Don't worry, I'm alive!

Haven't posted in a couple of days as I was preparing for mine and Rob's weekend in Scotland. Git my hair done and had things to wash and pack, so blogging never really came to mind. I have a feeling people appreciated the peace and quiet! Anyway, I thought I'd do an update and tell you whereabouts I am. We're staying at a hotel just outside Glasgow so this afternoon we had a nosy around town ans then we went to the hotel to find dinner. Have to say the food was really nice but our waitress was so confused... She forgot to bring us drinks and knives and then she got Rob's order wrong, then she forgot an order again and she dropped a drink... Don't get me wrong, she's really sweet - I just think she'd just be better off in another profession.

Anyway, tomorrow we're off to see Edinburgh castle! I'm looking forward to that :) Now, off to sleep!

Nighty night <3
Saga

But, Google maps said there is a road here..?

Much to my own surprise I actually did get out for a walk today. I'm usually not one for walking in the rain, but I took my umbrella and headed on out. Thought I'd take the opportunity to see a little bit of the English country side. I had no idea how much of it I'd get to see..

Trip to IKEA

Yesterday Rob made it home early from work since he'd started early in the morning in Newcastle and driven all the way back again. So when he got home I made him some of Mum's pork and mango chutney stew. I've never made him that before, so it was his first time trying it and I think he wouldn't say no to me making it again ;) It is good, I have to admit... After dinner though Rob suggested we go to IKEA, since he knew there were some things I wanted from there. Just little things like a bathroom scale, measuring cups for the kitchen, rubber spatula... Stuff like that. I couldn't get my hands on a rolling pin though, so no cinnamon rolls till I can get one. Visits to IKEA always end up more expensive than you originally panned for though, so we had a few other extras with us home.

They really like ABBA here

Omg I just remembered the BEST thing to ever happen to me while on a bus! I'm going to write this down so I can remember it for years and years to come and so I can share this with you guys :) It was when me and Hanna were coming back to Rugeley from Lichfield. When we got on the bus there were only two seats free and they were next to a very drunk man in his sixties. We were trying not to catch his attention as he had the beer breath of doom and a pretty heavy accent, i.e. not very easy to understand, when drunk, for us poor foreigners... At the front of the bus there were six seats, three each side, facing sideways, and that's where we were sitting. As we got on the drunken gentleman was in some sort of conversation with a young man further down the isle, but a few minutes after we sat down the older man turned to us as he had apparently decided we needed something to smile about. He said something about smiling being good for you.

And so he told us this joke (I hope I can remember it correctly):

"Somebody stole my gate last night. I asked the neighbours if they had seen anything and they said yes they had, but they didn't interrupt the burglars as they didn't want them to take a fence (offence)."

First night alone :/

An hour and a half ago Rob had a call from his boss, Thomas. Apparently there's been a fire at a depot last night so Rob needed to go there and salvage what he can of their servers and data. So he left for Newcastle 40 mins ago. Not Newcastle-under-Lyme, 30 mins away, but Newcastle upon Tyne in southern Scotland, 4 hours away, one way trip... I'm guessing he won't be back tonight and so did he. But he's needed to save what he can of the depot. He's the Superman of IT.

He did ask me if I wanted to come with him. I asked what I would be doing and we got to the conclusion I would probably just sit there and watch him work for hours on end, so I stayed behind. It will be my first night all alone in this flat... And he's probably going back to Scotland for the end of this week as well. I might come with him then. Get a taste of Scotland! Looking forward to that.

Anyway...
What makes a good dinner for one?

Saga xx

I survived the NHS :D

This morning I had an appointment at the surgery for a health check-up, and when I made the appointment on tuesday Rob said something along the lines of "they will take a blood test" and that was the start of my anxiety building up. Most of those who know me know I have a terrible phobia for needles. So that kicked right in and I really got myself woorked up about this blood test I was about to have. I got so worked up I was about to pass out in the waiting room before they even called me in to see the doctor.So imagine my relief when they called me in and the doctor said she was only going to take height, weight, blood pressure and medical history. We even had a laugh about how silly I was and what a bastard my boyfriend is for scaring me senseless! ;)

Yesterday I mentioned I had a little something planned for that evening, and when he got home from work Rob asked me about it. I told him it was a surprise and he wasn't allowed to open the fridge. So we sat down and had a really nice chicken Tikka Masala with pilau rice and garlic & coriander naan bread (om nom nom) and then we relocated  to the sofa and I brought Rob the dessert I had made for us; Trifle! I know Rob has said he loves trifle and I've never made it, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Trifle can be made in soooo many different ways (just google it and see for yourself), it's basically like cake, but in a bowl and without all the fancy decorations. The way I understand it, it always contains some sort of cake (I used half a batch of regular sponge cake), fruit or berries (I used fresh strawberries, fresh raspberries, and raspberry preserve (jam)) and some sort of cream, like whipped cream or custard (which I opted for). You can still get fresh strawberries, grown in the UK, here and they're only ca £0.40 per 100grams! Im seriously impressed. Some people like to sprinkle some sherry or whatever kind of liqeur they may have handy, over the cake to make it moist and give it some more flavour.

