Day 4 – 31 Soup Month!

Dear G, almost a month has passed and I know you think I didn't blog much.
But I kind of did… though I didn't. Which means: I've had our club in mind, every day, and I've taken plenty of pics. Also wrote a lot. I just didn't post it.

For example: I was quite affected by the New York Times article you recommended, How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body. Tried to answer it under the title Grief Over A Lost Love, but it turned into an essay, except with no conclusion. It would have be easy to answer it like this: yoga is about balance. Those who exaggerate their poses and train so much that they get hurt haven’t understood what yoga is about.

Yoga people talk about the power of vanity and the power of laziness, how they work against each other and the importance of finding balance between them. Don’t compete, as competitions open the door to a number of bad feelings; jealousy, envy, hate, resignation and depression. We are against that, right?

But then again, I’ve heard similar stories before. My yoga teacher often told me about Gurus who do the Lotus Pose six hours a day, until they literary can't walk.

So yes, there is something about yoga that makes people… loose their minds. But why?

Also interesting: many of the poses they mention in the article are the ones that London has forbidden me to do. Like Supported Shoulder Stand… how I used to love it … This is also the reason why I don’t feel the same way about yoga. Even if yoga helped me to build strength and partly got rid my pain, it also made the rotation of my spine worse. It’s like a boy friend who’s been unfaithful. Even if you decide to forgive… the magic is gone.

I really would like to find a new yoga… Something like Pilates, giving both strength and flexibility, but with harmony and flow I got from yoga and still get from running…

Something like… yoga.

About January: I call it the Soup Month. Apart from that it would mean something like "the sloppy month" if you translate Soppmånad from Swedish (which it is):

January is cold.

We're all short of cash.

There are so many bills to pay … and look at the world economy.

This is what we can afford:

Soup! People without time & money: SOUP WILL SAVE YOUR DAY! AND LIFE! This one is the French old Créme Vichyssoise, but updated with lime and coriander.

January 2012 the lack of time was worse than ever. At the office, we have loads of work. Furniture Fair is coming up, everything has to be ready, clients have no patience.

January 12: first hearing test.
And of course: kids are sick. And even if they're not, and don't have to stay home, they do need to visit all kinds of doctors. As all doctors seem to think that January is a great month for yearly check ups. It is the family doctor, the eye doctor, the ear doctor, the asthma&allergy doctor. And every time I get panic about being so much away from the office, I hear a doctor saying: “please come back for some more tests”.

January 25: second hearing test. Now they take a look at the inner ear's function.

And apart from the children's appointments, I’ve seen a couple of doctors myself, and both had x-ray and ultra sound. But no, I'm not pregnant and my only baby is: the new School Library.

But I have another New Year’s Resolution I haven't told you about: to eat and cook more Korean food!

I believe that Korean food is more healthy than any other kitchen in the world. Or, actually, I've read it, a long time ago in Time Magazine, and with the new standards about what's healthy or not it may have changed, but it may also have re-changed. But to explain why, and how it is supposed to be healthy, I'd have to write another essay.

So for now: a picture from a rare occasion, a Friday night I went out, to a Korean restaurant! In town! With two female friends/collegues, both without children. Had great fun and ate Korean Raw Steak Tartar. IT IS SO DELICIOUS, I only regretted I didn't have it both for entrée, main course and dessert.

A couple of days later, alone with the kids, still inspired: Korean meatballs. My children love Korean meatballs and I love them.

So far, I've kept my New Year Resolution about eating sea weed once a week. One Friday was almost sure I would not make it, but then my youngest and I were invited to a Mom&Kids Friday dinner. I (not my daughter) was served Champagne, Caviar from Kalix, Sushi… and SEA WEED!

Also wanted to post you something about the importance of eating fish, and I will eventually. Salma Salmon from Norway, did you try that? Delicious with saffron bulgur, lime, grape fruit, rocket and sugar snaps:

Or with saffron sauce. And this Sunday dinner no organic Apple Juice, just

water!

And before you say that this is turning into a food blog, I'll tell you a little something about my Soup Month training. My main focus has been to follow the London exercise schedule. Which means 30 min of exercises next to the wall bars, every night – as soon as the kids are in bed.

After that I turn the sheets down and go to bed with a novel… which means that my New Years resolution to watch more TV… is as big a flop as ever. How does people find time to watch TV? Beats me, but, proud to say, I've also been skating!

And walk-running! Or should I say run-walking?

But best of all: swimming at the Centralbadet. Makes me believe that Soup Month has and end and soon there will be summer! Also in my garden!

Day 15- Making changes

Dear C,
First, before I forget I want you to read this article about yoga. I meant to send it to you earlier but I think it brings up some interesting points and I´d like to hear what you think. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html?pagewanted=all

I hope things are going well with you. Should we make sure to write 1 day per week? Otherwise too much time goes by and then our 100 days does too.

