Creativity

Despite being busy and quite stressed at the moment I'm really excited about a few creative things I've decided to do :)

First of all, I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year. I have high flying ideas on how I'd like to create my own Christmas traditions. Unfortunately I may have to stop with the Christmas hyenas, it will be very hard for future children to explain why we, in Casa de Chuckles, make Christmas hyena-ginger bread....
I'm also preparing a Christmas card list and planning where the Christmas tree will be and what sort of lamps and ornaments to have in it. It's marvellous altogether :)

I have also bought new sewing patterns. One skirt, one dress and one top. I intend to be really good at sewing, so I'm also looking for books to purchase on creating own patterns, alter already made patterns and style in general :)
Now I just need to find some fabric - and someone to cook and clean the house while I spend all my free time behind the sewing machine :)

The Happiness Ninja

I'm terribly happy today. Mainly because I'm back at work after being sick for an entire week.

It started kinda so-so. When I went to change into my working clothes it turns out the guy next to me had no idea I had been gone. Even though it was for a week!! My closest boss(es) said it was fine, me being gone. A little bit panic-y towards the end of the week, but managable all the same. I spoke with another colleague and he had no real idea that I had been gone either.

Then at 9, we all gathered in the pantry to have cake and coffee. It was someone's birthday and the entire company was invited. To my great joy everyone showed up and I loved it so much I had to count them. 25. We were 25 people crowding up a pantry in order to have cake and coffee :D

I was sitting in the sofa, munching cake and minding my own business when someone yelled out "Howya Trinny! You're back!" :D
When I looked up I saw a third colleague of mine across the room, and I yelled back (as you do): "Finally someone noticed that I have been gone!"

He explained my absence had been very obvious. Everything went apart little by little as the days went by, he said. I called flattery of course (in my head) but the other colleagues sitting beside yer nice man nodded and agreed :)

Another friend of mine, who doesn't work with me, suggested that I'm the happiness ninja at my place of work - and therefore the office wasn't as fun when I wasn't there but they didn't know why. I'd like to think that is the truth in the matter :)

Who wouldn't like to be a Happiness Ninja?

Fashionable Chuckles?

So, I'm back with a problem after quite a long a holiday break from blogging.
The problem is that I desperately need clothes and the way I see it, I can either go shopping and search for some, or I could order a few custom made pieces online (in TWEED!!!) :)

The solution is more or less obvious, I should totally buy my stuff online. It would save me the hassle of searching through shop after shop and not find anything anyway. The problem is that the things I'm looking at getting are rather fancy... not expensive, but dressy - and my job requires a uniform so I don't really need nice clothes. I rarely go out either but I'd love to look my best all the same :)

You only live once, isn't that what they say?
I want to live my life feeling pretty and being happy. It is important to me.




Wow, I think I managed to make up my mind all on my own this time... :)
Ruffled top and pencil skirt it is. A new lipstick too.

Now the only question is will I make that a red top and black skirt? A white top and green skirt? Or A white top and a red skirt? Any ideas or advice?

Tweeeeeeeeeeeeee *catches breath* eeeeeeeeeeeed!! :)

Craving creativity

For some reason I don't write anymore. I'm not even sure I miss it.
Don't get me wrong, I love living inside my head and imagine what people do and tell their stories through carefully thought out words. I could be anything I want. But sometimes stories just run out, or in my case; all my stories seem too much alike (at least to me they do)

The problem is that I haven't started up a replacement yet, so I've spent too much time playing stupid video games - yes, they are stupid if you'd rather do something else with your time ;)
Upon thinking about it this morning I realised I want to do something crafty. If I was any good with drawing that would be perfect, but I am not. I want to create something with my hands, like hats or mending old watches, but since I have no clue about watches or hats I decided to start off with something I do know; sewing.

I have no idea where I've placed my old sewing patterns, but then again how fun is it to do the things you've already done a couple of times? So I decided to buy a few more patterns online, just to get my imagination going and that feel-good-feeling you get when you're about to embark on something brand new and exciting. I bought 2 dresses, 1 blouse and 1 hat pattern. I can't wait until they show up in my letterbox :)

Meanwhile, I decided to have a look for some fabric. I love quirky fabric, despite wanting to be classy and elegant. I REALLY love this fabric:

It would be the coolest dress or skirt ever!! :)
My mister isn't as thrilled by it though, so when I buy it (I will anyway, because I love love love it!) it will most likely end up as pillow cases.

