

We've been to look at this house this morning. It was very welcoming and had a warm feeling about it, my gut feeling was good if you know what I mean. Its slightly bigger then our apartment but it has a complete downstairs with a big room and two smaller ones plus you got your laundry room in there as well.The basement had a fresh smell to it, not a moldy kind of smell some houses have, but the windows are so small. Theirs only one bathroom though and it would need redoing with putting in a new bathroom suite and re-tiling. The kitchen was old but not in a bad state, just maybe a new coat of paint on the cupboard doors. A great plus was that all the appliances were new-ish, a couple of years old only. There is a cold conservatory attached to it, you access it from the kitchen. Possibly you could remake it into a warm one and voila you'd have an extra room or you could extend the house that way and gain some more space for the kitchen/lounge area. It would create a very nice sheltered outside veranda between the extension and the garage. Some painting of the wood details outside are needed but other then that we couldn't spot much on our first visit. The more I think about it the more I like it and that's a first with a house!

The garden was excellent, the main bulk of it was facing south and was at the back. There were at least 3 apple trees, a long line of raspberry bushes along the back fence and 4 currant bushes. Some medium size trees and a roseborder along the conservatory. Plenty of room for some vegetable patches and there is a little birds pond apparently even though it was covered with snow now I think it is seen in the pictures.

We have to have a serious think about this one. Only thing is there is a 'do it upper' house for sale as well in the same area, just across the street really, for a lot lesser money. We are going to have a look at that one as well. The real estate woman said there is a couple who are interested in the 'Rose cottage' (the nice one is located at Rose Street) and was going to talk to their bank about a loan but the couple were also going to look at this other house 'The Thistle' (since the road is called Thistle Road). Going to discuss this with Jamie when we are on our way to IKEA tomorrow. That is if we're not going to get another half snow blizzard! Then we're not going anywhere, because if it snows here in Falun it is much worse up over the mountains on the road to Gävle. Keep your fingers crossed there is no snow, I want to go to IKEA!

Note to self; when going to the gym, don't walk there AND back home again. I am completely exhausted but feeling quite alright otherwise. But we will see tomorrow morning if I'll be able to get out bed, even with the stretching I think I might be quite sore. This time was a test run to see if I wanted to do some more and I do so I signed up for a year. My boss will pay half of the cost which is very generous of him but also a way for him to make sure we use the card as intended and not just go a few times and let it slide.

Its been snowing here a bit more and they are predicting more for the weekend. So it might be true that winter has come at last. Usually when it has snowed and everything is nice and frosty white I get into the Christmas spirit and go about making everything all warm and fuzzy and indulge in some gift shopping and getting everything sorted well before the last week so I don't need to rush around like a chicken without a head along other late shoppers. But this year it almost feels like I could say Bahh Humbug to it all. My mum is pulling her hair out because she don't know what I would like for Christmas and she is seriously concerned that I don't KNOW. But I don't WANT anything and why do you always need to want something for Christmas, there are loads of people much worse off then me that could need some cheering up for Christmas. I am quite happy as I am, I got a lovely husband who will no doubt surprise me no end with his unusual and different gifts for Christmas, we got ourselves a nice place to live, even though we are looking for a house. I have all the gadgets that I need and don't need and the bookshelves are bursting with books from the last book sale still to be read. I think Eleanor got the right idea about having a different Christmas, not getting caught in the consumer web of shop 'till you drop mentality, but, its nice to receive gifts and I don't think my family is ready for a totally different way of celebrating Christmas. Perhaps in the future, but not now. I'm sure I'll make a list, but it will be short and I think mainly consist of music and movie wants. You just cant have enough of books me thinks!

I'm about to do something very unusual for me. I'm going to a gym! Voluntarily! No one dragging me kicking and screaming. I must be sick.

We've had a busy weekend with my sister and her bf staying at our place. We had some fun and it all went too quickly but it seems they might be able to come up for Christmas this year as well and have already asked if it is alright for them to stay here then as well. Which it is of course. Somehow it makes things a bit smoother that they stay here then at either mums place or Hasses parents place. Not that there weren't hurt feelings from my mum when my sister asked if they could stay here but even if you try your bestest someone will always feel neglected. Anyway, that seems to be sorted for this time around. Makes you look forward for the Christmas visit doesn't it? Sigh

It seems they are predicting heavy snow for tomorrow. It certainly has taken a turn to the colder up here with fierce cold winds yesterday and a distinct smell of snow in the air, so it is a coming that's for sure! I'll post some pictures of the snow if and when it comes. I like blizzards.. :)

Our house hunting is at a stand still right now. There are lots of nice-ish places but only trouble is they are so far away. The more convenient and closer ones are so high priced at the starting price we stand no chance if there would be bidding for it, which there always is now a days apparently. There is this little farm house with potential but it is in Säter, which would be alright for Jamie since he would commute the same distance as he does today but for me it would be too far. I suppose we will just have to keep on looking.

Yay blessed be the Gods!
James my elusive husband is blogging again, well sorts of and he is at this location right now. Go and read and give him a pat on the head for finally making an appearance

It's a grey day. But it is my day off! And now when there's been a change of plans I really don't know what to do with myself.

I've tidied away all the washing, fed the birds outside, fed the fishes inside and did the dishes and its still only 10.30. I am leaning towards going for a walk into town and do a bit of Christmas shopping, or at least have a look around to see if I find anything to buy! At least we have to buy another 'Need for Speed Underground' game because the one we bought intending to give to Hasse James has totally taken over. He was supposed to 'testdrive' it but since Saturday he has been playing it every evening. Tut tut.. Well I admit, I've tested it as well and it is fun!

Any ideas what you could buy for someone who has everything (ie my mum)? And to my sister who has a birthday coming up in December. BTW they are coming here next week for a short stop over the weekend. They will be sleeping here so that is something I'm looking forward to. Hopefully they can come up for Christmas but its not looking great.

I'm so bored I think I'm going to write some Christmas cards already! Yes I know, I'm nuts...

I think I feel a bit older, yes definitely older and grayer since I had my birthday last Wednesday. That is why I went to the hairdressers yesterday and got everything done. And I mean everything, got me some nice curls then toned them in a nice dark brown/red color, a touch up of the hairstyle and I did my eyelashes darker as well. Saves you from putting on mascara every day and not needing to worry about it running in this awful autumn weather we've been having. Rain and rain and some more rain for the weekend. Where did the nice, cold, crisp frosty mornings go? They used to turn into lovely golden sunny days just begging you for long walks. I wouldn't walk more then absolutely necessary outside right now, anybody for some driving rain, just borderlining sleet?

I had a very nice birthday and didn't open all my pressies straight away since I had loads to do on that day. The phone kept on ringing all afternoon with people sending me Happy Birthday wishes and I had lots of nice pressies, thank you all! My mum came over for dinner and I had a cake with one, yes ONE candle in it. No need to point out that I'm 32 now is there..oops!
Oh well, I'm not any different from when I was 31, or so at least I'm trying to convince myself!

"To live with someone from a different country" requested by Belle.

Somehow it doesn't feel odd, it feels familiar and comforting to live with an Englishman. My mum, who is from Finland, did stay with her aunt in England for a while when she was in her twenties and worked there for a couple of years before meeting my dad who also was from Finland. She moved to Sweden shortly before they got married. We've always talked a kind of mixed Swenglish in the family with my mum but talked Swedish to our dad. But we never learnt Finnish so that is what my parents talked when they didn't want us to know what they were saying.

Mum used to cook all sorts of English dishes and we got used to having brown gravy to almost everything and that the vegetables were supposed to be all mushy and overcooked(yuck) but also that yorkies are very nice with gravy and roast. But she also did these fantastic pastries and cakes and every time we went over to visit her aunt she brought back loads of English necessities like Oxo cubes, malt loaf, water biscuits, short bread, self raising flower and dried mint that she used for the lamb roast plus a heck of a lot more that would fit in our car, we'd go by ferry on the north sea and all I got to say about that is, thank the gods for planes and short crossings of 2 hours! So all of this is familiar and not unusual to me. Maybe that's why I fell in love with a handsome Englishman with a Suffolk accent... ?

But as Belle has found out there is a difference in tolerance to cold weather. When James first came over to stay he was fascinated with snow and could just sit and stare at it while it was falling outside. He still loves the crunch sound you get when walking on it when it is very cold but now when the novelty has worn off he thinks winter goes on forever and spring can never come too quickly when it is around March. And he still has difficulty in judging when it is a proper time to put some gloves and hat on. He still some times thinks it is alright to go out in -10 without a hat on! BTW when the English news says there will be severe cold they are talking about -1 or maybe even -3. It took a bit of time before I realized they weren't joking about it when I was over in England to visit James' family in winter.

He has never understood the Swedish term "fika", which generally means a cup of coffee or tea WITH cake or sandwiches. And he don't really get that we like to fika so often. It is almost like a religion to some, and it has to be at a certain time and there has to be cake and cookies with the coffee or else it isn't a proper fika! If a friend calls and wonders if you can get together and have a talk it usually means can you come over and fika or could we go out to fika at a nice and cozy cafe. I kinda like it, it is very relaxed and you get something to munch on while talking about deep meaningful stuff, like the latest gossip...

