Out On Thin Ice – Swedish Style

While winter seems to be finally upon us we can never be too sure how long these colder temperatures will last. If anything can be said about the weather in Stockholm these days it is that it is unreliable. Gone are the cold winters of yesteryear, the mounds of snow and the ever-reliable Vikingarännet – the skating competition that once ran from Uppsala to Stockholm every year around about my birthday. There is no longer any guarantee that the ice will be thick enough for the 100s who compete.I share this Swedish love of ice-skating and as soon as my kids are old enough I am going to have them out there on cross-country skates gliding around on the lakes. I haven’t done a whole lot of it and at this stage would only go out on an organised tour. The thought of going through the ice is more than scary and the possibility very real. I may not know anyone who has been attacked by a shark but I do know those who have gone through the ice. Not all lived to tell the tale.
If you want to do more than skate on your little local lake that at times might have half a metre of ice, and like me you do not have the knowledge, experience or courage (stupidity?) to head out in a private group then organisations like Friluftsfränjandet or Alliansen are your answer. There are also a number of other organisations around the country dedicated to cross-country skating.
Friluftsfrämjandet is membership based with local groups all over Sweden. They offer a range of activities such as family days, courses and longer tours - and that is just a few of their winter activities. Alliansen is a local organisation, part of Friluftsfrämjande, for the hard-core skaters. They offer courses for beginners to tour leaders as well as guided or leader-led tours for members. Their site is a wealth of skating resources such as where there are ploughed tracks (a nice smooth track on the open ice), information on how to get out if you fall in, an equipment guide, as well as general ice information. Unfortunately it is all only available in Swedish so you might need some help with this one.

It is a fantastic way to enjoy winter in Sweden. If you are not yet convinced, watch this film. I am heading down the cellar to get out my skates and dust them off before it is too late!

And then it snowed - finally!

And the kids of Stockholm were suddenly the happiest on the planet!While the family has suffered with the heat at home in Australia, we have been without snow most of the winter - until today!

Skating On The Frozen Waterways Of Stockholm

are what I love best about Sweden in the winter. Saturday was glorious out on the ice.Where the boats are moored in the summer, the skaters rest in the winter, stopping to eat sandwiches and hot chocolate.Tracks had been ploughed on the ice between the islands of Stockholm.The ice blocks must have been from an earlier melt and then re-freeze. Makaila can suddenly skate really well and Kieran is getting close.
She whipped around the track pushing Kieran in the chariot when he was too tired to skate himself.The sun shines much more in February, the days are getting longer as we speak. The sun is now rising at 7am and it feels like utter luxury to have it setting at 5pm - it is amazing what you learn to appreciate. Check out this table to see how quickly it is changing - 5 more minutes of daylight each day.

More Women in Business & on the Boards of Swedish Listed Companies

One of the big business debates that has heated up in the last 6 or so months has been whether or not to introduce gender quotas to the boards of listed companies. So far, the answer has been no, for many reasons, despite Sweden introducing a gender quota (50%) into politics in the 1980s.

Many big businesses claim that the lack of women in their boards is due to the lack of competence, a lack of women with the qualifications to carry out such a roll.

So Anna Carrfors Bråkenheilm of Passion for Business (a great business mag for women) decided to help the guys out and has compiled a list of 549 business women who are ready, willing and able to do the job. That list took two people two days to compile and is now being sent out to all Swedish listed companies!

Kaxig is a word that comes to mind - which translates to cocky but it doesn't quite have the same feel. All the same - I love it! What will their excuse be next?

True Apartment Ownership Has Finally Reached Sweden - New Law

Was pleased to read a little snippet in City, one of the free newspapers, that the government has finally changed the law to allow true ownership of an apartment. While many are hesitant and believe that it will lead to speculation, increased rents, greater segmentation and a lack of attention given to joint facilities in the building, there are others who believe competition is good for the market.

What it means in reality is that you will be free to buy an apartment and do what you like with it. You can sub-lease it, renovate and even buy it without the body corporate's permission. Today's body corporate control means not everyone is given permission to rent out their apartment - or even buy it in the first place, especially if they are not going to live in it.

