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Category Archives: Babbling

Happiness is…

03 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by Anne in Babbling, Cosiness, Good Life, Home

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Baby, God life, happiness, mess

20130203-125118.jpg

Happiness is waking up, not being awoken. Having slept enough hours and only having been up a few hours during the night. Completely obliterate to the state of house (the clutter, the mess, the dirty dishes – the list goes on). Having a quick but quiet breakfast. Having time for a cup of tea, before the tea is considered iced. Stumbling across a soothing album by Andrew Bocelli on Spotify. Dancing across the room guided by by a mellow Italian male voice and a joyful beat with a smiling baby in my arms.

The baby tired and was places in her crib giving me a chance to share the moment. Now a long shower awaits.

I hope you all enjoy a calm and quiet Sunday morning

New year, new life…

27 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by Anne in Babbling, Cosiness, Good Life, Home

≈ Leave a comment

20130127-204445.jpg

White dowry – Løv tea from local shop Greenbay Bridge

We are already a month into the new year and life has changed a lot since last time I wrote. For almost two months my life has included a one more person more dear to me than life itself. Already in early December, four weeks before our due date, our gorgeous daughter decided to make an appearance. She was wee bit in the small side, but fit and ready for life without the restraints of an umbilical cord. And who can blame her for showing up early? The weeks before Christmas is a time I wouldn’t want to miss!
The past weeks have been wonderful, but of course also hectic. All my time has been spent with loved ones and catching up on things I haven’t been able to do for the past eight months (pregnancy utterly and completely crippled me!). Now I’m back to my old self, and although life is returning to normal, we are still experiencing a few minor hiccups in dealing with our new life. Life is good though, in fact I would go as far as calling it fantastic!
And tonight I sit cuddled up on the sofa with a big cup of tea while immerse myself in feelings of utter happiness and satisfaction. I hope you’re all having a wonderful evening!

Preserving berries and fruit

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by Anne in Babbling, Food, Information

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

berries, Food, Good tip, preservation, Vinegar

I crave fruit and berries these days. I desperately crave them. And for days I wanted grapes. I found some big juicy grapes at the local supermarket and was thrilled. But the joy was short-lived. With a pregnancy comes superpowers, some are cool, some not so cool. The senses of smell and taste improve immensely! And thus as I put the first grape in my mouth, it was spit out again just as soon. The rest of the grapes were torn from Son’s hands. I could taste the pesticides and yuck that are sprayed upon these delights. The taste was foul! It felt like I was poisoning both myself and Son.

I discussed this with a colleague of mine a few days later. We are both inclined towards buying organically grown fruits and vegs, but juicy grapes and other foreigns fruit are too hard to resist. My colleague explained how she thoroughly cleans all fruit she buys. Especially if it has already travelled the globe.

I came across a tip on pinterest, and have had great success following it. The clue is to rinse all berries in a bowl of water, in which you have added just a tablespoon of regular vinegar. The vinegar helps reduce yeast and bacterias that result in mildew and rot. I tried this with the berries I bought over the summer. I also did it to the berries before making them into jam or ‘saft’. And it works! The berries stay fresher for longer. Now I have started doing the same to all the fruit and vegs I buy that I don’t boil or peal.

The vinegar does leave a hint of smell (that could be just me picking that up, Husband and Son cannot smell it), but by quickly running the fruit under cold water gets rid of that too.

Watching the birds

02 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by Anne in Babbling, Good Life

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Birds, Cat, Talking

I am flat down on the floor taking some photos near the window. I hear the cat coming down the stairs behind me. And, boy, I am overwhelmed by the intelligence of that! 😉  Let me tell you:

She sat down by her bowl to eat. I called her over. She answered a weak “Mah” but didn’t move away from the bowl. I tried again “come over here and have a look. I know you’ll like it”. She answered again, the polite cat that she is, but refused to believe that what I saw outside the window was more interesting than the contents of her bowl. That is when I realised I had to try her language: “Bidgies!”, I said. That got her running. She was by my side in no time!

