Carter’s blog: Svenska dagen 2010-11-12

Blog 11

Dear reader, today’s Blog is being written hastily. Conscious of the fact I need to keep to my self-imposed two Blogs a month commitment I am writing this the day before Princess Wood is due to arrive in Stockholm. As I’m sure you are aware a royal visit requires intense preparation. I am taking a short break from scrubbing the floors, dusting the surfaces and polishing the silver to deliver this Blog before Sarah arrives.

The topic of today’s short Blog is going to be weather. Now I know I talked about the weather last time and trust me I not going to make a habit of talking about it every Blog (unless it’s exceptionally bad or good for that matter). The reason I bring it up again is that it snowed again the other day and it’s taking much longer to melt this time.

Now what I’m very mindful of is that when I was in Manchester I used to get annoyed by my Spanish, Greek and German colleagues moaning about the English weather. “It’s too rainy” “It’s too grey” It’s not hot enough” blah blah blah. I used to say to them that England has never been sold with the promise of great weather and surely they must have known it rains a lot in England especially in the North West before they went there; I'd also tell them if the weather’s so shit why don’t you go back to wherever the sun never stops shining and stop moaning to me about the weather.

Well now I find myself in an alien climate and I am developing a mild fascination with the Swedish weather. Now what I don’t want to do is sound like I’m moaning about it because I’m not. Yes I knew Stockholm was going to be cold in the winter and the days were going to be shorter but actually experiencing it is another thing.

I’m beginning to understand now why the Swedish psyche changes so much in the winter months (at least so I’m told). When it snows in England I’m normally really annoyed if it hasn’t melted within a few days as getting from A to B becomes a real pain in the arse and everywhere turns that horrible dirty grey snow colour when the snow is no longer white and fresh. This would only last a week at the most in England (two weeks max for an exceptionally cold winter like the last one). Now imagine that experience multiplied by four months, coupled with colder, shorter days and you can begin to imagine what the Swedes have to face every year!

So just to let you know if I comment on the weather in future Blogs it’s only to inform you of how bad it has actually got and I may even tell you how it’s making me feel subjectively. I will do this in a true objective scientific fashion; so don’t think I am moaning I’m just simply reporting the status quo.

Statistic: This month’s statistic is brought to you by www.yr.no (a Norwegian weather website which I use to keep me up to date with Stockholm’s weather). What you see is that while Sweden is warmer in the summer and has less wet days relative to Manchester it pays for it in the winter by being much colder. So while umbrellas and waterproof coats are the de rigueur in Manchester woolly hats, scarves and gloves are essential in Stockholm.

Web link: Today’s link comes courtesy of Michael Schöll (another German, I can’t seem to escape them wherever I go!). It’s from some high school American football. I think it’s quite funny and possibly even tainted with a touch of genius. Have a look and see for yourself - http://tinyurl.com/BlogXI-link

Well with that another Blog comes to an end. I need to get back to making everything ship shape and shiny before Sarah arrives. To give you a taste of the next Blog, I’m going to try and explain to you some of the reason’s for my career choice of cognitive neuroscientist (what the hell is that I hear you cry!). Until next time then, be good to yourself and better to your friends.