31 december 2007 New Years Eve evening

I was going to put down my feelings on the past year, but decided no one would want to read it. It has not been a good year on so many levels — farm-wise, dog-wise, weather-wise — so I will put those in my written journal. One good thing is Jenn is in our life. I am so ready for this year to end. I was hoping to celebrate its ending but that is not to be. Not even on the tv, all we get is NYC. Different time zone. Anywhere west of NY does not matter.

Hopefully next year will be better. I hope everyones celebrations are safe & happy. I will be sitting on my laptop, Willie will soon be asleep, & then this year will end.

31 december 2007 New Years Eve

Sunday’s Name Day is Abel, Set Mondays name day is Sylvester Swedes like to celebrate. So with a Name Day Calendar you can celebrate not only your “birth” day but your “name” day as well! Extra coffee and cake for you on your name’s day! Today there are so many new names that a name’s day calendar can’t possibly list all the names. The traditional names listed here reflect old Norse culture as well as earlier influences of Christianity. If you know anyone with a name similar to one listed here, surprise them with a “happy name’s day” greeting or sing them “Happy Birthday” in Swedish (Ja, må du leva)!  I know not anyone with these names. Thought for today:   May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.   — Joey Adams Last nite I did some clean up or organising on Flickr. I had not put tags on many photos. And some should actually be in more than one set. I feel better now, but there is still more to do. Plus I had a lot just to upload. I might be caught up now. ‘After 2 very cold nites of 12F, it was warmer last nite. But more extremely cold on the way. Then by the end of the week it will be almost 60f! That is unreal. And very hard on our livestock. Better to stay a consistant temperature instead of hot & cold & hot. No idea if we are celebrating tonite so we may just be at home. I will be on my pc & Willie will be sleeping. Not much fun or very exciting. I always stay up late & I like to at least see midnite. Gått för dagen. Kanske. Be well, do good work, and keep in touch! World Clock My Kiva account To find what time it is anywhere in the world right now.

Happy New Year 2008!!!

May every one have a year filled with love & peace & may your celebrations be safe! 

30 december 2007 in pictures – Meeting the new in-laws

The day  started with checking emails & blogs. Then to get ready  to go. We are meeting Jenn’s parents in Hutchinson for dinner.Then we were off to Hutchinson & we took the backroads to get there. I enjoyed seeing all the snow.

Willie had some problems. His sunglasses broke & the snow really glared. He was forced to wear my Halloween sunglasses. And in town he forgot to take them off! What must people have thought at the stop lights???
Here was a nice barn we went by.
And there is still drifts in the ditches!
We arrived in Hutchinson.
We ate at Montana Mike’s. Wonderful food, but too large of servings. I had shrimp. The others had chicken friend steak. We met Bill & Jenn there with her parents Steve & Bonnie. They are very nice. He plays the fiddle & enjoys going to meets where they all get togehter & pick. I had an uncle that lived in Hutch that played the guitar & like to do the same. I asked Steve if he knew him. And he did!!! What a small world. Bonnie looks young enough to be Jenn’s sister instead of her mom. Bill is getting a nice family.
After we ate it was  home again. Just outside of Hutchinson we saw not one train but 2 going different directions. Where I live we have no more trains. Took them all away & pulled the tracks up.
We are just outside of McPherson at the oil refinery.
Here is the street leading into McPherson. No traffic on this side of town.
On the way to  Lindsborg just outside of McPherson.Approaching Lindsborg. The dalahäst gives that away! We are full of them on shops & most houses. It is our symbol.
Downtown Lindsborg. Very quiet on a sunday afternoon with no shops open. The streets did have huge piles of snow down the middle but are cleaned up now.

While in Hutch, we got a call that our friend Tom was having his jul open house today cancelled from last week. You can see all the cars there. Nice crowd . Even the current artist-in-residence from  the Red Barn was there!! Came with my boss. Great food & the famous Johnon family punch. Very good but wicked!!
Finally home again. I was anxious to get back to my laptop. Had a hot auction on ebay to check.
And….I won!!!! Someone had dared to actually bid against me. I was so nervous I up my bid twice!! I really wanted these. These are carvings by Oscar Gunnarson , well known artist from here. He was married to my great grandmothers niece. He was also a painter. I have 6 other Swedish couple carvings but these that are bowing are rare. I was so nervous. And then I saw a friend was bidding on them also. I just knew he would outbid me. He was either kind or  not at home!! A perfect ending to a great day!!

