Moving

Just a very quick note to say that we have to day initiated Mission Move. Got the keys and dumped a load of boxes in the apartment. The rest will follow tomorrow, Michael included...

Oh, we got snow today! It was snowing quite a bit, and even stayed. Very nice, but maybe not the very weekend we're moving as it's supposed to get very icy....

Quick step

Today Michael surpassed himself in the world of exercise.
I was taking the baba's for a walk, a long walk, and asked if the boys wanted to come. Well, I did not as much ask as tell them that they were coming. Liam has learnt the lesson, and opted for the bike.
Michael on the other hand said, with a confident smile, that he'd be able to keep up no problem.
So, we stepped outside and the first thing Michael said was... "It's raining...I'm not walking!" And that with only a slight drizzle! I mean, the boy is Irish, he should be used to it by now!!
Anyways, off we trotted (Liam cycling), and the rain did actually increase. Then again, it wasn't like it was lashing down or anything.
Already after 100 meters or so, Michael go all winded and got a nice red glow to his cheeks, and I decided that maybe we shouldn't go for the 7 km walk I had intended... Instead we turned right and headed for my normal 3 km morning walk.
I have to admit now, that Michael did keep up quite well to start with. He plodded on like a stubborn old plodder of a horse, so fair play to him.
As we were coming to the end of walk, we let Michael decide whether to turn right and head straight home, or go left and extend the walk a bit. And to my surprise he choose left!
4,5 km's later we arrived home, and Michael collapsed on the couch. I don't need to say that Liam made fun of him the entire walk, asking if he wanted to sit on the back of the bike, and constantly saying that Michael should have chosen the bike as well.
Liam has learnt the hard way that the bike really is the better option. I refuse to walk with him, cause he walks so slowly...
But, a nice walk it was indeed!

After recovering we played a game of card or two, and I WHOPPED their arses... or...hmmm...should I be honest??? They well and truly whopped my arse in the first game, but I beat the pair of them well and good the second time around!!

Train or not...

The philosophical question of the day is if the light at the end of the tunnel is a high speed train coming towards me, or God on a "dressin" (see photo above) carrying a lantern in his hand looking for me.

I opt for the latter, cause of course he’s out there looking for me, and Liam, to bring us safe and sound through the tunnel.

I am currently reading this fantastic blog about a man born with CP. At birth he got the umbilical cord stuck around his neck, and was without oxygen. Never has he or his family thought of him as handicapped, or made special allowances for him. For his birthdays he was given things like roller skates, and other “impossible” gifts for someone who’s been told he’ll never walk, never talk properly and never live on his own.

Throughout his life he as proven the scientists wrong by learning to walk and scrapping the wheel chair, learning to talk and going to university, move to his own flat, get a driving license and starting his own business.

All this through sheer bloody mindedness and never accepting anything as impossible and never giving up his dreams but making them true.

Today he’s a writer, stand up comedian, and travels around the country giving seminars.

One of the things he comes back to a lot is that you have to look at life through the positive magnifying glasses, and DECIDE to be happy and see the silver lining on every cloud – no matter how big.

He wrote in one blog that happiness is that what you wouldn’t give up for any money in the world. In my case that is Liam, my dogs, my family and friends, my health and my life. Looking at all those things, all the happiness in my life I really wonder why I spend so much time focusing on the not so good things that happen, and give them such space in my life. Why is it so much easier focusing on that?

It is all a matter of changing focus to all that is beautiful, bright and good. After all, we all have food on the table, we have a roof over our head, we have clothes on our body and we have those we love near. What else do we really need??

Counting days...

…till we get to move to our apartment! The coulour scheme discussion is in full swing, with me wanting beige and red in the sitting room, while Liam says they don’t go together. Obviously he’s wrong, and the room will end up in beige and red, but it is interesting to see how different one’s opinion on colours can be!
The red I want is sort of a autumny red, with more orange in it, as opposed to a Christmas red or blood red. Liam on the other hand says that the colour I’m going for is not red, but orange. Which leaves me asking what the heck he’d call a carrot, and can he not see the difference in colour between a carrot and the RED I want.

I can’t wait to tell him about the other colours I want… In the end we will agree on me picking the colours and him doing the painting. That’s only fair, isn’t it??