Even though I'm sure there are loads more that you can go on and on about there really isn't anything that irritates me. He is very easy to cook for, he always amuses me with his quirky sense of humour and I enjoy being in his company and misses him awfully whenever he is working a different shift then I am. Life would be oh so boring without him, I do love him to bits, love you Jamie...

"Your first trip to Ireland and your first meeting with Jamie" requested by Mary who was responsible from the start that me and James ever met.

It was in the days of IRCmania. It was the 'in' thing to do, to go to an IRC channel and chat to total strangers and have cyber marriages, cybersex, cyber theater plays with various people playing different characters or just a one man show where he/she changed his nickname to make a point not to mention cyber wars and hostile takeovers of various chatrooms. It was when the geek could earn a name as a genius hacker if he could spoof, flood and kill.

Mary was one of the first people I got to know really well over the internet. She was one of the gang in a channel called #cheeky_fookahs. We were a crazy bunch of people sitting up all hours of the night and day to chat to each other. Sometimes you just wanted to fool around a bit and joke and other times you needed a friendly ear who would listen to your troubles and worries and tell you that everything was going to be alright. And Mary, she is a very warm and understanding woman, will sit and listen to all your worries and tell you that everything will be alright, and in the end it is alright, because she said it is. But sometimes she finds you someone who she thinks would be perfect for you and introduces him with an innocent excuse that she has to do something and would I please keep him company for a while. So I did. And I don't know when it clicked, but it clicked, big time.

After a few months we'd got to know each other so well that we started to talk about seeing each other in real. I think it was Mary who suggested a party at her place, in Ireland, and that we should get together with the others in the chat room as well. In the end only Brian (twant) and Richie (SaWnOff) part from James and me would make it over to Dublin. And indeed it was a nervous affair. I can still remember that Friday when Mary and me were waiting at the airport for Richie and James' flights to land. It was busy at the airport and flights were being delayed so in the end it was Richies flight that came in first and when James flight had landed there must have been loads of planes coming in because all you could see was this wall of people moving slowly from the arrivals hall to the exits. But no James, after a while we heard a msg that would please Mrs Mary and Mirjam! go to the information desk, James is waiting. And there he was a nervous, pale, shaggy dog looking James. But he saw us coming and I can swear to this day that if I would have poked him he would have fallen over but instead I gave him a long warm hug and asked if he was alright and his answer was "I am alright now"

We've been to have a look at the house... and its got a lot of potential, it could be a lovely house, no a great house! Of course there are some but's in there as well. Like could we stand the bathrooms while saving up to re do them, it got its own sewage and water well. We would have to check the quality of the water and make sure the well is deep enough. If the waters no good what would it cost to get tapped into the mains.

Some pro's and con's that we talked about.

The master bedroom is huge, 21 square meters! It has its own French balcony and 2 sets of big windows, one to the east and one to the south. There is a working fireplace but you would have to check that and the other fireplaces before buying. No evening sun which is good. The walls are a good 30 cm deep in the old part and the new extension looked nice as well with wood beams in the ceiling.

They used electricity for heating plus the fireplaces, could turn out expensive both ways considering how the price of electricity has been rising and rising and that we don't know anyone that could sell us cheap firewood.

All of the rooms are of a good size and the layout of them is fine. Mainly wallpapering to do there and possibly sand the floor in the dining room.

There's this ugly stain in the bathtub, maybe due to the water, and over all the bathrooms looked dingy and a bit out of place. Mish mashed if you know what I mean. The sauna wasn't installed but it was all prepared for one, don't think I'd like one though. You could instead move the shower and the toilet to the sauna room and have a big washing room/drying/ironing room. You would get a new washing machine and tumble dryer.

The kitchen would look absolutely smashing if you tore down a wall and made a kitchen island with the oven and work surfaces but is it a bearing wall? The oven and fridge/freezer are completely new, the fitted cupboards are ugly and worn/old not to mention the tiling(screaming 70s!) but they have a working wood fired baking oven.....

Garden looked a bit tired and could need some doing up but you got a very elegant greenhouse and some apple trees and redcurrent, gooseberry bushes. But all that would be quite easily taken care of.

But mainly, could we afford it, is it worth it? There have been 10 or so to have a look at it and a couple of them seem to be interested. I seriously don't think it is worth more then the asking price in its current state, maybe even lesser considering the state of the bathrooms and that the outside needs repainting. I don't think the bank would give us a big loan so it is already in the upper limit we have set ourselves and considering that we would like to do quite a lot in it that costs money it is a question of can we wait and save up for it to be fixed and live in what it looks like now and knowing myself I don't think I could. Maybe if I had to but it would be agonizing... hmmm, got to think that one over.

What a wonderful autumn sunday, crisp air, clear blue sky and completly still. And of course i have to work the best part of it! But i dont mind because we are going to have a look at a house later on this evening. Yes we are still looking for that dream house. But we are in no real rush so taking the time to have a look at possibilities are fun at the moment.

No other real news to tell. Am working today with the dreaded Boris. But so far so good. But it is tiresome to work with someone that completly ignores what you'r saying and complains when we dont do as he says, in other words when we dont do his work for him! But we have stopped covering for him, if its not done it's his problem not ours. And if he hits the high grade of pesky we are going to the Big Boss this time saying we dont want to work with Boris anymore and could he please be removed or else we want to change weekends! I dont think it would have such an impact if it was only me that said it but we are several now that feel this is the last straw and if nothing happens soon that is what we will do.

Better get ready for work... *sigh*

I've been reading Bellus Animus and got inspired to do something similare. So, what would you like to know about me? Is there anything at all? I'll blog about the three first questions i get in the comments. So fire away....

(please help me gods...what have i done!)

We've bought a new car! At least we have made a down payment for it and now own the tires... Buying the whole car we will do on Monday or Tuesday depending on when the money gets transferred from England. We test drove it yesterday and it felt very nice, handled like a dream and what me and James could make out nothing seriously wrong with it. It's had all its check ups and its only 5 years old. Plus it is a Volvo. They usually are good standard cars, bit boxy in the past but quite nice now a days. I think we'll call it Rosalind. :o)

Guests have come and gone and everything is back to normal. Plus an autumn cold I might add. It was fun having my inlaws over for a long weekend. We managed to do lots and see a bit more of the area around Falun as well on Saturday. Best part I think was the bowling on Friday evening. I think I'll ask James to go bowling with me on Saturday if he isn't too tired from working extra. He has his mind set on buying a house now so every time he gets a little extra he says we got a new thing to the house, like a porch, a window, I think he has managed to squeeze in a roof as well in there...

I was in a baking mood yesterday, thought I'd try out Mr Jamie Oliver's stuffed breakfast breads. PfffT! As you might have guessed it didn't go so well. And I thought it tasted like sweaty socks even though the stuffing sounded nice and looked nice(parma ham, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, basil and hard boiled eggs)! That might just have been my cold BUT the breads did NOT look anything like his, firstly they were humongus in size even though I tried to make them smaller but then the filling wouldn't have fitted at all and they didn't stay nice and puffed instead they just swelled all over the baking tray like a sloppy jello gone bad. So I had to put them in separate trays or else it would have been one gigantic mutant bread that would have I'm sure taken over the world like the big amoeba in the film Evolution tried in the end sequence!

So today I'm trying something more sublte and easy, potato and leek soup. I've done it a gazillion times before but remembering yesterday I'm keeping my mouth shut until I've tasted it. Later I'm going to do a batch of Swedish meat balls for the freezer so James only have to take a ready made meal out if we are out of ideas for dinner or his next day lunch box. Wish me luck though!

We are getting guests on thursday!
It is James' parents and his sister. It was supposed to be a surprise that his sister was coming too but we fumbled a bit in the start and James guessed it quite soon after he got to know that his mum wanted to talk to me alone one day. Its no good having a too clever husband! Makes it damn difficult to get surprises organized without him poking his nose in it!

Sweet but... Bizarre

We went to a viewing of the house I mentioned in my previous post. I'm disappointed. From the pictures it looks alright and actually very sweet, just our size and price range as well. Once you're in the house it feels a bit like a small dolls house with slanty roofs and floors, there wasn't a right angle anywhere to be seen and we discovered when we had a look outside that the whole house was sinking in one corner. I don't think I have a problem with that, you can always correct the foundation (expensive but manageable) but the main bedroom felt very.. off. Don't know why but I felt I would never be able to relax in that room. The kitchen was a big old style Swedish one, it felt like the heart of the house, which was good but the bathroom was dreadful and might hide some water damage since the wallpaper was ancient and peeling in the corners.

The guesthouse was really just a shell, you would have to redo it completely since it has been very neglected and the owner had used it as a workshop! My heart just cried when I saw this lovely old Swedish kitchen turned into a workbench and filled with oily and rusty junk! They still had the old wood fire oven even though it was old and tattered you would be able to save it. It would have made a lovely guesthouse all made up with a new sleeping loft and renovated kitchen.

