no time for blogginghttp://notimeforblogging.comQuick BlogcastBlogpodge: The Post About Everything.http://notimeforblogging.com/2008/11/25/blogpodge-the-post-about-everything.aspx?ref=rssIt's been so long since my last post that I hardly know where to start. Over the last month or so, lots of things have happened and many topics have come to mind, but it seems like I'm always too busy/lazy/far away from a computer to commit my thoughts to bits. 

Tonight however, we have a situation where our most recent arrival from Netflix (Dog Day Afternoon) is not at all interesting to me, so here I sit with a laptop on the couch and an opportunity to catch y'all on what I've been up to.

The Election

If you've been reading my blog over the past year or if you know me personally (Are there any readers out there I don't know personally? Please introduce yourself, unless you are a mean-spirited troll. Then keep your nastiness to yourself, please) then you know that I am absolutely ecstatic that Barack Obama is our President-Elect! Ideas trumped fear!

Barack Obama is our President-Elect! I just can't say it enough, and frankly, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea. I have grown so accustomed to having a complete bozo in the White House that I had forgotten what it felt like to be excited about El Presidente. Actually, I have never been excited about any President in my lifetime, but I think I understand just a little about how my parents felt when FDR was elected - a ray of hope after the long, dark, days of the Great Depression and all.

Of course I don't expect President Obama to be able to undo even a quarter of the damage that has been done over the years, but the fact that we can even have the conversation is significant progress already. And it will be interesting to see what happens to the Republican Party over the next few years. I would like to see the party return to being a viable alternative to the Democratic Party, but don't see that happening any time soon.

I'm not completely over the moon about the results of this election, though. The passage of discriminatory measures in several states -- Proposition 8 in California in particular -- has me both baffled and sad. I won't go into a long discussion into why Prop 8 is so wrong -- anti-American, even -- but it's disheartening that a large percentage of people in this country think it's perfectly acceptable to discriminate against gay people. In conversation, several people have said to me, "well, you have to understand that many gay people are still in the closet. If these people that voted for Prop 8 knew more gay people personally, they would be more accepting."

What a load of horse-shit that is.

Why should gay people have to pass somebody's personal litmus test about whether they "deserve" equal protection under the law? And don't even get me started on civil unions, unless the laws are changed so that the state oversees civil unions for EVERYONE, and then if you want you can have a religious ceremony and call it marriage or whatever the heck you want. I've always believed that mixing politics and religion is detrimental to both, and that's illustrated here.

Sorry for the political rant but it's been on my mind a lot lately. On to more fun topics.

Mom Turns 80!

Last weekend, with the help of my Aunt Donna, I threw a surprise party for my incredible mom who turned 80 years young last Wednesday. Here is a picture of mom with her birthday cake:




Can you believe she is 80? I sure can't.

Pulling off the surprise party took a great deal of planning and some trickery on my part (like faking a phone call from my Aunt Donna while we took her out for birthday brunch) but it was all worth it. A house full of relatives and mom's friends showed up for the occasion, and though she claimed that she didn't want anyone to make a fuss over her, I think she will remember that day for the rest of her life.

Happy 80th Birthday, Mom. I love you and hope that I can become just half the incredible human being that you are.

Battle of The Bulge

I've never been anywhere near supermodel skinny but I do recall being in my twenties, on the dance team in college, and wearing a size 5 plaid mini-skirt that I had to fold the waist over on because it was too loose. Oh yeah, I thought I was "fat" then too because I was the curviest one on the dance team. Oh boy, would I love to shake some sense into 24-year-old me! I didn't know that I was actually about as physically perfect as my genetics allowed me to be, and I definitely didn't know about the lose-gain-lose-gain cycle that was about to take place in my thirties.

In 2005, I was 38 years old and had just returned from a trip to Italy. Of course the trip was well-documented in video and photographs, and that included pictures of me. Pictures of me standing on top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, pictures of me in a quiet little campo in Venice, pictures of me overlooking the Forum in Rome.

So many pictures, but I wanted to burn the ones that had the fat girl in them. Somehow over the years I had developed doughy arms, a flabby midsection, and a thick-looking chin that was threatening to go double. I was horrified, so less than two weeks after our return, both Michael and I called Jenny and got with the program. I did well on Jenny Craig. It took me a almost a year, but I lost 25 pounds and was fitting comfortably into size 6 jeans. I was on my way.

Then Paris happened.

