Passing Time

Lullun and I share a love of lists! Johanna also challenged me to tell time a few months back so...

What I did...

15 years ago (1993):
1. I was in my first year of upper secondary school
2. I went to Estonia with a church youth group (or was it 1994...?)
3. I listened to "I Will Always Love You" a lot

10 years ago (1998):
1. I moved to London to study
2. I spent the summer in Darien, Connecticut, as an aupair with the extended family of my original American aupair family (I was an aupair in 1995/06)
3. I met a lot of new friends in the UK, both English and of other nationality

5 years ago (2003):
1. I spent 5 months as an intern with the European Commission (well, technically 3 months was in 2002 and 2 months in 2003)
2. I had a really fun summer working for the Swedish pro-euro campaign, even if we lost the referendum :(
3. I started my first proper job at a consultancy working with EU research funding, among other things

3 years ago (2005):
1. I went on my first ever charter trip. It went to Marmaris, Turkey, and I brought an old childhood friend.
2. I left the consultancy (well, technically on 6 January 2006) for greener pastures
3. I visited my friend Helena in Toronto where she was spending 6 months with her now husband and daughter

1 year ago (2007):
1. I did a LOT of travelling: Hong Kong, Malta and South Africa were the highlights, but I also went to London and Barcelona
2. My friend Anoushka got married
3. I moved in with Peter

3 months ago (January 2008):
1. I looked at all our photos from South Africa
2. I celebrated my birthday
3. I worked a lot!

Yesterday (16 April 2007):
1. I celebrated Peter's 30th birthday by taking the day off
2. I went for spa treatment and a nice lunch with Peter
3. I bought half of Systembolaget's stock of alcohol for the party on Saturday

Today (17 April 2008):
1. I went to a chocolate tasting at work at lunch time
2. I received Åsa & Rikard's wedding invitation
3. I listened to Peter compiling music lists for Saturday's party

Tomorrow (18 April 2008)
1. I'm hopefully going out for lunch with some colleague(s)
2. I'm going to the supermarket for the final stuff for Saturday's party
3. I'm making a nice pasta sauce from ingredients in the fridge that will otherwise go bad

In 1 year (April 2009):
1. A friend of mine who's trying for a baby has succeeded
2. I'm planning my wedding (I hope!)
3. I have changed jobs

Grocery Shopping Extraordinaire

One of my favourite bloggers, American Beverly living in Skellefteå in north Sweden, did a very impressive thing the other day. When she and her husband went grocery shopping they let a list they found in the trolley completely decide their shopping! Isn't that daring, in such a cosy and safe way?!!

Folded up in the back corner was a forgotten piece of paper, the kind of thing I usually disregard. This paper caught my eye, though, the words on it not written in your usual list style–item by item, vertically–but horizontally, and grouped closely together. At first glance, it looked like a note or a letter instead of a shopping list, and curiosity got the better of me so I unfolded and read it. Alas, closer scrutiny revealed it to be a grocery list after all, and I commented to Olof, a little disappointed and put-out, 'That’s a strange way to wrive a grocery list.'.

The story continues...

It reminded me of the book "Dice Man" by Luke Rhinehart where the main character lets the dice decide everything in his life. I once saw a documentary about it - apparently the book/guy even had a following for a while.

Not My Favourite Flower

I did a another personality test but it wasn't accurate at all. Does this sound like me??!!

I am a Violet What Flower Are You?

"You have a shy personality. You tend to hesitate before trying new things or meeting new people. But once people get to know you, you open up and show the world what you are really all about."

I'm not shy at all and I'm a very social being who likes meeting new people! And I'm usually up for trying new things! New food, new music, fun activities (maybe not bungy jumping but other fun things) or what have you.

Anna by the Letter

I've been challenged by Lullun and Anne (indirectly as they haven't single anyone out) to tell personal stuff about myself with the help of the alphabet. I have just taken the first things that come to mind.

A - Anna (this was a given)

B - Blog fan (another given)

C - maybe a Coyet one day...

D - work as a Desk officer

E - at an Embassy

F - huge fan of Friends; I need to get in Feminist here too

G - despite paying a lot for the Gym every month I hardly go...

