hey guys. here we are, another week past and deeper into october + autumn (up here in my part of the world). the nights have been clear + cold… we’re talking below freezing in the mornings. which means, that i’ve turned the radiator up for the first time in about 6 months and we’ve changed the inside of our duvet from our summer covers to our warm + cozy down covers.
and i looooove it.
the skies have been brilliant. the trees, breathtaking. and the nights at home, cozy. i’m seriously nesting now. planning some cozy soups + chili. and have just come across a fantastic apple cider recipe that i am planning to make very, very soon. you know, to take the chill off.
which reminds me, i’m thinking about adding a few recipes here + there to my blog. i’ve never really done that before, and i think that autumn is the perfect time to begin to share a few of my favorites. just in case you’re interested in making some of the things i make.
i haven’t really been going out much lately. and that feels pretty ok. but, i still crave the relaxing, fun opportunity to eat out whenever possible. it’s just so damn expensive here in sweden. anyway, i had a cozy little date with my dear friend micke the other night. we live close to each other, so it’s easy to be spontaneous. we needed to catch up, it felt like it’d been forever. but, it’d only been about 2 weeks. anyway, we sat and chatted for a bit. and i got to hear all about his upcoming trip to the states – hell yeah, i’m jealous. i’m really excited for him, though. he’ll be visiting san francisco and i think he’s gonna love it!
the weekend approached, and my love and i had some plans to venture out together and enjoy two days in the capital city of stockholm. and we did just that. buuuut, it didn’t go exactly as planned. it was, in fact, a crazy roller coaster ride, with wonderful, beautiful highs and tough, scary lows.
after arriving at our hotel friday night, we got all fancied up and headed to our sister-in-law’s sister’s home in östermalm, the fanciest, richest part of stockholm. we were invited to her 40th dinner party celebration. and it was so much fun. good food. amazing people. and a chance to experience something new. the guests were all diplomats, ambassadors, lawyers, etc. pretty important people with pretty important jobs. all with crazy, fun international life stories. i had so much fun sipping wine + chatting it up with many of them.
i guess, lina and i fit right in with our crazy, wonderful international love story as well. hehe. it was a really great night, and we crashed in our hotel room about 2:30 am.
saturday morning things took a turn for the worse. lina woke up very very sick. and not from over-drinking, mind you. it was so bad that i ended up running around a bit, gathering some meds and such, while lina remained almost passed out in the bed. i begged the hotel to let us extend our stay for as long as possible. and of course, we canceled all of the things that we had planned during the day.
in any case, time passed. lina rested and got some liquids in her and we were able to make it to the concert that we had planned for saturday night in stockholm. we both knew that the concert would take lina to her happy place, as it was all about musicals. our two favorite swedish artists/performers were putting on the show, with a few guest artists as well. it was 4 hours of pure musical magic. seriously, people, i thought i might levitate off of my chair because i was so touched, moved, inspired, excited, happy, etc.
it was absolutely amazing. and to see the smiles and tears on my love’s face… priceless.
so, there you have it, friends. a fairly weird week actually. i was exhausted from my previous weekend’s life coaching course. and i felt a bit off of my game after returning home – unable to meditate deeply all week long (which seems to have continued into today). i felt as if i was just going through the motions of life. in a fog. but it was ok. i was tired of reflecting and thinking. somehow i needed to decompress. and i didn’t exactly feel connected to myself in some ways. and then the weekend was crazy weird.
but, in the midst of it all, i found peace and calm in living in the present moment. in enjoying the simple things at home and in gazing at all of the autumn beauty around me. i just kind of decided to go with the flow.
the thing that really inspired me last week (other than the music from the concert and a video blog with my love) was the early morning sky. something i wrote about in a post, and something that i intend to feature tomorrow in a post as well.
those early mornings that i stood by my window may have been the most grounding moments of my week actually.
what this week will bring, i just don’t know. and i still don’t feel very inspired to be honest with you. it’s just a bunch of crazy energy swirling about me right now it feels like. but, it is what it is. and i am where i am. i don’t really feel sad, or hopeless, or upset, or stuck, or depressed, or tired. i just am. and perhaps that is perfectly ok. it’s almost as if i have reached some sort of plateau, a goal, and i have just needed a little breather. a chance to slow down a bit after all of the changes in life.
in any case, here we are. it’s monday again. and a new week is upon us. there is much that i want to do. much that i feel like i need to do. so, it’s time to dig deep and get moving. time to set some more goals and create some intentions.
sending you lots of love and light, and wishing for you a beautiful week filled with moments of peace and joy. (can you feel my blah energy?! i just felt it as i reread + edited this post. not to worry though. it’s not bad energy. and i’m not feeling bad, just disconnected i suppose.).
anyways… how are you all feeling out there?!
