The Swedish Flicka

A Day Away from Vacation - Scandinavian Happenings Around Town!

2008-10-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

Here are links to some Scandinavian holiday happenings around my town:

Nordic Heritage Museum Yulefest 2008

Swedish Cultural Center Scandinavian Holiday Bazaar 2008

Scandinavian Cultural Center at PLU Calendar

IKEA's November 2008 Calendar

Nordic Fest 2008 on Whidbey Island

Bothell Sons of Norway Bazaar

Country/Scandinavian Holiday Bazaar (No link)
November 13th - 15th 10:00a to 5:00p
9219 152nd St SE
Snohomish
This house is cute if you haven't seen it!

Julefest Christmas Bazaar
SAT Traditional Norwegian needlework, ornaments, home décor, garden decorations, bake sale, lunch, demonstrations of Scandinavian foods and arts, proceeds benefit local food banks, mission quilts and U.S. troop care packages; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Zion Lutheran Church, 25105 132nd Ave. S.E., Kent (253-631-0100 or zionkent.org).

Foss Home Scandinavian Bazaar

and this little tidbit, which isn't Scandinavian but I thought it sounded really interesting:

Wood Construction Center Saturday Market
SAT Sale of furniture, arts and crafts made by students and alumni of the SCCC Wood Construction Center, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, SCCC Wood Construction Center, 2310 S. Lane St., Seattle (seattlecentral.org/wood/).

In Portland:

24th Annual Christmas ScanFair - sounds awesome!

In Canada:

Swedish Christmas Market - and lots of other events!

Sweden Trip Day 5 - Quiet Days in the Country OR Miscellaneous Facts about Food and Family

2008-10-25T08:39:00.003-07:00

When I was looking at my notes for Day 5 it was a weird hodge-podge of items mostly relating to food and family.

We started out the day going to pick svampan (mushrooms). This was one of my favorite times of the whole trip because picking mushrooms is something that interests me. I was definitely no longer sick, but now I had a weird bruise on the bottom of my foot - I guess I don't need to mention it, but normally there is never anything wrong with me and now besides being sicker than a dog for three days I had this foot thing!

I know I mentioned before Berit lived in Norra Rörum, but I just found this blurb about the municipality it is located in and I thought it was interesting as of 2005 there were only 203 people living there. Tony's house was the last house on the road and he was about 186 miles from the next house!

Waiting to look for mushrooms, check out my boots!

Tobbe outside his house. Tobbe was adopted by Berit - his original name was actually Zlatan, I'll let you look at the link. Berit actually built this house with an old boyfriend of hers back in the 70s.

This was the house Berit and her boyfriend lived in while the built the other house. Now this houses her dryer.

Morning in the forest...

I really wanted my mom to take a picture of my issued boots, but Tobbe decided he wanted to be the center of attention instead. Oh, my socks kept falling down all the way to my toes too...

Svamp hunden (mushroom dogs - like birddogs) Sofia and Tobbe!

I think this was the biggest mushroom of the day.

My favorite mushroom, the poisonous but ever so cute red and white polka dot mushroom.

Our catch of the day, chantarelles.

After we took our morning walk we headed out to buy a birthday present for Therese, my cousin's daughter, who we were having a little birthday party for the next day. And, my Aunt Rigmor (I pronounce it Ring-more, but technically it's more like REEG-mor, but I've been saying it my way since I was a kid, and I'm not changing) had given my mom cash to buy korv (aka, a hotdog) every day she was in Sweden and she hadn't had one yet.

So we headed out in Berit's little red car down to Löddeköpinge, with much discussion ensuing about how it's spelled Löddeköpinge, but most people call it Löddeköpe, which I guess it's like Los Angeles to LA or, you get my drift...

Berit's little red snow car...

We also passed the school where my mom attended second grade on the way up and on the way back but we buzzed by it so quickly I didn't get a photo.

Our first stop was a store called Engelbrektsboden, which I couldn't find a link for! Damn the luck, anyway, it was Wal-Mart-esque. Then we went to Center Syd (Center South), the big mall. Just my luck though, Berit and mom weren't really in shopping mode, only 'let's get this present and get outta here' mode so Center Syd is on my list of 'next trip' items.

I started to notice a theme, every day Berit likes to stop for ice cream. She's particularly fond of drumsticks. Even when we were bike riding on Ven we stopped and she got a drumstick.

We stopped at this nursery in the country to buy some flowers for my Aunt Inga-Mai's grave. She passed away in 2004. She had breast cancer and then bone cancer. We bought heather, which signifies admiration. Admiration of a lovely lady who battled cancer but still loved to go dancing!

It turns out Berit appears to be one of the keepers of old family photos, information, etc. I had no idea, I'm definitely coming back again to get all the info and copies of the pictures.

This is actually a print of the house that belonged to my mom's Farmor and Farfar (Grandmother and Grandfather on the father's side). In one of the next installments we actually drove by the house!

Mom and I with our standard issue lint rollers.

Our room at Berit's - eccentric. If you look very carefully above the bed on the left there is a black and white picture of me and my sister when we were tots...