While the news is good it is unfortunately limited to new production. Well, at least it is a step in the right direction.

DN

Beautiful Business Awards: Sweden's Business Woman of the Year.

Headed out last night to Parken on Söder as the temperature was dropping and lone snow flakes were floating to their final resting place. It was lovely to walk in and be handed a glass of sparkling rosé, be stopped by a fellow Våga Språnget member and stand and chat while listening to the most amazing harp player I have ever seen or heard. I never knew a harp could be played like that.

We were there for the Beautiful Business Awards , being held for the second year in a row and hosted by Driftig.nu and Örlings PriceWaterhouseCoopers, supported by Nutek who this year added a category to the competition.

The evening's moderators were comedian couple Anna Mannheimer and Peter Apelgren who welcomed the audience and continued to entertain with their antics throughout the evening.

In their own words Beautiful Business Award 2009 is a national competition aimed to bring focus to exciting self-employed business women so as to inspire Sweden to more sustainable business practices. The Beautiful Business concept is about inspiring business that is characterized by sustainability, innovation and ambition. It is a mindset, that is equally admirable whether it be governing business thinking or general human behaviour. It is business with a conscience.

The competition awards Business Women of the Year, Service Developer of the Year and Challenger of the Year and is open to all women who have started or are running a business full-time. The first step is the nomination with the second being an application filled in by the nominees. It follows the BBA structure and requires the nominees to motivate why they are worthy of the award according to the following categories:

Sustainability: The company must be run with a long-term concept in terms of profitability, environment and ethics.
Innovation: The business shall be characterized by innovation and creativity in some way whether it be product/service, the approach, the industry, distribution channels or market.
Ambition: The individual shall have a strong involvement, great courage and strive from growth.

This year an amazing 1731 women were nominated with 432 of those submitting competition applications. Of those 62% have been running longer than 3 years and 60% are limited companies with 34% or the women born in the 60s and 24% in the 70s. All regions of Sweden were represented with 34% coming from Stockholm and 14% from Västra Götaland.

The evening progressed and the 12 finalists and their businesses, selected by a jury, were presented and interviewed. Following on, last years winners Lingon & Blåbär presented their company and talked about what the award meant to them. We then mingled, snacked and drank more wine before the awards were presented.

Business Women of the Year 2009 went to Nina Ottosson of Zoo Active Products AB who designs, manufactures and sells her dog toys to 25 countries around the globe. Click on this link to see her products and watch an interview (Swedish) with her here. It was no surprise to see Service Developer of the Year awarded to Kristina Theander of Middagsfrid. Kristina and her staff deliver cleverly packaged and planned groceries and matching recipes to health conscious households in Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö. She takes away the what are we going to eat tonight stress in busy households.

Business Challenger of the Year was awarded to three women: Petra Wadström of Solvatten, Jeanette Gorosch of Nannynu! and Britt-Marie Gyllensvaan of Utbilda.nu. This award brings recognition to relatively newly started companies deemed to have great potential.

Some of these women I have read about in business magazines, all of them were incredibly inspiring. They talked about the hard work and the determination that it took to get them where they are. It was wonderful to hear their stories and how thrilled they were to be nominated. Here is the whole list of finalists:
Nina Ottosson - Zoo Active Products
Jessica Löfström - ExpanderaMera
Mia Karlsson-Jonsson - Rex Bar & Grill
Bitte Ljungström - Vidilab
Petra Hammarstedt - Servicestaden
Katinka Bille Lindahl - LifeStone
Karin Bryskhe och Anna Stenstam - Colloidal Resource
Kristina Theander - Middagsfrid
Karin Almqvist - VICTRIX
Veronica Boxberg Karlsson - Better Business World Wide
Marianne Möllstam - Synergon
Veronica Hedenmark - VH Assistans
This fantastic award is the brainchild of Sofia Bergenstjerna and Frida Haavisto of Beautiful Business - themselves both very inspiring women. Fantastic that they have taken this opportunity to support both women and entrepreneurs.

