Happy New Year

Christmas Day 1 p.m.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

St Lucia with a twist

Breaking with tradition the girls dressed as "star boys" and the boys went as Lucia.

How I survive marking & grading

Christmas Market

Traditional straw Christmas decorations.

Alternative Christmas tree.

Keeping warm thanks to Arctic Finland

Pony rides.

Father Christmas was there too, along with Mrs. Christmas who was slightly less hairy and handing out hot cordial and cookies. We left them our wish lists. Father Christmas said he would see us on the 24th. We told him not to rush, early on the 25th would be fine and to try and not wake us. Reindeer landing on a tin roof can be some what loud.

graffiti

Putting the star up

Summer lake, winter lake

It's the same lake, just different angles and three months appart. The last shot was taken from a moving car, through a misty window last Saturday.

Double portrait

Caught out

Anyone want to come and help turn the boat over? After an hour and a half of skiing, tumbling, wading and walking to get here, I decided not to try it on my own.

Silop - the icecream man

Why Silop? Because it's the noise you make when eating icecream.
And I thought it was a backward "polis" car!

Bargain hunters?

I found a painting on Saturday, see last post. It's signed P.Ekström, known in Sweden as the "Sun Painter".
Some of his other work is up for auction in Stockholm next week:
A flooded landscape and this one here, Sunset over Öland

You can also get your hands on a Carl Larsson ,
or something more Danish by Michael Ancher:

P.Ekström - the "Sun Painter"?

Friday 3p.m.

Pessimists and Mega-pests

A while back there was a bit of a discussion at the kitchen table. I called the M.O.T.H. a "pessimist", which he is, even if he calls it being a "realist". Our youngest rushed to his defence, he needs all the help he can get these days, and said:
"Well Mummy, I think you are a mega-pest, 'cause you're always saying "No" to me."

Is there a good reply? I still haven't thought of one.

Staying on top, before the snow

Part Payment

For soothsaying and many other enrichments, a painting by Anna Ancher (1859-1935) and links to some early Scandinavian church art,
wood carving and
wall paintings the details of which (see Margareta gisslas) are not for the faint-hearted.
Thank you Internet Soothsayer, recommended to all with an interest in the past, present or future.

Relaxing weekend = snow shovelling+skiing

Transport in the north

And salmon and saffron soup for supper means that the m.o.t.h. is getting better. So much so that I might not post over the weekend, instead we will head off into the wilds. Always the optimist you can have the weekend's post now... northern transport, because today's was the soup.

Recycling Sister

Time only for a summer memory

Back to school.

I hope they have removed the icicles.




If one of these falls on your head, you'll get more than a headache.

If you are reading this best Internet Soothsayer, I am working on that cyber silver.

Eyeballing me?

There's always sunshine after rain...and snow

Glasklar?

Homeward bound

4.30pm on our way home after a day off, spent at the local adventure hall solving puzzles and completing obstacle courses.

The Missing Mitten

The Lost Mitten

How do you keep six year olds and mittens attatched?
Today it was minus 10C with a strong wind, so mittens were a necessity and still one (never two) manages to go astray. When it comes to losing things I am stubborn. I don't give up easily. Having made the children chase several buses and got bus drivers to call each other we finally traced the missing mitten to bus nr 9. Hurray.
It's been a wierd week for finding things. This charming creature got lost on the way home from school in a severe snowstorm. I was sure the snowploughs trundling past must have caught him in their path, but we turned back anyway and a few hundred yards later I trod on him.
Who ever is in charge, thank you, for returning the mitten and Petshop.
(Photo soon)

Birthday Cake

Delicious skull and crossbones chocolate cake.
Made by Tuva and eaten by all for breakfast.
A great way to start the day.
For the curious - the packages contained:
A book about pirates, a book about history, a pocket Scrabble and a skeleton.

Strawberry Halloween?

Cold Start

Starting out