H - hate Horror films

I - love Indian food although I have never really felt like going to India

J - one of my first talents were solving Jigsaw puzzles and I still enjoy them, though with a few more pieces

K - had a cat called Kitty

L - can be quite Lazy sometimes, especially Saturday and Sunday mornings, and doing chores in general

M - was pretty good at Maths in school and according to a career test I took last year I should work with something mathematical...

N - addicted to the News and reading Newspapers

O - Organised, especially at work, maybe less so when it comes to my home

P - the man of my life is Peter

Q - like the word "Queue" in the English language, sounds so much better than "line"

R - Read too few books at the moment

S - Social democrat at heart

T - look forward to spending a long weekend in Tuscany in June with Peter and my parents...

U - and a US spending spree in August (NYC, New England and DC)

V - not as Vain as my boyfriend ;)

W - one of my Wishes at the moment is to get a job for the European Commission

X - don't like reality television like the X-factor or Big Brother or Top Model

Y - 30+ but still young!

Z - zzz, I don't sleep as much as I want

Mobile Flightmare

It looks like the EU will allow mobile phone calls on airplanes soon*. What a nightmare! Can you imagine dreadful 10-hour transatlantic flights with mobile phone ringing constantly and people jabbing away about relationship problems or their latest illness??!

The newspaper Svenska dagbladet reports that reactions to the news among passengers at Stockholm Bromma Airport were somewhat mixed, with several worrying about disturbance onboard. Some believed that a number of airlines will use peace and quiet onboard as a marketing tool - for those who regard one of the virtues of air travel as being the haven it provides from being reached or hearing other people being reached - while others will target passengers with the offer of mobile phone use.

Hopefully it will only be a short period of free mobile use before airlines - and passengers - come to their senses! The future probably - hopefully - holds mobile phone booths or small compartments for those who cannot stand being disconnected for a few hours instead.

* On certain flights under new European Commission rules, provided the airlines have the necessary technical equipment. The plan is to install small base stations into the cockpits of the planes. Calls made via the station will be routed to terrestrial networks via satellite link. However, according to the decision, flight captains will have the power to switch off the service if they feel it necessary.

Healthcare or Sick Care?

Helena argues really well for more European healthcare co-operation! Some people think the EU should stay away from healthcare issues but like Helena, I think we can only benefit from more co-ordination and more patient influence.

Helena has a personal story to tell - you can read it here. In brief, she has moved back and forth between Stockholm, London and Brussels over the last five years, which has caused some difficulties for the Swedish health service, mainly as a result of the procedures in place for GP appointments, referrals for tests, waiting times, IT systems and ultimately, her living abroad. Even though she had a letter from her doctor in London stating that she needed to have a certain test taken, the Swedish health service could not set up an appointment unless she went through the normal routes within the Swedish healthcare system (details on her blog).

Her point with the post is to:

ask the question how the Swedish health service manages increased internationalisation? If they could not manage my needs, despite me being registered in Sweden, because I had taken a test in another country, how would they then meet the needs of persons who live in Sweden temporarily, persons who have just moved to Sweden, or person who do not speak Swedish?

The need of the patient must always be more important than the system. If something does not fit into the system there must exist a culture within the health service that encourages flexibility and initiative. But all too often governance through quantitative evaluation and budget goals makes it more profitable for divisions and units to stand on the side of the system when it collides with the needs of the patient.

Thus I cringe when I hear Swedish politicians saying that EU initiatives in the healthcare sector threatens the Swedish healthcare system. Defence of systems and models is seldom a very good political starting-point.

What I would add is that - which probably Helena would agree with as well - is not that we want the EU to start deciding the financing or the content of the healthcare provision, but to facilitate for patients in an increasingly global world.

Show & Tell: Spring Flowers

This week's Show & Tell is spring flowers. Spring has arrived in Stockholm but I forgot to bring my camera on today's nice walk in the sunshine so I thought I use the opportunity (yet again) to show some photos from our holiday in South Africa. We were there in December which is early summer rather than spring but it will have to do! There were so many nice flowers and other plants that I want to share with you!

