I've often commented about the innate honesty of Swedes. It fascinated me when I first arrived here for example, to see supermarkets with self-scanners, where they trusted people to walk around and scan in their groceries, then hand over the scanner and pay, with nobody checking that you had really scanned all of your items. When I suggested to L-G that people might deliberately slip in an expensive glossy magazine WITHOUT scanning it, or maybe scan the apples and then add a few more, he was aghast.

So then how does he explain the recent news that the Swedes are the biggest shoplifters in Scandinavia? Without missing a beat, he declared that this is what happens when you start letting Australians into Sweden! I hope Australian Immigration are reading this blog and will haul him over the coals if he steps inside our borders. See the insults I have to put up with?

We were at the supermarket the other day and I saw a sign in the car park that made me laugh.




I pointed to the horse sign and quipped that I knew the petrol prices had risen considerably, but I hadn't realised people were resorting to the old horse and cart. And how nice of the supermarket to provide a hitching post. He looked at me as though I was insane. He wandered off muttering something about nutty and fruitcake that I didn't quite catch.

Inside, while I was looking at the fresh produce, I did a double take when I saw this:




No, you aren't imagining things. This is a banana slicer! Because of course, bananas are just so hard to slice, aren't they? Not easy like say onions... I know people have too much money and not enough crap in their cupboards already, but honestly, a banana slicer?

What a beautiful sunny day it's been here - I wish every day was like this. But it has turned very cold and the leaves are dropping like showers of gold. Most of the leaves have fallen and the trees are bare, meaning that winter is not far off.




As a child, growing up in a warm country, when people spoke of autumn these are the kind of images I would picture in my mind. Blue skies, golden leaves, a carpet of fallen leaves to happily shuffle through, the crisp air, the gentle warmth of the sun, and incredible colour everywhere. It’s days like this which make everything else that goes along with life seem not only worthwhile, but gratifying, as if we work hard and do as much as we do in our normal lives to get, every now and then, a taste of something wonderful.




And here I am living in the world of my childhood dreams. The air is filled the smell of bonfires. We are rugged up in scarves, woolly hats and mittens, with the crunch of frost underfoot as we make our way through the woods. I love to immerse myself in the quiet of the season, watching the trees standing yellow, red and orange, with leaves rustling under my feet, chilly air tugging at my coat and the calm waters of the gently rippling river reflecting all of this beauty.




And if you think that guy is nuts to be out fishing when it is 3C, then wait until I show you the guys out ice fishing in winter - I kid you not. It's totally insane.

And speaking of insane, we are off to Stockholm again tomorrow. I know what I said the other day, but this time it is a labour of love. We are attending a christening - to celebrate the first spiritual occasion in Viggo’s life. He will be christened at his local church surrounded by his loving family and their friends. It promises to be both a lovely and happy affair, also a good reason to celebrate.