everyday life

film and books

After I got home from my Kiruna trip I got a bad cold, and stayed in bed for 3 days. I had fever, a cough and a running nose. And I was very tired from the trip, so I stayed in bed and slept for a couple of days. I hadn't the strenght to read, to blog or to knit.. I slept, and yesterday, I watched a couple of dvd's. One I have seen many times before, my favorite Pirate - Jack Sparrow, but I hadn´t seen Woody Allen's Match Point - a very good movie. Woody is a favorite of mine. My favorite Woody movie? Tough one - but I like The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, Hannah and her Sisters, The Purple Rose of Cario as well as Manhattan and Annie Hall.

Yesterday the postman brought me a package of some book's from AdLibris. Greetings from Knit Café and SnB Happy Hooker. A lots of nice pages to watch. I will now take time to learn how to crochet. I can't wait to be a Happy Hooker. ;-) So far I like these patterns from ...Knit Café: Canyon Hiking Socks, Boxer Shorts, Comfy Socks, Slouchy Cardigan, Lala Scarf.

Today I got back to work, doing my archivist thing. I had a couple of work re-lated emails to answer and about 2.500 picture's to load up in to our database. But I also took a long lunch to meet up with a fellow archivist working at the National Swedish Museum of Military History. And after work I looked for a new mobile phone to buy. And I think I found one...

/ C

kiruna

I'm back from my trip up north. It was a great trip and we had a lots of fun. Luleå had no snow but Kiruna was all wintery and the temprature was -9 C - that 15 F. We - my boss, Ann and Monica and I- left Stockholm Thursday night and we slept in Luleå at Ann's house (she and her family lived in Luleå 5 years ago and they still got a house there) and left for Kiuna, Friday, early morning. It was a more than 4 hours train ride so I had lots of time to knit on my Jaywalker. But I had to watch the passing scenery too. The snow showed up just north of Murjek and the arctic circle.

Our purpose with this trip was to meet our colleauges at SFMV - Stiftelsen  Föremålsvård, a conservation instiution, who's morking with some of the biggest museum's in Stockholm. They have a Metal conservation department and a Paper conservation department with a Book bindery. They also got a Photo department. We got the grand tour and it was truely amazing to see the conservation departments.

I have been working with SFMV's Photo department for 10 years now. Barbro, Kristin and Lars and the rest of the gang are helping me (and my archive) to scan our photo collections. They are doing a great job, and its really nice to meet them once a year.

We also had the chance to see the small village of Jukkasjärvi, about 17 km northeast of Kiruna. Jukkasjärvi is (world) famous for it's Ice Hotel. The Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi was the first of the ice hotels. With the exception of the beds, the entire hotel is made completely out of ice blocks - even the glasses in the bar are made of ice. The ice is made from water taken from the Torne River. The hotel has more than 60 rooms and suites, a bar, reception area and chapel. But at the moment they has just begun to make this seasons Ice Hotel, so it was not that much to see. In Jukkasjärvi you can also see the small church. The oldest part is from 1607 and it's the oldest church in the neighbourhood. And in Jukkasjärvi the mercury fell down to -12 C (and that's 10 F).

Kiruna is a mining town and the mining area is big part of the town and you can see it all over the town. And the mine is a big problem for the town of Kiruna. Under the city, there are lots mine galleries and the goverment need to move a big part of the town before a collapse. And they need to start the move very soon. Parts of the town are already closed off.

We had also the time for some shopping. I bought a little piece of reindeer skin, to  sit on outdoor, so I don't freeze my butt off, while watching football/soccer at Råsunda. And I also found some yarn. Just regular sock yarn (raggsocksgarn), I can buy this in Stockholm, but it was much cheaper in Kiruna, so I had to buy it.

For even more pix, check my flickr.

/ C

next stop luleå/kiruna

jaywalker
Originally uploaded by catsfalk.

I have finished the first Jaywalker and I have started on the second sock. And I guess I will have a lots of time to knit on the train tomorrow, the ride between Luleå - Kiruna / Kiruna - Luleå takes about 4 hours and 20 minutes, one way (so that over 8 hours on the train tomorrow). So hopefully I have a pair of Jaywalker when I get back to Stockholm on Saturday.

I'm flying up north tonight, to Luleå. And takes the train to Kiruna early tomorrow morning, meeting my Kiruna colleauges during the day, and goes back to Luleå in the evening. Why fly to Luleå when you are going to Kiruna you might ask? Well, both the train tickets and airplane tickets Stockholm - Kiruna and Kiruna - Stockholm was sold out this weekend. So we are staying in Luleå 2 nights.

I'm prepered for some winter! In Kiruna the winter has arrived! And I can't wait to see some snow! I'll give you a full report on Saturday or Sunday!

