As Roadtrips Go

...this was one of the very best. Just look at my co-driver, chocolate shake in hand courtesy of moi.


As photos go, this trip features some of the worst I've taken. The kids were very pretty, though. And many.


Becks's house in the country is more estate than cabin. It has everything. Plus the view. (No, you can't tell from my photos. See note above about worst-ness.)


Which suited us and kids just fine. Poolside champers, anyone?


Marylove and I showed our gratitude by skinnydipping in the quarry. Becks may or may not have appreciated the splendour of our gesture. The kids barely raised an eyebrow.

A lovely time was had by all! Thank you, darling Rebecca!

Roadtrip With Mary

She said she would like to leave at 8.30 a.m. "So probably around nine, right?"
Right.
It's 10.30 now and apparently they're "on their way".
Right.
WAIT THEY'RE HERE!

Just Look At That Kiss

After twelve years of love Emilia and Fredrik are now Mr and Mrs! In (almost) total secrecy and with their sons as witnesses they got married at the drop-in weddings at Skansen during Pentecost. (Like your friend Emi did last year!) Veil and flowers and pretty shoes and yes, diamonds are a girl's best friend. Moments after the ceremony they sent me this picture and I was so surprised and so happy that I had to go outside and hide by my bike to cry in private. I've loved this girl for fifteen years. And I have been protective of her in ways that haven't always been as subtle as they could. But if I've been wrong before, please let me be right this once when I say that any marriage starting with a kiss like that is something out of the ordinary. Just like you guys. So good luck, bonne chance and God bless. I'm so very happy for you.

Saturday

I went for coffee with my best friend.
She bought me a 1$ skirt.
I love her.

Yes, I Cried (But Not My Eyes Out)

Very happy with the dress! Very Grace Kelly. And very happy with it being Alexander McQueen. Not as happy with William's hair (let it go, dear boy, let it go). Baby sister Pippa a little too tanned for my taste (it is a royal wedding after all, not Club Med). But her dress, yes please. Very happy with "Jerusalem" and the "Live your life as God intended it and you will set the world on fire". Not as happy with the Queen's clothes. Easter is over, after all. A little depressed over the fact that there isn't a woman anywhere doing anything but being pretty, no priest, no singer, not a girl in the chorus etc. But overall, very content! May you live happily ever after.

Extra Curricular

Some days call for hot dogs. This particular one did. And we got the added bonus of watching grown men swim perfectly nekkid in the icy water. Nekkid! (A sauna close by.) The kids especially were thrilled with that. Jesper was not thrilled with the children and I playing on the ice, so that had to stop. But it was a good three minutes! And he is right, of course. I just love that feeling of walking on top of a lake. Love it. But will control my impulses these days of thawing, I promise.

Update
For the most dedicated and interested friends of Leo, I'd like to announce the following: The Missus had her baby! We have a baby boy! Ok, she and her husband do. But still. He feels at least two parts mine. On Monday I will see him and oh joy, what a happy thing that is.

Update 2
Not really an update, no. I'd just like to say Thank You. When you comment it makes me happier than you can imagine. Thank you. Thank you for coming here and reading nonsense and finding the time to say you actually enjoy it. You are good people. And I'm very lucky.

Conversation

Mary: When you were, say nineteen, what was the one part of your body that you knew you "had"? You know, like one part you could always count on. That wouldn't let you down. You know, that let you get away with things!
Me: (thinking hard) Umm, my ass?
Mary: (checks me out) Yeah, yep. Yes, I can see that. Yes.
Me: How about you?
Mary: (acting all surprised) Me?
Me: Yes, you. Gimme a break.
Mary: Umm, yes... I guess for me it was, umm... My whole body.
Me: (stunned silence)
Mary: Well, you know...
Me: (stunned silence)
Mary: But it was! Sorry! It was!
Me: (not having to check her out) Yeah. I know.

I would hate her if I didn't love her. Oh, and she's six months pregnant while uttering this. With child number three. Would definitely hate her if I didn't love her.

Photos For Hanna

Dinner with Anna and Hanna tonight. We talked about New York. And about Islam in Africa, stupid students, True Blood, true passion, food, being 35, work, Scrubs and contraceptives. All the good stuff. And I managed to wake my godson up right before we left (you're very welcome). Apart from that, it was a very good night. Thank you, darling Ansjo.

Mary Speaks

Late last night, I'm so tired I'm crying, the smell of stale hamburgers in the room, mugs of cold coffee everywhere, patient texting from our loved ones wondering where we are, the night janitors have started vacuuming, the heating's too low and all I can think of is bed bed bed. Mary relaxes and stretches her arms way over her head. She looks at all the work we've done. She sighs happily and utters the perfect words:

Anna! I love us.

Thank you, Marylove. I love us too.

VM i Fru

Oh, to have a wife! To call her up and say "Please please please, buy me something less suffocating to wear" and know that she'll deliver. To have her take into account your every wish and desire, from long sleeves to short, from beachy to workish, from cotton to candy. To have her get everything the right size, look and feel. Oh, to have a wife!

Meet The Missus

Dear readers, meet my wife: Maria Lindroos, art director. She may not be the star of my firmament (it's the Richard Russo I'm reading, sorry), but I definitely see her a great deal more than I see my other significant other. Sometimes I see her day and night, and though these are never truly happy times (I'm old fashioned and prefer my working hours to be 9 to 5), they would be a great deal worse if it wasn't for my wife. So let me tell you a little bit about her:

• My wife talks to herself.
• My wife likes sauce bearnaise on her pizza.
• My wife likes her children to be really warm. To the extent of making them wear longjohns in June.
• My wife lives on an island and takes a boat to the office everyday.
• My wife likes gardening.
• My wife tends to blabber when nervous (but who doesn't).
• My wife is a very talented illustrator.
• My wife likes to tell me what she's doing ("I'm doing the layers campaign now.")
• My wife likes to know what I'm doing. (I am too doing the layers campaign right now.)
• My wife was once described like this: "She's so wonderful! She'll open her mouth and you have absolutely no idea what will come out!"
• My wife has excellent upper arms.
• My wife makes me laugh out loud at least once a day.
• My wife can get really crabby and then you seriously don't want to get in her way.
• My wife puts up with me.

I am really grateful for this. Here's looking at you, Marylove!

If Leo had had a wife like mine there would never have been a second heart attack. He'd be living off an island, growing his beard, producing commercials, 'cause that's what Mary's husband does. Not a bad life. And can I add that my original wifes, Anna and Emilia and Jessica, also deserves posts of praise and that I will get there in due time? See, I'm a bigamist! So many things you didn't know about me.