Saturday 27 February 2010

Linus with the flash right in his face.

Saturday 20 February 2010

Arctic Snowstorm Safari

Deliana asked me thursday if I wanted to come along to Barkarby (among other things, Ikea, but also other shops - she was buying paint for her kitchen) saturday - that is today. I went "whoaa scary" but I actually agreed. And I stood by it and got myself out the door this morning.

The morning's facebook statuses went like this:

Silme is planning to risk her life in a dangerous expedition today.
Silme: :-o
Deliana: Adventure!

Deliana förbereder sig för shoppingsafari i Barkarby (translation: is preparing for a shopping safari to Barkarby)
Silme: See you soon!

At just past noon we met at the commuter train station in B-by.. and immediately caught a bus onwards, getting to do some exciting sightseeing in parts of Stockholm none of us were particularly familiar with. The cold was killing us, almost bad enough to make us cancel - but cancelling would mean it wouldn't happen, knowing us!

I can say this however. No safari. More like an arctic expedition.

The cold persisted, with added wind and then flurries of snow that turned into an even white foggy condition with almost no visibility. We could see the signs that signals a zebra crossing, just over a meter away, but the problem: A meter high snow drift inbetween us and the crossing. How to get there? This kept happening repeatedly. At one point we were walking against the car-current in McD's drive-thru because it was the only place the snow was removed that was pointing in approximately the direction we wanted to go.

I almost bought new boots, warm lined and taller in the calf (but my budget is tight and I put them back and continued having frozen toes.

I wanted to take photos, but I couldn't find the self discipline to make myself take off my mittens to take out the camera.. and I doubt I would have gotten anything other than white anyway, seeing as we could barely see where we were going.

At one point we were clambering up onto a snow drift, helping eachother along, then sliding down a steep slope before wading through the snow to get back onto the road. In other words: sidewalks/pedestrian roads/etc were not really available. In the summer they are there but not now.

Very exciting day all in all. The buses ran as scheduled however, a minor miracle. And Ikea wasn't too bad, the weather kept people away (although the wardrobe section was extremely crowded!). Deliana helped me home with my catch (I was intending to buy a stool to use by the computer and some sheets, but wound up with two large laundry baskets woven from some leaf, a new tea pot, four matching cups and sugarbowl+milk jug in the same series as well. And silicone muffin forms since it seems I am on a roll with baking.) - thanks a bunch! Hope you got home safely...

Now: Tea. I cannot bear to go out again to buy bread. Weather stops me firmly from any such thoughts. My legs and hands are aching, the cold has kicked the inflammation in my joints into full gear it seems. But, I got outdoors, which is good.

Still.. SAFARI!

Update at 21:15 - Deli left here around three hours ago, but she is still stuck in Stockholm since all trains are cancelled. "As I said, adventure.." she says via text messages. Shite.

Monday 8 February 2010

More doodles and other small things

1) Two bookmarks I stitched up lately (embroidery is one of the few things I can do with a headache - a remnant from my 2008-concussion when I discovered it does not take any brainpower).
2) Miniature chainmail bracelet with glass beads.
3) A magnet from a Cauldron Christmas card sendout - 2007 I believe. I made alot of snowman Achmeds and tiny Rhaps'es.
4) Work doodles became magnets - there's more of them at work, including a dragon and a snail.
5) Another magnet, with cinnamon and aniseed.
6-8) Linus wanted to be in the picture too when I initially tried taking a picture of one of the bookmarks. If it wasn't a paw, or four, it was his butt.