Winter boots issues. Monthly theme post: Outerwear

Time for Sophistique Noirs monthly theme post. It was two years ago the same theme was announced. Back then, I posted a photo with my ski jacket, this time will be all about winter boots.

For a shoe addict, the demands for winter boots are high. They must not brake after only one season, they have to be high quality, warm and comfortable enough for long walks. Of course a shoe addict need them to be nice looking. 

Here's a photo of my not so stylish winterboots and my winter pants, out in the woods for a walk.

These were bought 8 years ago, and have been worn every cold winter since. These are the shoes I put on when the temperature reach below -15 C and if there will be long walks or standing by the ice rink to watch a bandy game (my sons plays bandy).

Along with these ugly but practical boots, I always had another more stylish pair of boots to wear to work or for running errands in town. But those shoes always breake before the winter season is over. Why is it so hard to find good shoes that stays more than one season??

I decided to try an army surplus store called Garderoben to buy a pair of army boots, and found these, and English brand called Invader.

source

I wrote a mail and asked specifically how the sizes were, but recieved a blurry answer. I ordered them in my size and hoped that they would be wide enough for a pair of thicker socks. I waited 3 weeks for the boots to arrive and was very please with how they looked. But they were far too small. They were sent back with a note that I would like to have one size bigger. I have waited over a month now and have written a mail without getting a reply. I have bought fabrics and clothes from that store before and got fast delivery, so this is the first time it fails. I still hope that they will arrive soon.

All my other boots have heels and it's impossible to walk in them as the weather is now.

Talking about heels, I found these on our local thriftstore the other week. They have only been used once so they were in mint condition. I couldn't resist even if I have another two pair of pointy ankle lenght boots the price was only 1€. The heels are tiny stilettos so I'll have to wait for spring to use these.

Do you have troubles in finding good quality shoes for your everyday use?

Just some random stuff from a bit boring life

Hi all! I have been very abscent here because of a busy life. Not sure if it's interesting for you what I have been occupied with for a while, but here we go. ..

snowy appletree

I have visited the University a few days to attend seminars and seeing my fellow students. We were divided in studygroups. Our group is made of a bunch of well educated ladies, two disputated chemical scientists, one artist and a bachelor of art science and (noob) me. We also had a lovely song coach but she decided to study full time and therefore, joined another group. 

I have to say that it's more inspiring and a bigger challenge to study with high educated people.

Next seminar will be in March so hopefully there will be a few photos of the lovely town Karlstad, were the University is.

 lovely walk in the forest

We tried to take care of a large poodle for a friend, but Johans allergy wen't so bad. We are both so sad that we cant have any furry animals indoors, cat or dog. Johans mum took care of Scooby the rest of the week and we helped her to walk the dog. He's back at the owner right now but he needs a more permanent home, He's such a cute, kind, teddybear, smelly dog and I hope he will get a place were people are kind to him.

Yay, photo of one of my jobs at work. I have been shoveling away snow around the roof windows because some of them were leaking. Thats one of the more handy parts of my duties. At least the view is nice.

Unable to throw something away, I have been collecting feathers from the budgies in a jar. Maybe someday there will be nice little fascinators or earrings created...

 We got a fox on the visit. Our bunnies are outdoors all the time, they have two floor cages with free ability to go out in their pen. This visit force us to close the cages at night and that makes them very sour. Late night and early mornings are a bunnies busy time. One of the good things with snow is that we can actually see who is visiting our garden: one mouse that steals food from the bunnies, rabbits that eats the kale stems in my garden, joined by some deers, the fox obviouosly, a couple of cats, magpies...

The later half of last year wasn't very good healthywise. Studies and lot of sitting both at work and at home made me gain a couple of even extra kilos. I downloaded the Lifesum app to my phone (former Shapeup) and started to track my eating habits, again. This app is great, you eat what you want as long as you keep track of your calories, weight and training. It has a bar code scanner so the tracking is very easy. 
Here's a breakfast smoothie made of some blueberries (picked in the forest) and raspberry puree (nonsugar from my garden), a half organic banana and a bunch of spinach babyleaves, it tasted great but I had to check my teeth afterwards.