1. A really cool bush at the Balule Game Reserve near Kruger National Park - You don't want to touch those spikes!

2. A beautiful yellow flower in Balule

3. Som kind of cotton-looking plant in Robberg, a nature park in Plettenberg Bay along the Garden Route

4. One of many pretty flowers that grow in mountain areas

5. On the deck outside our room at Bay Walk B&B in Knysna

6. On Table Mountain in Cape Town

7. Also on Table Mountain

8. Stellenbosch in the wine districts north of Cape Town

9. Also Stellenbosch

10. Lavender - one of my favourite - in Franschhoek (also in the wine districts)

11. Rose buds in Franschhoek

12. Also something that comes with spring/summer - new babies!

13. Beautiful tree at Boschendaal vineyard

My Home - Best and Worst

I found a fun challenge over at Anne's: show what's best and worst in your home.

B E S T
Must be our wallpaper in the bedroom (a "fondvägg", in our case on the wall behind the bed). We put it up a year or so ago and we still love it! It's an English make called Osborne & Little if anyone is tempted!

It was quite tricky to put it up - luckily my mum is quite the wallpaper guru!

Another thing on the "best" list is the balcony - this picture is from Peter's birthday in mid-April last year when we had our friends Maria and Daniel over for dinner and it was such a warm evening that we could eat outside.

Peter and Maria posing on our 7sqm balcony

W O R S T
Difficult to photograph, but the worst thing is definitely the cigarette smoke that sometimes seeps through from our nextdoor neighbours. What's weird is that you cannot smell it through their door (believe me, I have tried!), instead it only smells in the kitchen (which is next to their kitchen) and it's worst around 6pm and 11pm and INSIDE the cabinets! They must be keeping all their cigarette butts under the sink or something.

Any advice on what to do? Both how to get rid of the smell and how to bring this up with nextdoor (as they are probably not going to read this)?

Passing on the challenge to Skolfröken, Johanna and Anna!

Södertälyeah!*

* The town's slogan

The world looks toward Södertälje - that has been the gist of many articles in foreign media in recent weeks. Södertälje is my hometown and the place I spent 19 years of my life, so naturally I take an interest in what is written about this medium-sized town (semi-suburb) southwest of Stockholm.

The last few months Södertälje has been invaded by international journalists because the town receives more Iraqi immigrants than the whole of North America put together. Södertälje welcomed 1,268 refugees last year of which 95% were from Iraq, a figure that is expecting to rise to 2,400 this year. Here it is appropriate to mention that Sweden took in over 9,000 Iraqi asylym-seekers, or almost 50% of all Iraqis coming to Europe. The USA in comparison took 202.

The reporters are coming to Södertalje to see how the process of integration is going and how they can learn from the successes and problems of the whole experience. So far, correspondents from the BBC, the New York Times and Le Monde have reported from the city and this week, the Washington Post is to publish a major report. There is much surprise amongst foreign correspondents as to how a city the size of Södertalje can cope with the influx. There are of course many problems such as the shortage of pre-school and childcare facilities and other infrastructure.

Anders Lago, the mayor of Södertälje (whom I interviewed for once) is actually going to Washington DC on 9 April to speak in front of the US Congress on the matter. The hearing is for the Commission on Security and Co-Operation in Europe. Lago has been asked to account for the strategies Södertälje uses to meet the challenges associated with Iraqi refugees.

Before this latest celebrity factor, Södertälje was mostly famous for the two multinational companies Scania and Astra Zeneca and the tennis player Björn Borg (who happened to have gone to my old school, not at the same time though). For a longer history of Södertälje, read here, and for more info on the international character of the town, here.

Some links
SÖDERTÄLJE SPECIFIC
BBC news
NYTimes January 2008

SWEDEN GENERAL
International Herald Tribune March 2008
Washington Post March 2008
International Herald Tribune March 2008
Le Monde March 2008
NYTimes September 2007
NYTimes June 2007
NYTimes January 2007

(To read some of the articles you may need to sign up - for free.)

Show & Tell: Big and Small

I seem to be making a habit of using the Show & Tell theme on Fridays (Saturday for me this time) to show my South Africa pictures, but I'm sure nobody will complain!

My favourite of all the animals we saw on safari (or game drives, as they say in South Africa) is the elephant. Such a magnifient creature. You can't probably tell from these pictures but they were as big as the jeep we travelled in. In the last picture the elephant got really close to the car, maybe 7 metres away, before it "obeyed" our guide's warning shouts and moved away (while we were sitting quiet without moving, a bit scared and very excited at the same time).