/ C

you've got mail

I got a lovely package yesterday. A package from the sweet and lovely Laura! She is a amazing friend! It was a Socktober fest teamed package with lovely skeins/hanks of yarn from Knit Picks. The yarn company who doesn't ship overseas to Europe. I have been (secretly) lurking, and wanting to feel and touch a lot of the yarns from Knit Picks. I have seen this yarn all over US blogland, and I think it's sad Knit Picks not shipping to Europe. I've got a great Fair Isle sock pattern with yarn to go with it. 2 skeins of Knit Picks Simple Stripes - colour Crayons and 2 skeins Knit Picks Essentials, colour Cocoa and 2 hanks of Knit Picks Gloss - a merino and silk blend, colour Woodland Sage. And I got som new DPN:s in 2,50 mm and 3,00 mm. It was a amazing package and I really, really, really loved it! TACK, Laura! THANK YOU, Laura!

/ C

workin'

I'm an archivist at the Swedish National Heritage Board (Riksantikvarieämbetet) and tonight I had my shift at NHB Information Center, to give archive information to everyone who wants.. And it was really slow evening, just a couple of visitors. At the Information Center you can read and borrow books and other publications, seach for and order archive material, learn about archaeological sites and monuments and other cultural and historic enviroments. And we help the visitors to navigate through the analogue and digital catalogues, registers, records and databases. I work in this Information desk, every 6th week.

"My" archive is responseble for the documents of the National Heritage Board and the Museum of National Antiquities, as well as for the documents of their predecessors since 1666. The archive is particularly useful to archaeologists, art historians, numismatrists, ethnologists and folklore scholars. The material consists mainly documents, drawings and photographs. I work mainly with the old church photographs (from 1850-1970). The picture's are showing the (new) record hall.

Where do you spend most of your day?

/ C

jaywalker, sock one

jaywalker, no 1
Originally uploaded by catsfalk.

I was a bit worried that my Jaywalker wouldn't fit my "fat" feet, but I just tried the first sock on, and I happy to report that the sock fits! I turned the heel this morning and have now starting on the foot. I really like the pattern, so I know I'm going to knit an other pair again. Perhaps some one gets a pair for Christmas or as a birthday present!

Now I have housework to do.

/ C

update - jaywalker

This week has gone by really fast. I have been busy with lots of work (and football - my lads won again yesterday =) 2-1 and Kim Källström and Christian Wilhelmsson scored!), so I have not knitted as much as I like. I have started on the heel flap on my Jaywalkers (and sorry for the really bad picture, I will take a better one next time!).

My trip to Kiruna is confirmed. I fly in on Thursday next week and fly out through Luleå on Saturday. I'm looking forward to show you picture's of Kiruna. Perhaps I can show you the first snow of the season. I had plans to visit friends in Umeå on my way home, but due to diffrent reasons I had to cancel that. I'll visit Umeå some other time!

This weeks bath tub reading is the first book in the Modesty Blasie series. I'm re-reading the series. I love Modesty! Talk about Girl Power!
/ C

football

I hade a great night last night! My company was my co-worker, Stina - also an archivist- and 35.580 other peolpe. Watching Brazil playing against Ecuador at Råsunda stadium. It wasn't to cold and the game was, not great, but fun. It was a joy to see those Brazilian footballs star. Brazil won the game 2-1. And the audience was fantastic. It was a great night for football. For more photo's, check my flickr. And do you know, I'm watching football at this moment. My lads are playing again tonight, this time against Iceland, in Reykiavik. The score? 1-1, at the moment! So I need to go now.. ;-)

/ C

apples

Appels. I love apples in every form. Raw, cooked, in a cake, dried - you name it. I can eat apples morning, lunch and evening! And autumn is apple season. I have a couple of friends with apple trees and yesterday I got  a big bag of apples. Thank you M. you are so sweet! Today I made Apple compote of some. A nice dessert after dinner, not to sweet and (kind of) healthy!I ate Apple compote served with milk, but you can have it on porriage at breakfast if you like.

I will now take a quick shower and then hit the sack with my Jaywalkers and listen to music -  Joni Mitchell - and knit.

/ C

sunday service

wool from Riga, Latvia
Originally uploaded by catsfalk.

This Sunday was not slow, but not hectic either. I had things to do, but I managed to take it easy. Cleaning parts of my apartment, washing clothes, cooking dinner. But I took time to enjoy the beautiful day, sitting on my balcony reading the first book in the Modesty Blaise -series by Peter O'Donnell and drinking coffee.

For dinner I made meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Yummie! It was very long ago I made this dish, and when I read Jen's blog the other day with her cooking meatloaf, I started to crave for this. So my choice was easy today!

Last weekend, my boss was in Riga, Latvia and she bought me some wool. How nice of her! 400 g of wool. Last year I got 400g of wool from Estonia, from another co-worker. My sweet co-workers!

/ C