Linnéa Nordlund

Today I've had Vasara for 4 weeks. Time has gone so fast I can't even believe it.
I love this horse to bits, she is just amazing and we will have so much fun together. She is the sweetest horse ever and everyone just loves her. I'm really looking forward to start training show jumping with her once I get my jumping saddle. She's got talent, and I'm ready to go!

Marre is taking care of Balvenie, Karoline's horse. It's great having a friend at the stable, so nice!!
Thursday: I didn't ride as Vasara still hasn't gotten her show, so I lunged her while Marre rode Balvenie.
Friday: I decided to defy the thrown shoe since the ground was soft enough, and we took an awesome trip riding in the woods.

I have gotten into a nice routine which I've been following since Vasaras first day.
1. I arrive at the stabe.
2. I muck out the stall.

3. I prepare the fodder.



4. I groom Vasara.
5. I excercise Vasara.
6. I do anything else that might need doing.

My credit card is cut, returned and closed. My final time sheet has been handed in, and so has my final travelling expenses paper.
Next week I'm no longer working for Bravura, beeing rented by Kwintet. I'm working at Kwintet for real. I'm so happy! Accepting this job and turning down Microsoft has been one of my best decisions in life.

I managed to get everyone at work an Easter egg. How? The reception in Borås emailed all employees in Borås and Stockholm, telling us that we could come by and pick up a present. I answered to this email and said jokingly that I liked presents and could they send it by mail? I got the response 'Sure!' and a few days later the eggs arrived! :D

I can't get hold of a farrier!! Is it because it's Easter? Fuck!! I need someone to put on a shoe on Vasara so that I'm able to ride with Marre!!

Today is Alice's last day at work. I'm so sad. I will really miss her!
The goo news is that she'll help us a few more days scattered in April. We have already given her a present and celebrated her during the waffle party this Monday, and today we'll sit down together and have coffee and some baked goods Alice is bringing.

I'm home again, after two days spent in our office in Helsinki, together with my Finnish colleague Emilia. I went there to help he launch our partner web shop which is supposed to go live on Tuesday. I love Emilia, she is so hard working and clever and has done a terrific job on this. We worked like little worked bees these two days and think we will make the release day!
As usual when traveling for work, there is absolutely no time to see anything else but the office, the hotel and the inside I a taxi, but I still love it!
Mathias was so sweet and took care of Vasara on Tuesday night. He told me the cutest story of how he placed hay in the opposite corner of where he was mucking out so she would stand there, as he thought it was a bit scary to ask her to move.
He also picked me up at arlanda and had bought a sick of fodder before doing so. Then he drove me to the stable, waited while I hurriedly did my chores and then we went home.

Today is a well loved day in Sweden; it's the day of the waffle. Everyone eats waffles and love it. At work we decided to celebrate together by having a waffle party!
All 9 of us who were at the office today sat down together and seriously stuffed ourselves.
We started by having soup and then we fixed the waffles together. We had 2 liters of batter which is quite a lot to finish of after lots of soup. We also had home made jam.... Yum yum yum!!!!
Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures... I was too busy eating!!

On my way out to the stable (by train, bus and walking today as Mathias has the car). Marre will join me as she will need to meet the horse (Balvenie) she'll take care of this Easter and to get instructions about her routines.

The farrier called me today. His neighbors farm had burnt down and he couldn't come out as he was busy taking care of the animals who had survived.
It's so horrible I can't even imagine it.

This was all I found of the lost shoe.
The farrier will come tomorrow :)

Yesterday me, Marre and Anna did some Easter crafting! We ate good food, baked cookies and took some silly girl-test. It was a great day!

Mom gave me her old brush. And by old, I mean OLD. My mom is 65 years old. She got this brush when she was around 15. You do the math...!

It is by far the most amazing brush I have ever used, it's absolutely uncomparable to anything else.
They don't do 'em like that anymore....

When I was riding yesterday I suddenly hear a "cling!"
All I could think was "seriously...!? AGAIN?!"
Vasara has thrown another shoe. Those darn snow soles, thank god I don't need to put on new ones until next winter.
I will call the farrier now, he's coming out on Monday and hopefully he can fix Vasara then.

I have forgotten to show my beautiful girth, stirrups and blanket.

