Springtime!

Everything seems so much easier and more fun when there is daylight and the weather is good. Never knew actually was so affected by weather - have forgotten what living in Sweden used to be like. Suddenly the sun is shining and everyone is out all the time, drinking in parks etcetera, making the minimum 48-hours work week seem bearable and sort of lighting up the crap and dirt everywhere and making it look lovely.

Just did spring-time mailshot at work. I suggested the heading "Springtime for xxrecruitment" - strangely, nobody found it funny. Nobody knows anything about design but me - and giraffes ARE funny.

Think may be losing the plot a bit again, all to do with fab weather. Maybe will rain soon?

Went home to Sweden the other week, again, to visit family. Was good, started new exercise regime and have been running most mornings now. Unfortunately have seen no results at all so will probably give up and quit soon.

Heathrow...

Jetted off to Stockholm on a secret mission to visit friends. Was crucial family could not find out, as would not have time in between arriving after midnight on Friday (after most unpleasant Heathrow experience involving standard 2 hour delays and expensive junkfood) and leaving on Sunday afternoon - slightly worse for wear (and experiencing another Heathrow related delay). Atleast arrived in London before tube shut down - Craig was not so lucky. He arrived after midnight and had to take a BUS from middle of nowhere (Heathrow) to home. He got home at 3 AM, three hours before Anna sprang out of bed ready for another week of work...! Or whatever.

In most bizarre fashion ears have not yet recovered from flight, and have finally realised need to take a lunch-break (never previously tested at current job) tomorrow and trek across the street to a clinic. Never fun going to doctors in new countries as one does not quite know what to expect. Remember with horror the highly questionable idea by the Marrickville Centre doctor (whose sole purpose it is to sign medical certificates for aussies on sickies) that I do a gynecological exam THERE. Yeah. Said - give us the pills mister. No unnecessary chatting. Although, cannot imagine similar suggestion when only going to have ears looked at.

Very tired in general, far too tired to have started my new exercise regime. Cannot go running in morning until feel completely 100% and tip top. Maybe next week.

Easter

Think that last quote should have been "unbearable but we persevere" instead of "unbearable but we persist" but didn't think could spell "persevere." Anyhow.

Went on very pleasurable boating vacation over Easter. We now know houseboats are for summer enjoyment; and in England it snows over Easter.





Who would have figured? Had an absolutely amazing time though, apart from trying to sleep in below freezing conditions.

X-mas and NYE

It's a leap year

One very interesting experience was having mom, Magnus, the kids AND their grandparents all over here at once. Had booked a "hotel" right near Bethnal Green tube, which turned out to be building site without functioning bathrooms; lit up by neon lights and conveniently located right next to a liquor-shop. Also was very neatly located right under train-tracks with only the minor disturbance of the occasional train passing and shaking the entire building. But since this only happened around every ten minutes, nobody complained constantly or drove me mad.

The first couple of days we tried Indian food and Chinese - with varying degrees of success and appreciation, so spent last two nights eating pizza. Which is also nice.

Have become a student, once again. Is like hate self and cannot keep from setting self up... At least seems really easy, have done more than half the course in one weekend - then will just have to wait until exam in June.

Work bit better but still a very tragic sales-job marketed as pleasant human resource / recruiting gig. Oh well. As they say - unbearable but we persist.

Issue of Savings

Plan to save lots of money and buy flat is not working out. After expenses, left with a very humble budget for rest of month, have today managed to book another festival in Germany and book a BOAT over Easter. Easter - England - Boat... Rain? Ah well. Sure was money well spent!

Thing is, could get hit by car or mad cyclist tomorrow and then what good would savings be? So better to live life today.

Yes.

Moose-Lasagna

Last weekend jetted off to Stockholm to meet mother and then be transported about two hours north to visit with various members of extended family. Had somehow coerced dad and wife to come get us at airport, a completely unprecedented event in the 25 or so years we have been living apart. Being assertive gets you places. To Häverö for example. Pleased to report absolutely everything is still the same way I left it, every time I left it. The neighbours are still hopeless idiots to be bemoaned repeatedly and in exactly the same words (whilst parked firmly around table with cops of coffee and plates of cake). Different neighbours, same difference. This is all making an enormous amount of sense.

Stepsister has baby which just turned 1, very cute. Sister cannot wait to offload baby on boyfriend and run the opposite direction - even if it means having to come to Häverö and drink boiled coffee and talk about the neighbours.

Must definitely say highlight of weekend was making moose-lasagna.

Was good to be back, and feel like should probably visit over Easter. Would miss out on tip around UK, but what can you do.

Nadia!!!

Freakiest thing happened today at work. Had an interview at 10, and in walks - Nadia! At least someone who looks exactly like her. Not a bit like her - but precisely like her. So did what any sane person would do, stared. Kept staring throughout most of interview (which, by the way, consisted mostly of me going "so...." "hmmm... then" "...and..." and so on) until finally I says "You look so much like a friend of mine - have you got Lebanese parents?" Candidate goes quiet and then offers "Er... No, we are Israelis." DOOM!!! MUST learn to think before speaking. Just emailed Nadia saying wish had camera - although maybe is rude to take photos of candidates during interview?

Christmas then! Spending a week in southern Sweden at mother's house was nice. Good food, very good - and LOTS of it. Do not have to go hungry in that house, this is for certain. Hardly have enough time in the day for all required meals. Some lovely traditions in which Craig got to part-take were:
- marinating herring
- cooking knäck (candy) which nobody eats
- throwing out the Christmas knäck on boxing day
- watching one hour of cartoons at exactly 3 PM on Christmas Eve, whole country stops
- handing around bags and bags of useless gifts which, mostly, the recipient has purchased and wrapped for themselves

NYE spent in civilized fashion in Madrid - from now on am doing house parties...

Almost Christmas!!!

Am sitting in our bedroom since it is marginally warmer in here than rest of flat. Probably... oh, 3 or 4 degrees warmer. That would make it around 14 degrees in here. Balmy!

Concerned that might have a depression. Yes, have seen some signs like wanting to sleep ALL the time, sleeping like a baby for 12 hours straight (unusual at any age surely) and eating strange things like baked beans and peanut-butter toast with banana... Then again - do not FEEL depressed, so not too sure if that's it.

Enough whining - am off to Sweden on Saturday! Then Madrid for New Years (deja vu!). Am confident all will be nice and civilized, all acting like adults etcetera - and back in one piece for work on the 2nd!

The Spirit of Things

Nearly fell over this morning when leaving for work and thought "Oh brilliant just stepped in dog shit," but turned out ground was covered in ice. ICE! It is bloody freezing. And outdoors is even worse.

Work is going well, am a bit of a genius at it really. If only was not for candidates and clients it would rock! Is there any jobs where one never has to deal with people? Feel free to make suggestions.

Christmas is almost here! Number of gifts bought - 0. Number of cards send - 0. Number of Christmas decorations at home and work - 0. Really getting into the spirit of things!

At least will not have to go to work-thing which is tomorrow. Because I have other plans. Going to Leeds!

Recently have been living the rock-star life here in London - going to gigs where constantly VIP'd into awesomeness and so on, so need some recovery time before New Years. Let's see how us girls go achieving that this weekend.

Will bring bottle of Moet that got from work for first placement! Woooo!!!