Le Springtime Swap

A package in the mail! With foreign stamps and the box for "gift" ticked off! Such a great way of ending the day, coming home way too late to find my Springtime Swap gift from Pamela waiting on the counter.


And when I opened it... HOORAY! There were Reece's Peanutbutter Cups (the best thing on earth, unfortunately not available in this harsh climate), a rabbit holding a tiny drawstring bag with the most beautiful earrings, chocolate coins for the kids, a very sweet note, cute bunny stickers and napkins. A veritable gift extravaganza!


The earrings are so pretty. I'd show you how they look on, if not Mary had been so clear about not liking the dress I was wearing, that we laughed too hard to take a good photo. I'll get back to you on that one. But they are. Very much so. (And the dress too, but that's another story.)


And the kids, who woke up to this sight, think the world of Pamela. "They're chocolate? For us? Before breakfast?!" And so do I. Thank you, new friend! I loved it all.

I think Leo could enjoy the idea of swapping gifts with strangers. Not that he would participate himself, but the whole thing has a UN quality to it that he'd appreciate.

Mis En Place

We are now house people. I know this because yesterday I pondered the possibilities of buying some kind of fleece garment for cold nights on the porch. We are so definitely House. It's not so much a transition as a total transformation, but a good one. In the words of Madonna, everything feels shiny and new. Raking leaves, having cold feet, running out of hot water, commuting. All shiny and new. I love it. And true friends have not forgotten us. Or my birthday! Thank you so very much. I felt like Hollywood royalty.


Easter was celebrated in the name of food. Cheers! (And no, that's not Wilhelm drinking wine, with his mother's arm protruding from his head, it's an optical illusion known as really bad photography.)


There were eggs.


And Påskmust obligatoire.


And mousse au choc (or chocolate mash, if you ask the young'ns).


And lots of cake. Outside! Leo would have been happy to join us. The new life would do wonders for his stress levels (if not for his arteries).

Not Quite There Yet

The new house has turned me schizophrenic. I walk around in the kitchen, "Hmm, I wonder where they keep the toaster?" It's not a pretty sight.

But, oh, New House, how I love thee! Wilhelm picked all the flowers in the garden on his way to pre-school. The kids are like newly released prisoners, in awe of everything, eating dirt, ripping up flower beds, talking like crazy to strangers.

And it's my birthday.

What Would Leo Do? With a house in transition and not a ballgown in sight and a loving family all going a little crazy? He would postpone his birthday. So that's what I have done. My birthday will be on Saturday instead. Do come by!

Signs Of Spring Part 2

Come Sunday it's football season première over here. As always I greet this day with mixed feelings. I think anyone who belongs to a family where football is important can relate to that, so I'm not going to go on about it. Today I just want to be misty-eyed and happy and enjoy this very serious tribute that our team has made for their fans. Poetry in motion. Forza Gnaget! And that's the first and the last you'll here from me on the subject.

Leo isn't big on football. He insists on calling it "soccer" to start with, and that's never a good way to start a conversation on this continent. No, he's more of a chess man, and a good thing for his president that was.

Up Close And Personal

Wilhelm calls me from Midsomer, where he and his sister are spending quality time with the grandparents (and saving us from nervous breakdowns during the moving project). It's lambing time. He's a city kid:

– It's really disgusting on Gudrun in the back.
– Sorry, on who? In what?
– Gudrun, she is a sheep, and it's really disgusting. It's coming out of her. In the back.
– Ah.
– It's sort of like blood. And the bag.
– The bag?
– The bag the lambs come in.
– Ah.
– I'm telling you, it was like uuuuaaaaghhhh. So gross!
– Ah.
– It's SO nice here, mom!

Now, there's a reason this post carries no photo. Leo would be queasy. So would some of you.

Apparently, They're Built On Faith

Well, I keep meaning to post about wallpaper, but more important things get in the way. Like this association of Christian bodybuilders. Once again I am reminded of the wonder that is America. And as far as logotypes go, that's one of the strongest I've seen in a while.

Leo would really like to know how this can be important. But it's Jesus with a helipad-haircut! And muscles bigger than Van Damme's! Surely it must be important. Somewhere, in some way. Thank you, Aymo, for finding this. Just how did you do it?

As Promised:

I was born here, so I ought to know. But somehow the terrible weather this weekend managed to take me by surprise. We had to change the plans for our Last City Weekend Celebration and concentrate on indoorsy stuff. More McDonald's and less football in the park. Oh well. This is what we looked like, on our street, heading for the Stadsmuseet (Museum of Stockholm). The weather's so bad, it looks like we're in freaking Warsaw. (My apologies to any Polish readers. But if you live there, you know what I mean.)


When the weather turns against us, we usually turn to food. So also yesterday. Here we are having some pre-lunch gateaux. (And this is a terrible picture, but Wilhelm thought it was so cool that we were "IN the mirror!", that I promised to include it.)


After the excursion we went on to make fantastic pizza. And why not, it was still pouring outside. Blanka was very proud of her new body art.


Notice the bohemian display of cheese and paint? Tomato sauce and paintbrushes? Lovely, this whole moving ordeal, just lovely.


Wilhelm topped things off with some icecream with stale popcorn and fudge. Yum.


That's it, Stockholm! I'm taking these guys with me and not looking back. But it's been lovely. Thank you so very much.

Leo wouldn't approve of the mess we live in right now, so I'm keeping him out of this.

It's The End Of The World As We Know It

This is our last weekend as city people. Come next Friday, we'll be moving the lawn, chatting with the neighbours, clearing out the attic, decorating cup cakes (ok, I've been known to do that already) and commuting.

This is a big step for us. No to say huge, enormous, humongous, gargantuan. So stay tuned for a special photo extravaganza – It's The Last City Weekend In Pictures!

(We are of course taking mr McGarry with us to Suburbia. All that fresh air will do him good.)

This Is A First

A Coke commercial that made me cry. Wow.

So I cried. And then I watched it again and couldn't help but be amazed by how good the woman looks post-delivery. I looked like the living dead. But then again, I wasn't in a Coke commercial. Good for Coke.

Oh, and can I add that my clever colleague Anna L. said "Great film, but I'm so not craving a Coke after this". She does have a point.

Leo loves sappy commercials! Surprising, isn't it? But he does. He likes a good cry now and then. First spotted by Miss Joanna Goddard who found it here. I'm all about recycling today.

My guys

I had this whole post about wallpaper figured out for you when I heard someone stirring in Wilhelm's room. He's supposed to be sound asleep this late, so I opened the door quiet as a mouse, only to find him and Jesper giggling in Wilhelm's bed. "I was wondering if dad was maybe eating any cookies, so I had to go up and see, and he was!"


I can't really talk about them without going into manic love mode, so I'll be quiet. But the sight of the two of them giggling like crazy about cookies made me want to share a little more than I usually do.

They make me happy like a crazy person. My guys would melt Leo's heart in an instant.