Jokers Cave of Games

Not quite the peaceful and restive weekend I was hoping for. Two sniffling, coughing and feverridden sloths navigate the apartment in hunched positions, vying to get out of the commitment of having to walk the dogs. It's a shameful pastime, really, since the dogs ARE just the most splendid of dogs you can imagine. They are soft, gentile, calm and patient. They got up at about 1030 today for the morning walk and right now, when I am getting ready for afternoon tour of the grounds, they are in bed again, resting.  Thought I would include another photo from "my travels". Here's a very old keep from the lowlands of Skåne in southern Sweden, complete with a moat and an extended drawbridge. Still haven't gotten myself together enough to really start up this year's photo adventures, but I do have some vacation time coming up and I intend to make the most of it. Hopefully, we will both be well until then. Even though the Hindu have two deities corresponding to d...

It's all getting there now. The house is sealed, signed and delivered! Well, actually, none of those, but we have agreed, and the signing is on Monday, so a good part of the matter is now behind us. If there is anyone interested out there, I could write about all the complications of buying a house. Just let me know! There is the matter of where to look for houses, what to look for, what to avoid. Then, the process of the realtor, the contract signing, the contact with the bank, finances and all the pitfalls. And of course, finally, the happy success story. Like I said, lemme know. Unfortunately, this weekend I am succumbing to the most irritating cough, and it saps the strength right out of me. Will attempt to comfort myself now with some Tomb Raider on the playstation, but it seems hopeless. Still, the Sun is peeking through, so it just might be a terrific day to get outside with the goggies and roam the lands. That will most definitely cheer me up! Now, time to relax. Been...

A deep alleyway in the narrow streets of Old Town in Stockholm, sparkling that Sandukar feeling. Time draws so much closer to a decision! We have looked at a lot of houses over the last weeks, and planned and planned some more about how to make this all come through. Today, we leave to look at two houses, one being hugely more affordable than the other, but both of them within range. There's a load of other matters to consider as well, of course, such as when we get to access the residence. But in all likelyhood, both of them are not until the 1st of September, meaning we have to rent a small place for a couple of months. Ick, says me, I just hate that. Taking part of the cesspool of humanity! Next I will be taking the bus to work! This post here is just to tantalize you with some pictures, until I can post more about the house and the process there. I will, as they say, "call you back" about that. Now, off to see the wiz... the houses! Here is Jakriborg, in Sk...

Well, today started out somewhat differently than I had expected. This morning's blog will focus on Mercedes, and let me sum it up for them - no star! I have been asked and YES, I take all the pictures myself. This one here is of the car I bought in December, from when I picked it up from behind the red velvet rope.  Yesterday, I arrived at Mercedes in Linköping, the so-called Hedins Bil, having booked a few weeks before. They were to change the windscreen and to swap wintertires for summer. Since I am working during the weekdays, I was to get a rental car (not a loaner) during the time I left my car there. And so I arrived in the morning. Two guys sat in the serviceroom, one young and one older. I step up to the counters, and present my errand with a cheerful and resounding "good morning". The old man looks severely unimpressed, and finds nothing in his papers at all about me. He picks up the phone and says "Stefan, there's someone at the counter." A...

Here are the three houses that are left in the runnings, as of now. The first house and I think so far the prime candidate is a really nice one, built in 2010. The location is perhaps not the best. Very open, close to the road and with a load of pretentious neighbors around, but very spacey, four bedrooms, two bathrooms and the laundry in a separate room. And a insulated garage for two cars. And a pool. Not the worst view at all. The house radiates serenity and calm. The second one is sort of a reserve. I can't help it, but there is some sort of unidentified warning bell ringing here. The house is cool, and actually larger than the one above, but the layout is a bit... cryptic. Newly built and with the best energy conservation plan I have seen, so to run the house will cost around 20 000 SEK per year, which is the lowest by far. And no tax for 15 years due to the new legislation for newly built houses. A real country kitchen, water-carried warmth from the floor and loads ...

This is more like an excellent lunch - a cup of steaming hot tomato soup with a cheese sandwich added.   Perhaps not the first thing that would pop through your visual cortex in the morning, but still an excellent summer food - there are so many types of mussels, oysters and clams to choose from! Perhaps not the cheapest food in the world, but finger-licking good and also always a topic of conversation. If you really want to impress the girl, show her that you can eat it :D Or a really fresh chicken salad for lunch? Hard to beat if you want your conscience and body to be good playmates.  As most of you probably know, I love food, and can't help playing with it. Below is one of my personal favorites, created in order to be Halloween finger food. It has since reappeared when we celebrated Halloween in the tower. Ah, I remember that occasion with fondness. One of my workmates brought meat-turtles, shells of bacon, and I made my mummies. Yes, they were received...

And so the apartment has now been sold. Yes, the magnificent two-floor apartment, located at the top of the old textile factory, complete with spiral staircase and lovely skylights and a huge balcony, along with metal supporting pillars all over has now been sold. It is a mixed pleasure, let me tell you. All the comforts of the city with this entirely unique place to be, soon to be a memory past. About two more months left here. Next destination? Still unknown.  It's going to be a hectic summer, that's for sure. Today, for instance, we are rolling off to view three-four houses, and that will probably be the theme for the weeks to come. A place big enough for all of us, with space to sulk privately as it were, and located not too close to neighbors where we can sneak off with the dogs, and still not too expensive. Buying a house is perhaps not the most straightforward economical affair. Sure, you must afford the price of the house. There's always a loan, but you can onl...

What is a blog really about? Who writes one, and for whom? Of course, the main reason, from the top of my head, would be the equivalent of a person standing in the middle of the crowded street, screaming at the top of his or her lungs: "Look at me, here I am!" We blog in order to be seen, to be given attention, to check the number on the counter and feel that someone is interested. The UFO-watertower of Malmö, shot from the newly opened massive shopping mall. In the same editing as my shot of Turning Torso, of course. If so, you really need to have something to say, something that draws attention. You need to be an expert in some field, like cooking or photography, so that people can tune in and get helpful hints and tips. Or you have a really, really interesting life, so you can write about that. Very few blogs I have ever seen that qualify, but there are people out there who do have these thoughts you just have to feed your own brain with. The final solution for the bl...