Not all Australian-Swedes made it out

I went to sleep last night thinking about three girls from Marysville. Three girls between the ages of 10 and 14, three girls of Swedish descent, who no longer have a home to live in, who don't have a school to go to, whose parents stayed to fight the fires, three girls who are now orphans......

Who is looking after them? Who is tucking them into bed at night now their whole world has fallen apart? How will they cope in the weeks, the months and the years ahead. My heart goes out to them.

I imagine their father's family were upset to read this incorrect article in SvD.

After the Firestorm: the best of the Aussie spirit

Watching this comprehensive report on the bushfires and the recovery operation gave me a real feel for the before, the during and the after. And this gripping, heart-wrenching and heart-warming program reminded me of all the wonderful things about the true Aussie spirit.

After the Firestorm: An ABC News Special

At the end of a week of devastation, Barrie Cassidy presents a one-hour news special, reflecting on those left injured and homeless, and what lies ahead. There will be discussion from local community members about their experiences, as well as debate about the main issues affecting them. As the recovery operation in Victoria moves into full swing, the focus is on switching to the lessons that can be learnt from this tragedy.

Measure Your Age Not By Years But By Your Friends - Making Friends In Sweden

or was it measure your success by your friends? I can't quite remember but I know there is an old proverb about friends and on several occasions this last week I have had opportunity to reflect over just that, friends.


I'm sure it is Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner in their book Riding The Waves Of Culture who say something about old isolated countries (like Sweden) being full of old friends. Until the 50s there was not the movement around the country, or in and out of the country and people were pretty isolated, villages would be cut off from each other for months of the year and families had known each other for generations. And we all know what we are like with old friends - we just know each other, we understand, we don't have to explain and there is no need for small talk. And we all know what it is like to try and break into a group of friends who have known each other for years. It is hard and it takes time.

While Swedes of today might be much more mobile, with people moving around to go to university or for employment, things are not all that different. Culture does not change as quickly as what circumstances do, it is ingrained in our way of being. Words like shy, introverted, reserved, wary and guarded are all used to describe these people. But however you describe them Sweden is a country full of old friends, many have known each other since day-care and with so many moving to the big cities it is possible to remain close to school friends even in a new city. All this makes it very difficult for outsiders, many of whom say they struggle to meet Swedes, to form friendships with Swedes.
Friendship needs no words - it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness. ~Dag Hammarskjold (a Swede).

When I first came to Sweden in the early 90s I developed an analogy that still rings true today. In this country you can stand out on someone's doorstep and bang and bang on the door, ringing the doorbell for all you are worth. You might be standing out in a blizzard with the wind blowing cold in your face and the snow sleeting down around you. Yet you will stand there, feeling sorry for yourself until someone is willing to open the door. If, or once they finally do, you are welcomed inside where it is warm and hospitable. There is food and drink, fun and merriment. There will be people you will be introduced to and you will have good friends for life. You just have to get past the front door!

Since there is nothing so well worth having as friends, never lose a chance to make them. ~Francesco Guicciardini
But getting past the front door is no easy task. A Brazilian neighbour told me when I first moved here that you have to say hello to a Swede everyday for about a year before things move to the next step. While this is possibly a gross exaggeration and clearly not true in every case, I have once again been reminded of the validity of his comment. Shane’s post about his lack of friends and small social circle after a year in Stockholm and lunch with a Belgium woman new to Stockholm both remind me of how hard it can be. Especially for someone here on their own – ironic considering Stockholm supposedly has more single households than any other capital in the world and almost 20% of Stockholmers were born abroad – with many more born somewhere else in Sweden.

Strangers are just friends waiting to happen. ~Rod McKuen, Looking for a Friend
I warned my Belgium friend not to expect any invitations – none of the customary – lets all go out for a drink after work., - friends are going to see a movie Saturday – want to join us?, - do you have any plans for the weekend? - or any other of the invitations one might expect to get from colleagues having just moved to a new job in a new country. Sadly, she confirmed I was right.