Our cat is not the cuddly type, she sleeps in my lap about four times a year, but she does let people pet her, if she’s in the mood. But, at least we have long meaningful conversations. This is what followed: I look out the window, repeat the word ‘bidgies’ and say something that sounds like a guttural, open-unrounded-back-vowel version of ‘craw craw craw’. The cat turns to me, repeats the sound and looks out at the birds. She then repeats the sound while looking at the birds. After a while she goes quiet. She gently turns her head to look at me. I look back and our eyes meet. Her eyelids gently close as she blinks at me. She opens her eyes, I blink back, she blinks a second time and turns to watch the birds again. “You’re quite alright at times”, I admit to her. “Mah”, she answers.

And that is the entertainment for days when getting up from the floor results in headaches and dizziness. I remained on the floor for some time, which instead of a headache, gave me a few nice shots of the cat and a few herbs we’ve just planted that I would like to show you. Have a wonderful weekend 🙂

Driftwood

01 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by Anne in Babbling, Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Inspiration, Music, Photo

We were out treasure-hunting along the beach when we came across a long stretch of driftwood. The rest of the day I had Travis on my mind, the sond ‘Driftwood’ playing on repeat. Such a melodious and peaceful song, with such sad lyrics…

Everything is open
Nothing is set in stone
Rivers turn to ocean
Oceans tide you home
Home is where the heart is
But your heart had to roam

 

Taking care of the Londoners

30 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by Anne in Babbling

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

London, Pedestrians, Signs

In a city as big as London I really must admire their ability to care for their inhabitants. The city I live in is dramatically smaller and never have I ever been made aware of uncontrolled pedestrians. Here they just appear out of the blue. They scare the crap out of me! Thank you London!

As the train left the station

28 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by Anne in Babbling

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

1984, Inspiration, photos, Reading

The warm light looks welcoming

I was reading 1984 while in London before christmas. I haven’t finished the book yet, I really like it but the last weeks the few moments I’ve had to relax, I have not felt in the mood for sharing those moments with a book, no matter how much I like it. The book still has the bookmark in it, I still remember where I had to let go, and as soon as Husband’s back home and I’m spending the morning on the bus I’ll get back to the story.

But nobody enters and they close, revealing their taunting colours

Anyway, this post was not supposed to be an apology or explanation for not finishing a good book. What I wanted to show you were these photos I took while waiting for the train. Photos that I felt an urge to take there and then, but I couldn’t immediately say why I felt this urge. When I a little later sat down on the train and fished my book out of my bag I realised why. Big brother’s watching you…

Image

Pubbing on my own

03 Saturday Dec 2011

Tags

Blabbering, Pubs, Random thoughts, Travelling

After being asked whether I’d like to go to London for a work project and six hours later, after booking hotels and plain tickets, packing, gathering together everything I’d need for the job and doing a bit of laundry to make sure I didn’t run out of clothes while away, I found myself on a plane towards the capital of England.

I’ve been to England once before, in York, travelling with a group of about 30 where I was picked up at the airport, driven to the hotel, and given plenty of information on where to go, what to do, and what to expect. This time I’m in a slightly larger city, all by myself, with a building I need to go to and a paper in my hand saying my boss trust me with the responsibility. Quite a different approach to England in other words.

It’s a little odd travelling by myself. I’ve travelled alone before, but never stayed anywhere all by myself without knowing anyone or having anyone to talk to. I went out to eat today. I found an ok pub, not too far from the hotel nor from work and I really enjoyed sitting there by myself. I was a little twitchy at first, didn’t really know where to look, what to do, but then I just sat back and took everything in. I was sitting in the corner of a pub, a bright corner fortunately, next to a window. Outside I could see christmas decorations and as I sat there Paul McCartney’s voice reminded me that this was a wonderful christmas time. I started drifting off, thinking about buying home a few christmas decorations for Son and Husband. I’ve wanted to go to a large European city before yule, go to markets and see the various decorations.  And now, after working as hard as I can here for a few days, I have more days off around christmas that I can spend with my family. A win/win situation. I smiled to myself and had to agree with Paul, it was indeed a wonderful christmas time.

