Day 30- I Love Friskis!

Dear C,
I hope you are coming back soon and are feeling well. It´s really boring on this blog without you and there are no pictures of lovely food...
This week I have been at Friskis 3x. 1 time I went to spinning and the other times I ran, and did these two crazy machines that made my heart rate go well out of the "zone". That is my handy dandy Polar watch that keeps track of my heart rate and tells me whether I am in this "zone" which can be really annoying because it beeps if you are not working hard enough and then again if its too hard. Sometimes it even searches for my heart rate which is a bit scary! So with my watch the 2 days I worked on the machines I burned more calories than the spinning class and seemed to keep my hr at a higher and more constant level. Interesting to compare but this machine  is really difficult (I know the picture is bad but I thought it may be wierd with me snaping photos at the gym).

Some people hate the gym-they think of  sweaty people, germs and feeling rather stupid. I´ll tell you why I love it. First, all the retired people go there and they are in fantastic shape. Those old ladies sure kick some ass! Next, they have totally pimped the place up. New machines, another jympa hall-great atmosphere. Then, I really like the spinning classes (even though I didn´t seem to work hard enough) time flies, good music and you leave feeling like you acomplished something. Finally, I love the sauna. Now this is where you may cringe but nothing is better than sitting in the sauna after a workout and just relaxing. Often I am the only one in there and really it just makes me feel so warm and happy. Once in a while I even get into an interesting conversation with an old naked Swedish woman. You know we just let it all hang out in there.

Plans for the weekend-well a Halloween party with snow, and of course my dear old Friskis. Come on and join me!

Waiting to hear from you. Lots of xo´s

G

Day 26 - Getting back

Dear C,

I hope this post finds you well and optimistic about your health. Is it really day 26? If yes, then I still feel that I can make a big difference in the next 74 days! I haven´t blogged because it really isn´t too fun to write when you feel very down, and I  miss my training!!

Life has been full of sickies the past 3 weeks. First, M home for a week, and my cold turned into much more... hacking away for what seems like forever! Then C missed 3 days of school last week-had many nights with kids in our bed, sniffles, pains, and coughs.

This weekend I decided to take some baby steps. Get out in the sunshine and the crisp air and just breathe and walk slowly around the neighborhood. It cheered my up, and reminded me how good it is to just take a walk! My mind always thinks that I have to do more but really it´s also about getting out and taking that time just to be.

So this week I am getting back-slowly but surely.

To feeling great,

G

Days 7-12 Kanel Bullar Day-Again!

Dear C,
It´s so lovely that you have such talents in areas in which  most people only envy. Gardening and cooking are an art-what a nice combination. So while you cook gourmet food and grow and plan for the next seasons I have indulged in a bullar. Yes, it´s that day again (and it feels like I just wrote about it) but that was last year. I must participate in some Swedish traditions since I don´t really understand so many others. For example name´s day, little hot dogs, meatballs and herring at all holidays. Or how about typical drinking songs which  are aslo the same for different holidays.  Couldn´t you just add in a line or two about Santa at Christmas? Ok so Kanel bullar´s day isn´t a true Swedish tradition or is it? In my opinion it´s similar to Valentine´s Day. A reason to eat and make some people feel badly.
Which leads me to the feeling badly. M is sick and was all weekend, and I actually feel a little under the weather myself. I walked both days this weekend because the sun was shining and I feel like my autumn is running away with the leaves.
Today, I came home and am laying low trying to rev up for the week to come which includes the usual work, kids and activities + an American visitor and her 2 friends for dinner Weds. M was home today with farmor. Hoping to get her back tomorrow.
Also, my dreams of a mama ledig day every week after Christmas and the talk about working less is just that a dream. Today, I received a compliment from my boss and she isn´t one to throw them out very often. With that a promotion of sorts. To continue on with my current postion not for the term but for at least the year. Is this good-well yes of course but also a little sad. It´s so hard to even give my girls the attention they need when I work so much. Again, not a new theory but one to be challenged in the 100 day club. Working hard to get that balance and feel good. Yes, I am going to do and I have the power to change things!
So excited to read about your new journey and the experiences that will come with it. The place looks smashing and since the dollar, Euro and Pound are down you can feel good about it. It´s an investment for the future as these homemade buns are NOT!

XXG

Day 10 – 11 Favourite Weekends

Dear G, my favourite kind of weekend is when we have a long breakfast, just ha until lunch, have lunch and then go out in the garden, all of us. And then I’d get to work in the garden until it’s dark, moving plants, rearranging, planning ahead… Then I get in to have a quick, warm shower, put some nice clothes and eat a delicious dinner served by my husband – together with just him and the children.

Do I sound like a man from the 1950’s? Like the Swedish female 2010 answer to Mad Men's Don Draper? You know I’m not. Yet. You know muy husband likes to cook, and that I'd love it if he digged until it gets dark while I got to be the kitchen star.

But what about visiting weekend trips? What about the kind of family mushroom picking excursion that every Swedish family seems to do this time of the year? What about endless sessions at small cafés, or eating lunch in a fancy restaurant? What about shopping, visiting friends or doing sports together? What about dinner parties? Museums, galleries, walking in parks and seeing a movie?

Well, I'd like that too. It just isn’t my favourite.

Day 6 – 9 Hear That Noise?

Dear Houston, we've had some problems.

The rocket is still on the ground, but engines are running and I do hope you hear by the noise that means we soon, very soon now, will take off.

However, little L has had another tonsillitis, so she has been home for a couple of days.

Yes, we've been outdoors a lot and had ok food. But. You know.

Not that I could go out biking or half-running anyway, because I've had the worst cough again.

And most of all, I've had nothing but London in my head.

Worrying about where to stay, about the clinic, about if the treatment will be supported by the Health Insurance or not, about missing my family or just feeling too depressed.

I'm getting insane.

But now at least I think I have booked the five nights that remained.

I've been waiting for friends (and I've asked many) that have said that they might have friends that had rooms or small apartments for rent, but nothing happened. So yesterday I called Central London Apartments with a list with places I could afford and wouldn't mind booking.

Nothing was available.

Nothing.

The woman I talked to said that because of London Film Festival everything in the price range I desired was booked. So would I consider moving my vacation just a couple of weeks?

I told her about the clinic and my poor back, and I really had find somewhere to stay the actual days in October. She answered she needed to talk to some people and that she would phone me back.

After 20 minutes she called and said she had discussed my situation with some colleges, and she wanted to offer me a very, very nice apartment close to the underground, and in the heart of Notting Hill.

But at the double price that I could afford.

Instead of three times the price that it really costs…

Because her name was C, just like mine, and because she knew about poor backs.

"Your friends will envy you", she said.

So now I have booked this, for the first five nights:

Or at least I think I have, because the booking confirmation still hasn't appeared in my mailbox, and I'm getting even more insane.

If I have, I will live rather than shop and eat. And of course, I will leave much cheaper the following eight nights.

Oh, G, I'm such a homie and I worry so much. At first I questioned if my family could do without me, but now I wonder if I will cope without them?

I hear your voice: it will be a great "mother vacation" and I will have a terrific time.

Plus: I will be so fit after a two weeks six hours a day boot camp.

And what has all this to do with the 100 days club?

Nothing, really. I just wanted you to let you know that engiens are running. And soon, very soon now, I will take off.

As there is gold in the end of the rainbow.