Thank you all

For keeping your fingers crossed for me today. It worked! I finished at 4pm and I'm now enjoying the sunshine while I'm waiting for the Italian. Off to V and B. I hope you're having a great Saturday.

London pets

I managed to walk to work and get here on time. I did however see a little fella that I didn't want to on my way. As I'm quietly walking on the street minding my own business a bl**dy rat runs across the pavement in front of me. I just stood there for a few minutes trying to catch my breath. And then I RAN clamping my feet so it wouldn't dare come back out from where it was hiding. People say that you are never more than six feet away from a rat in London. However, after having been here for ten and a half years and only seen a couple of rats before, this is a fact I've chosen not to believe.... I started to wonder if the street cleaners were off for the long weekend as well and that made the streets dirtier and the rats come out. But around the corner I saw a guy sweeping the streets like usual. Phew! It was hopefully just a one off...

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Good morning Saturday

Most of the people I work with would get up about 15 minutes before they need to leave for work and then place themselves on a tube or a bus to get there. I love the fact that I am different. 8am start and the alarm went off at 5am so I could fit in a run before. I woke up a bit confused as there was someone that kept appearing in my dreams that didn't fit in there. It took me a little while to realise that it was Kate Middleton. After arriving home and not seen any of it I ended up watching the service twice somehow. The service! That's the most boring part. I want to see the before and after - the clothes, the kiss, the horse carriage... Well there was off course a little bit if that in the two catch ups I watched, but only about 10-15 minutes of the hour and a half show...

She looked absolutely stunning though and I loved her dress. I like the fact that it is Alexander McQueen (well Sarah Burton...) one because I absolutely love everything made by Alexander McQueen and two because it was a beautiful way to honour his memory.

When I went for a run this morning I looked up in the sky and wished I was on the plane flying over my head - on my way somewhere exciting. But then I looked around and realised that it looks like its going to be another beautiful day in London. There is no better time in London than now. Sunny, green and gorgeous. I have to say though that it was a touch scary to run by the canal at 5.30 am. I hope to finish at 4 today and then the Italian and I are off to Vanessa and Ben who lives in west London and we are going to spend the night there and just hang out. I can't wait. So I need you all to keep your fingers crossed that no one will call in sick today so I have to pick up my stand by.

Either way I have to rush to get ready now so I don't have to sit on a stinky tube myself. I want to be able to walk to work. Have a great Saturday. X

29th April 2011

I never watch TV at home, I watch all my TV series that I follow on the computer or on DVD. The one day I want to watch TV and all the highlights from the wedding and the sky box has given up on me.

I've taken all the cables out and blown on them and put them back in again, I have switched everything off and on - several times. Unfortunately that's about as far as my technical knowledge goes...

So now I'll have to watch in online instead, was looking forward to watching something on a big screen for once rather than just the small computer screen. Ah well, it's better than nothing.

I followed it a bit at work, couldn't watch any videos though but read about it, and just reading about it made me tear up a few times so we'll see how long I last before I start crying. Silly really, I didn't even know I cared.

My favourite



Royal wedding decoration.

Will you be watching?

London is all geared up for the wedding tomorrow. This is our local cinema that is showing the wedding in one of their theatres. AND you get a free biscuit with your tea;)

I am working from 8-5 tomorrow so I will miss it all. I wanted to just escape it all afterwards and go straight home, but some people at work are going around, joining the street party after we finish so I might join in after all. Could be good fun and it's not something that happens every day.

How about you? Will you be watching?

Another sunny day

And I'm enjoying the sunshine in the park before heading to the gym

Tuesday 26th April 2011

My day so far.

Woke up at 5.15 and got ready for work.

Left the flat at 6am. The bike broke and I had to carry it back home and jump on the tube.

Arrived at work just before 7 and felt absolutely exhausted. I honestly felt that I might fall asleep standing. Luckily I didn't. I did however offer to stay a bit longer for a girl who wasn't feeling well.

I managed to get out at 4.15 however and the Italian had a quiet hour at work so we sat in Berkley Square for an hour and giggled about nothing and everything.

I decided to skip spinning so I could sort out my bike instead. Jumped on the stinky tube again (which was actually fine, because I finished the book I was reading at the moment)

Picked up my bike at home and carried it all the way to the bike shop.

