It's Been A Good Day

Someone asked me today what I like most about fall. I think this could have been my answer. With the end of summer (and trust me, where we live that was a long time ago) comes the first day of staying home from work with sick kids. It's like the birds in the spring: come September come flu and fever. Today was my season première. And it was a good one. Blanka was sick enough to say "I'm tired, let's go sleep" (quite possibly the most beautiful words I have ever heard) and well enough to paint herself and a few apples in the afternoon.

The long day at home got to her in the end, and she bit her brother rather viciously in the behind. (He screamed bloody murder and was comforted with an icecream.) But all in all, it was a very good day away from the office. Just what the doctor ordered.

Dear Pamela

Thanks for the bump update! You look like you're 25 years old. (Haha, maybe you are! It was meant as a compliment, nevertheless.) Having nothing worthy of an update, I pay my respects with these gooseberries from my first ever ever harvest (which turned into my first ever ever ever homemade jam). You are after all, my Queen of Canning.

Love,
A.

When Work Is Good

Jani needs a spy for a photoshoot, "preferably this guy, but anyone remotely resembling him or with other spy qualities is welcome". I'll see what I can do.

I Have Issues

I can't work today. It's impossible. I keep thinking about my guy. He goes to school now. He rides his bike and is learning how to write and knows everything there is to know about sharks. He doesn't fit in a silvery bag anymore. He still has princely hair and a temper, he still likes to kiss and won't eat anything that's touched a vegetable. But he is growing up. In November he'll be six. I can't grasp, even when holding him, that I have sixyearold son. I have issues and I cannot work. That's all I have to say today.

Leo would fire me if he could. There's no way a senior White House advisor could spend her working day blogging about non-issues. Or having them.

Dear Leo

I've been thinking about you today. I'm trying to get a tagline right for a client and I just can't do it (no pun intended). You were always great with things like that. Like this one, pure genius. I wonder if you could pleasantly haunt me tonight and show me something really clever in a vision? It would be much appreciated.

Dear Seasons

I would just like to say that I'm a big fan of you all. Soon we'll be entering what in Sweden is known as The Dark Season, but even that can't keep the spring out of my step. I like it all. I'm a person with a garden and no clue and funnily enough, it seems to fit me like a glove.

Oh, and that last not so great picture? Would have been a lot prettier had it not been for the youngest garden fairy and her tendency to pick pick pick things.

I Heart Lotta Kühlhorn

This is what it looks like when squirrels kiss. Of course! I just didn't know before. Graphic designer and illustrator Lotta Kühlhorn is a genius. Thanks for making my Monday so pretty.

Amateur Night

You know you're in deep when the very nice lady at the garden center asks you about your bone-flour. It might very well be called something else in English, but trust me, it really doesn't matter. Either you know what the lady meant or you don't. I had no clue. Turns out it's great for bulbs. "And later on you can just sprinkle some on the soil to keep your bulbs nourished!"

Me: You mean they come back?
Nice lady: (nervous laugh, followed by stunned silence)
Me: I thought these were all, you know, one timers?
Nice lady: (a look of utter astonishment) Oh God! No! No, no, no!

So, dear Spring, I guess we're ready for you. Should you come next year or the year after that.

Shameless Selfpromotion

I made this! Hardly by myself, but still. If you'd like to visit the duck pond known as Swedish advertising, please click here and give me your vote by choosing the appropriate amount of stars.

Hejdå Farfar

My grandfather died yesterday. Erik Gunnar Robert Wilhelm Ander, at the age of 84. It was a long day and a long fight for Farfar, but at seven fiftyfive last night it was all over. I have never seen death this close before, but as far as I know, it was a good one. There was singing. And tears, lots of tears. And hugging and holding and kissing. There was laughing. And a whole lot of memories. There was bonding. We were a family yesterday in the truest meaning of the word. Grandma, my father, aunts and uncles, darling cousins. We were all there for his last fight and we sang him right through it. Hejdå Farfar, you very handsome fella. I know we'll meet again, just as you said.

Etsy Does It

Jesper found this print on Etsy and has been running home to check the mailbox ever since he ordered it. Yesterday it was here, hurrah! I love it. We promised to take a photo of it as soon as it's framed and hanged, but I couldn't keep from posting that long. Angela Duncan made it and you can find her here. And do listen to the song if you haven't. And don't forget the neighbours!

Text Message Of The Year

BFF Emilia is in New York (I know, what's the deal with NY and Swedish copywriters this week?) and just texted me this:

Note to self: Never buy emeralds after Bellini's. OMG.

I Heart NY, Yes I Do

We're back and it was great, it was brilliant and I'm sold, she had me at hello. Hello, hello, sweet darling New York. We stepped off the plane and into Dean & Deluca and at it was love at first bite. I heart NY, yes I do. I stood on Broadway with a weak latte in my hand and tears in my eyes. I'm a hopeless romantic, as some of you might know. But this wasn't tears for the ultimate city. They were for me. For being my American self again for the first time in 15 years. Feel free to smack me over the head, but I have to say this: It was pure magic to have me back. Jesper couldn't stop laughing, apparently the American me speaks even more and faster than my Swedish self. But oh, how good it was to be that girl again. So loud, so friendly, so confident, so interested in everyone and everything. I vow to keep her with me forever and always. (Minus the accent, or Jesper will never take me seriously again.)