Content Management Systems for Dummies

This subject could well bore most people, but here goes anyway.

I finally managed to do some major stuff today, backing up Live in Sweden.se and downloading/uploading a newer version of drupal. It is a huge relief to have that done - every time I went into the site I saw the red signs around the place reminding me of the necessary updates and the security alerts.

Until a couple of years ago I was clueless about web sites and once I decided to start Live in Sweden.se I had to work out how to build one. Sure I could get someone to build it for me, there are plenty of solo site designers around offering to do it for a cheap price, but I needed something I could make changes to myself and it had to have a whole lot more features than the standard flat website. One friend suggested going and doing an html course, but somehome I discovered content management systems - don't remember now how but I think it was a chain of events and I was without doubt influenced by this blog, I have learned a lot from the blogger tool.

Once I decided it should be a content management system I then needed to decide if it should be one I buy or one that is open source, which ultimately means it's free. I met with web companies and decided I didn't want to be dependent on one for their CMS - I mean what if I didn't like the results or working with them or if they went bust?? So that left open source and I contemplated three of the big ones, Wordpress, Joomla and Drupal. A number of people told me not to get too worked up about which one I chose, I could make a change at a later date and that they were really all much of the same. On the other hand I wanted something I could grow into and the idea of changing everything from one system to the other was mind-boggling. I found that the best way to compare is to go to CMS Matrix and check the boxes of the ones you are interested in. Assuming you have a clue about what you are after (this too is a long process for the novice!) and know all the necessary jargon, the results are really helpful. I'm guessing that if these people don't have a CMS listed, its either too new or not worth knowing about.

There are a ton of pros and cons for each system and for all the research I did it ultimately depended on whose opinion you asked and what their personal preference was. At the end of the day I was influenced by a couple of web companies that suggested Drupal was the better option for my site.

After having two web companies go bust on me (luckily I had not parted with any money) I finally found someone who was willing, able, and affordable. Buying services is tough when you are a novice, it is hard to envisage everything you need, especially fairly "technical" services. It was far from the easiest thing I have done.

Eventually, after many, many months of decisions, discussion and designing, I had the frame of my website, looking just the way I wanted it to. Then it was time to learn how Drupal works and start filling the site with content. It was pretty easy to navigate around and despite some minor frustrations that have led to changes, it hasn't been too hard to learn.

As with most projects, they change along the way and factors became evident that we hadn't discussed, hadn't solved or hadn't been obvious. All in all I felt I wanted more control over the site and decided I want to learn more about Drupal. I went along to the Geek Girl Meetup recently and listend to Annika Lidne share her thoughts, knowledge and experience of this CMS. It was enough to ignite a lot of enthusiasm and I was hoping the WPGirls or the WPFika group would be converted enough to start up a Drupal gang. Alas, that has not yet been the case. I'd be the first to sign up to learn more....

Annika did make it seem easy and I have decided to build a new site in Drupal. Myself. From scratch. More about that another time......

So while things have been going along relatively smoothly I have been getting increasingly nervous about the big version changes that are being made to the system and my need to update Drupal as well as do something about the security alerts!! I can't help but feel like I am way out of my depth. My manual from the web guy was far from complete but luckily a friend had a much better manual for her site. Still it was overwhelming and I hardly dared open it and look at it....

Today I managed to corner my darling other-half and force him to draw on his old IT skills by putting himself into the workings of Drupal. It took a while, and we worked through both my friend's manual and the accompanying Drupal instructions. We did it. Everything is finally, newly backed up and the latest version of Drupal has been uploaded - no more security warnings from the administration side!!

Thank heavens for that. Now it is on the the next task!

The Joys Of Being A Waldorf Parent

My sister and I chuckled on many occasions over being good Steiner mothers (Steiner in Oz, Waldorf in Europe), which saw her trying all sorts of crafts over the years. Now that my daughter has started school I am really starting to understand what that means.

Starting school in Sweden is weird, at least for an Aussie mum who only knows one way of doing things. Firstly kids start school the year they turn 7, which in some cases means they are almost eight years old. Compare that to starting at 5 in Oz. Then there is no list stating exactly what the school uniform should consist of, which pieces are compulsory and which are non-compulsory, as well as where to buy it, there is no school uniform. There is no list outlining exactly what pens, pencils, writing books and even text books to buy, no fees to be paid before school starts (not even non-compulsory fees as in Oz). These kids don’t even need a lunchbox, a thermos or a drink bottle. All their food is provided by the school and the after-school centre, free of charge.