Was told that they didn't have any time to look at it today and nowhere to store it but MAYBE if I come by on Thursday I could have someone look at it then - no guarantees though, so might just carry the bike over there once again for nothing.

After carrying the bike back home again I went for a run.

I arrived home and cooked some dinner whilst writing a long blog post that went missing.

I have now finally put my feet up ( I'm already in my pyjamas off course..) and I'm watching The Switch with Jennifer Aniston.

I hope you all had a lovely Tuesday. X

One of those days

Wrote the longest blog post ever about my disastrous day. And guess what? It got erased just as I was about to post it. Doesn't surprise me on a day like today though. I might re write it later.... X

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Have a guess...

..what happened to me this morning

1 My bike broke - again
2 I lost my sanity
3 All of the above

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Good Morning

The temperature has dropped quite drastically here today and most people are back to work. I say most, because a lot of people had chosen to get away for the royal wedding on Friday, since It's a bank holiday here and the Monday after also is a bank holiday because the 1st of May falls on a Sunday, people can go away for eleven days but they only need to take three days holiday.

So where ever you are in the world except to see lots of English people around you. I don't blame them. I would've probably done the same if I would've worked in an office or somewhere where bank holidays means something. Where I work every day is the same. I worked last Friday, I worked yesterday. The same this Friday coming and the Monday after.

And today so speaking of which I need to get ready for work. Have a great Tuesday everybody! Xx

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Hello from green park

I finished an hour early and I'm now waiting for the Italian to join me in Green Park:) another gorgeous sunny day in London.

Full

As always after a restaurant visit lately I am full to the brim.

We had a starter each (I had scallops) and then we shared some risotto and tagliatelle between six of us, after that I had sea bream for main course before some ice cream for dessert. I off course tried some of the chocolate nemesis. That's the whole point of going to the river cafe. Ok, maybe not but almost. It was lovely to sit outside on the terrace since I've hardly Seen the sun all week. I feel a bit light headed now though after drinking Rose in the sun. Now we're off to the cinema with some chocolate. X

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Happy Easter

The Italian got a Swedish style Easter egg this morning. We don't really use the ones that are made out of chocolate. Instead we buy these made out of paper and fill them with pick and mix sweets. I bought this egg in the Swedish Sweet Shop in Madrid last month and wanted to fill it with pick and mix. But since that doesn't really exist in the same way here I went for some small chocolate eggs from M&S instead. When I was younger my parents used to give me money so I could get exactly the sweets that I liked to put in the egg. It took me a whole day to organise it because I would cycle to three different sweet shops all on opposite sides of Halmstad. Just because each shop would have different things. So to get the perfect sweet bag I had to take a little bit from each shop.

Good Morning

So much for having plans about a movie night. I feel asleep on the sofa to the first episode of Cougar Town at 7.30pm. And then I slept until just before midnight. Got up and folded some washing and got ready for bed. The Italian got home just before I fell asleep again and we've slept until 9.30 this morning. My body needed that. Off for a run now and then taxi to the River Cafe and later Fast and Furious five at the cinema. I love those films. They're funny and filled with action and beautiful people. Have a great easter Sunday everybody. Xx

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Dinner

I bought couscous and goat cheese salad from Waitrose and added some avocado and tiger prawns. Yum!

I though that I deserved some chocolate today. You know, since I hardly ate anything yesterday;)
Almost finished watching solsidan and then I've got a couple of episodes of Cougar Town to watch. And then I'm going to watch a nice film of some sort. Thunder and lightning just started here so great film night weather.
I think I've decided not to go out. I looked at the website of the club and it seemed a bit weird. And also we have to pay £10 even though we're on the guest list. I've never heard anything like it. Not sure I want to pay for some weird club where I might only stay for a couple of hours anyway. Ah well we'll see.

Today

I finished at 3pm and had an offer of a kiss further up the road. So up I went and sat and had a nice chat with this beautiful man before he had to go back to work. I was so excited on my way there that I went into the back of a Rolls Royce. I nearly ended up in the back seat of her convertible. And then I went and got the saddle for my bike that had finally arrived.

I did all this while being dressed like a nine year old in this top....:)

Just arrived home now and I'm going to have some dinner and watch a Swedish tv show - solsidan.

