miramiramazing

Our Leonard is better than ever !!!

*swoons*

Why are there gloves hanging in this tree ?
(btw .... I don't know, that's why I'm asking  )

Good morning.

Waking up now from a frustrating dream involving my sister, friend from the past, RB , and friend from present time , V , who lives in USA.

We are all sitting in the backyard of my parents house, having drinks. RB wants to take us to a nightclub in town. I'm not keen on the idea; there's the entrance fee,music is jazz which I don't like and then , if you pay two pounds you get a surprise free gift, which sounds tacky to me but RB is excited, bless him and I haven't the heart to disappoint him.

Next we are at the train station, on a train going somewhere unknown. We get off at the next stop and walk to the road where I see several buses passing by heading for Bradford and Greengates , which is in the direction we need to go, but the man at the bus station tells us we have to go via Manchester... at which point I wake up ....frustrated and annoyed!

What a start to a perfectly nice day
Feels better now that I have exorcised the dream ......

TTFN

Saint Nicholas (Greek: Άγιος Νικόλαος , Agios Nikolaos, "victory of the people") (270 - 6 December 346) is the common name for Nicholas of Myra, a saint and Bishop of Myra (in Lycia, part of modern-day Turkey). Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose English name comes from the German Sankt Niklaus. His reputation evolved among the faithful, as is common for early Christian saints.^[2] In 1087, his relics were furtively translated to Bari, in southern Italy; for this reason, he is also known as Nicholas of Bari.

Thanks to WIki and Google http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas

The  sun was shining merrily this lunchtime as I ventured out to explore my environs, choosing a more scenic route this time.

Södermalm - Söder - the south of Stockholm - the south bank , is where I live now , Söder could be compared to London's south bank and east end. It used to be poor , but is rapidly changing. A popular place to live ; lively , bohemian , full of odd shops , lively cafés , restaurants and pubs as well as the usual chain stores. There is a sort if of inverted snobism about Söder.

Today I walked out of my front door and turned left , down the road past Munchen Bryggeri ( Munchen Brewery)  München-Bryggeriet was built in 1846, and was first used as a clothing factory, but in 1857 became Sweden's largest brewery. Today, München-Bryggeriet is a restaurant, bar, concert and exhibition hall, spreading over a vast 4,000 m2. It also has a dance school and a newly constructed convention centre.

Continuing down the road , down to Södramälarstrand , the water with a view of Stadshuset( City Hall where the Nobel banquets take place ) and Gamla Stan ( the Old Town ) 

A bleak and cold Sunday lends itself to exploring the less prettier places of my neighbourhood. I was on a mission to find the nearest recycling place for glass, empty bottles, plastic, and metal and was guided here by my inner radar.

First stop , a quick look at  the controversial Tantolunden houses that burnt down a couple of weeks ago.

Tantolunden is a park near Zinkensdamm and Hornstull in Södermalm, the southern part of central Stockholm that is now Miraland . There are usually outdoor concerts held here in the summer ^{but in winter it looks pretty bleak .}

Every year, the park is the festival centre for the Stockholm Pride festival.

I read in the local paper that the council had no plans to rebuild the burnt down houses but instead they are to be torn down to make way for housing which leads on to suspect some kind of fowl play.

Now  I don't know what this nearby building is, but I'd love to see it turned into apartments.

Further on I found a rubbish recycling place - and a right mess it was too.

Passed the stadium and then on to my nearest Tube station - Zinkensdam. Note the Irish pub next door.

Nearly home again . This is my nearest food shop - I'm just around the corner after the traffic lights.

Going out ... walkies before it gets dark

I could stay indoors for days ...... but I won't.
TTFN

Just watched Emmerdale Farm, the episode about Alice's funeral and Jasmine's abortion . Yes I know , we are years behind here in Sweden.

Alice , Sam's wife has died of terminal cancer.
Alice, in dreadful pain in the final stages of cancer , begged and persuaded Sam to let her go and facilitate her passing.Her husband Sam procured the necessary morphine that allowed Alice to slip away peacefully in his arms.

Jasmine, the vicar's 17 year old niece, pregnant by Cain Dingle , has had an abortion. Her uncle, the vicar is shocked but then seeing the practical side of things supports her decision. It's less messy this way for him.

While making funeral arrangements Sam , bless him , who is all heart and compassion though somewhat mentally challenged , lets slip while talking to the vicar about funeral arrangements , that he helped Alice die in peace.
The Vicar, in turn , passes on this information on to the police who come and take away Alice's body on the day of the funeral.

I am thoroughly drawn in to this drama feeling outraged at the hypocrisy and moral high ground.

Who's life is it anyway ?

While I honour life and view it as sacred I also value and respect a person's right to decide over his or her life.

What right has the Law or the Church or anyone else to interfere in these personal existential matters ?

