Galleri Fredag Teman för Oktober

 Hoppas helgen har varit trevlig. Den har i mitt tycke gått alldeles för snabbt. Jag tänkte jag skulle börja med att tala om vilka teman jag har bestämt mig för till Galleri Fredag under oktober månad. 

5:e oktober Färgglad
12:e oktober Kväll
19:e oktober Något som gör dig glad
26:e oktober Något nytt

 Igår var en riktigt fin höstdag att njuta av. Det har kommit väldigt mycket regn här under gågna veckan så det kändes skönt att kunna få njuta av en härlig promenad i höstsolen under klarblå himmel. 

C påbörjade sin resa mot Basel igår. Helgen gick alldeles för snabbt. Att ta avsked har jag aldrig varit bra på. Det kändes väldigt väldigt tomt då han for med en gång. Även om det blir så att vi blir ifrån varandra ett tag nu så känns det ändå som om detta är bästa lösningen. C får åka ner och koncentera sig på nya jobbet till 100% i början. Han får också scouta runt efter lämpliga lägenheter att hyra. Bekanta sig med stan, kolla in olika områden. Ta itu med allt man råkar ut för då man är helt ny i ett land. Så mycket man inte vet och så mycket att ta reda på. Man har ju ingen koll på något och hur saker funkar. Det lär bli intensivt för honom på alla sätt i början. 

Vi har iallfall bokat min resa till Basel här då jag åker och hälsar på till slutet på oktober. Det känns otroligt skönt att man ändå vet att man kommer att ses om någon månad. Pirrigt, lite nervöst men också väldigt spännande ska det bli att få komma dit för första gången och se hur det ser ut. Idag ska jag iväg på min Tyska igen. Andra lektionen. Känns kul.

Här börjar det bli riktigt höstfint med alla sprakande färger på blad och träd.

Galleri Fredag

Sista fredagen i september redan. Svish så var denna månaden borta och nu är det höst på riktigt. Dagens tema är just Höstkänsla. Sista temat från Annika. Passar på att tacka så mycket för alla härliga teman hon valt för september månad. Tack Annika. Det är jag som tar över här för oktober månad. Nya teman kommer under helgen eller i början på nästa vecka.

Att sitta framför en brasa och kolla in eldflammorna är något som både är otroligt mysigt och rogivande. Önskar att jag hade en öppen spis eller kamin. Det önskar jag att jag någon gång kommer att ha i ett boende igen.

Löv, vackra färgsprakande löv som prasslar under fötterna. Lövhögar med gula och röda löv som man kan kicka till så att de flyger upp i luften. Härliga höstpromenader i höstsolen.

Kvällar och morgnar som blir mörkare. Trollska skuggor i skymningen och lätt dimma. Lite råkall luft.

Mysiga kvällar med tända ljus och ett glas gott rödvin.

Nu börjar årstiden då man kan frossa i levande ljus. Jag tänder gärna levande ljus varje kväll när jag kommer hem och kryper upp i soffan en stund med en go och mjuk varm filt.

 

Guld gula löv mot klarblå himmel. Klar och kall luft. Friska promenader som får kinderna att bli kalla och som gör det extra gott att komma in och värma sig med en kopp varm dryck.

Alla fantastiskt goda äpplen som man kan göra så mycket gott med. Nu är det höst på riktigt. Hoppas ni får en vacker hösthelg. Sista helgen för mig och C så vi får försöka njuta lite extra. På söndag far han med Grace (vår bil) ner mot Basel.

Good Eats

 In Alabama we made sure that we had som Mexican food. Well the real Mexican food you really can't find anywhere else but in Mexico. Real authentic Mexixan food is very different from the Mexican food you find at other places outside of Mexico. But for a yummy tortilla wrap the Chipotle Grill is a nice place for lunch. Not fancy, very casuall but good. I have always wonderd why there are no Mexican places in Stockholm that serve good Mexican food? Mexican food is very popular after all.

 We got ourselves a wrap each. You choose your own favorite fillings. You get a choice of what kind of beans, what kind of rice and what kind of meat you want or if you want the vegetarian choice. I had a wrap with brown rice, black beans, chicken, medium hot sauce and then some Guacamole.

