Being a parent is the toughest job/assignment ever. Now with adult/semi-adult children it is not the sleepless nights I’m thinking about (that’s perimenopause) and it’s not the agonizing conversations explaining the most fundamental logic things to the “not the sharpest tool in the shed” teenager. No, for me the absolute toughest part of being a…
Category: Life in general
Voices from below
Even-though my father’s passing lies close to my heart and the grief stops by to visit at least once every day, I’m happy. Happy for the falsetto shout-outs from the living room downstairs where one son and his father enjoys (or not, judging by their voices) a football game together. Happy for them. Happy to…
Life and the end of it
Tuesday night my father passed away. That’s it. He was rushed in by ambulance one week prior, with a heart racing and a hard time breathing. The diagnosis: congestive heart failure and fluids in his lunges. Me and F visited him straight way and other than being tired he was him self. Made jokes with…
A good start
The old year ended and the good year has started well. We managed to stay healthy (feels like we are almost the only ones, Covid19, flu and colds march through humanity around us). We have altered sleeping in the sofa with work and I managed with in the first week of the year to go…
Hello 2024
So what will happen 2024? Naturally we don’t know, but I will start to think of my goals and intentions for the upcoming year. I have a number of professional projects that I want to launch and others I want to start. Books, prints, exhibitions, and trainings to mention some. Let’s see what will be…
Bye bye 2023 – act III
The final reflection for 2023 I do through the question: What did I learn about myself in terms of values, priorities, and passions? My values have been grounded since 15-20 years back (probably longer, even if I wasn’t aware of them). I have talked about them previously, and I keep them even if I (wise…
Bye Bye 2023 – act II
The next question I ask myself in my annual reflection is: How have I grown personally and professionally in the past year? Well, the coaching I had together with Linnea and her Happy Business earlier this year has made me grow in ways, and at a speed, that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. I’m just…
Bye bye 2023 – act I
It’s getting closer, the end. The end of 2023. What better way to round it up than to do some reflections. My most significant achievements and accomplishments this year? Yes, I’m one of them. One who has written goals and to-do lists (of feel like it lists as I call it nowadays) both for professional…
Tribute to the ordinary
I started to think about how fantastic it is to be ordinary. A word so many seem to want to be as far away from as possible. Especially if/when it’s combined or put in context with our lives and self image. To be successful (in the eyes of others) today is equal to monetary fortune,…
Is it so
Me blogging has always been around me (surprise), me wanting to share things, inform about things and sometimes lifting topics for debate (or food for thought). But it’s always been around me. My life my kids, my feelings and my thoughts. In other words a catastrophy from a marketing and communication perspective. But from a…
Wanting more
For the Mr’s 50th birthday we were off to Edinburgh for a long weekend (Thursday-Monday). The four of us. A Scottish friend of mine advised us to stay in the city as we were only being there for 3,5 days. She was (naturally) right. So we have to come back for more of both the…
Breath in breath out
I don’t see my self as a hateful person, who act or wish malevolent upon others. But sometimes I get tired of people. I still not wish them mayhem. I wish they would just be quiet or at least reduce the self-pity, and self-assertion (which is a painful reminder of bad self-esteem) and while their…
How much money does one need?
