And so today is the 27th of December and it's soon time to head back to England. I flew to Sweden to surprise my family for Christmas, and it has been some lovely days! My sister Rut, the only one who knew I was coming, picked me up from the airport, and as my dad opened the door he stood staring for a few seconds before he took me in his arms and gave me a big hug. I do love my family, and they were all delighted to have me back for the holiday, and I have to admit I was pretty delighted myself.
It has now been 3 days with Christmas food, walks, games and giggles, and it's time to pack my bag and prepare for the journey back. We're now heading for the new year, may it be an exciting one!
All Love
December 27, 2011
December 10, 2011
Christmas Drawing Nearer
What a day! Woke up bright and early, frost outside my window! I got dressed, had breakfast and then jumped on my bike and cycled in to a "made in Bristol" Christmas fair. Then I went across the centre to buy tickets for Coram Boy, a play/musical full of Christmas spirit. Maria + mom, Jimbo and Sus - the 22nd of December it is! I then went to Broadmead which was packed with Christmas shoppers. I bought oranges, found a group of people from my church singing carols and joined in. I may not have much of a voice, but I enjoyed it even if the shoppers didn't!
On my way back I bumped into Tim and joined him for a cup of tea in the chilled sunshine, then went hunting for fresh yeast. Fresh yeast is a rare product in Bristol, and my yeast shop had run out of it. I had to go to Tesco's bakery and put on my "you are the only one who can save my Christmas" look and ask them to give me some. I had not even finished my first sentence when the kind baker disappeared to get me some. My lucky day! Then cycled home to make vörtbröd (Christmas bread), meatballs and biscuits. I'm tired, but I have a Christmas soiree to attend shortly. My star housemate is now making me lunch/dinner and I'm trying to stay awake.
Tomorrow we're having a Christmas Lunch and then going to a Carol service in church. And on Thursday me and Maria are going to Oxford to join Maciej, my floorball-mate, for the Christmas Market.
Christmas is all around baby!
All Love
On my way back I bumped into Tim and joined him for a cup of tea in the chilled sunshine, then went hunting for fresh yeast. Fresh yeast is a rare product in Bristol, and my yeast shop had run out of it. I had to go to Tesco's bakery and put on my "you are the only one who can save my Christmas" look and ask them to give me some. I had not even finished my first sentence when the kind baker disappeared to get me some. My lucky day! Then cycled home to make vörtbröd (Christmas bread), meatballs and biscuits. I'm tired, but I have a Christmas soiree to attend shortly. My star housemate is now making me lunch/dinner and I'm trying to stay awake.
Tomorrow we're having a Christmas Lunch and then going to a Carol service in church. And on Thursday me and Maria are going to Oxford to join Maciej, my floorball-mate, for the Christmas Market.
Christmas is all around baby!
All Love
December 04, 2011
All Love
Today has been great! After 12 hours of sleep (to make up for the last few weeks) I woke up to a sunny day, and as I was washing my face the sun lit up the mirror and reflected in the water and it made me smile, the kind of smile you have when you feel truly happy. I feel like giving the whole world a hug, from the dirtiest tramp to the richest idiot. That's what knowing God does to me, and I love it!
The most common argument I get when people find out I'm a Christian is how a good God can allow so much pain and suffering. I've never been good at meeting that question because it's usually fuelled by a deep pain, and when an argument is caused by anger it will never reason. It leaves me feeling uneasy and sad, because they got it so wrong. I say, because of bad decisions (right at the beginning of the Bible) the world we know ended up in the hands of evil. Now, God could have swiped it all out and started from scratch, like you do a bad drawing or a messed up recording. The thing is, that would have meant getting rid of us, something He wasn't prepared to do. So we ended up in the middle of a war between good and evil, like pieces on a chess board. The evil knows that the best way to get to God is to attack the ones He loves the most. Maybe it is that the evil one does not care about us at all, but he knows that God does. Now God could bring judgement day anytime, but the problem is that most people wouldn't survive it. It would be like trying to run Windows software on a Mac, or trying to microwave old tupperware. Unless we turn our hearts to God and get transformed we simply cannot make Heaven. And so there is pain and there is suffering, but there is also love. And the love I know is bigger than any suffering, even the pain that is so deep it feels like the inside is screaming and it seems like nothing in the world could ever make you happy again. It's tough, but I would rather take the pain, I'd rather go through fire than see the ones I love go under. And this is why we have Jesus, the cross and salvation. Love.