Instead of the list we have to make sure she has two pairs of slippers, or inside shoes, for both school and after-school care - the no-shoes in the classroom policy is also weird when you are not used to it.

Swedish education law says schools are to provide children with what they need, and they are not legally entitled to charge fees of any description if they are teaching according to the Swedish curriculum. It is all in the name of Sweden’s socialistic roots, in the name of equality. No child should be disadvantaged because of their family’s financial status. Every child should be guaranteed one hot meal a day. It is all about taking care of children, no matter what their lot in life is.

So while most parents have little to organise for their children starting school (I’m assuming), the Waldorf parents amongst us are busy, busy, busy. With Makaila starting Grade 1 we were given two important tasks back in the spring – a name-tag and a crayon case, along with detailed instructions as to how these tasks should be completed.

Naturally, like all enthusiastic, well-prepared parents we did not use the summer wisely, nor did we con one of Ty’s talented aunts into doing it for us – we left it hanging over our heads until the pressure built sufficiently!

Once I finally got started on the name-tag, I decided it wasn’t all that bad - although it is tough to embroider when you haven’t really done it before. I bought one of those cross stitch kits when I was about 11 years old, the ones where the pattern is printed on the fabric and all the colours are chosen for you. It was of a clown and I’m not sure what possessed me to buy it but I clearly remember my dad giving me a hard time, telling me I would never finish it. Guess whether or not I did……

Anyway despite struggling with the stitches I actually enjoyed sitting doing this handcraft in the evenings. Then one night when we were discussing how on earth I was going to embroider her most beloved animal, a killer whale, it was taken from me. Ty took over. After all, equality is the name of the game in this country.

We found a great picture on the net which we were able to copy and he did it over two nights. A friend even called in and was so inspired when he saw Ty sitting embroidering at the kitchen table last night that he went home and got started on his daughter’s name tag (gotta love these Swedish men!). We (both) added the finishing touches (water) and hey presto – it was done! Here’s the final result. Not bad huh!

The next task was the crayon case and I knew that would be fairly easy – which does not explain my procrastination! It took me the better part of the afternoon-evening but I got it finished and I’m pretty pleased with the results. Just so long as no one looks too closely at the stitching because it is extremely amateurish.

The kids were so amazed to see me pull out a borrowed sewing machine that they watched my every move and questioned all I did. Kieran tried to get an understanding of exactly how the machine worked and was so fascinated he snapped a few shots of me in action.

Counting to make sure I've left enough space.

The finished product aims to reduce classroom noise.

Tied up ready to be put away.

What started off as a “Oh no! How are we going to manage these little projects” has ended with a “Well that was fun. What’s next” kinda feeling.

Makaila was totally and utterly thrilled with both pieces – and I think kind of amazed by her parents. Now that brings joy to these Waldorf parents!

Australia: 5 weeks in a nutshell

We visited old Swedish friends, stayed in a beach house with my sister and her family, swam in the freezing cold ocean, played in the sand, basked in the sun, went to Carols by Candle-light, took the ferry between Queenscliff & Sorrento, watched dolphins frolicking in the sea, researched & bought a new camera, saw penguins swim to shore and then scramble up over the beach to their burrows, rode motorbikes & 4-wheelers through the bush, celebrated a bush Christmas, killed spiders, heard snake stories, swam in a river & a freshwater lake, fed wild cockatoos & rosellas, went kangaroo spotting at night, visited an aunt and a cousin & her man on their newish farm, walked in the rainforest, escaped for a romantic night in Olinda, ate great food at cafés & restaurants, ate fish & chips on the beach, shopped, visited long lost cousins & a long lost uncle, bottle fed lambs, went to a Wiggles concert, enjoyed the company of old friends, had a picnic with the extended family, visited a community farm, visited the Australia Gardens, celebrated my birthday a month early, dropped in for dinner, chatted with people I couldn't see in person, looked through old photos, ate cheesecake, celebrated NYE with old friends, went to a 60th birthday celebration, went and saw the movie Australia on the big screen, drank lots of good wine & beer, played pool, jumped on trampolines (everyone has them), bbq'd, built train tracks and talked and talked and talked - with family and with friends. Otherwise we generally just hung out and enjoyed life.

