Beach saturday!

To the beach

So, you don't have to be living in Miami to enjoy a beach saturday in March! Or in Australia or Italy. It can be done in Scandinavia too. I emphasize enjoy, because there was no freezing burning sensation in the face or in the hands this time.

To think that one would actually notice a shadow! It has been that long since sun really showed, apparently. I have to say that sun is very kind to me here, I wish I was such a long legged beauty...

Thanks for all your well wishes for the boy! He's better (and it seems that I didn't catch it!). Saturday he felt fine but not super. Here he tries his best to give the camera a good smile, for mom's sake. He did want to go to the beach for a picnic, when suggested, so we were off.

This pic sums it up: the true joy of togetherness. His cup and hers. Resting, being off duty on a sunny March Saturday. She did have to drag him out though, as always...

Definately a picnic of joy. I've thought about this need to blog, what it consists of. As some other blogger philosophized over (can't remember who) it makes you really see and analyse your days and your doings and choices, it even helps you decide what it is you want to do with your days. There's even more to it, in my case, it's the total focusing on something so different from work. I forget all about work issues when I crawl around hunting for The Perfect Picture of whatever it is I'm shooting.

The Boy went bananas in a good way! The sun, sand and ocean seems to have the effect on him as it has on me and he went happily crazy! He started some weird rolling frenzy that never seemed to end. He laughed an adorable laughter doing it and it was good to see.

He loves the beach!

Hubby stayed put, on the terrace with the coffee and cinnamon bun. Can you see the little rascal rolling about in the background? Thats MY son ;-) Sucking the marrow out of the Saturday, rolling about.

Of course I also had to get down into the Nitty Gritty of things. What else was there? I'm delighted to be able to wear my favourite spring shoes on a daily basis. No way I'm putting them away again this spring.

Let's keep on rolling!

We found that all that seaweed that had piled up functioned as a hop mat. It had some swoosh in it and you could quite easily jump in it. Since we're both energized folks, we couldn't resist.

The young one and the ocean.

Hey!! Jumping is so much fun!

Yihaaa!

This bridge is newly rebuilt since the old one blew away and to shreds. People got together and chipped in, in order for the town to build a new one. Those people have their names on it now and it looks very nice.

Someone poured a boy down this way...

There's no comparison to a good beach day. It got colder when the sun went behind clouds but it was the first real spring day, I think, and it felt divine and free. To be able to be outside for quite a while without freezing!

We're so lucky being able to live here. I love this little town and I love the people here. They're down to earth and friendly.

Of course hubby was a little cold. He doesn't get as extatic as I do over sunshine, ocean and being outside. He really likes being inside with warm coffee still...

The French say: "Vive la differènce!" and being different from each other is all good.

To town

Look at this: sun over my town. The funny thing is that it feels so much like my town, even though I've only lived here for 10,5 months!

I'm happy to say that not only Miami is colourful, my city knows how to brighten things up also!

Yes, inside is good. Hubs found some clothes to try out. He looks good in dinner jackets and it's fun watching him trying them on. He should get one of these, I think.

Let me state, once more, this is the adress where we're at, Saturdays. As often as we can.

Did you guess it? Our coffee place, of course! Anders greeted us with happiness and so did Morten (yes, I'm very proud to announce that we're now on a first name basis with the owners..!). 

Anders also gave Johannes his usual ice cream, and so all is well that ends well on a Saturday outing in march.

I had started, by now, to get the notion that we might premiere the new grill this evening. Walking back we started the decision making on what to BBQ. Need I say more for the Saturday? LOVE love love weekends, I tell ya'!

Back home

The day continued, back home. The Boy was a little tired and maybe even had a slight temperature. The sunny day was so enjoyable I closed my eyes several times thinking it was like a day of vacation.

An evening to myself goes a morning together...

A Thursday evening

The Boy fell asleep while I read to him. I could tell he was tired, since the eyes where red towards the end of our sofa sejour. He also complained about tummy ache and we all better keep our fingers crossed there isn't more to it...

Being that he fell asleep so early and fastly, I had an evening for me. I sat in the sofa with lit candles, the dog by my feet and I just put a movie in the DVD that I hadn't seen for a while: "Space cowboys". Hubs was away working and all was still and calm here.

The Thursday this week was hectic enough and I had no chance to long for the weekend or plan for it. I had meetings booked in the never ending stream that meant that one meeting started the minute another ended. So, no dreaming of outings or eatings at all!

The Boy also painted nicely outside

New exterior lighting

Evening

Evenings at home are nice. The Boy often runs into the sofa, relaxing for a while watching TV and some cartoons. Either he gets inspired to play or he stays put, on the couch, chilling all evening. He'll then get to have his dinner there by the coffee table and we'll hug and talk and just "be".

If it isn't sunday (sunday is bath day) we move to his bedroom, from there. He'll play hide and seek as soon as I leave to fetch the toothbrush and then I need to pretend having no clue where he is.

 He'll be under the cover in his bed, most likely, or behind our bed in the master bedroom!

The reading then starts and that is sacred time in his life. There can exist no sleep without reading first. Once we forgot to bring books to a vacation and all h*ll broke loose then because the ever so fabulous cosiness of reading in bed was impossible. I ended up negotiating a storytelling story but it was a weak substitute.

We never forgot to bring books again.

The reading moment is completed with the snutting of my hair. That is also a must and pure joy for the boy. I love all this, of course, and I soak it in knowing that the years pass by so quickly, you don't know what hit you.

