Sverige

I miss Sweden so terribly much now and then.  Not just abstract "Sweden", of course, but my boyfriend, my friends, his family, everything that is so lovely about living there.  I'm going in a few weeks so it is not a sad or desperate sort of missing, just a pleasant longing to be there that has me wishing for all the strangest things one can miss about a place. Aftonbladet, bike paths, queue tickets (kölappar). The things you never notice on an average day get filed away in your mind, and they build up such a strong and silent picture of what makes up a place, a presence you hardly notice until it's not there and you find yourself craving a newsstand sandwich in a plastic bag from Pressbyrån.

Certain kinds of weather make me think about places I have been. Misty fall days make me think of Montreal. Bright sunny mornings make me remember Toronto. And just now, this early spring weather seems to be inextricably linked to Sweden. I keep expecting to glance out my window and see the Fyris river glittering in the pale spring sun.

All winter I've been patiently waiting for the results of my application for a residency permit, but now it's really starting to itch.  I'm keeping all of my fingers and toes crossed one hundred per cent of the time, but this is getting difficult and I just want to know! I calculated back in November that the very earliest I would hear anything is in April, and I really am trying not to get to anxious for the calendar to flip but patience is not something I can ever claim to have.

Daylight savings

I went to Toronto on Saturday and forgot my camera and my phone charger! And my toothbrush. But the camera stuff was worse.  I miss living in Toronto so very much right now, and everywhere I look in the city are beautiful photographs waiting to me made. But anyway, here's a little peek into my day.

 Green papaya salad with shrimp and pork belly at Pho Bai, a Vietnamese restaurant. Lauren and I always eat there when I'm in the city, but I can't help it. It's just too delicious to pass up.

 My outfit, in Lauren's room. The skirt is from Åhléns, the cardigan is HM and my sister gave me the t-shirt ages ago.

Saturday pep!

coffee pause

Some treasures from the grocery store. Tea and honey in sweet packages.

 Mini-mini Pannetone (yeasty cake with currants and orange peel).

Study break!

More treasures from the library

I could spend 38 hours a day wandering around the library at my university, searching out all the amazing covers, secret treasures, forgotten thoughts.

Monday, schooldays

I spent today at school and found a treasure in our library:

Shelf after shelf of bound National Geographics, from the 1920s until today.  I love our library more than almost any place on earth!

Saturday in Toronto

Today I said "enough!" to studying, and went off to the city.

I missed my train so I stopped at the fabric store.  These are nice together, aren't they? I have a pattern for a "lounging outfit" - essentially glorified pyjamas - that will be just perfect!

Here I am waiting for the train.

I was wearing my new pants that I sewed myself, I just love them!

I took the streetcar along Queen Street E to meet my friend Tad for lunch.

This place has good burgers as well as a cool sign.

I ordered this incredibly gigantic and delicious bowl of mushroomy noodle soup for supper and managed only a fraction of it.  It's so huge that it came with a ladle instead of a spoon!

Then it was time to go.  We got coffee but I forgot to take a picture of it.  Here is what I saw while waiting for the streetcar, instead.

I wanted to meet my friend Ali for a drink afterward, but the subways were not running due to a broken water main, and it had become so very cold out and started snowing, and as you saw, I went out without socks for some reason! I didn't want to walk very far in the cold, so I went home instead.

Now I am here eating cheese and crackers and watching Mad Men, which is pretty nice too!