Have started to prepare the doggies that their day’s of free food supplies in the shape of my dad are numbered. Don’t think they quite understand how serious it is though… At the moment food is magically appearing from the skies every 5 minutes or so…

Weather can at the moment be described with one word. Grey. But, it doesn’t matter that much as long as the weekends continue to be glorious.

Down like a pancake - up like a sun...

Would be a word by word translation of the Swedish expression Upp som en sol, ner som en pannkaka...

Now, there has been a few not so good events the last few days..

These are a few keywords summoning the past week, please feel free to fill in as you see fit.

Michael arrives - stays at hostel- starts working- Liam tries to sign contract - works 7 days straight - not given contract - shit pay - donkey owner - shouting - Michael staying with us for weekend no rooms in town - donkey tells Liam to work over time for buffet - starts 2pm arrives home 5,45am - told no pay from 10.15pm - over time "favour" to donkey- knackered - expected to work 2pm next day - gets bad chest same day - phones in sick - gets shouted at - 3 times - owner tells M he'll kill L - M doesn't get home - S a bit worried - L phones - M asleep on train from 5.50am-8.30am - travels between Uppsala - tierp-gävle-tierp-uppsala - S laughs - L to doctor - lungs totally fucked - torn chest muscles - off sick 1 week - doctors says no more kitchens - lots of medication - L rather depressed.

There is a happy ending to this though, at least when it comes to Liam's mood - and my mood too. I have had a few weeks of worrying, Liam has been totally overworked lately and we really haven't seen any of each other; and on top of this Liam getting really ill... Today we went up to see Tess, in a glorious autumn weather, and that alone is enough to turn things around. She has such a magical way of making us both feel better! We had a long chat about everything and put things into perspective. And had moose for lunch, as fresh as it gets!! It was delivered to the door from the current moose hunt.
We left Åsen feeling a lot better, and even closer than before. God never closes a door without opening a window!
Came home to a Micheal who only just got out of bed - at 5pm. The poor thing had to wait until 7,20 this morning to go home. No earlier trains... Then a fab dinner and a lovely glass of the red stuff. The boys had a sauna (I opted out, for some unknown reason...) while I took the baba's for a walk.

Oh, we bought a cough yesterday!! Or rather, I found it online on a e-bay kind of a site, and phoned them straight away. Unfortunately, another lady had phoned and was going to come and veiw the couch on Sunday, but the promised to give me a buzz if she didn't want it.
I hung up, and thought "But I want that couch!!!". It was exactly the same couch we'd seen in the shop and decided to buy, only this was 3000SEK cheaper!
Then decided to be a bit cheeky, and phoned them up again, and offered 5000 instead of the 4500 they asked for. Done deal!!! We're going to get it tomorrow! Where we'll put it until we move I don't know though...

Chest infection.........

Does it sound familiar? And yes, it is Liam. He' really quite poor, and for real. I was hoping we wouldn't have to fight with these stupid infections here where it's not quite as damp, but obviously not. I think Liam working 7 days straight didn't help either...

Woke up this morning and it was absolutely lashing down! Abi had no intention what so ever or putting her little paws out there in all that wet stuff - not a hope. Zassi as usual didn't really mind at all, as long as she could chase the neighbour's cat.

We got our car back today!! Happy days! It has been at the doctors to have a few bits and bobs sorted, including the exhaust. Can't say that it's silent now, as it was only the big hole that was fixed, and we still sort of need to change the whole bloody exhaust at some point. But, it is better. Then there was the wheel bearings in the front, and our screeeeeeching fan belt; now sorted.

Will take it for a proper test drive on Saturday, and go and see Tess. Haven't seen her since the wedding, and must see if she has dyed her hair blond for Michael....

The Eagle...got lost...

...or at least missed the train. Twice. The eagle in this case is of course Michael.
He was supposed to arrive to Hotel Berlin this morning, and Liam - being a dutiful big brother - went down to meet him. Twice. But - no Michael.

I can understand someone missing a train once, but twice...Hmm...

Liam's working very late tonight, something about a buffet for tomorrow that needed to be prepared. How am I going to sleep tonight???? Ah well, at least Abi will be happy to have his pillow all to herself!

1 month!

Already...Time sure flies...

Yesterday Liam was working as usual, and took the doggies for a long fab walk. Did try to take some photos to show you all, but the camera and I had slight disagreements...

