Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts

Monday, July 15, 2013

When girlfriends get together....

The other day I had a much longed for After Work with a girlfriend, one of the two women I count as friends, here in the south where we live since three years.
I found the girlfriend thing intriguing since we moved, when I got the opportunity to make brand new friends and start over like I was in pre school or something like that..! I didn't "have to" just continue booking dates with the ones I always see but I had to approach the ones I found interesting and kind and actively start building.

Having grown different ways from other friends, back where we used to live, the time really had come for new friends, friends who share my values and who are interested in getting to know ME, the me that I am now. Not the ME I was as a single mom or a student or a librarian - or what have you - but the me I am right now.
So I made two friends (some are bubbling out there in the outer parts of my mind: may become, may not) who I really care for and like. I like to inhale them and exhale to them, if you catch my drift?
I love being able to be myself and speak my mind.

Working as a leader keeps you on your toes all day long concering what to say, when to say it and what not to say. Not to mention how to say it...!

I thought about this during our After Work - how we would swing between the topics, my friend and I. She'd start talking about her upcoming trip to Florida (yeah, envy that!!) and all their plans and bookings. We'd then laugh at the fact that we are very different in that perspective: she plans and books, I go al fresco or something - simply can't stand planning and booking... And we already know each other that well!
Then I might swing to mentioning my two Florida trips that I made in my life and at the same time touch some harder topics maybe, like how it was back then with my parents and my father calling me fat and private stuff like that.
With her I feel I can and more to the point: I feel she cares.

Then we'll talk of my app that I put my exercise into and of my exercise and she'll tell me about her diet and her exercise.

We swing like that!

I remember when my husband was out of a job and just at home, feeling a bit blue, I found that this woman was the only person around me that I could open up to about this. To everyone else I said that "he'll come around, he'll start engaging in politics now" (which he did) or "it'll work out, he can always go back to school" (which he did).
When she and I went to After Work I could also add: "I don't know how to be with him, I don't quite know how to answer him when he fears he's too old for the work market any longer" or "it's hard being the breadwinner of the family, I don't know how to light his spark and he seems ashamed of it all". I mean, my husband is my best friend and there's truly nothing we can't talk about but these particular topics I needed to vent and I needed to get someone else's point of view.
I was so thankful for this friend at this time, because she listened and she gave sincere advice.
And then we could talk fashion, interior decorating and have another glass of wine!

That's what friends are for, right?!


******


Well, now our visiting friends have gone back home and we had a very fun week together!
I didn't fetch my camera once and I think that's because I talked, laughed, ate and drank or went to the car or taxi - or what have you - all the time and never even thought about it?!!

Here are some pics from the one day we had in Copenhagen and then the other activities' pics will come right up in another post.

Disorderly and all, here goes:


Marcus and I enjoying and celebrating, since celebrations were in order...! :-)


Mandatory: The Lego Store! Especially since there's an eighth birthday coming up...






Nyhavn. Like really being abroad!






My dinner. Salmon is my new pet love...!!

Straight out of a text message to a handbag-loving
girlfriend... (one of the bubblers!). Yes, the celebrations were 
regarding a new period in life finally showing, that 
means our budget will be less tight soon again! 
(= I bought a handbag and wallet!!)






Like walking New York-streets almost.






Copenhagen in July is every bit as busy as NY, I'd say!


Resting by the canal. The Boy enjoys his lemonade
just before Marcus waved it right into the canal...!




Vaca!!!!


Marcus and I found the "Profiteroles" a funny name
and decided they were "Profit Roles" and therefore
a necessity :-) We ordered one each....




Yeah, still celebrating...


Cherished friends <3


Profit roles.
Yes, very rich but good!


He felt so stylish walking around in my firstborn's old school bag 
and the school bag The Boy has also used :-)


What a magical evening! The same mode as in Venice almost.


He was happy and tired, getting home from the dog hotel.



Now you're up to date!

