Day 226: Breathing again...

...through both nostrils. There is really nothing that beats feeling fine after having been sick. And being genuinely welcomed back to work, even after a relatively short absence.

I lead a charmed life. Not hard at all to find things to be happy about. Grateful.

Day 225: The heart grows fonder

Throughout the course of the many years I've been in the workforce, this is the first time I've ever received so many messages when I've been out sick. Facebook, text messages, phone calls, e-mails.

An example (via text message):

"Welllllll, where are you? Get well and come here now. Where is our time police? Our organizer? And where is the fruit? And the coffee is neeeevvvvvver ready nowadays. And all the Sondheim love that flows from you?"

Yup, the business world could learn a thing or two from theater people.

My heart runneth over...thank you wonderful colleagues! I'll be there tomorrow (and will leave my germs at home, promise)

Day 224: Teamwork

Off I went at 7:45 to the theater to meet up with the group of technicians and volunteers on this first day of building scenery, setting lights, adjusting the sound system and so on. By 10:00, it was clear to me that I would not last much longer, with my runny nose and watery eyes and feverish complexion. Although I had promised to be on hand and lead the project today, I was forced to exit early rather than risk this rather bad cold turning into something worse, like pneumonia or bronchitis.

Confident in the tight teamwork that grew as the morning progressed, I was relieved and happy to be able to leave the scene knowing that all would be well. And so it was, as I later found out in a conversation with our set designer.

As for my cold...not so much. So I can only imagine how much worse I'd be feeling if I stuck around. But tomorrow is another day, and I've got plenty of administrative stuff to do to keep me busy between naps :-)

Day 223: The best is yet to come

I thought it would be hard to find something to feel positive about today what with my runny nosy and sore throat. Then it occurred to me that this was actually a fabulous way to kick off the new year. After all, it can only get better!

With that pleasant thought in mind, it's back to the BBT marathon...and my tissues.

Day 222: New Year's Eve

Soooo happy that I did not make plans for this evening. I would have had to cancel them anyway as I've been nursing a cold all day long and have a long pre-premier week ahead of me. Things always work out for the best in this best of all possible worlds.

Here's to a fabulous 2013!

And now, back to Dickens.

Day 221: Underdogs

My interest in sports is limited to miniature golf and watching the occasional tennis match. Yet I'm a sucker for sports movies. I suppose it's because they are always about the victory of determination, hard work, team spirit and talent over great odds. Sports movies are among the best feel good films I've seen and today's (Miracle, about the 1980 Olypmics gold winning USA hockey team) was no exception. Left me with a warm afterglow as I trotted off to our annual holiday celebration, happy too that the temperature outside was above the freezing level and sidewalks are no longer treacherously icy.

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! 

Day 213: Try, try again

Out I went into the neighborhood, the picture of calm in the midst of throngs of holiday shoppers. While people all around me were rushing around making their last minute purchases, I lingered at store windows and strolled along aisles of wares, fully content in knowing that I was there only to take a walk.

I did stop by Muffinsfabriken (the muffin factory, which isn't a factory at all but rather a cozy café that specializes in muffins) where I picked up two muffins, one cardamom and one saffron, for my working afternoon tea. Assassins program editor, and my good friend, Örjan was coming over. We would proofread the latest PDF while he runs his plastic containers through my dishwasher. All in a day's work ;-)

Although I proofread for a living for many years, I am still astounded at how many times you can read and reread a text (and this one is equivalent to only about five full pages) and still find errors. Just when you think, NOW it's all correct, you see a misplaced comma or a missing period or a misspelled word.

Oh well, as my hero always says, "God is in the details."

Day 212: Mayan Oreo

I'm off to a party momentarily...I'm so psyched. It's important to celebrate things. I like creating celebrations. And participating in them. The latest was Amy's Ph.D. day. What an amazing moment to share that was. And, of course, Chanukkah.

But tonight it's a completely Swedish tradition...glöggfest. This is a time of year here where people take the time to visit one another. Or it should be. Anyway, it's fun to be dragged out of my man cave and explore the world every once in a while.


So, trevlig kväll änglar (you know who you are).
See you on the other side. Amen.

And remember:

Day 211: The unexpected

I love surprises. Pleasant ones of course. Like today, when I opened my front door to go check on a neighbor, there was a small brown bag by my door that contained a large blooming plant and a handwritten note that said: "I leave on a trip today and thought it would be a shame to let this go to waste."

Not to worry, it now sits proudly on top of my CD cabinet livening up the living room. What a thoughtful neighbor I have.

And that, folks, is today's happy.

Day 210: Lussekatter

There are lussekatter (seasonal saffron pastry) and then there are lussekatter. Today, I had one of the latter and let me tell you, what a difference! Of course, it still didn't hold a candle to my Swedish brother's baking but still...YUMMO!

Good thing the really good ones are not inexpensive or I would soon be turning into one :-)

What's your favorite holiday pastry?

Day 209: T for tired today

Up since 3:30 AM. Why? Good question!

Did, however, manage to get some things done. The brainless stuff that I pretty much can do on automatic. So down came the Chanukkah decorations which are now safely stowed away for next year. Updated all my Excel files (and I've got plenty of those...just ask anyone who's ever worked on a project with me ;-)). And baked a loaf of rosemary bread. Yum.

And now...to sleep. Sweet dreams one and all!

Day 208: T for terrific

What to do with a million leftover carrots and a dozen leftover peeled potatoes? Cook soup, of course. I was all set and quite pleased with the prospect when I remembered that my stove is not functioning. To make matters worse, a phone call to the gas station near my house revealed that they have stopped selling liquefied petroleum gas. Yikes.

A round of phone calls to other gas stations within Stockholm city limits located said gas at a station way across town. Nothing to it but to bundle up, load the two empty gas containers onto my luggage cart and haul them through the very slushy streets to get filled. Boy am I glad I live in a town with a great public transportation system! Subway stations with elevators and kneeling buses saved the day.

The soup, btw, turned out great :-)

Day 207: Maoz tzur

House still smells like latkes. But it's quiet now. Another Chanukkah celebration. Some highlights:

Thea, 7 years old. "Auntie Bella. What was the Chanukkah story about. I didn't really understand it." Reached right into my heart...that curiosity.

Me, "Thank you for the presents...should I open them now? Do you want yours now?"
Axel and Bruno, "Nah, let's do it later. It's fun to wait."
Need I say more? And Bruno "let" me kiss him...twice.

In the middle of frying my final batch of latkes...which, for the record, reached their savory height this year...I ran out of gas. Literally: the stove died. Thank goodness for neighbors!

Nice to have traditions in my life. And people to share them with. And pictures to remember them by.