Thursday, January 31, 2013

keep your mess!!!!!!!


i always find it quite amusing when you are sitting happily chatting with friends and then the people at the next table.....discreetly clean up their mess by putting it where you are seated!!!!!!!
so next time you leave your seat to visit the bathroom.....leave your jacket behind or else you might be sharing it with a dirty coffee cup!!!!!!

people are funny!!!!!!!

(-: Rhoda :-)

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

keeping it clean!!!!!!!!!


sitting in a cab looking to my right.....and what do i see but this vomit bag....looking to my left what do i see but yet another vomit bag.....

smart cab driver!!!!!!! looking out for his cab!!!!!!

so wouldn't it be nice....after a night out.... especially on the weekends if you got your bill with a little bag to go.... JUST IN CASE!!!!!!!!!!

(-: Rhoda :-)


Monday, January 28, 2013

thank you!!

the gift!!!!!


is this artichoke a happy gift!!!!!
what do you do with an artichoke????
where is the perfect place to put your artichoke????

buying gifts is HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRD!!!
and going wrong is soooooooooooooo easy!!!!!!

so make it easy.....
unless it is a bottle of wine/chocolate or flowers....
just ask the question....
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU A GIFT BUT I AM AT A LOSS???
or just turn up with a huge hug!!!!! and a big smile!!!!!!!

(-: Rhoda :-)

Saturday, January 26, 2013

my sunrise!!!!!!!



version two can creep up slow or fast
are silhouetted moments made to last?

will you appreciate and tolerate with a second chance
and fill your days with music and dance

make it tingle when you kiss as if it was the first
enjoy the butterflies that make you want to burst

let yourselves be silly never mind your age
life and love are here don't watch get on the stage

(-: Rhoda :-)

smoke free!!!!!!!!

                                                                   swedish snus!!!!
remember the days when if you weren't a smoker you'd pant your way through parties and rush into the shower once you got home....and omg!!!!!!! your poor clothes would need a good wash and airing!!!!!!!!!!BUT then there is snus....a healthier option for the secondary smoker but still a health risk for the smoker....so last night i was sitting chatting with three ladies when they all took out their snus and stuck one up their lip and i thought lucky me!!!!!!!! they could have all lit up and i'd be sitting indoors in - degrees .....my eyes beginning to run....my throat starting to itch etc...etc..etc....but instead i was happy happy happy!!!!!!! enjoying a fun night out....chatting away and not being a secondary smoker YEAH!!!!!!!!!!
so instead of worrying about the smell of the smoke....i was fascinated by the different packaging....and thought three different ladies....so what does their choice of snus say about them....i can tell you one thing....i was surprised to see who was snusing what???? go figure looks can be deceiving!!!!!!!! no wonder matching couples at parties can be fun but quite tricky!!!!!!!!!
*pill packet, coffee pod or diaphragm???? or am i just OLD!!!!!!!!!

(-: Rhoda :-)

Friday, January 25, 2013

life's birthdays!!!!!!!



today my gorgeous friend turned 30 and all i can think is 30 what a fabulous age!!!!!!!
then 40 also a pretty fabulous age...and then well why not continue to be happy!!!!!!!!
so i reckon the best way to enjoy your birthday is to bottle it and enjoy it sip by sip!!!!!

(-: Rhoda :-)

Thursday, January 24, 2013

slip slide!!!!!!!!



it is always fun to ask the question HOW??? when you meet someone who has a fun job.....
so this morning i enjoyed a conversation with a man who spends his days fixing chimneys and shoveling snow off roofs of buildings....just my luck!!!!!!!!
so i asked the question...isn't it slippery up there and how don't you fall????
answer- it is very slippery and it gets icy
(so what they do is attach themselves with a harness and slide down the roofs on their bums....)
fun i thought....but what if you slide off the roof....
answer- this guy did slide off but he managed to kick his way through a window into an apartment
imagine sitting there reading your book minding your own business, or walking out the shower....and you have a man james bond style...kicking his way, glass smashing everywhere, into your apartment....
(or else you just have to wait for the fire brigade to come to the rescue....)...
fun day at work!!!!!! sliding on your bum!!!!!!

(:-Rhoda :-)

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

timeish!!!!!!!


time can be a little tricky when you are happy!!!!!!!!!
if your days outnumber your weeks are you being R-E-A-L happy!!!!!!!
hoping the weeks will run along leaving just the days........

(-: Rhoda :-)

let me guess??

                                       
                                                       parking who needs parking?????
                                              soon you'll be able to ski down this slope!!!!!!!