A new type of lazy

Another quest I couldn't be arsed to complete just yet...

Thank goodness my holiday is almost over! I've discovered a new type of lazy going on and I'm not sure I like it...
I've been lazying about this whole summer, doing as little as I possibly can. A lot of my time has been spent video gaming :) - but recently I've come to realise the laziness has gotten even worse. Whereas I used to think I was being much too lazy sitting around with my video game all the time (apart from the time I spent sorting in the garden) but the last few days "lazy" has reached new hights. Before taking on any quest in the game I've started to check online for walkthroughs, in order to find out if it will take me long to complete. If the page I end up on has an awful lot of text and different stages I usually pass altogether.

Similar Songs

Ever stop to think certain songs are very smiliar to other songs? ... How patches here and there are precisely the same in them? Would it bother you on occasion? These three songs are very much alike, at least they are in my head - and it DOES bother me! They are fairly good songs individually, but it's really annoying when you realise they are pretty much the same.

I hear this song on the radio.....

..... thinking it's this song:

.... which was already a lot like the song below....

I call fibs!!!

Holiday

One week of my summer holiday has already gone by. It's been lazy days for most part. I've done some washing, I've sorted things in the garden and yesterday I was baking bisques with lemon mousse in it :)
The weather has been marvellous so far! - and I'm very happy about it. I couldn't wish for a better first week of holiday. I'm soon to go to Ireland as well and I'm really looking forward to it. Until I heard on the radio yesterday morning that they had 16 degrees in Dublin. They'd better be joking, I thought to myself. No one's meant to be cold during the summer! No one should be allowed to wear long sleeved jumpers and jeans in the summer either (unless they for some reason must). Being the Swede I am, I wear shorts, skirts and dresses because it's that time of the year. Earlier this year for instance, I think it was during the end of May, I decided it was summer and wore a dress on my commute to work even though on occasion it was no more than 10 degrees or so that early in the morning :)

Anywho; I spoke to a Dublin friend after my findings yesterday and was reassured it got a lot warmer than those 16 degrees as the day went by :) *phew!*

I have also decided to make a list of things I want to do this summer, while I'm off work and have plenty of time on my hands:

• Buy a new summer dress (this will be made a new annual thing from now on)
• Load turf onto a trailer when in Ireland (was told we might do that and I'm excited already!)
• Have an ice cream with loads of sprinkles
• Have coffee and pastry in town, eating it outdoors is a must
• Eat dirty kebab! :)
• Stealing the mister's moped for a joyride
• Tend to the roses in the garden
• Kill all the Stormcloaks in Skyrim (just because they're the rebel underdogs doesn't make them right!!)
• See if I can find a suitable piano and save up for it
• Watch Mulan in Mandarin
• Decorate the bedroom and make the library less messy
• Learn to make vintage hairdos and keeping up using nailpolish

That's about it at the moment :)

What plans do you have for your summer holiday? How long a holiday do you have?
Do comment and let me know.

Cutting the crap!

Cutting the crap! (aka gardening)
I've made room for nice things next to the house.

My garden looks like something the municipality planned, organised and blatantly ditched. It looks like the green areas you'd find outside a state owned hospital, school, park or perhaps even outside an extremely boring town hall. I have lots and lots of overgrown pink Spiraea crushing absolutely everything in its way (I found suffocated lavender underneath one of the bushes I removed today), there are two trees on my rather small plot of land, I have one hedge with bush cinquefoil and a large splotch of plantain lilies eating a large, flighty bit of a flowerbed.

I really didn't feel like doing gardening today, it was 33 degrees, but those Spiraea had to go. They just had to. I can't express just how much I dislike them. So off I went, starting to cut all the twigs and branches so that it will be easier to dig it up. The sooner I clear the flowerbeds the sooner I can plant my lovely roses, the catnip, lamb's ears, more lilacs, violets and rose acacia (spread over two different flowerbeds of course)

I'm not very good at gardening, I just like things - so in order to make this garden right I've asked my sister for advice and my mother likewise. My lovely gardener friend also gave me some brilliant hints when I told him my plans. He must have the coolest job ever! - and I'm really impressed with the knowledge he has about things I've never even heard of :)

Anyway, as soon as the weather cools down, I'm going to make my garden pretty. It will be easy to maintain (I hope) and not so common-area-esque!

