Thursday, 27 October 2011
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Summer in Sweden
There's so much to do in Sweden in summer. How are we going to find time to fit it all in, and the usual routine "must-do's" too? How to enjoy summer relaxing to the full without feeling stressed out about not enjoying summer to the full? Then again, how do you relax with a full to do list...even if you're like me and can live in chaos, living with a full to do list just sucks all the enjoyment out of relaxing.
Today feels like we've done some summer things. That might be because it has been so warm today. We had plans to go look at bicycles today, but the shop was closed. Good thing we phoned first to check. Then we tried to buy a second hand bicycle from someone in our hometown, but it was sold just as we phoned.
Then we saw that someone local was selling their outdoor furniture. Since the beginning of spring we have wanted to buy a new set of outdoor furniture for our deck. We had already selected the set we would buy, but hadn't actually done it because it was quite a bit of money to lay out. Then when we saw the set today on the local second hand website it just looked so cosy. Nothing at all like the set we had chosen new. But it looked worn in, and it was dirt cheap. Even with hiring a van for a few hours to pick it up and transport it it was still only a fraction of the price of a new set. So now the set it installed on our deck. Next step is to get some oil and give it a little TLC...and maybe a bolt or two to strengthen the weakest spots.
We also bought a tent today. I have been wanting to go camping again for two years, but we never really got around to it. But this summer feels like the summer we are going to go camping again. We got a lovely little four man sleeper tent (which means it's perfectly comfortable for two people). It also has a little "courtyard" section of the tent to set up kitchen in.
All camping I have ever done has been with all the creature comforts of home...electricity, chairs, tables occasionally even fridges! I am super keen to try out some very basic camping. I have been doing a lot of research to work out our magic minimum of gear needed for camping. My trusty Filofax has been the repository for all this research.
My idea is to get a kit together and have it ready to go at a moment's notice, so that if the weather is nice one weekend, we can just chuck the kit in the car and head off for a lake somewhere. Then if the place is nice we'll set up camp, but if it's not so nice we can head home at the end of the day.
We had a taster of this kind of thing last weekend. We had a short holiday up in the north of Sweden. One of the days we were near a lake. We cooked simple meals on alcohol stoves and fires. We considered spending the night by the lake in a tent, but it was actually too cold. But it was still a lot of fun.
It's also just lovely to sit outside in our garden in the beautiful summer weather and that's how we have ended the day. It's now nearly 7:30 and I'm sitting comfortably on the verandah. It's not too hot, nor too cold...it's just right. Some days are just perfect :-)
Today feels like we've done some summer things. That might be because it has been so warm today. We had plans to go look at bicycles today, but the shop was closed. Good thing we phoned first to check. Then we tried to buy a second hand bicycle from someone in our hometown, but it was sold just as we phoned.
Then we saw that someone local was selling their outdoor furniture. Since the beginning of spring we have wanted to buy a new set of outdoor furniture for our deck. We had already selected the set we would buy, but hadn't actually done it because it was quite a bit of money to lay out. Then when we saw the set today on the local second hand website it just looked so cosy. Nothing at all like the set we had chosen new. But it looked worn in, and it was dirt cheap. Even with hiring a van for a few hours to pick it up and transport it it was still only a fraction of the price of a new set. So now the set it installed on our deck. Next step is to get some oil and give it a little TLC...and maybe a bolt or two to strengthen the weakest spots.
We also bought a tent today. I have been wanting to go camping again for two years, but we never really got around to it. But this summer feels like the summer we are going to go camping again. We got a lovely little four man sleeper tent (which means it's perfectly comfortable for two people). It also has a little "courtyard" section of the tent to set up kitchen in.
All camping I have ever done has been with all the creature comforts of home...electricity, chairs, tables occasionally even fridges! I am super keen to try out some very basic camping. I have been doing a lot of research to work out our magic minimum of gear needed for camping. My trusty Filofax has been the repository for all this research.
My idea is to get a kit together and have it ready to go at a moment's notice, so that if the weather is nice one weekend, we can just chuck the kit in the car and head off for a lake somewhere. Then if the place is nice we'll set up camp, but if it's not so nice we can head home at the end of the day.
We had a taster of this kind of thing last weekend. We had a short holiday up in the north of Sweden. One of the days we were near a lake. We cooked simple meals on alcohol stoves and fires. We considered spending the night by the lake in a tent, but it was actually too cold. But it was still a lot of fun.
It's also just lovely to sit outside in our garden in the beautiful summer weather and that's how we have ended the day. It's now nearly 7:30 and I'm sitting comfortably on the verandah. It's not too hot, nor too cold...it's just right. Some days are just perfect :-)
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Yum
On Friday evening I got my first home delivery of ecological, semi-locally produced veggies and fruit. I liked the mix of ingredients that came in the box. It sent me on a bit of spree this weekend looking for ideas for using the different ingredients. The box included a few items I've never cooked with before, namely fresh asparagus and rhubarb.
First dinner using some of my goodies...I really enjoyed this meal.
And then mister found the empty box...and the inevitable happened.
So far I have made grilled asparagus (as a side to pepper steak) and a rhubarb pie. I definitely found that getting the box inspired me to loads more home cooking. I won't be getting a regular box just yet as I'm sure most of the stuff would go off before we got around to using it. But as a catalyst for some inspiration I might just order the occasional box.
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Simply Me
I know it's possible to have a completely simple life. And that could be nice. But it's not what I'm looking for.
I suppose what I am talking about is efficiency. Streamlining all the need to do's so I have more time for the want to do's.
I have been reading a lot about David Allen's GTD and find it very attractive. But I am 1) too lazy and 2) too parsimonious to buy his book.
I have learnt a lot from the FlyLady - especially about the importance of routines. I have begun my Household Journal but it still needs to be worked into something usable. Right now it's a glorified reference book.
Now is the time to take what I have learned from months of trawling the Internet and come up with my own system. When it's finalized I may blog about it. Or I may not. I am lazy after all.
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