Let me whisper this: I'm excited, pleased and happy that this fall means new times. That's all I can say today.
Be good, take care of yourself and your loved ones!

See you soon <3

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

New tradition: check!!

The "Marten Goose" celebration is over (ie Mårten Gås!) and hence a new tradition is started!
We had eight weekend guests: three came to us Friday and the rest arrived Saturday. I had taken a day off to clean and cook but would have needed at least two.
Just make dinner probably took about ten hours and cleaning about ten too.

However intense, the time with the guests was great. Heart warming, fun and invigorating :-)


Still beautiful autumn here.




The most exciting plant to look forward to the upcoming spring is the "new" Magnolia.
Can't wait for it to bloom (hopefully)!


Little darlings keep blooming - I just can not believe my eyes! Hey guys, it's almost winter now...




Nothin' but love for ya' <3


Halloween is over. It really marks fall here and paves the way for winter. 
But not just yet.


Our beloved friends came Friday and The Boy's beloved friend. Good-great times :-D





The Mårten Gås-tradition is very old in our country and especially in the south, where we live! It is an evening for "black soup" (goose blood soup), goose and potatoes and gravy and then Scania apple pie (since apples are all over, this time of year and people can't eat them fast enough).

Little did we know that cooking goose - mainly preparing it - took hours and hours and hours!!!! We were faaaaaar from ready when the guests came. Far from it and sweaty.
At midnight I took the apron off. But not until then.
Crazy times!!
Next year I'll have two days off before the guests arrive and will make both soup and apple pie the weekend before.
Lesson learned, hence.



Yeah, the master-geese-chef - that's me!


Stuffing that in itself took quite a while to make...


I was still able to step outside and pick my own herbs in the garden. Quite lovely!


Hectic times! The Boy caught us with the camera.


The calm after the storm. Sunday and the friends take their iPads to the staircase 
(anything to keep parents' hands off...!).




The Boy made decorations at school <3


We take one step at the time toward winter.







Even if I was crazed during the weekend with the cleaning, guests and all - and tired like I don't know what after - I feel a special kind of harmony inside. I feel love and thankfulness and I feel at peace with everything in my life. It's a good life, it's good days for me.
Sunday wasn't only the day of departure for our friends, it was also Father's Day and our 12:th wedding anniversary. Of course resting was the only thing on the agenda but it all takes place inside me and I rejoice about it silently and tenderly.

Life around the age of 41 is.... good.

Have a fantastic rest of the week!
Nothing but love <3


Monday, June 25, 2012

Midsummer's Eve

Photos speak louder than words, so I offer you that here. Our Midsummer's Eve was very enjoyable and wonderful. The Boy had a blast all day and all night and we all just.....loved the time!


Two boys who never met before and hit it off immediately!




 Midsummer's Eve lunch....




Everybody really charged for a fun celebration. 


The kiddos enjoyed, all the time.






 Action all the time!!




 Maypole in the making...


My Boy warming my heart with his fun-loving-laugh. 




It's coming together.


Time to pick flowers for maypole and to put under the pillow, to
dream of the one you'll marry...




I admire his ability to carpe diem and enjoy intensely.






 A wonderful afternoon, picking flowers, feeling all summery!
















My boy <3


The cutie pies, that are the sweetest friends.


The result!






Men, having their work cut out for them...


I and my dear friend. But I see we're feeling a bit awkward, around
lots of "new" acquaintances... 






Time to dance around the maypole! 




The weather allowed for us to have dinner inside, with a fire burning. 


Playing.


A late walk, around midnight.




Beautiful surroundings!




The Midsummer's Eve was a very lovely experience and I felt so in love and so very lucky and pleased with my entire life. I knew I had ore good tame ahead of me during the long weekend and that it would end up with getting to hug my much loved son. Who can ask for more? Family, good friends and fun traditions that keeps you loving heart being warm.
I'm thankful and I'm happy we're in the middle of summer, come rain or shine. Although, it has been mostly rain so far....