End

This was supposed to be JD's last week, so I booked an extra bag on the fligtht home tonight. I wont need it now that he is here til December.

I am wondering how the house will look when I get back. I am expecting piles of post but probably tidily on the coffee table as I think the cleaner was in yesterday. And probably a bloody jungle of tomato plants going mad outside. We have 20ish self seeded plants and they all had little green tomato babies when I left so might be a sea of red by now. And the wee courgettes are probably marrows. The rhubarb cant take over the world from its position but has probably covered all the neighbouring plants with its giant leaves in an attempt on world domination.

Will be nice to be home.

Middag

CIMG3089
Originally uploaded by evafritz

Dinner with the family

Cunning plan

We had a hen night for Jenny last night and we had a great time. Lovely cocktails at Gondolen (mmm strawberry daiquiri), then lebanese dinner at Tabbouli and finishing with more cocktails at Rival (mmm rhubarb).

Funnily enough the total distance travelled all night was about 800m. That is clever planning...

Funeral

Yesterday was the funeral for my grandmother Eva. I am named after her and wore her local costume and apprently look quite like her so a couple of people did a double take when I introduced myself. My uncle looks just like my granddad so he had a similar reaction at granddads funeral a few years ago. And of course it turns out that among the relatives you can spot the likeness, not just that me and my sister look just like mum but that our cousin Madde looks just like her mum, and her son Micke looks a lot like our aunt Kim. My uncle who looks like granddad has a son who is following in his footsteps, being the spitting image of his dad, but not with white hair yet. And his sister is the spitting image of her mum. Our genes dont seem very adventurous.

Granny would have approved of the funeral I am sure. Not only was the church full of yellow roses, the priest did a great job summarising her life and her whole family was there and we all cried when saying goodbye to her. Not a dry eye in the house when her best friend walked up and said 'Thank you for all the good times over the years'.

Free

Tea is free in the office here, so is coffee and hot chocolate but I am a tea lady therefore I drink tea. I am somewhat overconsuming the stuff to compensate for the fact that next week I am back to paying 35p a cup (or 31 if I use my own cup). I like the Moroccan herbal tea, the Roobios Chai and the fairtrade Earl Grey. Nice triangular bags in some posh semi plastic sort of material. I have yet to try all the fruit varieties. I had no idea Swedes liked fruit tea so much. Or its just thrown in as a bonus to fill the shelves. I have so far saved £3 by being here.

So unfair

We didnt win! Its so unfair cause the other team were three (JD, EL and Jenny) while Team Blue was just me and Marcus... And the average drinks total across Team Blue was a lot higher than the average across Team Red.

Apart from this the weekend was great. Loved the cardamom buns from Olof Viktors and the cheeses (although Lilla Fastmon can be used as a weapon in biological warfare) from the delikatessen in Simrishamn. All in all a lovely weekend and I got a ring and a pair of earrings from Bulows jewellery (photo borrowed from the site) in Copenhagen, a late bday present. JD's favorite part was the visit to Carlsberg.

Fly, flyflyfly

Almost done packing. Am off to Copenhagen tomorrow to meet JD for a luuuuurve weekend. Well lurve Friday and then weekend with friends in Borrby.

Am not as bad as Barb, I have left the sink behind, and most of my shoes, and dresses. But am quite certain I am bringing more than JD who probably will turn up with a pair of pants (if I am lucky) and a toothbrush.

As I am in Sweden next week I am preparing the house; emptying the compost thingy, doing the washing up, made the guest bed for Justin, left a note for the cleaner, emptied the fridge. I am almost ready. Just a few hours of sleeping, working, flying and then I will get a cuddle.

Penis envy

JLJ wrote a funny blog about spam mails a while back but I cant find it. Anyway, every day I get cheered up by the inventiveness by the mail authors in coming up with titles that clearly (well all is relative) indicate the topic without being so clear that the email is stopped by the spam filter.
My current favorites are:

From comemail@go2pivot.com:
'Is your love stick as hard as stone?'
From consuelo-naphtho@natmedia.com:
'Grow a horses tail'
From oregency1974@bovislendlease.com:
'Reach deep into her hole'
From faithbotbyl@captiveair.com:
'Make her scream in pleassure, everynight'

Camping

Went camping this weekend with Heidi and some of her friends. I knew we'd be in caravans and expected it to be a site in a forest, a bit rustic and very rural and quiet. We arrived at 9ish on Friday night and it turned out I couldnt be more wrong. We parked up and walked up to the Entertainment Complex (oooooo) where the rest of the group were already, drinking away and watching the worst comedian ever to enter a stage (Tony Macaroni - if he ever appears near you I suggest escaping or quickly downing several shots to try and take the edge of). Tony was not just really bad but also offensive, covering fat, old, women, foreigners and children - there might have been some more groups covered as well but I managed to zone out after a few drinks. I successfully managed to catch up with the rest of the group so could happily join in the karaoke singing til the bar closed.

