It did snow a bit today. Nothing that stayed on the ground though. But it was amazing to see the sun shine and the snow falling outside at the same time. Weird but beautiful.

Did you notice I changed the book I'm currently reading? I must confess, I never read the whole book before...! But after seeing the films over and over and well you get the picture I decided it might be worth reading. So for my birthday James bought me this HUGE book which contains all three stories in one volume with illustrations by Alan Lee. It weighs a ton and looks like a tool you smash a window with! And I'm sure I will get totally lost in it and wont surface until it is read from cover to cover.

There might be some snow!

But please don't tell James that, he said the other day that I must stop cursing so much, meaning I had to stop saying it will start to snow soon! And this is from the guy who when he first came over here stared out the window for quite some time when it started to snow in late October and couldn't wait to go out in the snow and make crunchy sounds with his shoes when walking in it. But that was oh, 2 winters ago now. And I guess the novelty of it all has gone. I suppose it doesn't help either that he every winter falls over a certain amount of times..

Nothing much has happened over here. Everything seems to chug along nicely and nothing extraordinary has happened for ages. The same ickle rut every day. Wake up, go to work, get home, food, TV, bed. But once in a while it is a getuplaterushtoworkandruinthewholedaybecasueyoudidntsetthealarmclock type of day. Ask James, he had one yesterday. Have you ever seen someone actually jump into their trousers? I must say it is a sight to behold. Gives you that sort of grin on your face you cant shake whenever you see him for the rest of the day.

*News flash!*

Bear with me my singing isn't that great, ok?

~hAppY Biirthday tooo Mee, HaPPYY biirthhhday to meeee, hAppYY Birthhhday DeaRRR Maria, happy Birthhhday tO Meeeeee~! YaY!

Don't ask me to do THAT again, pew. If there ever was someone who couldn't hold a tone it would be me. Still I used to sing in the school choir at one point. But I think I must have sang quietly or else they would have thrown me out earlier!

I've had some lovely presents, thank you kindly for them all. But only one birthday card came in the post today. It was from James' grandparents. Thank You Dot and George, I will spend it on something lovely and most likely it will be clothes or SHOES. Sad aren't I, but I am a woman and as such 'we' are entitled of our shoes and handbag fests!

Just something for you to ponder about..

If you have a gifted mathematical brain maybe you can send me an explanation of why this works!


DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST

It takes less than a minute.......

Work this out as you read.

Don't cheat and read the bottom until you've worked through it!

This is fun!


1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to have dinner out. (try for more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2 (Just to be bold)

3. Add 5. (for Sunday)

4. Multiply it by 50 - I'll wait while you get the calculator.................

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1753....
If you haven't, add 1752..........

6.. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number .

The first digit of this was your original number (I.e., how many times you want to have eat out each week.)

The next two numbers are... YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it IS!!!!!)

THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR (2003) IT WILL EVER WORK, SO SPREAD IT AROUND WHILE IT LASTS. IMPRESSIVE, ISN'T IT?

Got that in a mail today and tried it out, and it worked for me. Now lets see if it works for you.

Vatican: condoms don't stop Aids

This is why I'm not a Christian. And that is why they will burn in their hell for telling people to stop protecting themselves. It sure makes me wonder what idiots can pass the eye of God and end up a cardinal or even a pope with a clear conscience. Where is the common sense? Oh sorry I forgot, there is no common sense where religion rules. We've seen it time and time again....

I just feel sorry for the babies being born with the aids virus and the mothers that will have to explain to them why they are sick. I bet you they don't say it was because their priest or cardinal told them it was worse using a condom and stopping the disease then not using one and having babies even if it meant having already doomed their life to sickness and early death...

Thank you Moi for putting my attention to it.

I just love Sweden in autumn...
And the fact that this scene was shot just around the corner from where we live makes it even better!

I HAVE to get to the hairdressers! Right now my fringe is so long I can pull it up and make a ponytail of it with the rest of my hair if I place it high enough. I look like a samurai!

It has been absolutely gorgeous weather here today (sorry Mary) Clear blue sky with wisps of white clouds stretched out in jagged edges. Quite warm in the sun and all those trees changing into autumn colors just gleaming in the sunlight.

Lotta and me went to 2 auctions today. We were not impressed with either of them. The first one was a local one where the most interesting thing I could find were some rolled up maps from around Dalarna and Lotta spotted a little coffee pan in copper. But we weren't prepared to stay until they came up so we left for another auction in Basna, a bit outside Borlange. They were highly suspicious looking with lots of orient carpets and artwork but not really anything else. And very highly priced as their starting bid so we took one or two laps around and looked at each other and I started laughing and off we went. They really looked a bit like the dealer and wheelers in Fools and Horses.... In the end we found ourselves at an antiques show in Borlange a bit before they closed. I bought some old postcards depicting Falun and had a good look around at the prices and bumped into some regulars to the local auctions. Some of them we like and some we wouldn't touch with a 3 foot pole but sadly you have to since they come to shop at the store!