So my mom has this mosaic mirror and my sister and I always fight over who will get it when she is gone, lo and behold, Berit had another one! It was a different color - but I was sooooo happy - I gave as many hints as possible.

An awesome dinner made by Berit, salmon covered with about 2 inches of creme fraiche, with potatoes with fresh parsley from the yard - hey, wait a minute - what's that big green bottle in the background...

We had been talking about several different fruits during the day, the paradise apple, nypon and physalis. I wasn't sure what any of them were called in English so I googled them when I got home. Nypon are rose hips, physalis are cape gooseberries and I still don't know what a paradise apple is called here, probably the same. If anyone knows, let me know.

After dinner my mom and I went down and walked by the lake. When I was a child I swam in this lake!

Cute houses in the background...

the lake

I love the mailboxes!

Peaceful evening...

Lovely Aunt Berit and her funky glasses!

Sweden Trip Day 4 - Mickey Appears!

2008-10-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

Our day started out with my mom, Berit and myself venturing over to the island of Ven (Hven), for a nice day of bike riding. One of the interesting sights on the island is the Tycho Brahe Museum. Tycho Brahe was an instrumental astronomer and alchemist, who was not without his less than fine points. However, his work laid the groundwork for many others. If you are interested in history and science I recommend reading up on Tycho Brahe, it's fascinating. The most interesting parts to me were of course, his views of women, his garden and his relation to astrology.

My pictures do the island no justice - it is absolutely beautiful!

Berit and I waiting for the ferry to leave.

Our arrival...

The countryside...

I thought this would make a great picture because of the bikes, then when I got home I noticed the toilet sign...I guess I shouldn't give up my day job...

I just loved the juxtaposition ($7 word) of the red geraniums and the somberness of the background...too bad you can't tell it's the beautiful St. Ibb's old church and cemetery up a cliff overlooking the ocean...and it's blurry...ya, I think I missed my calling...thank God for web links...

View of the harbor...

I just liked this house and garden...there were a million of these cute things on the island.

We actually rode our bikes through this field all the way from the farthest point on the horizon - I loved it!

We packed a little picnic lunch.

No self respecting Swede would be caught without coffee on any excursion.

Berit and I coming around the bend!

Just a note to make everyone feel bad - my Aunt Berit is 76 years old and made her way around that island like a champ on her bike! Old age, shmold age!

After our day of bike riding we high-tailed it on over to of all places, the dollar store, Öob, which it turns out is one of my brother's favorite Swedish stores, and then City Gross, which is kind of like a Target Greatland or Super Walmart. I know it sounds corny, but I felt the same way about these stores as I did the grocery store - happy to be there.

When we got home we got ready to go up to Tony's house for dinner. Here are the highlights:

This is the sign to turn down the one mile dirt road to Berit's house. I asked her if she ever has problems in the winter, "I always get out", is what I was told.

My mom took this picture of her big sister while cracking up because of the urchin-fab look.

Another beautiful smörgåstårta, made by Tony, curry chicken...we had strawberries and cream for dessert - YUM!

Mickey! I asked my mom, did Tony name the fox? No, Mickey is just a nickname people use for foxes in general, like we would use it if we saw a mouse.

Everyone, grab your shoes quick!

Sweden Trip Day 3 - City Mouse/Country Mouse Part 2

2008-10-16T20:26:00.001-07:00

When Mom and I got home from Malmö centrum (downtown), Aunt Berit and Tony (Berit's friend), came over to Aunt Kerstin's for dinner. Berit speaks no English. My mom said they didn't start teaching English in school until she was in the 6th grade, Berit is 76 and my mom is 70. Needless to say the majority of the dinner conversation was in Swedish, well not the majority, all of it. I didn't really mind though, it was good practice for me to hear it in conversation versus hearing it in my normal classroom setting. The only English was when mom announced Berit had cursed.

After dinner we were heading out to spend a few days at Berit's house in the country. Oh, I almost forgot, for dessert we had this fruit salad with fresh whipped cream and these cookie pieces in it that were so stinkin' good! Mandel biskvier is what they are called. Simple dessert, yet yummy.

Berit lives in Norra Rörum which is about 40 miles northeast of Malmö. Forty miles doesn't sound like a lot, but once you leave the city it turns into farmland quickly. We stopped at the grocery store where Berit bought two loaves of bread. I bought a magazine - På Landet. I guess part of the dinner conversation was what we were eating for breakfast, Kerstin told Berit I was only eating half a piece of toast, my mom said, you never know, tomorrow she may eat the whole piece! Therefore, Berit bought two loaves of bread for three days.

When we finally got to Berit's it was pitch black outside, we went inside and I thought we were going to settle in for the night - I was wrong. You have to remember I have no idea what is being said all this time. I was immediately issued a flashlight and a lint roller. I didn't know why, but what the hell, I'm usually game for anything!