The vicar forgives his niece Jasmine , for choosing to have an abortion but does not forgive his father helping his mother die or Sam helping his wife die.

I feel great anger that in this day and age one's right to a peaceful death be denied and that euthanasia , mercy killing as it is also considered to be a crime.

Human rights and rights of the soul : the right to live and the right to die.

http://www.earthhour.org/home/

Earth Hour 20:30 - 21:30, ( 8:30 - 9:30 pm your local time ) Saturday 28th March 2009
http://www.earthhour.org/home/">
http://www.earthhour.org/home/

I'll be casting my vote for Earth Hour tomorrow by switching my lights off between 8:30- 9:30 pm. How about you ?

Need matchsticks to keep my eyes open.
Set the alarm for 6:30 so that I would be awake enough to phone and cancel visit from Micke the technician since his services are no longer required as freezer is working.

That done and sorted , I head for Mac Lappy to log on and check mail.

Nathing !!

" You are not connected to the internet "
I restart the puter ... still nathing !
I check the router and untangle cables and wires making sure that everything is in place
NATHING !
To cut a long story short after an hour or so faffing around I am back on line, having disconnected and reconnected everything shut down MacLappy and started everything again *holds breath * SUCESS.

Last night , I closed down Mac Lappy instead of just putting him to sleep. could that have broken the connection ?

Ah well .. it was a bit scary having to deal with this on my own as my son, the Prof and his Lady who usually help left for Morocco this morning.

I'm going to take a wee power nap now before anything else

The day fixed itself.
I phoned again about the freezer and was told that Micke the technician had too much on and would probably not get to me before 8 am tomorrow.

They did try to be helpful and suggested I play around with the buttons and switches.

What if I break it ?

Well.. if it is already broken , it won't matter , will it?

**

Ok .. I'll give it a go. Says I

But if you fix it , be sure to phone us 7am so that Micke need not come .

Sure .. says I

* thinks : "rats .. means I have to set the alarm and get up at 7 " *

Best have an early night then .... but first a BATH

xxx

The lilies that Maarja brought on Sarurday have opened up and are filling my space with their intoxicating heady scent. I love it !

Observation : my life has become filled with concerns about mundane things:

- Defrosting freezer
- Cleaning cooker and oven
- Disposing of paper and packaging after the move
- Finding the nearest bottle bank and recycling place. Paper and household waste bins we have , but not glass, metal, plastic , electronics, batteries etc etc
- stain removal
- laundry
- tidying mess
- getting organised
- paying bills and all extra charges connected with moving such as from telephone companies for moving the phone

I swore I wouldn't clean the mess left by MrT , but have had to change my tune after his aggressive response to my demands the other day. Getting into a fight over this is simply not worth it to me. My friends M&M think I should fight, but then that's them. For me, peace is more important and I have trust and faith in the Universe to take care of Mr T and give him his just desserts.

As I scrub and clean I curse and swear , but also bless. It is a meditation. A cleansing, claiming ritual. Perspective and attitude are everything. My cooker freezer and fridghe are not now blessed and clean and ready to serve.... freezer still needs seeing to .

I'm not complaining though... just listing and reminding myself that I do get things done even though it doesn't always show

You may remember the state of my freezer . Mr T left it in a terrible state.

Today I started to defrost it and it has taken me all day. Well- defrosted it is now , clean and dry , but when I try to switch it on the alarm goes off in a high pitched peeeeeeeeep!

I hate it when things go wrong. There's no manual or even a serial number on the fridge otherwise I could download one . Too late to knock on neighbour's doors. Oh well... manyana .. tomorrow ........

Fridge is fine though.

Nitght night all

Brrrrr as I ventured out .. it's icy cold today and with the wind blowing feels like minus 20 or so. Bright sunshine and then snow and then a return to cloudy, grey and windy. This is NOT spring.

Have done 4 machine loads of laundry today, up in the laundry room which is up in the attic in this building and since I am already on the top floor , it's just a few more steps up. Very nice. Gone are the days of traipsing up and down 4 flights of stairs , no lift to the laundry room in the bowels of the earth.

But, here in my new home I have both a welcome mat and a lift. Happy daze !

I've  also been defrosting the freezer which was left by Mr T , so caked with ice that it was impossible to open the top compartment as it was frozen shut behind layers of ice.

Some brocolli soup , I shall make now . See ya later .

a birthday reading from www.ishalerner.com

There are times in life when we are shown the gateway to new awareness that is beyond our current boundaries or resistance. This new awareness offers another view of the world that can recapture, or open us to, the magical garden wisdom that lives within us. It is there that we may learn to master our abilities and gifts. When the fairy on this card is ready to open the garden gate, she will discover a world of herbs, flowers, and trees that await her arrival. They will revitalize and heal her. There is an abundance of energy available to her. The butterflies on the gatepost are the aspects of her soul that are ready for metamorphosis. She hears the garden calling, and so she peeks. This is a wondrous time in your life when you may be exploring the secret passages of your spirit or completing an important evolutionary cycle. There is a rich and flowering place within you. You must journey there. Close your eyes and envision yourself entering the colorful and fragrant gardens of your mind and heart.