Anyway after watching Lord of the Rings(extended version) again I have decided to get cracking on rearranging the bookcase now when all the videos and DVD's are nicely stacked in our new cupboard. It was with a bit of disappointment we realized we wouldn't be able to fit the stereo in there as well since there really isn't any natural holes for the leads to come out of it. And we don't want to drill a hole in it for just the stereos sake. But now when it is all arranged it looks alright anyway. If we just could get rid of the quite pungent smell of a sheep stable even after a good scrub it would be perfect. Hopefully a bit of Lush soap can take care of that since it smells quite strong in the bathroom cabinet where it has been living before. Only problem left is that we moved the stereo to the 2 small white IKEA tables we have in front of the big windows and I'm not sure it works having it there. We'll see if I'll move it around again. Constantly changing things around until it 'feels' alright. Weird isn't it?

Our cupboard is done. I went out to Lotta today and did the last polishing. All that's to be done is to attach the new feet, which still look very new compared to the actual cupboard. I have stained them with a slightly colored wax but they still look all new and shiny. Might have to bang on them and throw them around a bit to get them to look a bit rugged. The innards of the cupboard still smell like its fresh out of a stable. I will have to wash it out and scrub carefully inside it to make it smell of sĺpa, Swedish oldfashioned soap.

My leg is hurting and yes its annoying. My guess is it is a varicose vein inside because you cant see anything on the outside. But it is all warm and tender to touch from the top of my left foot to just half of my calf. And to wear my ecco shoes today was a real pain so I slipped into my softer sandal's even though it is chilly outside. And ecco shoes that are supposed to be good for your feet, HA! Oh well I shouldn't complain should I, a foot that is slightly bigger due to swelling wouldn't fit any shoe. If it still feels the same tomorrow I'm going to phone the medical center and ask for advice. Please, some sympathy?

Life throws you some odd balls sometimes and other times it just knocks you straight off your feet.
A friend who I thought was my friend no longer is. And if I've understood everything so far it is my fault altogether. Why don't I feel guilty? Why don't I feel anguished that I've said such a terrible thing that it would end a friendship? Maybe it is because I don't feel like I've said anything wrong when saying how I felt about the issue. And I have been ratting my head in about it trying to make it all clear so as to understand what was misunderstood or just not heard. But the fact remains I'm one friend short today and the really surprising bit is it feels alright. It is ok. I'm not sad that its over, I've changed quite a bit over the years and I used to be very compliant and bend to some extent to suit others. But I don't want to be a door matt anymore for someone to step all over and use. And ever since I've started to say No there's been friction. Sad really because you should be able to say No without getting branded a Bad Friend and told so ever so often.

What is a Good Friend btw? Is there a course you have to take and pass to be a Good Friend? If so I've missed out completely apparently. Or is being a Good Friend someone who have lots of other friends? What about those like me that only have a few friends that's been there for ages through thick and thin though? Are we outcasts to be despised because we don't know the joy of having a big circle of friends around?
No really, I'm not kidding here, it was told to me I have a weird sense of friendship and that was due to me not having many friends. Period. So you tell me, am I weird?

It's been a relaxing weekend. We went to a market yesterday in Borlange and then had a nice meal out at Coop before going home and having a very restful evening with a little visit to the allotment and picked all the beans, which was a lot! And picked the last few beatroot that were left to grow bigger. It has been quite cold at night recently so we covered up the would be broccoli that in fact is cauliflower with some fiberfleece to help them through possible frost. The cauliflower was bought as broccoli so was a bit surprised when I had a peak in the heart of the plant to find a budding head of cauliflower looking back at me. But I had suspected that it was not broccoli since the leafs has grown huge in comparison to a broccoli plant.

Today we went up for the autumn clean up day and meeting which really was just collecting all the benches that's been dotted around and moving some of the compost heap further up the hill next to the barn. After that we had a really short meeting which I didn't really get the point of because she just asked if we had anything we wanted to ask and that was the end of that. I was surprised because we were there for the first time and she didn't even bother to say anything about that or tell us something about the general rules for the allotment's. But it was interesting to sit and watch how people acted towards each other... I am a bit like that, I observe people and how they stand and what they say before I decide to approach or speak. And sometimes you get to know more by just sitting quietly watching the situation unfold. And the very first thing that struck me was that there's conflict a foot in the society.