Next to my table sat a couple. It became obvious from their conversation that they didn’t know each other well and was probably on one of their first dates. The woman was talking a lot, on and on about a family situation, and after every third sentence or so she added: “But I don’t care”. In my head I finished that sentence for here “… I just go raving on and on about it anyhow, ironic isn’t it?”. The man was quiet, for obvious reasons. He did get a word in every now and again, he was more reserved than the woman, talking slower and without the gestures she so enthusiastically used. He had his back towards me, but I can’t imagine his facial expressions being any more dramatic than his gestures. His stories were met with more or less random “ah hah!”s and a person looking more out the window than at the man talking to her. Then he asked her something, and the stage was hers again. She reminded me a bit of myself, which is a scary thought. I know I can get very enthusiastic when talking about something that excites me, but I do hope I show more attention to the people I talk to. With the many interesting people I have around me and do talk to, it would be a real shame if I didn’t. I found myself trying to picture myself as a single woman in my late twenties. I met my husband at 15 and we have been together ever since. How dramatically different I would have been as a person without him. I’m glad I’ll never know!

Being at a completely new place, with nothing familiar around me except for the contents of my bag and logos and brands I know from back home, I found comfort in the music played in the pub. Music is the best therapy. “Let it never be said, that the romance is dead” said a familiar voice, while Husband’s face popped up in my head and brought a smile to my face. I had finished my dinner and was getting ready to leave. More people entered the pub, accompanied by Killers asking the always relevant question: “Are we human? or are we dancer?”.

Posted by Anne | Filed under Babbling, Good Life, Travel

≈ 2 Comments

A Scot I’ll Never Forget

26 Saturday Nov 2011

Posted by Anne in Babbling, Scotland, Travel

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Blue skies, Mood, People, Pubs, Scotland, Scottish men, Weather

This blog is called Anne blabbers. This is one of those post that will show you why. And since that is my name in front of the verb: allow me.

One of the wonderful things about travelling is meeting people. We had pictured late evenings in Scottish pubs, laughing and chatting with the locals while sipping on a pint. Listening to music and, listen to the varieties of Scottish accent as we travelled from one part of the country to the next. We met quite a few interesting people, most of them men, as a group of three ladies seem to attract them more easily than other women. And as you know, when meeting a lot of new people, someone might come around who’ll take up permanent residence in your head. This happened to me.

The depressing blue skies of Scotland

I was, as you know, travelling with the most wonderful travel companions I can imagine, two of the most wonderful ladies I’ll ever know. Now, I could go on and on about the amazing qualities they possess but I will focus on one thing that one of these ladies shows immense talent for and that is finding people to talk to. More specifically: in a pub she walks over to the bar to order a drink only to return to our table with the most interesting people in said pub.

After finding the perfect company for us in a pub in Oban, we hit the pubs in Edinburgh, looking for another night of perfection. We sent our lovely blonde off to the bar to get us drinks, as that would guarantee a man following in her path back to the table. She did not let us down. Introduced to us was a man who’ll we’ll never forget.

Let’s call him Scott, or, let’s not, that could be interpreted as us seeing him as the stereotypical Scotsman, which I don’t don’t think he is. In fact, this is the type of man you don’t come across every day, and thus also one who leaves one heck of an impression.

He didn’t really stand out in the crowd, but then he opened his mouth. And then, my friend, I realised a few life-altering truths. The first was that we had obviously lost our good luck somewhere around Glasgow. Second was that a nice Scottish accent is not synonymous with being sweet, kind, and polite. Can you imagine our disappointment?

