April 30th, 2006

Walpurgis Night Spring Festival

Posted by Lifecruiser in Swedish
Lifecruisers Walpurgis fireworks

Tonight is Walpurgis Night (Valborgsmässoafton). It’s when the spring season is welcomed by us Swedes.

We celebrate it with bonfires, choir singing about the spring and fireworks. The festivities goes on over the whole country.

Though moder nature very often has surprises for us this day with really cold weather and it has even been snowing on Walpurgis for many years…

It’s like King Bore (the winter) must have a last blast before he goes to rest ;-)

But not this year, so it’s a good start of the spring and summer.

Happy Walpurgis!

* F I R E W O R K S B A N G S *

Cruise list: Mrhaney, Mandy, Shash, Kelly, Napfisk, and Kasia.
April 29th, 2006

Photo Scavenger Hunt Old

Posted by Lifecruiser in Photo
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Mrs Lifecruisers contribution to theme Old
Take a peep through the old window and you see the old chick - ME! The window is from an old barn at Fårö in Swedens east coast. It was excellent summer weather and temperatures about 30 degrees Celsius, which is about 86 Fahrenheit. We had that weather for about a week - followed by 4 weeks with rain all day long! It sure was a wet July last year…
NOTE: No, I was not naked, I did wear an old bikini!

Cruise list: Shash, Pat, Philosophical Karen, Janet, Strong Enough, Dave, Kelly, Michelle, Carmen, Zoots Mom, Sariah, Goofy girl, Loni, DayByDay4-2Day, Pam, Lyndsay, Stacie, GoofyJ, YellowRose, Frances, Eph2810, Michael, Karen, Tutu, Denise, Melli, Viamarie, Caroline, Chi, LibertyBelle, Wystful1, Mandy, Mar, Skittles, and Tnchick.
April 28th, 2006

Pumping them up

Posted by Lifecruiser in Odditys

It’s early spring here and they have just swept the street from all the gravel. So now we’re going to see a lot of bicycles coming out of the hibernation. Maybe even ours.

See how Mr Lifecruiser is pumping them up:
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Cruise list: Dave, Sisiggy, Eph2810, Leanne, Kasia, Mrhaney, Kelly, and Fish face fartin.
April 27th, 2006

Thursday Thirteen Writing

Posted by Lifecruiser in Odditys

Thirteen ♥ about…

1. I’m very good with my hands. They follow the curves in a very sensual way, making it to an almost divine experience. I’m totally lost for the world around me when I’m doing it. With open mouth, tongue movements and almost drooling. Pure art it is. I have it in me naturally. Mr Lifecruiser thinks so too, he’s always praising my gifts. I need to practise very often to keep up the skill and feeling for it though. Earlier in my life I was very asked for, to do my deeds. Sometimes they were even standing in a line to let me do it for them. But I’ve never charged for my services. It has always been pure pleasure for me. (It’s calligraphy I’m talking about – what were you thinking of?)

2. I am the kind of person that always has been writing (and reading) a lot of stuff. Just scribbled any thoughts that comes in to my mind, on the writing pad in front of me, during phone calls, in school books during lessons in school, in my diary or calendar, in thousands of letters with many pen pals, later on in emails, on small notes, on websites and now as a blogger. Yes, and I’m guilty of the crime of writing on benches or doors sometimes too. Teenage stuff including hearts *lol*.

3. If I could measure up how many words I’ve been written in my life I’m sure that it would reach around the whole world several times around. I wonder how many pens I worn out? Wouldn’t it have been cool if I had counted them all? I was even collecting different kind of pens at one point in my life. I’ve got penomania (I just invented that word) – I want all the pen’s that I think is real nice to write with. And there really is pen’s that is like a dream to write with – I’m getting lyrical here! Seriously!

