Day 342: Åka Pulka!

This winter makes the fourth winter I will have survived the Swedish winter. How have those winters been? Cold. Dark. Cold. And more cold. Last year, however, after two years of watching all the kids "åka pulka," or go sledding, I was determined to get a "pulka" and go sledding myself. Unfortunately we didn't get as much snow last year as in the two previous years and when the snow did finally come, I waited too long to get one and the snow was gone before sledding ever happened. Well, I have decided that this year is my year. I am definitely getting a pulka and going sledding before the winter is up. In the last week we have had a ton of snow and it looks like we'll be getting even more next week. If temperatures continue to stay below freezing, we are destined to have a white Christmas AND "åka pulka!"

Having a white winter makes living in Sweden and suffering through six months of the dark and cold much more bearable. And if you are a kid, well, life is fabulously grand. Many parents here make it extra fun for their kids by take them around the neighborhood and to and from dagis (daycare) on a pulka (see image below). Doesn't it make you wish you were a kid? It does for me that's for sure. Just yesterday, as I was heading home and making my way down the mördarbacke by my office, I saw a mother sledding with her child. It looked so fun I nearly asked if I could join them. Okay, not really but I definitely will be getting a pulka for myself this year. I can't help it, I'm just a big kid at heart!

Who wants to join me?

While on my morning commute I came across this cutie heading to dagis via pulka.

Sledding Swedish style!

And just for a bit of good luck this weekend...

And a small reminder of how things looked a couple of weeks ago...