Day 220: Workplace Wonderland

This evening I paid a visit to a most enchanting workplace in Stockholm. From the looks of it, you'd never guess what type of work they do here...or would you? Give it a try from the series of photos below, before you get to the last one which sort of gives it away.

It is such a wonderful example of thinking outside the box and daring to combine business with a bit fun. Imagine coming here to work every morning instead of the tradition office spaces of most corporations!

Day 219: Music to my ears

First rehearsal with the band today...what a joy! Musicians, as I'm sure I've mentioned before, astound me. And it's so much fun to listen to them rehearse. Naturally, I love the music they make. Equally interesting, however, is listening to their shop talk. I'm fascinated by how they communicate in a language of their own and in very few words that seem so vague to me but so exact to them.

As some of my current landsmen once put it, "Thank you for the music..."

Day 218: Bonus

Imagine my delight when one of our cast members showed up for rehearsal this morning with his toddler in tow! Before long, she and I were best buddies and hung out together until her grandmother picked her up at around lunchtime. We spent part of the morning on stage enjoying the singing rehearsal and dancing to the music, and most of the time engaged in the little one's absolute favorite pastime...climbing up and down the stairs. My own favorite pastime was sitting on the floor with her in my lap during rehearsal, as she often bent her head backwards and rewarded me with the sweetest smile.

And I just found out that I get her for two whole hours tomorrow too! :-D

Day 217: Spontaneity

So I'm in my PJs, under the covers, playing cards and surfing the internet when PLING signals an incoming text message: "The boys are out playing and I'm bored. Can I come visit you?" YES!

In a country where people's calendars are filled weeks in advance, this is a rare event. Even if you get the urge to call a friend on a moment's notice and suggest an outing or a visit, you often give up before you even make the call because you assume that the answer will be some variation of "I would have loved to but..."

I'm glad I still have friends who throw all caution to the wind and make the call anyway. Sure picked up my day...up and out of bed, dressed, shopped, cleaned, cooked and still have a smile on my face. Let's hear it for spontaneity!

Day 216: Things to do on Christmas day

Sleep in. Three loads of wash. Grocery shopping. Clean out the fridge. Throw out the trash. Change bed linens. Empty the dishwasher, fill it again, run it and empty it. Continue reading Dickens. A game or two of Rummikub. See what folks are up to on FB. Eat some clementines, an egg, homemade bread with butter. Take a nap. Write a blog. Miss my friends who live afar.

And it's only 3:15 PM.
Feel so efficient.

:-)

Day 215: Peaceful

A city covered in a blanket of snow. Fire roaring in the tiled stove. Pleasant aroma of food wafting in the air. Puppini Sisters on the stereo. Good friends hanging in the kitchen. Julmust. Glögg. Janssons. Home baked bread. Chatting and laughing. A good video. Calm subway ride home.

My kind of day.

Day 214: Entertained and informed

Spending the day with two of my favorite Web sites, Wikipedia and YouTube. Plus a movie and some Rummikub in between. And Charles Dickens when I need a break.

Happy!