Christmas was lovely, though A thought he’d starve to death one day, and die from eating too much the next. New Years was spent down south, in his home town Karlskrona. It was also nice, but I still have some – idiotic – issues with that place, so I’m just as happy coming back home again. It’ll get better with time, I’m sure.

We had a fabulous long weekend in London before Christmas, and the travelling will continue this year – even more – it’s like I’m returning to my old self, constantly on my way somewhere. Woohoo!

First up is a weekend XC-skiing in Orsa, just like the past two years. Hopefully I’ll see something this year…

A month later we’re heading to the Big Apple – New York City! I’m not quite sure how that came about, but A and I had collected enough bonus points with Star Alliance to get one ticket for free, so we (mainly A!) thought “what the heck” and booked it. Woot woot! How cool’s that?! Such a spontaneous booking, but it’s going to be fantastic

Ten days after returning from NYC we’re going to the Swedish island of Gotland, where my parents just bought a sharehold (?) (a house owned with others, they get to use it 10 weeks per year). We’ll be there for a long weekend, working two days from there instead of the office.

And just now we booked our summer holiday in…CANADA!!! My favourite country of all times. We’re doing a road-trip from Edmonton to Vancouver, from prairie to the Pacific. It’s going to be legendary!

If anyone has any tips to share on either of those destinations, please let me know!

Me, I’ve been busy making a stocking for A, and he’s been stationed in the kitchen baking vörtbröd, a special Christmas bread, rice porridge/pudding, and Rocky road. This may sound unfair, but in my defense I also cleaned the flat!

Busy sewing…

The end result… Looks like shite, but it was made with love! Just like the one to the right which mom made for me when I was little (but at least I didn’t use glue ).

A’s Rocky road, before cutting it into pieces.

Over the last week I’ve also kept busy making pralines! They look nothing like the perfect chocolates my mom and grandma in Canada make, but I know for a fact that they taste good

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Last weekend, 10 days ago, it turned a bit cold, and perhaps that was why my knee started swelling and aching, not sure.

I phoned to make an appointment last Monday, but found out she was away all of that week. So I called again yesterday morning, and got the appointment tonight. Sunday was bad, but today I can barely walk.

I don’t know how visible it is in the pic, but my left knee is swollen and I can neither bend it nor straighten it out. It’s “locked” in position.

It brings me down, makes me tired and moody. I seriously don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this. Something’s got to change

My appt was 30 mins ago, and the people who’ve gone in before me have had problems with fingers and toes, but I CAN’T FUCKING WALK, OK?!

Today we’re watching the XC-skiing relays, so we’ve stayed in our training gear under a blanket on the couch – bliss!

As I look towards the other end of the couch though, I see the 70′s looking back at me!!!

Seriously, except for the iPad being far too big to pass for a Walkman, doesn’t A look like he’s been teleported from the 70′s?!

The first time I mentioned his existence was one month into the relationship (Times They Are A-Changin), and as I was about to set off on my big trip in December, I spelled it out for the first time (Time to go wandering!). We’ve essentially lived together since then, but have only shared the same address officially for the past month. He’s a bit messy at times , but I couldn’t be happier!

I’m happy falling asleep next to him every night, and I love that he’s the first thing I see every morning. After being away for almost a month in October, I also find it an unbelievable treat to come home to him after work every day – I’m so lucky! I hope you all feel that way about your special someone – that your heart starts beating faster when you hear the key in the door, like mine does.

A: I love you for a hundred thousand reasons, but most of all I love you because you’re you!

Me so happy! Taken at a friend's wedding this summer.

Before I set off for GC I went to see a new doctor for a second opinion of my knee issues etc. She had X-rays taken of my knee, and I went to get the results on Friday morning. My physiotherapist had gotten me thinking that perhaps it was actually a problem with the meniscus or something, seeing as I didn’t get at all better during my training. Sadly, it was not. Instead I can now add Osteoarthritis to my list of diagnosed conditions Life is unfair.

After getting this blow, we decided the knee should be drained (as usual), to relieve the pressure. But something went seriously wrong. It’s usually not painful at all. Well, a normal person would find it painful, but I’m so used to it, and know what a relief it is after, so I almost like it. However, I did not enjoy this. I don’t know what happened, and neither did the doctor, but she must’ve been messing with a nerve inside the knee somehow – I just screamed. Right out loud. And my eyes were like fountains. It was instant, the pain that is. The procedure lasted at least a minute, throughout which I continued screaming, and the poor Doc panicked more and more. Unfortunately she couldn’t get to the “pockets” of fluid, so she had to withdraw and enter the knee from the other side as well. By then I was almost hyper ventilating and expecting the worst, but it went well and she drained the knee of 45 ml of excess fluid. Good lord – some morning.

A few hours after my visit to the hospital we set off for Karlskrona – a beautiful town in the south of Sweden, and one that I will come to spend more time in than I’d ever have guessed one year ago. Like I mentioned, it’s A’s hometown. Just how beautiful can it be? This beautiful:

We spent a week there in the summer, but this time we were southbound to celebrate A’s dad’s 60th Birthday. I think I’ve mentioned earlier that I’ve actually known A’s dad for a few years (maybe even as many as four), and therefore it was really great to get to meet his side of the family, his siblings etc. It was especially fun to see their faces when I told them that I in fact knew him before I knew A, and I believe their approval of me grew even stronger when they realized I in fact work with him – their brother. Or at least that’s how I’d like to think it went down.