There's a new chairman and changes to be expected in springtime when the new season starts. Not so much that the former chairman has been toppled for the new one, more that the board is fed up with people expecting them to do all the work that has to be done around the allotment area, like cutting the grass between the lots, emptying the trash and tidying up after other people who scatter piles of junk wood everywhere. As of now you will have to take care of your own junk may it be glass frames that's broken or planks or sticks that you've exchanged for new ones in your fence or anything else that is bulky. And their will be a rotation list on who will be cutting the grass and there wont be anyone in particular to do the spring rotovating. So it is more or less everyone for themselves or everybody together. Will see how it turns out and how turbulent the spring meeting will be. Because I'm sure there will be angry people wanting to know how they are going to get their little plot done now and demand that someone will see to it and I'm sure that the trash situation wont improve straight away. But still it sounds really simple that everybody takes their own trash with them doesn't it? Instead of paying for the garbage men to empty the bin in summer they could use that money for something else, like new tools. But apparently tools have gone missing as well so all isn't well in allotment world..

All in all a good weekend, dont you think?

It is strange how much more room we now have in our wardrobes since I did a clean out yesterday. Ever seen the program Life laundry where they drag everything you own out onto the lawn and your not allowed to put anything back that you either don't use or will display? It felt a bit like that. Because I emptied all of our wardrobes in the guest room and really had a hard time putting old clothes aside and chucking it either in the bin because they were so worn it wouldn't do for charity even. But now at least we have 3 bags of clothes going to charity shops and a lot more space. One thing that I was thrilled about though was that most of the clothes being put away were too big! I don't think I mention it much but I am trying to slim down a size or two or maybe even three.. And this just made my day really, especially since I mentioned to James that what would I do know when I don't have much clothes left and he said he would buy me some new ones! I'll make him stick to it I will.

I still have to go through all these boxes with 'various' affections like old letters and old music tapes which I don't listen to anymore. And threes a whole box with soaps, skin creams and shampoos that I cant use because they make me break out in rashes. Mind you they are so little used they could well go for brand new. I think I'll ask my mum if she'd like some or else I'm going to bin them anyway. It is a trouble when you cant test the product before you buy it and make sure it really does suit you and your skin. At least now I can give soap and shampoo over to James but I don't think he will use my very flowery smelling deodorant or 'beautycream'...! And my music tapes? Hmm, might give them to Rosie and she could sell them at her second hand shop and if there isn't any interest in them she could bin them there.

May I rant on a bit?
I mentioned the program Life Laundry, we like to watch it and go ohh and ahh over how much junk they have accumulated but one thing we don't like is the crusher at the end where they throw absolutely everything they couldn't sell or give away. We both couldn't believe our eyes when they threw in a computer and monitor and just crushed it instead of recycle all of the hazardous components!!! But I think that it is much more common in Sweden to pre sort your trash and have recycle centers for almost everything dotted around town. We sort our trash in things to burn and compost at home using two different bins. And if you like there are centers for your hard plastic containers, your metal cans, all your glass bottles, special centers for your old paint and oils and other chemicals you really don't know how to dispose of. Battery boxes are everywhere and you get paid for returning your bottles and coke cans in the shop. And this is so natural for us now we think it is such a shame when you don't have it everywhere. It has built up an everyday thinking about being environmentally friendly. It doesn't really take much longer or is more bother then if you just chuck it in one bin and throw the problem away. But doing that you only really move the problem to somewhere else, more water and air will get polluted and in the end it will come back to you. At least here we have a chance of cutting down on pollution which makes me feel better about doing it. Rant over.

And now I'm off to work! Wish they could recycle our place and come out with new versions of some of them, but happily they are off on vacation. Where you might wonder? Well they went to somewhere called Sunny Beach in Bulgaria but it haven't been sunny in Sunny Beach for as long as they have stayed there. Oh I feel so good in a naughty evil kind of way.. Oh better shut up or karma will come back to get me, but still.....*giggle*

It has been a very hectict weekend. James' parents came over on saturday, we met them in Stockholm since James was going to run the St Eriks race there. So we combined the two and stayed a night in Stockholm so they had a chance to see some of the Big City before heading back up to Falun. James did do very well in the race even though he had been out back with the plodders. He managed to finish with the second group runners well ahead of his own group. So now he has a nice time to show for when entering other competitions, like the London and Stockholm marathons next year.

The cupboard you see in the pictures below is now all cleared of paint. Now we just have to find a nice new finish to it. Lotta thought a wax would be nice since the wood underneath all that gucky red paint was fairly nice. And after all that scrubbing the surface is silky soft and touchy feely right now. We might have found a key for it in an antique shop since it was missing its original one. We'll have to see if it fits later on today when we go and have a look at it.

This is what i have been doing today...







It might not look much, but it is a pain in the butt getting the red paint off! There's still some left to do on one of the doors and on the sides and the small woodwork around the top and bottom. But it is getting there slowly. Trouble is, the stuff you use to strip the paint off dont work if it gets to be colder then +10 and it is getting to be COLDER then +10 and it is only the end of august still! It has snowed in the north of Dalarna for christs sake! And no you cant be indoors because the stuff STINKS, im guessing i'd have no braincells left if we would do it inside. It is sitting in Lottas garage right now and she is helping me.