                                                                    (:- Rhoda :-)


               

Monday, January 21, 2013

top to bottom!!!!!!!

               there is nothing more invigorating than having a shower and brushing your teeth!!!!!!!
anyway....rewind....so out there somewhere....there is always someone coming up with fun ideas for studies...so when i heard about this one....i just had to share....
e-coli bacteria... we have all heard about it....
so imagine not brushing your teeth for a week.....funny enough the mouth seems to adapt to this new environment and by the end of the week....the baaaaaaaaaaaad breath isn't as offensive anymore!!!!!!
surprise surprise!!!!!! while testing flora on the body.....the most e-coli was found on the armpit....
moral of the story here....wash bottom last....
                                                       start at top finish at bottom!!!!!!!

                         alternatively one of these should do the trick before the shower!!!!!!!!!

(-: Rhoda :-)

Sunday, January 20, 2013

walking, talking, eating!!!!!!!!!


-17degrees 



 brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.......bracing against the cold.......walking walking walking.....taking in the crisp fresh air.....soooooooooooo cold....fingers frozen and face about to shatter into a million small porcelain pieces.
                     jeans still working in minus degrees.....fighting to keep the legs a walking!!!!!!!!!
          although freezing and struggling to reach "the destination".....what beautiful sightseeing!!!!!!!!!
                                                               quiet.....clean.....snow.....
                        winter is not a bad thing....if you are surrounded with such beauty!!!!!!!!!
 ok enough NOW food!!!!!!! the one thing you need in the coooooooooooooooooooold is a warm meal...... and swedish meatballs hits that spot.....and before you know it....you will forget about your frozen fingers and slowly defrost.....
 just walking into the restaurant and feeling your blood come back.....is such an amazing feeling!!!!!!!!
aaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                                        wonderful lingonberries!!!!!!!!
what a wonderful day!!!!!!!!!
lunch at hotel skeppsholmen
WWW.HOTELSKEPPSHOLMEN.COM
(for a swedish feeling and beautiful surroundings highly recommended)
-it was like a winter wonderland....and being in an art gallery!!!!!!!
drinks at hotel diplomat
(nice way to begin a saturday night out on the town....)
and finally omg!!!!!!!! dinner at italiano papa
did we discover an amazing restaurant last night....thanks to a fabulous friend who made the booking for us.....
omg omg omg!!!!!!!!!
the service was terrific!!!!!!! walking in from the coooooooooooold you felt like you were entering a bar in new york!!!!!!!.....great food....and with the music and the ambiance of the place....we felt like we were in a club rather than a restaurant...a total hit!!!!!!! a restaurant you don't want to leave after your meal....let the conversation continue until the early hours of the morning!!!!!!!

(-:Rhoda :-)

Saturday, January 19, 2013

metamorphosis!!!!!!!


what a warm feeling.....walking into a home where family creations from the past are cherished!!!!!!
this log holder was made during WW2 by my friends aunt from a water cistern....
she also made tea pots among other things with a hammer and a soldering iron....
and today....all of her works are happily enjoyed by her family!!!!!!!!

(-: Rhoda :-)



Thursday, January 17, 2013

a kiss!!!!!!!!!

i have this wonderful friend who is obsessed with this one famous couple and keeps posting pictures of them.....always cuddling and kissing!!!!!!!
and i keep thinking to myself TO LOVE must be the most natural thing of all....and it is the surest way to be HAPPY!!!!!!!
sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
for those of you out there who have it................. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!............
                                                                         and
for those of you looking for that very special person to cuddle up to....and be close to........wishing the new year will bring stars to your heart!!!!!!!

"a kiss makes the heart young again and wipes out the years"
RUPERT BROOKE

"a kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous"
INGRID BERGMAN

(-: Rhoda :-)

chin up!!!!!!

not sure how the atmosphere/mood is around the world with "master chef"....but watching it on swedish TV all the tears and feelings of insecurity....make me wonder if we can do something better at school....to help our children and teenagers....take criticism...and instead of tearing up or feeling sad...turn the whole experience around....and try and see what improvements they can make in order to have a better chance of success...
i really enjoy the show....but all those tears....make me want to venture out into my kitchen even less....
:-(
so chin up!!!!!!!! after all wow....just being on TV cooking something anything....what courage!!!!!!!
totally wow wow wow!!!!!!!

ps: wrong show to be watching when you'r on a diet!!!!!!!
suddenly shakes seem sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo BBBBBBBBOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG!!

(-: Rhoda :-)

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

super dishwasher!!!!!!!

what what what????
and what do you think you'r up to....pre-wash???
my friends dog was very happy posing for the shot, he even took a moment to stop, look at me....
and wait for the next shot...and there he was face back in the dishwasher....
well i never?????
all i can say is as long as he only does the pre-wash and not the drying????

(-: Rhoda :-)

Monday, January 14, 2013

chewing lite!!!!!!!!