I absolutely know that feeling of disconnection. I also find it difficult transitioning from the build up and excitement of reaching a goal or starting a new project to now “just” doing it. I get more involved with the planning and the possibilities when starting or before starting something and it’s not until it’s become incorporated that I think I actually start becoming involved with the actual thing- which leaves me feeling a bit disconnected because the relationship with it is different. What I tend not to do though is recognize or accept it as a plateau and take a breather, and this is soooooo important. But throw in some unpredictable life stuff and it feels downright crazy. I hope your grounding returns as you move through your week and that Lina makes a full recovery from this weekend. Sending love and peace your way. xoxo
p.s. Now that I’m in a bit of a routine myself which includes consistent access to Internet (at least for another week or so anyway), I love reading your posts while eating breakfast in the morning – it sets a wonderful tone for the day and always provokes some thoughtful moments. Thank you!!!
You totally nailed it, Meghan. We are two peas in a pod. I may have realized the plateau, but I am not so great at being in the holding pattern. I feel some guilt around it in some way. But I am trying to remind myself that this is where I am supposed to be. Hence, writing blog posts. 🙂 I think it’s so fun that you read my posts in the morning – and I’m so thankful to know that we are connected through the blogs! xoxo
I’m impressed with how positive and strong you stay in the middle of all of the changes and I am over here in Michigan rooting for Lina and sending both of you strength. <3 <3 <3
Well, we can feel all of your awesome vibes all the way over here. So, thank you so very much! I suppose my positivity is something that I was born with, but it is also a conscious choice. It doesn’t take away the tough times, but it is a literal decision that I make, if not every day, then sometimes every hour. To dig deep. And trust. Sending you love and peace, girl!
You have described this feeling of disconnect and ‘blah’ beautifully! I’m just at the tailend of one of those moods (almost out of it!), and looking back at it your post resonates powerfully with me.
It will pass for you as well, because it always does. I guess our bodies and souls need this once in a while, not to do, but to just be. Once they are ready for more, you will feel energized again.
Beautiful post, and stunning photos!
It always does. These seasons they come and go, don’t they? Thanks for reading – and I am so glad that the post resonated with you. Feels amazing to know that someone gets what I’m saying. 😉 Wishing you a wonderful week, Miriam!
Lots of love and caring thoughts to both of you, may this week be amazing and every week after be more amazing than the previous one. 😀
I love this blessing that you’ve shared with us. I/we are wishing the exact same amazingness right back to you, lovely Aura.
I know exactly what you mean. We’ve just got back from our holiday and I’m struggling to get some kind of routine together. I’m in a bit of a fuz! Hopefully it’s all part of a much needed reset. Wishing you a lovely week and much love xx
A reset it is, Dayna! What a good word! Wishing you some balance and peace as you resettle back into life after your holiday. Sending lots of love to you. xoxo
Hey Liz, goodness, I hope Lina was doing a lot better on Saturday – sorry to hear she was so unwell! I’m glad the musicals touched you to a happier place!
That stagnant odd feeling just happens some weeks doesn’t it. It’s not a bad thing, just sometimes we go through the motions rather than more.
June and into July I was seriously in a fog, but I didn’t realise it properly. The weather was fairly shit (even for a UK summer!) and post wedding blues / post honeymoon blues had happened without me even realising! But now, thank goodness they’ve long gone!!
I hope you have a great week ahead – less fog 😉
PS> have you been to San Fran? I’m turning 30 next year and basically San Fran is well up there on my travel list (there’s lots of places but San Fran has always been up there!!) and I’m thinking me and Gem may go California road-tripping????
Hello, friend.
It was a tough, tough day on Saturday. But, Lina is doing better. Not great, but ok. She’s fighting through. And, the musicals, I’d say are the one thing that have lifted her spirits – other than the support she is receiving from friends + bloggers, which I know is touching her so deeply.
You’re right. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just not fun, right? After planning and expecting and working so hard to get to something, we always seem to crash, don’t we? It’s like the post-Christmas blues (for me at least). That feeling of, what next? I know that this too shall pass.
I sure do hope that you and the Mrs. are doing well and starting to feel all cozy and snuggly. I know how you love nesting and such. 🙂
I have been to San Fran and it is wonderful! And to road trip in CA… I would wholeheartedly recommend it!! I think that you would totally love SF and seeing the sights of CA by car!
Thank you, as always, for all of your love and support. xoxo