When we sold our house I packed some of my kitchen things into our “American” storage and the rest went to the new apartment. I must have, at some point, been thinking that I would bring some of my stuff from the flat as well. Six months later I had forgotten this part and when […]
Today Peter took a day off. Instead of having all the days off from work during the summer he will take days off when we want to do things. We drove down to Anna Maria Island which is about an hour away from us. We saw parts of the island, beaches and had lunch as […]
Friday morning we met with the other Swedes at Ballast Point Park to see the sunrise and have breakfast. Peter and I took the bikes as it’s only 4 minutes away from the house. The pier was full of people fishing.
I went to Hyde Park Village this morning for some coffee with other spouses. Rain was hanging around but not more than some drops. I had to leave early as I had a board meeting at lunch time with Rödebygymnasterna. That went well even if our internet is not very good. In the evening we […]
Now I’ve been here for 3 months but not seen the gulf or the beaches at Clearwater. We’ve been around the bay but not the other side of the peninsula between the bay and the gulf. We didn’t bring chairs or bathing suits as we thought it might be crowded as it was Labour weekend. […]
Today we wanted to go to Ybor City and the Cuban Sandwich Festival. We found a parking lot next to 7th Street and found it a bit strange it being empty. Half way down the street I asked Peter if he knew where it was happening as there was few people and no music. Then […]
Peter and I explored a new place today that is located about 30 min drive north of us. You entered the area and could then choose several different parking places within the area. From the parking you could walk on tarmac or nature trails and even a boardwalk through the marshes which was neat. The […]
Today Peter and I went to St Petersburg for a few hours. We only saw a small part but took a walk at The Pier which was lovely.
Last week we didn’t do anything special. I spent my days in the pool reading as I was alone most of the time. Peter has been working since last Sunday, early mornings to late evenings and I’m sure you know why. Seems like we will have nice weather next week as well. At least warm […]
Now I have been in Tampa for a whole month but it feels like I left Sweden a long time ago. Life if fairly slow in Florida as we are under new restrictions or rather old one had to be enforced again as people don’t follow them and doesn’t get vaccinated as well. Here they […]
Today I was invited to a welcome lunch by the neighbouring ladies. We went to Salt Shack by the Bay where the setting is wonderful, outside seating and lovely food. After soaking in the pool for a while we decided to go downtown and take a walk along the Riverwalk. At the end of it […]
Today we took a longer drive going around the Hillborough Bay and down to Mantee to cross the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. We stopped at the Manatee County Rest area to take a look at the bay and the bridge. Peter and I with the bridge in the background. The bridge was built in 1987 and […]
I’ve now been here for 17 days but it feels longer. We have had some rain but the weekend have been dry and warm so far. The other day we went for an ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery where they mix the flavours while you watch – very tasty. I had Banana Caramel Crunch […]
On Sunday we went east to see some alligators. At Circle B Bar Reserve by Lake Hancock you can walk the trails and you will come across alligators. The trail were you’re most likely to see them was closed today due to them nesting. You’re not recommended to come between an alligator mama and her […]
Today we went to Ybor City (pronounced Eebor) which is located northeast of downtown Tampa. We were lucky to have some clouds while walking down 7th Street but it was still HOT!!! Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District and founded by Vicente Martinez-Ybor in the 1880s. He along several other cigar manufacturers as […]
Today I went to my first coffee morning with the other spouses. It was the first in a long time apparently as the last one they had was in March last year a couple of days before the base went in lockdown as well as rest of Tampa. The afternoon was spent in the pool […]
Yeah, today I took the car and went shopping myself. I found my way there and back but not like Peter showed me 🤪 I was so focused on finding the way avoiding the larger street that I missed it and had to take the larger road. Was easy going there but coming back I […]
Now Peter and I have started our next adventure in Tampa. Peter actually arrived already in February. He was home for two weeks to see family and friends and we travelled back together. The flight between Copenhagen and Washington was long and boring but on time and went smoothly. We had a few hours at […]