I think the first time I reacted to it (not the first time I heard it) was when Avicii mentioned it (or something similar) in the documentary (True Stories?) about him. He expressed his view about money, meaning that money wasn’t important to him. And now Zlatan said something similar in his Piers “Shame pillow”…
Breaks
I must realize that breaks are important. I’m the master of efficiency. But I have fooled myself to think that it only comes with me sitting in front of a computer. When I allow myself to break free and take a break, usually a walk with the dogs so many good ideas and perspective land…
This “influencer” thing
Lately I’ve been thinking of this “influencer” thing. Previously, when you looked at people’s social media profile many used to say “influencer”. As it’s not a protected title many could/can do so. But today I see less of these titles and thank God for that. Let’s face it, their reputation is really tarnished and rightfully…
Unbelievable
EDIT: Just realized I started blogging 3 years prior. Started at another platform in end of 2007, which means I’ve been blogging for 16 years in December. It’s been 13 years! 13 years since I started to blog. Sure some years it has been low frequency but still. I have never had any other objective…
It’s over
Officially it ended Friday, this is just a regular week-end. I have not been able to just sit down and relax all four weeks, but at the same time when the Mr is off I want to do things together with him, even if it’s only sitting next to each-other. Tomorrow the Mr starts working…
Vacation time
We are at the time of year when Swedes go on their holiday or vacation as Americans’ say. According to the newspaper Dagens Industri the most popular weeks for holiday leave are the weeks 29, 30 and 31, which this year corresponds to the period 17 July – 6 August. This probably because July and…
Listen very carefully…
… I shall only say this once. Getting up early in the morning, I mean SUPER early (05.15 am) to be at the gym to be ready with your workout before 7.00 am, is the best thing ever. It IS! I promise you it is. After being away for a week not doing much of…
The essence of Swedishness 🇸🇪
Today is the national day of Sweden. Hurra! 🇸🇪 It’s pretty new as an official holiday. Apparently it was the founder of Nordiska museet, Artur Hazelius, who 1893 started to celebrate the day by arranging a spring party at Skansen in memory of the election of Gustaf Vasa as King of Sweden in 1523 and…
My coaching journey
I still have one more session left with my coach after the summer, but as I feel that I have “already” figured out my thing, I will share my latest coaching journey with you guys. And even if I already have shared some of my process in nine (!) real time blog posts I will…
Is this God’s plan?
Drake’s song (do you call it songs nowadays?) God’s plan, is one of my favourites. Mainly because of the lyrics, or a small part of it, which I played together with Fabbe so many times: “She say, “Do you love me?” I tell her, “Only partlyI only love my bed and my momma, I’m sorry”…
Why my generation always will be needed
The simple answer, because we have a brain and we use it. We understand that even if I personally cannot help the customer, the customer needs help and I am the one who can lead that process forward. When I explain to the wee lad that I cannot register electronic invoices, explained to him what…
Another whim
Remember that about the cherry blossom, that I need to take pictures of them every year. I have another whim connected to flowers and that is that I need to smell, no not smell, inhale the scent of lilacs. Every year when the lilacs blossom I need to inhale the scent in a moment of…
Being a mum (parent)
Facebook reminded me about a memory. Today 11 years ago Fabian and I had one of our recurrent FFFs – Friday Fika with Fabian. Maybe it was these weekly visitis to the different cafés in the area that lay the foundation for today’s relationship. Still, much of my time is spent on being the housekeeper…
It was a happy Easter
For sure it was. First of all the weather. Finally some warmth. March has been grey, rainy and cold. I think it rained every day in March. Then the time off. Since the Mr changed to day-job he was off the whole Easter, otherwise it was every other and on the other I didn’t do…
The good girl
My coaching has given me things to think about and it is not 100% pleasant. It is not that I realize that I’m an asshole, but more spoken truths that sit hard and are a challenge to change. But once I have detected and become aware of them, I can also start to think differently…
We did something right
What your children are, is never only one thing and what they become is determined by so many different things. In our society today, we do not need more things to compare, and children should never be up for comparison. They just are. When your (on paper) grown-up son who still lives at home sends…
A walk in a park
Friends Saturday I arranged for a catch-up with friends. Lovely spring weather, with icy winds, that magically disappeared as we sat our foot in the nature reserve, Jällabjär. 100-150 million years ago, in the era of dinosaurs this area was volcanic, today the only trace after the volcano is a 50 m tall hill which…
Satisfactory deluxe
In April two years ago, the Mr, the much better and smarter one of us, was very resolute that we should install solar panels. I was hesitant at first (due to the cost), but “caved in”. Naturally, with the ongoing energy crisis, it was a smart investment. It, together with the fixed price offer he…
New fav day
Since the Mr started his day job, my favourite day of the week is Wednesdays. First of all, he usually works from home that day. This means that the two of us can cook together (or I don’t have to be alone with this godforsaken chore, cooking it tears the life out of me) and…
The embodiment of double standard
Some posts ago I wrote about how good I am with change. Some time ago I also wrote about how the Mr and I changed banks. Now, if I truly am as good with change as I claim, then I wouldn’t mind changing banks now would I? It’s the end of the month and that…
Dazzled by my own awesomeness
It’s great that there people out there who can remind you (me) of how fantastic you (I) are (am). Today, I had my first meeting with my coach, who I contacted because I felt need to explore my life. In 35 minutes I was reminded of my thinking and approach I had, when I left…
Death as a constant companion
During the last weeks we’ve been reminded that life is not forever. Buddy Boy is getting older and some days life seems to move faster towards its end. We’ve decided that we shouldn’t wait until he’s really bad, but still it’s so hard to understand when that is. Until then, we enjoy life.