We love the Chipotle Grill chips that they have. There is something about them that makes them extra yummy. I think it is because they have some extra salt and just seem freshly toasted every time. The final touch that makes all the difference is to sprinkle a little of lime over them. The mix of the cunchy chips, the salt and the lime is just irresistable.

We also tried this new sushi place one night with our Swedish friend A. Very good sushi even if our waitor kept making misstakes (maybe he was new).

Another good ole favorite - Jim 'N Nicks BBQ. We made sure we did get some nice lunches and dinner favorites that we for sure can't enjoy back home in Sweden. After having BBQ in the South there is nothing that can compare with that in Swede. Steak houses is another thing that most often is very good in the states.

Yesterday it rained all day long from early morning all through the night. So happy about the blue skies that I can see today and so grateful not to have to bike to work in the rain today. The week is going by quickly. It is C's last week at home here in Stockholm. On Sunday he is off for Switzerland and the adventure starts for his part. Tonight he is having an informal farwell at a bar/restaurant down town so that his friends can drop by and catch a beer with him. There is just not enough time for him to personally meet all his friends before he leaves so this is a good way of bidding farwell for now. I will be joining himl later on at Storstad that is a nice place.

Homes, Houses and Moving

 Thanks to all of you for all the congratulations. It feels great having so many nice blog friends like you. I have tried to answer as many of your questions as possible. There are still a lot of practical things that we have not figured out yet. Some things will just have to be solved a long the way. 

The question of housing and living is always intressting. We did learn a lot from our move to Alabama. This above used to be our house. Now when we were in Alabama we stayed with our dear friends and ex neighbors so we were staying right next to our house. It does not feel like our house any more. We also know the couple that moved in and we feel very happy about selling to them beacuse they are wonderful and fit in the neighborhood in a perfect way.

 Some views from our former street in "The Vista". Each home teaches you something about things that you value and things that are good and important to you. When we moved to Alabama we bought this home after living in the US for less than one month. Yes that was kind of crazy. But we came from the Stockolm housing market where renting is not an option so our mind was always set on buying. Also when we realized that we could afford a big and beautiful home like this one we sure did get carried away. We never dreamd of being able to live in a big house like this in Sweden. Our house in Alabama cost less than the condo we had in Solna (3 rooms and 90 square meters). We never realized that a home can actually become "too large". Different homes are different and each home does make you realize new things that you fall in love with as well as things you really don't like. We are currently living in our 9:th home so we have reached a number of valuble experiences already. Our future home in Switzerland will become our 10:th home since 1999.

Even if it was crazy to buy our home in Alabama and buying it so quickly still it is something that I don't look back on with regrett. It is still an amazing experience to have lived in a big wonderful house like this one at least once in my life time. Also if we had never bought the house and moved in here we never would have met Kim and Mike most likely. 

However, we did learn a lot of valuble things. When the housing market crashed in the US in the beginning of 2008 (that was about the time when we did put out our house for sale as we wanted to move back to Sweden) it took us 18 months before we got it sold. 18 months of showings several times per week. Endless amounts of time keeping both the inside of the house as well as the yard as neat and tidy as possible (the only thing we felt we could possible to in order to increase our chances of getting it sold). 

We have learned it is better not to rush into things and specially important or big commitments such as buying property. Fortunately there is a rental market that has quite a lot to offer in Basel. We have decided to rent something there. Big enough for us and for having guests. Yes, we are hoping we will get a lot of visitors. We will also keep the condo in Stockholm that we just bought and rent it to someone. It feels right to keep a base here for some time anyway.We also have not decided on exactly how much of the furniture and things to bring with us yet.

 

It might seem like I love packing and unpacking homes. Each move is a huge amount of work but what I do like is the feeling of things happening. Of being on the go in life. Years and experiences in life that add a lot of value and meaning. You don't have to be constately moving to get that of course. But moving to the US and to Alabama taught me so much and gave me a lot of great experiences in many ways. It has therefore been on my wish list to get another living experience abroad before becoming too old, too afraid, too comfortable, too rooted, too whatever.

