Time to go home...

And so another week has gone by, too quickly. I cannot say I am sad to leave a cold, rainy 12C Malmo, Sweden to return “home” to southern Italy and 28C. But it has been great to meet many animal lovers and I hope that with my lecture I planted a BIG seed to fight for those without any voice. Now you have the knowledge!

Friday we were invited to “my” publisher for coffee and cake, and interesting conversation. You guys are so warm and wonderful. Thanks! (picture)

Saturday, Olivia’s Godfather Benny celebrated her birthday in his tastefully decorated apartment with many antiques --- that made me sweat watching Olivia running around together with Benny’s sweetheart Golden Retriever “Valentino”. Benny is a well known author and a hair designer --- a man with a great big heart. (picture)

Books by Benny Rosenqvist, Överlevaren and Shoppa inte kärlek när du längtar.

Congratulations my Friend

My friend Miharu from Japan ---living in Amercia with her husband--- are blessed with a healthy beautiful girl Haruka.

Sometimes Miharu babysat Olivia--when she was a newborn--and I remember Miharu singing for Olivia in Japanes, it was soothing and beautiful and amazing to hear.

Congratulations my friend and I hope you will enjoy Fayetteville, NC. Welcome back to the city of excitement ;-)

In Sweden!

Just as I didn't really remember it... windy, rainy, cold. Both myself and Olivia have the sniffles!

Here we leave 28 degrees celsius in southern Italy, and 13 hours later, we require winter clothes to walk down the street! Short walks, indeed!

Held a lecture last night for a dog organization in southern Sweden that went very well, a great audience that seemed very interested in what I had to say through the 2-hours of talking (then they carried me out!)

I laced various elements of my experiences into the lecture... from Animal Communication to homeless dogs to animal rescue in Italy to Bosnia and Bahrain. Even a little bit about my family, when the only picture they could display from the disc was of my husband holding little Shiloh when I brought her home in 2004 (just 3 weeks old! She fit in the palm of his hand!)

Olivia is enjoying playing with mormor (grandma) and it is mutual!

Going to meet with my publisher today for coffee and cake. We'll see what else they might have on the table!

Hej da!

Abuse! Abuse I say!

I now know what it feels like to be kicked to death from the inside!

With just 3 months until the blessed day this little demon is removed from my body, I guess I'm in the "home stretch" of the pregnancy. The days and nights are cooling off a little bit, so my burden is a little less uncomfortable in that regard. Still, he seems to think I'm a spherical trampoline!

No position seems to be good for him. Or else, they all are, depending on how he looks at it.

Olivia didn't do me like this!

I remember my time pregnant with her as a nice, warm, gentle feeling. Sure, there must have been pain and discomfort, but I sure don't remember it like this! No, this little Max is sure to be a kickboxer!

This weekend, we set up his nursery a little bit further. Todd hung some things on the wall, put the crib together, and bought some throw-rugs. It is a little more real that he will soon be joining us.

I just hope I live to see it!

No Internet

This is crazy!
When living in Bosnia 2001 I had internet in my apartment right away. Here, in Southern Italy we have waited for over 6 weeks for Telecom to come and install ADSL connection to the Internet.
Through the whole of August no one worked -- vacation -- so nothing to do. When I made a coment they just said, "This is Southern Italy, they will do it when ever they want to do it!" And I guess that being off for a month they have a lot to catch up.
I call them every day, I cry, I pull my hair...nothing helps...."no sengora, you just have to wait!"

So please even if I may be so bold....stay there on the other side of the screen, because "I will soon be back!"

Life as a Mother

My little flower has started daycare, half-time but it is killing my heart!

And this is just the beginning of letting her go, little by little for her development--and mine--

Every morning we get ready for "school" , having a joy together walking to "school"
I drop her off to the Italian teachers, then, I cry behind the garbage cans. Silly mom!

Half time is enough, I dont want to miss to much of her during the days. She is my flower.

P.S. Still no Internet!! This is crazy!

Blast from the past...

What a treat to have Hanne Boel and her band perform in Naples! It seems the "Skandinavian Queen of Soul" moved some time ago to Naples, with her musician-husband and children. The numerous Skandinavian military officers here in Naples (Mostly Danish and Norwegian, but a few Swedes too) arranged for her to perform for charity. She and her band even performed for free.

So, we had a good evening listening to her two sets of songs, and letting our memories float back to the '80s and 90's, big hair and simpler times. The hall was smallish, but we had well over 100 people, drinking wine and beer and enjoying her soulful melodies.

Todd enjoyed practicing "concert photography". Here are a few of the better pictures from his 345 total frames. Whew!

Ciao!

Blessed delivery

Olivia's super God-parents have a bundle of joy of their own! They have christened him "Oliver", and he is happy and healthy, and adored by his parents, as well as their other "kids", Pippi and Kid.

We are so happy for them!

Bellisimo!!