4. When I was young I wrote a lot of stories. I even won some small contests and got prize money and a couple of diplomas. No big deal. It was just fun. I don’t know what I got it all from – or where it eventually went. The fantasy has sort of drifted away and left me alone, with this kind of dry writing style that some people seem to have difficulty to understand. I think I confuse a lot of people. They don’t get the humour in it, they just find it strange and I find it strange that they can’t get the feeling of it…

5. I’ve always wanted to write a book. There are a lot of people that said that I should, during the years, but I never seem to have the energy to start. Some years it really was no time for it, so there are valid excuses for not doing it. It’s really tough competition too, so I would not head for a bestseller ;-) just do it for my own satisfaction. I can’t tell you what it would be about, because I have several ideas for books, but I can say that it probably would be a little bit different. No typical novel. I’ll let you know if it ever happens, then you can request a personally signed copy. Just be aware of the fact that I might write something different there too…. You’ll never know with me.

6. I do wish that Miss Ass. Lifecruiser would write a book about her life. She is so unbelievable unlucky or have a curse on her or something. Something is always happening to her and it’s very seldom her own fault. There is so much stuff there that could make whole series of books actually. The problem is that she doesn’t want to write them herself. It’s very complicated, I can’t write it either, I’ve problem just to remember all the things she keeps telling me all the time! She needs a real professional writer, no one else will be able to manage it. Any volunteer?

7. I’m not any good at writing song texts, poetry, rhymes or such thing. I’m even glad that the tradition to write rhymes on the Christmas gifts almost is gone. It’s much more difficult to write that kind of stuff, you have so few words to get it right with. I guess I’m too long-winded hah?

8. I hardly ever regret any thing I’ve written. That’s probably because I get the chance to really think it through before I send it. My mouth (and mind?) can’t just slip something out. When I put it down on the paper or computer, my mind is thinking it through as I type it in and many times I realize how wrong it would be to write it like that. When I finally send it, I’m really ready with the content and therefore I won’t regret it. It’s safe writing, you know - like safe sex *lol*.

9. I love to write silly stuff in the sand or with stones, branches and cones in the nature. I like the thought of that when I’m leaving messages behind like that, other people will read it and maybe smile a little - get my message. The idea of a letter in a bottle, bobbing on the waves over the sea is really appealing to me, some day I will just have to throw one in!

10. Sometimes I want to prescribe people to write to each other instead of speaking. There are a lot of situations when people don’t seem to be able to speak to each other and therefore a lot of unpleasant or sad things is to follow. If they would write instead, they wouldn’t be able to do that whole silly accusing act and screaming at each other instead of listening and solving the actual problem they have. Writing is causing you to think about what you’re writing and what the other part is writing – but not at the same time, so you’re actually thinking more carefully what you’re “saying” and what the other one is “saying” too. So, who want a prescription…?

11. The only person that has got real written love letters from me is Mr Lifecruiser. In my whole life. Not whole letters, but suitable cards with very personal love words written. I’ve got a bunch from him too and we’ve saved all of them. They’re really nice to refresh some precious memories with now and then, even though we’re making new ones all the time.

12. Mr Lifecruiser and I were writing to each other for almost 7 weeks (very intensive!) before we actually met each other the first time. Yes, we met at an international Internet dating site. No, we don’t have any problem with that, it’s like when you meet some one in real life. Either you are fitted for each other or not, the method of meeting is of no meaning. The only difference is that you reach more far away over the internet. In our case it was not the case, because we lived in different suburbs of Stockholm. Pretty close. We were supposed to be friends only, neither one of us were in a hurry of getting a new relationship. Both of us had very long relationships behind us and wanted some recovery time. We had a lot of fun and very long word duels on the internet, through day and nights actually. Both of us wanted the last word :-) We created a rock solid ground of friendship, got to know everything about each other before we finally meet for a coffee. That coffee was a very long drink….. “and they lived happily ever after”… *lol*

13. This is my writing, good or bad, dumb or clever, fun or boring or whatever. I’m letting you in here to see a tiny bit of my inside. I hope that you see it as an experience.

♥ READ, ENJOY, WRITE…. POSTS!

