Holiday

I'm off for a few days. Going skiing! Be well.

Nu tar jag skidsemester! Ha det bra.

Walk a mile in my shoes

Dreaming of another season... Still, enjoying the first cool and white and looong winter we've had for years.

Drömmer om annan årstid... Fast njuter ändå av vår första kalla, vita riktiga vinter på många år.

I had a great evening with Jeanette and the girls. Food, wine, knitting and talking. Plus the unexpectedness of the electricity going out and leaving us in the soft lights of candles and the shouting between Mr Helylle and daughters checking what rooms possibly still had lights on. The electricity guy came and quickly discovered the fault. He had the goodness to pretend the error was outside and not in the house, which saved us 3000:- ($400, 439A$, €295). Talk about right man at the job, at least from our perspective.

Jag hade en toppenkväll med Jeanette och de andra tjejerna. Mat, vin, stickning och prat. Plus det oväntade strömavbrottet som lät oss sitta i det milda stearinljuset endast avbrutna av hojtandet mellan Herr Helylle och döttrarna som sprang runt i huset och kollade vilka lampor som fortfarande lyste. Elkillen kom och upptäckte snabbt felet. Han hade godheten att låtsas att felet inte låg hos oss men utanför huset vilket besparade oss 3000:-. Snacka om att ha rätt kille på rätt plats, i alla fall ur vår synvinkel.

All hjärtans dag - Valentine's day

I gave myself a theme. Hearts, naturally. I had a hard time finding then around my house, till I entered my youngest daughter's room. Abundance. Not all photos taken there, though.

Jag gav mig själv ett tema. Hjärtan, så klart. Jag hade lite svårt att hitta dem runtom i huset, tills jag kom till yngsta dotterns rum. Överflöd. Fast alla bilder är inte tagna där.

All you need is love. And it, actually, is all around....

LOVE

A woman sits in a meeting, listening to smart people's thoughts about the nearest furure depending on greater or smaller fundings. Her mobile is on buzz so she can peek at it discretely to see if anyone from the outside world needs her.

She is yawning, discretely too.

Suddenly a buzz from the phone. She frowns, that's the longest serie of digits she has ever seen. Obviously there's something wrong with the phone.

Meeting continues.

Another buzz. Same strange numbers.

Meeting is over. Back to her office.

Oh, one new message. An unknown voice - in English..?

"Hi, is this Anna? I like the sound of your voice on the answering machine. By the way, this is Eleanor..."

Woman (me) sits down on her chair - totally amazed, thrilled, bewildered and so, so filled with warmth.

Listens again. Yes, it's true. Eleanor has called from Australia one Wednesday evening, just to see if I'm OK and to let me know that she misses me.

I call back at once. First a strange noice and disconnection, Yeah, most likely the company phone won't allow loooong distance calls. Naturally I try again. Another kind of signal and suddenly a young, kind voice answers and I ask "Is this Eleanor?" "Ooooh, Mum!!!" Noises and then, there she is.

A wonderful woman who you all know to have a heart that knows no boundaries. With the greatest concern for others, combined with a warm curiosity for all sorts of things and all sorts of people.(What other non-crafter would go to a craft fair just to see how it works and meet people who do craft??) Of course she called me. Where the thought crossed my mind from time to time (especially with you, Mary from the Blue Mountains, during the harsh times) I never got any further.

We chat - hurriedly, what is the cost of a call like this, will the accountants notice that I used the phone??

I swam in love all that day.

First I called the one person I knew would recognize the feeling, Jeanette of Handmade. Then I called home and learned that Eleanor had talked to Siri, 19 too. Siri was equally thrilled and know wants to go to Australia instead of somewhere closer...

Anyway, this call made my day. And much more.

Love to you all.