It seems up at Tony's house (which was the last house on the road and 186 miles from the nearest civilization), around the corner there had been a rascally fox entering homes and stealing pet food and various items of clothing, socks, shoes, etc. So we ventured up there to wait for the fox. It was pitch black outside, I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. Thus, the flashlight. So there we were hunkered down in Tony's house with the door open, crouched around waiting, and waiting...Berit was holding her 4 year old black lab, Tobbe (pronounced Toe bay, not Toby, as I called him the whole time and was corrected by my mother constantly), listening to Swedish folk music, which is weird. It was quiet, except for the music and my mother, whispering in my ear the smart alec translations of the folk music...

There is a flock of ducks, flying wherever they fly for whatever season - suddenly, they see a man in a boat standing up...later the mother duck is looking for her young...it's a sad, sad song...

Next,

Everyone wanted the Miller girl because she was hot, but she told her suitors the first to earn $1,000 would get her hand in marriage, so they left and earned their keep, when they got back with the money she had married the neighbor, the moral of the story, women are fickle, you don't know the mind of a woman...

It sounds hokey, but seriously it was hard to keep quiet with my mom whispering these translations in my ear because it was so funny....

Well, the fox never came, so we went home. The lint roller was to keep the dog hair off.

One thing I noticed was the toilet paper so far had sucked, but Berit had nice toilet paper. Ah, the country!
Berit and I in the dark of night...notice the green fluorescent 7-up bottle...I was instructed to bring it to Tony's. Do foxes like 7-up?

Berit keeping Tobbe from going crazy like a fox!

Sweden Trip Day 3 - City Mouse/Country Mouse Part 1

2008-10-04T05:59:00.000-07:00

Today we hopped on the bus early and headed to Malmö!

First things first, I had to exchange my money so we stopped at the local Forex so I could get me some cold hard kronor. Silly me, I was really worried about being able to figure out how much things were, how much I was spending, your basic foreign country exchange stuff, ha!!! Come to find out, I do have a talent! All of my years of shopping and spending have given me an uncanny ability to figure out foreign money! That and food...but of course...

One funny thing happened on the bus, a young kid got on and as we got closer to the center of town more and more people were getting on the bus, all of a sudden this old lady gets on and motions to him with a scowl and a finger to give up his seat for her - I don't know if that is common there, but here that 15 year old would have been all up in her grill...sassy American delinquents!

Two old ladies on the bus! Who wouldn't give up their seats!

One of my first downtown pictures - supposed to be of my mom, but I was distracted by the cute guy in the leather jacket - I told him he was going to be a super star - he laughed!

Kerstin and I standing outside the Osthuset, my brother's favorite, The Cheese House.

Look at all that awesome cheese! Scandinavians love their cheese and bread!

I believe this is traditional old Skåne house architecture. Now it is a trendy gallery (with a kick ass store) that was having a private party my Aunt Kerstin tried to crash, I kept saying, I think it's a private party, I think she was pretending she didn't understand...only because later she commented on it to my mother and laughed...

Me petting one of the many cat sculptures along one of Malmö's canals, or maybe it's THE canal, I'm not sure.

Mom and Kerstin had this great shrimp sandwich at lunch - yum! I was still a bit under the weather so I opted for chicken.

The dreaded Coke Light - whatever.

So my mom will kill me for putting this in, but she said when she was a girl her mom would make her come down here to fish my grandpa out of this exact bar! I love it! Now it's been yuppified - what a shame, but still I'm liking the geraniums.

Kerstin took the bus home after lunch, my mom and I decided to walk part way home through Pildammsparken (the Willow Lake Park), the largest park in Malmö. For some reason I'm fascinated with big hedges.

Crown Princess Margareta's pavilion is one of the remnants of the 1814 Baltic Exhibition.

Mom whipping cream for desert after dinner. I took a picture of everyone at the table, but it was too blurry for blogging...bummer! I loved how every table was set.

Oh sure, we also stopped at the equestrian statue of King Karl X Gustav, St. Peter's Church, the oldest building in Malmö, dating from the early 14th century, and various other old historical buildings, but the pictures I took were not that great, and I was enjoying taking pictures of food, family and the bar my grandpa used to drink at! Fun times!

Sweden Trip Day 2 - Liquor is Quicker

2008-10-02T23:57:00.000-07:00

My mom took this delightful photo of me while proclaiming, ah, your first day in Sweden! (Notice what I'm eating, it will be significant later.)

So when I woke the second day and came downstairs I told my mom all I wanted was some 7-up and regular Advil (I, like a fool, had only brought Advil PM). In all my singleness little did I realize what I really needed to quell my queasiness had already been discussed that morning. I was after all, now in the company of my mom and two of her sisters. Aunt Berit had called earlier to say what I really needed was a nice shot of whiskey. Thank God Aunt Kerstin (pronounced shas-tin, as in shasta cola) and my mom had settled on alka seltzer.

I took my alka seltzer and we started for the bus to my cousin Ingrid’s salon so I could get my hair done. I was really excited because I had been growing out my hair for two years so she would have perfectly virgin hair to work with.

I love my new hair!!!

