It's been so lovely with the snow and the cold, but last week the weather changed.  As I sat/lay/moped sniffling, the temperatures went above zero (centigrade) and after a week most of the snow melted.  The temperature has started to fall again, so we've been getting some lovely rimefrost.  Yesterday, driving to the supermarket was like driving through ghost forests.  The deciduous trees had every twig outlined in ice crystals. With the dark backdrop of the firs and pines, the fading light and the frost silvered ground, it was beautiful and eerie.  Shame the car hasn't got an on board camera!

It went from this:

and 

to

Urgghhh

I had thought to write a pithy, yet witty, thing about my birthday, which was last week.  (thank you). However, Procrastination being the thief of time means that I'm sitting shivering on the sofa with a hanky stuffed up each nostril being glared at by the cat and writing this instead. During this time of illness and suffering, Psychkitty has appointed herself my lookerafterer. She makes sure I go to bed, with frequent fluid intake (cups of tea, with teaspoons of milk for the nursemaid of course) and if I do have to sit up, I'm kept warm with my own furry hot-water bottle. She is now annoyed that I'm typing this instead of being in bed.
What happened to the old fashioned 3 day colds? Now everything seems to be an evil influenza type virus necessitating a complete shutdown for a couple of days. I had stopped taking the vitamin tabs, so I suppose the Tories would say it was self inflicted and should stop my luxury hot orange juice.  Hopefully I'll be back on form tomorrow, though more like Friday, when life can resume and I can start of the business plan for the art gallery....

Week in summary

This last week has not been the most eventful, action-packed week of my life. It has been heavy, grey and boring, much like the sky.  Though, of course, in the immortal words of someone or another, it's all in the attitude.
There have been a few highlights, however.

The "Just a tad Worrying" happening - that goes to Psychokitty, who trotted downstair, lined up and looked at her grey fluffy mouse, her black fluffy ex-mouse and the clear plastic innards of ex-mouse, picked up the grey mouse, trotted back upstairs, came down, ate and went upstairs and started to play with the toy.  This was a worryingly large amount of thought for a small cat.  Maybe they could take over the world?

The Most Exciting happening - I collected the last stamp and got a free cup of coffee on my way to the voluntary job at the Second Hand Shop.  Yippee, a free small latte....

Most in need of faith happening - Graham doesn't have much work on at the moment.  Hopefully there is a January/February slump, just as there is in the UK. Still, it gives opportunity to demonstrate a large amount of faith and it did drive me to apply for 3 whole jobs.  Yes, three.

Most suspenseful happening - Three jobs? you say, "gosh, Karin, what were they?" errhh, some sort of admin things, I think.  I'm afraid that I think that I'm caught in the too qualified, but hasn't got the language skill for long reports trap. That, and I haven't worked out the Arbetesformedling's website yet....... Oh well, I'll just have to google "starting an art gallery in your woodshed".  I bet someone's already done it!
Anyway, now I'm waiting for no response.

Apart from that, we've had 15cm snow, it's snowing now. The sun has come out 3 times. I've made a Mississippi Mud Pie. And that's the Week that Was.

On the way to a merry time

I can't believe just how stressed I am about the coming holiday season. A time to remember to best happening in the world, meet friends and family, revive family feuds that were in danger of fizzling out and keeping other fine traditions. I do't know whether it's just lacknof practice, but just the trip over is giving me spots. All we are doing is taking the 5:24 train to Göteborg, staying in a hotel over night and leaving at 5.20 am to go to the airport. I suspect that the logistics of trying to see everyone we want to, which we haven't managed to do, was too much for me. Especially as Christmas is not really the best time to meet up, what with everyone travelling too. And the cat! Would she come back from her morning prowl? Arggghhhh.
Poor, poor Graham. He ended up getting quite stressed too.

I know I've already forgotten my leather gloves and only have my warm mittens.

Still, after a day getting ready for a heart attack, we're sitting in the hotel room watching Jul med Ernst (thoroughly recommended) and chilling, waiting for the flight tomorrow morning and the bigger city at a much warmer temperature.

Snow, snow, snow

The swing under the apple tree

 Some pictures from the recent snow.  It's gone up to +2 for the last couple of days, but not all the snow has melted and it's going below zero again, so there are hopes for a white Christmas.

Hang the washing out?

Driving through the forest

The Road into Bet

Our house with the Advent lights.

A Goal to Aim for

One of my dreams is that when I grow up I'll be organised, disciplined and good at something I can make money out of. I have got one out of three, but am slightly despairing of reaching the Meatloaf ideal of 2 out of 3 not being bad. I haven't even finished The Purpose Driven Life! Though it is rather good and I would recommend it, only if it makes you face stuff you'd really rather not.

When I was young I wanted to be the CEO of the World Health Organisation. When I was a little older I thought that CEO of a hospital would be fine. Now it's the Mad Woman in the Forest I'm aiming for. I have the one cat, but must admit that the bourgeoise husband is a bit of a handicap. I'm also at a bit of a loss on how to make a living, ideally something that involves no sense of discipline or personal responsibility at all.  I suppose hippydom would be OK, but I'm not really keen on a scraggy beard, wearing purple and 50 children and again, the husband is not keen on the concept of a yurt.

Accordingly, having read several (american, so it must be right) web sites, I am announcing my goal to the world. Well, at least to the approx 3 people who read this blog. (does that count?) This apparantly makes me more accountable and more likely to have drive and self belief. I do believe that I exist and I know who I am, but this is No Enough! Whatever...

Anyway- I announce that I will be (ed- should read am!) an artist and will hold my first exhibition the week after Easter 2013.

Driving through the Snow...

There are things my driving instructor, though marvellous, didn't tell me. Here is a short list:

1). When it's very cold and snowy, bits of the car's bottom can stick to the ground.  When you drive away,you will leave them behind. Don't worry though, the engine hasn't dropped out after 40km, yet.

2). In the cold 50 tonne blocks of ice will fall off lorrries into the middle of the road. I have no idea what to do when faced with one of these.  Swerve and possibly go off the road or into on coming traffic? Drive over? Hit? It appears they disappear rather than avoid a face off... So far....

3). The doors can freeze fast shut. With you in. Driving. I have developed good hip flexibility and thank God for my all ready powerful thighs.

4). Mad locals are mad locals whatever the weather. Salt stops working at around -10, but hey! Why let that stop a good fast drive down the middle of the road.

5) if it snows and is below -5C the windscreen doesn't freeze. Result! No scrapping the windows in the morning or wrapping up large sheets of plastic.

6) you will come to love seat warmers and steering wheel warmers with a deep and abiding passion. Our car has neither.

7). Don't park using your brakes. Don't lock the car.  
This means completely relearning everything I was taught about parking, however, brakes freeze as do locks. They sell lock antifreeze in handbag/pocket size, presumably for town use. I couldn't imagine not locking the car in towns. It's the sequence of events needed to park and unpark the car that is staving off dementia at the moment.