Easter Saturday

We had a great night last night and the food just kept coming. We were told to order main course but not to worry about anything else.

Up came - three different kinds of ciccetti, tiger prawns, a pasta plate each - crab linguini for them and gnocchi for me, and just when we thought that was it we received a plate with salmon and orange purée. Needless to say when the main courses came there was hardly any space left;) I had ravioli with nettle and they both had the veal chop. When we've finished main course new cutlery appears on the table and up comes chocolate cake, raspberry cake and lemon tart. The Italian accompanied us at the end for a glass of wine and we were the last to leave the restaurant.

Now I'm trying to find my inner energy and get ready for work. It's harder than I thought.

I really fancied going out tonight and we've been invited to a party at the Piccadilly Institute. I finish at 4pm so I'll go home and rest for a bit and then see how I feel about 11-12 if I still fancy going out. I am off on Sunday and thats my first day off since last Thursday when Carin and Liam was here. So nine days straight with a few nights out and two doubles I feel that perhaps I won't have too much energy left and maybe I should just stay at home. Only one day off next week as well -Sunday. Ah well we'll see how I feel tonight.

Have a great Easter Saturday everybody:)

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Bonus time

I was supposed to finish at 5pm today but left at 3.45pm. I ran home and got home just before 5. Had a shower and called my friend and asked what time she finished. Turned out she was just about to finish and wanted to go home first and change. All of a sudden I found myself at home with two and a half hours to spare before I had to leave for dinner... With no chores and nothing planned. I felt like I had won the jackpot. So I sat on the balcony for a bit and did my nails and just chilled in the sunshine. Obviously I then found myself rushing for the last few minutes as always not to be late. I did however arrive before everybody else and even had time for a drink in the bar while I wait. Frangelico sour it is:)

Good morning Good Friday

Swimming in the morning

The gym I go to has got a gorgeous pool.

I've been to Swimming pools before where the ceiling is so low that it feels like it's going to hit you in the head as you are paddling around with your feet.

Going for a swim here in the morning however is really uplifting. Especially now as the sun is coming through the windows in the ceiling and is reflecting in the water.

A real treat.

Easter in our house

I've never really decorated for Easter before, but this year I decided to change that.

So when I got home last night I dug out all the decorations I had at home and got to work.

These two cuties are next to the bed.

A bit of colour on the balcony

The one to the right has lost one of his legs but he was too cute not to be part of this and he seems to be doing fine with just one leg

The cutest one

Even the napkins have gone Easter and the table cloth as well.

Now all I need to do is get some daffodils and some Easter chocolate and we're good to go.

Not sure why I made so much of an effort when I am not even there. I am at work until 11 today, tomorrow night I am probably going out for dinner if I don't have to work.

Saturday night I'll be there but I was planning on cathing up on some sleep and then Sunday we are going to The River Cafe for lunch.

Another gorgeous day in London:)

Happy Easter Everyone

Yesterday

The tour at the Parliament was really cool. It was a bit long winded at times though since we got the chattiest tour guide around. Very interesting however.

The cocktails at the Met Bar was great fun. The first one was made with fresh raspberries and tasted of summer. The other two I didn't like since they were made of cherry and amaretto, and the last one was something else nutty that tasted of Marzipan and I gave mine to Jase. Since I hadn't eaten anything since 9.30am I started following the canapé ladies around and after a few rounds I felt like I was ready for more drinks and went on to bubbly.

When we felt like we'd had enough and we'd met some people from our same industry we jumped in a taxi and went up to Marylebone where we met up with the Italian at La Ratatouille restaurant. More drinks and lots of food later and we got home about 11pm. Straight to bed and when I woke up this morning I felt surprisingly good. This beautiful weather really makes everything so much easier.

I hope it's just as sunny wherever you all are as well.

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Wednesday

London is getting ready for the royal wedding next week.

Possibly a bit too much

Too much food. Too many drinks. 8am start tomorrow. I'm off to bed. I hope you had a good Tuesday. X

Ready to go....

