Winner bicycles!

In Sweden you can buy an ice cream treat that is similar to a Choco-Taco, but it is called a Winner Taco. I had been talking about it to Greg for a while, and the whole time he thought it was called a Winter Taco, which I was just pronouncing sloppily. But now every time I intend to say Winter, in my head it just sounds like Winner. Hence, the Winner bicycles.

Winter photos in Uppsala

Last weekend we finally got some snow that didn't immediately melt. I went out and took some photos.





















I also paparazzi-d the bicycles like crazy. Those will get a dedicated post of their own.

Stunned

This morning when I woke up (aka when the alarm went off) the first thing I noticed was that our delightful blue skies of the previous few days were replaced with grey. Lately my mood has been pretty susceptible to grey skies. A lot of books like to equate weather and moods. I present to you one of my favorite examples:

Milady derived a consolation of sorts as she saw Nature partaking in the disorders of her heart.
The three musketeers

So, I was sort of expecting one of those days. But when I got outside, the world looked so stunning! There was frost covering everything in a most beautiful way. I considered going back to get my camera when I remembered that I had my small camera with me, so I took a quick photo to share. 

Merry Christmas!

A few photos from our quiet Christmas in Sweden. Perhaps some 'outtakes' from this little adventure will make their way to the blog in the future.











And because I can't resist the opportunity for a good animated gif, here we are, enjoying our glögg.

Spoiled with good snow!

I can't remember the last time that I experienced the first snow of the season being a good snow. The kind of snow that actually sticks around. Has some abundance to it. I am remembering the last few Christmases as either having no snow or just a very little sprinkling (that probably melted away afterward).

Here are a few photos I took out of the windows of our apartment.







Since I took these it has actually snowed quite a bit more too. So, needless to say, it looks like we'll be having a Very white Christmas.

7QT

More quick takes with Jen and friends.

- 1 -

There is such a thing as a Swedish mile. It is 10 kilometers.

- 2 -

I was reminded about Reese's Christmas trees (and other specialties, like pumpkins, hearts, and (most importantly) eggs, for that matter) after reading this post by the latest random blog by a stranger that I'm enjoying reading. We'll go ahead and add those to the top of the list of Foods That I Miss Being Able To Have Since Moving To Sweden.

- 3 -

On Wednesday it snowed something like 30 cm? After the storm was over I realized that it was actually quite a big storm. I was just kind of operating under normal mode all day. It wasn't until I tried to take a bus and a bus never came that I realized it was a fairly big deal. I guess it is not typical for the buses to stop operations more than once or twice each winter.

- 4 -

And even though the buses weren't running, no amount of blowing and drifting snow can stop people from riding their bicycles. Seriously.

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I've been in a bit of a shoe crisis lately. I sort of ran out of shoe options and found myself with only my hiking boots as wearable. I finally managed to order some shoes online, and then I spotted a (possibly nearly identical) pair in a shop yesterday. So I bought those too. I don't remember ever being so frivolous with shoes, but the shoe crisis has been keeping me in panic-mode for too long now.

- 6 -

I forgot to water my plant, which I normally water on tuesdays. I keep remembering at times when I can't water the plant, so really I am just typing this with the hope of being able to remember to water the plant at the next possible opportunity.

- 7 -

I had a really cute plant with tiny orange balls on it. Unfortunately it is so dry here and I am really only good at watering plants once per week (or less). So that poor guy died.

Before & After...

Ups and Downs

Normally I like to stick to the 'ups' because they seem more significant in the long-run, but sometimes I can't help but write about the 'downs' too.

So here you go, the ups and downs of my week so far.

U: On Sunday there were fireworks that were choreographed with (comically terrible) music!
D: It was bitterly cold. Too cold to be standing still outside, for sure.

U: There has been tons of snow which looks beautiful and makes everything a bit brighter during these dark days.
D: I haven't yet equipped my bicycle for winter, and walking or bussing everywhere is taking a lot more time than riding my bike ever took.