It is even part of the language and regrettably I find myself reflecting over my use of vocabulary in a way I never used to – friend, school friend, friend from work have all become vän (friend), kollega (colleague) and bekant (acquaintance) – the word friend can’t be used lightly, carelessly.

So it is not so strange that non-Swedes become friends with non-Swedes and expats move in purely expat circles – it is often not for lack of trying or lack of wanting. In fact many leave when their time is up, sad that they got to know so few Swedes while living in Sweden…… And while it is true that many of us are so busy we don’t have time for the friends we do have, let alone new ones, it is far from the entire explanation.

There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound. ~Diana Cortes
But even there it can be difficult to get to know other non-Swedes as those of us who are here long-term are often self-protective. My friendship group has bled many times over the years as friends have opted to return home, or move on to another placement. My dearest, oldest (as in longest) Swedish friend looked around the room during my recent birthday celebrations and commented on how few had been at my 30th, a decade earlier. We long-termers joke about asking people how long they plan to be here and about being wary of those who say anything less than us – it is painful to lose someone every couple of years. And the irony of it all, some of my dearest friends have packed their bags and left, but I wouldn’t be without them.Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends. ~Shirley Maclaine

So what is the answer? How do you make friends in Sweden? How do you even meet people that might possibly become friends? You have to go out on a limb, and you have to do it time and time again, even in the face of potential rejection. You have to approach people who you like, who seem interesting and you cannot wait for them to approach you – because it just might not happen.

And if that fails or if you don’t quite have the courage then the best place to start is the expat organisations, and there is a growing number of them. There are always others keen to extend their social network, and you never know, some of them might have Swedish friends too. But realise it takes a long time to develop into friendship!

Friends are relatives you make for yourself. ~Eustache Deschamps
Friendship is a glorious thing, something we all need, we all benefit from. It makes the dull days shine brightly, the bright ones even more magnificent. And the smaller our family, or the further away they are, the greater our need for friends. As I looked around the room on Saturday night I saw just a handful I’ve known longer than my oldest child (6), but I saw many dear people whose company I really enjoy, whose friendship I really value. I am one of the fortunate ones, I can truly count both my age and my success by my wonderful friends.

There are big ships and small ships. But the best ship of all is friendship. ~Author Unknown

Friendship Quotes
Mums In Sweden
Lost In Sweden - bulletin board
International Friends of Stockholm - one of many facebook groups
International Woman's Club - Stockholm
Eurocircle - Stockholm
American Club of Sweden
English Speaking Community Club - Stockholm
Just to name a few.

Happy Birthday to me!

Well, middle-age - here I am!
Hit the big 40 on Saturday which is why I have not had a chance to blog the last couple of days. We had a great party at home with a 60s, 70s or 80s dress and music theme - lots of fun!Not only did I get some really lovely pressies but some friends also made very generous donations to the Australian Bushfire Appeal, in lieu of a present.

So far over AUD 80 million (over 444 mil SEK or 52 mil USD) has been donated as Victorians continue to struggle, fighting fires and fighting to pick up the pieces. Yet as my sister put it, this damage was just two days in our history, peanuts compared to the suffering of the many people in war-torn areas around the world.

I am eternally grateful for the simple things in life - family, friends and the opportunity to celebrate what I have and where I am at!

Hooray for family, friends and celebrations - what more do we really need?!!

The True Aussie Spirit

Putting the internet to its best possible use!

Help is coming from all around the country.

Victorian Bushfire Appeal 2009
please help out in any way you can!


DN1, DN2, DN3, DN4. SvD are not covering the situation any longer.

Out of the ashes

crawls the true Aussie spirit.

The wildlife - one of the things I love and miss about Australia. I'm sure everyone has seen this by now, but click on any of the following photos for the stories behind them. Koala Sam's encounter with Mr Tree is one of the most inspiring stories to come out of Victoria's tragedy.

Wildlife rescue centres are being set up around the state to help these guys. Healesville Sanctuary are taking injured animals and I bet the country vets are doing their fair share of voluntary work to help the shelters. It will be a long time before they have a home to return to.
Generosity like it is has never been know before. When people are in need Aussies are FANTASTIC at rallying together to help out. People are not only generously donating money, but food, clothing, toys, household items and the list goes on.