Schmoosie getting ready to plant the roses

Haircuts and watches

Today I had a haircut! :)
I always look forward to having my hair fixed by the only hairdresser I'll ever let near me. She knows precisely how I want it and she makes an effort not to get water in my ears when she does the shampooing as she knows how ticklish I am. I feel very pampered.

I also went impulse shopping after I left work for the day. Besides getting my hair done I had made plans to eat lunch somewhere nice, despite being on my own. The tricky part in all of this was keeping track of time. You see when I went to work this morning I was in such a hurry that I forgot my phone at home. I don't wear a watch to work because I really like my watch and don't want it wrecked there; so my only way of knowing the time is through the phone. This caused me to decide that I totally need to get a watch for work. Just a cheap one to wear and tear.

Said and done, after the delicious Asian lunch buffee I went to a shop and found an awful lot of watches on sale. I noted how most watches have really big hourplates and that would not suit with my puny wrist. I asked a shop assistant to come help me so that I could try some on. I found a lovely plain one, very wearable. I tried it but thought (immediately a bit bored with it) that I already have a wearable one at home which I like even better - so I asked her if the Hello Kitty watches would fit me.

We found one. It's soft pink and has a Hello Kitty-face on the hourplate. It is subtle, but I know what it is :) It's a Hello Kitty watch!
The shop assistant then informed me that there'd be a musicbox included in the price. A pink one with a twirling Kitty......

Needless to say, I bought it there and then - and will happily wear the watch to work in the morning.

The full breakfast

Today I came across some questions and answers, in which a celebrity I've never heard of was responding to lots of things... One thing being what his favourite breakfast is, to which he replies "Full English".

That does puzzle me.

A full breakfast. What does it mean? How come I've never been offered a half English or Irish breakfast (or even heard of it)?
I know what would be included in mentioned breakfasts but why would you call it full? In my head all breakfasts are full. Apart from maybe that pathetic cup of strawberry yoghurt I call breakfast when I'm too tired to eat properly before going to work :P

I asked around and my dear friend Stephen kindly explained to me that it's to do with the amount of food served.

Full Irish breakfast would be:
2 sausages
2 rashers (thick bacon)
1-2 eggs
The Two Puddings (white and black)
Beans/fried potato/mushroom
Tae and toast

The half breakfast would be exactly the same but lesser of it:
1 sausage
1 rasher
1 egg
The Two Puddings
Maybe some mushroom/beans
Tae and toast

So thanks to him I finally got the hang of it - thanks, Shane! :)
Though I'm still not sure why you'd divide it like that because I have never seen half a breakfast being offered on a menu... or if someone asks you your favourite breakfast maybe responding English/Irish breakfast (without the "full") would do?

I may need to have such breakfasts more often in order to make perfect sense out of it :)

Cliffs of MOAR!

Yeah, yeah, that's not the proper name.... but it's how I pronounce it! :)
The holiday plans are made; plane ticket booked, weekend in County Clare sorted. I'm even excited about loading a trailer full of turf in the midlands :)

It'll be the regular trip with the added excursion to the west. I've never been to the west coast before and I'm really looking forward to it! .... The only downside is that the puffins won't be around so late in the summer. I may have to have a separate puffin-tour next year :)

Whenever I go to Ireland I pack my best clothes and I dress up as much as I can. I make the airport my fashion runway and I stop and stare at everything even though it's not particularly new to me anymore. I'm really looking forward to my holiday! I can't wait for it to start :)

Skyrim vs Dragon Age

I got a new video game a week ago or so. Well, new to me anyway… :)

I bought Skyrim as I had heard it is a good game and because I usually play Dragon Age and from what I could understand the two are quite similar. They’re both RPGs set in a fantasy world and you can choose if you want to play as a warrior, rogue or mage.

On my first hour of playing Skyrim I got the bright idea to pickpocket someone. You can do so in Dragon Age no problem, if it fails it fails and that’s all that happens. I figured there was nothing to lose so I did the same in Skyrim – and before I knew it everyone was attacking me. I managed to kill the one I pickpocketed and that’s when more people showed up in an angry mob. I didn’t know how to use the controls properly and thus got killed by an angry man with a frying pan.