Even though we walked all over the city, it wasn't enough to make up for the steady intake of baguettes, chocolate, crepes, wine, fromage, and all kinds of delicious artery-clogging cuisine. Yes, I came back from Paris a good 5 pounds heavier, and over the next two years managed to pile on an additional 10, taking me dangerously close to my post-Italy epiphany weight. Over the past couple of years I've tried various methods of losing weight, but would always abandon my efforts for one reason or another. I never let go of the desire to be thinner and healthier again, though.

Just last month, I signed up for a "Biggest Loser" challenge that was being sponsored by my community's rec center. Figuring I needed something new to motivate me, I took a chance and signed up, and it turned out to be just the boost I needed to get my weight-loss mojo back. The workouts were unlike anything I had ever done before, and were both fun and extremely challenging. I also kept a food journal of everything I ate. And over four weeks, I lost just over 5 pounds and 3% of my body fat.

I was sad when the challenge ended earlier this month, because I had become fond of exercising in a group environment (nothing like peer pressure) with a good trainer barking at me to "suck it up and push out one more rep!" I wasn't sure what I was going to do - I had long ago gotten bored with the machine at the gym - so I decided to try a couple of classes that looked interesting called 24S.E.T. and 24LIFT.

I'm only two weeks into attending these classes, but I'm already noticing a difference in my endurance and muscle tone. Both of these classes give you a complete workout of cardio and resistance training intervals in 60 minutes, and it doesn't get boring. I am pushing myself much harder than I would out in the gym on my own, and I'm having a lot more fun (though I did feel like punting my Energizer Bunny instructor across the gym floor after a brutal session tonight, my arms are still smarting). Better still, I've lost an additional 4 pounds since Biggest Loser ended, if I just keep my focus I will be back to my pre-Paris weight in a few weeks. Yeah!

Enough about exercise. Back to food.

Thanksgiving is only two days away, and our condo already smells like turkey because M made the stock for the gravy tonight. For a man who rarely cooks, he has elevated Thanksgiving Dinner to an art form.

I can hardly wait to taste the results, but you know I'll be in the gym the morning after working off the damage.

Happy Thanksgiving All! ]]>Daily LifeCheryle2008-11-25T22:46:22ZAbsolutely, Completely, Utterly Disgusted ...http://notimeforblogging.com/2008/10/10/absolutely-disgusted-.aspx?ref=rssFor the past couple of weeks I've been re-reading a classic that apparently, had a greater effect on my core beliefs than I realized when I first read it in school: To Kill A Mockingbird. Atticus Finch, although a fictional character, was a courageous and memorable role model for me although I didn't completely understand why at the time. 

My decision to re-read this book against the backdrop of what has increasingly become a very ugly and frightening Presidential race was not intentionally timed, although at almost 50 years old it seems a more important and relevant work at this moment than it was at any time previously in my lifetime. The cries directed at Senator Obama ("Terrorist!" "Kill Him!") from McCain supporters have sent chills down my spine unlike any ugly attack ad ever has. I see this and realize that I have absolutely nothing in common with these fellow countrymen (and women) of mine, and wonder how their view of America came to be so radicially different than mine. 

As I write this, I'm watching Campbell Brown on CNN as she's reporting on racial bias and its potential effect on the upcoming election. Perhaps it just because of my age or the company I choose to keep, but it is surprising to me that in 2008 there are actually people out there who would not vote for Barack Obama "because he is black". My usual response to this is that they should "vote for the half of Barack Obama that is white", but I know that this is a flippant response to a deeply disturbing aspect of our culture that is apparently still alive and well.

I want so badly to feel great about being an American again, but witnessing the dark underbelly of identity politics is making it increasingly difficult. Laws may have changed since 1960, but clearly the hearts and minds of some are hopelessly mired in the uglier aspects of our past. ]]>Daily LifeCheryle2008-10-10T18:43:30ZI haven't dropped off the face of the earth ...http://notimeforblogging.com/2008/10/03/i-havent-dropped-off-the-face-of-the-earth-.aspx?ref=rssbut I am clinging on for dear life!

Or so it seems, some days.

I've been keeping really busy with work and volunteering, but the major reason for my recent lack of blogging is something which will take a little time to explain.

On our last full day in Stockholm, I woke up with a terrible headache - a headache so debilitating that no amount of ibuprofen or migraine medicine (that Michael thoughtfully brought back from the pharamacy) would help. Although I was absolutely crushed that my last full day in a city I had come to love was spent napping and lying on the couch in pain, I couldn't even muster the strength to go out and explore one last day. I resigned myself to the fact that I was coming down with an airplane-induced cold.