Anyway, im home from work this week due to that i've strained my muscles under my left ribs sometime 2 weeks ago and it has only been getting worse. I booked a time with the company healthcarecenter for wednesday and the kind doctor told me what was wrong and that i should be off untill next monday. I didnt say much more then thank you and would you give me a sicknote so my boss believes me? Thing is, im fine as long as i remember not to lift anything heavy or do anything at all too heavy. So scraping some smelly gelly from a cupboard has suited me fine. Because i couldnt just sit inside and stare at these 4 walls or else i really would have gone mad.

We've been to yet another auction yesterday. And came home with a very nice cupboard.... James wasnt impressed though when i first said i wouldnt go higher then 1500 kr, but ended up at 2000 kr for it. But it is very nice and i would have got it cheaper if the other couple wasnt intrested as well because it was just us and them that were bidding. But somehow i dont think that they would have let it go for under 1000 kr... I'll try and publish a picture of it before we start anything with it

Its colour is a bit flaky but Lotta is going to help me get rid of it. But now i dont know how that will happen. I went home earlier today because my left side has been aching. Ok if it was my back, as usuall, but not this. Its sticking right in the side and pinches me with pain when i've been at the till too long. Or when i try to lift something heavy. I went to the local healthcenter on friday but the doc didnt know what it could be more then that i'd maybe knocked it or strained myself somehow. But i sure as heck cant remember doing that. So am going to the company healthcare center tomorrow if i can get a time to see if they can get to grips with what it is, since it has been sticking at it for at least 2 weeks now but got worse last wednesday. Also i need a paper from there saying yes Maria is in pain and cant go to work. My boss has become quite the stickler with those sort of things lately... But whenever wasnt he when it came to health isssues in his staff. Preferably we should work untill we drop then quit and move on so he can hire some new fresh staff and not be stuck with the over worked, stressed out, run down people he apparently thinks he got now... Oh yes, I like my boss...NOT

Yesterdays dinner with the girls went down very well. I was a bit tired and it was quite loud in the restuarant but it was fun. Hopefully we can all keep in touch via a new blog im putting up. It will be open to all who has ever worked in our shop and want to keep in touch. Some have moved abroad and some have quit to study. Hopefully it will be interesting to the others and that they will sign up. Right now it is only me in there, but that might be because i started it yesterday... ;o)

Lately i have been getting more and more interested in Feng Shui... I promise i wont become a nut about it but does anyone know of good places to look in the internet or any books?

I know i've been absent lately from bloggin about my life. But i really havent had any energy to write and when i've sat down to put at least a few lines in i give up after a couple of minutes thinking i have nothing to say. But now im going to try and write a bit each day.

Today has felt like one big run-around. In the last couple of days both my bike and James' have been poorly and not been able to keep the air in the tires. Somehow i felt it was a conspiricy when it was both in the rear tire which is most difficult to take off and put back due to all the gears and hooks and thingymagics that is attached to it. Of course James' went fine to change and fix the hole in. But when it came to mine that has fewer gears it all mucked up and the gearbit fell off! Its not supposed to do that i found out today when i had to bike( on first gear all the way since that was the only one working!!) to the bicycleshop to get it fixed by the nice man working there. It was, to say the least, funny to bike there, no matter how much i pedaled i could JUST get up to speed so i could pass people walking! Bit embarrasing as well i might add....

Anyway the nice chappy took my bike between the jobs he had since i pleaded with him i biked all the way from the other side of town to get there. I told him it was probably me that messed everything up when removing the wheel but he assured me he'd seen worse when people try to fix it themselves.... He showed me how to unhook the gearline so i knew how to do it the next time, it looked fiddly but a great deal better then the way i had done it. After the visit to the bike doctor i went up the hill to go have a peek at a new shop that has opend. It is a new low price chain that has opened up here in Falun. It was full of people doing their best to clog up the aisles just standing talking to people they knew instead of moving to one side so other shoppers could get around. I shopped a bit and stood in line for the tills for about 30 minutes to get out. Bit crazy i know but when you can do bargains why not.

After that it was off to my gran for the usuall shopping and going to the bank day. She is getting on a bit now and has taken more and more to lay in bed. But she seemed perky when i came and she was up and about for the while i was there.

And now im cooking lunch waiting for James to get back from work. Later on this evening im going out for a dinner with some girls from work since there is 3 who are going to leave this week. Wonder how late that will get.

I think a picture says more then words sometimes. This one just sums up very nicely how i think this summer has been.

I bow to the precens of genius...... Maybe not a Fucking Genius as some but still. He is well on his way of becoming one in my eyes because he fixed our computer! Thank Gods i married him... ;o)