It’s amazing how much better you feel after you get your hair done! We immediately walked down to the liquor store to shore up for the next two weeks. On the way we passed my mom’s best friend Gull-Britt’s house she grew up in – I’m sorry to say I didn’t get a picture of it. Then we went to the GROCERY STORE! I love going to the grocery store, and in another country, it was even better! I couldn’t stop looking at everything, it was so cute and small, no jumbo size American packaging, I wanted to look at every single aisle and see what I could find. Finally we went to the soda aisle – and what did I see – 7UP LIGHT!! Curse the day!!! I thought I was going to cry, then all of a sudden I saw it – regular 7-UP! I had hope! When I checked out I had my beloved 7-UP, my first Swedish magazine, Rosie, and a package of one of my favorite Scandinavian cookies, bixit with chocolate! And I became fast friends with the clerk who told me she was going to move to New Jersey to be with her American boyfriend…good for her!

My mom grew up in Malmö, which is where we were, where my Aunt Kerstin lives. After dinner my mom and I decided to take a walk. We walked for an hour and half and I got to see the house she grew up in, like a fool, neither of us brought a camera. My cousin Anna lives really close by there so we went on a wild goose chase looking for her apartment, amazingly enough we found it and stopped by to say hi to her, Anders (husband) and her new baby Moa. My mom said we’d better hurry back because Kerstin is a worrier and she would be outside waiting for us – she was!

On the way back a girl came up to me and asked me for directions, I said in my best panic-stricken Swedish, “I don’t understand you.” My mom said she was looking for a bank machine, she probably thought what I would think, what idiot doesn’t understand what a bank machine is…

The thing I enjoyed most about this day was my mom pointing out tons of houses saying, that’s where so and so lived, and that’s where this boy I dated lived, here's the school I went to in 6th grade, and that’s where this happened…

Aunt Kerstin's lovely backyard, she did all the gardening herself...

Ingrid's cute little salon in Limhamn (an area in Malmö), called Lockar & Sånt (meaning Curls & Such.) Me with my hair set! The lady on my right was going to a funeral and getting hers set too!

Sweden Trip Day 1 - Red or White?

2008-10-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

September 7th - finally! The day had finally come for me to take my second trip to Sweden, or was it really my first? I had been when I was three so I'm not sure if that really counts because I don't remember...although there are plenty of pictures to prove I was there - me in all my three year old naked glory - running around the lake at my Aunt Berit's house with my sister, both of us squeezed into a bucket with our tiny heads sticking out. My mom has a copy of it somewhere, I'll have to have her dig it out.

I was really excited but I must admit I had been running nonstop the weeks beforehand. Going overseas is serious business and costs a lot of money up front. I wanted to make sure I had the right clothes, presents for everyone, etc., etc. We brought everyone Bath & Bodyworks lotions because they don't have them over there and they had been requested.

The first thing I noticed when I got on the plane was a baby sitting close to us crying. At that point I was really happy so I tried to be calm and think, poor thing, cabin pressure, new mom - I have patience, the baby will fall asleep soon after we take off. Then another baby, then another, and another, and another. Five hours into the ten hour flight, the babies are no longer crying, they are screaming. At this point I still have a bit of patience. My mom and I both take an Advil PM hoping we can get some sleep over the screaming. I'm super tired because I barely had any sleep the whole week before I left. They bring dinner, in all honesty, it was horrible. It was meatballs and pasta in tomato sauce with peas. Yuck. I ate it. I asked for a Diet Coke - don't be fooled, it's not the same, it's really regular Coke with less sugar and unequivocally NOT the same!

By this time the baby behind my mom has been kicking her chair non-stop and the parents are both asleep, the dad blissfully snoring away while his devil child is constantly kicking my mom's chair!!! Stuff like that makes me nervous.

Somewhere about two hours before we landed I started to feel a weird sensation in my gut, and it wasn't good. By the time I got off the plane I was in a total fog, all I could hear were screaming babies, I couldn't stay out of the bathroom, I was sweating and clammy and I just wanted the plane to LAND!!!!!!

I got off that plane and I have never felt so miserable in my entire life! We pick up our luggage and as we got to the point where everyone was going to meet us I was blinded by the flash photography of my Aunts!

After that it's all kind of a blur, we landed in Copenhagen, Denmark, so my cousin Ingrid borrowed her daughter's car (she doesn't have one, she bikes everywhere) and we all headed over to Sweden.

The beautiful table waiting for us when we arrived at Aunt Kerstin's! From left to right, Stina, my old babysitter, Aunt Rigmor (pronounced ring-more, although not correct, it's what we American kids use, my mom, Aunt Berit (pronounced bear-it), my counsin Ingrid.

My favorite - Smörgåstårta - which I couldn't even enjoy because I felt so horrible! Berit made this one and it is absolutely beautiful! I have the recipe if anyone is interested!

Berit and Ingrid showing off the awesome desserts I wasn't able to fully enjoy! Ugh!

After we were done eating all the Aunts and Stina got out their calendars and planned our itinerary...notice the comically smug look on Ingrid's face at the planning session...that's Kerstin on the right.