Back home, the headaches continued. I chalked it up to a sinus infection and went to ZoomCare for some antibiotics. I took the antibiotics as directed for 10 days, knowing that I would eventually feel better because that's how it always happened with me. Except it didn't this time. So, about a week after finishing the initial course of antibiotics I went back to ZoomCare and asked for a stronger drug, which they gave me. After 7 days of that I *still* didn't feel better and so I finally decided to make an appointment with a primary care doctor that had been recommended to me.
 
The new doctor was concerned that my headaches had lasted so long and affected my life so profoundly - they had completely zapped my energy and usual zest for life, and kept me from getting much of any exercise. She referred me for an MRI which freaked me out a little bit --- did I have a brain tumor? She also ordered some blood work and told me that I would have results early the following week. A few days later I hopped on a plane to Phoenix and buried myself in my work.

As promised, the doctor called me and left a voicemail with good news --- my brain was perfectly normal (although some who know me well may think otherwise - ha ha) but she was concerned about my low blood sugar. She wanted me to eat smaller meals with protein throughout the day and come back and see her in one month.

Low blood sugar?

It was not anything that had ever been on my radar before but I was relieved to learn that it was something that could apparently be controlled through diet. I started reading everything I could get my hands on and found lots of conflicting information. But the most consistently credible-sounding information I could find was that I needed to focus on eating low on the glycemic index and generally just de-crapify my diet.

I was a bit surprised - I love fruits and vegetables, try to eat organic whenver I can, and I don't drink soft drinks or eat fast food - surely my diet was better than that of the average American! But what I didn't realize was how very little protein I was getting on most days - although I am a girl who loves a good cheeseburger, I would much rather eat carbs. Lots and lots of carbs.

Almost immediately after I heard the news, I started to focus on eating little bits of protein throughout the day - I even tried the vanilla protein latte at Starbucks and liked it, although I later found out much to my dismay that a 12 ounce vanilla protein latte has 24 grams of sugar! Yikes! Once I returned home, I went shopping at New Seasons and loaded up on healthy, whole foods - foods where I could understand each and every ingredient on the label and believe me, that isn't an easy task. It seems that the many forms of refined sugar (some apparently more harmful than others) are hiding EVERYWHERE.

Although I haven't been perfect diet-wise these past few days (girl needs her ice cream) I have made considerable strides in getting more protein and you know what? While they haven't completely gone away, my headaches are about 90% less painful than they were just a couple of weeks ago. Nothing else in my life has changed, other than the composition of the food that I'm feeding my body.

I guess it really is true that you are what you eat.]]>Daily LifeCheryle2008-10-03T23:34:42ZSeptember is a great month to ...http://notimeforblogging.com/2008/09/05/september-is-a-great-month-to-.aspx?ref=rss... adopt a furry friend from CAT Adoption Team! And every adoption is $15 off through the end of September!

 

Now you all know that I'm just a little bit kitty crazy, but I'm also kind of a obsessive-compulsive neat freak and so I do have my boundaries with regards to the amount of cat hair I will tolerate. If we didn't have FOUR of the critters inhabiting our small condo I'd be all over this special in a heartbeat. However, if you are less "blessed" and perhaps looking for a companion (or two) there will surely be that perfect someone just waiting for you to take them home and spoil them! ]]>CatsCheryle2008-09-05T16:26:45ZCooking: I'm Loving It!http://notimeforblogging.com/2008/08/30/cooking-im-loving-it.aspx?ref=rssNow that our kitchen remodel is finally complete, I've started to cook again - something which I've been doing a lot less of over the past few years. It's not that I don't enjoy cooking, but after a busy day at the office I just don't have the energy to spend time in the kitchen preparing a meal and then later, cleaning up. And on the nights when I volunteer or go to yoga and get home at 7:30pm (or later) I'm even less inclined to do so.

But the new kitchen space is so much more pleasant that I actually want to spend time in there now. Last night, Michael and I made pizza, and tonight I made black bean tostadas with blue cheese and mango salsa. I'm looking forward to fall and winter too --- pot roast, chili, and soup season.

I realize now that I've written about the kitchen project here a few times but haven't posted any pictures. So, here for your viewing pleasure is our new kitchen! (click on the pictures to see a larger image)
 



The view from the dining area. One of my favorite changes was our decision to
fill in the can lights and replace it with one fixture.




