Category: general

03
Feb
2025

I SOMETIMES WORRY ABOUT MY SHORT ATTENTION SPAN BUT NOT FOR LONG*

You know, since the advent/addiction to screens and social media, my concentration span has been for shit. I used to be able to spend HOURS reading. Now I read a chapter or two, then I have to check emails or scroll through Instagram for a bit, or play a round or two of Two Dots. Then I can go back and read a few more chapters. And this is even with books I’m very engaged in and enjoying. It’s way worse with books that are just so-so (or some of the book group books that I don’t enjoy at all…though...

29
Jan
2025

TRULY LAME

Good intentions for writing a real post: blown Real post: not written Sister: talked to for nearly 2 hours (heart) Evening: gone Bedtime: nearly here The end.

20
Jan
2025

MONDAY MUSINGS

FINALLY got a response from my doctor and a renewal for my prescription of nerve pain medication which I would have run out of tomorrow. Whew. Under the wire. TWO weeks before he responded, and it took 3 messages in the ongoing medical chat, a voicemail requesting the renewal, and another phone call this morning. Geez. I was completely stressed out about this. He at least apologized and said he’d been home sick and there isn’t anyone else covering his patients. Which is ridiculous. I couldn’t exactly berate him because it feels like it’s a bigger problem, but what if...

11
Jan
2025

JUST WHAT I DIDN’T KNEE-D

I don’t know if Murphy’s Law is applicable, but my right knee is now borked. Thank goodness the left one is nearly healed, even if I still can’t bend it all the way, because if it was also still a problem, I’d be completely screwed. Started Thursday afternoon, and got progressively worse, limping, sharp pain in the back of my knee when bent or straight. Limping yesterday as well, wore my knee brace on the right side instead. Alvedon and ibuprofen not much help. Got an appointment with Tilda physiotherapist in Löberöd for Tuesday Jan 14 (earliest available). Hurt during...

06
Jan
2025

IN ROTATION

I’ve noticed something about myself. When you have a task or tasks to do, do you set yourself down and do one at a time? Or do you rotate among them, starting and stopping as your interest wanes? I’m in the latter category, apparently. I wonder if it’s because of how I work when I’m at work. I work on tickets, jobs, and projects, alternating around, as crisis situations develop, and as high-priority stuff comes in that bumps other, more long-term things, to the side temporarily. Even when I’m working on one set project, I stop frequently to check or...

02
Jan
2025

NOM NOM NOM

Things have been around a lot longer than you think. One of the links in the last enewsletter of the year from 1440 was to an article about food products and what year they debuted. I found it fascinating, though I’m not sure why. It starts with 1940, the year my father was born, and the year that York Peppermint Patties hit the market. The year after, when my mom was born, Cheerios came out (albeit under a different name at first), the “first ready-to-eat oat cereal made by puffing and shaping the grains”. Cheerios! We grew up with these...

01
Jan
2025

SLOW START

Yesterday’s New Year’s Eve party at Mats and Annlotte’s was really nice, even though I was slightly dreading it, because it was a lot of people, and we had to dress up. I was also not looking forward to driving home super late, but as it turned out, we were 10 people, and I already knew 8 of them. The dressing up was not too onerous. Anders bought a new blazer on Monday, and I wore a black tunic dress with white embroidery over leggings and the white flower necklace that I bought ages ago to go with it. Comfortable...

30
Dec
2024

RETROSPECTIVE

nd of the year retrospectives are fun to do. I’ve been writing them since 2008. I guess they appeal to the listmaker in me, and the OCD-me as well, because now that’s it been a tradition for 16 years, I can hardly stop now, can I? 2024 was a good year in many ways, judging by the family Xmas letter that I wrote and posted last week. Lots of travel for all of us, and I DID make it to Ireland, after dithering for a very long time between it and the south of France for my birthday trip. Karin...

26
Dec
2024

THE THREE RE’S: REST, RELAX, RECHARGE

It’s the day after Christmas. Boxing Day in the Commonwealth. Annandag Jul in Sweden. It’s a holiday here, too, though lots of stores are open. We had a lovely Christmas. The kids were both home for Christmas Eve. We watched Kalle Anke (which is obligatory in Sweden) at 3 pm with glögg and cookies, then opened one present from under the tree. Then we had julbord, which Anders fixed most of. All the trimmings: 3 kinds of herring, cold smoked and warmed smoked salmon, homemade hovmästarsås, romsås, brunkål, rödkål, and creamed kale (from our garden!), smoked sausage, liver paté with...

22
Dec
2024

EK FAMILY CHRISTMAS LETTER 2024

We still had Liz’s mom and Danely here until January 4 so 2024 started out nicely with family in the house. Karin, however, was still in Austria finishing up her second ski guide season. Anders went skiing up north at the end of January with his best friend Mats. Anders has had a lot of travel this year with work, with multiple weeks away in Kumla, Tingsryd, Italy, Norway, Germany, and Finland, among others. Good thing he loves his job! It’s been a busy year, for sure, with lots of travel, and lots of moving. Martin moved in with Theo...