My cousin is one of the many people out there gathering all she can from her friends to donate to those who have been left homeless. An old school friend is collecting to help a friend of hers who lost everything and setting up a website to help her community. Another friend has started a project to collect photos for those who have lost everything, to help them rebuild at least a few photos from their past.
The comradeship, or mateship, as we lovingly refer to it as. The loyalty not only to friends and family, but to those we share any situation with. In this case, neighbours.

In this case, professionals from around the country who have volunteered their services to help locate and identify the bodies.
And finally, stubbornness and determination. That fighting spirit that takes risks and battles on, against all odds. While some vow never to return, many, many more are vowing to return and rebuild.

We often talk about national traits and these are the things that I love about Aussies - pitching in, whether it be to fight fires, care for wildlife, or give to those in need- time, money or anything they can get their hands on. There is great empathy and compassion for the underdog. There has always has been.

This is an extension of the mateship, binding people together to support each other if they are in the same situation, whether they know each other or not. It is an admirable trait.

And finally, the fighting spirit - it is what brought people to the country in the first place - they had to be daring, gutsy and willing to take a risk to settle here. You see the same traits present in the people of today when they declare they will be back. Many accept it is all part of the course if you are going to live in the bush.

Two traits that just might develop out of all this is the tendency to plan and to have more of a long term perspective. Hopefully John Brumby will be successful in introducing tougher building restrictions for the bush as outlined in this article. Ty commented on the flimsiness, and cheapness of the country dwellings when we were in rural Victoria just a month ago. In light of his comments it is ironic to see from these photos how the fires engulfed houses but seemingly left many trees intact.
Housing is relatively cheap in Australia. While more solid buildings might cost more in the short-term, hopefully people can see the long-term advantages. The estimated extra AUD 20,000 is peanuts when you look at it from this angle. Perhaps that famous Australian Dream needs to be adjusted slightly.

It is also encouraging to see in this article that other important issues of forest management and climatic change coming to the surface, amongst all the debris.

Aussies are a fantastic bunch - like no other. Let's hope they can rise to the challenge and begin to have a more long-term approach to life.

DN1, DN2, DN3, SvD1,

Fight or Flight? The issues are many. But what about climatic change?

In the aftermath of the worst fires in the history of Victoria, the discussions start, the inquiry is yet to come. It seems like the fires of Black Friday in 1939 these fires will have far reaching consequences as the issues are aired, debated and investigated.

The hot topic in Australia at the moment in the decision to stay and defend one's property. It seems many of the deaths were the result of people staying and yet not having the resources to have any affect on the fire, let alone defend their property, or themselves. When they realised it was not possible to battle the inferno they got in their cars to leave. Sadly, many died trying to escape. Others are criticizing the lack of warning. Information was not circulated in time to give people a chance to escape.
CFA backs "defend or go" policy.
Fire authority warns against knee-jerk reaction to evacuation policy

Then there are those who say that more can be done in the name of prevention. There are those who say we need to return to, or increase the use of the aboriginal methods of burning off the undergrowth. Australian firestorms prompt call to return to Aboriginal bush control

Or that fire is something we need to understand, accept and prepare for if we are going to pursue that great Australian Dream of land around us in the outer green suburbs. Australians 'unprepared' for bushfires

Other issues at the moment include:
Power lines to blame for the fires, not arsonists. Why are they not dug into the ground like they are in so many other places around the world? Especially considering the damage that storms can do, gum trees dropping limbs, fire threat etc etc. Is it simply because it costs too much and no-one is prepared to bite the bullet and make the investment? Is there an unwillingness to be long-sited rather than short-sited?

An act of terrorism? A very scary thought. And if it is not true the spreading of such stories is in itself scary.

Bodies that will never be identified. Horrific to think that they have undergone those sort of conditions. What must the heat have been like? But how can we not identify people in this modern day and age? Is our fear of big brother and criminal intervention greater than our common sense? DNA registration would not be a bad thing in times like this? Did we not learn this from the tsunami?

