Nightmare Drive

We are finally back after a nightmare drive back in a snowstorm. We have ordered some food and are just going to collapse onto the sofa for the rest of the evening.

I will update with some pictures tomorrow!

My clever husband got us home safely

Day 1

Yesterday we arrived at a very snowy and pretty Sälen. Proper winter wonderland. The drive up was quick so we arrived too early to acces our flat, and we started with doing a couple of runs before checking in.

In the evening we rested and had some dinner in the flat. It's a very nice place I must say, with an open fire place that James lit last night until we were all boiling hot.

Off To Sälen

Off to Sälen, bye!

Sälen Here We Come!

James' parents arrived yesterday, and tomorrow we are off to Sälen. We are spending New Years there skiing.
I have never been there before so I am very excited about trying all the slopes and seeing a new ski-resort.

If I get a chance I will post some pictures on here!

Anniversary

So on Friday we celebrated our one year engagement anniversary. We basically repeated the same night as we had last year when James proposed.

It feels really strange that it has been a year, it has gone so quick! At the same time so much has happened since then, and so much has changed.

We went to the Plaza for some drinks before we headed off to the restaurant, Jernberghska.

Plaza

This time we were not as happy with it as we were last time. The service wasn't as good, and the food not the same as when we were there last year. But we still really enjoyed it and had a great romantic evening.

 

Thank you James for taking me there and letting me relive our romantic night from last year! I love you!!

Anniversary

One year ago...

Sälen!

Oh how exciting, we are going to Sälen for New Years! Sälen is one of the biggest skiing resort in Sweden, and we are going there with James' parents. It will be great, lots of skiing and other winter activities. I am excited!
Click here for a clip of James' mum trying to put her skis on when we where in Romme a few years ago. It makes me laugh every single time!

Happy Birthday Annika!

On Monday it was my sister's birthday, and we all went there for some dinner to celebrate her. I had bought a necklace for her when me and Gabriella where in Stockholm.

Gabriella had bought her some butterfly earrings, and wrapped them up in about 25 layers of wrapping paper. She was laughing her head off as it took Annika a good 15 minutes to unwrap it.


The wrapping paper



The present

We decided what we are doing for Christmas, we are all going to my parents house which will be nice. I also invited everyone to celebrate my birthday on the 10th in the weekend before I turn 26 (!).

My birthday is on the 14th and then we will probably just stay in and treat ourselves to a nice meal. On the Friday James is taking me to the same restaurant that we went to last year when he proposed, to celebrate my birthday and our first engagement anniversary.

On the 17th I am having some friends over for a wine and karaoke night, so I will be properly celebrated this year and December will be a busy and eventful month!

Swedish Smörgåsbord

In Sweden for Christmas we normally have a buffet type meal, a "smorgasbord". Platters with cold meats like ham, turkey, roast beef and salami. Different types of salmon. The all famous herring, sill (which I don't like).
We have meatballs, a type of potatoe gratin, ribs and sausages. Different types of cheese, crackers and bread. Normally for dessert we have porridge and lots of different sweets.

On Friday I went for Christmas dinner with work. I love buffets, as there is always something for everyone! I went for the cold meats, had a bit of salmon and then went straight for the CHEESE! Cheddar cheese on crackers, bread and biscuits. I had so much cheese I couldn't even finish my dessert.

Good evening in other words.

I was happy

Pilkrog. Last year it was freezing cold with lots of snow.
This year it was raining.



Foood!



The dessert that I couldn't finish

A Day Out In Köping

Yesterday we felt like going out for a bit so we went in to Köping.

We walked around the shops and to Systemet and then we had lunch in the Bishop's Arms, which is an English pub. It's nice but very expensive. Pub food in Sweden is not the same as in England.

Ah well we deserved it!

In the car for our 10 minute drive to Köping. I love my "LOVE" gloves!

Köping town centre, horrible weather

Starter

Bowling

 

This is what I have been up to tonight, bowling with work. I am not very good at it.

We also had a buffe (yes I tried everything at once)

You like my new top? Another bargain from Stockholm

Happy Birthday Kopparlundsgymnasiet

Sorry about not updating properly, but here are some pictures from the party on Saturday!

Ready to go. I don't look excited but I was!

I met up with Nathalie and Karin who I spent a lot of time with back then. Reminiscing!

Me and Nathalie

Then we met Elvis!

I tried to take a picture of my outfit

I met Anton and got this happy!

A really good night!

Our Weekend

On Friday Timmy came over for a bit.

Yesterday I went to the Kopparlund party, my old college celebrated 10 years. It was a great night, I met loads of old teacher and class mates that I haven't seen for years!