We had a lovely time on Saturday on the beach in Shanklin, the boys playing cricket and the girls relaxing in the sun and generally taking it easy. I was by then over the chav chock and quite enjoyed Sat night dinner and entertainment including seeing 4 from the group partaking in a competition where they (in pairs) had to pop balloons in 'funny' positions. At that time I must admit it was very funny, especially when Heidi got competetive and decided winning was more important that anything and just went for it. She and Andy won, 9 seconds. Next year they will try for the world record at 7 seconds.

Go me

Earlier this year an email circulated at work encouraging us all to take part in a monthly 5k jog round Hove Park, £6 a pop, all to charity. I decided to take part but then found that I wasnt able to make the May or June dates so July 10th was my goal. I have since then been jogging a couple of times in the mornings but you know how it is with holidays, colds etc etc. Basically this morning I was not sure I would be able to do it. But I did! OK, it took me 40 min but I didnt stop to walk once! Go me. If I want more there seems to be lots of opportunities. I am thinking finish on a high...

Aaaaah..

...cleaner has been here today. The house is all tidy and clean.

Waitrose again

Todays bag of wonders contains pork loin steaks, fresh basil and salted almonds. Now what would Ainsley's team do with that I wonder.

Sucker for a deal

In the place I work there are not a lot to do at lunch. We have a Lidl, Waitrose, Iceland, Boots, Wilkinsons plus small stores most of which you wouldnt dare walk into in case you are transported to the village from The League of Gentlemen and never leave.

While I quite like all the shops the one I spend most time in is Waitrose. I think they get deliveries on Mondays and Wednesdays cause I can always find stuff on sale those days. Today was no exception so I got two Perfectly Ripe Avocados, some broccoli and Taleggio all on sale. Perfectly Ripe is the concept they use to sell us stuff that is actually the way all fruit and veg should always be sold, but this way they can charge extra for it. Its also always super packaged so I am feeling a bit guilty (A - I am sorry...). The two avocados were lovingly protected by a paper 'bath' and wrapped in plastic. But they were on sale! Rude not to.

And to make sure Mr Brown doesnt tell me off I promise to eat it all, except maybe the broccoli as I dont really like it.

Never

Am never going to watch him again. Seems I bring bad luck.

Tennis

Am watching the tennis, I want Federer to win. Nadal is just a bit too good for my liking at the mo. JD and I watched Federed get beaten in Australian Open. We were in Bejing and we spent the afternoons that week thawing up in bed watching the tennis. We were thinking it might be us watching that causes Federed to be bad. I hope not as I am enjoying watching it.

Shopping

Barb and I went shopping and then for dinner last night. I found a couple of nice dresses at Matalan and as its such a bargain bucket shop it only cost me £39. We then went next door to Bratano and they had massive signs saying buy one get one half price. I should have read the small print. After spending a good half hour trying on all the shoes I had selected two pairs. Paid up and was surprised to find the total quite high. When asking about the 1/2 price thingy was told it was only on sandals.



What I should have done was say - well then I dont want these shoes.

What I did do was say - ok, well thanks. And walked off.



I like my goldenish sandals from Clarks though. But the other pair will have to be inspected tonight and potentially brought back. Wonder if I can get 1/2 price on a pair of sandals if I bring them back and find another pair I like? Or do I have to return both, re-purchase the gold sandals plus another pair. Hmmm... Its worth £12.50 so worth considering.

Red field 2

Today in 1916 was the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Over 19,000 British soldiers died in just one day. I heard on the radio this morning that it was today it started but the timing is so linked to the flowering of the poppies that every year once the red fields start appearing the battle is remembered.

The red poppy is used for Remebrance day, not only because of the timing of the greatest casualty in British army history but also because apparently once the battle is over one of the first plants to grow on the ruined land is the poppy.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead.
Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
— John McCrae