And we were totally and utterly spoiled by my mum and her partner!!! They cooked for us, took care of the kids whenever we wanted, handed over the keys to her car, organised all the picnic stuff every time we had a picnic, shopped, did our washing, cleaned up after us....... the list goes on. Any wonder I feel more refreshed than I have in years. Thank you both. We'll be back next month. HA!!! I wish!!

Father's Day in Sweden

is on a different date compared to both Australia and Canada so there is the potential for us to celebrate all 3 - but one is enough and the Swedish one is the only one I remember. That's probably because I was aware of it being just a week or so before our first child was born.

As with most things here, there is not the hype about Father's Day that there is at home. People don't go all out with presents, booking restaurants for brunch, lunch or dinner. The celebration is more simple, if it is even remembered at all.


This family's dad got breakfast in bed, and a couple of yeasting baskets for his bread baking. Then he got up and cleaned up, and did 7 loads of laundry, played with Kieran and marked some assignments - all while Makaila and I went to a party.

Hope you had a happy Swedish Father's Day and that you remembered to at least tell your dad you're thinking of him - because dads are special and life should be celebrated.

Australia here we come!!

I'm so relieved I could cry!! The trip is not only booked but paid for and the tickets issued. Decisions have been made, everything checked, permission given and there's no turning back!! We head off in December to the sun and warm weather, grandparents, family, cousins, friends and FUN!!

The lovely Jodi Roan at Australienresor helped my endlessly - I'm indebted to her gracefulness, patience and good service. THANKS JODI!!

A busy Halloween weekend

both socially and in the work sense - will tell you more later.
For now I will post a couple of pumpkin pics and mostly leave it at that.

The pumpkin carver and his apprentice.Note the cat shadow cast on the wall behind the pumpkin, but the flesh was too thick so it didn't work as well as he had hoped.On the other hand the cat looked great straight-on.These are the monsters - the kids both wanted scary ones!Halloween is not a big tradition in Australia, and not a big tradition here either. But having a Canadian in the family changes all that. I now really enjoy it and the kids do too - will tell you why: tomorrow.

Chicken on a beer can!

There is no better way to roast a chicken than on a beer can. It makes for one very moist, tender and flavorsome chook.After giving a beer-can roaster to friends last week, we invited them over to show them how it is done.
It is the first time we have used this fancy new gadget, and it's a lot easier than having a chook precariously balancing in the oven or on the barbie...

The kids were very excited to see each other again, and had a great time together. The evening ended with Ty giving the kids a didj lesson (between the fits of laughter).

Just a couple days left

before we leave the cottage and head back to Waterloo, then home to Sweden on Tuesday.

So many thoughts are running through my head, memories, frustrations, sadness and, well, a whole lot of other stuff.

After 6 weeks in Canada I long for my own family- especially for my mum, I long for some space with my man and my children and I long for some time alone with my man - another time perhaps, another lifetime......

It is all down hill from here, the cleaning up, packing up, and then the packing to go home, the last minute things that need to be done, the good-byes, and the sadness from those who struggle most when we leave. Then the unpacking and the quietness of our little home. I have to deal with the car, a wasps nest and where to put everything once we get it unpacked. Then to make some phone calls to friends to try and pick up the pieces, pick up where we left of over 6 weeks earlier. Ty will highly stressed every inch of the way. Once at home he will want to work before he starts back at school, less than a week after we get home. I will have two kids to keep busy, to get back in to a routine, to help re-connect with their daily life. My work will have to wait.

I will take home all my "nice" clothes, nicely folded, as they were when I put them in the suitcase back in June. No get-away to Toronto, no day on our own in Elora, not even an evening meal on our own in some little restaurant. One day I will learn to get my expectations in line with my reality - and save myself a whole lot of heartache and frustration.

But until all that starts we have one more full day here at the cottage, here's hoping it is a nice one and I can put all my thoughts aside and enjoy it. I will really miss the cottage, we all will!

Always work to be done

Things to be fixed, painted, put up, cut down or chopped up. Very entertaining for the little ones - to watch or help.

A morning paddle

Ty and Mark fixed the hole in the canoe and launched it at the dock this morning. Yippee!
Ty brought it back and the kids and I jumped in with him and went out for a paddle. It was great! We all loved it. So peaceful.

Sentimental VRS Minimalistic

I am sentimental, and have always had a hard time letting go. It comes from losing my father at an early age and clinging to anything that had anything to do with him. It also comes from my optimistic nature and all the possibilities that lie ahead.

Ty is minimalistic. He is forever cursing me for saving stuff, for having too much stuff, for taking up so much room in our little apartment.