When you have all the ingredients you want/need you simply layer them up in a glass bowl so you can see the layers through the glass :) Mine doesn't look so tidy... But still nice though. I also made some caramelized pecan nuts (no recipe here, I just went with what I had - i.e. caster sugar and some Monin caramel syrup for drinks, worked out so well) to top it off with. Rob was very impressed :) It did taste good, I have to admit that. Still some left in the fridge and I have had a taste of it today as well, but will save the rest of it for Rob to have for pudding tonight.

Now, I'm off to the store in a bit to stock up on some more of those curry sauces - they were really good!
Oh, and btw! Remember you can Skype me :) I'm at home most of the time on weekdays, so if I'm not online just ask me on Facebook to log in or text me if you have my UK number and maybe we can talk for a bit?


Talk to you later!
Huggles
Saga xx

The tenth commandment

Today I have broken one of the ten commandments; Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house. But ooh have I coveted... I have coveted the living daylights out of my neighbours' houses. Right now I'm having a poke through ads online and have found a gorgeous little two bedroom grade 2 listed detached cottage. It's not even insanely expensive! Still more than we can afford though, at the moment. But one day... One day...

Now, I need to go get started on a  little something I have planned for tonight ;)

Huggles!
Saga xx

Becoming an NHS patient

Yesterday when I went downtown I took the opportunity to pick up some forms I needed from the local surgery (which sounds a lot more serious than it is as it's just a general practitioners office (vårdcentral på ren svenska)). In the UK you have to register personally with a doctor, unlike in Sweden where they just register you wherever you're living according to the census. Anyway, I filled in the forms last night and handed them in today and got an appointment for a health check up I need to have before my registration is complete. They're going to need blood work and I'm genuinely scared to death about that bit. Needles and me don't agree. I will more than likely pass out, so I intend to make sure the doctors/nurses are well aware of that so I can t least lay down when they stab me...

Saturday = Rugby

So last Saturday me and Rob went to Newcastle-under-Lyme since Rob's rugby team (The Spartans) were playing the Newcastle local team. Now, normally I'm not much of a sports fan unless there's horses involved, and I never watch sports on TV, but it's a completely different story when it's live. that just makess it so much more enjoyable, and I really did enjoy the game. First half wasn't great and by half time the Spartans were losing by a point or two, but  in the second half they really turned it around and made a great comeback. They ended up winning, *hrumfm* to *ahemfm*. I don't know. I really don't know the score. I asked Rob just after the game and he couldn't really answer. No one could answer straight away, they just knew they won. The ref said they did, and he should know!

The game was nice, as I said, but Rugby is really not for the faint hearted (like me). The tackles they use and the way they toss each other around now and then... It just looks painful. At one point one of the Spartans were laying down and a guy from the other team used him to stand on - in his spiked shoes! Can you imagine the bruises after that!? I know Rob can - he's got a really nice one on his back... So it's quite a brutal sport (but still a gentleman's sport as well, oddly enough, as all brawls are kept on the pitch and there's only rarely any real animosity between teams or players), but when it's going well for your team you really get sucked into it. I really need to learn the rules though and I have a feeling that will take some time. But hey, I got every Saturday for an unknown amount of time to do that!

Anyway; here's a few pictures!

Over and out!
Saga xx

Practical linguistics (an addition to my list)

There was one thing I forgot when I wrote my list of things I miss - I present to you number 6!

6. Mhmm
In Sweden we use this really quite often in conversation. We sort of have a thing for short answers. In some parts of Sweden a short, quick intake of air can pass for "yes", "I agree" and so on and so forth. To the best of my knowledge this is not used anywhere else in the world. The usage of "mhmm", as I mention here, is similar, in a way. It is commonly used when someone else is talking to you and you want to assert that you are listening and understanding or when you want to confirm something you have been asked about (usually as "mmm"). Not so much in England, it seems. Here it seems to be interpreted as "What?" as they do not use it themselves (I'm not talking about the "mmm" meaning "yummy"). Therefore a hypothetical conversation that (in my mind) should go something like

"Could you bring me a cuppa while you're in the kitchen?"
"Mmm."

becomes

"Could you bring me a cuppa while you're in the kitchen?"
"Mmm."
"I said, could you bring me a cuppa while you're in the kitchen?"