In the first two photos I hope you can spot the little newborn elephant to the right in the picture. It's the tiny one that's crossing the railtracks with his mum and other family members. That one was around 3 hours old according to our guide. They can walk already at that "age", albeit a bit wobbly. When it stopped right on the tracks all the other elephants stopped too and didn't move again until they had got the little one to move forwards again. When elephants have newborns they are really protective (you would be too if you had carried it in your womb for 22 months) and would rather risk being hit by a train than leaving the baby behind. Since they - the females that is, the male are the ones we encountered solo in the bush - are so protective, we did not want to get any closer at the railtracks.

You have probably spotted another baby at the front of the the herd - that one was a couple of weeks or months old, can't remember exactly. But still a baby.

The newborn is to the far right surrounded by his or her family.

Taken after they managed the get the little one moving again. Before they even started crossing the railroad they listened and felt the tracks - they are clever animals with a very good memory so they know that it is dangerous.

As long as we sit still and stay in the jeep, he thinks that we are just another animal, though a big one of course. This guy only has one tusk and doesn't want to pick a fight with an enemy that is as big as himself unless he has a good reason. So after a while he moved away from the road and let us pass.

Waffled

Today it is Annunciation or Jungfru Marie Bebådelsedag as it's called in Sweden. This "holiday" always takes place on 25 March, nine months before Christmas, to celebrate the "conception" of Jesus Christ. On this day Gabriel foretold the birth of Jesus.

Back when Annunciation used to be a holiday it was called "vårfrudagen" after "vår fru" (our madame/wife/Mrs) instead of "jungfru" (virgin) Mary. Over time Vårfrudagen has become "våffeldagen" (the waffle day), which has given rise to the customs to eat waffles on this day.

The plan today was to make savoury-style waffles for dinner followed by some sweet ones for dessert. But when the ingredients had already been purchased and I was almost home I remembered that we threw out my (inherited, bright orange, 1970s) waffle iron few months ago...

(Photo: Tasteline)

Oh well. Luckily we had lots of sauce left from last night's Thai take-away so I just threw in some new chicken (quorn actually) and some vegetables and put the rice cooker on, and voila, dinner was ready.

I still want those waffles with spinach, avocaco and bacon some day soon though.

Extraterrestrial Accommodation

Looking for a new place with something extra? Here it is.

Photo: Scanpix

Instead of Show & Tell

Easter is a time to catch up on some reading! Happy Easter!



English summary: you probably read more than almost everybody in the world. Surprisingly you have a long way to go before you become a real "book geek". Does it make you disappointed? Dr Geek prescribes one week at a book camp, purchase of at least one pair of reading glasses and a literary guided tour a month.

Global Talk with Miliband

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband was in Sweden yesterday, a visit that I helped to set up. The Minister of course met with his Swedish opposite number, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, and the Leader of the Opposition, Social Democrat Mona Sahlin, but he also took part in two interactive sessions, one at a local upper secondary school specialising in globalisation and sustainable development and one at Fryshuset, a social project centre.

At the upper secondary school he discussed globalisation and climate change with pupils in year 2 (17-year-olds). The whole event was webcasted and you can hear both Miliband's short introductory speech and the Q&A session between him and the students. (If you look carefully you might spot me at the back of the room towards the door!)

In his speech Miliband said that globalisation has benefited - especially countries such as Sweden and the UK - substantially. Trade has made us richer, cultural exchange has given us a much more dynamic society, and co-operation with other states makes our countries stronger and more influential.

But it has also brought a new type of uncertainty within both the economy and politics that forces states to act in a new way. Issues that belonged to domestic politics have now become "foreign policy". Environmental issues reflects this phenomenon very well. Earlier the problems were local, e.g. the smog in London caused by industrialisation. Today there are global problems that must be solved with global solutions. The environment is a very important issue also on the agenda of foreign ministers.

Miliband said - and this is one of the most interesting points - that climate change is not just or mainly an environmental problem. Environmental problems is a symptom while the problems are those of conflicts (over resources) and forced migration. These are issues that have consequences for other countries since large groups are forced to migrate. In that way climate change is strongly linked to both economic issues and foreign policy.

