Kullaberg Lighthouse

I took the photo in the split second the light shone.

Toyota Cup qualifying round

Well you're not going to believe this (as I can barely grasp what I've done right now) but I've just won the Toyota Cup qualifying match at Örkelljunga, hit 4 under my handicap (which means yet another reduction down to 17,5!!!) This means I've just qualified for the finals, which are being held at Fågelbro Golf & Country Club on the Stockholm archipelago on 29-31 August!!! :-OOOOO
To top that off, I won the longest drive competition on the 16th hole and took home the trophy on the right, as well as some nice Titelist golf balls.
Still in shock, but Christel has just made me a nice cuppa and pulled two pizzas out of the oven :-D It's been an eventful day!

Sweden's National Day

The flags are flying cut not for me. I'm about to try my luck at Orkelljunga Golf Club. It's the Toyota Cup match. Wish me luck!

Funny sign: Pick up after your dog!

I thought the "Hondpoop" doggy dustbin signs in Maastricht were rather amusing, but the Swedes have outdone the Dutch here. The dog is saying "Re-eady!!" Have NO idea why this dog is green. We don't have any green dogs in Sweden....at least, I've yet to see one!

And finally....

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh :-D

Skåne sunset

I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be right now!

Looking out to Hallands Väderö

Visst är det skönt! Better than sitting at home watching TV!

...and then we drove to Torekov

....to watch the sun set. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not standing on the rock I just crawled out under from..... ;-p

An evening stroll

Just out along the coast at Skälderviken, listening to nothing but the gentle breeze and the waves lapping against the shore.

June - The birthday month

After spending most of the day celebrating little Benjamin's 1st birthday together with big brother Oliver, family and friends, I counted up how many other birthdays I have to think about this month:

June 2nd - Benjamin
June 3rd - Grandma! :-D
June 4th - Ciaran
June 6th - Pappa Ramström ;-)
June 12th - Tanja
June 16th - Géraud, Dirk
June 17th - Robin
June 18th - Yours truely
June 19th - PJ (aka Mr Eurovision)
June 20th - Christel, Calle
June 22nd - Elke
June 28th - Yvonne

14 people celebrating life! June is a busy birthday month :-)

Grattis På Födelsedagen Benjamin!!

Idag fyllar Benjamin 1år och är lite konfunderad över mängden av folket här! Visst är han jätte söt! Vill ändå INTE ha barn ;-)

I saved a life today

(This isn't one of my photos!)
I was down at the golf club earlier practising my chipping on the chipping green when I heard a bird chirping like mad. When I looked over to where the toilets are I saw a little baby Blue Tit in the grass, and its parents were flying in and out of a ventilation shaft into the building. Well, I was gutted. The poor little thing was petrified, but I felt totally helpless. If I'd have picked it up with my hands its parents would have abandoned it anyway and possibly pecked it to death. If I'd have left it it would have been got at by a cat or something. Me being me, the waterworks started as I tried to carry on chipping while the little one chirped in panic. And then I had an idea *lightbulb* I have a little towel in my golf bag for wiping my clubs. I took that and picked up the little chick with it. It was SO cute! Then I climbed up some dodgily balanced pallets and popped the chick back into the ventilation shaft. I could hear the other chicks chirping inside. Meanwhile the parents were going berserk in the tree next to me. Afterwards i saw both parents fly in and out again so it seemed that all was well with them and the chicks. I hope the little one makes it now and grows up and learns to fly.....properly! ;-)
Needless to say I'm feeling really happy this evening. I was almost ready to give up and try and ignore the chick, but I'm glad I was able to help something in a precarious situation, particularly after a rather depressing day at work (a line manager got fired!). Lesson learned: don't give up on something just because you first think you can't do anything. Usually you can change the world, at least, the world of something or someone else. :-)

Harvey!

Here you go Mark! My little pride and joy. I'm really chuffed to bits, it flies like sh*t off a shovel (I've been a bit naughty on the motorway, but shhhh, don't tell Mr Policeman! *blush*)More gadgets than you can shake a stick at. The cruise control is a dream, the lights regulate themselves, as does the windscreen wipers, and the base on the stereo system almost busted my eardrums yesterday. WELL worth the wait!

Jammin'

1st day in my new car and i get to try out its traffic jam comfort...I was late to the conference but my colleagues had the tea and coffee waiting for me so all was ok.

Sometimes...

I just don't get a moment's peace!

Vasatorp Golf Club

If Annika Sörenstam can play here then so can I! Looking down the fairway at the 10th. The last 9 holes were bloody knackering as it had rained all morning and then hit over 20C....like a sauna :-/ I hit a round of 3 over my handicap so I was really pleased, even managed a few pars. I'd prefer not to talk about what happened on the 14th and 15th holes....*horror*....but I was far from any glorious golfing moments. A good day though :-D

Mother's Day in Sweden

Today is Mother's Day in Sweden and Christel's dad bought a cake for mum. I can assure you that it was scrummy! :-P

Crafty child deterrent!