At the party I was called a “playmate”/toy by one older man, and a guy (my age) who I’ve met several times before said he hoped for my sake the glasses I was wearing weren’t mine. Well, thanks a lot buddy. Asswife. He’s a singer (and a good one at that), but he instantly lost himself a future gig upon uttering those words…

It was a good weekend, but far too short and busy for the, in total, 1100 km we drove for it. Next time we’ll stay a few days longer, over New Year’s, which I hope we’re spending with A’s best friend and his family. We stayed at their lovely new home when we were down, and I hope to do it again!

And now…I’ve spent the last two days in Brussels. No rest for the wicked, eh? I’ve been there for a full-day meeting, that started at 9 am this morning. That’s a too early start for me to make it there the same day (first flight’s at 7 am, getting me to central Brussels at 10 am), so I have to fly the day before and stay over. Bummer. But I get to have breakfast at my favourite place – Tout Bon at Place de Luxembourg – and feel the international atmosphere as well as buy chocolate. And lots of it. Today, about EUR 70 worth…oops. Most at Neuhaus, as usual.

Mm...the best breakfast there is! Can't wait to take A here.

I haven’t been here since February, as two of our meetings were moved forward to dates I wasn’t able to go, so it’s a real treat to be back! It’s such a beautiful city, but in a great way. People were quite rude last night though, and that was a bit unexpected, so I still wasn’t thrilled. Until I got to my hotel which had been renovated since I was last there – very nice!

The City Hall (?) at Grand Place in Brussels

Unfortunately we’re late, and won’t arrive until after midnight

A said he’d stock up on Redbull and Viagra for my arrival, but I think sleep will be preferred.

No matter how late it gets, I simply can’t wait to crawl in to bed – at home, next to my man! Yay!

Not like others
No, I’m not your typical AS/Bechterew “patient”. I don’t show the usual symptoms, instead I seem to be over flexible in certain ways instead. Go figure. Like for example when it comes to bending sideways, curving your spine, I’m more flexible than your average non-Bechteerew person is expected to be. As is the case when I spread my legs. Uhm. Yeah.

I hate bugs
Judging by the others’ stories, I’ve actually had a quite bug free bungalow. For which I’m forever grateful. I must also say that I’m much better at dealing with bugs now than I was when I first arrived. But even so, the faintest movement in the corner of my eye, my heart starts beating faster. I’ve been watching Dexter and My Boys on my computer with one eye focused on the patio door at all times. Just in case a cockroach would dare to approach it. There was also that small lizard that scared the bejeezus out of me on my first night here, and of course the thousands of tiny ants that are everywhere – in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in the fridge, and even in my bed.

Tiny ants, one squished cockroach and a friendly lizard.

Beauty
Even if this warm climate really isn’t what I’m intended for, I must say that the plants they can grow here are striking! What I wouldn’t give to have a hibiscus hedge! Or a fig tree!

What I wouldn't do to have a hibiscus hedge!

Underestimation
I’d completely underestimated my physiotherapist. When I met her today she was stoked I’d gone on the hike yesterday. She said that had I asked her she would’ve had to try and talk me out of it, but she was really glad that I hadn’t, and just gone instead. Why? Because it’s of vital importance that we, I, learn not to let our disease “take over” our lives. Which I think I’m pretty good at. Not letting it, that is.

More than beaches
Gran Canaria has a lot more than beaches to offer people on holiday. Lots more. For example hiking, like I mentioned yesterday. I’d in fact like to come back, once my knee is better, and hike some more. Question is if I can convince A to return here – his family vacation spot during his childhood. Should I come back to Svenska Re in the future, he will however not be presented with a choice. He has to come for a week or so, because these last three weeks have done my head in.

Beach qi-gong at sunrise!

At 8:30 I was picked up by Björn and Niklas at Rocky Adventure, and in total 20 of us headed for a full day hike in the Roque Nublo reserve up in the islands central mountains. During the qi-gong I was a little worried about the weather looking up towards the mountains, but once we got up there it was glorious! Actually, I’m even sporting a bit of a farmer tan this evening…

We hiked around the monolith landmark that is Roque Nublo, and got to see it from three different angles. It’s magnificient! We didn’t actually go right up to it, but apparently there are climbing routes on it, with an overhang and everything. Yikes. The darn stone is 75 metres tall and sits on another cliff – how much of a death wish do you have to have to climb there?!

Roque Nublo seen from three different angles.

Halfway, or just past it, we were divided into two groups; one that would walker a further distance at a higher pace, and one for normal people. Obviously I’mnot normal, so I joined the first group. The hike was in total just some 8 km, but it was steep in places, and at least 30 C - and sunny - so still exhausting! The guides were really great, and told us lots about the history of the islands, the flora etc. Loved it!

Beautiful views throughout the whole hike!

We were treated to some of nature’s goodies too; not only did we pick both green and normal figs off the tree, but almonds too! I’ve never had an almond straight from the tree before – exotic

Figs and almonds fresh off the tree!

I have to say – today changed my view of Gran Canaria entirely. It’s a fantastic islandwith so much to offer, at least if you like the outdoors. And I strongly recommend a hike with Rocky Adventure if you come here – they’re professional and dedicated.

And here, one final view towards Tejde, a mountain on Tenerife, the island west of Gran Canaria, and some Grand Canyonesque landscapes in the foreground.

Beautiful, just beautiful!

I did go for a 500 m swim, and stayed another 30 mins to read in the sun, in the morning, and this afternoon I went for a little walk. Not because I wanted to, but because I felt that I should. I blame the Swede in me.

My knee’s as swollen as ever, but I have signed myself up for a full-day hike tomorrow. In the mountains. I have to, for my own sanity.