This autumn just flew by. It was warm and sunny and really nice for a very long time. The cold weather arrived on November 15th in the afternoon. Just had time to wrap up the balcony plants for the winter so they won’t freeze and die before the cold arrived in the afternoon. The first snow arrived the weekend after that. Not a lot of snow – not like last year – but enough to cover the ground and make everything white. Lasted for about a week and was gone again. Since it has been on and off with the snow. Presently it is warm and rainy but snow expected again in a couple of days. It won’t be a white Christmas in Stockholm this year – actually, that’s very rare.
I left my old job with next to no notice. As I wasn’t really employed there the last two years, but only worked about 25 percent there, I felt no obligation to give any notice. I went back there about two weeks after I left, to give back my keys and the key card. What was their goodbye-present? Well, after 18 years employment, there was coffee and cake and I got a bottle of red wine… Not much of a goodbye present. But never mind – I was just relieved to get out and get on with my life and not having to hang on to that job any longer.
Since October 3rd I’ve been working at the big newspaper. Already the 3rd week the whole department went on conference trip to talk about how we should work. We went first for 2 nights to the south of Sweden, and then 2 nights in Copenhagen, Denmark – which gave us an opportunity to drive over the bridge between Sweden and Denmark and visit the Turning Torso, the famous new tower building in Malmö, on the way down. That trip was done during a week when I should actually have been free between night weeks, so the first couple of weeks in October became very busy.
I’ve since been working nights for seven nights (1630-0330 Mon–Fri and 1900–0330 Sat-Sun) and off seven nights. Those workhours suit me just fine as long as I can sleep in the morning and nobody calls during morning hours. Haven’t got into the habit yet to turn off the phone (only the mobile gets turned off)… Really should do that. I have no trouble with those hours at all. I get home real fast after work by taxi. At those hours there is no traffic. I read for a while and then sleep right away. Having a whole week off every second week is also very nice. You then have time for a lot of things which you don’t when you work normal office-hours. Work-weeks on the other hand, you don’t have much time for anything but work and sleep as the workhours are quite long.
It is nice working at the newspaper. Everybody are very nice and friendly and have made me feel very welcome. It is nice for a change to feel appreciated. Sometimes there is a lot to do, other times, like now, next to nothing. Hope it stays so and that no server decides to break down or something…
I work Christmas until Monday morning, but I am off over the New Year. Two more nights to go this week. It is very quiet presently as there are fewer people than usual working. Gives me some time to finally update these pages. Working Christmas also pays better than usual. I don’t mind working. I don’t celebrate Christmas anyway.
Mimmi the cat
Presently I have a house-guest. I have the cat Mimmi which belongs to one of my colleagues at the newspaper, living with me when her family is off to Thailand for three weeks. She’s been with me for a week now and will stay until January 7th. She is a she-cat, red of color, by the name of Mimmi. Very cute. By now she finally starts getting friendly and has even started to purr. Took its time… But that was to be expected. Cats choose you, not the other way around. It is nice though to have a cat in the house again, even if it is temporary. Was a long time since last.
Visited Ulla and Feri last Saturday. Rafaela and Ronnie (her guy) was there too with their baby-son. So finally had a chance to see the baby. He is big. 9Kgs at five months is big. takes after his father I think. It was a nice evening as always with them. Feri is getting old though (83 in January) and seems more tired than he used to. The dog Igor (12 years) isn’t getting any younger either. I understand if Ulla gets worried. Especially as Feri had a minor stroke in the summer.
Apart from that it is nice to have a real salary. Makes all the difference and is SO nice not to have to be over-cautious with money any longer. To be able to buy what’s needed and not have to worry if there will be enough money for this or that. After two very meager years, there are a lot of holes to put the money into.
Life is good presently.