Yet I cant' help but wonder if we just a product of, or a reaction to our parents?

My mum is minimalistic, getting rid of anything that is no longer needed, useful or of the highest sentimental value. She is very practical by nature.

Ty's parents are very sentimental, saving anything and everything. And now, as we go through his father's things, we can only wonder why some of this stuff was not thrown out years ago. It will be worse when the time comes to clean out his mother's place.

What will our kids be? Sentimental or minimalistic, or one of each?
Perhaps, hopefully, they will be balanced......

Marking exam papers

A hard day at work.

Dinner and discussion

We had a lovely dinner last night with Helena, Patrik and Kristi.

Kristi called in to say hello before she leaves for the States for a month and ended up staying. It had been a couple of years since she had seen Helena and Patrik so it was nice for everyone.

The night progressed and the "photobooth" application produced a lot of funny pictures and a lot of laughter.

As it got later we settled in to the more serious discussion of equality...........
Let me say today is a sour one.

How do couples get equality in their relationships?

Especially when one has been either on maternity leave, unemployed or scraping together little assignments here and there for over 5 years and now wants to change the balance between taking care of children and having time to work?

Things are so sour today that I wasn't "allowed" out to go and do some work, but it was ok if I took the kids with me.

Life sucks!!!

GI Method??

Someone asked Ty recently if he knew what the GI method was.
Clearly, he doesn't.
The bread baking continues.
As does the eating.......
Yum yum!!

Another 1700s skåp

Not too sure how this happened actually, and I'm not so sure it was such a smart thing. All I did is put in one little bid on the net and he told me there were lots of people looking at it so we probably wouldn't get it and it would probably go up a lot.

It didn't, and we did.

After dropping Athena and the kids at home I headed in to town to meet Tyler and picked up the bottom part of it. Couldn't get the top section in the car so after dinner A and I went over to Kristi's and borrowed her car (turned our Kristi's Puegeot wagon was A's most desired car so I had to keep her from drooling all over the place) and went in and picked up the little number before heading back to K's to drop off, and unfortunately drop off the red beast. Quite the round trip around town.

And we ended up with quite the mess in the lounge room which is taking an eternity to sort out.

I have to confess it is a cute little piece - little in comparison with the other two and it fits in quite nicely. We managed to condense our stuff from the big modern piece in to this little one and it goes well with the green floral couch. Perhaps ONE day we will be able to put them together in some quaint little study or guest room (in another life perhaps......).

One thing is for sure is that we have been able to rearrange the lounge room and it now looks SO much better than it did. I HATED those three couches together! It feels so much roomier (ha ha!!) now.

Ahhh the trials and tribulations of life..... Remind me NOT to let him trick me in to bidding on a piece of furniture next time a family member arrives on my doorstep. I just know he is going to try and sneak a grandfather clock in here too!

Sour dough

What else is a novice going to do other than take on the seemingly difficult task of making sour dough bread - from scratch. And it wasn't just seemingly difficult, it was complex too.

The sour stuff sat for 5 days, then he mixed 2 other kinds of doughs and put all three together and they sat for 18 hours. Tonight he baked the bread and it was yummy!!!

He bought me a Kitchen Aid, I bought him a bread book and he makes the bread (clever huh?!). So far I've used the Kitchen Aid once, he has used it countless times.



The bread has been delicious every time, which is great when you are on a diet..........

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Good morning daddy! Happy Birthday! Two little munchkins were excited about bringing their daddy breakfast in bed, even if didn't seem all that willing to wake up.

He was still recovering from a late night at school

on Friday - no, not working, partying, and had a hard time waking Sunday morning.

After breaky and a slow start we finally got out the door about midday to go for a "stroll". We headed off to Judarskogen just the other side of Brommaplan and about a 60min walk away.

There is a track in the forest that goes around the lake and we dragged Ty around it kicking and screaming. K slept and M enjoyed being out in the forest. Ty was cold and wanted to know why he couldn't do what he wanted - it was his birthday after all and he should be at home on the couch in front of the tv. The forest is beautiful and I was totally enchanted by it the first few times I walked around this track.

On this gloomy Sunday it was cold and damp and not quite as enchanting......

But the lake was frozen and ice is always a good source of entertainment.

By the end of our walk M decided to walk through a muddy puddle, getting so stuck that she fell right over and soaked herself. Silly of me not to have put her rain pants on her - kids will be kids, but I can only say she was NOT very popular.

