HoliDAZE...

My first holidays "not working with troubled teens in the wilderness in four years" were thoroughly enjoyable. I barely missed the kiddos. And thanks to N and I's glorious idea we went into the forest where I served up some cheese fondue for everyone :)

How come I haven't done this before?? Like, as a staff meal when I worked in the woods? It only takes minutes once the fire is going and it's positively incredible. At least for a Swiss.

Check out the cheese string!!

Beefy found the secret recipe and stash ;)

Charming N.

Charming another N (and the photographer).

Swedish holiday dinner. Based on fish and meat.

Most important to me.. the evening walk around midnight.

My mom had sent me home-made Christmas cookies, chocolate, a candle, dried fruit, and a Swiss twig!

And my Oregon friends more than touched me with their Super-Care-Package for B and I...
Who wouldn't run off to Sweden when getting bliss in a box like this?

This is a photo of parts of Yxbacken. We went snowboarding there the other day. It shows maybe 1/2 of the whole "mountain". Was fun though!

B and I found more ice upon returning to Paradise...

And now, we're settling back in living on our own and eating holiday candy. He's got the biggest pile of candy ever (and so do I).

Also: I am a little bit concerned that I'll fall in a hole as I am a bit too non-busy these days. Just realized yesterday that I have barely worked in 2009. I was done with my last trek in early April and then only worked 2 months in August and September... crazy... how come I am not on and island somewhere if I am already taking such a long "break"? And, can I even work anymore? Need to find a way to keep the doubts at bay these days.

Nice to remember that I made some absolutely wonderful connections this year. Other than getting to celebrate this past week with friends and (their) family I also received notes and lil' packages from places I least expected it. The farmer gave me a big box of Merci Chocolate when I brought him a homemade card (featuring his cats and him), and I got a really exciting mixed CD and chocolate and a Oregon sticker and a note from Long Story Longer (one of my first blogging connections :)...).

So, plenty to do these days while waiting for the next step with my employment hopes (getting an invite for an interview to the refugee home place, visiting the moose guy in mid-January, and hearing what happened during the board meeting at Yxbacken after January 11th): Eating candy, listening to music, reading, walking the B, training the B, learning Swedish, writing... sounds dreamy, no? And like a good way to keeping the black cloud at bay that way...

Applying to Probably the Tiniest Ski Area in the World.

Yup, that's what I am up to. The name of the game is called: Create-as-many-opportunities-you-can-when-you-have-none-to-then-choose-the-funnest-one-that's-being-offered. Wanna play?

While I am savoring my bliss in regards to 'the money that should miraculously pop up on my US bank account' and 'continuing to being in touch with the moose guy' and 'attempting to understand the exciting German world of Intensivpädagogische Einzelmassnahmen (kind of a last solution for youth that fall through all cracks that turns out to lead to be one of the most creative places to be employed in all of Europe)' - I am also exploring local options.

Since yesterday - drum roll please - Norrköpping's local ski hill Yxbacken. Down below is what that looks like:

Pistkarta

Liftar 3 st Nedfarter 4 st Svarta 1 st Röda 1 st Blå 1 st Grön 1 st FunPark 1 st Belysta nedfarter 4 st Kanonsnö nedfarter 4 st Längsta nedfart 666 m Högsta fallhöjd 107 m

Lite tekniska fakta om våra backar

stora backen (2 pister)

Fallhöjd: 107 m

Lutande längd: 353 m

Medellutning: 32 %

Max lutning: 52 % (i branten före mål)

Familjebacken

Fallhöjd: 104 m (från starthus 110 m)

Lutande längd: 666 m

Medellutning: 16 %

Max lutning: 31 %

BARNbacken

Fallhöjd: 16 m

Lutande längd: 112 m

Medellutning: 14 %

FUNPARK

se under meny FunPark

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Yup, that means there is basically one slope (even though somehow there are a red and a blue and a black run?). Before you start to laugh-out-loud or something silly like that I'll remind you that I of all people know what a "real mountain" looks like - still, I see an opportunity here. N called them yesterday for me and promoted my incredible skills... they kinda got hooked and I may (finger cross) be in the running for the job of an all-rounder starting at teaching snowboarding lessons, to leading projects with the local schools and kindergartens, to working on the lift, the ski rental, train the Freeride group of the Skiclub and everywhere else. How bad would that be?

Answer: Actually, not all that bad.

And guess where Pernilla Wyberg started her carrier??