December Darkness

Dear G, I don't when you spent your first December in Sweden, but I guess you must have been chocked by darkness.

Even me, who lived every December of my life in our just outside Stockholm – I still can't get it. It's so dark!

I leave my eldest at school at 8 am – still dark – and get home after picking up the kids from preschool and school at 4 pm – and it's night. Without the outdoor lights I wouldn't find the keys – or even the door!

Swedes try to cope with the lack of sun by lighting every candle we find (and call it Christmas), but you know what? Candles are not the sun. They are just not enough to keep the depression away.

So this is what you need to do: you have to get out at least 30 min every day at fullbright sunny noon. Because then it looks like… Like this.

Like today: instead of having a social lunch I put on my sneakers for a quick 6 k run at 11.30 am. Took this pic at 12.15, had lots of work to finish and a meating to go to, so I had to hurry back home.

The Ipod said: "This is Tiger Woods speaking. Congratulations. You've just made a new personal record for the mile."

A bit surprising, that too. He could have said: Good running, but it doesn't look like this in Florida. But they say he has bigger problems on his mind?

Without any sort of comparing with Mr Woods and his wife, I would like to say that friends are an utterly good Darkness Fatigue Fighter. Our dear reader in Lausanne came by, was so nice to the kids, and also gave me a new runner's sweater that I can't wait to try. And then my husband made us grilled salmon with yoghurt sauce, couscous, lime and broccoli, full of all sorts of vitamines. Fighting December Darkness!

ps: maybe Mr Woods should try a new hobby – cooking for his wife… ds