Yes, that's where you'll find me on this dark, rainy and miserable Sunday afternoon. On days like today, I'm grateful for the wonders of central heating as I can recline here warm and toasty wearing only a short-sleeved shirt, long pants and of course fluffy socks, while gazing out at the clouds rolling by and listening to the steady pitter-patter of raindrops against my window. Today's weather is like a mid-winter July day in Adelaide, though at 9.7C it's a little colder than we'd get over there. However, it has the same wintery feel and would be the sort of lazy Sunday afternoon weather that required me to lie on the couch in front of the open fire with a good book and sipping a glass of the incomparable d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz (available here, but at a price that would make your eyes water). It's nice to dream.

It has been a sad day, too as I learned of yet another expat friend here who is about to go through a painful divorce. This is the fifth friend this year and it is heartbreaking to watch a long term relationship founder and be helpless to prevent it happening. It's all I can do to stop myself going over there and shaking some sense into her Swedish husband. She is a lovely, warm, vibrant and intelligent woman and those of us who know her well are rallying around to offer practical help as well as shoulders to cry on. It is also a very sobering thought for us all - it could happen to any of us as well and we'd find ourselves without family support in a foreign country trying to make it on our own.

To clear my mind, I went for a walk earlier past Göstas Trädgård, a lovely garden down towards the harbour.



This garden was the work of Gösta Zetterqvist, who lived at Lisö. The garden was in fact at Lisö until his death in 1993. Then there were discussions about what to do with this collection of plants he had tended for so many years. By this time, his garden had become very well known and attracted a lot of visitors, which neither the new owners of the property nor the community on Lisö were happy about. So they decided to move the entire garden to this site at Nynäshamn. And it is a wonderful place to wander through, no matter what the season.

Behind the vibrant japanese maple, I saw a little waterfall and stayed a while being soothed by the sound of running water.



There is always something calming about listening to cascading water and the gentle sound of leaves falling in the gentle breeze. The birch trees literally shudder as they shed their hundreds of golden coin shaped leaves with each gust. You can believe that you are all alone and at peace in the world. Except the dog is pulling on the leash.

Later, while crossing Svandammen park, I found a magical fairy village of mushrooms in the grass.



I wish I knew more about mushroom varieties in Sweden. I see so many around at this warm, damp time of the year but I'm never sure which ones are safe to eat. I really want to know as I love the flavour and texture of fresh mushrooms and I'm sure I could make great use of them. If only I could be sure. I intend to enlist the help of my friend Lennart to unlock the secrets of Swedish mushrooms.

Yesterday I was in Stockholm to meet up with another Aussie who sold me her 12 volume collection of Australian Women's Weekly Golden Cooking Library. Karen had decided that she didn't do enough cooking to warrant keeping them and wanted them to go to a good home. As I adore cooking and really like the recipes from AWW, I snapped them up for the bargain price of 250kr.

Stockholm was dark and dreary and I hate going there when it's so grey.



Don't get me wrong - I love Stockholm and it is a stunning city to visit, but it has to be on the right day. When the sun shines and the skies are blue, it literally glitters and reflects off the water that is so much a feature of the place. Even in winter, on a dark, snowy day, with the waters frozen solid, the city glows and twinkles with light and wonder. But on a grey day, it is as though the colour is bleached out of the city and the people. Around the central railway station, I looked up and spotted this building:



While not as impressive as the one that graced the New York skyline, nevertheless I always get chills when I read the name of the place as I pass centralen. After finishing with Karen, I took the train home and drooled over the books, already mentally writing out a shopping list of ingredients for some new meals. I can't tell you how joyful it was to leave the greyness of Stockholm behind me and when I stepped off the train at Nynäshamn, I was greeted by this:



And people wonder why I live here "out in the sticks". Karen also asked how I could bear the Nynäs-Stockholm commute, but really it never bothers me. The joys of living in a quiet, pretty seaside town far outweigh the travel I have to do. I guess it depends on what you like, but I believe that we have made the right choice for our lifestyle.

Later on, we had another Alfred Hitchcock/Daphne Du Maurier moment when I looked out of my kitchen window to see the birds watching me again.:



This is getting a little creepy. I'd go outside, but then I'm feeling rather nervous as I'm not quite sure exactly how that movie ends.

Now I want to study my cookbooks and see if I can find something sensational to make for a Thanksgiving party I've been invited to down south next month. I'd like to bring something special, but can't decide what. All suggestions welcome!