Loving right now:

Autumn. Need I say more?

James Brown (not the musician, the printmaker). see http://www.generalpattern.net/ for more goodies from this man. (erhxmas, erhm)

Greige (oh yes, it is a real colour!) fingernails as seen on Lily Allen below.

And ...



I know it's a song from a TV advertisement but I love it. Her name is Allie Moss. The song is "corner".

639 days

On the tube this morning I was listening to a recording of a biochemistry lecture on the MP3. When it was finished a crowded house song came on that reminds me so much of NZ. And walking down the street in autumn grey London I could almost feel the heat from the sun and if I closed my eyes I was carried away to a beautiful beach. A bit dangerous though, walking around with your eyes closed at rush hour. I love being here, I'm happy that I am doing this, I am loving it, and I don't regret a thing. But I would quite like to be in more than one place at once.

I looked up at the BT tower and the countdown to the Olympics 2012 said 639 days. And that's roughly when I graduate and get my freedom back. I think I just want time to go faster so we can go have a party on a beach.

Growing, growing, (almost) gone...

As of three years I have a passion for growing vegetables. It started in Devon where our farmer John had a poly tunnel full of veg which we helped him look after. Harland dug out his old knowledge and I was schooled. After that it was Scotland, where we had unlimited space but certain limitations with the weather. So going back to being city kids again poses a slight dilemma. We have a gravel back garden, not a lot of space and not to mention financial limitations... But one has to make the most of what is available! There were a few pots in the garden with herbs in them so with some slight rearranging there I could squeeze in a few lettuces and carrots. The cinder blocks previously filled with dirt and cigarette butts were cleared out and filled with compost and then plants donated from a generous friend. I bought a grow bag for a tomato plant and used an old (empty) sweet tin for radishes. The cucumber found his home in a wastepaper basket. Ultimately we found ourselves with one cucumber plant, four tomato plants, a few lettuces here and there, a couple of chili plants and a nice selection of herbs. The cucumber (above) has been the success story of the year, producing big, fat fruits full of flavour. It had a bit of a rough time and gave up on producing for a while but has been brought back to life by some liquid fertiliser and is now giving fruit again. And with plenty of water they will soon be ready for harvest.Lettuce and carrots in cinder blocks

Left to right:

chili, tomato, cucumber and more tomatoes (in background), herbs and lettuces in pots.

Feeling hot, hot, hot.

A purple chili fruit at the beginning of the season. At that point they tasted nutty and warm. They have now started turning orange and red and will make your tongue catch on fire just by looking at one...

old school

Check out these dudes, guess who? Hint: it was taken just over 25 years ago

I'm not sure who looks more terrified... ;)

oval heart

as far as work goes Saturday relly wasn't too bad. Although it was a twelve hour work day it didn't feel that long and I really enjoyed it... Maybe it was the fact that I was working at Twickenham in a corporate box, maybe it was the company of my equally enthusiastic co-workers or maybe it was the big tips... Or maybe it was a combination of all those things that made it one of the most enjouable days at work ever:)

Postcard from surf Devon

I know, it's been a week since we got back from our surf weekend but Ihave been working all week in Battersea park. I've been doing 12 hour days in the hospitality village organising the bar.

Last weekend, however, we popped down to north Devon for a spot of surfing. I got to use my gorgeous new surfboard for the first time. Harland also had a new (second hand) board to play on.

Below: me and the yet to be named board at Putsborough beach near Croyde.
When we got there on Friday morning we got in the cold sea as soon as we could.

On Saturday we went for a long drive followed by some surfing in the afternoon. On the Devon/Cornwall border we found Hokey Pokey:)

Sunset on our last day of surf antics.

Going back to London we took a trip down memory lane. A visit to that beautiful valley where we lived when we first left London. Thee is nothing like seeing old friends, an being welcomed with open arms (and paws).

midsummer madness

Although Swedes can be seen as a quite serious breed, they do know how to partay. Midsummer is one, and maybe the main, time of year when they let their hair all the way down and enjoy themselves. Letting your hair down Swedish style more often than not involves singing, dancing and drinking. For me the midsummer tradition of dancing around a flower clad pole pretending to be either frogs or musicians never struck me as being odd. But yesterday at the celebrations in Hyde park I almost felt like an outsider looking in, and I liked what I saw! At the same time there was a sense of familiarity and childhood memories.

You can take the girl out of Sweden but you can't take the swede out of the girl sma grodorna:) ko-ack-ack-ack. ko-ack-ack-ack-ackaaaaathe miniature midsummer pole

got my plopp!:)

you almost have to see it to believe it:


Love Danelles happy face in the video above. She looks like she belongs, perhaps she was Swedish in a previous life...