Border

Sweden has tightened border controls as they have taken an proportionally high amount of refugees compared to other EU countries. Now they are going to tighten border controls temporarily.

Under the usual Swedish immigration policy all of the people who are granted asylum are given permanent residency.  Now temporary residence permits will be given to only the minimum number of refugees that Sweden is obliged to help under EU and UN conventions. 

Also there will be strict ID checks in and out of Sweden.  I guess it will harder to enter the country by train.  Hyllie is the first train stop after Copenhagen over the bridge that spans the waters between Denmark and Sweden, and that is how we typically enter the country from Kastrup Airport.  Here's a picture showing the first ever train check!

Per Reuters: "Until Thursday, the half-hour ride over the Oresund Bridge separating Denmark and Sweden had no checks, under the European union's border-free Schengen agreement."

Read more at Reuters.

Some say that this is an end to an ongoing open policy but I remember having border controls when we ferried across the Oresund channel instead taking the train.  They would check our passport and our luggage.  Personally I thought it seemed pretty naïve to take all the controls away, allowing drugs, prostitution and guns to flow into the country more easily, but that was EU's agreement. 

I don't believe that bringing back temporary border control is necessarily bad, we just don't want to ostracize the refugees who are entitled to enter.  The way Sweden is coaching this is "migration control" allowing us to provide for the refugees with beds and other necessities.

Sweden has been very generous taking in more Syrian refugees per population than any other country in Europe.  Now it might be time for others to step up to the plate.  What do you think?

Read more here: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/sweden-introduces-tighter-border-controls/

Happy Thanksgiving! And movies and kings and baths

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared is a funny movie.  Allan Karlsson just leaves the old people's home on his 100th birthday and if off on the lam!  Things just happen as it seems they did throughout his long and eventful life.  A suitcase full of money provides the glue that binds a cast of characters into place and they are an unusual group.  

It's rated R but mainly for language. I think older kids could watch and enjoy it, they may even brush off some history facts while doing so.  I read the book too but actually liked the movie better, and how many times can we say that?  I enjoyed seeing summer shots of Småland as well as hearing the spoken Swedish, and the story is a hoot.  Maybe a fun movie to watch over Thanksgiving holiday?

Also trying keep a straight face when I read how the King of Sweden denounced baths, but it's true, they do use a lot more energy!  He also uses a hybrid car now and said recently: 

"‘We do what we can here at the palace. It’s an ongoing project trying to save energy, but it isn’t easy in an old property,"  

Yeah, yeah I know you are so not sad for King Carl Gustaf of Sweden and his large drafty palace.  But did you know he actually attended the first environmental conference in Stockholm in 1972 and is due to attend UN climate change talks in Paris on 11/30?  And for those nut jobs who wrote into the Daily Mail with their comments, please note that he didn't say he was doing away with showering!  Jeesh!  I do like this comment though 'cause it's just silly: "That man is crazier than a bag of squirrels".  Huh?  Cut the king some slack.  

By the way, me thinks I should have been royalty.  Do you agree? (Pic taken at the Theater Hall of Fame in NYC.) Ha, Ha! 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3329759/King-Sweden-calls-ban-BATHS-admits-ashamed-run-one.html#ixzz3sPwuPqQP Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Start2Art

So we all know what happened when I tried to make something every day ... (clearing of throat)... not so successful.  But you'll be happy to know that I have cleared my plate to paint!  This means that I have actually been scheduling time in my downstairs dungeon, I mean studio, and there's some success. Time + effort = results!  Who knew? ;)  Start2Art is my new mantra, and business idea too.

Let's just get going and create.  My life is art and I want to make it my way.  I love education, and kids and art so putting them all together makes sense.  I realize that people don't know about my artistic skills because I purposely put them under a bushel (skipping the scrutiny of something I care so deeply about) but it's time.  This little painting is going to the NAA for their holiday show.  I have another painting underway and a small one that I did outside so the wheels are turning.

