Blog

Dentist

I saw a dentist office with a video screen facing outside the window showing tools digging through people’s mouths. Why would this encourage me to visit that particular office?  I don’t see hospitals with Jumbo Trons outside showing gallbladder surgery. “Hmm…I like that they use the Pembroke scalpel. Maybe I’ll switch places.” Just put a … Read more

Important questions in an election

We had elections here in Sweden yesterday. I was reading the morning paper which had a section where they ask people on the street “What do you think is the most important issue in this election?” One person answered ‘schools’, another answered ‘welfare,’ but my favorite was the woman who answered “The dog question. Where … Read more

Deciphering job ads

I’m looking for something part-time to supplement my translating work.  I like the ads that are straight and to the point.  Too many of them are full of double-speak and fancy wording for menial work.  Let me decipher this for you: -Provide administrative support and briefings to senior management ( Bring coffee and donuts at … Read more

Quit putting me down, Google!

I make fresh corn on the cob in the microwave about once a month.  I have so many other things in my life to commit to memory, that I never bother to remember how long to microwave corn, so I always look it up on Google.  Little did I know, Google is getting tired of … Read more

15 years ago….

… my life changed direction.  15 years ago my husband and I met in person at the airport (No, I was not a mail-order bride)! We knew each other from the Internet for 5 years before meeting in person, and once we did, we were married 6 months later! If you’d like to celebrate with … Read more

Hero!

Can we quit throwing around the word hero? I just saw a sign saying “bicyclists are heros!” Yeah. Thanks for not using a car and all, but hero? Hey grandpa? Remember when you saved that woman when the building collapsed on her? Well we’re both heros now! And around here, are people really all riding … Read more

Strange moments

Sometimes when I sit on the subway with my headphones blasting music, I hear a mumble of the driver announcing something from the speakers. Everyone looks around and then we continue. By the time I take off my headphones the announcement is over. It’s these times when I wonder what I missed : “Ladies and … Read more

Busy as a bee

I might have mentioned before that I have 2 kids.  They are now going to different schools in different parts of town so we are learning how to adjust schedules.  In Sweden, the kids don’t have the same classes every day or even the same starting or ending times.  My husband thinks we Americans are … Read more

Piano paws

I saw a song on the Muppet Show that I wanted to learn on piano.  I couldn’t find the sheet music so my first thought was “I’ll just watch the keys that Rowlf the Dog plays.” Yeah.  That didn’t work out.

Chicken smuggler

My thoughts on this story from The Local: 1. Why can’t you bring chicken over the border? 2. I like the caption under the picture – “The chicken in the picture is not the smuggled chicken in the story.” 3. It’s the guy’s 8th time to get caught.  I think the real story here is, … Read more

Cafés in Stockholm

I’ve been exploring some parts of the city lately that I don’t usually visit. There’s no real reason I haven’t visited, it’s just that I haven’t had business there.  I was hoping to find some fun shops or new restaurants, but I should have guessed that what I would find here in Stockholm would be … Read more

I think I just accused a doctor of being drunk

I tried to sign up for a new doctor today.  The receptionist said that she would have to check with the doctor first to see if she could take new patients.  I WANTED to say in Swedish that I understood she might be full.  Unfortunately, “full” is the word for drunk in Swedish.  So I … Read more

First grade is very exciting

At our first-grader’s beginning of school celebration last week, we noticed that one of the kids from his kindergarten class had been kept behind to repeat another year. My husband and I whispered to each other, “Why do you think he got left behind?” and then my 7 year old leaned over and said, “Oh, … Read more

Johan and Anders

Most of the time when I meet a Swedish man, I feel introducing myself and then saying, “So are you Johan or Anders?” I’m not kidding when I say these names constantly show up. I can’t keep up with who my husband is talking about.  We know so many.  “So I was talking to Johan….” … Read more

I wrote a book!

Did I mention I wrote a book?  Yes, now you can have all my thoughts and nonsense in one book!  And I promise it’s not the same stories as on the blog!  It’s short essays and thoughts about life in Sweden, childhood in Texas (there are Goat Men involved and nachos), and important life lessons … Read more

Parliament (Not featuring George Clinton)

My 9 year old asked me some questions about the upcoming Swedish vote, so I decided to take him on a tour of Parliament.  Sometimes it pays off to live in a capital city. Tours of Parliament are free in both Swedish and English.  It’s a nice building with great views and interesting to see … Read more

Wash your clothes? Only 36 dollars!

Stopped by the U.S.A. store in Stockholm today for a laugh and I certainly found it.  Tide laundry detergent – 249 SEK  (That equals 36 American dollars). I know Tide smells nice and all, but I think I’ll just buy the 7 dollar Swedish detergent instead.

A visit to the embassy

Pictures represent the South Korean, Spanish and U.S. Embassies in Stockholm.  Guess which one is the U.S.? Last week we went to the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm to renew our son’s passports.  Besides the building being the ugliest one on Embassy row, it’s also the most boring place to spend a weekday morning. After waiting … Read more