I love the new fridge! It's so great to have filtered water, too.




The new corner cabinet. There's an outlet inside that my coffee grinder is plugged into,
and it stays hidden away.




The new sink and faucet. I love the faucet!




Closeup of the stove and glass backsplash. You can't tell in the photo, but the tile is really
glossy and modern. When we saw it, we knew we had to have it for our backsplash -
nothing else came close for us.

Although our kitchen is still small and cramped, I'm so glad we decided to remodel. Not only is it a much more pleasant space to work in, but it adds value to our home. The only downside? Now the bathrooms look shabbier than ever! I can hardly wait until the kitchen loan is paid off so I can get that spa-like bathroom of my dreams ...]]>Daily LifeCheryle2008-08-30T19:31:01ZZoomCare Rocks!http://notimeforblogging.com/2008/08/21/zoomcare-rocks.aspx?ref=rss

Hello again! This time, not from Stockholm.

We made it back over the pond only a little the worse for wear, considering that we went 27 hours without sleeping (well, at least I did), subsisted on bad food, shuffled through two of the busiest airports in the world, went through security countless times, and spent some 14 hours on a stuffy crowded airplane in the cramped confines of Steerage class. Ah, the indignities of air travel these days! There is absolutely nothing fun or glamourous about it, unless you are one of the really lucky bastards flying Business.

Anyway, I've been fighting a horrible sinus headache for a week now, the intensity worsening by the day. Having exhausted all of the non-drug methods available to me, this morning I decided I couldn’t take it any longer and decided to look for some urgent care options nearby.

A Google search led me to ZoomCare, which I also remember hearing about from radio host Thom Hartmann some time ago. Billed as Healthcare on Demand, it certainly sounded like the immediate solution I was seeking to my ever-worsening problem and I was getting increasingly desperate for some physical normalcy.

So, at 10am this morning, I visited their web site and found that they have an office in Bridgeport Village, just above the Container Store and minutes from my office. I submitted an appointment request for 10:45. Within five minutes I received a call on my cell phone from a very nice woman at ZoomCare who informed me that 10:45 was not available, but they could see me at 11:30. Would that work? “Yes”, I enthusiastically replied, and hung up the phone with a smile. I was going to get some relief soon.

I showed up about 10 minutes early and even though I was a new patient, I didn’t need to fill out reams of paperwork. Just a quick copy of my drivers license and insurance card. Less than 5 minutes later, Dr. Norcom came out to the lobby, greeted me, and led me back to a little room. Wait --- where was the nurse with the blood pressure thingy, tongue depressor, and the 20 minute wait inside the freezing cold exam room with the crappy magazines?

After a few targeted questions about my symptoms and history, Dr. Norcom agreed that it was probably sinusitis and proceeded to prescribe an antibiotic and some Sudafed for me. I saw exactly how much he was prescribing and how much it would cost, because he used a large flat screen monitor to show me everything that was happening. About five minutes later, I was back out in the lobby again paying my co-pays for the prescriptions. That’s right – no driving over to Walgreens and waiting 30 minutes – you get the medication you need, right there at the doctors office!

Now one would think that this fantastic convenient service comes with a hefty price tag, but the office visit was 100% covered under my insurance. And, if I was one of the many Americans who don't have insurance, it would have cost $120 - definitely cheaper than the emergency room and on par, cost-wise, with other "urgent" care clinics I've visited. The main difference being, you didn't have to wait upwards of 45 minutes to be seen - you simply make your same day appointment and show up at your reserved time.

I've been pretty depressed about the state of our healthcare system lately - blame on a recent viewing of Sicko and my recent return from countries where the social safety nets ensure that nobody goes without basic healthcare. But ZoomCare gives me hope, I only wish there were more innovations like this in a system that is badly broken.

]]>Daily LifeCheryle2008-08-22T07:43:20ZBye Bye, Stockholm.http://notimeforblogging.com/2008/08/14/bye-bye-stockholm.aspx?ref=rssIt's Thursday night about 9:30, and at 4:00am tomorrow we'll be hopping on the train to Arlanda airport and beginning our 24-hour odyssey of airplane rides and layovers. Stockholm, London, Chicago, Portland. With any luck we'll be arriving in Portland around 8:00pm or so on Friday night.