Playing as a rogue is easy in Dragon Age. You just be opportunist whenever you get a chance. In Skyrim, however, everything is illegal and they will kill you for it. You can’t trespass, pick locks or steal without consequences (unless you’re really good at it and don’t get caught!).

I torched a random chicken with my fire magic because I was quite bored - and got killed because of it. One teeny tiny chicken, caused the death of four people.

Overall, this game is much too complicated for me.

Sellingpoint vs my reality

You can go anywhere!         I get lost

Visit loads of places!           I can’t find them

So many side missions!       Over-flooded with scrap

You can steal anything        Someone will kill you

Daytime/nighttime               It gets dark a lot.

Weather changes                 It mostly snows or rains

Make a character                 Y U NO pretty?

The main thing is miss in Skyrim is that in Dragon Age I have funny companions. In Skyrim I’m allowed one at the time (if I’m not mistaken) and in Dragon Age I can have three and they all make funny remarks that make me chuckle :)

I'm not done playing Skyrim, but I have no clue what the hay I'm doing.

The title menu song is scaring the bejesus out of Schmoosie...

Schmoosie's frienemy

As it seems our little tiger is recruiting another member to the herd. Mr Chuckles and I spotted the very furry cat in our garden yesterday. Schmoosie was sitting calmly nearby looking at it. Normally he’d go all fluffy and upset someone’s coming close to his territory (he loves being territorial and macho), but this time he kept quiet. He even went chasing a butterfly instead of telling the strange cat off.

I’m not sure if this new buddy of his is a stray or if he has a home. It was rather thin, had long, dark fur and didn’t seem afraid at all. He even went for a lie down on one of the garden chairs. When we let Schmoosie in, the strange cat went after and popped his head in through the terrace door and that’s when Schmoosie came to chase him away. Schmoosie wasn’t really upset by it – it was more of a too-much-too-soon kind of thing.

 

I do hope this cat has a home already; partly because it really angers me when people kick out their cats and partly because I’m not sure if we have room for two.

… And I’m certainly not sure if I’d be able to convince Mr Chuckles that having two cats would be a good idea.

Happy Midsummer!

Time to celebrate Sweden's most beloved holiday! :)
Looks like the weather is traditionally overcast and it'll most likely rain before the day is over. As per usual. I'm off to herring lunch with my sister and parents in a couple of hours, so I'm just going to make myself pretty and hop up on my bicycle.
I was going to explain more about what Midsummer is and how we celebrate it, but I found this video - which is far better than anything I could possibly say about it :)

Have a splendid Friday!!

Mr Chuckles

I felt the need to write this post because every time I open my mouth to talk about my everyday life “Mr Chuckles this and Mr Chuckles that” pops out and I can’t help it. I’m really proud of him :)

The things I’d mention vary, but as I was asked about my plans for the upcoming Swedish holiday I told my bosses about his Midsummer traditions :)

Mr Chuckles is a fussy eater, but every Midsummer the brave man gulps a small piece of pickled herring and washes it down with vodka (as we do in Sweden). It looks absolutely horrible and I suffer with him every year, but he has no plans of stopping as far as I can tell. It’s tradition, he says.

As opportunities arise, we do all sorts of random. Yesterday we bought an old moped, last year we got a cat, whenever the big band has a gig we’re there dancing, sometimes we go to the playground to play on the swings, we know most pizza bakers and café owners in town and sometimes when I’m upset Mr Chuckles takes me to see the ponies on the outskirts of town.

He also teaches me things, especially things about Ireland (political, cultural, linguistic, random) and technology. The latter is an interest of his; the former is mainly because I ask too many questions :)

I love listening to his techy stuff, though I’m not sure if he knows that. Admittedly, it’s too nerdy for me to grasp fully at times, but it’s intriguing me all the same.

Of course we have our ups and downs just like any other couple. Despite being quite alike, we are also each other’s polar opposites. I can be terribly disgruntled, annoyed or overly emotional … but at the end of the day there’s no one else I’d rather be with :)

Does anyone remember Schnappi?