Anger over not being able to return to their properties as roads and conditions are not safe. I understand the desire to go home, to see it for your own eyes, to be reunited with loved ones, to find out if they are still alive, to pick up the pieces and get on with life. But surely the police know what they are talking about when they say the roads are not safe? And perhaps there is some good that comes from staying in tents on an oval with other victims.

'Greenies' blamed for fires' fury. or National parks 'part of fire problem'. It is a complex issue and one I have contemplated a lot. Plant more trees is my motto, far too many have been chopped down in Australia - yet it is the trees that become a death trap. Angry survivors blame council 'green' policy. Perhaps we are just not meant to have a home among the gum trees.

And finally there is the overall environmental issue, seemingly overlooked. My first thoughts as I read the Swedish articles in DN, SvD, and many of the Swedish blogs about the fires is that Australians are still dealing with what has and is happening, they are in shock, in mourning and it is going to be a long time before they are ready to talk environment and consequences. Yet I know that Australians are not too keen to talk environment at the best of times. There is not the consensus there, like here, that weather extremes are due to climatic change and environmental damage. There doesn't seem to be the same willingness to accept responsibility, take action, make a difference. And it doesn't get nearly the amount of media coverage or political focus there that it gets here in Sweden. But aside from all that, it is not the time to start pointing the finger and telling people they need to live in a more environmentally conscious way.

However I did find, thanks to a cousin, a little article in The Age that suggests some people are willing to talk environment. Thank you Freya Mathews, you give me hope. I only hope the Government is willing to listen to you.

Every Victorian, every Australian will know someone

I can't help but check the temperatures, read the latest updates and listen to the stories. I wonder about those I know, those I have met over the years, those who survived, those who didn't. I hardly dare make any phone calls to see if people are ok, to see if the blaze missed them, or if they got out in time.

As the days roll on I am reminded of friends, acquaintances, friends of friends, friends' family members and my family's friends who live in these areas. We will all know people who have been affected, who have lost their lives, their family, their friends, their homes, their pets, their livestock, their cars, their sanity, perhaps even their will to live. Each and everyone of us Victorians will know someone, directly, or indirectly.

I want to get on the phone, but I know how hard it must be to be on the receiving end of those calls - you spend more time answering the phone than picking up the pieces, more time reassuring everyone else than getting on with your life. Instead I scan the reports, the interviews, the photos and try and come to terms with what has happened. For once, this is not some far-away place, this is my home, these places have been my playground.

Here I can turn off the computer, put the paper away, shut down the radio and attempt to get on with my life. We have birthdays to be celebrated this week, work to go to and life to get on with - it needs to be that way.

But how is it there? How can anyone get on with their lives? How do you concentrate, sleep, eat, work, feed your kids, send them to school, how do you get up in the morning? And all the while be reminded every living minute of the tragedy that has so savagely ripped through our country. With fires still raging all around the state it is not over yet. And those who do have immediate family and friends affected can't possibly get on with their lives - help is needed to pick up the pieces, if there are any to be picked up.

And the irony of it all. While the fires still roar in the south, the north, already suffering from floods, continues to endure more rain and king tides. When will it end?

Today's articles in the Swedish press -
Opperation Pheonix to find those guilty
Australian authorities have reacted impressively quickly
The winds increase the danger
Rising temperatures a threat in Australia
Fire disaster is increasing in Australia
Australia hunting a murderer

My blogging anniversary

was yesterday - one year since I started.
I love the reading, researching, reflecting and reporting. I love writing.
And I've learned a lot, on many levels.

I am grateful to those who come here regularly, some I know, some I don't. Some check every day, even several times a day - thank you!
I must be writing something worthwhile! :D
And thank you to those who have and who continue to give me wonderful feedback - it is very encouraging.

Tragedy At Home: hottest city temperature ever recorded, the worst fires in our history?

After last week's record of three consecutive days over 44 degrees celsius, yesterday topped an all time high of 47 C - the highest temperature ever recorded in any Australian city.

