No time to say hello, goodbye, I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!

This is what came in the mail yesterday, mailed from Sydney, Australia, by my friend Kathey, who is my separated-at-birth twin. Despite my adoration of sushi, I’d never come across these before, and one of them was enough to convince me that they would appeal more to my husband’s palate. The man gargles salt licorice, so a little fiery burning ball of pea/wasabi hell shouldn’t put him off, right? He ate the entire bag in one sitting, over the course of the evening. And then commented that he might start puking blood any minute. 🙂 I told Kathey what a...

When we were still in Chicago, Anders and I had dinner once at the home of his Swedish colleague, Johan. Johan and Anna have 2 children, and their youngest, John, was then about 4 years old. I can’t remember how long we had been together at that point, but I didn’t yet speak Swedish. Anders, Johan and Anna spoke in Swedish a few times, but mostly the conversation stayed in English for my sake. During dinner, as the four of us were talking, in English, little John kept looking back and forth from Anders to his father, like a little...

I’m feeling crazy busy, overextended and stressed from all my commitments. In short, perfectly normal. The cookies didn’t get baked last night, so I’m having to resort to the Rice Krispie Holly Bar recipe that I told carrieb about, and which I used 2 years ago, because otherwise I will have to show up with store-bought cookies and one cannot show up at a Christmas cookie exchange that was planned over 2 months ago BY ME with store-bought cookies. I’m a loser, I know. But I got some fun eyeshadow at the make-up demo yesterday, so who cares? And quit...

Have too much to do today to be sitting here at the computer, but I’m at least caught up with comments on the zine project. 🙂 I’m not sure when I’ll be back online, actually, although I might be able to stop by the computer for a short visit this afternoon, just so it won’t feel lonely. haha! shower dress eat wrap prepare groceryshop drive drop-off drive buy jacket drive makeup demo drive eat bake cookies cookies cookies!

Happiness is: the arrival of a much-missed person the beginning of a fun new project (go, zine girls, go!) the discovery that the coat I want has been marked down 350 kronor and is now on hold for me to pick up tomorrow the pile of loot that much-missed person brought back for me 🙂 the hugs and whispered “I love you, too, mom” from my kids when I kiss them goodnight an unexpected e-mail from a long out-of-touch friend continuing the e-mail round-robin my mom, sister, brother and I have got going crossing things off my to-do list my...

He’s home! 🙂

A sheen of green has appeared, looking totally confused and out of season, on our giant sea of dirt. Maybe we will actually have a LAWN next year! Incidentally, Sheen of Green would be a great name for a rock band. My condolences to courtesy on the outcome of the game, by the way, and to my other Aussie friend, to whom I apologize profusely for forgetting in this particular instance, sorry ozswede!!! Karin is about to get pounded into a little pulp. She’s driving me bananas with her whining and grumping and accusatory demands. McDonald’s trip for dinner to...

If you’re up past your bedtime, raise your hand! Got home at 10:40 p.m. from Social Circle, which was nice, even if too damn far away. (Helsingborg is a 45-50 minute drive, made longer by the rain/fog/drizzle/darkness). Good food from Nigella’s recipes and dessert involved white chocolate, passionfruit seeds and raspberries. YUM. My project for the evening was to figure out what kind of cookies to bake on Sunday for the Christmas cookie exchange at the meeting on Tuesday. I’m about 80% decided. It was pretty easy to narrow down as the criteria was: fast, easy, fast and…um…easy. What I...

I don’t care if you have worked 25 years at the same place and just received a gold watch to prove it, or that you have just stuffed yourself silly on good food and drink and are enjoying your coffee and cognac. When the entertainment takes the stage to perform for you, shut your yap and listen. Would it kill you to be polite for 15 minutes?! argh