29 december 2007

Today’s Name Day is Natalia, Natalie Swedes like to celebrate. So with a Name Day Calendar you can celebrate not only your “birth” day but your “name” day as well! Extra coffee and cake for you on your name’s day! Today there are so many new names that a name’s day calendar can’t possibly list all the names. The traditional names listed here reflect old Norse culture as well as earlier influences of Christianity. If you know anyone with a name similar to one listed here, surprise them with a “happy name’s day” greeting or sing them “Happy Birthday” in Swedish (Ja, må du leva)!  I know a couple of Natalies. Thought for today:   To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many who had rather meet their bitterest enemy in the field, than their own hearts in their closet. I mostly vegetated today. Did some laundry. Did some psp. Just had no plans & no energy to do them anyway. It got very cold last nite. We got down to 12F. It warmed to just over freezing so some thawing like on roads but the snow remains. I wish it would just stay.A bit warmer tomorrow then cold again. Gått för dagen. Kanske. Be well, do good work, and keep in touch! World Clock My Kiva account To find what time it is anywhere in the world right now.

12 Days of Christmas – fun version

Här är lite a capella underhållning “kul-i-jul”.

God fortsättning!

This is a fun video.  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8

Blogette — quails & jul movie

I made it to work ok. The roads are amazing. Or rather those who care for the roads. I live in Saline County. Our roads were cleared off & mostly without any snow or ice. I saw at least 3 country trucks working on them today. Then I drive into McPherson County where Lindsborg is. OMG! They are covered with thick snow that is worn down to an icy covering. IF you are driving from Saline to McPherson & do not know the difference, it could be deadly.

I was busy at work. I did 5 tours, sold a poster, & got 3 memberships. Plus worked on thank you notes. It was nice to have things to do.

I did drive around town to take some photos of the snow. The town looked wonderful. Heavy snow on the evergreens. And my dads nativity scene was gorgeous. The photos are still on my camera. Will get them off later. At home I looked at the snow & the covey of quail were up by my house!! Their tracks were great! There is probably at least 10 of them together & you could see them walking around a tree. I took a photo & I hope they show up.

I saw the end of a movie called The Christmas Shoes. It was made based on a country song. And the country song was based on a story written by a friend of mine named Helga. The story was a true one. Helga & I were in nursing school together in the late 1970s & the story happened before then. She was shopping at Christmas & in front of her was a small child with a pair of gold shoes. He was buying them for his mother who was dying, but he did not have enough money. So Helga paid for them. She wrote it up & it was published in Readers Digest. I think later she wrote a longer story that was the basis for a country Christmas song that came out a few years ago. And Helga died a year ago, younger than me. The movie & song are tear-jerkers. Have a box of kleenexes near by.

28 december 2007

Today’s Name Day is Benjamin Swedes like to celebrate. So with a Name Day Calendar you can celebrate not only your “birth” day but your “name” day as well! Extra coffee and cake for you on your name’s day! Today there are so many new names that a name’s day calendar can’t possibly list all the names. The traditional names listed here reflect old Norse culture as well as earlier influences of Christianity. If you know anyone with a name similar to one listed here, surprise them with a “happy name’s day” greeting or sing them “Happy Birthday” in Swedish (Ja, må du leva)!  I know a couple of Bens. Thought for today:  “Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe I am pretty excited. We have quail here again!! They have been up in the yard so I assume they will find my birdseed. I thought they were gone forever. It has been years. And this morning Willie was up before it got very light. He heard something in the front yard. And there stood they coyotes very near our house. They are probably hungry. But there is no way to feed them. Really do not want them around since they will attack our calves. Back in the 1920s & 1930s there were giant rabbit hunts. Hundreds  & hundreds of rabbits were killed, almost wiped out. Now there is no food for the coyotes. We have lots of regular rabbits, but jack rabbits are very rare. I have lived here for 40 years & seen only one jack rabbit just one time. Mankind can be so stupid. We got our snow, around 3-4″. No wind. It is beautiful out. I am going to drive to work today. Will be slow going. Willie said there are 4 cars in the ditch between here & town. I will go extra slow. I have a sore throat today. Oh Lord, not again!!! I have already been sick 3 times. I am not ready for round 4. BUT. If I am ill again, this time I will see my dr. Learned my lesson the last time. Gått för dagen. Kanske. Be well, do good work, and keep in touch! World Clock My Kiva account To find what time it is anywhere in the world right now.