More about that and some pictures later on.

Today we are repeating our last two Sundays with riding together. I need to think up new things to challenge James now, he is making so much progress!

Party

Today we are going to celebrate Gabriella's birthday, and then I am off to the Koppalund party, yey!

I almost wasn't going as I didn't think anyone else was, but now there are quite a few of us.

Thank you facebook.

That Time When We Didn't See Rihanna

More now about our failed try to watch Rihanna in concert.

We got the train from Västerås on the Wednesday, went to Stockholm and checked in to Globen Hotel. Then we quickly got ready and went to join Gabriella's friends in the queue. We were in the Golden Circle just below the stage, and they wanted to make sure that we would get to the front.

In the queue, help us!

After two hours worth of queuing (us and thousands of youngsters that were singing Rihanna songs out of tune, smoking and pushing and being annoying) the doors opened! We managed to get to the very front, and stood right next to the stage, with only a few people in front of us. Result!

At first we were all excited, cameras ready, waiting for something to happen. But the time went on. The warm up act should have started playing at 7.30, but nothing happened. At 7.45 we were getting impatient. Our backs were killing us from standing up for so long, we couldn't move or breathe properly as it was so crowded, and still nothing happened! At 8.00 we started looking at the time every two minutes, it was now 30 minutes late!

Then finally at 8.15 the lights went on, and everyone cheered! Finally!!

Then this man walks on to the stage clasping a piece of paper. "I am afraid I have very bad news." he said.
The concert was cancelled!

Me and Gabriella just turned around and walked straight out. Some people were sitting on the floor, crying or screaming, but what was the point in staying? Nothing was going to happen. We just couldn't believe that had just happened to us, we were almost in chock as we made our way back to our hotel room. What just happened!? What do we do now?

Right I said, lets go to the cinema! We have to do SOMETHING, we can't just sit in our room. So off we went, watched a mediocre film (The Three Musketeers) before we got back, knackered and hungry. By then everything was closed though, so we had some biscuits and then went to bed.

I will always remember this as that time when we didn't see Rihanna.

I do understand that people get sick, she is not superhuman but a normal girl who gets ill sometimes. What I don't understand though is why they didn't inform everyone earlier? I wish they would have just made a decision to cancel and let the girl get well, and we could have done something more productive with our day.

That's life though, things don't always go as planned and you just have to make the best of it. We were still in Stockholm and had a fun day of shopping planned. More about that later on.

Gabriella



Me and Gabriella drowning in an ocean of people



The stage, we were so close!

Our hotel room

Big Time Fail

So it didn't go too well yesterday. After having queued for about four hours we managed to get to the very front, meters from the stage!
But two hours later and 45 minutes after the warm up band should have started this man comes on stage informing us that unfortunately Rihanna is not well and will be unable to perform.

The show is cancelled.

We Are On!

Now we are off to Stockholm for a great night watching Rihanna and then some shopping tomorrow!

Byyyyyyyeeee!

* pic from aftonbladet.se

Come On Rihanna

Tomorrow me and Gabriella are off to Stockholm to see Rihanna's show, and then stay in a hotel! At least I hope we are, apparently Rihanna has come down with the flu and is in hospital at the moment!

Oh what a disappointment if this was cancelled, we have been looking forward to this for 9 months!

Fingers crossed she will recuperate quickly!

Soweto Choir

Last week I went with my mum and dad to see the South African Soweto Choir.

When they started singing I got all teary eyed. It took me back to our honeymoon, and the rest of the performance I sat there with such a big smile my face started switching. It was a shame James was ill and couldn't come, I would have loved for him to be there!

Having some coffee before the show

My mum walking up the steps to the balcony where we sat

The view, Västerås Konserthus, when we got there
I think every single seat was taken, and in the end everyone got up to dance!

There were 25 of them, and each and every single one could have been a solo artist. Whitney Houston times 25! It was amazing, and so inspiring and joyful to watch. They even got us stiff Swedes in the audience to get up and dance in the end.

Thank you to my parents who took me, and to my dad for suggesting it!

Gripsholms Slott

Today I made a trip to Mariefred with Madde, Peter and their two little boys. James was working and I didn't have anything planned so it was perfect when they invited me along.

Here's the day in pictures.

We walked over to Gripsholm's Castle

The Pilstrand family

Madéleine, Adrian, Peter and Killian

 

Swans

Me with my family the Swans

Gripsholm's Castle

Madde

Dragon Cannon

Wishing well. I made a wish too, but I can't tell you what it was for...!

Then we went for some afternoon tea

All you can eat buffet, love it!

Yum

Yum yum

Adrian

The view