Another interesting point Miliband made is that it is important to see that the solutions (i.e. reducing carbon emissions) are not strictly technical. It is about ethics and values. The technology exists but the problem is who should pay, who should bear the burden.

Also, if you take it down to the individual level, Miliband said that we all have an individual responsibility to reduce our personal carbon footprint. But governments have to make it easy for people to raise their awareness and change their behaviour, for example by regulating against fossil-high cars and low-efficient lightbulbs.

I will post the link to the Fryshuset event once it is up.

Show & Tell: Change

This week's theme is change. Two different things sprung to mind:

• Climate Change - the change happening and the change we need to make
• Gender equality and the change achieved and the lack of change

I have chosen the second topic this time around. It would have probably been the perfect post for last Saturday, which was International Women's Day, but six days late isn't too bad!

8 VOICES ON GENDER EQUALITY IN SWEDEN
First, some thoughts from Swedish personalities on the best and worst with being a woman in Sweden today*.

Jan Guillou, author:
- The best is that we live in the world's most gender equal country. The worst is that the gender equality has not come very far. (It's all relative.)

Katrine Kielos, temp. Editor-in-Chief, Dagens Arena, columnist
- That we live the world's most gender equal country according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2007. At the same time the worst thing is that Sweden is not gender equal, just least unequal according to the same report.

Pär Ström, integrity and gender equality debater, author of the book "Mansförtryck and kvinnovälde" (Oppression of men and female empire):
- The best with being a woman is that there is great understanding and great interest in society for women's problems and difficulties. The worst is that Sweden to an unusual high degree has typical female and male professions. This has to do with people's free choice, but a consequence is that it is more difficult for the average women to have a career.

Anitra Steen, CEO Systembolaget [state monopoly alcohol stores]:
- The absolute best thing is that there is an infrastructure that makes it possible to have children and at the same time develop your career and yourself. That there are childcare, parental leave allowance and other tools helping one to manage family life in parallel with a career. I don't want to point out the worst things; I think that the most dangerous a woman can do is to see herself as a victim, then I rather see the advantages.

Thomas Bodström, Chair of Parliament Justice Committee:
- The best is that we probably live in the most gender equal country. The worst is that women are being abused and sexually assaulted in Sweden today.

Ebba Witt-Brattström, Professor in Literature, feminist
- That we have a global task to before the world's women show that it is possible to achieve our relatively high degree of gender equality, and at the same time combat the increasing contempt for women within and outside the country. The worst is that we right now have a meaningless debate about feminism directed by the media and with little relevance to women's reality.

Tobias Billström, Minister for Migration
- We live in one of the world's most gender equal countries. But there are still informal barriers, for example that womens labour market is so limited to the public sector.

Dilsa Demirbag-Sten, journalist and author
- The best is that me and my male fellow beings are equal before the law. That I live in a country where the state is obliged to protect me from oppression on the basis of religion, opinion, gender or sexual orientation. The worst is cultural relativism, that women are still oppressed in the name of culture and religion.

A FEMINIST GOVERNMENT VOICE
Second, some thoughts from the Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg**. I didn't vote for them and I don't agree with most of the stuff they are doing, but Borg is one of the most sensible members of the Cabinet and he's not afraid of calling himself a feminist.

Why do you call yourself a feminist?
- Because I think it is one of our time's greatest restriction on freedom that men and women are limited by gender roles, that say what they should do and shouldn't do. Freedom is about shaping your own life, and the fact that gender roles endure is one of the greatest barriers.

It has been a bit taboo to call oneself a feminist in your party [Moderates/Conservatives], why is that?
- Historically it's been like that, but I think the attitude has changed a lot. Young people want to have the right to shape their own lives and young fathers want to be part of family life. If you want to live a good life you must take responsibility for your children and then you cannot let gender roles hinder that.

The lack of gender equality is one of Sweden's and Europe's biggest problem. When did you have your feminist awakening?
- I have worked with gender equality issues for a long time, but it becomes more concrete when you have children. More practice and less theory.

What can you as Finance Minister do to reduce the gaps between women and men?
- At the moment there is a positive development, women's salaries are increasing and women work more so that their incomes are growing. The one with the power over the money has great influence over the family; if women earn 40% less than men it has consequences. I work for getting women into the labour market, and making it easier for them when they are there.