I guess we just have to keep on looking. I think though we are pretty sure about what we want with a house and aren't afraid of doing stuff ourselves. But the house itself has to feel a bit more like 'home' then this one did. I don't mind tattered and neglected as long as the house isn't sinking and the roofs sagging inside like this one's was. Location was perfect, not overlooked at all and a pretty good sized yard out in the sticks. It was a 5 minute walk to the lake as well so we would have been able to have a boat.

Sweet isnt it?

Its gone from very very warm to ridiculous rain and thunder and wind, in a week the weathers been transformed totally. And the trees are turning yellow already! Yesterday we had the mother of all thunderstorms and I had to bike home in a quiet part of it, thankfully there was a quiet part, if not I would have had to stay and ask for a lift with someone else. I just got back home when it decided to start rumble again and huge flashes shot across the sky. I hid on the sofa with a newspaper to distract me from it all, its cool to watch a storm when you have somebody else there, not so cool when you are alone! At the end of the first batch the setting sun reflected on the misty clouds and it went all yellow outside, literally. Very spooky and a bit uneasy I watched the light turn from dusk to a brighter shade of yellow and it got lighter then it was at 6 o'clock! It was amazing though, against that big eerie yellow cloud these big fat thunderheads of dark blue grey clouds just stood out the more and you could really see the clouds tumble around from the winds in them. I should have taken pictures of them but never got around doing that, the flashes didn't make me any braver to go outside, I'll tell you!

Wait a while, i have to fan myself with some paper.*swish swish swish*
I am down in gothenburg with my mum to visit my sister and it is almost 29 degrees and it is 8 in the evening!! And my sister dont have a ceiling fan like we do back in Falun. So major question is if i will sleep with the window wide open, inviting all the bees and wasps or if i sleep with a closed window but butt naked...

I do hope that James is behaving himself at home, but me thinks he is too busy with all the things on his To Do list to make any trouble. He opted to get home one our earlier today because he felt so overwhelmed by the To Do list, or so he said when i phoned to let him know we got here alright. Bet you he is sitting in front of the computer looking at this running sites and noticeboards and not at all doing the watering and what nots. I hope he remembers to cook some food for himself for tomorrow(no flaming hamburgers though i hope). But if not there is always the cantine at work.

Tomorrows plan is to go into gothenburg and do a bit of shopping. I have no idea if that is such a good idea in this heat but i rather do that then sit in here with not a slight breeze through all the windows that are wide open in hope of some relieve.

Shit shit shit!

I just worte a mega blog and i had an error msg when publishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am NOT rewriting it!

*sob*

The allotment is yielding quite a lot right now that needs to be taken care of. Mum and me went up to pick some peas for the second time(got 2 pints after shelling them) and I picked all the parsley and gave some away since we had way to much for ourselves, mum took some of the beet roots that were getting too big and has now pickled them for us. They are sitting nicely in our coldroom storage ready to be used. I took most of the broccoli side shoots and I think that they are coming to an end now. The runnerbeans are really running away whit loads of flowers and beans coming along very nicely. They are next for the picking. Also the tomatoes are turning red now, faster then we can eat them, well I'm not surprised since the weather has turned very warm and humid, who needs a greenhouse!?

The sweet corn is coming into bloom and onions are getting to be huge. Only thing not growing so good is our rhubarb plant and the salads are pathetic this year even though we've been watering when its been dry. Oh well you cant have everything now can you, at least we seems to be having very little pests this year. I've been planning a bit on how to restructure the little plot of land we got. Right now the raspberries are falling into and over the little pebble path we've made and its not really very convenient to have it there. So, either I move the path or I take away the raspberries on the left hand side. I'm leaning to moving the raspberries and the black currant bush to the other side and have a long border with either only flowers or you put your salads and herbs there. Hmm, a herb border would be nice.. plus some marigolds and other flowers of course!

Lynn was talking about getting rid of old stuff and reaping the rewards of earlier projects. Well I'm reaping what I've sown earlier but I'm not so good at the getting rid of old stuff. Due to that we will be getting new windows installed in September I have to make sure they can get into the storage to change 2 small windows there. Talking about getting rid of old stuff, so far I think I've managed to chuck 2 small, pitiful looking boxes away to charity and one (!) little bag of garbage. I just cant do it, well not good at least. Ever since I was a kid I have been told by my mum that it could be useful later, that applied for anything at all, no matter how small or weird, you'd save it for later, put it in a box and voila when you needed it you didn't remember you had it anyway so you bought a new one that also went into a box and so on... Help me??

Peas, peas, everywhere I look peas!

Mum was kind and picked the peas that was ready yesterday and today I have been shelling them. When you think about it its not very much you end up with when you have discarded all the shells. But never mind that, they taste delicious and are together with the broccoli James took home yesterday going to be part of our dinner. How does pork file roast in honey marinade and fresh vegetables sound to you? Yummie if you ask me! We might get our first tomatoes soon as well if this warm and nice weather holds for a couple of days more. We have 2 right now that are slightly orange looking. It seems to be a crap year for flowers though, the marigolds are barely scraping to flower a few heads and the sweet peas are tiny still. And of all the flowers I sowed this spring only a handfuls of poppies and marigolds have come up. Thankfully the hollyhocks did come as well and will be lovely next year (crosses fingers AND toes for not too hard frost)

I went for a little walk around the lake across the road after lunch and I found this cute little landing stage. I took some other pictures as well but this one turned out the best

The auction on Sunday was interesting and I came away with a postcard album with 140+ cards in it for 520 kronor. I thought it was quite good since it makes out as roughly 4 kronas a card, besides I have already sold off 2 of them for 60 kr. Wheeler dealer eyh?
I also spotted a nice glass jar with a silverplated top but it was put into a bargain box that went a bit too high plus I didn't want all the other crap that went in there. But I went over and asked the lady who bought them if she would sell me the jar since that was all I was interested in. She said she was going to think about it since she hadn't had time to have a look yet what was in the box! I decided to wait a while before asking again and in the mean time I saw how she very carefully looked at the jar wondering is she had made a bargain and why I wanted to buy it off her. So just before we left in the afternoon I went over and asked if she had thought about it, which she had. She wanted to keep it but then I made her an offer of 80 kronas for it and she hesitated and caved. So I got it!
isn't it cute?

We also have been up at the allotment and it is growing much better now when it finally started to be a bit warmer. We have a truck load of peas to pick, onions are really growing well, tomatoes are slowly turning bright red, sweet corn is struggling but growing taller, potatoes flowering and we already have picked some of the broccoli heads, they made a lovely chicken pie with some cauliflower and leak. Also the runner beans are flowering like mad but I'm not so sure we will be able to have those in peace. We have deer! Pesky little deer nibbling at our pea flowers last week and they also found their way to the beanstalks cutting the buds off! Shoot the buggers!

We went around looking at cars yesterday. Both me and James have agreed on that our tank drinks too much petrol and it would be cheaper in insurance as well with a smaller new car. Not to mention easier to drive, James still takes wide corners like he's driving a lorry. Makes for interesting comments from me when I'm thinking he missed the turning! Cars seem to be very expensive though if you buy them from a car dealer, naturally off course but still you cant get any decent cars for under 60 000 kronor! I've also had a look online for people selling privately and you can get them cheaper but anyone want to help us out in buying? Haven't got a clue what to look for more then the obvious, rust and tires. Plus any tips on what make of car is a good buy is gratefully accepted.

VACATION!!!

Can you see I'm excited about it??

Sorry for the lack of posts but its been hectic and I've not really been in the blogging mood. But I thought I try to write something now when I don't have work to do, well unless you count all the housework, gardening and stuff like that. Housework cant wait either really, hmmm why is there only 24 hours a day? Never mind I have a set list of priorities, auctions first and then whatever needs tending to. Yes, you guessed right we are off to an auction today. Poor James is working but I'm going with Lotta and my mum to an auction in Nyhammar. It is a bit to go so we are going to set of soon. Lotta is picking me up in 10 minutes and I'm all set for whatever weather there will be. They promised scattered showers so umbrella is in the handbag but also I have sunblock just in case the sun does come out. I don't want to end up red as a lobster as I did once last year. I also have applied amply of mosquito repellent since we are going to be outdoors in the sticks. It sounded as a good auction so book is with me and I'm going to have really good look around. Better go now or I will be late!

So we went to have a look at the house yesterday. It was as i thought, lovely garden, wild grown of course but lots of surviving plants in the weeds but the house needs too much doing to it. The layout wasnt the best i thought. You'd step in from the nice front porch bit and was greeted by the wall of the hall since it spread like a T, livingroom to your right. A strange semi room with an open fire to your left, from there you had the small bedroom to your left facing towards the front next to it the bathroom with a huge ugly boiler on view. To your right in the semiroom you'd go into the kitchen which had a view to the back, overlooking a huge mound which contains an oldfashion larder down under ground, from the kitchen you also would access the bigger bedroom (bigger ha! would hardly get your double bed in there) and from the bedroom you have a door out onto the patio.

