Tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent. Even if one had no idea it was, it would be difficult to miss this is a big thing in my home country, as window after window is decorated with the ubiquitous Christmas electric candelabra. Candles – or light in general – are a major component in Swedish […]
We have a thing about vice in Sweden. There was even a time when Sweden was considered the hotbed of carnal vice – although I must say just how we got that reputation is something of a conundrum, as Swedish people in general are rather shy and prudish. Sorry to kill the myth, but there
Some months ago, a large part of the World’s population turned their attention to Rome. One Pope was dead, another was to be chosen, and people came together before St Peter’s, waiting to hear if the conclave had made a decision. Even today, in this world of tweets and texts, immediate connectivity and all that,
There are seven deadly sins. Those of you who have attended Catholic schools, will probably know them by heart – or maybe you don’t, because you spent Divinity class doodling rather than listening. The rest of you may have only the vaguest of notions as to what I’m on about, but some of you will
A pivotal role in my third book, The Prodigal Son, is played by Sandy Peden, the charismatic minister that has Matthew Graham risking life and limbs by his steadfast support of the Covenanter cause. While Matthew is a purely fictional character, Sandy Peden is not – and anyone familiar with the history of the Covenanters and
With the vocation of being a burr up the English backside Read More »
One of my favourite historical persons is St Teresa de Jesus (or St Teresa de Avila as she is also known). I would actually go as far as to say this lady is my favourite saint – but that may of course be because she is one of the few saints I have found interesting
Today, I woke to my husband’s warm arms around me. That was nice. After what seemed only a moment, he told me we had to get moving. That was not so nice. It was Saturday, and after a whole week of early mornings, I felt entitled to a lie-in. My protests fell on deaf ears.
The other day, the Swedish phone company announced that it was going to do away with the remaining 1 200 phone booths that stand dotted through our elongated country. Why? Because no one uses them anymore – well, at least not to make phone calls from. Phone booths can, as I am sure you can
When we came up to our country house this weekend, the apples were gone. Puts väck, as one says in Swedish. Where only last week our two apple trees had bowed under the weight of the as yet unripe but beautiful winter apples, now they stood denuded, not as much as a single apple on
… I write. What I mean is that when it no longer suffices to sit and dream about travelling to other times, other places, I write about them instead. A most economical and safe form of time travel. When I was a child, I ran around with a wooden shield and sword, pretending to be