Since our return last Sunday night and surviving the first week back at work I have really tried to make some healthy choices and changes. First, I have not had a diet coke (which actually is a big deal for me) and I have brought my lunch to school everyday. I have not stocked up from the systembolaget but instead just shared a glass of wine Friday evening with L over fish soup from Furren...I have tried to think healthy and truthfully the first days I felt like I was starved but really I think it´s boredom that drives me to the cakes.

There hasn´t been any earth shattering workouts-my usual Monday pilates, and then a half-hour walk here and there. Though I must say the scale has tipped to the highest weight since M was a baby.Seriously it is a bit of a shock, and perhaps the rattle I need to move.

The next two weekends are crazy with ski trainings for the girls. We will drive up to Mora both weekends and on the 28th I will participate in a snow shoe race. It is 6km but I figure something really fun to motivate me.

PS Did I tell you that I gave my work 60 days notice to take parental leave 1 afternoon a week? I know it seems like so little but really I think it will change my life!
Hope you are well and can´t wait to hear from you.
XG



I love parties!

 

Dear C,

I am so happy that you took the initiative to restart our 100 days. It s great inspiration-even though it doesn't always go the way we want it to...

Truthfully I never pegged myself as a "ski mom" but I guess you can say that now I gave accepted it and am really trying hard to keep up with the 9-4 ski day. I actually tried to look up approximately how many calories you burn per hour last night. My legs burn, and knees ache and the kids and Leif want more! The girls even say "mom you're doing great" and "we think you are a good skier". What to say to that but I'm really trying to improve my technique and not focus so much on the Après-ski.
So as it is I have been skiing for 9 days and we have 5 left so I will keep feeling the burn on skis and enjoy the beautiful view and snow.
So you know I already have some crazy ideas of my own which are in play. First, http://www.123minsida.se/Snowshoe/ and we will be here in Funas again for sportlov then my darling L and I will travel to Berlin on the 30th of March for the Berlin half-marathon on April 1st! We already have the tickets and the babysitter.
Much more soon I am heading to the neighbors ummmmmm après-ski.
Lots of love and a healthy 2012!

XG

The Great Party Named 2012!

Dear readers,
While you are still enjoying your last days of X-mas vacation, while G is enjoying loads of snow with her ski-crazy family in some Swedish ski resort, I’m at the office, making plans. And enjoying a season that could be called either “Autumn” or “Spring”, but certainly not “Winter”, (if you ask a Swede).

Anyway, as G is gone, mice are dancing on the table, and I’ve allowed myself to take a decision regarding us both.
I’ve started us a New 100 days club. G is also in it, right now skiing her but off, which is great as the club begun some days ago.

Day 1: January 1. (Of course, the high season for resolutions and New Life…)
Day 100: April 9, the last easter day, Annandag påsk, when we both have a maximum of sugar and cacao in our blood.

"Ah, come on", I hear a reader saying. “You guys keep starting and quitting and disappearing and we even have to ask you to post a message saying that no one died. What is the meaning of all this?”
And I say: “What wrong with restarts? And even who said it was a restart? In fact, we never quit! We’re just taking a few breaks every now and then.”
But the reader keeps going: “So what happened to that fabulous New Summer Club? Was supposed to end September 17 and the last post I can see is more than a month older?”

Well, my computer got stolen and my father died, but that’s old and has nothing to do with the bright future and party that has been named 2012. We’ve done Pilates, both of us, and even invented a new type of exercise: the walkie-talkie-running. G also bought herself a new Friskis-card, I think.
We're on!

And just to give you a little sense of what this successful, brave and enjoyable 100 Days Club is about: A picture from (a part of) my lunch: seaweed. Illustrating at least two of my 15 New Year’s resolutions, to eat seaweed not less than once a week and to eat more Korean food.
The brown one is called Arame, the green has a Chinsese name that could be translated “The future is bright and Spring is here to stay”.
And it is!

Xxx, C

Weeks 6 & 7- Politics, Pools and Jet Lag

Dear C,

We have returned  to Sweden and my head is very foggy and I have no idea of the time. I just finished The Paris Wife: A Novel and really enjoyed it as it kept me sane on the plane and this night while on American time.

I was or am sad to leave my family and friends and of course the weather...as now I am actually wearing pants and a sweater and am wondering what happened to August?

There is so much to tell-I think we should have a coffee and catch up as I can´t possibly say all the things that I need to about working out, running and life especially since my brain isn´t working.