Having a hard time scheduling creativity into your life? This gadget, the make time clock, is supposed to help.   It's almost fully funded on Kickstarter which leads me to believe that there are a lot of other people out there who feel the need to be creative and just need to get going.  Here's their pitch, I like it.  Do you?
A beautiful device to inspire passion projects despite everyday life. Learn to harness your creative rhythm.

And by the way, don't forget this little gem (and here I am speaking to myself again as well as others).  You aren't helping anyone by being too busy, especially yourself.

Zweden!

Sweden to EM!  Zlatan is king!  (photo from internet)

Sorry Denmark, Sweden will be moving on the 2016 European soccer championship.  As they say Zweden!  Read more here about the line-up and the games which will be next June in France!

Grandma Britta

Heading to New York City this weekend and I am so excited!!  Of course lots of my thoughts swirl around the eternal question -- what am I going to wear?  My mother reminded me that Gudrun Sjöden has a shop in SOHO at 50 Greene St.  I will definitely try to go there.  It's funny when I clicked over to their site I found this page on Grandma Britta.  We too had a Grandma Britta, or Mormor as we called her (which means Mother's Mother) and she was a fashion inspiration as well!

But her style had nothing in similar with Ms. Sjödens eco-concious, hippy feeling prints and big sweeping styles.  My grandmother wore tailored suits, turbans, and leopard print.  She had a raincoat lined with fur (cheetah I think) and loved polyester pants for their practicality.  She always wore diamond studs and loved to show off her gams, which everyone agreed were her best asset.  Well I didn't inherit her legs sadly but I did get her love of fashion.

My mother inherited her fur and handmade dolls which are hysterically funny. Britta had a great sense of humour and loved to entertain.  Her dolls, which were basically puppets on sticks were fashioned from left-over fabric and bits and bobs, like maybe one earring, some lace, etc.  Maybe my mother will send me a picture so I can show you their faces.  The poor guy with the snaggle tooth always made me laugh!

Mormor loved to crochet so we typically got a beret from Christmas, a hundred krone note, and something else from their local outdoor market in Spain.  It could be been a pack of underpants or a leather belt.  You never knew but you knew Mormor haggled for it.  I loved that woman, vilken "krut gumma"!  (Power lady.)  I miss her.

So anyway I digress, it's off to NY I go and I will pack my sundries later today.  I need to bring something fancy so we'll see what the wardrobe holds... maybe a turban and some leopard print pants will do? ;-)  Look forward to seeing my sister and father in the Big Apple!

Balmain line at H&M

H&M, the Swedish super store, has unveiled and sold out of their new Balmain inspired line.  Read more here if you wish on the pieces and their prices (which are quite high for H&M) at Forbes . Good thing I'm not in need of a red tipped faux fur or a rhinestone bedecked dress.  All I can say when I see this line is "Is it the '80's again?"  All you need are some serious shoulder pads and we're in the 'Hot Tub Time Machine'.  (I trust you know that's a movie where they go back to the 80's. )

And I'm sorry but just 'cause you have Gigi Hadid and Kylie Jenner does not mean your ad campaign rocks.  As Tim Gunn said, she could be very nice but she's "tainted by the Kardasian aura of yucky".  (Tim Gunn slams Kardasians etc.)

Here's a young Swedish lady who can rock anything but even on her Balmain looks frumpy.  Sorry Kensas!  You are beautiful but not loving the look.  See http://www.kenzas.se/ for more about this Stockholm fashion blogger.  So bottom-line, Balmain at H&M strikes out in my book, but Hot Tub Time Machine now that's a funny movie. :)

IKEA The Other Letter

As I start my XMAS shopping here's a good reminder. It's an ad from Spain that someone translated and put on Facebook.  Be forewarned though, you'll need a tissue nearby!  It's a great message.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend spending time with your loved ones.

Happy Day of the Dead

A fascinating holiday don't you think?  The thought that our loved ones come home to eat and drink and be with us for one night a year.  I am intrigued by it and decided to use the day to tell my children stories about their great grandparents.  Oh and it made for a good Halloween costume too.  Happy belated Halloween!  May your candy last and last :)  Here is a link to a post from last year's Day of the Dead and its altar http://livinglavidalagom.blogspot.com/2014/11/day-of-doda-dead.html