While I am excited to be returning home to our cats and everything else I hold dear, I am sad to be leaving Stockholm. This city, unlike any other, has touched us deeply with both her natural beauty and her wonderful, warm people. And the museums, shopping, and food are pretty good, too.

Last night we accepted our new Swedish friends' invitation to meet them for drinks. We took the train over to the trendy district of Sodermalm, called up Anders on his mobile phone, and met him outside one of the many popular bars in the area. Walking through this area we felt more like hip young urbanites than the married middle-aged suburbanites that we really are, although I'm sure we weren't fooling any of the hundreds of twenty-somethings out for their evening fun! Still, it was a great way to spend an evening in Stockholm and our new friends didn't seem to mind that they were keeping us out past our 10pm bedtime.

After I get home, I'll try to find some time to post some pictures from the last couple of days, but until then, just this one:

 

Hejdå Stockholm! Vi kommer att återvända igen någon dag!
]]>2008 Europe TripCheryle2008-08-14T12:37:37ZTuesday, August 12: If We Could Marry Stockholm, We Would.http://notimeforblogging.com/2008/08/14/tuesday-august-12-if-we-could-marry-stockholm-we-would.aspx?ref=rssTuesday morning we decided to take another boat cruise since the sun was out and our tickets were still valid. Since we were there early, we secured excellent seats on the outside of the boat so we had the best vantage point for taking photos:

The obligatory goofy self-portrait.

The National Museum, which I'd love to see next time.

We love the style of these buildings.


Stockholm has the most interesting cloud formations I've ever seen.

After joyriding for about an hour, we hopped off the boat at the Vasa Museum. The Vasa is a Swedish warship that sank in 1628 just minutes after beginning her maiden voyage. She rested just outside the Stockholm harbor for hundreds of years but was salvaged in 1961. Michael and I had seen the Vasa on several travel shows, and had been looking forward to seeing this for a long time. She didn't disappoint -just look at the detail preserved for almost 400 years, amazing!




 


 


In addition to the Vasa herself, there were exhibits showing what life would have been like on board for admiral and crew, as well as hundreds of items that salvaged from the wreckage including clothing, dishes, and coins, all painstakingly arranged and researched. Definitely an archaeologist's dream but something that everyone should see when they come to Stockholm.

After the Vasa. we hopped the boat again to take us across to the island of Skeppsholmen, where several museums are located. I had wanted to visit the Museum of Modern Art, but the weather was so beautiful we didn't want to be inside any longer, so I contented myself with taking pictures of the colorful sculptures outside:


 


Later that evening, Michael was craving a hamburger so we walked the few blocks to the Hard Rock Cafe. We've visited their locations before but never actually eaten there. Since the weather was still quite nice we were seated on the patio. Almost immediately, we started chatting with three young Swedish guys
(Jonas, Anders, and Daniel) that were seated at the adjacent table. Before long, they invited us to move our table over next to theirs and before we knew it, almost four hours had passed and the staff was closing up the patio for the night! They invited us to go out the next night and Michael programmed Anders' number into his mobile phone.

As we walked home - now through the pouring rain - we reflected on what had just happened. Not once in six years of travelling, had a group of locals been so friendly and welcoming to us. We fell into bed sometime after midnight, another great day in Stockholm behind us.

]]>2008 Europe TripCheryle2008-08-14T01:46:27ZMonday, August 11: Falling in Love With Stockholmhttp://notimeforblogging.com/2008/08/12/monday-august-11-falling-in-love-with-stockholm.aspx?ref=rssWow, Wow, Wow.

Although destinations in France and Italy tend to capture the majority of the hearts and minds of Americans dreaming of European adventures, Stockholm is quickly becoming our favorite large European city. I don't know why it took us 6 years to get here, but boy am I glad that we finally made it! We're already dreaming of the day when we can return.

From the very moment we stepped out of our apartment that first day, we felt as if we were home - perhaps it was the fresh air and natural beauty that reminds us of the Pacific Northwest. I have to say also that the Swedes (and the Danes, as well) are possibly the nicest people we've ever met in any of our travels, anywhere. Every interaction has been an absolute pleasure - whether with our bartender Fikri, the girl at the bakery, or the guy that run the video store a few blocks down.

Anyway, with the sun shining bright and Michael's cold making a hasty retreat, we took on the day early and with lots of energy. We strolled through the beautiful Humlegarden which is just a few minutes walk from our place:

 Humlegarden - one of many beautiful parks in Stockholm.