I caught glimpses of it last night on the net but didn't realise the seriousness of it until my mum rang this morning with a rude awakening. While it seems none of my family or friends have been directly affected, the fires raged in Bendigo, just 30 mins away from my sister, and I saw my cousin's facebook photos of them wetting down their property in preparation, the smoke and an aerie colour in the sky behind them. Mum's call jolted me from my slumber, to a reality I'd rather not have. Yet to a reality that is pale in comparison to most Victorians' today.

The town of Marysville has been burnt to a crisp, incinerated, nothing is left. Marysville is, or was, a sleepy little town of about 300 or so people, nestled in the mountains. As my sister described it many years ago it is filled with greenies, loggers and local business people, it is the skiers last stop before they head up the mountain, it is a haven for bush-walkers and mountain bike riders, a lovely picnic spot, a gorgeous weekend get-away and has many an authentic craft shop, restaurant and cafe. It is where my sister bought her first property, where she settled many years ago, where my niece was born and spent the first couple of years of her life. It holds many memories for me, countless for my sister.

Today will be a very sad day for them, as she contemplates her own fire plan and sits by the phone waiting for the news. Her oldest, dearest friends are missing. He went off to fight the fires. She stayed at home with their daughter to defend their property in Narbethong. No-one knows where any of them are. I can only pray the news is good. But by every account it does not look good, the tragedy of it all makes me feel ill. (Edited to say they have been found and are safe). Watch this report on the area.

As I look through the photos, news clips, videos and read countless stories the tears well in my eyes and I feel like I could throw up. We Australians know what it is like to have our country ravaged by fire, even if we have not experienced it first hand. We always have family and friends who have. And we have stories of days gone by.

Black Friday - January 13th, 1939. The infamous fires that had widespread impact, not just on people but terrible environmental damage was done which saw the introduction of forest management to aid prevention of bushfires. The old hospital in the Dandeonongs burnt down, supposedly destroying my father's birth certificate, something that would affect him the rest of his life. 1.5-2 million hectares burnt. 75 people lost their lives. It reached 45.6 C.

Ash Wednesday - February 16th, 1983. My aunt's farm was one of the few on her road to survive. She, her daughter and son-in-law faced the danger again on Saturday, 26 years later. A family friend died defending her property. I remember the dust storm like it was yesterday, it was like nothing we had ever seen before. 210,000 hectares burnt in Victoria. 75 people dead in Vic & South Australia. Over 2000 homes burnt to a crisp and the total property damage was reported to be over 200 million dollars. The temperature was recorded in the low 40s.

There have been countless other disaster days, of various sizes. And that is over and above the bushfires that rage every summer in Australia.

And now we have Black Saturday: our darkest day ever. With the death toll currently at 108. I don't look forward to the final statistics.

There will be government support, and fund-raising appeals and events of all descriptions. Australians rally together in the most tear-jerking manner when their countrymen are in need.

But it is not the money that matters, it is the loss of lives, the devestation, the personal tragedies. It is a tragedy for livestock and for the animals of the bush, it is a tragedy for the forests themselves. It is a major environmental tragedy.

For the first time ever I understand what it must be like for people coming from war-torn places, worrying about their family, their friends, their countrymen. Not because I could do anything if I was at home, but because I feel for my country and for my people, in their darkest hour.

Click on these pictures to read more.

This is Brian Naylor, veteran news reporter who spent decades in my lounge room every evening updating me on what was happening in the country and around the world. This Australian icon and his wife died on their property in Kinglake.

My friends have been calling me today to make sure my family is ok (knowing I have a sister in the bush) and I can only imagine how the phones must be running hot in and to Australia at the moment. Sis 1 rang to make sure my mum was ok when she heard the fires were close to them, mum has been on the phone to check up on Sis 2, as well as to my aunt to find out what is happening at their place and how the rest of the family were fairing. The news has all been good, so far.

But there are many heart-breaking reports, there are SO many of them. Watch this incredible tear-jerker from St Andrews, this one from Wandong, and one from Kinglake. Not unkown places in some far-away country, but places I know, places I love. It is a tragedy like no other. I feel so sad for these people.

