Nisse = Santa’s little all year helper

J came in to the bedroom this morning and announced that not only did our amazing new TV give us hours of enjoyment in the evenings, it also turned itself off from the Standby mode to the Power saving mode! That sounded too good to be true, even more so when the electricity prices has gone up with 40% or something stupid like that. Unfortunately I had to demolish his illusion, there is no hokus pokus fanciness, even tho our TV can do no wrong.. It’s me, I’m like a little Nisse making sure that all electrical equipment are turned off for the night as I have seen all those “big brother” ads from the government about electricity savings, and being from a country where we do as we are told!! I take this very serious. Sometimes I even go up and double check – although that is probably more OCD! Did you know that the Swedes recycle everything possible and have THREE small bins instead of this black binbag malaki, there, you learn something new every day!

A slightly bored Axel beside me in the sofa

J told me yesterday that he had read some of the posts that I have written and asked me if I had lost my writing brain somewhere on the way? (well maybe not exactly like that, but that was what he wanted to ask!) I had to go in (of course) and re-read some of my posts.. and yes he is right, some of the posts are quite messy, but to my defence – I write this blog while I entertain Axel, while I watch TV, while I’m on the phone, while I’m hanging the washing and while on the loo.. no actually, that’s not true, our laptop do not have the moving around function that is pretty much key for a laptop – the whole none stationary option. The battery is dead so must always sit close to a power socket, so no bathroom blogging for me, so now you know and we can put the laptop bitterness behind us : )

Yesterday when I was putting Axel to sleep I noticed that J had wrapped up Axmax’s bed clothes and pillow around a hot water bottle to make it warm and nice for the little one, I almost started crying of happiness, I feel so lucky that I met J and that he is the father of my child, that’s love…

Kalles Kaviar and my family

When I first moved to England in 1999 I missed lots of things from Sweden - my family and friends, Swedish food and of course the Swedish bureaucracy with its efficiency. Over the years I miss Sweden a little bit less and in a way a lot more. I do not pack my suitcase full of Swedish food every time I go back to England, I do not crave filmjölk (soured milk) or blodkorv (black puddingish) anymore, I have got used to the English bureaucracy with it's Victorian banks and instruction books to fill out "simple" forms or applications. BUT, the agonising longing for my family and friends have not been cured, during the years it has grown stronger and more heartbreaking, maybe because I know that the longer I live here the harder it will be to "move home". I have lived in many countries and moved more times than I can remember still the move home is almost too hard to grasp. Hopefully we will be brave enough to take that step one day... In the mean time it's great to have such lovely friends here : )

Ohh and I do have one Swedish craving left - thank you Kirsty for buying tubes of Kalles Kaviar!

he is finally asleep..

...but I do not seem to be able to get my bum off this sofa and into the bathroom for some de-grease. I long till Christmas when I go to Sweden, Carola carols, gingerbread men and Glögg (a bit like mulled wine). I bought some Blossa Glögg and Anna's gingerbread cookies already, but I have almost eaten it all already, but I have not cracked open the Glögg, gonna try and save it until December. I bought it at this cafe here in Brighton that got Swedish stuff as well, think it might be called 'Crumble and Scoop' - very expensive!! they know Swedish people abroad are desperate.... And I have promised my self not to go to IKEA before X-mas cos I buy way too much when I go, candles and now with all the Christmas decorations... minefield : ) But my addiction to Kaviar is coming through, used the last little bit of it a week ago and can already feel the abstinence kicking in, lol... Maybe we go next Sunday, "need" to buy a highchair for Axmax anyway.

Anyway.. now I must go before he wakes up again...