Tagged: holidaze

08
Jan
2018

BACK TO REALITY

I don’t think this was the first year we didn’t watch any holiday movies, but it’s definitely the first year where I threw away all the ones we have…they were on VHS tapes and we don’t even have a player anymore. Goodbye Rudolph! Goodbye Fred Astaire in Santa Claus is Coming to Town! Goodbye Grinch! Goodbye Ralphie! Goodbye (and good riddance) Little Drummer Boy! I recycled all the cases and Anders will take the videotapes themselves to the dump the next time he goes and make sure they get put in the right place. It made me a bit sad...

25
Dec
2017

HAPPY HAPPY MERRY MERRY

It’s been a very relaxing long holiday weekend here in Flyinge. Unlike most of North America, we’ve had no snow, which is a pity…it’s been the usual southern Swedish mix of rain and grey, but inside candles, advent lights and the Christmas tree area all lit. Martin arrived home on December 19 and time is already flying by. I took two days off so we could get some things done and enjoy his being home before finishing up work before the holidays. It was SO NICE to see him and give him a hug and it’s SO NICE to have...

23
Dec
2017

EK FAMILY CHRISTMAS LETTER 2017

2017 started off quietly, with Liz participating in a gospel fest concert and Anders skiing in the Czech Republic, both with colleagues. Liz continues to sing in Eslöv’s pop choir, and is active on the board of the AWC, handling membership, and Anders kept busy mountain biking, competing in several X-Cup tournaments and Cykel Wasa during the year. January also marked our 20th anniversary of moving to Sweden! Hard to believe how time flies! In the beginning of February, Martin received confirmation that he had been accepted into his first place choice for college…at the College for Creative Studies in...

16
Dec
2017

GETTING IN THE MOOD

As always with this journal, I’m torn between simple posts about what’s been happening, what I’ve been doing, and more complex posts about my philosophies and what I think and care about. For the 4 of you reading, does it make a difference? It was an up and down week, work-wise. I tried too hard and went in on Monday, but ended up only managing a half-day before giving up and going home. Tuesday, however, I woke up feeling much better, worked from home all day and by Wednesday felt I was pretty much back to normal. The only other...

03
Dec
2017

LIGHTING THINGS UP

This has been a majorly NON-SLUG weekend here at Chez Ek. Anders, who has apparently been replaced by a pod person, went out yesterday and bought outdoor lights and HUNG THEM ALL ALONG THE FRONT EDGE OF THE HOUSE. He was too funny, because he came in to the bedroom on Saturday morning, where I was still lolling reading, and asked me if he could get one of these. Apparently they sell them here in Sweden, now. Guess who got the hairy eyeball THIS time? 😀 He had no intention of actually buying one, though, and proceeded to look up...

26
Nov
2017

MAKING MERRY & GIVING THANKS (PLUS EATING STUFFING)

Would you believe that the ONLY photos I have of the 2017 Thanks-Friends-Giving-Aganza are a montage of my antique mini silver salt and pepper shakers being filled? SO EXCITING. Back in the day, we used to record our gathering for posterity, posing on and behind the sofa, which children in our laps, etc. Nowadays, we just wait hungrily for everyone to arrive already, throw things in the microwave to heat them up, and stampede to the tables to stuff ourselves. Nary a photo in sight! No one even lifts a camera, ’cause their hands are full of forks and knives,...

12
Nov
2017

GOOD GRAVY

For some reason my last two posts were set to private, though I swear I haven’t changed the settings on my editor, so what the hell, Livejournal? Now I worry I need to check back through every post to make sure they are all visible. No WONDER I don’t get any comments! Drrrr. It was a multiple holiday weekend. We have Mårtens Gås (and Mårtensafton, since Swedes insist on celebrating all holidays the evening before, Veterans Day (in the US), Remembrance Day, and Swedish Fathers Day today. On Friday, Anders’ mom had us all over for a delicious (catered) meal...

08
Nov
2017

SWINGING THROUGH STOCKHOLM

Oops! Forgot I had a blog. Heh. We had a really nice trip to Stockholm, though we missed Martin. Karin, unfortunately, was sick with a really bad cold the entire time: fever on the way up, coughing, sore throat, stuffed head, the works. We drugged her up and made her go with us everywhere though 😀 The weather couldn’t have been better. Friday was bright and glorious sunshine with blue skies and chill temperatures. Saturday it was cloudier and felt colder though it actually wasn’t. It only drizzled on us once, but we didn’t care because we were having fun....

30
Oct
2017

HELLO WEENIE

I just activated a new member for the AWC: a guy from Texas who has been in Sweden for 10 years, and has heard about us since before he moved here, but never thought to join because, well, duh. It’s a WOMEN’S club. Right? Except, no, not really. It’s not just Americans and not just women, though we only have a handful of men at the moment. We’ve talked about changing the name for years, but no one seems to be able to agree on a new name and the one I would have liked has already been taken by...

15
Oct
2017

IT’S BEGINNING

I don’t know if you are anything like me, but the second fall seems to have entrenched itself, I find my thoughts turning more and more to Christmas. There are always so many things to plan for and anticipate around the holidays. I don’t know if it’s a way of speeding up time in an effort get through the dreary, sodden winter season or what, but it’s something I can’t seem to help. The wish list I send to my family, soliciting their lists to give me ideas and inspiration for gifts, is in the works. Yesterday, I bought (at...