Free from work ...

... at least for the next 10 days. My summer holiday starts today - and every other week hereon. I was asked to report to work for 2 weeks during the summer month of July to attend to some paperwork and serve as mentor to some of our summer student apprentice - I'll be some sort of motherhen, so to speak.

I've looked forward to my first 10 days of holiday ... however, we have yet to make plans on what to do, given it's midsummer days. One way or the other, we'd definitely find something very interesting to do.

I spent my whole day today at meetings. At coffee break, we were all treated to the usual summer "fika" - strawberries and ice cream! As my boss will be taking on another assignment in Stockholm, she said her goodbyes and thank yous to our group. By the end of the day, we all received a níce summer present - a book and a pack of chocolate truffles! Yup, lotta goodie treats ... all in one day.

Free from work ... I'll make sure to enjoy the most of my first 10 days of holiday!

Prince Daniel wedding speech

I am invited to Crown Princess Victoria's wedding today ....

... well, at least invited to witness it on national TV. But I have to decline the invitation because I have a date with the Three Musketeers to Liseberg.

Busy weeks ahead ...

I am very excited ... or shall I say I've been very excited for the last couple of weeks now because of the projects I've been involved in. Sad to say, I can't divulge just as much as they are all in its planning stage ... but things are really shaping up. On the positive note, they are right on schedule!

I guess I'll be just as busy during my holidays ... but you need not worry. This gal sure ain't gonna work all day ... I sure would induce some fun and play as I attend to work.

Busy bee, that's me!

Summer, summer, summer!

I am so looking forward to summer these days. As soon as I see a glimpse of sunshine, I feel hopeful - oh please, stay on for the longest time!

'Woke up a bit startled this morning ... mind you, at 5am! It's that feeling like you're supposed to be someplace else and you're very late. And then you can't simply go back to sleep anymore because the sun's up and it's light right outside your window.

7 more days to my official holiday week ... can't wait!

Year 2 Class Picnic

That would be today at high noon .... I can't wait to see who would be there. It had been raining for weeks in Gothenburg ... not really a great time for a picnic. I'm pinning my hopes on Mr Sunshine not to let me down.

I happen to be one of the class parent representatives in my son's class and it is our task to get the kids together for one final group activity before the summer break - that's the summer picnic as it is. Being "in-charge" is not that easy but it is somewhat fun as you go along the preparations ... patience is key!

Gotta go ... I have food (and games!) to prepare for this event. I wish I could pack and bring along sunshine with me ... that would make things all too easy and everyone happy ... :0)

week 22 of 2010 ...

... is one of the amazing weeks in our life. We really feel incredibly blessed and thankful to live our lives as it is. One can't ask for more ... I for one won't wish for things differently. I'm loving life ... living life ... enjoying life a thousand fold! Nay, make that a million fold! Can one say that?

Oh well, I just want to put this event in our life in writing - week 22 / 2010 is a week worth remembering.

Kålltorp nostalgia ...

6 June 2010 ... it's Swedish National Day today. As Alexander is on a day sail course, my hubby and I decided to do some errands, and we also went to do some nostalgia trip to our old neighbourhood in Kålltorp. I've always referred to Kålltorp as my first home in Sweden. I've lived here when I came to Sweden ... it's a lovely place close to the city of Gothenburg - you can walk, bike or get the tram easily and as you please.

It was a difficult decision for us to leave this place, but then again, our little boy was to start school on the other end of the city. And so we moved to another house and area.

Anyway, it felt kinda strange as we drove around the Kålltorp area - visiting shops and places we used to frequent. It's pure nostalgia, really. When we saw our old house, it brought back a lot of good (and bad) memories.

The neighbourhood hasn't changed much. Except for the new building constructions here and there, Kålltorp's old charm is still present. Today's outing had been great. On our way home, we bought some lemonade and sweet buns for the kids in Alexander's sail group - boy, were they hungry after the long day. Tired but quite satisfied.

What a lovely day!

Friday ... fredagsmys!

It's another Friday ... what a nice warm evening - perfect for fredagsmys!

You know you're out of the equation ...

... when your son go off on his own without telling you where is he going.

Well, our dear son left home for a little bike tour in the neighbourhood - so he says. We've given him the "freedom" to bike on his own under the condition he'd check in every half an hour - just to ease our thought that he's really around the corner. He didn't do so, then you begin to wonder: where the heck is he! The mommy mode in me shifted into high gear. Dad's not worried at all - he'll show up, he says. Close to an hour, he hasn't showed up.

And so I took my bike to look around - nix. Can't find him. I went home to find out he's not in at all. So, dad went instead. After a couple of minutes, he came back - no big boy in tow. Dad took the scooter thinking he's probably biked all the way to the harbour area, he's take a quick trip there - I stayed home just in case he's show up.

When he finally did come home, he was all too excited.