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Cruise list: Norma, Eph2810, Courtney, Tricia, Napfisk, Pink Chihuahua Princess, Mandy, Froggie, Karen!, Renee, Jane, Kasia, Me2, Uisce, Ivoryfrog, Jen, Jessika, Ocean Lady, Haleigh Anne, YankeeAmanda, Leesa, Goofy girl, Nat, Nikki, Karin, Daydreamer of Oz, Debbie, Amy, Wendy, Ashley, YellowRose, Suzy, Red Queen, Lazy Daisy, Undercover Angel, Rusty, Tnchick, TLC, Lisa, Francesca Gray, Feedscott, Angel, Michelle, Mrs. Fun, Sleeping Mommy, Dave, Chi, Jackie, Ames, Karen, Colleen, Debi, Mar, Carmen, Wystful1, Dariana, Becky, K T Cat, and Robin.
April 26th, 2006

Crazy or not

Posted by Lifecruiser in Wise words

“It’s only healthy people that is willing to admit that they are crazy”.

[ Nora Ephron ]

So todays question is: are we crazy or not?

You tell us!

Cruise list: Sisiggy, Ginger, and Dave.
April 25th, 2006

Old Swedish cookbook

Posted by Lifecruiser in Food, Swedish
Lifecruisers Swedish Princess Cookbook

I love old books. This is a cookbook from 1930. The Princesses cookbook with old recipes, both everyday cooking and partyfood from that time.

Browsing through it, you can notice that cooking has changed a lot. Not any fast food in there. The cooking was taking more time then and the ingredients were different.

There is a lot of recipes that no one is cooking any more, but never the less very interesting to read. Then of course I’m a hungry monster, so I may have more interest than you in these kind of matters *lol*.

What do you say about these odd recipes:

- Deep fried tinned sprats cured in brine
- Tongue salad (lightly salted bullock tongue)
- Oven grilled calf brain
- Genuine turtle soup
- Bullock tail soup
- Oven cooked eel
- Cooked glazed calf shoulder
- Cooked smoked pig head
- Cooked pig feet
- Steam cooked hen
- Blood pudding

Getting any hungry yet….?

I guess it was a matter of eating what they could get over and mostly locally produced grocerys. A lot of the swedish folks were farmers, that was how they got their food. Not so much imported food and not so influenced of other countries cooking as we are today here in Sweden.

Of course there is a lot of other more tasty recipes, but that is some how not so fun to write about…. The dessert and cakes recipes are many, so I’m sure there is something to get there. Here is a picture of one of the three princesses cake which had the taste of sweet almond and nougat.

Princess Margarethas cake

Lifecruisers Cookbook

The really useful parts in this cookbook is:

a) All the sauce recipes. That is almost like a gold mine, because no one ever does any sauces any longer, so not many have the knowledge how to. I will definite explore that one further.

b) Other old swedish meals that was counted as true everyday fare, but is on the way to be outdated. They are actually really good. Many of them easy to make and not so expensive. So I’ll try to keep some of them up on the menu.

c) Described details of how to prepare certain food from the scratch. As an example how to lard and sew up a bird - or the different parts of a whole pig or bullock illustrated.

Lifecruisers Cookbook prepare a bird

The difference in this old cookbook is that there is no ready ingredients to just mix together, everything is done from scratch with local fresh ingredients. Some of them demands a lot of preparing. The house wifes seemed to have more time over for that then - or didnt have any choice.

I love the extra advices in the end of the cookbook:

1. One huge list of tools needed in a kitchen, counted to a sum of approx. 450 swedish crowns ($59) in 1929. There is absolutely everything they could possible use in a kitchen - even for cleaning the kitchen and the kitchen staffs shoes!

2. Very detailed cleaning advices for iron stoves, silver, windows and washing of white curtains (!). The curtains washing procedure was quite advanced and involved whipping soft soap, turpentine and ammonia. They were supposed to lay in that mix over the night too. No wash machine lazyness. I wonder how dirty they were, demanding that washing procedure….

3. Information about the newest type of stove used at that time, AGA spisen, with coke as fuel.

4. A list of different foods chemical composition, splitted in percentage of albumin, fat, carbohydrate, water, salt and waste. That’s all. Quite different from todays cookbooks that lists the energy, protein, iron and vitamins in the food. People are more aware today and take an active part in their diet.

We’ll see if I manage to cook something from it some day, I promise to report if I do!