You can't see it in this picture but Stina on the left has her calendar out too...

Where was I? After I took a few photos I went upstairs and slept, but not without many warnings about how I wouldn't be able to sleep later on that night - HA!

Something happened earlier in the day that really sums up my whole first day in Sweden, which I don't why it does, it just does...on the plane a complementary alcoholic beverage came with dinner, I asked the fine Flight Steward what kind of wine they had, he looked at me with all seriousness and indignation and said, 'red or white'.

2 more days till I'm in Sweden!

2008-09-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sooo excited! I know I rarely write, but I just had to say - only two more days until I'm in the Land of the Midnight Sun! I have been so busy preoccupied with other things it just hasn't had time to sink in - until yesterday when I talked to my Mom and she said, we have dinner here this night and the girls (meaning my cousin Bengt's wife, Suzanne, my cousin Ingrid and her daughter Irene) want to take you out for a drink this night and we are going to the glass factories this day, etc., etc. Yikes!!

My old babysitter, Stina, sounds funny because I'm 41, anyway, she sent me a glass catalog so I could shop before I got there. I don't know how I'm going to get my glass home!!

I found these two sites very inspiring if you are in to things Scandinavian...in fact, I can't wait until I have more time to check out all the links from the blog Camilla At Home. The other site is for prefab homes - which sounds weird - but just check it out - Aladomo - click on Home Concepts.

Oh, another cool thing I found was this site, Firecrest Fireplaces. They make masonry heaters. Click on photo gallery and check out the awesome Finnish and Swedish numbers! And, they are right here in Everett, Washington!

I will post my pictures when I get back!

Those who know me from my youth will know...this is so my name!!

2008-08-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

Your 1920's Name is:

Lovie Octavia

What's" Your 1920's Name?

4 Things you should know about me before you invite me to your house.

2008-08-03T23:39:00.000-07:00

I got this mid-week meme from agirlnamedtimi.blogspot.com - since I haven't written anything in a while here goes!:

1) I love to read your magazines and will sit quietly and read them and ignore you!
2) I don't normally help myself to anything so if I help myself at your house you know you are in my inner circle.
3) Please don't invite me to any event and just happen to have a single male friend there and try to secretly set us up - I can see right through the bull shit and I will find my own losers thank you very much! Now I understand some people have single male friends - but I think we all know what we're talking about here...
4) I will eat just about anything and pick off the stuff I don't like, but I'm not really a fan of cured meats - bacon, pepperoni, etc.

Measurements!

2008-07-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

I just got my measurement email from class - I lost the following inches:

Chest - .25
Waist - 1.75
Hip - .25
Thigh - .25
Arm - .25

I want to lose 11.5 inches on my waist total - I guess that means I will be signing up for next session! Or, I'll be signing up for Power Belly!

Day 32

2008-07-13T23:37:00.000-07:00

I just could not move in the direction of class this a.m. - I definitely pushed the envelope and waited until the 11th hour - but I made it and I was glad. Boxing day today, bag work which is fun and helps the stress level, then I took a nice jaunt around Green Lake - which was absolutely beautiful. I ran into my boss and her sister-in-law there - weird! Then I had a hard time going in to work...yikes...these sunny days just make you want to sit around and get a tan.

Days 36, 35, 34 AND 33!

2008-07-11T06:36:00.000-07:00

I've decided when it comes to blogging I'm like a magpie, something shiny catches my eye and I'm on to that instead of finishing what I originally started.

It's easy to get burned out on this blogging stuff. Thus, the lack of written word for the last week or so...but today, today there is something to write about! We had our first weigh in/measurements for class and I lost 8 lbs! Go me!

Day 37 - 3 weeks down, 7 to go

2008-07-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

O-M-I-G-O-D! Tonight the regular instructors were all on vacation so we had a guest instructor. Some crazy Ethiopian guy who is the trainer to our instructors. Our workout was old school and it was so freakin' hard. I seriously couldn't do any of it - except for the military sit ups - which I did for the full two or three minutes without slowing down - huh? Who knew under my wall of flab I might possibly have the beginnings of some killer abs!?

It was kind of funny though because the last thing we did were jump-squats and you could tell even the most fit of the class were eaking out the littlest motion.

And then he came around afterward and shook every one's hand and we THANKED him! We must all be crazy!

You never regret the time you spend exercising.

Day 38?? I think...

2008-07-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Last night after class I walked out to the lobby and sat down on one of the chairs to put my sandals on when one of my classmates came and sat and said, 'that was an intense workout.' She wasn't kidding! I don't know if I've ever sweat that much in my life! I'm sure if I had any debilitating diseases lurking dormant in my body they have surely been thrust out by now. My other mistake, that I'll never make again, was eating too close to class - that just slows you down and makes you nauseous. Common sense, I know, but you know I try to get away with as much as can - much to my own detriment.

Well after tonight no class for three days because of the 4th of July weekend. I hope I don't lose my momentum.

Day 39 - I'm old!