A week from today Tony starts detox again. He told me today, and it was a long time since I saw him so happy. I know the odds are against him, but I know that odds aren't always right. Fighting until the end.
All Love
The most common argument I get when people find out I'm a Christian is how a good God can allow so much pain and suffering. I've never been good at meeting that question because it's usually fuelled by a deep pain, and when an argument is caused by anger it will never reason. It leaves me feeling uneasy and sad, because they got it so wrong. I say, because of bad decisions (right at the beginning of the Bible) the world we know ended up in the hands of evil. Now, God could have swiped it all out and started from scratch, like you do a bad drawing or a messed up recording. The thing is, that would have meant getting rid of us, something He wasn't prepared to do. So we ended up in the middle of a war between good and evil, like pieces on a chess board. The evil knows that the best way to get to God is to attack the ones He loves the most. Maybe it is that the evil one does not care about us at all, but he knows that God does. Now God could bring judgement day anytime, but the problem is that most people wouldn't survive it. It would be like trying to run Windows software on a Mac, or trying to microwave old tupperware. Unless we turn our hearts to God and get transformed we simply cannot make Heaven. And so there is pain and there is suffering, but there is also love. And the love I know is bigger than any suffering, even the pain that is so deep it feels like the inside is screaming and it seems like nothing in the world could ever make you happy again. It's tough, but I would rather take the pain, I'd rather go through fire than see the ones I love go under. And this is why we have Jesus, the cross and salvation. Love.
A week from today Tony starts detox again. He told me today, and it was a long time since I saw him so happy. I know the odds are against him, but I know that odds aren't always right. Fighting until the end.
All Love
November 19, 2011
Gangsta Pubing
Yesterday was Friday night and an empty house! All my friends seemed to be snuggled up in bed and I started to get a bit restless, longing for some company and change of scenery. And so I decided to do the one brave thing: Head out to the local on a Friday night! I ordered my Whiskey and Coke and sat down by the fireplace to regain some warmth from being sat in our lounge without slippers for too long. I cannot recall one bad memory from fires, there's something about them that makes me feel at peace, brings out memories and makes me dream about the future. And so I enjoyed the fire until my boots felt like melting, and I started to make a tour around the pub.
The main visitors to the pub were black/caribbean men, and so I felt slightly out of place, but on the other hand it was MY local, so I had all right to be there. In my head I was thinking I was more gangsta than any of them, but then they all seemed quite friendly, the odd strong smell of weed, especially around the Jamaicans.
After the fire I made a move toward the pool table where I caused immediate distraction. A young chap called Abz was so busy chatting me up his opponent had plenty of time to move all the balls around on the table without him noticing. I ended up playing a few games with them, and I discovered that my pool skills have surely gone embarrassingly rusty. I reckon I should try and pop into the pub more often to get some more practice.
When my sister comes next week I should take her to Lebeqs Tavern, my local!
All Love
The main visitors to the pub were black/caribbean men, and so I felt slightly out of place, but on the other hand it was MY local, so I had all right to be there. In my head I was thinking I was more gangsta than any of them, but then they all seemed quite friendly, the odd strong smell of weed, especially around the Jamaicans.
After the fire I made a move toward the pool table where I caused immediate distraction. A young chap called Abz was so busy chatting me up his opponent had plenty of time to move all the balls around on the table without him noticing. I ended up playing a few games with them, and I discovered that my pool skills have surely gone embarrassingly rusty. I reckon I should try and pop into the pub more often to get some more practice.
