People usually think that Asbjørn is a German shepherd mix, but he’s actually a Norwegian Elkhound/Labrador cross, and he’s lately discovered his inner retriever.  A couple of months ago he started greeting anyone who comes to the house carrying an offering of one sort or another in his mouth.  Often it’s usual entryway stuff–Tage’s rainboot,… Read More Basic Instinct

This ad was in our local newspaper last week. It’s a list of “study circles” being offered this spring by a community adult education center. For those who don’t read Swedish, the course I’ve circled is “Chocolate Tasting with Chocolate Frenzy,” followed a week later by “Advanced Chocolate Tasting with Chocolate Frenzy.” I’m tempted to… Read More Gluttony 101

Or, “How the Craziest Thing I Ever Did Was the Smartest Thing I Ever Did” Six years ago today, I arrived in Sweden, with my four-year-old daughter in tow, to move in with a man I hadn’t yet met in person. Plenty of people would–and did–call that stupid, but I never had a moment’s hesitation.… Read More Anniversary

In Twin Falls, Idaho, not far from the train tracks, there’s a restaurant called Gertie’s Brick Oven Cookery.  They serve pasta dishes and salads and sandwiches, but the lion’s share of their custom is done in pizzas. If you order the all-you-can-eat pizza at Gertie’s–which most do–you sit at your table while the waitstaff walk… Read More When the moon hits your eye …

First you’ve got your nurture, then you’ve got your neglect.

After a hiatus of more than two years, my period made a return appearance a few days after Christmas. I can’t say that I missed it. My return to fertility does tie in nicely, though, with a topic I’ve been meaning to write about. After much reflection, I have reached the conclusion that three kids… Read More Family planning

Oh! What with all the puking and moaning I forgot to write about another terrific present I got from yet another terrific friend! A few weeks ago I wrote a post about feeling homesick, and Ellen asked if I’d seen this book: I hadn’t, but I fell in love just looking at the cover. Aside… Read More Spuds for you, spuds for me

It’s the time of year for the stomach flu, or, as it’s charmingly called in Swedish, the “winter vomiting sickness” (vinterkräksjukan). Most often we get through unscathed, but this past week hasn’t been a pretty one chez nous. I was struck first, early Sunday morning, and spent all of New Year’s Eve making bathroom runs.… Read More Sick