Before we knew it, we were on Stockholm's waterfront where we caught the Open Top bus tour as we often do in new cities. Although they are admittedly cheesy and very touristy, they are a great way to get an overview of an unfamiliar place. We rode the complete circle which took just over an hour, and disembarked at the Royal Palace where we just happened to catch the changing of the guard! Although we didn't have very high expectations for this event (the one at Buckingham Palace in London is kind of lame) it turned out to be a great show and definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Although I was shooting pictures above my head a lot of time, I was able to capture some great pictures of the event. The ceremony lasted for well over 30 minutes, and although I couldn't always tell what was happening, the music was fantastic and the excitement amongst the crowd was infectious:
 








 


 



After the ceremony ended, we headed into Gamla Stan once again, where we mostly managed to avoid the
tourist crowds:

 

The quiet alleys are there, if you allow yourself to find them.

Since the sun was still shining brightly, we decided to take a boat cruise which was included with the price of the bus tour. The views of Stockholm's waterfront were breathtaking:




 


 

Storm brewing, but I LOVE this photo.

 

The Vasa museum.



Oh boy, the boat trip is starting to feel like Spash Mountain!


 

Just as quickly as the storm rolled in, the sunshine returned.


 

A sunny corner bar wtih great people-watching.

As you can see from the pictures above, we experienced a variety of weather conditions during our cruise. Had we not been completely covered by the boat's canopy we would have gotten soaked, but under the safety of cover we thoroughly enjoyed being tossed about on the water, watching the rain come down in buckets around us. It was, in fact, an absolute blast and we felt fortunate that we happened to catch the rain storm while stilll on the boat.

After disembarking, we walked into the trendy district known as Sodermalm where we  wound down an eventful and highly enjoyable day in our new favorite city.

]]>2008 Europe TripCheryle2008-08-12T09:50:08ZSunday, August 10: Quiet Day in Stockholmhttp://notimeforblogging.com/2008/08/11/sunday-august-10-quiet-day-in-stockholm.aspx?ref=rssWe woke up early and since the sun was shining, decided to take a short walk around our neighborhood before our 10:30am appointment with Jan, who was driving in from his summer cottage to help us get the wireless internet access working in the apartment. After years of suffering the slow upload speeds, inconvenience, and expense of internet cafes, we brought a laptop with us this year specifically so it would be easier to write the travel journals, keep up on email, and look up information about events and attractions in whatever city we're in. At first, I wasn't too keen on dragging yet another piece of electronic equipment with us over the pond, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. It is TOTALLY worth it.

Since we only had a short time before Jan's visit, we stuck pretty close to home and took some pictures of our immediate neighborhood:



The little balcony where we like to relax with coffees.


 

This is the front of our building. We live on the top floor.


 

Looking up our street to the left ...


 

And to the right.


 

The church just up the street from us.


Jan stopped by as scheduled, and thanks to Michael's computer expertise, we were able to get the wireless internet working again - for us and for future guests.

We then decided to tackle the Stockholm Metro, or Tunnelbana, which we had heard great things about. Both of us are huge fans of the European trains and metros, and look at riding them as almost an activity in themselves. Plus, with the exception of the Circle line on London's Underground system, we've found that not that many tourists ride the Metro systems so it's often just us and the locals.

We ended our journey on the Tunnelbana at Gamla Stan, Stockholm's "Gothic Quarter":


We stayed there for only a brief time, because the streets increasingly began to look like this:



Yikes! Time to dodge the crowds ...

After hopping the Tunnelbana back to our neighborhood, we stopped in at a little pub that Michael had discovered on Saturday called The Doors. It's reminiscent of the little corner pubs you find in London, but even more cozy and more friendly. The bartender, Fikri, greeted Michael like an old friend and we ordered up a couple of beers, some pommes frites, and just enjoyed the atmosphere for awhile. While we were here, an older man with a strong Southern accent came in, and Fikri introduced us. Turns out this man, Jim Bean, is from North Carolina but has lived in Stockholm for 19 months so far - his wife is on a 24 month assignment with her company. Lucky guy! The Doors pub is his regular watering hole and he stops in nearly every day.

Tired already, we headed home to prepare dinner and rest up for a busy day of sightseeing ahead.


Next: The absolutely BEST day of our vacation so far, can it get any better? Many pictures to come ...]]>2008 Europe TripCheryle2008-08-11T23:39:47Z