 
If we would have bought it we would have redone the layout completly and the  kitchen totaly ripped out plus the foundation needs a ventilation put in since it was getting damp. But we knew this. We quite quickly agreed the house wasnt for us, but we both loved the garden and extra sheds.

Yes, yes i know. Another silly test but i like these!
Found via Belle


You are a true nature girl!


Which Ultimate Beautiful Woman are You?
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The estate agent phoned today and wondered if thursday suited us since he was showing the house to a family as well. I said yes thank you it suits us fine. He informed me a bit about the house, what needs doing and how big the acres are. There is aparently a plot or two of land going wih it but its not next to the house and yard itself which was disappointing. Mind you, we are NOT seriously thinking about this house, just looking. Im curious to how it looks like inside because from the pictures on their site it looks just about the right size and such for us as a first house. Mum made sure of that we werent going to look and buy it on a whim, as if we would. But thats my mum for you :o)

Weekend rushed by as usual. We went to IKEA on saturday with mum, Lotta and ?sa. It was a bit of a disappointment though. Not at all up to its usual standard it felt like a let down. The sales werent no good in the shopping center next door either. At least we had a day out. We didnt do anything in particular on the evening, i made a bit of bread and lounged in the sofa and James went for a run. On sunday there were lots of auctions going on but James was to tired and i couldnt bother to go to the local one seeing as the weather was a bit unsteady mind you it never rained. We had a look online at houses for sale instead. I do believe that James has now got the housebug as well. We biked out to have a look at one in Falun, it was dark and dank and definatly not worth the asking price of 990 000 kronor and we decided to take a trip to Borlänge to have a look at another house for 550 000 kronor. It needs doing up a bit inside and the garden bit is quite grown wild. I made a note and posted off a mail saying we wanted to have a peek inside it to the house agency. Will see when they phone back.

Some good news and some bad (well, yes)

So I've had my first treatment of acupuncture this last Wednesday. It was, interesting, to put it mildly for someone who hates needles! Anyway good news is that whatever he does with them it seems to be working, elbow seems to be on the mend even though I never would have thought so after the first session. Talk about sore and groggy! I knew that you would get whoozy headed and tired but nothing had prepared me for that. I don't know if I did the sane thing but instead of going home and getting in bed I went shopping! Well it worked for me, after half an hour of slowly walking around town I felt much better and called James to see if he wanted to meet me in town after work. But he had left his mobile at home so he didn't get the msg before then. But lovely as he is he came into town anyway to go and have a look at some baskets I had seen and was wondering if I should get for our mini recycle station under the kitchen sofa. I thought they were nice but a bit hefty on the price so we decided to wait until we've been to IKEA they usually have nice wicker baskets and other sorts.
The bad news being I have to go back for another treatment next Wednesday. But hopefully it will get better for each time, will just have to see how many treatments I will need before it being acceptable again. He is not cheap either, every session costs my boss 350 kronor ca ?27 instead of me going to the company healthcare center for ?6... But I've totally lost confidence in them so they can go jump in the lake and my boss can pay up for my treatment at this chiropractor/acupuncture center.

Between working, looking after the allotment, bbq-ing, cleaning, restoring a kitchen table, shopping, picnicking, biking, getting a poorly elbow and sleeping there has not been much time to do any blogging at all. Still my to-do list is huge and haven't gone down at all. Because every time you knock one of the things off it 2 more are added so it just goes round and round and never ever ends! I want vacation!!! No, wrong, I NEED vacation, NOW!

Working in a supermarket as I do you do tend to get your aches and pains from time to time. So it has come to my elbows attention that it had had enough and is right now throwing a major ache tantrum. It was giving me some serious trouble before midsummer last week so I stayed at home on Thursday thinking a day or two with rest would help. Of course it helps, for that space of time. But as soon as you get back into doing stuff with it it just laughs you straight in the face and hurts even worse. This being the case I went to the company doctor on Wednesday this week to see what it could be and if I could get any help for it. The doctor (being a total git) sat there explaining what I had and what he didn't believe in would help, nothing about what WOULD help more then maybe some acupuncture but he didn't issue any orders for such. So I left quite disappointed with a sicknote for when I had been home but with instruction to go back to work and see' how it works out' and a vague order about getting some acupunture done by someone.. Well said and done that is what I did yesterday and now it has worked out so that I cant stretch my arm fully because of the pain in the elbow area. Thing is I got work over the weekend, do I go to work today and the weekend and strain it even more and just 'see how things work out' or do I tell my boss today that its no use for a while and stay home until I get to Monday when I can call the doctor and say 'it didn't work out at all give me a new elbow now that you've ruined the one I had'? Well one thing it has taught me, never go to a doctor that looks like a toad peering underneath too big a glasses. He'll just send you home to 'see how things work out'!

More pictures from the allotment, it is growing well after 2 days of rain. The fleece over the spinach is about to break since they are striving so hard upward! My mum is going to pick them tomorrow so we can sow something else. I thought about either early carrots or some more lettuce/dill. And the broccoli have exploded in size. And we have a few flowers coming on the strawberries, got to remember to put some netting up so the magpies dont eat them all for us!

I have been busy as usual on my day off. James and I went to put the cars winter wheels in storage at my mum's. Later after James had left for work I didn't really know what to do but mum came to my rescue when she popped by and wanted a chat, she was waiting for the washing machine to be done washing her mops (she cleans for the building society) Of course I had the brilliant idea that we might as well go to a flower nursery while waiting because I wanted some plant soil since I was going to change the flower boxes over from pansies to summer flowers. Instead of pansys I potted cuttings of my big red geranium earlier this spring and also sowed some light blue with darker nerve petunias which now are all ready in their boxes. Also I wanted to see if I could find something nice for the allotment at the nursery. Mum wasn't that hard to persuade to come with me, or rather give me a lift there in her car.. We found some nice plants and some soil. In the end I picked out 2 pink Marguerites, one giant poppy in dark orange, dark red rudbeckia(?) and a yellow something like rudbeckia I don't know in English, but it gets really tall and looks like daisys but different colour.

At the allotment I weeded some and prepared the border where the new flowers wére going and I also checked the tomato plants and beans. Our sweet corn is dying off one at a time, wonder if we have some pest of sorts? Everything else is coming along nicely. Mum's spinach is ready for picking and I took the night fleece off the beans so I hope there wont be any more frosts or nearly frost at night, it is very late this year! But weather has been colder then usual and we didn't have any frost nights at all in late may as we usually do.

I snapped these few pictures earlier last week but it looks much the same part from the broccoli really getting big now and the peas are taller. Notice the darker green small tomato plants? They were the ones I potted, the bigger ones are mum's that she had in milk cartoons. They already have fruit ripening! The pea's we got from James dad is really doing well as is the dwarf runner beans. We just need some warm weather now. It's been lingering around +10 for too long now. Ok, we do have warmer days with sun and around +20 but they are too few!

Shamelessly stolen from scenic route.

This is a list of the top 100 grossing films and i've only missed 17 of them! Is that good or bad? I've higlighted the ones i've seen and added my score of good - bad at the end.

