Still great!

It is still great at work, really nice people and a friendly environment. I am starting to get into the "issues" (opportunities for improvement =) and the materials I will look after. Today I also got to know the internal politics a little bit, but not too bad. I feel that I am getting a bit brain washed with all the IKEA values and the IKEA way but it is a really good company that is leading a lot of sustainability and fair trade development. They are not perfect and no one will ever be but they strive hard, and they dont just talk the talk, they walk the walk. (That is the way you say it right? My english is deteriorating...) At least that is what I have seen so far.

This weekend we are planning on having a house warming party, and that made me clean up a bit more in the second bedroom after work today. I think Stephen will be surprised when he sees it. He is at a work function tonight with the whole kitchen and dining business area so I decided, for once, to be a bit productive!

Before the weekend we are also planning on getting a new tv and entertainment unit, and maybe a lamp for the lounge as well, at the moment there is only a globe hanging from the ceiling, very classy!

And I am preparing for photographing that wedding in October, I am reading every thing I can online and I have been to the church once already to look at the lights and angles and what lenses to use. I am thinking of joining a photo club, but there are three to choose from and I cant decide, none of them are in Älmhult, the smaller one is in Ljungby, 40 mins drive, and the other 2 are 30 mins away with the train where I have to walk another 15 minutes from the train station to get to one of them, so there is really no good option... But I feel I need to go to learn more and get out and shoot more, and it is always good to meet people with the same interest. We will see what happens.

Sorry that I havent uploaded any photos in a while, the blog is kind of quiet at the moment, but it is just a lot of other stuff to think about and do. I think when winter comes and I spend more time inside there will be more activity =)

Busy bee

Day three at work is over and it feels great! I dont know, it might have to do with experience, but I feel more confident every time I start a new job. There are still things that are scary, like the fact that before my predecessor leaves for his new role the 1st of October we are travelling to China, France, Germany and maybe Poland. Not all in the same trip. And how funny is it that the guy I am replacing is going to be the new technician that will work with Stephen. IKEA is a small world.

Anyway it is really great and I look forward to get back into working again. I was a bit worried I have to admit, that I wasnt gonna like it and I kind of got a bit lazy being home all day long but now it feels really good!

And some more exciting news, I have been asked to be a photographer for a wedding. Not the formal wedding portraits thank God cause I think that would have been to throw myself way to deep in. But they have asked if I am interested in taking photos after the wedding ceremony and during the dinner, of all the guests and the party. Or at least they asked Jonas, who is going to be MC, if he could ask me if I was interested and I am! I will talk details with them later on in the week.

Woops, there goes the whole night, I have been out exercising, talked to the happy couple that I am gonna photograph, cooked dinner with Stephen, been to Marie for a cup of tea and a practice photo session since I started this post. And now it is time for bed. Well, I guess thats what life is like for a busy working bee =)

It's not pretty

Neither the words in my mouth or the curtains in the kitchen. Just spent a considerable amount of time making curtains for the kitchen window, and the colours just arent that great at all. They really look terrible... Back to square one I guess. And I really like the fabric, I really do, but it is just not right for the kitchen. Ah well... whats a few hours, a bit of cash and a sore back... Guess I'll be making myself a few more shopping bags now =)

Movie time

I have just come back from the movies, Marie and I went to see Eclipse, the third movie in the Twilight saga, probably the worst of them so far. I spent last weekend reading book 3 and 4 and they are ok, I get a bit intrigued by them and the whole supernatural thing but it is just a bit too much sometimes, a bit too much drama. As always the books are soooooo much better than the movie, so much was missing. If you are thinking of going, don't. Download it or rent it, spend as little money as possible to see it, that is my advice at least. I guess you could go see it just to look at Edward, just like all the other girls in the audience, poor boyfriends...

More exciting news, I bought my wedding dress last week! Very exciting! It is here in Älmhult, in our wardrobe. Stephen says he wont look at it and I trust him. Since he promised not to have a peek before the weeding I thought I might as well keep it here, in that way I can go and look at it whenever I want to and maybe try it on closer to the date to make sure it still fits or that I haven't lost too much weight (as if that will ever happen...) And of course I have to show it to mum.

