I...so...badly...want..one...

http://www.bordercollietrustgb.org.uk/

My Viking Name

I shamelessly copied this link from Ciaran's blog...

http://www.thequarter.org/Media/VikingName.php

Here's mine (I'm a bit freaked out about the last name - they had no way of knowing what my last name actually is!!!):

Jódís Sheeptipper
(Well, actually, that wouldn't really be your name -- since you're female, your name would be something like "Jódís Björnsdottir". But this is the twenty-first century, and you want to be known for who you are, not for who your father was, right? Right.)

Your Viking Personality: The tougher Vikings might let you on the boat, but generally only when they need ballast. Unlike most Vikings, you don't have a quick temper; you tend to think about your actions before you undertake them. Sometimes you think too long. You might be able to hold your own on the battlefield, but you're no "berserker".

A long sea voyage aboard a Viking longboat would be difficult for you, but you might be able to manage it. Other Vikings would consider you "one of the guys" if you were a guy. (But even though you're a woman, they still think you're all right.)

People who've known you for a while don't always trust your word. Other Vikings would be calling you "tree-hugging hippie peacenik" if the phrase had been invented.

And on this note, my Swedish learning is going slowly and steadily...I have a month before I have to put it to the test...I know how to say "I haven't been to Sweden before" but that would be a lie because I have been, and since I don't want to end up in a Swedish jail, I better learn a new sentence!

Along the Lines of Comfort Goop...

I sent this email to my sister, because if I were in Toronto I'd want to spend the evening with her..

Today's a beautiful day here, and it's one of those days where I feel like if it's as nice in Toronto as it is here (you know, sunny and warm, but not too warm) I'd call you this evening and say "let's meet up tonight" and of course you'd be free (as one is always wont to be in imagined scenarios) and we'd go to Baskin Robbins (I imagine the one at Christie Station even though I know you don't live there anymore and it would be a trek, but that doesn't matter in these imaginings either!) and get something chocolatey. Yum yum!

I get comments sometimes about how it seems like I have an adventure each time I leave the house and "how will you ever be able to come back" etc While that sometimes seems to be the case, please rest assured that there are times when I feel like I'd trade almost the whole two years of adventures for two hours of coffee, or ice cream, or a Sunday lunch with people at home. They do say, Gentle Reader, that home is where the heart is, and lots of me is still back in Canada.

Comfort Goop

I have long since forgotten the name of this recipe (if it, indeed, ever had one to begin with), but tonight I'm going to make mom's comfort goop for dinner tonight...and I need to share how to make it with everyone else! It sounds gross, but trust me - it's brilliant (and I look forward to converting my friend who's coming around for dinner tonight!)

1. Brown some ground (mince - for the UK audience) beef with onions
2. Add one package of made Kraft Dinner (available at the Canadian import store, or from me in a limited supply, and for a price, for the UK audience)
3. Add one un-made can of Campbell's tomato soup

Stir it all up, and serve with ketchup, salad and a nice glass of red wine (except mommy didn't serve it to us with wine when we were little).

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm....comfort goop...

How to Save £20 at IKEA

Last night the flatmate and I, as part of our "Flat Rejuvenation" project, spontaneously went to IKEA to get a bookshelf...as we were leaving we decided to check out the "as is" section, and came across exactly the shelf we were about to buy, but already assembled (with no obvious flaws), and £20 cheaper! From that point it was only a matter of fitting a very long shelf into my very short Amica and trecking it home on the North Circular. The Flatmate's father was wondering if we got a £20 ticket, but no, we made it safe and sound!

How the Flatmates got their house back

After yet another exhausting and depressing houseviewing session, the Flatmates decided that perhaps the grass isn't always greener, and called the Landlord to ask if they could "undo" their notice "of course," said the landlord, so it is at the Parish Lockup that the flatmates will remain. A few minor changes will be made, and they will put a bit more effort into its appearance, but they are very happy to be settled into a place they love as their home where the lounge is filled with sunshine and they can watch the Mill Hill East tube line cross the viaduct every ten minutes in each direction...

And for my next Trick...

Sass emailed me and said that she, Weiller, Lami and Chandra are going on a canoe trip, and I felt rather homesick. Since going up to the Lake District, I've been aching to get a canoe and since the Flatmate and I want to find a place with a garden, I thought "hmmmm...now I'll have storage space for one" so I went on ebay to investigate. The ones that weren't inflatable or actually kayaks (why can't British people get that right?) were rather quite expensive, but then I saw this...a diy canoe kit for only £10! A project for when daddy comes to visit this Autumn (you didn't really want to leave my backyard - did you Dad? My wonderful daddy has build a couple beautiful cedar strip canoes from scratch, and has wonderfully restored and repainted an old canvas war canoe, if I may be so bold as to brag about my dad's wonderful talents!)

Well, I'll give it a think. As for now, I'm expecting my mail-order teach yourself Swedish course to arrive any day now...

Life Admin...

Dear Readers,

There are so many times each week when I think of something and think "Oh, I'd like to blog that", but right now, my life is being taken up by what my colleague calls "Life Admin" - finding a new place to live with the Flatmate, sorting through my belongings to get rid of the things I don't want to take, and well...something that I have learned from reading blogging articles one shouldn't discuss online, having lots of rehearsals for concerts, etc, etc. Work is still so busy that on my lunch hours these days I want to escape instead of doing this...but when I have internet etc at home (which won't be so long now) I'll be here much more.

In the meantime, I wrote my first song a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and I was waiting to listen to the England game on the radio... I'll probably never get a Grammy for it, but it suited the time...I have recently got a second hand classical guitar, named Alpha (for those of you who know Winston, no worries...he's well and in storage in Canada - he didn't make the flight over). Anyways, it goes a little something like this:

Me and my alpha guitar
Haven't got very far
because I'm sitting in the sunshine on the sofa.
I've got a million and one things do do
but the sky is breezy and blue
and I'm enjoying feeling like a loafa

England's playing today
And what else can I say
the window boxes on my sill are really pretty!!!!

Me and my alpha guitar
haven’t got very far
because I’m sitting in the sunshine on my sofa.

Tonight I'm making a roast
and I don't mean to boast
but I've been told my roasts are rather yummy!

Me and my alpha guitar
Haven’t got very far
Because I’m sitting in the sunshine on my sofa

I spoke with Patrik on the phone,
later I'll call him at home
and then I'll have a chance to practice my Swedish!

Me and my alpha guitar
Haven’t got very far
Because I’m sitting in the sunshine on my sofa!

Yeahhh...as I said, no grammies yet, but it's a start!