1. Titanic (1997) $600,779,824
2. Star Wars (1977) $460,935,665
3. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) $434,949,459 ***
4. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) $431,065,444 ****
5. Spider-Man (2002) $403,706,375 **
6. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)$377,019,252 ****
7. Passion of the Christ, The (2004) $370,025,697
8. Jurassic Park (1993) $356,784,000 ***
9. Shrek 2 (2004) $356,211,000
10. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) $340,478,898 *****
11. Finding Nemo (2003) $339,714,367 ***
12. Forrest Gump (1994) $329,691,196 ****
13. Lion King, The (1994) $328,423,001 ****
14. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) $317,557,891 ***
15. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) $313,837,577 *****
16. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) $310,675,583 ****
17. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $309,125,409 ****
18. Independence Day (1996) $306,124,059 **
19. Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) $305,411,224 ****
20. Sixth Sense, The (1999) $293,501,675 ***
21. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $290,158,751 ****
22. Home Alone (1990) $285,761,243 ***
23. Matrix Reloaded, The (2003) $281,492,479 **
24. Shrek (2001) $267,652,016 ****
25. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)$261,970,615 **
26. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) $260,031,035
27. Jaws (1975) $260,000,000 ****
28. Monsters, Inc. (2001) $255,870,172 *****
29. Batman (1989) $251,188,924 ***
30. Men in Black (1997) $250,147,615 ****
31. Toy Story 2 (1999) $245,823,397
32. Bruce Almighty (2003) $242,589,580 ***
33. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) $242,374,454 ***
34. Twister (1996) $241,700,000 ****
35. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) $241,437,427 ****
36. Ghost Busters (1984) $238,600,000 ***
37. Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $234,760,500 ****
38. Cast Away (2000) $233,630,478 ***
39. Lost World: Jurassic Park, The (1997) $229,074,524 **
40. Signs (2002) $227,965,690 ***
41. Rush Hour 2 (2001) $226,138,454 ***
42. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) $219,200,000 ***
43. Ghost (1990) $217,631,306 ***
44. Aladdin (1992) $217,350,219 ***
45. Saving Private Ryan (1998) $216,119,491
46. Mission: Impossible II (2000) $215,397,30 **
47. X2 (2003) $214,948,780 ****
48. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) $213,079,163 **
49. Back to the Future (1985) $210,609,762 ****
50. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) $205,399,422 **
51. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) $204,843,350 ****
52. Exorcist, The (1973) $204,565,000
53. Mummy Returns, The (2001) $202,007,640 ***
54. Armageddon (1998) $201,573,391 ***
55. Gone with the Wind (1939) $198,655,278 ****
56. Pearl Harbor (2001) $198,539,855 ***
57. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $197,171,806 ***
58. Toy Story (1995) $191,800,000 ****
59. Men in Black II (2002) $190,418,803 *
60. Gladiator (2000) $187,670,866 **
61. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) $184,925,485 ***
62. Dances with Wolves (1990) $184,208,848 *****
63. Batman Forever (1995) $184,031,112 ***
64. Fugitive, The (1993) $183,875,760 ****
65. Ocean's Eleven (2001) $183,405,771 ***
66. What Women Want (2000) $182,805,123 **
67. Perfect Storm, The (2000) $182,618,434 ***
68. Liar Liar (1997) $181,395,380 ****
69. Grease (1978) $181,360,000 *****
70. Jurassic Park III (2001) $181,166,115 *
71. Mission: Impossible (1996) $180,965,237
72. Planet of the Apes (2001) $180,011,740
73. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) $179,870,271 ***
74. Pretty Woman (1990) $178,406,268 ****
75. Tootsie (1982) $177,200,000 *****
76. Top Gun (1986) $176,781,728 ***
77. There's Something About Mary (1998) $176,483,808 ****
78. Ice Age (2002) $176,387,405
79. Crocodile Dundee (1986) $174,635,000 ****
80. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) $173,585,516 **
81. Elf (2003) $173,381,405
82. Air Force One (1997) $172,888,056 ***
83. Rain Man (1988) $172,825,435 ****
84. Apollo 13 (1995) $172,071,312 ****
85. Matrix, The (1999) $171,383,253 *****
86. Beauty and the Beast (1991) $171,301,428 ***
87. Tarzan (1999) $171,085,177
88. Beautiful Mind, A (2001) $170,708,996 *****
89. Chicago (2002) $170,684,505
90. Three Men and a Baby (1987) $167,780,960 ***
91. Meet the Parents (2000) $166,225,040 ***
92. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) $165,500,000 **
93. Hannibal (2001) $165,091,464
94. Catch Me If You Can (2002) $164,435,221
95. Big Daddy (1999) $163,479,795
96. Sound of Music, The (1965) $163,214,286 ****
97. Batman Returns (1992) $162,831,698 **
98. Bug's Life, A (1998) $162,792,677 ***
99. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) $161,963,000
100. Waterboy, The (1998) $161,487,252 *

Sorry for the lack of posts. But its been a wee bit hectic since we got back from James running the marathon way back. Work has picked up as it always does in the summer months. Plus that I've been busy sewing a cat costume for Rosie. She is going to play in a children's theater on Sunday and asked if I liked to help out. Also I whizzed down to Gothenburg to get our car on Tuesday. My sisters new one had finally come so I went on the train on Tuesday and slept there for the night and drove ol' Betsy back home Wednesday. It's like a good old rocking chair that Mercedes. Bit slow on the take up but once your up and running its quite alright. But its huge, just like driving a tank! And its rusty, more rusty then I did remember. But driving it on salted roads wintertime eventually does that to a car. I also got a ride in sisters new car, a coupe Mercedes, don't ask what number, cant remember but it is a big piece of serious muscle car! I'm impressed.

To top of the hectic week or so I've had there was a mad rush at work today. Loads of people and lots to do and no extra staff either. How yummie is that on a scale? Pfffft....

Me, I' tired, me going to bed now. Oh yeah I even cleaned the apartment from top to bottom this morning. What an interesting life I lead hmmm?

Currently playing Weeping willows - Falling
So the nutter(oh sorry, my dear husband) has finally run his marathon and it went very well I thought considering how little training he had after starting his new job. I am very proud over him for doing it in 4h 42 min. And I am very proud over myself for not getting totally lost in Stockholm trying to follow him around the course. But please, why do they have to have several events going on at the same time?! There was a sailing race on and an outdoor foodfair going on as well. It was thick with people everywhere you went and the subways were overcrowded on the stations that were linked to the race course. I suppose it wasn't just me who had the brilliant idea of following the runners via the subway.
It was a brilliant day out even though I had fretted muchly the night before about getting there in time and finding our way from where we parked our car. And driving in Stockholm is never nice, too many cars and too damn pushy drivers! But it all went very well.

Part from the marathon nothing much is happening, still awaiting to get to know when we can have my sisters car, it is more likely now in 2 weeks time then to the weekend which we were hoping for. But that is alright since James don't have any more late shifts that there aren't any buses to get home with. At least we know that we can borrow mum's car. But it is so much hassle since I have to get up bright and early the next morning to collect my mum and drive her to work.

The allotment is going very well. We had some much needed rain last night and quite a lot of it as well. Am going up there later today to have a look if there is weeding to be done now that everything is springing up like there's no tomorrow. The seeds that James' dad got us is doing very well, even the pea's that where from the previous season are coming up in mass. It will be interesting to see how high the dwarf beans will grow and also if the wigwam we got for the runner beans will be tall enough. Broccoli that actually is broccoli is doing well as is the tomato bushes. Don't know how the sweet corn are doing though, never grown those so haven't got a clue how they should look like if they are doing well. The only disappointment is that the flower seeds, part from the marigolds, are not showing. Not even the sweetpeas I soaked in water before sowing are showing and it is at least 2 weeks since! The lily's I bought last year and planted aren't coming up either.. Don't know what's wrong, I even carefully checked that they were still there so no one had nicked them! Hopefully they will come up, I bought them as crimson red in to varieties one with freckles and one pure red. Thought they would look gorgeous with the dark lilac iris that are budding soon but no luck there. I will just have to wait and see what happens with them. But now i got to get on with my house cleaning, need to race around with the vacuum a bit and get clothes and other bits off to where they belong.

I've been married for a year today. I cant believe how quickly it has gone by and life as a married woman is wonderful especially with someone like James. His wicked sense of humour always makes me laugh and he is so thoughtful and really a true romantic at heart. In the last couple of weeks I have been getting roses from James, just because when I asked, and on Friday I had a bunch of 20 long stemmed red roses that are now sitting on our chest of drawers in the bedroom. Also this morning I had a present waiting for me. James went and got it as soon as I woke up enough to open my eyes. It was a Harmony Kingdom piece called 'Ed's Safari IV' and an extra potbelly figurine of Gorbachev, don't ask me why but James said it came along with the other one. But when I opened the lid of the safari piece to see how it looked like inside, they almost always have a scenario inside as well (there was a snake that obviously eaten someone, probably Ed), something else fell out. It was a ring! I never got a wedding ring last year since we couldn't afford it then. Well we could have squeezed it into the wedding budget but maybe not been able to get the one that I really really wanted, so we decided that I would get it on our first anniversary instead. So a couple of months ago I went to have a look for a ring and I presented some options for James and said that these were wonderful but he would have to make the choice. And this is what he chose for me....

The ring with the diamond shape pattern is my engagement ring. The other one is just....so beautiful. Life would be oh so boring without James. And definitely less sparkling!

Hey ho hey ho, back to work we go...! yippi......

It actually feels quite awful going back there. I'm relaxed now and i know that by friday already i will be all wound up again! Definatly need some change of plan.
At least it will be short and sweet coming back. I work 2 days and then i'm off 3 for Pingst, then i work 1 and am off 1, work 2 more days and then James is running the marathon so i have to shift the weekend im supposed to be working. Not too bad, will notice in my paycheck i suppose but i cant be bothered about that right now. And it feels better knowing James has a work as well. Otherwise i would have worked like a little nutter to get at least one weekend back.

What can a girl do on her vacation? Hmm, some shopping perhaps?? Yes that's the answer to boredom! Shopping it is then. See ya's!!

I'm on vacation and besides digging at the allotment and just relaxing I've been swearing quite heavily over this.

Yes I'm trying to get into this weaving stuff again. And I curse myself for taking this particular one, but it was just lying around all ready to be used so I figured, why not.. It is in a single fine linen tread and I'm not sure if it is because its too old or what but it is very brittle and already there's been 5 treads snapped that you have to fix in a most annoyingly time consuming way to get it to look right. I am considering to take the whole thing down again and put a different weave up with double treads, same pattern but a different material. The pattern is called munkabälte in Swedish, translated I suppose it would be 'the monks belt'? Anyway, back to swearing a bit more!

