Coach Class Through Northern Europe

Today I travelled through three countries on a train. THREE! On the same train! And it only took 3,5 hrs! I love Europe! (Exclamation point overload).

I got on the train, Thalys, in Amsterdam, after my conference finished, and travelled through the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Final stop for me and the train: Gare du Nord, Paris. Et voila!

It was so convenient. And cheap. My second class ticket cost me EUR 35. There’s no way I could’ve found a flight that cheap. And – I got to see the landscape!

Holland, somewhere between Rotterdam and the Belgian border

Somewhere between Antwerp and Brussels in Belgium

Coming into Gare du Nord in Paris

It would take close to 5 hrs for me to just leave the country by train if I left from Stockholm… Just saying 😉

A backpack for my baby

Today I attended an auction at the outdoors store Naturkompaniet after work.

For a few years they’ve had a wall in their store covered with the iconic backback Kånken in many colours.

Back problems among children were increasing in the 60s and 70s, due to heavy school bags being worn only on one shoulder (looking at kids today, I think it’s happening again…). As a means to stifle this development, Kånken was developed by the company Fjällräven in 1978.

I was born in 1977, and was given a Kånken by mom and dad when I started school in 1984. It now looks like this:

22 years later it’s still holding up, and is totally in fashion!

Over the last 5-10 years Kånken has grown in popularity, and are today seen on many hipster backs.

But, back to the auction! The store had decided to re-make their Kånken wall, and decided to auction off the “old” ones for a good cause. Namely, an orphanage in Nepal.

The store’s old Kånken wall

They’d announced the auction on Facebook, and quite a few people showed up.

Pic from the auction, the tack of Kånken to the right.

I managed to buy one for my son. That I of course don’t have yet, but I will in time (sooner rather than later). Why I say son? Because only 1 in 6 children adopted internationally from Taiwan are girls. So we’re sure we’ll have a boy 😊

And, seeing as he’ll probably be 2-3 years old, I’ll just need to hold on to his Kånken for a few years until it’s his turn to start school!

My baby’s backpack! I hope he’ll like his as much as I like mine!

Good God! Or Not…

Today I was told my arthritis would probably get better if I just believed in God.

Supposedly it’s just “ein prüfung”, en prövning, a test, according to the, of course, German who said this. COME ON!

I’ve thought he’s a bit of a sleeze for years, and now I’ll add idiot to that.

So, genes have nothing to do with it, huh? Likely. His reasoning was that he had a friend/colleague who was “freed” from his alcoholism when he found God. As if alcoholism and arthritis were comparable! GAAH!

And if it’s only a “test”, a test of what exactly? And how many tests/prüfungs do I need? Severe arthritis and unability to bear children isn’t enough?

Today’s a good day

No part of my body hurts (hooray!), a colleague said I looked slimmer overall (hooray), and the sun is shining.

Added to which I’m now able to see the earrings I’m wearing when looking in the mirror (which I couldn’t do when I had the classic cortisone “moon face”, heck – I couldn’t even see my earlobes!)!

Hoorays all around, eh?! Oh, and AIK is going to beat Ellos (read: Elfsborg) tonight. 🙂

Ice cream for dinner

Because I can! 😊 

Sweden’s main kiosk chain is celebrating spring with half price on all ice cream 😳👏🏻 This is my fave – Magnum with almonds 😜

Now I’m off to football- forza AIK! 

100. And on the 100th day…

…she ate candy 😆 Finally. 

But we started the day at Riddersviks Gård, where they have a weekend fika spread. Soooo good!

The fika spread at Riddersviks Gård, all homemade.

And from there we went to the grocery store…

…where I’ve been longing for this:

The candy section at the store!

 
And all day I’ve been eating candy…mmm, candy!
 

I deserve this after 100 days!

 

99. TGIF

The stressful week is finally over! Now I get to enjoy a weekend without plans 😊

A glass of red in hand, and our gorgeous view.

98. It helps to bring your gear

This afternoon it was time for water aerobics again. 

I had had a busy day at the office, and a colleague caught me just as I was leaving. Stealing my focus.

I had to hurry over to the gym where the pool is, but made it in time. Only to realize I’d left my gear, swimsuit etc., at the office. Doh!

So back to the office I “ran”… I ended up missing the first 10 of the 30 min class 😦 

Doh, Doh, doh!

97. Meetings, meetings, meetings

How many meetings can you have in one day?! Too many!

I was at work for more than ten hours today. That’s too many 😕 Especially since I just get paid for eight…!

Today I had a meeting about our new webpage, a meeting about this year’s seminars in Almedalen (totally worth reading about, here), and a forestry meeting.

After that, at 4 pm, I had to stay on to do some actual work…

And now – I’m tired!

96. Working from home

Gosh, you get a lot done when you work from home! No one disturbs you to chit chat etc. It’s awesome.

Unfortunately we’re not allowed to. Office policy 🙁 How old fashioned, eh? 

I’m excused today because doctor’s orders say 24 hrs rest after shots, and though I usually don’t obey, but go to work the day after, this time I’m following orders. 

Are you allowed to work from home? How often?