In 2005 when I was in high school Schnappi the baby crocodile made his way from Germany to Sweden. My friends and I adored him! :)
He was the cutest little thing ever, singing songs about his red bike, the llama from Yokohama and chasing dinner. I have the album somewhere so I remember... Do you? :)

 

Be kind!

It's funny how some nice things stick with you forever.
I know bad things stick as well. I, like many other people, have a hard time letting go of badness and meanies you'd come across from time to time. But really, isn't it just swell to forget about all that and focus on things that make your days golden instead? Simple things, like the right word at the right time, a smile when you needed it the most or treasured friendship :)

I deal with a big meanie on a daily basis, I even shed a tear because of it the other day. But what I find - and this is quite intriguing - is that it doesn't matter so much. I'm sad for maybe half an hour tops, but the truly good times I remember with sweet friends or wonderful new aquaintances last for much longer than half an hour.
For instance, a couple of years ago, I went to a wedding. I got myself dolled up (I LOVE being stylish!) but ended up feeling quite miserable due to many different things, however what I remember to this day is that a young woman came up to me, solely to let me know she thought I was very beautiful. To this day I have no idea who she is! I wish I could tell her how she made my day back then and how that one, short coversation is still making my days.

It meant a lot coming from a complete stranger and a woman at that. Women aren't very good at giving each other compliments, at least not in my experience, and that's why this mattered so much.

This occasion made me decide to spread the love and share compliments where ever I find them :)
... Sure, most people think I'm insane - but I don't care :D

Little patriot me

I'm quite the patriot :)

It dawned on me a few days ago, although it's not precisely news. For me, it's a little confusing as well because I'm not patriotic when it comes to only one country. I have two.

I am Swedish but for some reason I've always felt very connected to Ireland (at least since I was 12 years old), and the more I learn the more Irish I feel. Sometimes I'm convinced that, in a former life, I must've been fighting in the Easter Rising! :D .... Needless to say, I feel very strongly about the country :)
I would never want to dismiss my Swedishness though. When I did my army training I was so proud to carry the Yellow and Blue on my uniform. It was the idea of protecting my country and her citizens that made me join in the first place, and I think to a certain degree you'd have to be patriotic to choose such a career. Otherwise there'd be no meaning to it.

But I don't think I could ever choose between the two. Luckily I don't have to! I get to enjoy the best of both :)

Are you proud of where you're from as well?

A picture for me?

I've gone on a big shopping spree lately..... a video game, lots of hair pins, a visit to the beautician, meals in restaurants - and I'm already looking to spend some more.
I was talking to my mother and sister today and they told me how they've come across a painting that I've been dying to own for a while, at the local gallery. I already own a piece of this very artist and would love to have at least one more creation of hers :)

In order to justify a potential purchase and not feel terrible about it, I've had to promise myself to refrain from buying new clothes and having fancy facials. Buying the lithography and having it framed may very well be the equivalent of a few hundered euros.

I do want it all the same, so I've asked my mother to please make sure to hurry to the gallery when they open on Tuesday (I'll be at work, so I can't do it myself) to make sure that no one will buy the picture before I do.

I've always wanted to collect something and finally I think I know what I'll collect :)

Overslept

Last night I was so tired when I dragged myself to bed. It must've been a little past 10 o' clock at night and I was exhausted! ... and oh, how lovely it was to rest my weary head on my pillow (which, by the way, is covered by my favourite pillow case in the world! - a pink one with zebras on it. As it happens my grandma made that for me a few years ago and I've loved it ever since ... but enough about my zebra pillow - I could go on forever!)

So this morning I woke up, all by myself, which is rare as I usually need help from the alarm clock. It was bright outside and I wondered how long I had left to sleep before the alarm would start. Upon reaching my phone and noticing the time 07:44.

Oh fudge! Oh scrap! What the hay? (I actually say these things for real)

I was meant to get up at six. It takes me around 40 minutes to drive to work and I start at half past seven at the very latest. Surprisingly enough, it doesn't bother me so much. What did bother me was that there was a meeting on at eight I would've loved to go to - and I usually hate meetings.

I have the coolest bosses in the world. I rang them and said I'll slurp down some yoghurt and I'll be right over. During coffee break when I explained to my vice chief what had happened he laughed at me and taught me that I could set my alarm to ring weekdays so I wouldn't have to set it every night.