Inspired by the Curious Professor Z and Save with Jamie; we have been shopping grocerys in our own fridge and freezer to save money and being more environmental efficient. As a vegetable gardener ther is no lack of vegetables in our dishes, we just shop in the freezer. We are eating more vegetarian dishes as well. It's really fun to cook vegetarian when Johan likes it, his favourite is my vegetarian burgers made of my homegrown beans and peas, check my other blog for recipe.

Interior details

A few weeks after my birhtday a parcel arrived from my dear friend Lynne (Insomniacs attic). A heavy brass clip in the shape of an owl. It is lovely and it will be perfect in the hallway with the black and golden victorian elements. On this photo you can also see the scented sachet I won from Ms Misantropias giveaway along with two sheer table cloths, the scent is wonderful and gives a warm feeling to our kitchen.

Another special gift I received was an antique rosary from my friend Jenny (Jema Rose). It is beautiful and I love the thin chains and dusty coloured beads with a lovely patina. I hung it on my praying madonna in true French country style.

My shelf in the livingroom is now complete.

It's the season for tulips in the flower shops. I think they wither very gracefully. Do you know any other flower that looks better while withering than tulips?

Have a wonderful winterday

My first pair of Fluevog and a dog on visit

I heard a rumour about sale at Fluevog.com. Those shoes are something quite exquisite both in quality and style and I scrolled through the pages saying oh and ah. But I thought I should scan Swedish webstores first to see if there were any Fluevogs flying around. I found these below at Brandos.se and the sale was 70% off, wich made them cost like a medium quality shoes and no freight costs, they were not able at the Fluevog site either so I'm sure I made a real find here.

When they arrived and I had the chance to try them on I was so happy. They fit like a glove and the sole is very soft and supporting. The toes are rounded in the shape of a real foot, giving room for my potatoes. Sorry for not posting a photo of me wearing them but the photos below might give you an explanation....

We have snow!!! Yay!!

 The days get so much lighter and it feels like the air is warmer. Could be explained that the humidity is very low. This weekend we are having a special guest in our house.

 His name is Scooby and is a large poodle. Johan is allergic but we had to try because a friend of him are having a busy time in her life. He is so cute and nice and Johan has fallen in love with him. Sadly we can't have him for longer periods because of the allergy. 

A perfect companion on long walks :)

 On the photo above he got his full focus on the bunnies in their pen. Pooki is scared out of control and hides herself in the hay (she was scared by a dog in her last home), while Wilma is jumbing around and looking at "her new friend".

Choosing path

There is no one else to decid the direction of your life but you. What you chose to do is what you become, not your wishes.

 I have now started the path to a new profession by starting a program at the university. I will continue my full time work as a technician at the factory though, to avoid loan. By that I could also quit the studies if it's not what I expected.

So, the goal is to become a teacher in chemistry with math as a second subject. I have already a bachelor exam in chemistry, but not many jobs as a chemist is to find in this area. I hope that I could be someone who inspire students to enjoy it so much they learn something of it. 

These photos are from the towns cemetary. It's huge and situated in a forest between the city and the sports arenas. I think it's nice with the tall fir trees mixed with the gravestones. I visited the boys grandmothers grave and brushed off the snow and removed a twig that had fallen on the grave. It's a weird empty feeling to standing by a loved ones grave, I feel that the person is more present when I think of or talk about him/her.

Bat fit post: About Deep breathing

What many doesn’t know is that lots of us walk around with high shoulders and narrow breathing. This is caused by inner stress.

  You can be stressed even if you move slowly and are resting, why? It’s all about what happens in your mind. Even if you look like a lazy log, your mind is busy with sorting tasks, thoughts that comes and goes, annoying people, a work you’re not satisfied with etc. All those tasks, sorting and negative loops, causing a stress symptom with higher levels of stress hormones in your body and you are ready to flee even if you won’t.

This is an automatic unconscious reflex that your body does, and is crucial when you actually need it. 

  But you don’t need to flee, there is no were to flee and you are captured in your own mind. And when you’re not running, you don’t use your adrenaline for what it should be used for. This can cause symptoms as migraine, pain in the neck, lack of oxygen in your blood and in the long run; heart diseases, depression etc.

Good for: By deep breathing you will lower your levels stress hormones like cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenalin. You will increase your metabolism and if you exercise, receive better results.