********

The morning boy.

A later evening

Well, then, later it came: the throwing up... Three times the poor little sweetest boy threw up in his bed and I didn't even hear it, until after. I had to clean the boy, comfort the boy, clean the sheets and then put the boy in our bedroom. He fell asleep like a baby.

And I started feeling, scouting, for signs... Tummy ache? Yes.

A morning

The morning came after a calm night and the boy slept all through.

I stashed the boy on the couch and went out for a short walk with the dog.

While the rest of my country complains of yet another round of snowing I particularly enjoyed snow free environment! I had birds twirping and a non-freezing temperature. That is always a good thing!

The morning goes on: tea and crusts for The Boy and I ventured a sandwich, regular morning style. Hoping to keep it...

The Boy is naturally pleasant to be around, singing to the pop music he put on and playing pop music while playing Nintendo Wii. It even gave me the opportunity to have my tea with an Elle (US) issue - and I grabbed the opportunity. Being at home with a sick boy has it's perks!

Raindrops all over

Raindrops on a string

The Boy had to have stomach flu breakfast

Better clean the ears properly after the post stomach flu sanitary bath...

-Isn't it a cosy life?

Yes, it is! The Boy happily replied when I asked. And it is: we where daring enough to have eggs for lunch, the both of us. Afterwards I put on a "Midsomer Murders" DVD while The Boy played happily on the floor.

Ill day. Fri day!

Light report: it gets dark around 6:15 PM, these days.

According to the news on TV, we've had spring for a week, down here in the south. The rest of the country still has winter and snow.

Getting jiggy with it!

The Boy is practically always getting jiggy with it!
After he is being picked up from pre school 'til it's time to hit the sack he's all over, all the time.
The Dog is also keeping busy getting jiggy with it and so am I. I jog, I clean, I try out redecorations, push furniture, take pics, write or jump into a bath.
I throw out stuff, so that hubby can get a little jiggy with it also. He often prefers to not get so jiggy...

So, we keep telling the boy not to put lego in his mouth. Huge pieces like in this photo, isn't so bad but those small arms or even worse: legs, are dangerous to have in the mouth.

Playing with lego is a full time occupation, almost, in this person's case. It is always accompanied by sounds, voices and "brrrssschhhhhh"!

Needless to say it's impossible keeping the living room tidy all the time. That's not even a goal around these parts. Sometimes, though, it's nice to spot the floor.

So, The Boy doesn't care what we say...

Oooops. Did I??

Playing in different outfits is also a whole lot of fun! This one is one of the favourites and here I would guess that he's Jack Sparrow.

Yes, we can see the sun! It's right there, outside in the garden.

Right by the dining furniture actually...

Some kind of red thread in this blog is my love for Miami, the city of all cities, I think. Especially when it comes to having fun and a darn good time. I have been there twice and is aching badly to go back.

Where else on earth would you be able to get jiggy with it, more than in Miami? 

Here's actual proof of my visits! I pose with my mother, in this pic, and I'm 16 I think. This was my first trip and it was instant love. Instant. It feels like a city where anything can, and does, happen.

***
Can't believe it's thursday again. Already. How the days swooooshes by.

Life.

Tomorrow it's sweet friday.....!

"Summer summer summertime"

Rays of light
I sit in a kitchen that is beyond a mess. It is chaos!
I'm right in the middle of the cloakroom renovation and paint job of walls and shelves.
I sit here, pausing, surfing, reading blogs chilling for a few minutes, giving my shoulders a sweet break to recouperate.
That's when it hits me: a ray of light. After a few minutes of renewed snowing, there's a distinct ray of light that keeps hitting me from the left, from the front side of our house. It's the sun!

It mirrors in the lanterns that hang in our only tree and repetedly it tickles my left eye. "Sun kittens" we call the phenomenon in my country and they sure behave like kittens, those rays!
They visit the fridge, the table cloth, the computer screen and lures me into looking out the window, time and time again.

We're still kinda´ busy helping spring out a little tiny bit. I got these good lookers last weekend and they lit the days for us every day, for quite some time. Makes you happy and anticipating.

Yeah, how about that cloakroom? It was hideous! You see the colour?! It also had old old shelves and a scruffy looking cupboard that literally took up the entire area. We threw it out (I did).

Colourful messy days awaited and still awaits. We have hardly started the HUGE hallway job yet...

Don't you just love an entrance that looks like this? So personal, so welcoming. Our unique style.

Well, it's coming along. I have no patience whatsoever, so I have a hard time waiting for layers to dry and stuff like that. It always is worth the wait, of course.

We bought shelves that I painted. The tub fitted superbly as a drying place.

Tadaa! Take a look at this! Highly improved. Since this is the dog's quarters he is equally satisfied!

Now we're talkin´.

Did I ever show you the frames I went on about some weeks ago? That was also work that tried my patience and that turned out nicely.

Back to the rays of light. Here are the three lanterns throwing sun kittens at me. The wind is always jiggy in our town and for a long time now its companion has been cold, chill and freeze. Sun kittens was a welcome change. They feel playful and enthusiastic and give promise. They sure do!

Can you see one there? Right behind my shoulder?

And there's another one!

The morning jog was, as almost always, accompanied by Will Smith's nice up tempo voice. Today it felt like summer, part of the jog, since the sunshine was strong and I was sweaty. Will Smith's song "Summertime" is a favourite of mine because in winter it helps me remember the summer feeling and in summer it simply adds to it... I'm not only up for Friday, I'm up for Summertime!