I need a new dog. Lambi won't do as she has cold feet. Quite literally, in fact.



Did I hear someone mention snow?



But it's March, isn't it? Surely the winter is over?



Well, in fact it seems to be just beginning in Sweden. Global warming? Don't make me laugh out loud. Does this look like global warming to you?

It is absolutley freezing outside at the moment. It has never been this cold in the five winters I've spent in Sweden, and in fact it is the coldest weather here for over thirty years, as an Arctic chill spreads over the land. Just north of Nynäshamn, in Tullinge, the mercury dropped to -26.9C (yes that's a minus sign there in case you thought it was a typo). For those that live in less enlightened lands, that's minus 16.9F. We have got off rather lightly, as it is far colder in the north of Sweden.

The air is streaming down northwards from Russia, across the Baltic to us in a phenomenon they call the Siberian Express. My American friends say that there is a similar thing called the Arctic Express or Polar Express where they come from. I still can't quite get my head around the concept of a cold north wind, though. Where I come from a northerly is as hot and searing as opening the oven door, swirling straight down to Adelaide from the Great Australian Desert and often accompanied by a choking red dust storm. A southerly buster on the other hand, sweeping up the Southern Ocean from Antarctica is the cold wind of the antipodes, though it has warmed up somewhat before it gets to Adelaide.

This Siberian Express happens every year around this time, but this is the first year that it's been quite so numbingly cold. Previously I marvelled at the minus 16C, but below that it really is amazing to be out when you can feel your nose hair freezing as you draw in a breath and you can literally see the air in front of you. The days are sunny and that makes life more bearable.

Lazing down at the harbour, we watched the ferry from Gdansk come in to dock.



The sea is starting to ice up and if these temperatures persist, the ice breakers will be brought in to clear the path for commercial traffic. There are still fishing boats going out regularly, plus a free harbour is needed for the oil deliveries by ships to the refinery and the passenger ferries to Visby (on Gotland), Gdansk (Poland), Ventspils and Riga (Latvia). At least that form of traffic can still operate. The rest of the transportation system is in utter chaos because of ice and extreme cold. Every night on the news, we see huge semitrailers and busses lying in ditches on the sides of major roads and train traffic is delayed by ice freezing the switches or making the journey dangerous. Many people have to stay home as the delays are long and commuting is a real chore. Thank goodness for internet access, so some work can be completed at home! Yesterday, the delays on the trains here meant that getting to Stockholm took hours - and I was too scared to go because I might not be able to get back!

Still, it is beautiful here in the sunshine and we spent a wonderful day together walking around and stopping to enjoy a break with a thermos of hot cocoa and biscuits, surrounded by nature. It doesn't get better than this!



Not everyone in the family is as happy about being out in nature. Despite the fact that I read Lambi history books about the origin of poodles as hunting dogs, retrieving ducks for their masters, she seems to be under the illusion that she is some kind of lap dog and insists on donning her warm, hand-knitted coat and being carried around in a backpack! She refuses to take more than 3 steps outside in the snow and when we suggested a walk, this is the response we got.



I haven't been able to crowbar her away from that sunny spot, so I guess it's just me going out, is it?