Planning

A lot of my focus at work right now is planning my workload so I have enough time for all the stuff I want to do outside of work. I think that is the way it should be.

Fingers crossed I will get to spend a week in Phoenix in April and a week in Brighton in May - both on company time as its training. In connection to these trips I can then also add in bonus events!

Next trip is to Boston next weekend (we are seeing Muse up there) and then at end of the month we go to Dubai and Bahrain (for LMs wedding!). April is looking quiet right now, May quite busy with sister visiting (WHOHOOO!!!!) and a UK trip. All good fun stuff!

Its raining outside so I need something fun to think about.

Started

Wool arrived. Hat started. Fingers crossed we beat Slovakia tonite so I get to wear the hat for the semi final (and go on, go on, go on final!!!)

OK I have given up as the final result was tiny tiny tiny. I am making a Sweden scarf instead. Will report back on how it goes.

In the head

So today we went daytripping down to NYC as I ordered tickets back in November to go into the crown of the Statue of Liberty. The tickets are hard to get hold of so therefore I decided to order well in advance. Its been lovely and sunny today, around 0 but not overly windy so queuing to get onto the boat (of course after the super search, airport style, where their badly calibrated sensors found 7 beep spots on JD in places where I know for sure he has no metal) and also enjoying the boat trip across on the top deck.

Anyway. Once on the island we got our special wrist bands, left all our belongings in a locker that was controlled by finger print (!) walked through another security area where we got puffed by air for some unknown reason. Then we started walking. 344 steps. Starting in a normal staircase, then it got narrower and narrower. At the end we walked up a spiral staircase not more than 60cm wide and not suitable for anyone above 1m80. The crown is tiny so it was crowded with 5 others when we got there and the poor guy who works up there told us he has already been up and down 7 times by the time we got there. Impressive.

We forgot our camera at home so cant share any photos of us red and sweaty on top. Just picture it and we will leave it at that.

We did try to get lunch at Balthazar in SoHo but it was bunged and overbooked so not taking in anyone off the street. Ah well, we will have to book next time. It sure looked good!

Go Sweden!

We are loving being in the perfect time zone for the Olympics and it just gets better when Sweden wins or at least gets a medal. So I have decided to crochet the Swedish team hat - but as I know I am a useless crocheter I also ordered one from Etsy that a lady has crocheted already... Once it arrives I will look very snazzy and can then spend a couple of evenings trying to recreate the masterpiece.

I found a US site that stocks Swedish wool so that worked out well also!

Addiction

I have decided to completely give in to my addiction of not very high brow Vampire / Werewolf / Witch books. I blame EL cause she introduced me to Sookie and then it was just a slippery slope.

My latest craze is Kelley Armstrong's books about 'The Women of the Otherworld'. I was lucky enough to only find the series after she had written 9 books. I have read them all and JD did wonder about my sanity as I hid in our guest room and devoured the last two. I was going to hold off until nr 10 came out in paperback but my addiction got the better of me and I have ordered it in hardback and also pre-ordered nr 11.

While I was on Amazon (oh US Amazon will be doing great now that I have moved here btw) I decided to completely let loose so have also ordered the hardback nr 8 Rachel Morgan book (Kim Harrison) and also the lastest Charlaine Harris books (well, ordered one and pre-ordered the next)

As its winter outside I have an excuse to stay indoors and read. Fingers crossed by spring I will want to read something that isnt popcorn literature, but for now I am just giddily awaiting the postman. I am reading Percy Jackson just to get me through the wait.

Old!

Found a WHITE hair in my eyebrow this morning. I am getting old. Will have to start dying my eyebrows.

Books

Just spent the last half hour chatting to Karin on skype about books. This means:

1) gosh - she is growing up quickly!

2) we read the same type of books.

3) once she moves onto reading in English I will be able to book swap with her!

I am looking forward to more chats in the future.

Home

Oh the bliss of sleeping in my own bed. Reading on my loo. Getting clothes in my wardrobe. And making porridge in my bowls. I love being home. I dont mind working as long as I can go home afterwards and be with JD.