Why a blog ...

I am writing this blog to my very dear and lovely friends and family who are spread out around the world, and in Sweden. I wish they would also blog so I could follow their everyday life not just in mind. I am writing in English for the obvious reason that my friends are an international bunch and my Swedish tribe knows English. I am going to do a million spelling mistakes, that you just have to bare with.

I am all but ordinary and to compensate for that I have a huge love for everyday ordinary life. When it works it is just heaven. I moved from a big capital in Europe 3 years ago to a small village in Sweden. I am Swedish, my husband is Mediterranean and we chose our paradise here partly because of our 5 children who have a fantastic life here. They can run, bike, ski, swim - just around the corner. The small village school has the best teachers, the best children and the best food. The kindergarten is paradise for little children who want to grow up being respected, not stressed but doing things in their own time, not bullied and eating Bettans fantastic home cooked meals or baked bread. As a parent you can participate as much as you like and I do.
My outmost respect goes out to these lovely ladies who make my little boys day’s heaven.

Another reason why we moved was that we had had enough off big city stress, enough of big city costs and so enough off big city pollution. The down side is that we miss our fantastic friends that were just a teacup away. They are now spread out in England, Denmark, Italy, Japan, US. We really cherish the times we had together and try to make new ones now here, or over at their places. We are longing for the day we are all together again (I know that s probably just a dream – but dreams do come true).

We found our haven in a 150 year old farm. Here you have peace off mind and you have the freedom off looking out the window and just following the field acres after acres. We have wildlife in our back garden, moose and deer eating from our apple trees, compost and vegetable garden, fox, rabbit, hawks and a million other birds. We are no farmers and are not trying to bee either but we do respect the land and all that it gives us. A dream would bee to be self-sufficient in all food but for now we grow our own potatoes, carrots, red beats, apples, currants. We also get eggs from our chickens (right now we do not have any but are getting new ones in spring). We expand a little every year but we are still just beginners. We are fortunate enough to have lovely neighbors who help us with advice and gladly share their produce.

Another dream that could be a future project is to eat food that has not traveled half the world. We eat ecological food for the obvious reason that we do not want to stuff our bodies with pesticides and other poisons, we do not even know exists in food. I mean where does all these allergies, cancers and other deceases come from. Food maybe? I love crafting. Mainly knitting all sorts off thing like scarves, sweaters, cardigans, socks, and hats. My favorite color combination is pink and orange. I also like darning socks, it is very under estimated and highly therapeutic (darning is fixing wholes in socks) and a never ending job with 7 people in the house. I also sew. It is great getting the clothes you want to have and it saves money.

I love reading books. All sorts but I have a special love for Swedish writers because I missed that a bit when I lived abroad for 9 years. Right now I am reading “Stalull och karlek” by Lisbeth Pipping, it is about growing up with a mentally handicapped mum. A lot off horrific reading but at least I just have to read it and not experience it.

I believe we adults should do so much more for children. We should give them the tools for coping in the everyday life that has become really hard with all influence from mass media. We should start by seeing them. A little love goes a long way. I see a scary trend off grownups being to busy living their own lives and forgetting the ones they have been putting on this earth. Expecting things from them that we would never buy into ourselves. Example having two homes. Who would like to switch homes every week? I have no answer to this one and it is really tricky. Or, we do not want our kids to walk into a church because the bible just preaches a lot off made up stuff but we park them in front of TV, video, DVD or computer games fighting fantasy figures all the time which are extremely made up. We are not really showing them a real world are we? To bee a bit bored is the real world not to over stimulate our little ones to the limit. And then we are surprised that they are hyper or have nightmares about Schmeegel. Heck I have nightmares about Schmeegel. We should not numb them, we should cherish their pure and beautiful minds and value the fantastic compassion that kids seem the have naturally.

Another dream I have is that women would support each other more. That we would stick together and help each other. That is what I had in my abroad life. We were a group off women from different parts off the world, who met a couple of times a week because we really liked each other and we very naturally helped each other out in the daily life. Things like cooking, cleaning, babysitting but mostly supporting each other. Lots off talking, advising, no judging, not always understanding but always accepting. Showing love without judging and back talking. And boy, did I learn from these women. They are like my sisters, mothers, grandmothers, soul mates and friends. It means so much to have this support in life. It really helped me grow, and get to know myself. We are just so fast at jumping at each others throats as soon as a woman sticks out her neck. We are so good and quick at sinking instead off saving a sister woman in need. Shame on us. We should love and accept, not judge. We do not have to agree about what another woman do or say but we should still respect them. Love and respect is the clue. Men seem to have this. A feminine energy needs to come into the society for us to succeed in the end. It is not a matter off getting women in the board of director’s chairs, it is about accepting women being women and getting the beautiful femininity into the directors chairs. We do not have to succeed being like men, we need to succeed being like women. Maybe we are easier to respect if we are not ashamed off our feminine sides, off our beautiful minds and off the fantastic change we do in the world. Just a small thing like why do women in power positions dress like men, in suits. Yes, sometimes maybe a skirt but not a beautiful one. When did you last see a government meeting thinking –I wonder where she bought that lovely dress? There is a fantastic clothe brand called Odd Molly which would suit these great women. Unfortunately the prize off the clothes is also only something power people could afford but it would make me really happy seeing women dressed like women. I know that I am now sitting here judging left and right, it just feels a bit like if these really great, hardworking women who are such role models could show the world, I succeed because I am a woman not I succeed because I happen to bee a woman but do the job as a man. Anyhow I love women and I love men. This was not a small introduction and I am sure my goddaughter E is going a bit mad over all missed commas etc.

A last small addition is that I love singing in the village choir and a new interest I am exploring is aikido – so far so good even though I am feeling a bit old and stiff at times. I am happy you want to join in my everyday life and I hope I can join in yours.