The man seemed to be thrilled to be the only man at our table, and he was not going to waste his time. He blabbered even more than I tend to when I’m nervous. And to give you a brief summary of some of the topics we (or, rather he, as this was more of a monologue than a dialogue) touched upon:

  • “Everybody hates the Brits. Nobody likes them at all. They’re in the European Union, but really, they shouldn’t be because everyone hates them. They get along better with their closest neighbour(?), the US, but unfortunately they don’t really seem to notice them at all.” How we can be so sure everybody hates them? “Well, have you ever seen the results of Eurovision?” I now pointed a finger and tried to remind him of what the previous British entries have been in the song contest, with which he replied: “Well, everyone hates us anyway and nobody’s going to give us any point anyhow, so why bother sending anyone good?” There seems to be a bit of an evil circle going on there, but who am I to talk? Norway is attached to the continent and thus I am biased as I already loathe them. Fortunately there’s Australia. Australia rocks and is by far the best country in the world.
  • “The UK is the most corrupted nation in the world. Every politician is corrupt. They will do anything for their own personal wealth and can be turned in any direction with the right amount of cash. Of course may of them start out nice, but once they smell money their souls are sold to Satan and they cannot be saved.” The poor man did not get the expected responses from us on this subject which resulted in a silent moment, where his eyes flicked back and forth between us. He gave off a nervous laughter before he asked: “You’re not politicians, are you?” He was never really convinced we were, which in fact really made my day. I can now proudly say I have been accused of being an undercover politician set to infiltrate society in order to see what Average Joe thinks about how we run the country. Badass!
  • “Scotland sucks! The weather is horrible, it’s cold, it rains, and the sky is always grey. There is basically no reason to live and every Scotsman we’d ever meet would be depressed and grumpy.” ( I assume all other Scots I’ve ever met have just been extremely good at hiding this). “What makes them all so depressed is the weather and the cold. Nobody can live and function normally under such circumstances,” he said and looked at us who were both smiling. We had to remind of where we were from, the amounts of rain we get, the fact that our country is further north and thus is probably both colder, and definitely has fewer hours of sunlight during the winter. He could not explain this, but it could have something to do with our blond hair and blue eyes. Duh!
  • Oh, and being a Glaswegian in Edinburgh is worse than anything else in the entire world!

Castles and blue skies - to depressing for words

The guy left our table in a fury when we counter-argumented and happened to say something about Scotland that he misinterpreted as criticism. “Who were we to criticise his country!?”

We were glad to see him go. Before leaving the pub, we were asked by a few men(lads) at the table next to ours, where we were from. When Norway was our answer, they looked at us in bewilderment, shook their heads and said that we could not be. We looked as confused at that comment and wanted them to elaborate. With which we were met with “You can’t be! There was a terrorist attack in Norway. You were shot!”

We then left the pub, never to look back. But with memory of Scott, far from the average Scot, who we’ll never forget.

Summer’s over

14 Sunday Aug 2011

Posted by Anne in Babbling, Cosiness, Good Life

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Autumn, Candle, Cold, Cosiness, Summer, Tea

I’ve surrendered. Surrendered to autumn, dark skies, short days, everyday life, work, kindergarten – and most importantly large cups of tea, woolen blankets, candles, books and snuggling inside while the rain is hammering on the window. I now sit with a lit candle, a big cup of green tea with honey, and a few small late-summer flowers my parents picked while out walking with Son.

The temperature has given up, or I have lost hope in a sudden return of tropical heat and long summer nights. I am now officially ready for autumn. I caught myself looking at my winter shoes here the other day, thinking long and hard about whether I would pull it off wearing them to work, or if I would then diminish the hope of those of my colleagues who still hope for more summer days. My raincoat is ready and I sometimes long for my scarf and winter jacket.

I realise that it is only a few days since I walked the forests, a warm summer day, where I missed my bikini and longed for a proper swim in the river. I guess that was what I needed to let go of summer and be satisfied with the experiences I’ve had for the summer of 2011. I haven’t had a swim outside though, which I must have before completely letting go. It’s not very tempting, but it must be done…

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