When my sister comes next week I should take her to Lebeqs Tavern, my local!
All Love
November 03, 2011
Disco Dance Rescue Patrol
Today has been an interesting day. Had Immediate Life Support (ILS) training at work, and apparently I'm brilliant at doing chest compressions. If anyone wonders, they should be done in the same rhythm as Lady Gaga's Poker Face, so better bring the i-pod to the next resuscitation! Good fun though, trying to bring the dummie back to life, and at the end of the day I was warm and sweaty from all the Gaga compressions and my brain was slightly dysfunctional from all ABCDE assessments and post-resuss arm dances. Tired during the last defibrillation my "stand clear" turned into a "back off". Whatever works...
I spoilt myself to a bus ticket today, and on my way home the window I was sat by suddenly cracked. No-one saw what happened, if someone threw something at the bus or if there was some sort of weakness from before, but I decided to move seat before I was covered by shattered glass. Another passenger made the clever statement that someone probably doesn't like me. I wonder if it was my looks that shattered the glass, that's always a possibility. Anyway, the bus driver decided driving wasn't safe and we all had to get out and wait for another bus. I was kind of disappointed, I was looking forward to some action.
That's Bristol life for today!
All Love
I spoilt myself to a bus ticket today, and on my way home the window I was sat by suddenly cracked. No-one saw what happened, if someone threw something at the bus or if there was some sort of weakness from before, but I decided to move seat before I was covered by shattered glass. Another passenger made the clever statement that someone probably doesn't like me. I wonder if it was my looks that shattered the glass, that's always a possibility. Anyway, the bus driver decided driving wasn't safe and we all had to get out and wait for another bus. I was kind of disappointed, I was looking forward to some action.
That's Bristol life for today!
All Love
October 30, 2011
Halloween
Saturday we decided to go gothic, inspired by Ben and Lindsey's history in the goth scene. Me and Maria went out and got black outfits, gloves and dog collars - adding a bit of makeup and we were ready to go! First to Bedminster to check out Ben and Lindz's new gaff, then off to The Hatchet; home of goths, punks and other mischievous creatures. We were way too happy and bouncy to fit in among the goths though, our serious moments lasted for about 3 seconds.
Sunday evening and I'm just back from the first floorball training with our new team. Me and a few other guys decided to break out from Trowbridge and create a Bristol team as we got fed up with the attitude of some of our old team mates, and the first training looked promising. I reckon we will have quite some fun playing together!
All Love
 |
| The reason why we don't make good goths - happiness! |
Sunday evening and I'm just back from the first floorball training with our new team. Me and a few other guys decided to break out from Trowbridge and create a Bristol team as we got fed up with the attitude of some of our old team mates, and the first training looked promising. I reckon we will have quite some fun playing together!
All Love
October 22, 2011
Not a Real Girl
Today as I was out walking I was suddenly hit by a wave of nausea. I'm not sure if it was triggered by the thought of a long-term relationship or the fact that I stepped into a shopping mall. Most likely a combination. I had to sit down, get some fresh air and calm my nerves.
I went out to buy a dress, but only managed to walk through a few shops as I felt rather sick and panicky as soon as I entered them. Also, my i-pod was out of batteries so I couldn't distract my mind from where I was. I managed, with a lot of focus and determination, to buy some underwear. After that I bought a Pepsi-Max, went out and called it for the day. In one of the shops I noticed a nice sweater, but saw no reason to buy it as I already have 5 functional ones at home. Apparently I'm not a real girl.
On my way home later in the afternoon, believe it or not, I actually managed to buy a dress. I'm not sure it's a nice model, or if the colour's right, or if it's at all in fashion. It's lying in the hallway and I feel a slight resentment towards it, maybe because I feel I now have to wear it.
All Love
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