~ GET A PERSONALIZED READING ~
from Isha Lerner

Enjoy your day 

Happy Birthday , freeasthewind !

Happy sailing down the river , Free !
Balance
Harmony
Love and Laughter aplenty
hip hip hurray .....enjoy your day !

XXX

Inner child card from www.ishalerner.com

My bed has got legs now. The Prof came round at lunchtime in his lunch hour. I made him lunch and then he attached them. The bed's really high up now as the legs are 30cms ( about 12 inches ) Originally , I thought it would allow space for storage boxes but what with the mattress already being quite thick it has ended up being quite high. When I sit on the edge of the bed, my feet barely touch the ground It does look rather majestic though

Also today , a visit from the electrician who came round to instal a new metre in line with new European regulations. The whole thing went smoothly and took about 10 minutes to install.

I also bought a " welcome " mat for outside my door

Hip hip hurray ... it's your day today !

HAPPY BIRTHDAY QUEENEMAB !
sunshine
moonlight
star studded skies 
azure blue seas
gentle breezes
beautiful places
wonderful friends
fantastic food
enchanting evenings
bright and beautiful mornings
peace and harmony
love and light
good health, welll-being and happiness
money money money 
honey mead moments
kisses and hugs
absence of bugs
chocolate..........
This and more I affirm for you
Blessed be.

Have a fantastic day !
((((hugs ))))
xxx

Just down the road from where I live  is a lovely square , Mariatorget, which in summer is a lively and popular meeting place but today the fountains were empty and the trees bare. St George was still busy fighting the dragon . 

Some shops were open but many were closed and it was quite cold.

These twigs with colourful feathers on sale everywheree are popular for Easter.

Just outside my door

Woke up at 4 a.m. with allergy symptoms; the itching inside ears that drives you crazy , watery eyes and runny nose and sneezing. I don't know what causes these attacks. Thankfully they seldom last very long , but are a flippin nuisance when they strike.

Just before that I was dreaming that a friend and I bought half a pound of bacon that we were going to cut up into small pieces and put out for the birds. What could that be about ?

After that I watched a film that happened to be on the telly about a lawyer who gets shot three times and nearly killed while popping out to the local shop for cigarettes. He's in a coma as a result and when he does wake up , has to learn everything anew; how to walk, talk and remember things. In short he wakes up a kinder better person.

And so my new life begins too this spring. A time of renewal and rennaissance. Saps rising. Plants sprouting and trees budding.

I'll go exploring after breakfast.

Settling in . It's early days yet and although I moved to my new home 21 days ago , 11 of those days I was away in England leaving a mountain of unpacked boxes in the living room . Anyway , my home is slowly taking shape . There is no rush. I will be adding and changing things as I go along

This is fhe  hall seen from the front door, Kitchen on the left, bathroom on the right.

Bedroom. Some kind of curtains or blinds needed as this is a bright , south east facing room. I've put up my old Liberty print curtains for now.

This is the room between my bedroom and living room. Maarja's lilies in the vase on the round table.

Living room . I've made a temporary sofa covering 4 mattresses with Tunisian blanket and leather cushions that I kept from my old sofas.

Anna-Stina brought these beautiful flowers when she popped by

Lots of unpacking still to do in the living room . I put The Profs's  heads on top of the cupboard.

In the living room looking through to my bedroom .

This is the middle room. I think I'll hang this mirror on the wall behind the two chairs. This one or a big gold frame one when I find it. I also need lamps . I'd love a few crystal chandaliers or Tyffanny style lamps .

one .....

Kitchen . My latest painting asked to be hung here ; matches my new red toaster !

It was my bed that arrived legless, not me !

4 wooden legs , would you believe , and an extra leg

Mind boggles.

 Assembly work to be done now ... screwing  best left to an expert.

Slept well in my new, legless for now , Ikea bed Waiting for help to attach the 4 legs and support.

My bed 140 x 200 is really comfy, but I did wake up with a headache. It might be the Formaldehyde or something from the packaging.

Have you noticed how all new Ikea furniture smells the same ? I think it must be formaldehyde or similar chemical as they are used widely by industry to manufacture household products.

More later. Right now I have to hunt down some breakfast as my cupboard is bare

Many happy returns !!

Have a wonderful day, full of love and laughter. May your birthday wishes come true. So be it and so it is. DONE

((((hugs and kisses ))))

xxx

Happy Birthday WannabeTVChef ! May your new year be tasty and absolutely scrumptious

My day started with me packing my little case - not easy since I had a hard time finding things as I've just moved.

