20:11:23
2011 December- Early Happy New Years!
What a fantastic year it has been!!
This year has so quickly passed me by but I really can say, it sure has been one heck of a good year.
These last few weeks I have at separate occasions been talking to friends about how the year svirled by and it has given me so many good memories, met great new people and kept in touch and built stronger bonds with great friends, and last but not the last, the year has been filled with so many good laughs :)
So what happened 2011 that makes it such a great year!?!?
Let's take a look at it.....
January
January started out pretty turbulent but hey, it could only get better, at least that is what I told myself and sure it did!
I sold my condo in Hammarby. I also decided to make peace with myself and dealt with some personal issues/ dileammas that I have needed to deal with and get off my chest for way too many years. Sometimes it is good to clean out the closet and throw out a lot of garbage :)
February
I moved back in to my rental. It was my 4th move in 4 1/2 years. Despite my anguish it actually ended up being a real smooth move. Impressed! So now I am back at the same place as 4 years ago! Though, I was only gone from this unit for for 1 1/2 years. No matter what, it really felt like coming home!
This month I also went skiiing for a long weekend (thur-sun) with work in Björnrike, Vemdalen. We had a great fun time except for that I tore a ligament in one of my knees. Due to that injury I had to cancel my skiing trip to the French alps ;(
March
Åre here I come...I thought. My knee still didn't feel good so I ended up going up north with out being able to ski...but I partied instead and I had great company. Great weekend!
This is also the month when I bought my roadbike and the last weekend in March I went on my first road bike trip. It was about 40-45 km long and I sure was dead beat when I got home. BUT, I was hooked! Speedy and fast...so neat! Love it!
April
My niece Tuva turns 2!
One would think April is not a month to go skiiing. I joined a friend who was going up to to Abisko (north of Kiruna) and the Pure Freeride camp. It was awesome. I got to try ice climbing, avalanche course and ski touring and off pist skiing. It was really awesome. My knee held itself together but I sure was sore after 2 days of intense skiing!
And of course, biking season is going on every Saturday. At 10 o'clock every Saturday morning I got on the bike to do at least 40 km.
May
I turned 34 and I went to Rome!
My oldest childhood friend Sara, a friend of hers, my friend Steph who lives in London and I goes to Rome for a girls weekend. I fell in love with Rome! I sure can go back in a heart beat! What a beautiful city!
June
My friends Sonja and Babette came for a visit over the Swedish "National dagen" weekend. What a great time I had with my two lovely German friends. Both girls I got to know when living in ChicagoI got to know these girls when I lived in Chicago.
Also, finally my goal for the biking season is here, Tjejvättern. It is a 100 km race and I did it on my own and biked it under 4 hours! I am really really content! Sure was exhausted afterwards since the last 10 km I had a real strong wind against me.
It is already Midsummer!! I got an invite I couldn't resist. I was going to celebrate midsummer in the traditional area of Dalarna! My friend Malin's family have, I guess one can almost call it a ranch since it contains several cottages. One of the houses has been a barn but today it is the main house where they have a kitchen. I believe the oldest houses are from the 17th centuary. Lovely place however, utilites like running water and toilets were not really existing. So unless you are ok with going potty outdoors or to the outdoor house, not taking a shower for 2-3 days, I guess this midsummer wasn't for you. I had a fantastic midsummer! We ended up being about 11 people; 8 adults, 3 kids and 4 dogs. Such great fun people. Most of them I had never met but felt right at home.
July
My brother Klas is coming home for a 3 week visit from Austrailia. I haven't seen him since February 2008! So it was such a great time. But when times are fun they unfortunately goes way to fast! It really made me realize how much I miss having him close by. When we both lived in Chicago I used to see him and his wife Melissa pretty often. The distance between us these days makes it tough to get together as frequent as I would like to.
Also, my friend Eric from Chicago came to Sweden with his parents to visit relatives and take a look at their heritage. It has been over 5 years since I saw Eric. It was great fun to see him and catch up. I will never forget your last evening in Stockholm Eric! We sure had a lot of fun!
August
Month that had fun things going on but no specific agenda.
September
Reunion at the Oktoberfest in Munich! During summer when Sonja and Tanja were here we hung out with my riends Åsa and Lisa. It was then we decided that we were going to come down to Munich for the Oktoberfest. It was also during this weekend in June that me and Sonja called out mutual american chica Beth who at that time lived in Sydney. We called and said that she now needs to come to the Oktoberfest and we already had bought her a dirndl so she had now other option than coming to Munich! We ended up being 10 girls, Swedish, German and American that met up for Oktoberfest in our bought dirndls!
I start renovating my unit....it should be small a renovation.....well, my friends now I don't do anything semi decent. So it turns into a rather large renovation....by tearing down parts of a wall.
Oktober
I went to Malmö and Copenhagen with work. Great times.
Me and Lisa also went to Paris for a short weekend. I don't think we even were there for 48 hours. But we had a fantastic time and I need to go back! We stayed about 500 meters away from the Eiffel tour and we saw it from the living room where we stayed.
Renovation is still going.....
November
Slow month....feels like nothing happens.
Renovation is still going.....feels like I am not getting anywhere.
December
My niece Vendela is turning 5! I really can't believe how big she has gotten!
Lucia and Christmas. I spend x-mas with my brother Pelle and his family. I always go and have breakfast in the morning and then I stay there for the rest of the day.
New Years....well, it is two days away but I am up in Sälen with my childhood friend Cillan and her friend Ida. So this weekend I will do some skiing. Great way to end this year!
Well, I guess that wraps up this years. I hope I get to see many of you that I have been hanging out with this year but I also hope to connect with friends next year that I haven't gotten a chance to connect with this year!
