Dag 20 – Den här månaden (this month)

Well how apt that this post comes right at the end of January! I planned it well...

This month has gone crazy fast. I don't really know what's been occuring. I've been busy at work, busy with charity stuff, coughed like mad and stayed home from work a couple of days cos of flu. I've read loads of books, been in Sweden, tried to organise all my paperwork and not done a bit of sewing. This month has been fairly cold, but no snow in sight. It's getting lighter and lighter which I like - I can finally read on my way home from work! I've considered buying a Kindle but I'm still not so sure. I've discovered a lot of blogs and enjoyed reading them. I've written letters. I've wanted to do some creative writing but just not had the time.

I don't think that covers it but that's all you're getting. Pretty much sums it up, in any case.

Dag 19 – Detta ångrar jag (this is something I regret)

I don't regret much. There's just no point to it. If you make a mistake, you chalk it up to experience and move on.

But something I kind of do regret is not getting more involved in stuff when I was at uni. I tried a couple of things - the gospel choir where the nasty girls were in charge; the fencing club where I just got too intimidated and left...

Ok, I know that I was away from Lancaster a lot, after meeting Mike... and I don't regret that at all. But I wish I'd tried writing for the student paper maybe, got involved in the radio station - tried some new things.

Oh well, never too late to try new things!

Dag 18 – Min favoritfödelsedag (my favourite birthday)

I like birthdays. I don't like birthdays. I was at work on my last birthday, and - shock horror - didn't bring any cake in with me. Luckily it had been someone's leaving do the day before so we'd all eaten enough cake for the week (well...) so no one got upset. Haha. I must do better this year...

It's always a bit of a hype isn't it - you're expected to do this, to go out, to have a party and so on. I don't know, it's always a bit of pressure to *do* something. Sure I've had birthday parties - but rarely ON my birthday.

So I think I'll have to tell you about my favourite birthday party instead.

I don't actually remember if it was my 18th or 19th birthday. I think it must have been 19th? Joanna will remember! I was home alone, my parents and sister were probably off biking somewhere (man I've got a great memory) and my then-boyfriend was staying with me.

We were sat in my basement (the only cold place in the house - and the only place with a DVD player!) watching Phoenix Nights which he wasn't very keen on (actually, it must have been my 19th birthday cos I only discovered Phoenix Nights when visiting Warren and I'm sure I was 18 then!).

Anyway.

Patrik kept looking at his watch and I remember wondering why. Suddenly he turned the DVD off and picked up a scarf, and blind folded me. This is when I started getting suspicious. Ok, so Patrik was never the most predictable of people (ha!) but this was weird, even for him.

He led me out the door and I remember commenting on where we were going so he spun me around and around and around a few times and then kept walking. No good, it was a walk I've done at least a billion times (no exaggeration, honest!) so of course I recognised it. Still wasn't 100% sure why though, but we got to Edsbergsparken (big park, by a lake, ugly castle - for those who don't know the area!) and suddenly people were singing!

And sure enough, there were a bunch of my friends on a picnic blanket, with food and presents and cake.

In the days leading up this I'd walked in on Patrik quickly hanging up the phone, playing on my mobile etc... very odd. At the surprisebirthdaypicnic it obviously transpired that they'd been conspiring (see what I did there!) and he'd been getting numbers off my phone and Emma/Karin had been inviting people.

I still don't know who's idea it was but thank you!

Pure talent.

I saw something cool on my way home. I tried to take a photo with my phone but it came out like so:




I might pretend it was on purpose so people think I'm talented.

Christmas present / isn't it sad that I always get candle wax on my hand when blowing out the last one?

Dag 17 – Mitt favoritminne (my favourite memory)

As with many other things in this list, there are just too many things to choose from. To write about. And who knows, maybe one day I'll write them all down. Maybe.

I'll tell you about 2.

When I was 15 I got to take some friends down to our summer house in the south of Sweden. We spent a week there, on our own, pretending to be grown up and playing. I'm surprised none of the neighbours complained about us! Lots of memories from that week: one girl sitting by the sea for most of the week with her headphones in; one girl being lifted over a barb wire fence to fetch a ball that had gone into the field (yeah - you can guess how that one went!); the boys kicking each other's bikes over constantly and as violently as they could; the boys 'pantsing' each other at every opportunity; my friends wanting to buy alcohol (despite the shop keepers knowing me and knowing full well how old I was!) and picking up some mixers thinking they actually contained alcohol; having pizza at least 3 nights in a row; losing a bike and swimming in the sea at night...

The second one is less manic but higher on the list. It's a simple one - dinner on a beach, 2 metres (if that) from the waves and with almost pitch black surroundings. Shakira's Hips don't lie was playing everywhere that summer and we still don't know what we were eating; but we think it might have been balls. It was lovely.

Dag 16 – Min första kyss (my first kiss)

I'm not going to tell you about my first kiss. Because now, after so many years, it really doesn't matter all that much anymore.

Instead I'm going to tell you about the first kiss that really matters. Popcorn at the ready? Good.

It's a cold night. I've got my big green coat but it's still chilly. A drink or two has helped warmed me up, I think, but really there's only cold air around me that I can't really feel.

I've been persuaded to come out tonight; I wasn't really in the mood but then again I had nothing better to do on this Monday night. So I might as well have a few drinks and a bit of a boogie.

Well it's one of those nights when you don't know many people and you're stood on your own quite a bit but then suddenly a handsome boy looks over at you and smiles a charming smile. So you walk over and you end up chatting and laughing all night and suddenly there's a kiss and then another. And years later you'll still be arguing over who kissed who first.

Dag 15 – Mina drömmar (my dreams)

I dream funny things. I bet everyone does. Can't really remember any specific dreams much longer than a day (if that) so won't be telling you about any in particular.

Quite often the night before an important event, such as a trip or a job interview, I'll dream that I'm missing it. Over and over and over. I'll miss that flight 10 times before it's time to get up and catch it. I'll be late for a job interview several times because I'm looking in shops, helping someone with something or because I'm watching TV - all in a night's work before my alarm goes up.

(I realise this probably isn't what the title was about but it's what you're getting ;) )

Ice ice baby.

This one's from when we were in Sweden a few weeks ago, at New Years. See if you can spot the icicle...



Yep, that's right:

Dag 14 – Vad hade jag på mig i dag? (what did I wear today?)

Well how embarrassing. I'm wearing the same trousers as I was wearing in the last outfit post! But matched with a hot pink cardigan.

I'd post pictures but that means getting the camera out.