It would have been sensible to pack a case before moving. Actually , that is a VERY good thing to do anyway if you are moving home - pack a suitcase with everything you need for a couple of weeks - just liek you would if your were going away on holiday.

Toddled off around noon to where I used to live for my acupuncture appointment. Picked up a couple of tins of Swedish anchovies and a bottle of Lakka, Cloudberry liqueur, that mum asked me to bring.

Zoomed back here in time for the Flat Inspector's round. It is a customary thing when you move in or out. Everything seemed to be fine and he said he would send me a copy of his report.

He too was appalled by how dirty everything was. I made sure he noted it in his report even though the Landlords don't intervene in these matters when one person swaps with another as we did. If a tenant leaves the flat however it has to be spotlessly clean.

I am glad he got to witness Mr T's filth. When he left I composed an email and sent it off to Mr T , polite but firm, listing what needed to be done and giving him two alternatives: either - choose professional cleaners to really clean the bathroom and kitchen or I would and then send him the bill insisting that this be done 18, 19th or 20th March. So we shall see.

If he doesn't comply ... well .... maybe we'll have to send the lads round to " have a word " with him

Oh yes .. Lena popped by and helped me stack the empty boxes outside for the removals people to pick up "FIRST THING". They were supposed to come today - but couldn't.

Johanna popped by and picked up a set of keys - useful, just in case .....

So now must get a few hours of sleep as I'm getting up at 4 a.m to leave for the airport

Night night ...see you when I see you !
xxx

Leaving 5 a.m tomorrow morning for the airport bound for Manchester and Bradford. Will be visiting my mum and helping her celebrate her birthday and seeing family and friends.

If anyone is interested in meeting up, text me on +4673 69 66 872 ( my Swedish mobile ) Don't leave messages as I won't be able to get them until I am back in Sweden.

Otherwise will be back late on 17th. I won't have much access to the internet , so probably won't be commenting on posts. Sorry. Also , I apologise in advance if I miss your birthday - there are a few coming up. So many Pices and Aries

Love and hugs

XXXX

Will be back on

On the second day in my new home
Slept like a log and woke around 8 a.m.
As I look around the mountain of unpacked boxes and stuff lying around waiting for a home I start pottering around and manage to empty 4 boxes.

Rumbling tummy then says it's time for breakfast.

After that , difficult phone calls to make

MrT , the previous tennant ,  has not cleaned the bathroom and kitchen at all.

This is a new cooker , two years old . Just look at those rusty hot plates and burnt in grime, not to mention the oven , which stinks of old grease and fat when warm. This is what  I might excpect after 15 years  but not at the beginning  of a cooker's life . The man's  really abused this cooker.      

The freezer has not been defrosted or cleaned at all either. The top compartment was impossible to open.

I'm glad I scrubbed the bathtub before my soak . Mr T's cleaning is not to bew trusted.

Sitting in the bathtub I look up and see a line of grime under the wash basin which has not been touched either.

Nor has this or the shower tube or shower head caked with limescale .
Not acceptable.
Certainly not after I spent 2 days scrubbing and cleaning my bathroom and kitchen .

Our agreement was : Bathroom and kitchen MUST be clean - rest of the flat doesn't matter.

Happy Birthday MALAKEAS

(((((hugs and kisses )))))

Here's a birthday reading for you from Isha Lerner  Have a fantastic day ! xxxx

Fill my heart with Love, that my every teardrop may become a star.
--–Hazrat Inayat Khan

Alchemy and Transformation: This stage of initiation entails dedication and commitment, for the tasks involved are some of the most difficult to comprehend for the human soul. The individual must seek to embrace the essence of love within and avoid the temptation to seek it elsewhere. The beloved with whom we choose to share our intimate life is but a reflection of our own loving nature. To the extent we seek love outside ourselves, we meet with disillusionment and disappointment.

Awakening to the Archetype – Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty: Imagine for a moment that love has two dimensions: the horizontal, confined and enclosed by time and space; and the vertical, representing the infinite, eternal link with spirit. Human love often gets caught up in the horizontal zone, fostering the desire to own, possess, and control one’s “love object.” Such strategies, motivated by fear, are doomed to fail. Aphrodite offers love to humanity from the vertical plane; her touch encasing us in an orb of shimmering joy. Find more time to care for your body, your hair, your attire and your environment. Dare to be the rapturous beauty that lives in your heart.

Everyday Encounters: It is a very good practice to stand up with arms reaching toward the heavens in the shape of a chalice. Imagine you are being filled with the elixir of divine love. Let the radiant light of Aphrodite pour into your heart. You will find that people cannot resist you, for the joy that emanates from your loving demeanor is both healing and contagious. Light a candle in your home symbolizing the purity of love you wish to share with the world.

Nature’s Healers: The Rose