Later, I travelled in to Uppsala to help Michael find the apartment he was viewing a room in. A bit like a blind leading a blind, but we got there in the end. After a bit of walking around... Didn't help one bit that Michael said it was number 16, when in fact it was 63E...

I think he will enjoy Uppsala though... His statement yesterday was "I have never seen as many pretty girls in one place ever before". The guys who is letting a room are students, and when they heard that Michaels main hobby is Girls informed him that 60 per cent of all students in Uppsala (and there are LOADS of them) are...girls. Think Michael might start studying...

Once we'd made our way back in to the town centre, (with Michael very close to a heart attack due to all the walking) we popped in to the pub for a bite to eat, and to see if Liam was ready to go home.

A hamburger and a plate of nachos later the chef finished his shift and we all headed for the train station.

Just outside the trainstation there is this little kiosk place, and Liam bluntly stated he needed a coffee or he'd die. And thanks to this coffee we missed the train, and found ourselves forced to go to a bar for a pint while waiting for the next train...

Today my lovely husband is off, and will hopefully greet me with a rose and a romantic candle lit dinner... Come to think of it, all I really need is a few hours in his company - there has been way too little of that lately...

Sun, glorious sun!!

Isn't it amazing how much easier the day seems as soon as the sun decides to make an appearance?

Got woken up yesterday morning, well actually - first time must have been around half two-ish, as my brother took their two puppies out into the garden. And as the puppies they are, on coming back in they were fully awake and wanted to play. Very loudly. This, in turn, woke Zassi up with the intention of killing the intruders. So she ran around in our bedroom barking and growling, woke Liam up and he starting barking and growling, upon which I started barking and growling at the pair of them. Happy days!
We finally got back to sleep and I got up properly arund half 8, took doggies for a walk and then was persuaded by Mulle, my 2 year old nephew, to wake mr Higgins up.

Once Liam had set off to work, I took doggies and headed off into the big wild unknown. Or at least or version of the Kerry Way, called Upplandsleden... Such a beautiful day, and so peaceful just walking in the forest. We were just out for about an hour, but hope to follow that full stretch of hiking trail to Lövstabruk fairly soon.
And maybe even with Liam if my poor hubby actually gets some time off soon... He's now worked 7 days straight and totally knackered.

Well, that's it for now, no point in sitting here when the sun's shining outside!

The Eagle Has Landed

Or at least Michael. Well, he did arrive yesterday, but stayed the night in Stockholm so we didn't get to see him until today.
Two Higgins' in Uppsala at the same time, where will this end? Probalbly with Michael sleeping at someones doorstep, and Liam getting some bodypart or other put in a cast...

I went out for an afterwork drink with a colleague yesterday, and feel a bit worse for wear today. Never used to have this problem before, so I blame it all on old age... 'Twas a nice scoop of the red stuff though...

Have managed to get myself a nice cold in time for the weekend, and really wish a box of Lemsip would magically materialise in front of me... Instead I think I shall have to make do with a hot whiskey when I get home. And I will definitely be a dutiful wife and share it with Liam!! ...the cold that is, the whiskey I'll keep to myself, don't want to over do it now, do I?

Back in business!!

Right, after a looooonnnngggg pause in the blogging I thought I could be a good idea to get back in the saddle again. Especially since we do seem to have the odd...event to tell you all about.

Our tiny family, does after all include Liam, and he usually has that effect on life and situations.

For those of you who are English speaking only, the old posts could work as a great incentive to learn Swedish... The events described even make me want to laugh, it is simply too surreal!

We are at the moment getting back into every day life, and hope to stay far away from hospitals... In about 3 weeks time we'll be moving to our own place, thank God, which means shopping for a few bits of furniture, debating whether to paint the place white or not (mostly me debating with myself) and realising that Liam will have looooong days commuting in and out of Uppsala on the odd hours he's working. In the long run this probably means him trying to find a job closer to Sala... But, only time will tell!

We also have mr Higgins jnr jnr jnr arriving in Sweden today, although we won't get to see him until tomorrow as he's spending the night in the big capital. I have duly posted warning signs all over town addressing all blonde twins in particular, and all women in general. Will be fab having him here though, he's a lovley little muppet!

We will try to keep the blog updated, but don't shoot us if we don't...