Wow.  My last post was in August 2017?!  That’s crazy.  It’s also crazy that we’ve been back to Stockholm since then.  We had our second visit to Stockholm in May 2019.  I guess when we visited Scandinavia in 2017 I thought it was a once in a lifetime trip and we wouldn’t return.  It was once in a lifetime in that it was an incredible opportunity to be with all of Dave’s immediate family.  But it turns out, I can travel, even though it involves a lot of anxiety.  So anyway, yes, it has been a very long time since I’ve posted to this blog, and we enjoyed another trip to Stockholm (where I bought another pair of Swedish Hasbeens and both of these pairs of clogs are some of my favorite party shoes), and we visited Helsinki on that trip and fell hard for it.  Design is everywhere in Helsinki and we loved that city.   I saw my first opera there, explored the design district, had lunch by myself, did a 5 hour walking tour, and loved it.  Really loved it.

So, what’s new?  Welp.  There is this pandemic thing happening.  And that is really scary.  And social distancing.  And working from home.  And here’s the thing, I am scared, and I get anxious when I watch or read the news.  So I decided to limit my exposure.  Is that a luxury?  Absolutely.  I also realize that I am incredibly lucky that I can work from home.  And that I am going to continue to get paid.  And that I don’t have kids to entertain and educate and worry about.  I am worried about small businesses.  Very worried.  And I can only buy so many gift cards and order for delivery.  I hope that there is a funding process to keep our small businesses alive and well during this whole thing.  But even though I am stressed about the current situation, I am tapping into all I learned from the Scandinavian countries we visited: hygge (Danish), sisu (Finnish), lagom (Swedish) and koselig (Norwegian).  Basically be resilient, make the best of it and enjoy being cozy at home.  I did my yoga video this morning in candlelight.  And if you can get a candle with a wooden wick I highly recommend it.  It sounds like a crackling fire!  I turned on the fairy lights in my fireplace.  I put fresh sheets on the bed so it is a treat to go to sleep at the end of the day.  I ordered some treats from local small businesses to make it feel special and like a celebration.   I am still scared.  And I wish I could see my friends and family in person, but I love my home and I am grateful to be here.  And, it gave me time to post here, 2.5 years later!  So silver linings everywhere you look.  Stay healthy!