Banks and bulls, why I don’t like to become old
I don’t have a problem with getting old physically… now that’s a lie! I hate that too, but do my best to “stop Olle at the gate”*. But one thing I do see deteriorating already now, is my ability to keep up with things mentally. The Mr and I just changed banks to get a…
Next step
I’m at a point in my life, where I feel its necessary for me to explore. Explore my current situation and my future. When I hear the word searcher, the image that pops up in my mind is someone irresolute (usually a young female), who that ends up in a Hare Krishna community with a…
A good day
Today is a good day. Today as well. And it’s not even over. Started at the gym, with the 6 am club. Don’t you just hate it. I did. These people who exercise. IN THE MORNING! Dog walk, meeting with architect (we are planning an extension), some YinYoga and to top it off fika with…
One of those moments
Today I experienced total fulfillment. One of those moments when life is complete. A moment which, if you are aware, defines happiness. It’s these moments I strive for. Sam and I was talking while walking the dogs and I asked him what he wanted out of life. He answered me so wise, so adult. We…
How a mother knows
Two times in half a week, I’ve been able to tell there was something going on, just by looking at my boys (to other peoples defense, my children are the worst liars). But it’s nice to know that we are that connected and that they trust me to be honest once I ask.
Edit: Summarizing 2022
Was told that my proudest moment 2022 wasn’t the goal Fabian did. Apparently it’s not. Apparently it is that the Mr, as assistant coach took (with his coaching partners) his team to national final for boys born 2006. Yes, that’s something to be very proud of. And I would have been if they won. The…
Only five to go
Today is Fabian’s last day of the term/semester. Only five more to go then he too, is out of school. Can’t be reminded often enough how fast life goes. Yesterday was our annual Christmas cooking eve. For years we have forced the boys to be present in the traditional meatball making, now I think they…
Winter’s coming
This post I should have written a week ago. Now winter is here and according to the weather reports gone by Monday. It would have been great with a white Christmas. Today it was -18 C when Sam drove from work around 7 am. When walking Tesla (yes, with my studs) it was only -15…
That old!
For years I’ve been telling myself to get winter shoes with studs. Yes, that’s how old I am. When you’re living in a town built on the base of a ridge you need studs during the winter. Especially if you have this. I’ve been looking at one Swedish brand “Ice-bug“, but then I ran into…
No wonder people get stressed
I went to the my client’s office a while back. It doesn’t happen often. Thank God Covid19 taught us to work from a distance. One of the reasons I don’t visit the office is that the team I work with the most doesn’t sit there. Thereto it’s 1,5 hrs away (train or car) from my…
Have you ever heard?!
Looking around I see people that are so stressed. I must admit that I don’t see them that often anymore and this is probably a combo of 1) I don’t read (or interact) that much with others and 2) I and friends are in a different stage in life, were we simply have less things…
What do you do?
As I told you about a while back, the Mr has gotten himself a day job. Working shift is nothing but a memory. This means however, that we have a lot more time together. I’m “always” bragging about our relationship, which celebrates 30 years next summer. In hindsight, I’d say that one of the contributing…
Is it time?
Some time back, I downloaded all my content from Facebook and Instagram and promised myself to stop posting (or at least limit my no. of posts) and so I did. For Facebook I only shared old content or content from others, nothing personal. On Instagram I went from posting almost daily (back in the days…
I’m not alone
Had lunch with a friend of mine. We talked about life and what’s happening and came to the conclusion we share an issue. We are both mother’s of two sons in similar age, not that I think that our offsprings’ gender has too much to about our common dilemma, which is – our ability to…
Freedom
I was asked by a high-school student to be interviewed about motivation. The first question was – what makes you motivated? And it got me thinking, what is it that get’s me motivated. I came to the conclusion that for me it is freedom. Freedom to have right do what I want. Naturally we can…
Louise Dock 