Passing time between Christmas and New Years; visiting a friend for a chat, a glass of whisky, Cuban cigar and a tasty bitter. (The remote didn't have the decency to slide out of the picture. Guess it felt neglected... 

Yes. Santa shows up in person in Sweden! And he delivers the presents on Christmas Eve! December 24! Most kids in Sweden has been subject to the ritual of dad getting up from the table after dinner to go buy the evening paper, and while he's away Santa knocks on the door. The entertainment value of Santa's appearance does vary from family to family. Our Santa for 2005 proved to be a jolly if slightly underfed fellow... ;)  

Some snow this December. Not much. But some. 

OK. So I've had my Christmas festivities for 2005 and the year is all but over an done with. I'll let this signify a week of few at work and lots to eat.  

So here's the cover of Gaucho, the album Steely Dan released back in 1980 just before breaking up. Below is the back cover of a set of outtakes from the Gaucho recordings that has been circulating for a couple of years now.

Compared to the original Gaucho album there's a certain similarity here:

Checking in with my favourite bittorrent-site today I found that Steely Dan had been added to the list of bands/artists that don't want their music shared.

So no more liveshow recordings or outtakes like the one that came with the nice cover pictured above. Watched the VH1 Storytellers episode from 2000 and later found this bootleg artwork while cleaning/moving stuff on my harddrive. Thought I'd share it. (Great music as well!)

Just one - but the biggest - of the big mushrooms that lived but a short while on the lawn outside of where I work. As you can see it was late autumn and in a couple of weeks the mushroom was gone.  

It's a picture from this past summer and from Kvikkjokk. The picture is not about the mountain in the background, but rather the fence that runs around the church. The fence was put up by my father and another guy plus me way back when. I was curious to find out if it still was there some 30 years later ... and it was!

December 3: I went to Stockholm to see my old childhood favorite Elton John in concert with the band. It was not my first time. He had a better time than the past few times I've seen him, and because he was enjoying himself so did I! Sat in the third row and saw both Elton and the band up close. Wish they could get the sound at least OK at Globen, though.

He played at Globen. One day later the much touted Fugees visited Stockholm. There were also a number of other "classic" acts advertising teir upcoming shows...

Here's a photo of a painting in the hallways of the Hotel Mörby where I stayed for the first couple of days of my weekend in Stockholm. It was part of a hospital and a very quiet hotel. Nice and cheap and pretty close to downtown Stockholm. About 15 minutes by tube/underground/subway/whateveryouwanttocallit.

Hotel # 2; Brunnen. Small and with a late 1800's look/feel. Closer to the centre of town and I did find a nice pub serving Guinness just a couple of blocks from the hotel. I can't complain...!

Look at the number of pillows! This was hotel # 3 during my stay in Stockholm. Monday - Tuesday I was working, and my employer paid for this. I probably couldn't have - or wouldn't have - coughed up the money for this large and luxurious feeling room on the southside of town. Got one night there but ... thanks boss! The name of the hotel? Hotel Clarion.