And this is my last week of "holidays". On Monday I get back to reality again and I look forward to it. It has been nice to have this time off and it probably wont happen again. I might not have made the most of it but I did enjoy it. And I look forward getting back into some sort of routine again, as boring as it might sound, but I just don't get a lot done when I have too much time, I always think I can do it later.

Back again

We are back at home again to an apartment full of boxes and things that needs to go somewhere. We are getting in in fairly good order and today we ordered a sofa, yes it is from IKEA, cant say no to 15% staff discount =) Unfortunately we dont get it until the 24th of August so it is another 3 weeks in my old armchairs that are not the most comfortable on the planet. I think we will have to wait with a house warming until then, as there is not a lot of seating here at the moments. I cant wait to get the sofa... It is the one below but in dark dark brown instead of black. And there will be three neck rest pillow things as well, I will have to show photos another time. Maybe I'll practice my real estate photography once this place is in order. That is a BIG maybe though.

Stephen bought a new bike today as well, it ended up being quite a big day for spending =)

He is very happy with his bike =)

Photo time

The view from our boat "room", it was nice to see out!
An exploded view of the boat/ferry
Everyone waiting to get out of there

Our first hostel in Tallinn

Old and new in Tallinn
Soviet tours... Just had to take a photo!
A pretty street in Old Tallinn
An old church in Tallinn
Great view from the bell tower of the church
How cute, you cant see their hairy legs from here, we suspect it might have been backpackers making some extra money
Stephen went for a swin
A nicer beach in Pärnu on the way to Riga
The spot in Old Town Riga where we should have never been...
A church in Riga
Thats all for today!

The Baltics

After a hot couple of days in Riga we have arrived in Vilnius where it is raining. We have internet again, there was free internet at the other hostel as well but we were out of range in our room on the 3rd floor and the common room was so crowded all the time that we didnt bother taking the computer there.

Yesterday we walked around Riga for 2,5 hours on a guided tour which took us around and outside of the most popular tourist places. The tour company is called yellow free tours and is run on a voluntary basis, in the end if you like it you can give the guide a tip. I highly recommend it if you are going to any of the cities that they operate in. We are going tomorrow again here in Vilnius.

So far the trip has been very good, no problems even when we got lost in old town Riga and stopped by the police and almost fined and had no registration papers and Stephen had his SA license and the police asked him to get out of the car and step into their police van. It ended up with them "escorting" us to the hostel. Thank you very much kind police officers!!!

Since I cant find my cable to download my photos from the camera to the computer I cant share them with you just yet =(

Tallinn

We arrived in Tallinn without any troubles, but our first day here has been pretty quiet. It has been raining the whole day. We have been to the shops twice and cooked our own lunch and dinner and are now watching Futurama dubbed to German at the hostel. The other guests here are very nice and I think we are going out for a beer soon. Tomorrow we are planning on discovering the Old town of Tallinn and the markets that are allegedly around the corner from here and run by Russians.

On the road again

Now we are on the boat to Tallinn in Estonia. It is a small and cosy room with ocean view. Today is my Swedish name day for Emma. That will be all for today =)

It is still a mess here, and I am still not moving ever ever ever again. It will change but that is what I feel right now. And I need Stephen here to help out and get this place in order cause it doesnt happen when I am on my own, I take very very small steps forward, hardly noticeable. And I start with other things instead, like "installing" window screens in the bedroom to prevent people seeing in through the windows. Something like this. I am very happy with it, especially since our bedroom window is pretty much right next to the entrance to the building and there are 2 old ladies sitting out there most of the day, I guess they have nothing better to do. I went out and asked them if they liked my geraniums and they were very happy with them, it looks much nicer than the having the blinds down all the time.

I am also looking at fabrics for curtains in the kitchen and the bathroom. In Sweden we leave all our whitegoods when we move but we bring our lamps and curtains. I am thinking Josef Frank, it is expensive but I only need a little bit anyway, one meter for the kitchen and one for the bedroom. Maybe one of these, or another one, I love them all! Check them out here.