Cruise list: Napfisk, Sharlet, Dave, Skye, Walker, Gayle, Tnchick, and Kelly.
April 24th, 2006

Swedish use of sex

Posted by Lifecruiser in Swedish

Care for a short Swedish language lesson again…?

The word “sex” in Swedish means both the digit 6 and to have sex. That can cause some misunderstandings if you’re not quite awear of it.

For example if you want to buy 6 pieces of something, you can’t just say: - Jag vill ha sex. (I want to have sex).

Or could you…? Uhum…

Warning: If you decide to try this, you’re on your own, we can’t be held responsible for any smacks or other damages you get.

Cruise list: Kelly, Sharlet, Carmen, Mandy, and Kasia.
April 23rd, 2006

Springtime walk

Posted by Lifecruiser in Odditys, Swedish
Lifecruisers swan

Say hello to out newest friend :-) We only met him today and he already wanted us to take him out for dinner. He was very pushy about that, forcing us to move away from the lake actually.

Yesterday and today we’ve been out walking because of the nice springtime. You’ll never know when it’s gonna be a weather change over here, so: Carpe Diem!

We tried to take pics of a Squirrel too, but he was too quick for us :-) We have one that always jumps from tree to tree and to the house roof on the house in front of us. It’s nice to see some animals even though we live in the suburbs of the capital.

Lifecruisers roe deer

The Roe Deers are still coming here, right outside our windows, despite the fact that spring has come. They have been hanging around here all winter - even in daytime - and we haven’t been able to take any pics of them. This was the first one yesterday.

There is a lot of different spieces of birds here too. I guess it’s because the neighbourhood has a lot of old trees where they can get insects and seeds to eat. And some left over crumbs from the humans. I especielly like the woodpecker and the blackbird. The blackbird has the most beautiful song - no other swedish bird beats his trilling sound. He has been trilling very early in the mornings for a while now, but that isn’t disturbing at all, just truly enjoyable - like beeing on a concert.

Lifecruisers Anemone Hepatica

In Sweden we count Anemone Hepatica as a true springtime sign. Even the white Wildwood Windflower, but we haven’t seen any of those yet. They use to cover all ground in the wood, like a white carpet.

It really is springtime, so the only thing that’s missing is: all the love couples hand in hand, kissing every where!!!

Ah, what the heck, we’ll start…..

* L O U D K I S S I N G S O U N D S *

Cruise list: Kasia, Mandy, and Sharlet.
April 22nd, 2006

Photo Scavenger Hunt Silly

Posted by Lifecruiser in Photo
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Mrs Lifecruisers contribution to theme Silly
What can I say? This is my best pose. You have to have some tricks to look gorgeous - you never know if some one needs a model!
Behind the scene:
Mr Lifecruiser: - YEP, this is my wife, always tricks you with something unexpected.
Mrs Lifecruiser: - This is my natural look, I swear.
It’s a natural face lift.

Cruise list: Fartin martin, Stacie, Uisce, Tutu, Sisiggy, Sharlet, Ribbiticus, Kelly, Alicia, GoofyJ, Loni, The Melody Censor, Barbara, Leesa, Carmen, Jennifer, Michelle, Frances, Melli, Goofy girl, DayByDay4-2Day, Strong Enough, LibertyBelle, Pam, Eph2810, Tnchick, Feathers, Tennessee Mom X 2, Caroline, Moogie, Michael, Janet, Mandy, Pat, Karen, Mar, Chi, and Wystful1.
April 21st, 2006

Swedish cold talk

Posted by Lifecruiser in Swedish

To do some small talk in Sweden is actually called “kall prat” (meaning cold talk or chat or something similar if you try to translate it right off).

The most popular subject to talk about is the weather - and that’s cold - so that’s it ;-)

After 9 months of cold weather (!), we really long for the summer in June-August. No wonder we worries and talk much about the weather…

Actually I think that we deserve to have a warm summer this year more than ever, because last summer it rained for 4 weeks in a row during the big vacation leave (July).

I long for the summer! So can you please please give us some summer?

QUESTION: What are the most common subject you’re small talking about in your country?

Cruise list: Skye, Sharlet, Catherine, Sisiggy, Mandy, Tnchick, and Kasia.
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