This is part amusing, since it keeps happening over and over again, and part really annoying since it keeps happening over and over again. A girl can only take directions so many times! I am aware of it now though, so maybe I'll learn not to use "mhmm/mmm" as much. It's difficult though as it's an automatic responce...

Do you have any interesting or funny finds in behaviour or linguistics from somewhere you've travelled? Please share in the comments! I would love to know who I'm talking to (or rather at) out there... :3

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. I need to go buy trousers :P
Lurvs <3
Saga xx

Little things that make me happy :)

Today is the 11th day here in the UK for me, and even if there's still a few things in boxes here (nowhere to put them!) it's more and more starting to look like home. Yesterday we bought a few cushions for the bedroom and the sofa and they turned out pretty nice :) What's even better though is the welcome I've recieved from friends here in the UK though.

These cards were sent to us from Michelle with family and from Poppy! They really made my day, those cards, so a big thank you to you guys. Love you <3

Also, the Sunday we went to Birmingham with Hanna happened to be the weekend Birmingham hosts an event  called Artsfest. There were performances in dance, music, and sports and markets with art, crafts.. You name it! Was quite fun having a nose through it while we were on our way to the Sea Life museeum. While we were there Rob comissioned a painting for us (sounds grand, doesn't it?). There was a chinese man who painted pictures in a chinese style with your name and mythical animals. So we had one made for us and it's now hanging on the wall in our lounge :)

                    

Only something small, but it makes me smile :) Anyway... House work beacons, so I'm off again.

Huggles for today!

Saga xx

Cadbury and Lichfield

Cadbury employee?

Thought I'd try and catch up a liiiittle bit on what me and Hanna did the last few days she was here. On Monday we went to Cadbury World. For those of you who are not familiar with Cadbury it's a chocolate company, similar to Marabou, who are especially appreciated for their brand Cadbury Dairy Milk (and oh my, is it good...). Cadbury World is part museum over the history of chocolate, part museum over the history of the company and part best commercial ever for their products. Sadly though, the battery in my camera decided to die half way through... So I only have a couple of pictures. We had a good time though :) Think any of you who come to visit should go there if you like chocolate half as much as me and Hanna do ;) It's only in Birmingham anyway, so it's easy enough to get to by train.

Few photos from Cadbury world!

Last day of Hanna's visit here, Tuesday, we went to a nearby town called Lichfield. It's the size of Karlstad roughly, with somewhere around 80'000 inhabitants, but it feels so much smaller and cozier. We took the bus from Rugeley and got off at Beacon Street, Lichfield. The reason we got off there is that Beacon street is situated just about 100 metres from the Cathedral, and that was one of our stops :) There was also Beacon park where they have a war memorial and a memorial to the captain of the Titanic who was born in a village nearby. It was supposed to rain, but weather was still quite nice when we got there. Had a walk around the park to begin with and then we went to have lunch at Aprés which Rob tells me is one of the nicer places in town. Have to say eating out can be so cheap around here though as me and Hanna got a 2 for one offer on lunch, so she had a Hickory bacon burger and I had Sweet chili thai noodles with chicken and we only paid £10 for it. Sound like a good deal to me ;) Only down side is you eat out so much more often here though, just because it's quite cheap, and in the end it still costs money... Not quite skint yet though!

Lichfield also has a collection of nice shops, so we explored some of them as well :) There's one I really like that sells gifts and stuff like that called "Smart ideas" or something like that. Can never quite remember what it's called! I love it however. Hanna picked up a thing or two there, and I got a little something for Martin, her boyfriend, as his birthday is coming up.


I was ging to make this post so much longer, but I think this will be enough for now, and maybe I'll post another short one later today... Don't want to get tedious :)
Laters!
Saga xx

Let's make a list...

I have been thinking about what I will miss even since before I actually moved across. Now that I'm finally here a list of things has started to chrystalize in my mind, Some of the things I already knew, but a few of them were a bit of a surprise...

Let's get started!

1. Liquorice
I knew about this one. Salty liquorice is to the English what growing rice is to the Swedish - you just don't see it very often. This will definitely be on my wishlist for Christmas! I might ask for a small delivery of Djungelvrål or Salty skulls later this autumn. And Mumrikar... Oh god...

2. Yoghurt
The English may have yoghurt, but it's not proper yoghurt... It's either pouring yoghurt which is a bit looser in consistency than the one we get back home, or it's a thicker desserty kind of yoghurt. They're both good, don't get me wrong, but they're not the same as Valio's. I'll get used to it though :)

3. Electricity
Yes, that's right. I miss electricity. We litterally have a little box on the wall in the wardrobe where we have to refill our electricity supply with little cards, just like pay-as-you-go (kontantkort)! When Rob told me and Hanna about this a few days ago I laughed at him because I thought he was kidding. He wasn't. It makes me question which century I have moved to. To someone who's never had to worry about electricity actually running out it's a strange concept. Just means I need to be more careful with what I leave on and when. Can tell you my computer operates on battery a lot more often now than it would have in Sweden. I guess it has an advantage though - it makes me a lot more aware of how much electricity we use. Still strange though.