                                                  my olfactory is in heaven a la mode
                                                  with glazed apples and a crust to carry the load

                                                  a foaming brew supporting your favourite scoop
                                                  a treat best shared with an entire troupe

                                                 so refreshing and sweet
                                                 a perfect pair ; a twist with chocaleet

                                                 allow the three flavours of chewing gum
                                                 to trick your senses....
                                                 while keeping your belly
                                                 from discovering new places

                                                                   (-: Rhoda :-)

feeling spoiled!!!!!!!!

 it is ALWAYS nice when someone else cooks for you.....and it is very entertaining when one of the guests invited NOT ME....cannot help themselves but ends up rearranging  the place....there i was happily sitting on the sofa....feet up...totally relaxed....watching both maestros at work....the spices of the ongoing cooking floating my way....teasing me while "the interior designer" was busy working his magic!!!!!!
 all i can say here is..........yes yes yes......next time you are looking for a good pinot noir don't walk past the russian river valley!!!!!!!!
                                                                  boeuf marinère
                                                           pommes de terre aux herbes
                                                       warm green salad with asparagus

asparagus yum yum yum.....but why the smell....blame it on the colourless gas "methyl mercaptan" and if you still feel embarrassed...the skunk doesn't when he secretes the same gas....
asparagine is also a contributor....

the meal was AMAZING and my friend is a FABULOUS COOK....a true artist...gifted oh sooooo gifted!!!!!!!! there exists no borders in her cuisine...she will travel the world and whatever she creates will come straight from her soul....and those enjoying her creations will eat through aaaaaaaaahsssssss and oooooooooooooooohsssssss and just feel oh sooooooo spoiled and loved!!!!!!!


(-: Rhoda :-)

Sunday, January 13, 2013

there is life after death!!!!!!!!!

so so proud of my friend Olof who just published a divorce calendar....for men...now i just need him to get it published in english...
it is wonderfully written....easy easy and to the point....taking you step by step through the whole process of divorce and the best part of it...is the calendar which keeps you focused and is a good reminder that you should not isolate yourself....

Jag tycker att det är skit bra att Olof har kommit ut med denna boken, för skilsmässa är så vanligt idag. Det finns ingen tid till att hinna med sina egna känslor så därför är det skönt att han har skrivit en sådan här bok. Det bästa är att den är lätt att läsa och att den är ärlig!
Med hjälp av kalendern i boken så får man en påminnelse om att man inte ska isolera sig själv utan också hålla sig hälsosam.

(-: Rhoda :-)

Thursday, January 10, 2013

haunted!!!!!!!

it is amazing what foods haunt us when we start dieting.....
i am going crazy thinking about potato chips...i fall asleep dreaming that when i wake up...there will be a bag of crunchy flavoured (sour cream) potato chips on the pillow beside me....but no such luck!!!!!! i wake up every morning hungry and faithfully go back to my diet...not smiling!!!!!
                                                                    but but but
these vegetable, fruit/herb chips were pretty yummy...so they also feature in my dreams and I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THE CHIP!!!!!!!!
                                                                          ok
that said......i'm off to the kitchen to say good morning to my shake!!!!!!!
happy times ahead without the chip!!!!!!!

(-: Rhoda :-)

still reading!!!!!!!

unexpected chatter......off to a little get together....nice nibbles and drinks....teenagers all decided to come for the ride....YEAH!!!!!!!! just love it when the kids think it's fun to hang out with their mum and her friends....anyway....so there we are walking around chat here chat there....and then suddenly i realize that i am standing with all the kids in the company of a very interested woman (a teacher) and we are discussing books books books....the kids totally dominate this conversation....and suddenly we are deep in our own world surrounded by literature and the authors whose words have captured us.....

it is so interesting to see how wide the doors into the literary world have opened since i was in school....
and the best part of it....is that now the kids can come up with suggestions the next time i walk into a bookstore!!!!!! discussing literature with the kids....wow wow wow!!!!!!! i didn't see this day coming....at least not yet!!!!!!! super yeah!!!!!!!

-life of pi
Yann Martel
-kiss of the spider woman
Manuel Puig
-the woman who walked into doors
Roddy Doyle

(-: Rhoda :-)

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

:-)


my friend and her daughter decided to donate their hair to "pantene beautiful lengths program"....
which makes real hair wigs for cancer patients and gives the wigs away for free....

www.pantene.com

"the simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer"
  Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

(-: Rhoda :-)

Monday, January 7, 2013

2013 -turning back the clock!!!!!!!

                                                                          step 1
                                                                     the journal
                                                                           step 2
                                                                      the journey

                                                                     (-: Rhoda :-)

flying dogs!!!!!!

my friend enjoyed the company of not 1 or 2 but 3 dogs on her flight....
and one of them seemed to be toilet trained....
he happily went to the toilet with his "mum" while the rest of the family remained seated...

                     so big question here??? are these dogs on board...hypoallergenic dogs???
                                                     happy happy happy dogs!!!!!!!