I feel bonewrecked!
Arms hurt, my back hurts, all my ears are bitten by mosquitoes! What I've been doing? Planting and sowing at the allotment this evening with James. We decided, well James decided that he wanted to finish off the last bit of land to turn over and I tagged along to rake it and make sure it was nice for sowing. So I took some seeds with me in case of we had the time to do that as well. We planted the potatoes and onions, sowed all the seeds except for lettuce, we put up the tall tripods for the runner beans as well. We went there quite late, at around 7.30 and didn't finish before 9.30. It was getting dark then and a few raindrops kept on falling. But now the major part of it is done. Just have to wait for the runner beans and sweet corn to sprout here at home and get a bit bigger before I dare put them out, and also the broccoli plants are soon ready to put out. I was just thinking how the heck we are going to be able to fit everything in since mum has some tomato plants growing on her balcony that also are going in there. Hmm some serious considerations about the use of space left to be done. I might have to dig a few of the raspberry bushes up that we relocated last summer. They didn't do that well when we moved them anyway. That leaves a nice little border to put stuff in as well then.

It is fun, gardening. Just a bit back breaking in the beginning since we took over a lott that had been badly neglected for a long time. Last years job was mainly getting all the weeds out and cutting back the raspberries and growing some quick vegetables since we started pretty late. Plus digging in some peat to try and improve the soil, which is heavy clay soil to begin with. This year has been a bit of weeding so far but mostly turning the soil over adding some more good plant soil. I'm going to have a peak at our compost as well to see if that has started going. Lots of things to be done, I'm glad I got a weeks holiday coming up. Glad I'm off from work, but it would have been fun going to England as well. Oh well, maybe later on this year. Here's a picture we took earlier before we went today though, I'll try and take a new one tomorrow so you can all see what we've been doing.

What Color is Your Brain?
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At work or in school: I like to be with people, sharing with them, inspiring them, and helping them. I work and learn best when I can take into consideration people and the human element. I flourish in an atmosphere of cooperation.
With friends: I always look for perfect love. I am very romantic, and I enjoy doing thoughtful things for others. I am affectionate, supportive and a good listener.
With family: I like to be happy and loving. I am very sensitive to rejection from my family and to family conflicts. I really like to be well thought of and need frequent reassurance. I love intimate talks and warm feelings.


So, what color are you?

I've been busy with our allotment this week. Yesterday me and mum went to put up some new iron string to hold the raspberries in check, we also put in some much needed fertilizer and a bit of new soil into the bushes. I turned over the land where we had been standing since it is clay soil and packs very easily into very dense hard soil. I also turned it over by our new wicker fence so it would be ready to plant some sweet peas in later. I've put out some flower seeds but think it was good not to plant anything else since there was a frost last night. I did remember to rescue our potted plants and seedlings from the balcony before I went to bed. About time I got around making a early start with the others vegetables we're going to have as well. I read somewhere that it helps them along if you grow them indoors before you put them out especially here in Sweden since the season is quite short some years. I'm going to try that with the runner beans and sweet corn.

I have a feeling I will be up there next week when I have a weeks vacation. It was meaning we were going to go to England for James' uncles wedding but since James started his new job already we didn't want to risk it by asking for some time off so soon. He has a 6 month probation before it turns into a steady full time job, and you really need to put in an effort so you make a good impression on your boss. It seems to be going well for him learning to do the orders in time and he likes it, you can tell, because he really didn't like the book printing factory and was depressed from time to time about it and the fact that it was more of a 'we-call-you' kinda job didn't help either. Here he has had his summer schedule already and knows exactly how he will be working up until 29th of august. By that time they will have completed the new ICA Maxi in Borlänge and also the warehouse will have been completed in there extension building and up and running.

Currently listening to Gypsy Kings - Bamboleo

Seems my itchy fingers got the best of me. But I think it looks better then my old template. Was getting tired of that one. I think Lynn knows what I mean...

To something totally different. We might be getting the car the last week of May. It depends on if my sister gets her new car before that weekend, it is a holiday here in Sweden, or if we will have to wait for it a bit longer. It would be perfect to get it before Pingst, that is what the holiday is called, some Christian thing, don't really know why we celebrate it either. All I know is that a lot of people want to get married around that time.. Think, it will be James and my first anniversary this year. It's gone way to quick! It has been a lovely year. But it is only now I'm really getting used to being the Mrs Last. But saying that, Lotta was convinced I wasn't married when we talked about being taxed together since you were married the other day. She said it wouldn't comply with me since I wasn't married... And still she was at our wedding! Don't know if I should get insulted or just worried about her state of mind.. ;)

Eh...
They've changed everything around in blogger!!!!!
Panic Panic!!
Me dont like change, me likes the good old days, me old!

Well it seems to be working fine though, just bare with me, i think i will be looking at new template designs a couple of times though. I mean, 60(!) new templates to choose from. Anyone would go a bit nuts... ;o)

While trying to get my head around the situation at work it doesn't make it easier that a friend has a tough time with a personal crisis. But helping her out seems to have taken the aim off my own problems which is good. There's no use in getting worked up about the situation at work and I don't think it is so easy for J either being back and all. But I'm not going to be a pushover this time.

The fact that I've again set up my weaving loom helps my mind untangle from the worst what-if's and it is springtime so got the allotment to tend to as well. It is getting to be that busy time of year again when everything has to be prepared and planted and looked after. But that is one part of life I enjoy. Remind me of this post when I've complained for the hundredth time about weeds popping up like there's no tomorrow! To give you an idea of what's in store, this is what we are going to try grow this year. Potatoes, broccoli, runnerbeans of 2 variations, peas, tomatoes, dill, basil, sage, parsley, lettuce, onion, sweet corn and beet root plus a whole bundle of flowers to the side. I am thinking about taking one row of raspberries away, maybe exchange the other one as well for a newer kind with bigger berries in, so we can have a bit more room for flowers along the allotment border. This year I'm going to plant a new kind of frilly daisy, Siberian poppy's, ringkrage(don't know the English name) and marigolds Touch of Red see below.

We'll be well busy the next few weeks when planting and making sure the frost doesn't take them away the same night. I might wait until end of may actually just to be safe. But still, there's a wicker fence to be set up at the back of the allotment to keep the neighbour's raspberry bush from falling into our side. I'm going to sow some sweet peas along it when it is finished. I have to have a look if all is well with the garlic I planted in autumn and if they have survived or if that was a miss. I've also bought a new rubarb plant to put in where the one from last year was supposed to be, it strangely disappeard during the winter! I would be up there now if it wasn't pissing down with RAIN! But it is good that it rains maybe it washes some of that pollen away, haven't felt any of my pollen allergy yet this year part from a few sneezes in the weekend. It is amazing! Maybe I jinxed it now, oh dear..!

Cant sleep tonight it seems. Guess im thinking too much about what happend earlier today or yesterday as it seems to be now.
Am also wondering if she reads this blog..cant remember if she used to. Oh well never mind that eyh?

I had a small surprise at work today..
Ex-friend is going to start working there again. I was given the invisible treatment as well today by her, wonder how this will end... Great start to the week don't you think?

DROOL!
I could almost sell my soul for this one, almost.... !

Fast forward a week!

Yikes time does fly. But still nothing really important or worthwhile mentioning has happened. Well not to me but its another story with James.

Guess who got up at 4 and went to work the wrong Monday? *giggle*
At least he had an excuse for going, he was making sure he took the right taxform they requested off him.. I felt sorry for him though for going there after a few restless hours of sleep only to be sent home and have yet 7 days until he gets to know more about the work. He was more like a zombie then anything the rest of the day. Why he got up so early? Well he has to catch the bus to Borlänge at 5.40 if he is to be on time at 7 since we don't have a car, yet I might add. My sister has bought a new car and wondered if we were interested in having their old Mercedes, which we are even though it is a rust bucket it runs well and passed its MOT just months ago. So as soon as they get their new one we will be taking a trip down to Gothenburg to collect it. Reminds me, I have to get in touch with the chairman of our housing association and get a parking spot You know what my sister calls their car? Gamla Bettan - Ol' Betsy...

Back to work... Things seem to have settled down at least for this time around. Still I didn't like one bit to be there today.

Yesterdays antiques fair was very good. I found 13 postcards which I bought. And today there was 2 more in the post from the online auctions I'm bidding on as well. For what I've seen the online auctions produce much nicer postcard with better quality and fewer scars but generally they are more expensive as I noticed on buying one at the fair. It was of better quality actually, but for half the asking price of the online card. I guess you just have to be lucky when coming across the nice ones in fairs rather then online. And the fact that they had a lot of people going to fair already on Sunday didn't help either. It was very picked out but still I managed to buy some nice ones. There were lots of other things I would have liked to buy but I resisted and just went for my postcards this time. And besides the summer auctions will be starting soon! Maybe I will be in one of these fairs come autumn ;o)

Hold on to your wallets people! We are going to an antiques fair today! I took the day off since I was kindly given a free entrance ticket to the fair by a customer from the supermarket. I'm surprised too. So soon Lotta, me, James and my mum will be cruising the tables looking out for bargain. Not the same as Bargain hunt but never the less it will be fun!