D: At dance class on Monday I danced with a Very rude girl. I know a good dancer when I encounter a good dancer, and I also know a dancer who believes themselves to be the world's greatest dancer when I encounter such a dancer. Unfortunately she was in the latter category and was actually quite mean about it. I know it isn't worth dwelling on, but it was actually quite hurtful, and that is quite real to me. It also sucks all of the fun out of dancing.
U: Luckily we change partners a lot, and I got to dance with a lot of other really wonderful people. One of the dancers I would classify as 'exceptionally good', like the kind of dancer who makes me look super good too. Another I would classify as 'quite good'. And a third I would classify as 'a surprising pleasure'. The third is a guy who has been in the beginner course from the start, and he always looks like he is struggling a bit. From the outside he doesn't look graceful, and the rhythm doesn't seem to come naturally to him. BUT I had a really fun time dancing with him, because he was trying really hard, and he was getting it (and it was one of the more complicated dances). It was also a good reminder to me about the types of things I need to do in order to adjust my style to match/compliment the styles of others.

U: I made a new friend! Similar to last week, when I was leaving dance class, I had a little conversation with a girl I had been talking with earlier. This time the conversation was in Swedish, and she asked me where I lived and if I was walking there, and I understood what she said! (super proud svenska moment)

D: In Svenska class, we were working in small groups and I had absolutely zero idea what the others in my group were saying. Ever. For at least 15 minutes. And vocalizing that didn't change anything. Up until then, Swedish class had always been a really fun activity that I happily looked forward to.

U: Tonight is my first "night off" in awhile (excluding a small task that I must accomplish that I definitely will photo-blog about (cliffhanger...)). I have been on-the-go quite a bit lately. Mainly in my attempts to force myself to be social and outgoing, because I need to find some friends. So tonight I will study some Swedish, and hopefully the next class will be a bit better.

Sju skrivkort

Another week of linking up!

- 1 -

I don't know if a "quick take" is actually a skrivkort, but that is the best I'll be able to come up with.

- 2 -

On Monday I got to ride my bike home with my new friend! I don't even know her name! But we live in the same neighborhood, so we rode bikes home together after dance class! This is the highlight of any six-year-old's day!

- 3 -

I really like my co-workers. I realized I don't write much about work on this here blog, but I am okay with that. Or at least I'm okay with not writing my about the details of my work. Especially since I have to keep it on the DL since I just found out that someone at another university may or may not be doing a very similar project. Anyhow. I do appreciate that the majority of people here do not take themselves too seriously and can joke around a bit. I feel that with scientists, that is not an easy trait.

- 4 -

Snow!
It started snowing Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, and has been snowing since (ish). I need to get my bike into winter-mode. My plan is to get studded snow tires and then lower my seat so that my feet can touch the ground while I'm sitting on the seat. So many others do not seem phased by the snow on the ground; they just merrily ride their bikes along. (Although I did see at least one blotchy spot in the snow with sliding tire marks leading up to it.) Here is a gratuitous animated gif.

- 5 -

The snow also means that things look much less depressing around here. Everyone had said that November is the worst month because the days are getting shorter and there is no snow yet, so everything is really dark. But with snow on the ground the small amount of sunlight has a lot of good reflecting surface, which really makes a nice difference.

This photo was taken well after sunset, but it was the first night of snow, and I thought it was quite beautiful.

- 6 -

We have an advent wreath* in the office kitchen. Like I said last week, really good at celebrating religious holidays, this secular country is.

- 7 -

In other religious news. Maybe you know (or maybe you don't) that the English translation of the Catholic Mass was revised in order to be a more accurate translation of the Latin Mass. The new translation was implemented last year at the beginning of advent. When we got to Sweden, we were happy to see that they had a Mass in English every Sunday. The first time we went, it was a surprise to find the old translation. Well it turns out that there is no requirement for countries that do not have English as the primary language to use the new translation (or something like that, trust me, I asked a priest). So, it wasn't wrong to be using the old translation, just kind of unfortunate (in my opinion). So, luckily (!), the church here is going to start using the new translation. And now that I have un-learned the new translation just after I was feeling comfortable with it, I get to re-learn what I un-learned.

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*It is really just a candle holder with four candles in a straight line. But just the first candle was lit today for advent (or at least the anticipation of it).