We have now been here for 3,5 years or rather 1333 days, we have been travelling to Wales, Scotland, Cornwall as well as other places in England. All together we have made about 440 outings while we’ve been here, met a lot of people and gained new friends. We have enjoyed being here and would […]
Our last outing in UK before heading back to Sweden, Buckingham Palace is only open during the summer when the Queen is not living there. The palace was called Buckingham House when it was built in 1761 by George III for his wife Queen Charlotte. In 1826, it was changed into a palace and Queen […]
Today the girls and I had a day at Natural History Museum, Science Museum and V&A Museum. Peter was also supposed to come along but as we are moving in a few days he was fitting the car roof box yesterday and saw that the fittings don’t match the roof rack…. Well he didn’t look […]
Today I had booked a visit to the Battle of Britain bunker in Uxbridge for Peter, some colleagues and friends. The only reason this bunker has been preserved is because it was still used up until 1974 when it was closed but someone was clever enough to suggest it would be kept as a memory […]
After been to the Middle Temple Hall and seen the impressing hall, where they serve lunch every day for members and guests, we decided to go there for lunch. It was a three-course lunch and a salad buffet as well – today they served pumpkin soup or pea soup as a starter, for the main […]
Today I visited the Spencer house. From its conception Spencer House was recognised as one of the most ambitious and splendid private palaces ever built in London and is today the city’s only great eighteenth-century house to survive intact. They started building it 1756 and was done by 1766, the 1st Earl of Spencer ordered […]
Today I was at the V&A Museum and got a guided tour through the British Galleries.
Evelina, Helen, Henke and Hampus flew with me back to London after I had helped my parents. We have had a few fantastic days together again and now they have returned to Sweden.
Went 10 days to Sweden and helped my parents to pack as they are moving out of their house and into a flat. Found a lot of things I thought were gone a long time ago.
Today I visited Ben Franklin house, where Benjamin Franklin lived between 1757 and 1775. While lodging at 36 Craven Street, Franklin’s main occupation was mediating unrest between Britain and America, but he also served as Deputy Postmaster for the Colonies; pursued his love of science (exploring bifocal spectacles, the energy-saving Franklin stove); explored health (inoculation, […]
Today I visited Middle Temple Hall which is one of the four ancient Inns of Court. Inns of Court are the professional associations for barristers (lawyers) in England and Wales. All barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional […]
Again we went to NHQ mess for the Burn’s Night where we had a three-dinner-course with haggis as a middle course. A fun evening in good company again!
Today Peter and I went on a guided tour at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Whitechapel Bell Foundry, known to be established in 1570, is the oldest manufacturing company in the UK. Bells of all sorts and sizes are manufactured, ranging from large church bells to musical hand bells, ship’s bells, level crossing warning bells, […]
We went to visit the Poppy Factory in Richmond who supports ex-servicemen/women who has been injured or disabled in war. They get help to find a new career and some of them work in the factory but they do help a lot more. It’s a charity and has been around since 1922 when they started […]
Tonight I gathered my friends for another guided pub tour – as always a fantastic evening. Thanks for coming!
This year we didn’t stay in Northwood to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve but went to northern Sweden to go skiing with Peter’s side of the family. His parents as well as his sister with her family had all driven to Björnrike to ski and celebrate Christmas. The weather was lovely and even if […]
I had a nice walk in a Christmassy London today.
After my English class today, I joined the tour at Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue. Very interesting!
We had a wonderful time at the Winter Ball at the NHQ. The girls thought the best was the chocolate fountain =)
I was on a tour today that was all about Sir Richard Whittington who was an merchant and politician during the latter part of the medieval time. He is also the real-life inspiration for the English folk tale Dick Whittington and his cat, which has very little to do with the real Whittington as he […]
Tonight, Peter and I was invited to the Finnish Ambassador’s residence here in London for some Christmas drinks and nibbles together with other defense attachés. A nice evening with nice people.