Finally now, Monday morning the Swedish papers are reporting it, SvD articles and DN articles. And as for mass-murder? Unfortunately arsonists are most often to blame, either that or reckless individuals. Desperately sad, but true.

Keeping The Winter Colds At Bay

While on the subject of winter and great remedies I will add one more.

My family all take Olive Leaf Extract once the first signs of a cold appear. They all swear by it but I have never heard anyone else mention it and I have never seen it anywhere but in Australia.

When we were there this Christmas I decided to pick up a bottle, at least for the kids. I'm all for anything that boosts their immune systems, that helps them get over their winter sicknesses faster.So last week when Makaila showed signs of a cold I fed it to her and to my amazement she recovered very quickly. At least the cold didn't seem to really break out.

And this week we stayed at home Sunday, Monday & Tuesday with Kieran sniffling and sneezing his way through the days, exhausted after sleeping very restlessly at night. By today his cold was almost completely gone - a far cry from how he was on Sunday.

Now I know what you are thinking - and I find it a little hard to believe too. Coincidence? Maybe? I nipped it in the bud by staying at home? Maybe. Strong immune system? Maybe all of those are possible.

What I do know is that I will be trying it again - next time the signs of a cold appear. I also know that many of the kids around them (and adults too) have been suffering from long winter sicknesses this year, as with any other year. It is tough to avoid being sick when everyone else around you is sick.

While it is available here in Sweden (for adults), I don't know anyone who has heard of it. Otherwise try ordering it directly from Australia (or the UK). You can watch the Olive Leaf movie here! I see now there are a ton of sites out there if you are interested.

The Primrose Solution To Dry Winter Skin

Winter is hard on me, especially on my skin. It is now finally getting a little colder here and I can tell because my hands have been getting drier and drier as the days go on. When the temperature drops my skin itches more and more, making me want to scratch until I draw blood. My legs and my stomach are worst off.

But that is nothing compared to what happens to my hands. They look like I have been in the garden everyday for the last week. Dry is not an adequate description - they are like sandpaper. My skin peels and I get very painful cracks on my fingers. The first one appeared yesterday.

I have tried every type of hand creme available to man - nothing helps. But by accident I discovered Evening Primrose Oil and it has been my saving grace. Taking large doses of primrose oil heals the cracks in my hands and makes my skin smooth and soft again. It even calms down my itchiness.
Today I dug out my big bottle of primrose oil, brought in Australia. It is much cheaper than I could ever get it here, but I also buy a big tub because I take so much in the winter. In Swedish it is called nattljusolja and I have tried and been happy with Efamol, although there are a number of them on the market. Time to start taking it again.

The view from my balcony: sunsets & deer

As we stood preparing dinner last night we watched a beautiful sunset, the time was about 4.15 - 4.30pm.Ty happened to be on the phone to his mother, who couldn't believe the sun was already setting. Yet for us it seems later, at least much later than when we first got back a couple of weeks ago. We are gaining 5 minutes a day - as you will see on this Stockholm daylight chart. We are pleased to have 8 hours of daylight compared to the six hours we had back in December.

This morning I pulled up the blinds in the kids' room to see a big mother dear standing under the window. As I watched she moved over to the path and stood looking around before moving on. It was only then I managed to call the kids and get the camera. Her little ones were following along behind her. We stood watching, the kids in awe. This young one stood and watched us for a while before it moved on.

Here you see the white tails of the two young ones following their mother. They have crossed the path and are on their way up and over the hill. The forest continues between the apartment blocks and down to the water. It is not that unusual for us to see a mother and her young, even if it is occasionally months between sightings. And to think we are just 5-6 kilometres from the centre of Stockholm!

The tragedy in this is all the building that is taking place. Stockholm City Council are planning two more apartment blocks on our street. How much longer before Stockholm will have changed from the green oasis that makes it so magnificent - to a concrete jungle, like all the other concrete cities in the world?

I'm in two minds - do we take away these pockets of forest for higher density living, or allow the city to grow and spread. Then again, I think Stockholm has a high enough density. And what will our resident badger say when more of his forest has disappeared?