How to Stay Connected with Family from Across the World

Last weekend my brother became an official Fireman (that's him to my right) and it seemed like I was the only in the family that was not able to go. I was actually kind of dreading seeing the photos from the occasion because I knew it would make me sad I was not there. I was not prepared for the fact that my little sister (the breathtaking blonde in the red dress) had made a cardboard cutout of me and from the photos you see here, I actually made it and had a great time!

From the photos I see that I attended the whole ceremony as well as enjoyed dinner and drinks (even margaritas) late in to the night.....

Here's my Dad, my Brother the Fireman, my too cute for words Sister and me in between them where I belong. I was laughing so hard looking at these I almost forgot about how sad I was that I couldn't be there.

With great modern communications these days, living across the World from your family does not mean the same thing it did even a couple of years ago. I can Skype and email my family members and I can get an instant response back. The other great thing about this situation has been teaching my Grandmothers how to use these technologies and seeing their faces light up when they can see and talk to me in my new house in a country they have barely even heard of. They have done pretty well with all of these virtual chats, but from the look on my Grandma's face in this photo my "presence" at this weekend’s event may have been too much.......

Venus from the Glass Kingdom

This my absolute favorite piece of production Swedish glass. She is called Venus and she is made by through and though Swedish glass manufacture Mats Jonasson. I have stared at her longingly from windows in Stockholm, Malmo and anywhere else she graces me with her presence. She is a typical Nordic beauty: soft, natural with a subtle sophistication that leaves you breathless and at peace.

Sweden has a long history in glass manufacturing most of which has been created in a region called Småland. My husband’s ancestors were glassblowers and business owners in this industry for generations so because of that and many other reasons I have a huge place in my heart for Swedish Glass.

Unfortunately very recently Orrefors (one of the oldest manufactures of Swedish Glass) announced they would be closing most of their production in Sweden and moving it to the Czech Republic. I was so sad to hear this. Even though this is not the first time the glass industry in Sweden has gone through hard times, it seems that the World economy of today has made it impossible for the "Glass Kingdom" of  Sweden to shine like it should. More on this later......

Sunset at 3:30pm and Other Adjustments

Living is Sweden is great, but it does come with some small yet significant adjustments. Just when I have started to get used to having to wear a vest or down jacket most of the day during this time of year, then I started to notice that the daylight hours were slowly dwindling.

These photos were taken today at about 3:30pm. This is the price you have to pay for it being light until 10pm during the summer months.

I understand that this is the way it works. The reality is I have to make sure that I have gotten everything done at about 2pm or else the day has a way of getting away from me.

City Mouse or Country Mouse?

While I was on my daily run through the woods I started to think about what my walks a year ago in San Francisco looked like. My everyday surroundings now are about as different as they can be from my life in San Francisco.

People who meet me here in Sweden almost always ask the same question: "It is so different from San Francisco here, how are you doing it?” The answer is I do it all. I find it hard for myself to believe sometimes, but I have found out that I am not a country mouse or a city mouse. I'm a mouse that changes when change is needed, that's the brassiest kind of mouse there is, I assure you.

Before moving to Sweden I did second guess myself a lot; "Will I be ok being away from the ocean? Will I make any friends? Will I learn the language? Can I survive without Happy Hour in the city?” My feeling now is most of us can handle much more change in our environments than we think is possible. I think if more people stopped second guessing themselves when it comes considering a life change, more personal growth would happen for more people in much less time.

Swedish Proverb #2

"Tålamod är nyckeln till paradiset"

"Patience is the key to paradise"

While I struggle with my Swedish courses I try and think of this very proverb. Even though most everyone here speaks English, and on TV most of the shows I watch here are American or English I still need to master the Swedish language in order to unlock the door to my ultimate paradise. I am thirty years old learning a brand new language so patience is key to my success here. Even though I suffer through my Swedish, I have a new mantra: For the results I require all I need is time.



 I have not been able to think about this much before but, isn't time all we really have anyway?