"Where have you been", I asked

"I was at the tennis hall", he replied matter of factly.

"It's late, it's 8pm already", I said, quite annoyed.

"Oh, I lost track of time. I was waiting for (girl's name)", he said. "I waited for her to finish her match and now I have to give her a call if she got home safely".

Grrrr .... I'm out of the loop!

My nine year old went for a date!

Talk of the town: Ship to Gaza

This time around, I thought I'd write and speak my mind ...

The recent turn of events about the Ship to Gaza has turned ugly. Yes, it’s very ugly.

While I support the cause of feeding the hungry and the innocent victims caught in between the warring countries of Israel and Palestine, still I can’t see any justifiable reason for its set of armies to resort to extreme violence and cause harm and death to its people.

The boarding of the Ship to Gaza has many versions – all depending on who you talk to, or what medium you’d use to look for information and details on what exactly went wrong.

Bear in mind that Gaza is the stronghold of the Hamas terrorist cell – which in many years claim to represent the welfare of the Palestinian people. The Hamas is also said to be revered by some as heroes! If you ask me, I can never imagine any group of people as heroes if part of their main agenda is to hurt and kill people, regardless of race or affiliations.

Hoping to contain Hamas’ acts of terrorism against Israel and its people, Israel saw it fit to maintain a blockade of Gaza which now ran for many years. However, the blockade would only allow basic humanitarian supplies into Gaza – food, clothing and medicines among others. The blockade, of course, didn’t sit well with the Hamas. Their only way out was to resort to more and intensified rocket fires over Israeli borders targeting its towns and people. In effect, you’d expect retaliation from Israel, right?

Over the years, the warring parties continued their never-ending and violent cat-and-mouse play with life at stake – never mind whose side. Each has now earned their own share of sympathisers. These sympathisers would soon adapt their own brand of “not my fault nor had done any wrongdoing” stance – very principled and expounding on their right to choose who to believe and support.

The incident at the Ship to Gaza a couple of days ago ticked me off – big time! Armed now with some information gathered from different media sources, I am inclined to ask, and doubt, the real purpose and intent of this humanitarian initiative as spearheaded by Turkey.

Allow me to ask …

• Other than the allowed food, clothing and medicines according to the terms of the Israeli blockade to Gaza, what else is the ship really carrying?
• If the organisers claimed the ship was already inspected and cleared by the Turkish government before it sailed to Gaza, why deny the Israeli officers the right to inspect the boat the second time around? It is one thing to inspect a ship before it sails and yet another when it enters another water territory, right? (click here to open video)
• If the nature and sole intent of the ship is to really deliver the goods to Gaza, why did the organisers rejected the very idea to let the Israelis escort and deliver the goods after inspection of its cargo? (click here to open video)
• Why the violent reaction from the “peacekeepers” (or shall we call them activists?) of the boat when they were informed that the Israeli naval group will have to board the ship? Was their collective lynching act necessary? (click here to open video)
• Was it true that there were Hamas members in the ship’s rooster of passengers?

Conflicting versions of what really happened abound. Some observers say that the Ship to Gaza initiative was meant to provoke Israel – it was under the guise of humanitarian activity with invited sympathisers on board who supports their mission to feed and care to the needy people of Gaza. That the boats in the convoy actually had direct and specific orders to sail to Gaza regardless of the Israeli blockade. And sail through it did, regardless of the repeated hail calls to stop and comply with the Israeli naval blockade as it is being enforced by Israel. Confrontation as a result, is then inevitable. But a number of death as an outcome of this equation is just too much too handle. However, one thing is quite certain, and now obvious – the Hamas have gotten themselves world centerstage, and they surely will use it to their advantage to gain sympathy for their cause – whatever that is.

Also, some reports claimed that the Israeli interception was done on international waters – a free zone to do what you want to do out at sea. Could Israel have done so? Or is it a claim too easy to make to dodge the bullet of blame? In more ways than one, facts tend to get twisted – all depending on who is retelling the chronology and chain of events that has happened. I would love to hear the version of the “invited guests and sympathisers” on board of the ship as to what really went on – before, during and after the Israeli boarding activity took place – of what they are to say, or what they were told to say, or what they are not allowed to say. Catch my drift?

Now, I’ve been asking myself: is Ship to Gaza a friend or foe? What is your take?

Israel and Palestine have both maintained that they are fighting for their survival, their principles, religion and their right to exist. Neither is prepared to accept fault or any wrongdoing – both parties claim they are right and entitled to do what they do. Neither would bulge, neither is willing to loosen up their end of rope as it snoozed tighter on the throats of the very people they claim they are protecting and are fighting for. These are the very people who are now suffering, trapped, and caught in the crossfire of their guns and knives and their sharp wagging tongues in endless exchange of virulent vile and vindications rubbing to the sentiments of its own people. How ironic! When will this ever stop?

Geez …