We have reached the end of 2011...
It has gone incredible quick.
But year is over and to finish it off the last days of the year will be a great representation of as well as a great end to the year.
A quick tour of England, from east (London) to the north (Hull) to the west (Bath) in 5 days including a wedding on New Year Eve.
All the best for 2012!
See you on the flip side.
Teddy got to stay in HK for X-mas.
And although both I and Ant missed him heaps, I don't think he missed us just as much...
He was busy playing with his new toy the ginger man and his girlfriend Ruby...
After a couple of hectic days before X-mas the peace and quiet and all yummy food that Christmas to me these days are all about finally arrived.
And so did Santa!
And believe it or not, but yet again I had been a good girl...
Ant got to meet our special Santa for the first time and he was most excited, just couldn't stop smiling :)
The Christmas spirit is slowly getting a hold of me this year.
Too much work to really feel it, but my home is looking a little Christmas like and we've got a new family member - Harry the reindeer.
I saw Harry in a window and it was love at first sight, so I made sure he got to share his life with us. (Teddy felt a little jealous at first, but Harry and Teddy are now friends...) 
Also after singing Christmas carols twice in one day with white gowns on the spirit grabbed hold of me a little tighter. (Always fun to see the reactions of all outsiders that have no idea of what Lucia is when we walk down the streets in HK!)
So sorry guys, have been MIA for almost a month...
Since I got back from my travels I have been completely snowed under in work. Not only did I have to do the normal catch up game after my days out of the office, we are also in peak season plus that we are working towards a IT deadline that is coming closer and closer by the minute. So I've have worked from 09.00 until 01.30 more or less everyday since I got back, with exception for the weekends when I have only worked a couple of hours every day...
Hence the real world has had to take priority over the blog world.
I have however done a couple of long walks during the weekends to clear my head, and the photo above is from 2 weekends ago when Teddy and I climbed up the second highest mountain in HK. Stunning views and fresh winds.
Flight from Stockholm got delayed and that resulted in my connecting flight back to HK leaving Zurich without me. Hence me spending a day in Zurich.
Would rather have stayed one more night in Sweden or actually made it to HK, however at least I've had a nice walk along the lake with the sun in my face and fresh air in my lungs.
Back in Stockholm again.
With hat, gloves and warm jacket on - it was only +3 degrees this morning... brrrr.
Good to be home though!
I now have 2 intense work days ahead of me, and am happy that I've had 3 days of leisure before this.
Leisure as in long nice sleeps, meeting up with friends and spending time with family but also doing something I've never done before - trying on wedding dresses!! Very exciting.
Time for bed - over and out.
I was more or less kidnapped and taken to a surprise lunch by the girls yesterday.
There I was thinking I was going to help my friend Katie with a fight promotion thing.... But I was sooooo wrong.
I was taken to a belated birthday champagne lunch instead!
Ate so much we more or less rolled out of there.
I am so blessed to have such amazing friends.
LOVE
Friday night I got to meet my favorite Swedish "pop-star" since 20 years - Eric Gadd. And not only that - I got to introduce him before his performance and declare my love for him in front of 200 people!
Still marrying Ant though if anyone wondered... :)
I have just spent a lovely relaxing weekend with Ant and a great view.
More of weekends like this please!
My little Teddy bear turns 1 today.
We celebrate this with a new fun toy and some yummy treats and lots and lots of cuddles of course!
Antony managed to get free tickets to the opening night of STOMP.
and just like last time I saw them in London the guys put on an amazing performance!
STOMP's performers can definitely make a rhythm out of anything they can get their hands on that makes a sound. Stiff-bristle brooms become a sweeping orchestra. Zippo lighters flip open and closed to create a fiery fugue. Wooden poles thump and clack in a rhythmic explosion. STOMP uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – trash cans, tea chests, plastic bags, plungers, boots and hubcaps - to fill the stage with compelling and infectious rhythms.
Big thumbs up for sure!
Ever since I moved to HK there has been a homeless man living next to this market.
I used to live right opposite this market so the homeless man is a person I used to see every day.
At times we have given him clothes and also a big duvet to keep warm during those cold night in winter.
The other day I found out that he had passed away.
Sad.
After months and months of hot and sticky weather it gets quite surprising when you all of a sudden need to dig out a jumper/cardigan.
Surprising - but also quite nice.
The air feels fresher and no more clothes that stick to you as soon as you walk out the door.
Give it another month and I'll be digging out my duvet as well from its resting place.
I had 5 days in Stockholm and I loved it.
Even though I had to work, even though I was sick.
I still got to see my beautiful home, I got to meet up with my family and my "bestest" friends and I had good meetings with old familiar faces at work plus that I went and saw the wedding venue.