27 december 2007

Today’s Name Day is Johan, Johannes Swedes like to celebrate. So with a Name Day Calendar you can celebrate not only your “birth” day but your “name” day as well! Extra coffee and cake for you on your name’s day! Today there are so many new names that a name’s day calendar can’t possibly list all the names. The traditional names listed here reflect old Norse culture as well as earlier influences of Christianity. If you know anyone with a name similar to one listed here, surprise them with a “happy name’s day” greeting or sing them “Happy Birthday” in Swedish (Ja, må du leva)!  I know many Johns. And my friend Matthys has Johannes as his middle name.. Thought for today:  “O Winter! ruler of the inverted year, . . . I crown thee king of intimate delights, Fireside enjoyments, home-born happiness, And all the comforts that the lowly roof Of undisturb’d Retirement, and the hours Of long uninterrupted evening, know.” – William Cowper I was on 360 last nite trying to save my blogs to my pc. It worked for a while. Then it would not load. Just sat there. I do not know how those still there can stand it!! Multiply is so easy, fast, & no problems. It is so much more enjoyable. I will try again another day. We are cold today, only 27F. It has actually gotten colder. The snow is still in the west. Should be here in a few hours. I have been cleaning up my hard drive on my notebook. Then I will try to go back to 360. Maybe need a still drink before heading that way!!! It is just infuriating when it refuses to work. A quiet day. Maybe snow fotos later. Gått för dagen. Kanske. Be well, do good work, and keep in touch! World Clock My Kiva account To find what time it is anywhere in the world right now.

Annandag Jul – 26 december

Today’s Name Day is Staffan, Stefan Swedes like to celebrate. So with a Name Day Calendar you can celebrate not only your “birth” day but your “name” day as well! Extra coffee and cake for you on your name’s day! Today there are so many new names that a name’s day calendar can’t possibly list all the names. The traditional names listed here reflect old Norse culture as well as earlier influences of Christianity. If you know anyone with a name similar to one listed here, surprise them with a “happy name’s day” greeting or sing them “Happy Birthday” in Swedish (Ja, må du leva)! I know several Stevens. Today is also Annandag jul in Sweden. “Annandag jul” (literally “another day Christmas”)…an official part of the Christmas holiday there. It’s similar to Boxing Day in some of the Commonweath countries. (If it falls on a weekday, everybody would have the day off from work.) But regardless of which day it falls on…it marks the start of the “mellandags rea” (literally “middle days sale”, representing the days between Christmas and New Year’s) where retailers try to unload all the stock they didn’t get move for Christmas. We went to eat in Salina last nite. Then we looked at some Jul lights. I tried to take photos, but nothing was working right. Most were blurry. Just not the right year. I heard on the news last nite that there are STILL about 30 families without electricity. STILL. They hoped to have them all back with power by the end of last nite. Our friend who is a linemen had his first day off since the ice came on Christmas Eve. He looked so tired & burned out. His next paycheck, though, will be a whopper!!! Here are some great photos of Lindsborg in the snow.. They were taken by a friend who is a much better photographer than I am. I just had to share!! Find them here http://www.flickr.com/photos/glowrocks/sets/72157603471207153. I decided to stay home today. Skipped church. I am feeling good & did not want to get all emotional today. I would love to go shopping with my gift cards, but I bet the crowds are bad today. Will show restraint & wait. We were supposed to get snow last nite. I watched the radar & it was heading our way. Then suddenly the middle of the snow area just disappeared. It past us by with nothing. Now that it is by us, it has connected again. But it is cold & cloudy. And more snow to arrive tomorrow. Gått för dagen. Kanske. Be well, do good work, and keep in touch! World Clock My Kiva account To find what time it is anywhere in the world right now.