I'm really getting into this auction stuff online. I am at the moment bidding on a Harmony Kingdom piece on ebay. I have also started to auction off postcards we dont want at brabud.nu with a bit of help from James doing the scanning of postcards

You are a MASTER of the English language!


While your English is not exactly perfect,
you are still more grammatically correct than
just about every American. Still, there is
always room for improvement...


How grammatically sound are you?
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I've had a really crap day at work today. I've completely gone off working there in that selfish, backstabbing, intriguing, worthless piece of shit place!! Right now I'm so angry I might start to cry! And that's even worse! Why do women get weepy when they really really are crazy angry?? I hate that. Mainly because people don't take you seriously if you start blubbering all over the place when having a quite heated discussion. Bah!

Its not worth retelling what happened. The short story is that a person I thought was nice and helpful gave me a load of crap because I didn't run to the till when they called. Why I didn't was because I was on the phone in the middle of ordering vegetables and fruit for tomorrow! And no he couldn't go for a half a minute just so I could end the order. And afterwards I got a lecture about that when they call for you, you have to go to the till. Like I had been working there for a week and not for *bleep* 10 years. Definitely time to move on to a place where people watch out for one another a bit better then they do at our place. It is everyone for themselves and grab some extra while your at it and blame someone else for it. I hate it!

They've promised really warm and sunny weather for the rest of the week, I hope it holds for the weekend. There's only snow left now in the shady bits and the ice on the lake, but that will be melting quickly if it gets to be this warm.

I've received yet another postcard that we (me) bid on tradera.com. It is on the busy market square where my dad and grandma used to stand selling fresh vegetables. I've developed quite an interest in old postcards from Falun. James is also looking into old postcards but from England. Maybe that is what is keeping him from blogging? Well any excuse is a good one isn't it?

It is a bright and sunny day outside, of course I'm working!

It was a bit of a surreal day yesterday.. Remember a while ago, some 6 months.. I told you about a friend not being a friend anymore and the stick I got for being me? Well said friend came in the shop yesterday looking for work, she used to work there before she moved on to other things. I must say it was a weird feeling seeing her there. Not only because she once vowed to never come back but also because it was she who tried to make it out like I wanted her to come back and go back to how it used to be when we had our argument. Oh well, thing is, for a moment I felt guilty and 'bad' for ending the friendship all those months ago, this even though it wasn't me who suggested it ending in the first place. I'm not sure how to react either because she has been back in town since New Years, we met by chance when me and James went shopping, I had been warned that she was back in town so I was expecting to see her some day. She was very cool that first time but yesterday she seemed.. Oh I don't know. Sad I think is the closest I can come to describing it. But if she were the cool one the first time, I was ultra cool this time, maybe that's why she was sad. Sad that I didn't fold as I normally do and apologize for whatever she thinks I said and did wrong so we could get on again. I'm not sure but that is the feeling I'm left with. I could be completely wrong of course but still.

Oh btw, we didn't have any work for her now, but maybe for the summer. Interesting times ahead I think..

The major site revamp are having tantrums and hiccups!!! Silly thing.

Oh well im sure James will figure it out even if he has to call in the cavallery at some point before he has pulled all his hair out. I've done the graphic bit but i leave the coding to him. He is so much better at it then i am anyway. And im sure that he will be blogging soon, well you know what i mean.. soonish.

Breaking news: Major site revamp in progress, stay tuned! Also in this issue *Shocker*, James promises to blog in very near future...

Finaly back home!
Its been a very fun but busy day baking. We decided to try out different breads to see which ones are suited for baking in a woodfired oven.
This is what we tried today.

1. Gotland loaf
2. Rye loaf
3. Thecakes
4. Croissants with poppy seeds
5. Wheat buns with raisins
6. Tunnbröd (thin tortilla like bread)
7. Sticky bun log (only a half since we shared the last bits of flour when we made these)

All in all it is heavy and hot work making all that bread and ending up with so little now when you look at it. But it was a tester run anyway and we had great fun doing it all. Not to mention to bake the breads in the oven without it getting all black on one side and not baked at all on the other. I think we will be doing more tunnbröd next time round and having a different recipe with more spice in. I was very good at shuffeling those in and getting them out before they burnt to a crisp, which only took less then a minute if you werent paying attention! You also got very good at making the fire burn evenly after a while even though Lotta is sporting a few burnmarks on her arms because she werent thinking that the rim of the oven would be very hot.

To bake or not to bake, that is the question.

Or rather, what to bake and what not to bake.
See it is like this. We are 3 girls from work who are planning to bake bigtime on Sunday in an old fashion baking oven. There are some places around that people can borrow if they want to do this. Does it sound strange? Oh well, on Sunday we are going to go medieval and bake the old fashioned way in a wood fueld oven. It will be up to James to make sure the heating is evenly dispensed and that there are enough hot coals for the bread to bake by. I think it will be somewhat messy but mostly fun. Lotta, me and Ulrika have plans, big plans for what we are going to bake. And I'm hoping it will be bread we are coming back with and not black logs of black, hard crusted, dry wannabee bread

I've just succesfully bid on my first postcard! And no one bid against me so it is mine! Just have to pay the guy now and then it will be sent to us. No one has left a bid on our sofa covers yet though, but over 50 people have had a look at them. Im wondering if they are too expencive....

James has shown me the wonderful new world of online auctions. I think he might regret it.. I've so far bid on 3 old postcards from Falun and we have also put up our sofa covers that we bought and never realised they were the wrong kind (try sticking a 2 seater cover on a 3 seater sofa and you'll understand) for auction. Yes I know we could have returned them but by the time we discovered the mistake it was too late and I had misplaced the receipt.

I like the old postcards from Falun, so far I have 12 in black and white and I'm trying to think about buying ones with buildings that aren't there anymore. They would be worth more ;o) But I also look at the scenes they picture and where they are taken from. I guess the online auctions are a bit of a substitute since there were loads of good live auctions on today but I'm working, so.. You take what you can get if you are addicted don't you?

What else in news. I'm trying to get back into the habit of blogging again. Even more since I've applied for another blog ring. Cant let Moi over at Blogphiles down now can I.

I've also set a few seeds but I think I might have been a wee bit too early. The broccoli are long and gangly and really no use. But they all came up! I'll see if I will reset them later on in April. But the ones for my balcony boxes has to go now or they'll wont be able to grow big enough for planting out. But they are sooo tiny.

I have done a bit more sewing on my bedspread, will probably do some more tonight. I'm feeling quite up to it as well which helps a lot! And there aren't so many squares left to do either. When you see the stack of unsewn patches go down you kind of get in there to finish them all off. Then you take a break for about a year or two before you sew them all together, right? ;o)

Weekend and a new shift. I'm not sure I like it but what can I do about it? We didn't win the lotto this week either so it is back to the grindstone tomorrow.

2375kr... That is how much we got in spare change.. I just counted them all. We save them in paper rolls for the various coins. Blimey! And they are heavy as well. I better send James off to exchange them for more lightweight paper..

Isn't it just lovely when the sun is shining and it actually is warm? It is doing that right now! And I've cleaned out the balcony from the winter mess and am going out there to just sit and catch a few rays... Ahhh lovely

You got to try this one! My best so far is 306 points.

Swooosh!!!
What was that?!
It was the weekend racing past. It went oh too quickly for my liking. We had a pleasant day in town on Saturday, I bought some earring with giftvouchers I had from my birthday and also I bought 2 new CD's with another giftvoucher I got from Rosie. The CD's are by Nora Jones and Mauro Scocco. They were just collecting dust since I never got around buying anything for them when I got them last year. So I thought I would make good use of them on Saturday. Yesterday we went to IKEA in Valbo to have a look around. We weren't really looking for anything in particular, possibly a bookshelf to have in the guestroom since our main big one is stonking full after this years booksale! Didn't find any we really liked though, we did buy some simple shelves to put up in the kitchen though. Now all that is left is to paint them and get them in place....

New week and a new schedule from work. Wonder how I will like it... I'm supposed to be doing the bake-off section at work when I start today. And I will be getting home earlier as well. I start earlier on Tuesdays and Saturdays as well. Will have to see how I cope, the new schedule means more time at the tills again and I know my shoulders wont cope well with that if I cant get out and do something else once in a while. I'm getting worn out, sad but true...

Working weekends really drains me of all energy right now. Its been up until today that I feel like I'm sort of getting in tune with the week. But I thought it was friday for a split second this morning at 9 when I woke , panicking because that meant I was late for work! But then I thought a bit longer and no I was alright, it is thursday, right?