A rather original way to stop kids (and stooopid adults) from trying out the hammocks at the local garden centre.
The sign says "Warning! Don't sit in the hammocks! The palm trees are inhabited by angry monkeys!" I LOVE their humour! ;-)

Not gay....at least not yet!

Just had to giggle at this article published on a Dutch website after Marija's tour visit to Amsterdam. Why are people so obsessed with the "Is she or isn't she gay" question?!
Probably because she won't give a straight answer (ok ok, bad joke)
Anyway, apparently she's now said that she's not a lesbian, at least not yet (!!) Oh Marija, Marija don't get your knickers in a twist, just get to work on a good album in English...and then get to work on a good woman ;-)

Waiting for Christmas

Or at least that's what it feels like at the moment! My car is in Malmö waiting for transportation to the Peugeot dealer where I can then pick it up once they've fitted the spoiler. Damn frustrating. I feel like going down there myself and nicking it! I should be getting it at the end of the week. Fingers (and everything else!) crossed!

The happy wanderer

The Viking patrols her beach :-P

Ice cream on the beach

Another lovely evening here so we thought we'd get some ice cream and take a walk on the beach. :-)

Mamma Serifovic

When on tour it's always nice to have mum around! ;-))

Marija Serifovic

Here she is signing her autograph for me. Christer Björkman (Sweden's answer to Eurovision God) watches on.

Marija Serifovic

The two girls next to me were screaming at her for a photo with her, and finally she obliged. This was as close as I got!

Eurovision winner 2007 - Marija Serifovic in Malmö

Marija came to Malmö today on her Eurovision Winner's Tour and sang Molitva to a packed crowd of Serbs....I think a few Swedes were there too, although I didn't see many!!
Download her Molitva performance here

Tiina's new style

It's amazing the things one can do with an apple wrapper and a wooden coffee stirrer (if that's what one can call it in English...!) Who said that IT consultants aren't innovative? ;-)

And the winner is...ME!

Totally shocked but extremely ecstatic at having "done it again". First time ever on this course and not only did I win the C-class but I thrashed the rest by 10 points! I won a very nice Lacoste poloshirt worth about €75. I've also smashed through my handicap of 22,4 and have already gone well past my goal of reaching to 20 this season. After today's win I'm now at 18,8!!! Next: The British Open (oh but how I can dream!)
Final Leaderboards

Majbanken Golf Match - Torekov

Another day, another golf match, this time at Torekov. Kristina lines up her drive on the 13th, a hole that follows the coastline with Hallands Väderö island in the background.

Harvey is almost here!

After months of waiting, after €750 of repairs to my old car due to the tardiness of my new, Harvey is now finally here in Sweden. Hoorah, I say, however it will take another 1.5 weeks before I get him as he has to be "seen to" beforehand (pass all the Swedish car regulatory boards etc etc)

The Walkman Files

My Top 10 Walkman Files - Week 19

1. Say It Right - Nelly Furtado
2. Wonderful World - James Morrison
   
3. Molita - Marija Serifovic
   
4. Le Cosi Che Vivi - Laura Pausini
   
5. All Good Things - Nelly Furtado
   
6. Desire - Blank & Jones
   
7. Girl In The War - Josh Ritter
   
8. What The Sun Sees - Gloria
   
9. One Night In Bangkok - Murray Head
   
10. The Worrying Kind - The Ark

Billy

You lookin' at me?

And then we polished and waxed

Christel was tempted to do her own interpretation of Pink's Stupid Girl video but did manage to restrain herself. :-P

And then we hoovered.

Or rather Christel did. Exciting huh!

At the carwash.

As Johanna has been kind enough to lend us her Alfa while she's working in China (and while I wait for my new car as my current one is on its last legs, err, wheels) it's only fair that we wash it before parking it up tomorrow.

Meanwhile at work....crisis in the kitchen!

Sony Ericsson employees are on the rampage after their beloved coffee machine hemorrhaged freshly ground coffee shortly after lunch. All work has stopped and several people are receiving medical attention to cope with the horrific shock.

Fields of gold

Underbart!

Pärlan njutar av vår!

Här står Pärlan på hästgården som njutar av vårtiden och tittar på blommorna på trädet! ;-)

Delivery from China

While I was out of office on Monday, Cool Elk and Mini Elk had to take care of the delivery I got from Johanna, which was actually more than I asked for! Christel is going to be well pleased when she sees the DreamGirls DVD.
DVDs
- The Holiday
- Miss Potter
- The Pursuit of Happiness
- Dreamgirls
CDs
- Café del Mar
- Pete Yorn
- Starsailor

HUUUUUGE THANKS to Johanna!! Hope all is well in Beijing! (((HUGS)))

Thyme gets a haircut

Because he's just too fluffy for his own good he can get quite knotted, which is why he gets a clip every now and again. The pile of bunny fluff on the right was what we'd already chopped off and we were only half way through! Now he's a "fin kanin" again ;-))