4. Ramlösa
I have somewhat of an addiction for mineral water, and I have yet to find anything similar here. Most of the mineral water here has some sort of sweetener in it, and that doesn't fly with me! Will try and bring some back with me after Christmas... Raspberry and Blackberry.... Nooom...

5. Stuff I forgot in Sweden
For example, I lost a little bag of thing I need for sewing in the move. It had all my pins and my measuring tape and fabric scissors and everything like that. It's not like I didn't try to bring it with me to the UK, I just couldn't bloody find it! Annoying...

I'm going to keep it short for this time though. I'm sure I'll come up with more stuff as I go along. Next time I'll make a post of what I like though! I don't want any of you thinking I don't like it here :) Today I have handed in my CV at a local grocery store, hopefully I'll hear from them and get an interview. Woud be nice to have a job, even if I'd only get part time. They're looking for 3 or 4 people though, so... Fingers crossed?

Now, I'm going to watch some Black Adder with Rob :)
Huggles and g'night ^^,
Saga xx

Sea Life collage

A little collage before me and Hanna go to Cadbury World ;) (Chocolate.... Nooom...) The pictures are from our visit to the Sea Life centre in Birmingham yesterday!

Back again later!

Huggles!
Saga xx

Survival of those who look the right way

After spending just a couple of days here in England me and Hanna have made a vital discovery. Survival in this country is completely based upon your skill of remembering which bloody way to look when crossing the road. It is nigh on impossible! More than once we have crossed the road at high speed and screeming because we have at last minute seen a car coming at us. We're getting better though, I hope. And I think that's all for the best or we won't survive the week.

Just a little something for now ;)

Today: Shopping :D

I've been quite bad at updating the blog these last two days - pictures are coming, I promise! I just transferred them to the laptop yesterday. Will do that tonight thugh as Hanna needs my computer for studies (for some reason her's refuses to connect to our broadband) and in a few hours we're going to go to Birmingham! There's a place there called the Bullring which is a big mall. I've never been there before (I've not really walked arund in B-ham at all) so me and Hanna are going to explore. Just like we did with Rugeley yesterday. This town is adorable! Those of you who come visit will really like it, I'm sure :)

Anyway, time to have breakfast and let Hanna get on with her essay :)
Huggles!
Saga xx

Copenhagen is awesome :D

At 6:33 this morning our journey started (or really at 5:10 when we got up) towards Copenhagen, Denmark. It was so strange looking around the room this morning and thinking I'm ot going to see it again for about 4 months. Even more strange hugging Nan goodbye, and believe me, there was crying. She started to cry and that made me cry and I told her I'd miss her. She's afraid it'll be the last time we saw eachother, but I'm a bit more optimistic. We'll be back again for Christmas. And I do intend to write her when I've settled in. She can't really follow my blog... Lack of computer...

Last night

Can nerves kill you? Because in that case I think I might be at risk. I'm getting really nervous now. Just going to check my luggage now and then go to bed and at 6.33 the train leaves that will carry me away from Dalarna and, in the end, this country.

This will be a night full of restless sleep I think. And probably strange dreams.

Sleep well, tomorrow I'm reporting from Copenhagen.
Saga xx

One last day at work...

Had a call from mum yesterday asking if I wanted to come in and work the morning shift today. Earn some money before I go (very little money). I, foolish as I am, thought "yeah, I could do that" and said yes. I had never anticipated just how difficult it would be to get up in the morning... It was a punishment and a half, I tell you that... Was so much more difficult to get up at 6 o'clock when it was just the one random morning and not during my temp job. I need to start setting my alarm again.

And now then, when I go to brush my teeth Hanna sits down outside the bathroom (she originally meant to stand behind a corner and scare the shit out of me when I came out, but didn't do that as I might fall down the stairs), waiting for me to be done. So ofcourse, when I did come out from the bathroom, she didn't jump out at me or say anything. She didn't have to. I had this bad feeling when I couldn't see her in her room, so I jokingly asked her if she'd turned into a zombie. No answer, so I started getting reallynervous and then she giggles, just out of nowhere ad it freaks the hell out of me... God, she really knows how to scare me - and without even trying as well... Bastard.

Now, sleep well and don't let the Zombies bite (remember The Walking Dead is returning with it's 3rd series in October!).

Huggles!
Saga xx