An Estonian girl who has found a home in Sweden.

Wednesday, March 3

March 03, 2004 Posted by Vaire

How is it possible to have a beautiful yarn like this

Lana Grossa OKAY Print

turn into something as ugly as this?

Lana Grossa OKAY Print sock cuff

I bought the yarn because I liked the colors, they remind me of spring, but I don't like at all how it is knitting up. Maybe the yarn is salvageable if I knit it in a pattern that breaks up the colors? I'll try Crusoe from Knitty and if this doesn't work, maybe I can trade it for something else.

Some differences between Sweden and Estonia.

The deli meat prices are in hectograms, not kilograms.

Now that was a nasty surprise. I wanted to make a cheap, but very tasty "starving student" meal out of potatoes, onion and the cheapest cut of meat one can get in Estonia. There is more fat than meat in the cut that's why it's so cheap. The fat is essential because that's where you fry the potato slices. Well... First, I didn't find anything with enough fat. And second, the smoked ham I eventually found cost 10 times more than I'd anticipated. Ouch! The meal turned out well enough — one can substitute olive oil for fat, but it won't be as tasty.

The packages that don't fit through mail slot in the front door are delivered to a grocery store.

Hunh?! That's right: packages are delivered to ICA, a chain of grocery stores. Apparently Swedish government has decided that this system is cheaper to operate than proper postal system. Boggles my mind, but a lay person is not meant to understand what any government decides is best. ;)