2008-07-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Most of the time I don't feel like I'm 40 but last night I was really feeling my age - I was a mess! My left wrist hurt, my left knee hurt, I had a blister on my right foot and was getting one on my left, I was totally uncoordinated and physically not in good enough shape to do some of the exercises - it was rough. AND, to top it all off I realized the night before when we were doing drills and cheering our teammates on I kept saying 'faster, harder' - yikes! Now not only am I the old fat lady - now I'm the weird dirty old fat lady!

But I just remind myself there are people who love me...I work in Human Resources and people are so...I don't what to call it to be politically correct! All I know is sometimes I think, everyone has SOMEONE that loves them no matter how kooky, high maintenance, just plain psycho they are and even if I can't stand them, there is someone who can. So the same for me. I just visited my brother in California and when I was leaving my four year old nephew put his arms around me and said, 'I don't know how I'll live without you!'

So I press on...I've already knocked out 10 days!!

On a totally unrelated note I found the dress Sami has been wearing on Days for the last week - it's this little Juicy Couture no. (found at Neiman Marcus):

Day 40 - Monday, Monday

2008-06-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

Well I ditched on Sunday because I had a bad stomach - I really hate ditching, especially Sunday because it's not as crowded and it's a good way to start the day.

After last Monday I was feeling very hesitant about going tonight, but since I missed Sunday I couldn't justify ditching - and, once you get on that track it's easy to keep on falling and I am too cheap to pay for something and not go! Forget about the whole missing out on exercising - it's the money!

It was really hot in the gym tonight, but I was glad I went because it was another great workout. It was super crowded too - I guess everyone decided to make a firm attendance commitment on the hottest night of the freakin' year!!!

Someone smelled too - and you know when you can't tell if it's you or not it drives you crazy?? Later on when I took off my gym clothes I smelled them really close, they mostly smelled like laundry detergent. Thank God for small favors!

Day 41 - Circuit

2008-06-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to go to work on Friday, but my meeting was cancelled so I got up and went to the 9:30 am class instead. Yikes! Going on Thursday night and then on Friday morning probably wasn't the smartest thing to do...I've been a little sore. But man, Friday mornings circuit workout was really a great way to start the day. AND, there were only six people there when we started and eight when we finished, so there was plenty of room to move around, etc.

Ren the instructor seems to be the most genuinely nice person. I'm going to try to go on Fridays from now on. The only trouble spot is with that little of a class you can't hide! There's no taking a break for a few seconds doing a lesser move when the instructor is helping someone else or moving around the room with their back turned to you. Not that I'm not always giving it my all...he he he. Alright, I never said I was perfect. I'm always sweating like a pig so I am making somewhat of an effort! Do pigs sweat?

Day 42

2008-06-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

On my way home tonight I saw one of those tiny little smart cars, aren't they so cute?! They make me giggle.

Tonight I started off in a twilight zone mood, I guess because it was a weird day at work. It was one of the days where no one is there when you leave and you feel strange just leaving when no one knows you are going.

Anyway, I've been a bit self-conscious in class lately. Normally I'm not the type of person who is bothered by that, normally I am a typical Leo. I guess it's because I'm really out of my comfort zone. Tonight was good though, no partnering and a good workout. Except when we did some drills and I got our line mixed up - ugh! And we did the exact same thing the other day but the instructor kept saying 'right, right' and it just got me all befuddled.

Someone said goodbye to me and called me by name when they left class - that snapped my weird day back to normal!

I have been working on clean eating too. I heard that on the radio the other day, this guy was talking about how pizza is the worst food you could eat because it keeps your insulin levels elevated longer than any other food. Who knows if that is bunk or not, but the point of the story is the dj's were asking him what he considered junk food and he said sometimes he would eat tablespoons of peanut butter with a banana -ooooooo- take a walk on the bad side! He said normally he eats pretty 'clean.' So now I've adopted that word. I've been trying to work in more fruits and vegetables and dangitall if I don't feel better! Who knew? Just kidding, but seriously eating right does feel a lot better. And when you poo you feel nice and empty. TMI.

Day 47 Revisited

2008-06-25T23:00:00.001-07:00

I just realized I kept putting the instructors name was Jason in my post - that's wrong. His name is Josh. I don't know why I can't get that straight - I guess he looks like a Jason.

Day 44 & Day 43

2008-06-25T22:45:00.000-07:00

After feeling really discouraged on day 45, day 44 actually reaffirmed my commitment to fitness. Although the morning after day 45 I felt really good, so I guess there is an upside to everything.

Day 44 was a good, strong workout that made me feel like I did my body some good.

Tonight, Day 43, was less than stellar. It was okay. We did the sticks, which I love, but the routines were just too difficult for me at this juncture and I felt like I didn't get the workout out of it because I was too busy trying to figure out where to put my feet and hands.

Then the partnering experience was uncomfortable for me tonight. Ugh! I finally did end up with a great partner, but getting there was awkward. On my way home I thought about how it is when you want to participate in something and no else you know wants to or logistically can make it happen - so what do you do? Not participate? Maybe when I was younger I would say forget it, but now I'm older and wiser and realize if I waited for someone to join me on every stinkin' thing I was interested in I would never do anything! Ah, such is life...