What development has been most important during the 2000s from a feminist perspective?
- I think that the gender equality work has stood still. The positive exception is that I think I'm seeing that young men are more active as parents. When I took parental leave for the first time people laughed and said "now he's going on vacation". But the next time I saw a change in attitudes.

What is the most important feminist issue for you right now?
- The gender equality bonus. When a couple share the parental leave, and the lowest earner go back to work and the highest earner stay at home, they get 3,000 SEK in tax reductions each month.

What is required from the feminists of the future?
- You have to make yourself aware and discuss these issues with others. You have a personal responsibility.

* Source: Svenska Dagbladet 8 March 2008
* Interview in Dagens nyheter 2 March 2008

Compact Living

My fellow blogger Skolfröken is planning to fix up her bathroom ahead of the arrival of a little baby in the family. One piece of equipment that she and her husband will really need is a washing machine. But their bathroom isn't big enough - what do to? Skolfröken is looking into alternatives, notably to put the machine in the adjacent walk-in-closet.

But Skolis, I have found the solution:

The two-in-one washing machine and sink!

Picture from www.smeg.se

It also comes in baby blue!

Sunday Fun

My Sunday: big brunch buffet at Enskede värdshus with friends, some shopping in Sickla and weekly cleaning of the flat.

For you, a funny list if you haven't had a laugh today (my favourites in italics):

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

2. Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often.

3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.

4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.

6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.

7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

8. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.

9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.

10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.

11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of cheques.

12. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.

13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.

14. Men are from earth, Women are from earth... Deal with it.

15. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.

16. A balanced diet is a biscuit in each hand.

17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.

18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.

19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.

20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.

21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognise a mistake when you make it again.

22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.

23. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy fridge.

24. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.

25. It's not the jeans that make your bum look fat.

26. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings".

27. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".

28. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

29. You should not confuse your career with your life.

30. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

31. Never lick a steak knife.

32. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

33. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we put the clocks back.

34. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

35. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.

36. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

37. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.

38. Your friends love you anyway.

39. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

Show & Tell: Favourite Clothes

This week's theme for Show & Tell is favourite item of clothing. That's a really easy choice for me. My favourite garment is the dress jacket. I counted to 16 jackets in my wardrobe:

• 2 black thin striped
• 1 light gray thin striped
• 1 dark blue thin striped
• 1 grey thin striped
• 1 thin striped
• 1 bright pink
• 1 moss green in some sort of felt material
• 1 green, sort of mix between regular green and turquoise
• 1 brown in velvet
• 1 pink in velvet
• 1 brown in corduroy
• 1 white
• 1 mint
• 1 checkered in white and pink
• 1 speckled in black and white (appears grey)

Some are part of a two-piece but most of them are just excellent attire on their own, especially with jeans.

I don't have a red one though....

* Picture from Enter Annie's World

...maybe I should get one?! But my boyfriend says I can't buy anymore for a while...

Centre of Chocolate

I took Dr Phil's personality test through Facebook and found that the results were pretty accurate actually:

Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who will always cheer them up and help them out.

Maybe not the centre of attention part. I mean, I'm not shy and I like to talk, but it's not like I'm looking for attention for the sake of it. I'm a good listener and I think those who know me think I'm a pretty good friend!

P.S. I can report that Peter did bring some chocolate back from Brussels for me! And even more luxurious one than I had asked for!

Show & Tell: With or Without

I thought long and hard about this week's theme and planned for a while to write about etiquette, focussing on the pros and cons of such rules, when they are useful and when you can live without them. But then I started thinking about my recent trip to South Africa and the haves and have-nots in that country. Here are a few pictures that illustrate the poverty that still exists in South Africa.

Townships in Cape Town

Also Cape Town

A woman with her child in Cape Town - the girl was so cute!

It may not look like it but they did have electricity.

Trying the local brew in Cape Town.

Kiptown in Johannesburg - 60% of the population here have HIV/Aids.

It doesn't matter how poor you are, you can always play football and dream about becoming a pro.

We thought they were drinking milk but sadly we learned later that beer comes in cartons.

This is funny and tragic at the same time.

Water is a scarcity but smiles plentiful.