It was time again for celebrating St Lucia together with other militaries stationed here in London. The department of Defense at the embassy arrange it every year and it’s really appreciated by everyone that are invited. The Lucia train consist of the middle school students at the Swedish school in London, they come and sing […]
When Peter was in Sudan he worked with a British officer (among others) and last time we were in Edinburgh we had dinner together. Peter has also met him in London when he’s been here. We were invited to his birthday party at Craigiehall, outside Edinburgh, together with a large group of whom we had […]
Today I went on a tour to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir here in London. No passports were needed to go to India for a few hours. “The whole world is one nest” – Atharva Veda “We are the birds of the same nest. We may wear different skins, We may speak in different tongues, We […]
For some time, the NAWC ladies have asked if it would be possible to have a guided tour at the base. Many of the ladies have lived nearby for years and years but know nothing about it or have never been there. For us who can go there anytime it’s nothing special, there’s a coffee […]
Been to the new Northwood School where Felicia go, Emelie only attended the old one. The school is well planned with every department having their needs met. Especially the science floor – my fellow teachers in Sweden teaching science would love this.
I went with some friends to see Queen Elizabeth’s fashion over the years. The exhibition was held in 3 places but we chose to go to Windsor.
My exploring took me today to Fleet Street and Middle Temple.
We were invited to the German ship FGS Karlsruhe who was visiting London. It was moored outside HMS Belfast in River Thames, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. We had a lovely evening with a lot of food and company. It was the ships last visit to London before being decommissioned next year (2017). Picture […]
Remember remember the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder, treason Should ever be forgot… On the 5 of November England is still celebrating/remembering what happened in 1605 when Guy Fawkes was caught guarding gunpowder that was placed under the House of Lords. He was part in a plot […]
Kings Cross has been an area for a long time where people only went if they had to, it was a red-light district. The city decided to claim the area back when the Eurostar started to operate out of Kings Cross station. Even if this started already in the 90s they are still building and […]
My cousin’s son and his girlfriend came to visit. I picked them up at the airport and when they walked out my first thought was that they missed getting their luggage as they had no bags. But they had forgotten to book bags for going to London, luckily, they had it booked for going home. […]
Tonight, we were invited to the Finnish defense attaché and his wife for dinner with the other Nordic and Baltic attachés and their wives. The hostess had together with the chef put together a lovely dinner with food from all the countries – Finland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Norway and Sweden. The food was delicious and […]
As mum and dad have now sold their house and is going to move beginning of next year they decided to come visit before all the packing and then unpacking. We had a few lovely days together where we did mostly spend it together but also got to do some outings. Took them to Sky […]
Together with some other Swedish friends we went to Bombay Sapphire Distillery for a guided tour. First part was with audio guide but then the last part inside the distillery it was by a lady who gave us the insight of how to make gin. A part of the tour was to smell a range […]
Today I went on a tour in the Bloomsbury area with my women’s club. The clockmaster that invented the chronometer that allowed sailors to navigate more accurate. Outside the site where Rossetti, Morris and Burne-Jones lived in 1851 She was an English crime writer as well as a poet and translator Thomas Coram was a […]
Today we went to Harefield and the Anzac Cemetery. The hospital in Harefield, Harefield Park was during world war l used as an Australian military hospital. Those who died there were buried with military honors in the graveyard of St Mary’s Church. Being there we met a man from Australia who asked Peter to take […]
Today I went to London for a guided tour about the women of WW1. Many worked for the first time and still didn’t have any rights. Strong women that carried the country through tough times. This lady was killed by the Germans for treason – she helped a lot of soldiers to escape from Belgium […]
A group of friends came to visit, as they were so many they stayed in a hotel in London. We didn’t do a lot of sightseeing as everyone have been here before but we did spend the time together walking around, talking, laughing and just enjoying. We had Afternoon Tea, ate at Sartori, Carluccio’s and […]
Manchester United with Zlatan visited Watford. Of course Peter and Felicia was there almost secretively cheering for Zlatan from the most devouted Watford stand. Surpisingly Watford crushed United. It was great to see him on the pitch though.
We went to see the musical Motown which was arranged from the base. We took Jesper with us and I hope he enjoyed it. The girls and I liked it even if there was a lot of music that was new to us. We liked the story, the singers and actors as well as the […]
In Swedish schools the students do work experience when they are 15 and 16 years old, for the 16-years-olds it’s two weeks during the fall. The son of our friends asked if he could stay with us and do his work experience in London, he was going to work at the Swedish store Totally Swedish. […]