Nicoise salad and Easter parcel

Having an early lunch (been up since 4.30) of Nicoise Salad and opening a parcel that arrived from my parents today. Lots of cute Easter decorations that will be put up in the flat later. A fun filled day ahead. Heading down to Westminster Palace after work for a private, behind the scenes tour that work has organised. And then off to a posh hotel for cocktails and canapés and after that hopefully dinner with the Italian and some friends. I say hopefully because I feel knackered today. I kept waking up all night thinking that I overslept since I did that last time I started at 6am. Gorgeous day outside with 23C and sunshine.

Gone

My visitors are gone and all that's left is a Swedish magazine. It was such a shame that I was working as much as I was when they were here. It was nice in one way to give them some aunt-nephew time, but it would've been nice to have the evenings off with them at least. Ah well. We saw each other last night after they came back from the football, and I had Thursday off with them all day. Now I'm working until Sunday when we are probably going to River Cafe for lunch instead of Thorpe Park. Works for me... Now I'm off to work. Have a great week! X

Does this make you feel sick?

Yeah me too, and yet it still seems that this is where I am spending my day next Sunday.

Thorpe Park....

When I was little I used to love all these things, the faster the better.

But now... not so much.

We'll see how it goes, maybe I'll find some inner adrenalin junkie living inside me that I didn't know about.

You look tired

Is there a worse comment to hear? I've never understood why people you hardly know feels that it's ok to tell someone else that they look tired. That's the comment that met me when I arrived at work yesterday. Yes I might have worked quite a lot lately and I knew I feel tired, I just didn't realised that it showed that much as well.

My reply was thank you (sarchastic) and he said I said that you look tired as if I didn't hear him the first time.

But no really - Thank you for making my day.

Make up bag out today to try and cover the bags under my eyes....

And then there were four....

My no bread, sweets or alcohol diet was put on hold on Thursday night when we went to Tempo. Both focaccia and dessert was consumed. So when I came home I though might as well tuck into the present that I got from Carin:)

My absolute favourite flavours. The one I ate was whole nut.

Now I'm going to try and be good until the next time I have a special occasion. Maybe Easter. Not too long to wait in that case. It is easier than I though to stick to it this time. We'll see how long it lasts.

I've decided that if I'm going out for dinner etc with friends I'll eat what I fancy but I won't eat any of the three above on just a random day. It feels easier to stick to this way.

The latest one

In my flowers-I'm-trying-not-to-kill collection...

Considering it's the only one I've got left I clearly didn't do very well with the others, but I have high hopes for this one.

Friday morning

We had a lovely night last night at Tempo (as always). Lots of food ciccetti with three different bruschetta (prawns and spinach, peas and picorini and burrata with peppers) and then a risotto with asparagus as well as tiger prawns with lots of garlic before our main courses.

Liam had Vitello, Carin went for Salmon and I got the Sea Bream.

Dessert arrived in the form of lemon tart, chocolate cake and raspberry tart. All accompanied with different ice creams and sorbets - blood orange, mascarpone, hazelnut and amaretto.

Needless to say it was all fantastic and you couldn't even fault it if you tried.

Having my breakfast now before heading off to work. Carin just woke up so we're enjoying the morning together. Won't see them before they go on Monday morning because I'm working doubles all weekend.

A bit grey in London today. I hope you're all having better weather wherever you are. X

Conscious collection

The new collection at H&M was just released and on all the pictures I've seen it has only been white, plain and boring in my eyes. Walking in to the shop I realised that it's all about organic and recycled. Doh! It's in the name. I've just never thought about it before. I'm now in the queue to the fitting room with two dresses. Fingers crosses that they look good on.

14th April

My lovely friend C arrived late last night with her nephew L. We all had a well deserve lie in this morning. Had some breakfast with the Italian before we walked in to town. We've had time for lunch at Yumchaa (off course). And now we're in Top Shop. Off to Tempo tonight for dinner. But first some more shopping. She brought me a very nice present:) I'll show you later.

Busy Week

Turned out that it was quite cold by the time I finished work on Sunday so we only stayed in the park for about an hour and then we went home and had some chocolate and watched criminal minds.

Nothing new there then.

Yesterday I woke up at 6.23 and realised that I was supposed to be at work at 6am. PANIC!

I managed to get there for 7.05 so I did quite well.

Finished at 6pm - too tired for Step Aerobic so went straight home and spent the night with the Italian that was off instead.