Day Forty-Five

2008-06-23T22:42:00.001-07:00

I had such a good workout yesterday but today just kicked my ass. It was sooooo rigorous and wasn't very enjoyable. Partnering up was difficult tonight, we had to switch four times. I don't even feel like writing about it.

Then afterward the cute 19 year old hard body with her ass hanging out of her shorts said to me, 'wasn't that a great workout (valley girl inflection necessary)' - WHATEVER Bambi!

Day 46! The sticks!!

2008-06-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

Yea! Today we finally got to use our sticks! What's weird is I thought everyone loved the sticks as much as I did but the instructor said students could switch over to their boxing gloves and a bunch of people did! That's crazy!! The sticks are so empowering! My favorite is when you have to lower yourself to the ground all the way onto your back while still fighting and then get back up - that'll test your mettle. We only did it once though...bummer...seriously...you think I'm kidding and I'm not - I heart that part!

There was also more running - ugh! Why is everyone in such a hurry? This time I didn't make a mistake and waited until I was in the back of the line AND I told two people to pass me. I didn't walk though, so I'm still ahead of the game.

Pretty good for someone who had three beers last night and felt totally hung over - I guess my spring chicken days are over!

Day 47

2008-06-19T23:50:00.000-07:00

In my boot camp we have four different types of classes, bag work, sticks, circuit and strength training. Last time I went through the boot camp I hated, well maybe that's a strong word, strongly disliked strength training. Strength training classes were always the ones I contemplated ditching. I didn't, but it consumed my thoughts on those nights. I finally have figured out it's not the strength training I dislike - it was the teachers!

I believe Jason, our instructor tonight, was actually teaching the last time I went through but there are so many sessions I just never had one of his classes. The two classes with Jason this week have made me look forward to strength training! Yea!

In case anyone from class reads this, I liked the other strength trainers on a personal level, they were really nice, fun people - but it just goes to show you how the right teacher for you can make the difference. Let's see if I'm saying that in 9 more weeks!

I finished week 1!

Well it's the morning...

2008-06-19T07:26:00.001-07:00

and I'm still alive!

Day 48 (I'm counting down now)

2008-06-18T21:54:00.001-07:00

I've had visions of myself having a heart attack now for a couple of months. I dabble a little in astrology and with the way the planets were aligned with the full moon today I was certain something catastrophic was going to happen, i.e. me having a heart attack. It's not like it's so far-fetched...heart disease runs in my family, my mom's mom had a heart attack when she was 42, my dad's dad had four heart attacks, the first one at 36 - and he was skinny as a rail. My dad had a heart attack at 46 and after a gazillion years of a great diet and exercise he still had to have a quintuple bypass - the doctor said he was the healthiest patient he had ever operated on. So given the fact that I'm 40 and overweight and have a horrible diet it seemed plausible. And maybe all the attention on Tim Russert is weighing on my mind as well.

Tonight in class we had a guest instructor Tammi. Now Tammi was an actual instructor the last time I took the class, Tammi is a muy thai boxing machine. Our warm up was running. Running is my enemy. In fact, I didn't even think it was possible I could run until the last time I took the class. I was surprised at myself after that last class. Anyhoo, I start off on a nice slow jog when I realize everyone else is running behind me (we run in formation). Shit! Shit! Shit! I cannot lead the pack, I am running with the penguins, not the Olympics! And no one will pass me!! So do I slow down even though I am sucking wind - nooooo - I keep going, determined, focused. Finally - it's over. Then we start with kicks, ugh! My heart was pounding, I mean pounding out of my chest - this is it I thought, the big one...then, one of the 20-something guys has to leave the room because he can't hack it! I was thanking God it wasn't me!! I know this is awful, but I thought to myself, thank God it's the young guy having the heart attack and not the old fat lady.

Then Tammi gives us the big speech about taking it easy and raising our hands above our heads if we start feeling funky...

The rest of class and all the way home I just kept thinking I was going to have a heart attack in my sleep. I stopped at RiteAid and found a little tube of Bayer that said "Survival Pack" on it - it was a sign. For good measure I also purchased some St. Joseph's aspirin - in the back of my mind I knew I had seen the commercial.

Please someone call me in the morning to make sure I'm still alive!! And if I'm not, please remove the purple box from my closet before my mom gets here to claim my body and clean out my apartment.

Only 47 days left.

Day 2

2008-06-17T22:26:00.000-07:00

Well I made it through day 2 - tonight was strength training. As usual I realize I have no upper body strength. But on the other hand, when I took the class before I couldn't jump rope for five seconds and tonight I did okay for two whole minutes - not great, but waaaay better than a year and a half ago - that's pretty damn good for someone who hasn't done anything since the last time she took the class.

We also did weight and measurements tonight - the only part that was really depressing was my waist measurement - everything else was where I thought it would be. Thank God we did the plank for a minute! Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Google it.

Day 1 of ????