                                                                       (-: Rhoda :-)

Sunday, January 6, 2013

salad or feet!!!!!!

 so you decide that it might be time to tackle your feet....and enjoy smooth silky feet.....
 and then you are surprised but also a bit embarrassed to put your neglected feet in such a beautiful bowl....
and all you can think about is how colourful your salad would look in this bowl.....what a waste!!!!!!!
but then FEET do carry quite a load....and maybe they need a bit of a spoil sometimes.....

                                                                      (-: Rhoda :-)

Friday, January 4, 2013

eat and talk!!!!!!!!!

there is something to be said about talking to everyone especially the chef.....he will remember you.....
and your eating habits.....so there i was minding my own business the other day....when a waiter came up to me and said i saw your plate and you managed to finish all the fruit....i was a little embarrassed to think that my empty plates were a reflection of my love for FOOD....so i smiled and chose to ignore this observation....but then one night as we were all sitting looking at the menus deciding what we'd like for dessert....this appeared and Y-E-S it was strategically positioned in front of me....and the accompanying comment was....the chef noticed that you liked his cake!!!!!!!!!

                                                                (-: Rhoda :-)

Thursday, January 3, 2013

tough love!!!!!!!!!

 so after years and years and years of my family being super bored of me talking about my weight....they came up with this....two backpacks both filled with weights representing all the weight i have put on in the last 20 years.....20 kgs or 45 pounds.....one pack on my front and the other on my back....did i look silly!!!!!!!
 talk about boot camp i had everyone including the kids cheer me on.....as i did squats....walked up and down stairs....sat down....and walked...kids being kids i am on video doing squats super embarrassing!!!!!!
i felt the extra pressure on my ankles and my shoulders.....it felt like i was 9months pregnant and carrying an elephant!!!!!!! not fun!!!!! i did get lots of stares from strangers...but i managed to keep a brave face....smiling and even offering an explanation...I WANT TO LOOSE WEIGHT!!!!!! maybe this will finally knock some sense into me....
 and for the finale we decided to take a boat ride and enjoy the sunset....was i in for a surprise!!!!!!!
not sure if this was part of the plan....... i was seated in "the best spot" at first the sea was calm but then it became so choppy and the waves had no mercy as they hit.....it was crazy....the waves were so high you could see them coming and there was nowhere to hide....so i just closed my eyes and took one hit after the other....and thought to myself....well it's warm!!!!!!! so that's ok!!!!!!

2013.............healthy eating...........2013.............lots of water............2013.................lots of workouts......

                                                            happy happy happy!!!!!!!

                                                                    (-: Rhoda :-)

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

hello!!!!!!

                                                                  good morning!
                                     try chasing a very content guest away from your shower.....
                                          eventually when the time is right....they will leave.....
                          wouldn't want to challenge the jumping skills of this sporty insect!!!!!!!
                                                                good afternoon!
                                                             not so shy today!!!!!
                                                                 good evening!
                             when you are driving at night you will come across the manicou....
                                                                 A BIG RAT!!!!!!!
                      ok ok not a rat but a possum however in the dark it looked pretty ratty.....
                      and you will see them at very close range so no need for binoculars!!!!!!!!
                         and snacking in the open buggy might not be advisable!!!!!!

                                                                   (-: Rhoda :-)

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

the hammock and the sea!!!!!!!


glass of champagne under the stars
warm breeze weather
bringing thoughts from afar

swaying in one of those hanger things
this way and that
thinking of my soulmate 
and where she is at

gazing across the distant sea
will the new year bring him to me

come swing in my hanger thing
a bit squishy but you'll be with me

(-: Rhoda :-)

smiling into 2013!!!!!!!!

 yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dinner came...i think everyone was looking forward to the partying and dinner was not  really the focus of the evening....we all sat at the table looking at our heels and our swollen feet....no cinderella feet under the table this evening....we were all squished into our shoes and our toes were begging to be released....LET US OUT!!!!!!!!! couldn't find anything to tie my hair up with so pencils work...found a black pencil and miracle of miracles...my hair was happily stabilized for the evening....easy peasy!!!!!!!
 OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! what a party!!!!!! and triple yeah our kids were super cool and on occasion they would join us and what a treat seeing your kids dance........the fireworks were AMAZING!!!!!!!!! and there we were standing right under them......wow wow wow!!!!!!!!
the heels were kicked off and havaianas were the dancing flip flops of the evening.........happy happy happy feet!!!!!!!!


the night was perfect.......lots of dancing.......kids mixing with other teenage dancers on the floor...
i was so proud to see all my kids have my dancing gene.....yeah!!!!!!!!!

                                                               2013 still smiling!!!!!

(-: Rhoda :-)