I've felt a bit of a cold coming on all weekend and today I had to cancel my spinning because of it, I did however go swimming this morning so it's not too bad.

I've spent the evening sorting out the flat a bit for my visitor who is coming tomorrow night and staying til Monday.

I can't wait.

Unfortunately I am working a lot while she is here, but she is coming with her nephew as well so they will have some quality time together.

I got them some tickets for the Arsenal-Liverpool game on Sunday (he is a Liverpool supporter) so that should be good.

I can't really breath now so I think I might go to bed and try and get some sleep.

Good night.

Sunday

Half an hour left until I finish and I can feel the sun on my skin already.

I got an invite to go to Embassy last night and I was really tempted to go. However, considering how tired I feel today even though I went straight home after work at midnight I think it might have been a good thing that I turned it down this time. Next time...

I am working less Saturday night nowadays so I predict some dancing in the near future. The trouble is the early starts on Sunday mornings but I am hoping to have less of those as well soon. And then I'll be able to enjoy living in London fully.

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Fashion for relief

As always I'm a bit behind with my vogue reading. I was looking through last month issue this morning and found this. I only got an email about it and there wasn't this much information about the event in the email.

At least now it makes a bit more sense. But in the room where Naomi Campbell was, were only about a handful of people let in, so I don't know how much money they'd make for charity if not everybody has got access to it.

At it again

After four hours sleep I woke up and rubbed my eyes and pretended that it was just a bad dream. Surely the alarm didn't just go off. It sure did! Off to work again... Had a battle with the biggest spider I've ever seen. I thought I was cool and was just about to attack it with some toilet paper, when I realised that I was certainly not cool enough so I went into the bedroom with a humble "excuse me..." two seconds later the spider was in the toilet. The Italian claims that he didn't open the window. I didn't open the window, so the spider clearly pushed the window open himself from the outside (yes it was that big).

Another beautiful day today so the Italian and I will probably have a picnic in Green Park when I finish at 5pm. Tjohoo! Have a great Sunday. Xx

She's back:)

Well she might not be completely intact but that doesn't stop me. I am just glad that I don't have to walk to the nearest barclay bike only to find out that there are no bikes left. Or to finally find a bike and then arrive at my destination only to realise that there is no spots to leave the bike. So up I stand and in a weeks time the saddle should arrive and then it'll be just pure bliss.

Saturday afternoon in Victoria park

Glorious sunshine and lots of people sunbathing. Unfortunately I wasn't one of them. I just went through it on my run since I have to be at work at 2pm. My next day off is Thursday and the way it's looking now it seems like it's back down to 12C by then. A shame but what can you do. At least I went running in shorts and singlet top so hopefully some sun caught the eye of my skin and wanted to set up camp there. Here's hoping. Have a great saturday. Seems like Sweden's got great weather this weekend as well. I hope you get to enjoy it. X

Chelsea - Man U

Not as exciting as we would've hoped, but at least it was a gorgeous day. Last time I went to the football it was absolutely freezing and I had to borrow one of their blankets, this time I didn't even need a scarf.

I realised that I hadn't been to Stamford Bridge all season, because everything had changed in the lounge. Even the food was better. I started my no bread, no alcohol, no sweets diet again on Sunday. Didn't go to well. I've had sweets and bread every day and I had cocktails and champagne on Tuesday.

But now - this is it, I am hoping to start it properly from today...

Vogue Event

On Tuesday night I went to Westfield with Vanessa for a Vogue and Tatler event in The Village.

I knew that I didn't have any money right now to be able to buy anything ( I am still catching up from Miam, Madrid and Sweden) but I thought some window shopping and catching up with Vanessa was good enough reason for me to go.

So we had cocktails and cupcakes in Ted Baker, champagne and macaroons in zadig and voltaire (where I fell in love with everything - especially a leather jacket with a scull on the back), sushi in the hallway whilst looking at all the gorgeous people including Naomi Campbell.

Some girlband singing about make up

Beautiful V

We got a hand massage in Dior with their new J'adore fragrance, and I fell in love with these babies that Vanessa is modelling for me.

A really nice evening and I am glad that I could go for once, all the other Vogue events has always been when I was working evenings.

Hopefully I'll be able to attend more in the future when I havent already spent all my money on other things.