2008-06-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

I can barely type right now because my arms are killing me!!! I just started Day 1 of my 10 week, 5 day a week, body sculpt boot camp with mkgseattle. I am the oldest one in the class and the biggest! But, I've been here before - I took the class in January of 2007 and I loved it! Oh, it's grueling, and no one wants to be my partner because I'm old and fat, but dammit, I have a right to be there and even though I am the type of person who doesn't like to go it alone, I will give myself the pep talk every day that I'm not there to make friends, I'm there to kick some ass. I can't wait to get to the point where I start feeling stronger. I'm actually the exact same weight I was when I ended the class last time, which I guess it's a good thing I haven't gained any weight. It has redistributed though, I guess that's what happens when you hit 40. At any rate, my goal is simple, I cannot be friends with Lane Bryant any more. I know she's been good to me, she's always there, got my back, but she's NEEDY! She's like one of those mothers that fixes everything with cookies and then guilts you when you want to spend time with some of your other friends instead of tending to dear old mom. I want to be friends with the clothes on Days - they are sassy and sexy!

The funny thing about this time around is the class isn't as big as last time and there are more men. Which means butt-kicking for me when we partner up. Tonight we put on our gloves and worked the bags. I love that part, 30 seconds of jab cross hook cross, 30 seconds of squats, 30 seconds of jab cross hook cross, 30 seconds of push-ups - it's good to be back!

Näversöm

2008-04-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

My grandma always used to be working on this type of needlework (she passed away in 1984) and I didn't know what it was until about a month ago. It's called näversöm. I did a little searching and I found this website, Ethnic Fiber Art, with a great explanation of what it is exactly as well as a database of all sorts of different styles of needlework. If you are interested in finding out about the needlework of your heritage, this is a great place to start.

Näversöm translated is Birch Bark Embroidery, aptly named because of the pieces of birch bark the women would use as a frame to stretch their work over. I don't know much about needlework but in näversöm there are apparently only four stitches used.

I have been thinking awhile about learning some type of needle art - mainly to use it as a diet technique!

Garage Sale Open Season

2008-04-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe A Girl Named Timi and I tried too early to start our annual garage sale hunting...but it was a nice day in the Puget Sound area and we were hopeful and wanted to get out of the house for a while. Unfortunately it seemed the only garage sales were those folks who have perpetual garage sales. Needless to say my hunt for the elusive greatest object of the season was a bust. But the day wasn't - I had a great lunch at the Snohomish Bakery and found out Joyworks (a fabulous store if you haven't been) in Snohomish, Washington has their own blog!

On a Scandinavian note, check out this antiques website, Swedish Country Interiors, they have some really great stuff. I am always on the lookout for new wall art and from looking at Swedish Country Interiors I came across this artist, Greta Lann. My favorite piece is 'My Kitchen Window'.

Wow! 36 people have looked at my little Swedish blog!

2008-04-08T17:26:00.000-07:00

I was searching for pictures of the perfect stuga, which means cabin or cottage in Swedish. I was having a helluva time finding anything I liked. Then I came upon Swedish Stuga in Oregon. I just think this B&B (I don't know what else to call it) looks beautiful. Plus, it is the traditional red color. I am not sure when I will get there, I have a full list of travel lined up for this summer, maybe in the fall - which would be even better!

My favorite part is you can forage for chanterelles. Not that I have ever picked mushrooms, it just makes the whole thing sound more romantic - rustic food, nice bottle of wine, golden leaves of autumn, you get the picture I'm sure!

Besides my understanding is chanterelles are very Swedish ;)

What should this be?

2008-04-07T10:12:00.001-07:00

I am still trying to decide what I would like this to be...for now I'm just going to write about things I see around the web I think are interesting and things happening in my life.

Lately I have been in to finding out about my heritage - especially since my mom is turning 70. She is Swedish - I am first generation American. I recently started taking Swedish language classes because I realized when she is gone her Swedish will die with her. The rest of my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. all live in Sweden and without my mom to interpret we will probably lose touch. I am carrying the torch! Although, unlike Americans, most of them speak at least two languages and know English well.

My Swedish class is great. I am in my third quarter and now we have a nice core group of 5 of us who are serious about learning the culture and language. I take my class through Bellevue Community College in Bellevue Washington. BCC seems to have a really great foreign language program in their Continuing Education department. They even started offering Finnish this quarter. I was contemplating taking it but my Swedish instructor had said Finnish was similar to Hungarian, Norwegian was most similar to Swedish and Icelandic was the equivalent to Norwegian as Old English is to modern English. I am not sure where Danish fits into all of this, but I have decided my next language will be Norwegian.

My Mortality

2008-04-06T22:36:00.000-07:00

My mom turns 70 on Tuesday...she doesn't seem 70 to me. She seems the same that she has always been. A few more wrinkles, but still full of life. One thing I've always admired about my mom is she has never been a complainer - EVER. It's amazing to me that one person can live a whole life without bitching. Maybe she does vent to her friends. I know I did not inherit that quality from her. Although I think I should try not to complain.