I had no idea this was even possible! .... The things they come up with nowadays!! :)

Fashion faux pas

Today when I went to have my eyebrows sorted out at the local beautician, I found myself strutting there in a cute red top, a stylish trench coat and.... snuggly pants.
I'd never go out in public in snuggly pants so this was a new experience to me. Maybe it's because I work in uniform (at least that's what I'd like to blame for such a fashion faux pas) and therefore want something snuggly to wear when I travel to and from work. I must say, the snuggly pants were lovely! Light and soft. The total opposite to what I wear at work.

I actually reflected on my weird outfit as I was walking from the car, conveniently parked a few 100 metres away from town. But it didn't bother me. Instead I had a lovely walk. I stopped and waved at the pizza-man when I passed by the pizzeria, I lingered outside a gallery where there were painting by my favourite artist and I glanced wistfully at all the instruments in music shop display window. It was pretty swell! :)

I had never been to this very beautician before so it was a new experience, but I reckon I'll go back there soon enough. I love being pampered (....as you do) :)
She even put on some make-up on me when the brows were sorted and I made no secret of me definitely wanting to come back.

Afterwards I went for a walk across town, in my dark grey snuggly pants, to buy some nailpolish.
 - and now that I am home, I intend to have a nice bath and make my nails pretty :)

Yay!

Happy-good-morning!

It's Monday morning - let's sing all the way to work! ♫
Simply because we can :)

Working vs Being off

It's Sunday again and after being off since last Thursday I'm dreading going back to work!
It puzzles me a little because I really like my job and I love all of my colleagues (with one mutual exception). I love having coffee with everyone and listening to stories from back in the day and I enjoy solving what ever new problem will come my way. Yet, as it feels right now, I'd rather stay at home forever (if only I could get paid for hanging about) :)

Is that the long-weekend-lazy talking? Or would you feel the same about your job?

I suppose, upon thinking some more about it, I reckon the thing I dislike the most is getting up early in the morning. Everything kinda sucks until I get in the car and start driving. Once I arrive I jump into my uniform, run up the stairs (.... or probably dragging my feet a little - there's an awful lot of stairs) and happily greet everyone I meet on my way to my office. Maybe there'd still be a tired yawn or two  before I get my 9 'o clock coffee, but generally I'm pretty happy out.

In an ideal world, I guess one should be allowed to show up and go home when ever it pleases and all the chores magically done in that space of time :)

Ice cream outrage!

How dare they remove my favourite ice cream in the world (!) from the ice cream van? >:(
I haven't bought anything from the ice cream van in ages, but figured now could be the time to start again. After all, summer is on its way and I really enjoy having a little stash of ice cream in the freezer for those warm days. So when I heard the ice cream van playing its silly tune I thought this was a marvellous time to get some ice cream without having to go to the shop (I hate going to the shop)
Alas, my joy didn't last very long as I found out they don't have my favourite ice cream anymore. How they could rid one of the nicest in the lot I will never know!

It's chocolate and vanilla ice cream in a small cup, divided by a layer of dark chocolate and crispy meringue. Simple and delicious!

I went searching for it in the shop the other day but it was nowhere to be found and the ice cream van was a no go...... What's even sadder is that when you google the name of the ice cream, there's no pictures of it! ..... Apart from this ridiculously puny one.

It's as if it never even existed!!

So if you see a young lady with her head down every single freezing counter when you're out shopping for groceries, it's probably me searching for the missing ice cream :)

The Blog

I'm full of random.
I seriously am.

I don't really need to persuade anyone this is the case, and I suppose that is the reason I desperately need a blog.
The realisation came when I was on a course in Stockholm (not long ago) and had to spend quite a while away from home. I saw many things that were new to me, I observed city people and their habits and I found new friends full of intriguing stories. There was basically a lot to ponder and, of course, chuckle at. But who would have time to listen to all my random jibberjabber? I don't want new acquaintances to know instantly what a silly-billy I am - oh they learn that sooner or later - and talking the ears off mr Chuckles isn't really an option. He puts up with a lot of silly as is.

Hence, The Blog.

This is where I will turn with what ever random is on my mind. The added bonus, that people I meet in person don't have, is that you can choose if you want to read it - or if my silly is a little too much.