Tyler was heading home when I had to disclose the plan - we were to meet Roberth and Anna, Robin, Johanna and Lin at Tulpanens hus at 2.30 for coffee and cake. So much for the surprise! Our timing was good and thankfully Anna was able to drive me home to get clothes for M and the car.

We got back in time to enjoy our coffee and cake. It was a nice surprise for Ty and I was glad to be able to do something to mark his birthday.

Now all I have to do is organise the promised couple of nights away that were his birthday present........

Table for two

Well, I tried...... I arranged with the neighbours that the kids would go over there tonight so I could take Ty out for his birthday.

I talked to a friend who gave me a restaurant recommendation (her husband knows the chef and it is newly opened) and I rang and booked a table.

Our neighbour had been away all week so we hadn't confirmed about tonight. I tried to ring this afternoon to make sure but they weren't home and her phone wasn't on. I left messages on each.

By 5 we saw that they were home but by 5.30 we still hadn't heard anything - what do you do - ring and say "but you promised to look after the kids". I left it and I reluctantly cancelled the booking. I waited as long as I could but it started to get too late for the kids to be going over there. It was ohhhh so disappointing. It has been so long since we had a night on our own and I wanted to make an effort for Ty's birthday.

So we took the kids and walked down to the local Thai place - a table for 4 please. Sure, choose any one you want - none of them are taken, let alone booked. The kids were ratty, the ambience non-existent and the food average, the evening was a short one. We walked home again with K protesting and M too tired to walk - at least we had the stroller with us.

I was so in the mood to head in to town, to walk around, maybe stop for a drink before dinner and sit quietly without supervising the minors - oh well, another time. And when our poor neighbours eventually hear the messages on their answering machines they are going to feel dreadful - but it just didn't seem quite right to hound them.

Another time....

Mr K's birthday

It is Mr K's birthday on Sunday - he is going to be 36 which seems so weird - he is almost in the category of late 30s and that is my age - not his!! I wanted to make it special this year as he spent last year in the hospital with Paul, his father. And the kids and I weren't with him, we were in Oz. And if I remember rightly we even argued on the phone that night so one of us hung up on the other, can't remember which. I know Miriam and Mark took him out for dinner but he spent most of the day at his dad's bedside.

I've arranged for us to go out on Saturday night - the kids are going over to the neighbours place for dinner and to stay there but not sleep over. We have been there about 3-4 times, they have been here about 3 times and they are in the next building. She is French-speaking Canadian and he is a Swede but she speaks English with my two. Their kids are the same ages and they love to play together, although it is my girl and their boy who are fondest of each other. Still, my two are not at all enthusiastic about being there on their own so I am not sure how things will go. But the mum is fantastic with kids so hopefully my two will warm to the idea.

We are going to a restaurant on Söder that friends recommended, a strange name, an Aussie vineyard and my friends know the chef there. It will be nice to get out on our own, go to the "Bohemian" part of town and wander around for a while.

I am organising for us to go to a cafe on Sunday but I am yet to fully execute the plan. I need to ring and book and see if it is possible to organise a cake. I've spoken to Robert but didn't hear back from Robin. Sandy will come and ahhhh I'll see what I can pull together in the morning. The plan is to go to Tulpanenshus but I'll have to ring in the morning.

So, what about a present? Yes well he is impossible to buy for at the best of times and for the longest time I have been planning to take him away for a few days while AW is here. That way she can have all 3 kids.

Originally I wanted to do something we normally cannot do - like fly out of the country for a long weekend, but money and time (my darling AW is only here for 3 weeks) put a limit on things. So I need to make a phone call and book a night away somewhere - just need to get off my butt and on the phone before Sunday - I have a place in mind.

And then there are the kids -shouldn't kids buy their father a birthday present? I walked around a couple of shops today and I couldn't think of a damn thing - and I hate to buy presents for the sake of it. So I was going to get them to do a drawing - but didn't manage that today either. I'm starting to feel like a failure - good intentions but nothing eventuating from it.

Yesterday was his dad's birthday - he would have been a mere 63. I would think it was a tough day for him and I wanted to note it in some way. The kids and I were going to bake a birthday cake but we ended up making waffles - one of Paul's favorites. I wanted to celebrate because I handed in my application and opened a bottle of sparkling red - but he was so caught up in his costume he was going to wear tonight and he ended up leaving after the kids went to bed. He went to a friend's place to swap costume parts, of course it was late when he got back.