I was thinking yesterday. It's totally crazy how much has happened during the past six months.
I have: - gotten a full-time consultant job, totally worked my ass of, and been hired by the company.
- looked for, looked at, searching, finding and byuing a horse and all the things that comes with owning one.
- practiced my driving. Early (!) mornings and late nights before and after work, before passing the two tests and gettin my drivers license.
- bought a car.
- travelled to Malmö, Borås, copenhagen, vienna and Salzburg.
- finished two tough courses and certifications, ITIL and PRINCE2.
- held a two-day course in our developed system.
Seriously. Six months.

Caroline called me yesterday and asked me if I coul take care of her horse during Easter, as she will be visiting her family. Then she said that maybe my fiend would like to take care I the horse instead, that way we could be in the stable together, riding together.... Obviously I said "if she's home then she'll be very happy to do this, I'll call you back!"
So I called my dear Marre. Who would be home during Easter. And of course she said yes.
Yey!! It will be five wonderful days (public holidays at that so we can enjoy the daylight!!) just enjoying the wonderful place that is the stable.

I took the bus home from work yesterday, to pick up the car...!
I were to drive to and from the stable all by myself for the first time. It went really well, but it was a bit scary on the way out, as a mad taxi driver were just that, mad!
It was awesome driving home again, pitch black, only a few cars out, listening to the radio...
Everyone has been talking about this experience, first time alone in the car. I didn't feel the same way as they did, sure it was a bit unusual but other than that... Not that big of a deal.
It was great being able to only thing about myself and Vasara, taking all the time I wanted. I was enjoying it a bit too much so I didn't leave the stable until 9.45.... By which two girls had shown up to give the horses their dinner.
Today I will drive out again. In a warm car, which will take 1/5 of the time compared to public transportation, alone and free of idiots on the train..... Aaaaah that's life.

Three new job trips are booked.
Next week I'm going to Finland for two days to hands-on consult my favorite Emilia on her B2P (Business to partner) shops which will go live the week after.
In mid-April ill go to Germany for three days to hold a course  and conduct certifications in KWS.
In mid-May it's France's time for the same three day course.

It has been one year since I exchanged my first iPhone for my iPhone 4S.
It has also been one year since I started to play the very addictive game "my horse". I have played this game every day since I bought the phone (except for when I've been on holiday outside of Sweden). Each day I have given this game about one or two hours of attention.
The result?
I'm level 227 with 3.734.063 xp, which makes me nr 306 in the world.
I have bought everything there is to buy in the game for coins. Despite this I have 3.206.235  coins which makes me nr 301 in the world.

The same day as I got my drivers license, I took my first drive in our own car. Mathias came out to the stable with the car and I drove us home. It went really well :)
halfway home I realized this car did not have double commando as my training car did and suddenly I got nervous for a few seconds, but I got over it quickly. I am a good driver :)
Yesterday I drove both to and from the stable. I brought Mathias with me as I wasn't totally sure about the way. But today I'll drive alone in the car for the first time. It will be a weird feeling for sure!

I'll be going to Finland next week to help out a colleague in Helskinki for two days. She is building a new web shop and I will go over there to make sure the project goes according to plan and to fix any issues so that we can go live the week after. The colleague is Emilia whom I absolutely love!!! Fun!!

I'm so happy, me and Vasara are really beginning to find each other. I rode her for the fourth time yesterday and it went so well. I was/am so proud of both her and myself. She is such an amazing horse!! We had the best training.

Omfg I can't believe it. This morning, at 9.30 am I passed my practical drivers test (first try) and hence I got my drivers license!!!!
I made it!!!! I'm finished!!! I can drive to Vasara!!!!!!! Omg it's over, it's done!!
My test were to start at nine. So I met with Alan at 7.45 to warm up. I was nauseated from nervousness and could hardly think straight. All I could do was to think that it would all be over in a few hours, no matter the outcome. I didn't sleep too well during the night due to the stress, and I worked hard to keep my thought occupied by reading.
The warm up was one hour of Alan driving; demonstrating and rehearsing all the important stuff. I then got to drive for 15 minutes. I chose to focus only on parking and backing. I then drive myself to the traffic institute.
I had to sit and wait for a few minutes in a waiting room, alongside other nervous persons. Then a man appeared and called my name. It has begun. He looked at my ID and I had to sign a …