Mission accomplished.
Short and sweet - hope to see you soon again...
Dad turned 70 a few weeks ago.
To celebrate his birthday in style we decided that a trip to Singapore was the way to go!
I met up my dad at the airport and there after the sight seeing started.
Dad also got to experience proper heat, Singapore Slings, fish eating his feat and
F1!
The world also proved to be a very small place and my dear friend Tiina stayed at the same hotel as us, so we got to spend some time with her as well!
The jet lag journey has begun - Singapore/Sweden/UK in less than 2 weeks time.
22/9 - Singapore - where we will have a client event at the Grad Prix, plus that I'm meeting up with dad (!)as well as regional management meeting.
Thereafter, 28/9, I’m arriving in Sweden for work, celebrate my birthday with my family and hopefully meet up as many of my friends as possible. Also need to do some wedding planning at a few venues.
And my final stop is UK, for a wee bit more work.
Will be back in HK again on October 5.
Tiring, but will be good!
Over night it was all of a sudden autumn in HK.
Still warm (t-shirt weather) but not scorching hot.
There is a cool breeze outside and no need for air con inside.
We will be able to start having breakfast on the roof top again during the weekends, yay.
Fall I welcome you.
Got a big beautiful fruit basket from one of my suppliers.
So nice and so good to have healthy snacks an arm length away. Very enjoyable indeed.
Other members of the family thought thought the decorative bow that was placed on the basket when we got it was more enjoyable than the fruit....
I'm attending a Dangerous Goods course this week.
Who would have thought that a normal ping pong ball would be regarded as a dangerous good. Now I know...
I found a to me hidden jewel the other day.
The China Tee Club.
A calm relaxing oasis, away from the bustling streets of Hong Kong.
In one of Hong Kong's few remaining beautiful examples of early 1930's Colonial architecture.
When you walk in there you get swept into an atmosphere that transports you to another era.
Love.
but a very short love, since they have to close down due to a big American clothes chain that is over taking loads of space in this beautiful old building...
If you snooze you loose I guess...
However I am slightly wondering if the Americans will keep the tiles on the floor, if not I will be standing outside ready to collect them as they start to renovate and throw the old interior away!
Yesterday I was told that if HK was a factory it would get shut down!!
Why? Because the air pollution is so very high at the moment that 20% of HK's population should not be outside, and if that was the facts in a factory it would be shut down.
What am I doing tonight? Taking the dogs for a walk whilst breathing in some beautiful HK air... Nice... NOT!
When the heaven all of a sudden decides to open on a Saturday afternoon and the rain is pouring down it is pretty nice to sit around a table with 13 girls talking about this and that whilst filling the stomachs with lovely and yummy sandwiches, scones and cakes.
To be absolutely honest - it is probably one of the most brilliant ideas ever...
:)
A Japanese lunch on a Friday with the team is a rare occurrence (we usually do lunch by our desks...)but not a bad way of starting the weekend with...
Tug of war is a sport that directly pits two teams, or in this case two dogs, against each other in a test of strength....
We've had an other weekend with beautiful weather.
A wonderful sun made sure that we didn't get cold when we went for a swim in the rock pools.
Our visitor, Gemma, got to see HK from it's best side - both the stunning country side and the beautiful waterfront of HK island, and so did the three dogs.
They have had so much fun playing in the water, running along the beach and jumping in the grass. The grown ups have had a very enjoyable weekend as well.
I'm prepared for yet another busy week at work.
Friday again, yay.
And time for another mini holiday in Sai Kung, yay.
This time with 3 dogs in tow and also one of Ants friends from home.
A lazy day in the sun tomorrow, and also a hike is on the schedule.
Encore. I like it.
Pics to follow.
Have a good weekend all!
A weekend out in Sai Kung feels like a mini holiday.
We've chilled, talked, walked and eaten good food (both home cooked and at restaurant) together with friends.
A smaller hike up to some rock pools was included as well.
Good times for both the grown ups and the dogs.
Two glasses of champagne at lunch is definitely the way to go!
Bye bye you long week of work. Hello weekend!
Just need to finish a few more things in the office first...
And sip some more tea to sober up...
We were meant to spend our weekend in the money driven Macau, but instead we have decided on going to Sai Kung, where we will be house sitting and dog sitting Teddy's girlfriend Ruby whilst chilling out completely.
Sai Kung is just lovely, a dream really out there just by the sea. Quiet and green, with local fishermen offering their merchandise right from the sea returning boats. The whole pier becomes a fresh market. Really can't wait to get out there early Saturday morning! And I know that Teddy will absolutely love this weekend of endless playing.
Macau has simply been postponed to October...
