VALBOGSMÄSSOAFTON!

Walpurgis (Swedish: "Valborg") on April 30, is one of Sweden's main holidays. One of the main traditions in Sweden is to light large bonfires, a custom which began during the 18th century. Walpurgis Night is usually seen as a celebration of springtime. Many Swedes celebrate the end of long, dreary winters by singing Spring songs. I have many nice memories of this holliday from when I was little.

This year's majblomma (mayflower). Thousands and thousands of school children in over 3,000 schools around Sweden sell these flowers in April, and the swedes wear them to welcome spring. The flower has different colors every year!

Omnivores vs. Carnivores

I heard some interesting stuff at the vet today. He said that dogs are "omnivores", and can survive on a vegetarian diet. (wow...really?). Cats however are "carnivores", and need taurine, which is only present in meat, to survive. Interesting I think, don't you?
I also heard that my sweet beautiful nephew Nicolas wants to be a vetrenarian (not vegetarian) when he "grows up". Yay! Good for you Nickie! I know your'e gonna be GREAT!

Jag hörde intresanta saker idag hos vetrenären. Han sa att hundar kan överleva på endast vegetarisk mat. (nämen...är det sant?) Katter däremot måste ha kött för att överleva. Det finns faktiskt fakta på detta på nätet, jag har kollat.
Jag hörde dessutom idag att min fina brors-son Nicolas vill bli vetrenär när han "blir stor". Yippee! Du blir säkert jätte duktig!
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"If all the beasts were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beasts also happens to the man. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the sons of the Earth. "
~Chief Seattle of the Suquamish Tribe,
letter to President Franklin Pierce

"THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE"

I went to see a play yesterday at Berkeley Rep, called The Lieutenant of Inishmore, with Robert and Ann Council and some other friends. It was a very violent and bloody performance, but interesting. (Sorry for the blurry picture).

Jag gick på teater igår med mina vänner Robert och Ann, och några till, och såg "The Lieutenant of Inishmore". En mycket våldsam och blodig föreställning! God pizza efteråt. (Varför kan folk aldrig hålla kameran stilla när man ber nån ta ett kort??? Jag blir tokig...det är som om dom aldrig har hållt i en kamera förut! Alltid samma sak!?)

The Colors...oh the COLORS!!!

I stumbled across this artist early this morning when I couldn't sleep, she is absolutely fabulous! I just LOVE her imagination, her spirit,....and
the COLORS! If you enjoy art, as I do, then you have to go check her out. Her images are sure to make you SMILE!

Jag hittade en helt fantastisk konstnärinna i morse tidigt när jag inte kunde sova, hon är helt underbar! Jag älskar hennes fantasi, hennes själ,....och färgerna....FÄRGERNA! Du bara måste kolla på henne. Hennes konstverk är säkra på att få dig att LE idag!

Just a smile will help

I saw a homeless guy at the side of the road today...he was holding a hand written cardboard sign that said "Anything will help, even just a smile".

It made me think about how I, and most of us take for granted every day the people and things in our lives that make us smile. Can you imagine having so little joy in you life that you would actually have to ask for someone to give you a smile?

Thank you all my friends and family, who make me smile, inside and out, each and every day of my life! I hope I do the same for you.

And Thank You Howard my friend, for not only giving me a smile today, but making me Laugh Out Loud! :-D

This little happy tune is for you Howie!

Jag såg en hemlös gubbe vid vägkanten idag, som höll i en skylt som sa, - Vad som helst hjälper, även bara ett leende. Det fick mig att uppskatta allt i mitt liv som får mig att le varje dag, mina vänner och min familj. Jag hoppas att jag gör detsamma för er ibland.
Tack till Howard, min vän, som inte bara gav mig ett leende idag, men fick mig att skratta högt!

BBQ and Eyebrow Make-overs!

BBQ at Donna & Mike's house yesterday...

Donna felt that I, her Mom and her Dad, all needed some freshening up on our eyebrows ...so we all sat back and let her do her thing...

...all except her dad that is, who just kept saying NO!

Hälsade på hos min goda vän Donna och hennes man Mike igår. Vi grillade god mat, och Donna tyckte att vi alla behövde fräsha upp våra ögonbryn! Det gick vi med på...utom hennes pappa som bara sa NEJ! (Det var han som behövde det mest av oss alla!)

Thank You Barbro & Bengt

Thank You Bengt and Barbro for a wonderful evening...except for the trip to the ER room with my mom. The two of you were wonderful, and I appreciate so much for being there to support us all and made the whole event much more bearable.
Mamma is home and doing fine.
Your home is absolutely beautiful, and we are all happy to finally have gotten the chance to see it.

Tack Barbro och Bengt, ni var absolut underbara igår kväll. Mamma mår bättre och vi är alla så tacksamma för er hjälp och stöd.

Jack London Square

The plan was to meet Trish at Oakland Colliseum to go see the A's play today, but by the sixth inning I was still trying to find someplace to park...so we decided to go to Jack London Square instead. Went to check out the famous "First and Last Chance Saloon" . The A's lost the game so we didn't miss much.





Jag och min kompis Trish var på Jack London Square idag och tittade in på det mycket berömda "First and Last Chance Saloon" som ligger där. Mycket intresant historia.

Happy Easter! Glad Påsk!

Happy Easter! Glad Påsk!

My apple tree is blooming!

Svenska läsare... Glad Påsk på er! Mitt äppel träd blommar!

Candle Overload

LESSON OF THE WEEK this week is:
Don't turn your birthday cake into an inferno by putting too many candles on it! This is the result of putting 75 candles on a princess cake!
Solution: When someone reached adulthood at say about 20, use those big fat number candles instead...much safer...and you won't look like an idiot serving cake covered in wax. Sorry mamma!

Veckans Läxa...sätt aldrig mer än ungefär 20 ljus på en tårta om du inte vill bränna ner hela huset, och undvika att se ut som en idiot när du serverar prinsess tårta täckt i stearin! Fårlåt Mamma!

Mamma & Majlis together again!

It's been 15 years, way too long...but Mamma and her best friend Majlis were finally reunited yesterday at Jeanette's house in Linden! Ann was there also, as well as Jeanette's 7 kids!
Mom and Majlis were driven to a restaurant to be alone together for a couple of hours while the rest of us enjoyed a great lunch at Jeanette's house. A fun day for all!

Happy 48th Birthday Joachim!

My Very First Post...ever

Opened this Blogg today! Yay! Not so sure why I decided to do so, other than the fact that I'm a computer junky, and just found yet one more reason to sit up past midnight...(actually past 1 am!) and "play" with my computer.

We'll see how it goes. Am I too old to be doing this?...I mean Blogging...is it just for "younger people"? Well, I'm young! ...aren't I?? ...and I have thoughts and a life! Ok then...so here I go.