  By breathing in an optimal way you’ll get more oxygen in your muscles and cells, your immune system will be stronger, your blood circulation will be faster. You will also give your inner organs a good massage and release blocked emotions. While exhaling you will empty your alveolus of toxins and excess carbon dioxide.

  This is practiced by some philosophical and religious movements, like meditation, yoga, mindfulness. By being aware of how you breathe, you will also be conscious about your emotions.

How to: Always breathe through your nose. The mucous in your nose will filter and warm up the air and you will be more resistant to diseases.

  Lie down or sit comfortly. Try to relax for a moment. Then during one minute, count the breaths you take. How many were they? You should breathe 10-15 times during one minute while completely relaxed. If you did, excellent. If you didn’t, follow these instructions:   

  Close your mouth and put the tip of your tongue in your upper gum behind your front teeth. Inhale through your nose. While inhaling (with your mouth closed) try to make the sound o (without actually making it) it gives a calm hissing sound, by that, you’ll press the air up to the sinuses, you can feel that the air is cold. Put your hand on your belly, it should lower while exhaling and rise while inhaling. Put the other hand on the chest, the chest should rise after the belly, otherwise, your breathing isn’t deep enough. Try to hold your breath a little moment before exhaling. While exhaling try to make the sound m, this relaxes your chest, try to empty your lungs as much as possible by press lightly with your diaphragm. 

 This method (with the hissing sound) is called Ujjayi-breathing and is practiced in yoga. Of course you don’t have to make those sounds with people around unless you will be viewed as weird. Repeat 4 times.

source

 How often:  Try to focus on your breathing in different situations. Take a moment a few times a day.

 If you are really stressed and it doesn’t help you for the moment, this is a signal that you are stressed in an unhealthy way and should try to get rid of the reasons for it.

Some of the information comes from following links. They are in Swedish though except the wikipedia site. You can also watch the corny instructional video on youtube below, it’s in English.

http://www.halsosidorna.se/Andningsovningar.htm

http://wellness-wisdom-wealth.se/halsa/andningen/djupandning/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwlCk9XTz_U#t=214

http://www.morotsliv.com/2012/12/djupandning_12.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaphragmatic_breathing

 Good Luck!

Leaving the old year and looking forward to a new

I didn't make any resolutions for 2013 except trying to think of myself a bit more. I scrolled my own blog backwards to see recall what happened. 

A look back on my eating habits

It started with my recovery from a depression and I really lived quite healthy, eating lots of raw food. In the autumn I cut down on the portions and it made me feel better. But I also eat too much sweets and snacks.

A look back on my exercise

The year began with yoga classes and taking walks, but as the year went by and after a knee injury my exercise became nothing.

A look back on my mental health

Last year hasn't been good considering this. I haven't written about it much but things at work has been awful, really awful. I got a replacement wich is good as I got a new boss, bad because the work is not what I wanted, are skilled for or like to do, enough of that. 

I have to do something about my pms, those pms days are like hell, everything is black and everyone including myself is hating me. 

The good things are that we have been doing nice things like going to the theater, concerts, vacation with the kids etc and most of all my studies. My studies are the reasons that I'm standing tall, that tells me that I'm not useless after all. 

Oh and I had my 40's birthday when I got some nice gifts!

A necklace and earrings from my brother and his spouse

A book that Johan had assembled with letters from family and friends. Thank you dear! This made me weep, sob and snore. I got it a day when I had a rough day at work.

A wall decor from my sister.

I also got a vacation in Tällberg and lots of money for a trip.

So the summary is that the year was better than the one before it, my mental health is better but my physical is not good. I will make my resolutions this year and I'll have to stick to them for my own sake.

My goals for 2014

Visiting the doctor: Checking my heart as all my relatives has heart issues and getting medication for my pms.

Exercise: As my knee is way beyond repair I'll have to take it neat. Swimming and trying the crosstrainer. If we get any snow, I will go cross country skiing.

Eating: I will cut down on my portions and stop eating candy. 

Taking care of my relationship

Planning a visit to Scotland. Hey do you have any tips of things to see and places to go???

Gardening: I will continue with my garden projects and growing vegetables. 

I will coninue studying for a new exam.

The most important is that I have to be more playful, kind and think of how I behave. I have been too serious on this blog too.

Happy New Bat Fit Year 2014!!!