News

Ok here goes. I have some news to share with you. Quite big new actually. As you may have noticed there have been some things hanging in the air such as our sudden trip to Alabama and other things left unsaid. We have known for about a month. I would have loved to share the news with you immediately but I had to make sure that some things at work were solved first. We are moving again! This time we are leaving Sweden for another adventure abroad once more. We are moving to Switzerland! I am very excited and thrilled about it even if it still feels kind of unreal. It is all spinning in my head. I got that roller coaster thrill and excitement in the pit of my stomach. I am also nervous and scared about a lot of things but very happy and very excited about starting a new adventure. The years and adventure we had in Alabama taught me so much in so many ways, both about the US, the people and about myself. Living abroad just adds so much to your life that you never would have experienced otherwise.

I have never ever been to Switzerland and now I am moving there. We are moving to Basel which is the German speaking part of the country. Do I know a single word of German? Nope, none at all. So I get to learn a new language. Actually I am having my first class of German today, iiiih! I signed up for a class I found for beginners Friday. Realized it would be a good idea to get a little bit of a head start when it comes to language. Learning a new language is great and something that really adds value to life. If I had stayed in Sweden I never would, even if I would have liked to learn more languages. Now I have to, so I will. I don’t expect to become great at it but whatever I pick up will help me. My goal is to learn to communicate with my new fellow country men and women. To understand a conversation and to be able to get around and about in every day life.

C has been applying for a lot of positions and jobs both in Sweden, Europe and in the US. I am so happy for him. He really deserves this. This is a job he is very excited about. It is a smaller/ medium sized company of about 150 employees with their head office located in Basel but they also have offices in Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. He will move ahead of me and I will join him later on (probably around beginning of next year). He leaves to start his new job already next week. So many things are happening right now and happening so fast. It feels sad that he is leaving so soon again. I plan to fly down and visit him at least once during the fall. I am also very curious about Switzerland and Basel. So we will see each other a few times during the fall even if it will be far from each week. 

So I am moving the land milk and money. The country of chocolate and watches is to be my new home. We will be living smack in the heart of Europe. I look forward to day trips and travels in Europe. I look forward to learning new things about my new country. To go skiing in the Alps which I have never ever done. To learn more wine and grapes. Least but not last to move about 15 degrees south in latitude. Expecting spring to come earlier and winter to be shorter and hopefully slightly less dark as well.

We got this book from our friends that we had dinner with Saturday. Perfect to gift. I am very curious about what awaits us.  I feel I have just jumped on the roller coaster and gotten buckled up and the ride is about to start. I started reading the book and feel I have alreday learned many useful facts about my future country.

Welcoming the weekend

Kicking off the weekend by a yummy breakfast. So happy to have C back from Boston. Even if the weather is kind of gloomy today I am still about to enjoy my Saturday. Tonight dinner with friends in our old neighborhood in Hammarbysjöstad. Sunday also includes dinner plans as we have invited some other friends over. Fall is certainly here so for tomorrow we will make a nice warming stew. 

It's the kind of fall weather that makes you want to curl up on the couch under a cozy blanket and just watch a good movie and have a glass of red wine. I am sure we will have a nice evening tonight and it will be nice to see our old hoods again.

Have a fab weekend.

Fredagsgalleri

Dagens tema från Annika denna fredag är Skördetid.Nu börjar kylan komma och det är dags att ta vara på det sista av sommaren.

 

Äppelfabriken på Ekerö är mysigt. Svenska äpplen är så goda. Finns många sorter att njuta av just nu. Finns mycket man kan göra med äpplen.
 

 

Dags att ge sig ut i skog och mark och skörda också. Förra året fanns det otroligt gott med svamp och det sägs att det även är så detta året. Här är alla trattisar vi plockade förra året.
 

Äpplen i alla olika storlekar och färger. Inte bara goda utan även godis för ögat.
 

Minns inte riktigt vad denna sort heter men gillar den då den också har lite lätt rosa färgat fruktkött.Väldigt vackert äpple när man skivar upp det.
 

Finns mycket gott man kan göra med sin skörd som man tagit tillvara på. Både blåbärspaj och äppelpaj är några av mina favoriter som jag gärna bakar.