When I went away I thought I was being so savy by making dr´s appts so I could get everything done before I go back to work and it just hasn´t turned out that way. First, I went to BB Stockholm to renew that 5 year old thing and then they told me since I was 41 that I needed to go to a different dr, and actually  not to worry about getting pregnant because I am 41...what? There are plenty of moms 41+ in Sweden. So I called this other dr. and of course they are on vacation. Then I went to Sophiahemmet for the continued saga on the lump in my breast for a special test. This test gave me a hematoma and it is the most painful thing ever-they in turn told me to go to my house dr. to check it out and so on and so forth...and our favorite Dr. D is on vacation so I have to go to some schmuck today. While I am there they will have to look at my foot which needs an x-ray because I injured it or did something running...ARE YOU LAUGHING YET?

Seriously, I feel like I am falling apart. My body is not keeping up with what I would like it to. I have pains, and stiffness and have told myself it is from sleeping in different beds, and sitting on the plane. But is it?

So today, the kids and I are going to Böson to the pool where I can aqua-jog (the only thing my body can take now).

In my last entry, I felt so good so hopefully this feeling will all goes back to the jet-lag. Could I contribute it to the mine in our backyard? Only about 30 tons of rock left which L likes to dig at when he comes home from work at night. Or is it the turmoil of the world, The Stockmarket, the poor and unemployeed, the blame game, Obama, Afganistan or even England?

Or what about running? I want to be a runner but instead I think the steple chase may be for me. Jumping over obstacles seems so much more my style...ha! I just must remember what I told little M when she went running with me. You can´t give up but you can rest...that I will do for now.

With love,
G

Week 5 & 6 Rain, Tears and Fear

Oh, dear G, week 5 was a rainy one. I find myself saying to the kids: oh, what a great weather for playing games and reading books. But after a couple of days… didn't even believe it myself.

Bad weather makes a big difference to a vacation. It requires some consolation: some home baked, a little extra food, some wine, another coffee… and yes, an extra sandwich. What it doesn't: makes you wanna go running.

But with our 100 days club, I did run. Proud to say it: I ran as planned – not as far or as fast when the wind was too hard, but as often.

As the rain continued.

And as we got more and more tired of it.

Second day of week 6 an evil Crazy Conservative Christian decided to combine the Oklahoma City bombing and Columbine High School murders. Placed a bomb in central Oslo, and took his guns to a youth camp at the Norwegian island Utøya. Yes, you've heard about it, and I know you can imagine how the papers, news sites, TV and radio, every conversation – over the phone or not – was full of the stories about how a police dressed, blond, strong man told children that they could trust him, that they were safe – and then shot them. Pleading, bleeding, hiding, screaming, swimming, drowning – he shot them. Didn't want to read about it, couldn't stop reading about it, and imagining the fear they felt.

We had grey days. And it rained.

Made some excursions. And it rained.

Then singer Amy Winehouse was tragically found dead, aged 27.

It felt black.

And rained a little more.

My loved and lovely daughter L turned 4 – the most windy and rainy day we could imagine. L cried on the bed as she had imagined her birthday sunny, bathing, picking berries, biking… And I felt it was my fault – having descried what a mid summer birthday she has.

A couple of days later it still rained, and my father's wife died of cancer. Two days before her 64th birthday, five months after being diagnosed, when her two grandchildren were 2,5 – and a baby. She had the same birthday as you, my dear friend. Which finally leads me to something good: Hurray! So happy to be your friend, and share to this blog.

Also good things: my dear sister-in-law and her family came from Switzerland – so nice to see them. And we had some great swims in the sea, CJ and I, after running. Oh no, not together, hey, we're only parents… but there will be a time when we do, won't it?

Hugs and blessings, C

Week 4 & 5- Boogie boarding beach bums

Dear C,

We are here in Rockport, where I have spent all my summers since I was small. It is so beautiful and we have so much fun here. It is one of those places that everyone comes back to for generations. Many of the same people I grew up with come with their families too. Each day is a beach day, with picnics, friends and sand castles. The girls have mastered riding in the waves with their boogie boards and despite too much sun, fried clams we are all so happy.

It's the type of place when you start our day with a run that everyone says "good morning" or "great day" as you pass. People are open and friendly and all have a love for this special place.

My days start with an early run-while everyone else is still sleeping. Where I can have the beauty to myself and breathe deeply. I told L that if there is ever a place to become a runner this would be it...maybe I am bias but it just seems that way right now.

Today we had a "brown out" when they turn the electricity off for a while as things supposedly get overwhelmed when it's very hot. Strange really as it wasn't too hot (for Sweden it would be).

The 100 day club is in full swing although I certainly ave not been perfect with the wine and clam part I feel good and am optimistic. I am very sure I will need it more than ever when I return as it may be a bit depressing to hit reality!

Hope u are well and I have not missed little L's b-day.
Lots of xo's
G