I wish you all a Happy 2012!
This year has so quickly passed me by but I really can say, it sure has been one heck of a good year.
These last few weeks I have at separate occasions been talking to friends about how the year svirled by and it has given me so many good memories, met great new people and kept in touch and built stronger bonds with great friends, and last but not the last, the year has been filled with so many good laughs :)
So what happened 2011 that makes it such a great year!?!?
Let's take a look at it.....
January
January started out pretty turbulent but hey, it could only get better, at least that is what I told myself and sure it did!
I sold my condo in Hammarby. I also decided to make peace with myself and dealt with some personal issues/ dileammas that I have needed to deal with and get off my chest for way too many years. Sometimes it is good to clean out the closet and throw out a lot of garbage :)
February
I moved back in to my rental. It was my 4th move in 4 1/2 years. Despite my anguish it actually ended up being a real smooth move. Impressed! So now I am back at the same place as 4 years ago! Though, I was only gone from this unit for for 1 1/2 years. No matter what, it really felt like coming home!
This month I also went skiiing for a long weekend (thur-sun) with work in Björnrike, Vemdalen. We had a great fun time except for that I tore a ligament in one of my knees. Due to that injury I had to cancel my skiing trip to the French alps ;(
March
Åre here I come...I thought. My knee still didn't feel good so I ended up going up north with out being able to ski...but I partied instead and I had great company. Great weekend!
This is also the month when I bought my roadbike and the last weekend in March I went on my first road bike trip. It was about 40-45 km long and I sure was dead beat when I got home. BUT, I was hooked! Speedy and fast...so neat! Love it!
April
My niece Tuva turns 2!
One would think April is not a month to go skiiing. I joined a friend who was going up to to Abisko (north of Kiruna) and the Pure Freeride camp. It was awesome. I got to try ice climbing, avalanche course and ski touring and off pist skiing. It was really awesome. My knee held itself together but I sure was sore after 2 days of intense skiing!
And of course, biking season is going on every Saturday. At 10 o'clock every Saturday morning I got on the bike to do at least 40 km.
May
I turned 34 and I went to Rome!
My oldest childhood friend Sara, a friend of hers, my friend Steph who lives in London and I goes to Rome for a girls weekend. I fell in love with Rome! I sure can go back in a heart beat! What a beautiful city!
June
My friends Sonja and Babette came for a visit over the Swedish "National dagen" weekend. What a great time I had with my two lovely German friends. Both girls I got to know when living in ChicagoI got to know these girls when I lived in Chicago.
Also, finally my goal for the biking season is here, Tjejvättern. It is a 100 km race and I did it on my own and biked it under 4 hours! I am really really content! Sure was exhausted afterwards since the last 10 km I had a real strong wind against me.
It is already Midsummer!! I got an invite I couldn't resist. I was going to celebrate midsummer in the traditional area of Dalarna! My friend Malin's family have, I guess one can almost call it a ranch since it contains several cottages. One of the houses has been a barn but today it is the main house where they have a kitchen. I believe the oldest houses are from the 17th centuary. Lovely place however, utilites like running water and toilets were not really existing. So unless you are ok with going potty outdoors or to the outdoor house, not taking a shower for 2-3 days, I guess this midsummer wasn't for you. I had a fantastic midsummer! We ended up being about 11 people; 8 adults, 3 kids and 4 dogs. Such great fun people. Most of them I had never met but felt right at home.
July
My brother Klas is coming home for a 3 week visit from Austrailia. I haven't seen him since February 2008! So it was such a great time. But when times are fun they unfortunately goes way to fast! It really made me realize how much I miss having him close by. When we both lived in Chicago I used to see him and his wife Melissa pretty often. The distance between us these days makes it tough to get together as frequent as I would like to.
Also, my friend Eric from Chicago came to Sweden with his parents to visit relatives and take a look at their heritage. It has been over 5 years since I saw Eric. It was great fun to see him and catch up. I will never forget your last evening in Stockholm Eric! We sure had a lot of fun!
August
Month that had fun things going on but no specific agenda.
September
Reunion at the Oktoberfest in Munich! During summer when Sonja and Tanja were here we hung out with my riends Åsa and Lisa. It was then we decided that we were going to come down to Munich for the Oktoberfest. It was also during this weekend in June that me and Sonja called out mutual american chica Beth who at that time lived in Sydney. We called and said that she now needs to come to the Oktoberfest and we already had bought her a dirndl so she had now other option than coming to Munich! We ended up being 10 girls, Swedish, German and American that met up for Oktoberfest in our bought dirndls!
I start renovating my unit....it should be small a renovation.....well, my friends now I don't do anything semi decent. So it turns into a rather large renovation....by tearing down parts of a wall.
Oktober
I went to Malmö and Copenhagen with work. Great times.
Me and Lisa also went to Paris for a short weekend. I don't think we even were there for 48 hours. But we had a fantastic time and I need to go back! We stayed about 500 meters away from the Eiffel tour and we saw it from the living room where we stayed.
Renovation is still going.....
November
Slow month....feels like nothing happens.
Renovation is still going.....feels like I am not getting anywhere.
December
My niece Vendela is turning 5! I really can't believe how big she has gotten!
Lucia and Christmas. I spend x-mas with my brother Pelle and his family. I always go and have breakfast in the morning and then I stay there for the rest of the day.
New Years....well, it is two days away but I am up in Sälen with my childhood friend Cillan and her friend Ida. So this weekend I will do some skiing. Great way to end this year!
Well, I guess that wraps up this years. I hope I get to see many of you that I have been hanging out with this year but I also hope to connect with friends next year that I haven't gotten a chance to connect with this year!
I wish you all a Happy 2012!