Farmers market in Stockholm. Älskar pumpor. De är så vackra med alla sina olika färger och former. Butternut squash är en av mina favoriter att äta. Funderar på att laga till en pumpa eller svamp risotto till helgen. 
 

Happy Friday yall!

Southern Living

All American and life down in the deep South where everything is BIG. A lot bigger than in Europe. Houses with beautiful southern front porches. You see a lot of flags now like the one in this picture. Flags that state which football team you are for. Collage football is huge and the biggest teams in Alabama are Alabama and Auburn, two rival universities.

 Yes, everything is a little bit bigger in the South. You got to have your big pick up truck. I would love to have one if I could afford the gas (this one runs on disel) and if I would be able to park it. It would never really work out to have a car like this one in Sweden. You just would not be able to park it anywhere even if you could afford the gas and even if they could make them more environmental. But Mike's truck sure was very comfortable to ride. Maybe it is the Texan in me that just can't help falling in love with the boots and the pick up trucks.

 Love love love the produce section at grocery stores. So delightful so see the neat and fresh rows of fruits and vegetables. The produce section in Sweden just always comes far behind compared to the ones found here.

 Again the question of size. Both apples are actually American. The smaller one was from a big bag that I bought and the larger one are considered the more regular size.

 We also got the opportunity to have a Costco moment. We used to be members. I like Costco. They have lots of great stuff to good prices. On weekends they always have a lot of different things to taste. You can actually snack yourself a free lunch here.

 At Costco everything is sold in big format. That is what cuts price down. The shopping carts are big and the asiles are wide.

 Big packs of spinach and rice. Sacks of rice of about 11 kg. If you are a big family or if you have a lot of space for storage/big pantry you can make good deals.

 The sweet corn of the South is so delicious! Also very cheep. You can get six or eight corns on the cob for 2 dollars.

 Churches are big down here. Both going to church and the size of the churches themselves. Wednesday evenings there are bible studies and on Sundays there is of course church. Sundays around eleven you got the streets and stores pretty much to yourself. You see people dressed in their finest clothes coming or going to church. Churches are much more than just for religious purposes. They organize a lot of activities for kids. The church is a community in itself. People pay 10% of their salary to church down here so churches are rich and can offer a lot of things to their members.

 Houses are just so much bigger in the South compared to other parts of the states as well as Europe for sure. This one is just enormous. It almost looks like a castle. You sure don't want to clean this one on your own. Even if you do have cleaning service you would still need more than one person to come and clean it for you. Yard service is another must. This house is just too big for my taste. 

 Here is another more regular size home in our old neighborhood. I like the New England style it has. Regular size homes are still really large. You get a lot for your money when it comes to living if you live down here. Passed by a house about this size or slightly bigger right by the golf course that was for sale for about 500,000 dollars. We had the big house when we lived here. In my opinion you should stick to the right size. Too small is not good but too big can also be too much. A big home still requires more time and more money to keep it up.

The all American crock pot. Add what ever you want for your soup, stew, chili or whatever you are making in the morning and then it is done by the time you come home. I have started to see crock pot versions come to Sweden lately. 

 

 The white poision that still goes undetected in many cases - sugar. People are very aware of fat but still not as aware of sugar. Things are just so much sweeter here in many cases. Finding cereal that is low in sugar requires reading the fine print. The taste may be great and it may contain a lot of fiber but this one still contains 12 grams of sugar per serving that is one cup (2.5 dl). 

 Ooooh the ice cream section is to die for! I can just loose myself completely here and practically stand and drool. M'am can I help you find something I heard behind my shoulder as I stood here. The friendly Publix guy approached me. No I am fine (just admiring the ice cream) I thought to myself. All you living in the US you just don't know how lucky you are to have these kinds of ice cream shelves in the store. Well it is not just one shelve it is really a whole aisle. 

 Of course we made sure we got plenty of our favorite brand. Edy's is just the best ever!

 There is this small sub division of town houses in our old neighborhood that I just love. I think they are really cute. This would have been the perfect size of a home for us. The house was too large but something like this would have been just right. In the back they all have a large decks so you can hang out and enjoy some good BBQ but without a big yard to take of.