Yesterday on my day off we went to Borlänge to investigate where James has to go when he is having his interview about a job tomorrow. Please think of him at around 10.30 swedish time and hold your fingers crossed that he will get it. It was a bit further out then we thought but he said he would be alright in getting there in time even though he will have to walk for quite a distance from the bus stop. We did pop in by Kupolen as well and managed to come just as the fire trucks arrived to the post center. Huge black clouds indicated that someone wasn't going to get their mail the next day. It wasn't as bad as we thought though seeing the little article about it in todays newspaper. It had been a little post van burning when re-charging its batteries. But from the smoke you would have thought at least half the building was going up in flames. We stood watching it for a while before going into the petshop. Our surviving siamese fighting fish didn't go so well with our new goldfish, the little bugger went and chewed on the goldfishes tails. So it was promptly put back into its old little tank. But it was getting depressed and not eating or swimming or anything so I came up with the brilliant idea to get it a mini tank with filter and plants and rocks to hide under. Thing is, the mini all- inclusive 'beginners' tank costed more then my bigger tank I had for christmas! At least it is eating again and swimming around. I'm thinking about getting it a mate, will have to see what I do. The new goldfish knows when it is feeding time now and they do swarm by the corner where I drop their food into the water, but they do that every time I come close to the tank anyway, greedy ickle buggers... :)

Found this via Belle

What Classic Movie Are You?

I've been busy the last couple of days. With what you wonder? Well....

It isn't done or anything, just got started on it again. I did quite a few of these squares a couple of years ago now. But then didn't get inspired enough to sit down and finish it until now. I am planning on doing a bed spread with this 3x3 square in the center framed by a one tone fabric and finish off the sides with a single line of squares. The fabric framing the center will be one colour, quilted in some fashion. I haven't decided yet if it will be white but most likely it will be. The pattern is called Storm at sea or Rolling stone. It is fiddly to make the squares but ones you got them into sections it is easy to sew together into a square of 36x36cm. Then you only have the problem of fixing the finished squares together into a bigger 3x3 section! But I must say I'm quite proud of maintaining a rough 36 cm square on all of them even though the sewing is a bit wobbly at times. Will post it on here when I'm finished, in the next decade or so...!

There are ways of salvaging old curtains given from your mum to new more to my liking ones. Well these were just too short (the top white) so I added on a spare bit of flowery voile and voila! you got a new pair of spring curtains! Well talking about spring, it was looking like spring at least until it started snowing an hour ago!

We got some new fish as well today to our tank. There are 3 new shiny fancy goldfish swimming around in there now. And some plants and a background. Our surviving Siamese fighting fish looks very bleak and grey compared to the flamboyant new goldfish. We've named them and this time it was my turn to do the honours. So the white and red spreckled one is Tinky Winky, the black and gold one is Dipsy and the all orange gold one is LaaLaa.... I know, James is really a bad influence on me!

My day off.
Sun is shining, snow is falling, it is +3. Now what could be wrong in that sentence?

We are heading out soon to do ...something. Haven't yet decided on what yet but definitely something is to be done today. I was thinking IKEA but mum needs the car early so wont go there today. We also discussed going by train to Gävle or Uppsala but nothing came out of it. So it looks like a trip to Borlänge and shop a bit at Kupolen. And then do some grocery shopping at Coop. Will fit a walk in as well since the weather is just fine (not grumbling about the snow)

Yesterday we went to the annual allotment meeting were they talked about what's been happening the previous year and elected new members to the board, I was elected to join the election committee. They also confirmed that the county messed up when saying it was fine to build small greenhouses. Now apparently you have to send an application in for a permit to build greenhouses since one neighbour has started to complain about how the allotment area looks like. We are very new to this so we didn't really know all the in's and out's of what's been going on. But one neighbour has started to come down and harass people at the allotment saying they have nothing to do there and they should clear off. Most of the times he has been drunk when going after people. Also he complains about people using the road that leads from the main road down to other houses along the allotment. But he cant deny us to use the road as long as the community there gets part of the maintence subsidised from the county, in other words, its still a public road. It seems that the neighbour also is complaining about the little bay getting overgrown and it is our fault for using fertilizers. And we shouldn't be using white fleece either to protect from frost, it should be green.... The list is endless of what he complains about. They are at the moment trying to find out what is what about permits since they have had different answers to what they are allowed to do. Hopefully they will get to know before the growing season starts here, which is in april, may. We were more welcomed this time and people actually talked to us! We felt quite out of it on the last meeting. But im sure they keep their distance untill they know if you are serious about staying in and use your allotment to grow plants in and not just leave it after you've put the seeds in. Quite a few do just leave them all summer thinking it will manage on its own. They also talked about getting a bit tougher on people that just leave everything. If they cant shape up they are out of there. But i will have to see it to belive it in this case. They seem very reluctant to confront people and tell them what's what..

Weekend over...
It has been lovely absolutely GORGEOUS weather here this weekend and who do you think had to work hmmm????
Well its obvious it was me, never mind that I had raging pms and was ready to murder someone, I had to work with Mr B as well! *pause to retract claws*

Serenity, calm, think of a slowly flowing stream..birdys chirping and humming bumble bees. Ahhhh....

IT DOESN'T WORK!

Today was scary, me that is, was scary. Women everywhere will understand and guys will go duck behind the nearest sofa until it passes. Just consider how much energy you release when on PMS ,negative or positive depending on your life situation I suppose. Its like walking around with a volcano inside that's just letting enough pressure out to stop it from exploding. By the looks of my temper this weekend my life must be quite shitty. But its not, well only work wise I suppose. Otherwise it is great!
Bet you next time I will be all weepy and will cry for the slightest little mishap, like not being able to tie your shoelace up or if the bread isn't defrosting quick enough for you. Pathetic. Still, it makes life much more interesting. I don't know if James will agree with me though... ;)

It is starting to melt a bit over here. Already! It is nice and sunny outside right now so might go for a longer walk before work. Been cleaning and pottering around a bit this morning. Just tidying everything away stuff that seems to be leaking out in various rooms all the time. Strange that how some things seem to grow legs over night isnt it... ;)

I've just cooked a lovely lambstew i've never done before and baked an almond cake for desert, yummieness in this apartment is high right now!

Work is going pearshaped in more then one way. And our boss is having a nervous breakdown or so it feels like sometimes. He is sneaking in new schedules without proper advance notice. He is calling it just temporary and still it will be a fixed one once everybody's got used to it. He hasn't said anything to me yet even though I know he has changed my shifts during the weekends. It will be most interesting to see how long he will wait until telling me. If he will at all of course. But when he does I'm going to ask him why he wants me to sit at the tills more and get more trouble with my shoulders then I already have( he knows about my problems in this area). And why he doesn't put A in as the new weekend boss as he had told and promised her. If he did as he had planned in the first place I would get A's shifts in the veggiesection and everything would be fine and dandy part from me losing out on double pay on Saturdays, but never mind that. He had promised to shift Mr B off the weekend shift since he wasn't doing what he was supposed to do and generally being a pain in the arse. But he chickened out didn't he and now it seems we are stuck with Mr B arsing around doing nothing during our weekends pretending to Big Boss that he did all the work while we work our arses off instead and never get noted for it! It is so shitty I cant tell you! No wonder I'm looking for another job eh?

I am holding in my hand a white envelope with my finished application for another job! Take a deep breath and scream, YEEEEHAAAAAAA!
Doesnt that feel better? I could get used to this you know ;)

I did it in 4 seconds.
I deserved an A++!!
Take the How Dexterous Are You? Quiz!!

Ehm, does this mean i need to spend a bit more time away from the computer? LOL

I am seriously suffering from low self esteem right now! I'm trying to write a CV and all I can see is that I've not done much different work then what I am doing right now, and it is soooo depressing! Plus the fact that I am getting old and and and! Well you seem to get my drift..

Im going to apply for a job i saw in the newspaper. It is at CSN. They grant loans for students in Sweden. If i understand correctly you will be giving advise and helping out generally at their helpline and filing the loan applications and likes. Im going to give it a shot anyway. Now to the hard bit, writing an interesting CV!

I had just noticed, it doesnt get dark untill 4.30 now a days! Its amazing how a few minutes each day make you peark up. But the thought of tomorrow plunks me straight back down again. Im going to the dentists to fix a hole in a back tooth. I HATE going to the dentists. Or rather what they can do to your poor teeth! At least im going first thing in the morning so it is over and done with on my day off. Why do i constantly make arrangements for doing stuff on my day off? In the end it is a hectic day with lots of To Do things on a list waiting to be ticked off. Its not really a day off is it then?

I might learn, someday that days off are supposed to be just that. Maybe.. :)

To have someone that talks in his sleep is very amusing and bewildering at the same time. Last night James was very tired and dropped off into bed very early. He said he would take a short nap, but when the nap just lingered on i went in to see if he wanted to get up or stay in bed and sleep for the night. When asking him if he was awake since he looked it i got a response somewhere around the lines of " an onion is smaller then an apple". I realised he wasnt awake and had a giggle but then he told me to go away in a sleepy kind of shrug. I left him to it and went back to my book. I do wonder how his mind works and what that was all about though.