Last few days of 2016

2016

So 2016 is almost over and I'm coming out of it feeling like this pic above. 

It's been a very shitty year both for me personally and, it seems, for the world in general. 

I could list the bad stuff but you already know it and probably have your own shit to deal with so I'm not going to. 

I'll list the good:

Lived for 6 months with Niki in a 1 bedroom apartment in Stockholm and it wasn't just sad and lonely and horrible to be away from older kids and husband (but yes, it was that too), it was also plain necessary for me to grieve my dad in my hometown.

Peaceful people put DAPL to a halt despite being attacked in numerous vicious and unnecessarily brutal and violent ways. 

Paralysis might be reversed

I published a new book (and Sweden's minister of culture officially recommended it )

I went to see Sara and fam up north

We went to Italy -Tuscany, Florence, Rome and I always love it there. 

I went to Paris with Sarah, Niki and Simon

I stayed mostly healthy except when I couldn't walk straight and had to have my brain scanned. Though on the bonus side: got brain scan off the bucket list!

I discovered I really hate working out on treadmill but find it completely ok to run while watching tv-series. I thank 1 Mississipi, Better Things, Bleak House, Dr Thorne and Transparent for getting me in better shape than before. 

We sold our house in Sweden. 

I took a lot of pictures and found true love in taking pictures. I really really love snapping pics. 

I signed contracts for more books to be published in the next few years.

I contributed to great new kids mag Koko.

Every dinner with friends. 

Every walk in the park. 

Every school visit

Every time I looked at the kids while they were sleeping.

Also - crowning moment of 2016 - finally biked out to IKEA and bought some bedside lamps. 

Niki turned 9

she got what she'd wished for: a lavalamp

Childrens book author

Just handed in my fourth book to the publisher.
Readers who've been me for long - it really happened.

it was my dream, now it's my reality.

what's your dream? dare dream it.

Visiting schools

I just came back from Sweden. It was so beautiful, snow had fallen and everything looked its best kind of wintery.

I visited a few schools too, talked about my books and met 100+ kids and teachers. It was all I'd dreamed it would be and more! The kids were so great and curious and lively. Loved it!!

This is the school library at one of the schools I visited.

And this is the school librarian Malena holding two of my books. 

Malena is such a star, she seems to really love her job and excels at it. 

Her school library was so cosy, I never wanted to leave. Just wanted to stay in there and read. 

Jazz hands

makes perfect sense to me

Read up on forest bathing

http://qz.com/804022/health-benefits-japanese-forest-bathing/

what really makes me feel like a freaking genius

is looking for an ancient receipt and actually finding it.
so proud right now.

when I was younger I thought I'd be proud of other kinds of achievements but really, this takes the cake.

now at work on my 5th childrens book

It really happened, my lifelong dream of writing for kids.

Next week am going to Stockholm again, will visit 3 different schools, meet hundreds of kids and travel with a book bus!

I sometimes forget how long I dreamed for all this to happen.
and then it did.

I'll post pics here next week.

at least weather is more friendly today

every morning I wake up and am at disbelief that trump won. 

america, how could you.