Chicken mizore-ni 鶏肉のみぞれ煮

Pinga tried new recipe today. It's a chicken cooked with daikon. Pingu helped grating daikon. It was very tasty and they said that they'd make it again.

Birthday presents from Tokyo

Pingu and Pinga were pleasantly surprised when the post delivery person came to the door with a packet around 8am. It was a month early birthday presents from Pinga's best friend in Tokyo. They are maternity clothes, Pinga's favourite food and Pingu's favourite snack! Very nice:)

Carcassonne with Princess & Dragon

Pingu and Pinga were invited to their friends' for dinner and gaming. They had a nice salmon dinner and then played Carcassonne with princess and dragon expansion kit. Dragon moves sometimes and eat your player pieces! Pinga was happy winning and Pingu had the least points of four players.

Walking in town

After having afternoon tea at home, Pingu, Pingu dad and Pinga left for downtown Lund. They walked around a bit before Pingu's dad took a train. Town was nicely lit with Christmas illumination.

Christmas day

Pingu's dad came to visit us on the Christmas day. They had Christmas dinner. Pingu's dad liked the meatballs Pinga has made. Mushroom sauce was tasty too.

Christmas Eve!

Pingu and Pinga spent Christmas eve at a friend. They had turkey, meatballs and other very tasty food. They also watched plenty of Christmas movies. Pinga had received cute Christmas nail decorations from her sister so she put them on today.

Christmas cooking

Before going to their friend's place, Pingu and Pinga were cooking. Pingu was making prinskorv into octopus shape (Tako-chan sausage). I was curious and looking at him.

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Christmas present from Pingu's sister

Pingu brought home this cute cat as a Christmas present to Pinga and Pingu from Pingu's sister. The cat is made by Swedish artist Lisa Larsson. This cat design which exist in several colors is called MIA. Cute I think but what about me?

Swedish Christmas dinner

There were so much food on the table. Pingu and Pinga's friends prepared traditional Swedish Christmas dishes such as meatballs, potato gratin, Christmas ham, and brunkål (brown cabbage that tastes a bit sweet). They always cook very tasty dishes and both Pingu and Pinga overate.

Christmas ham = Julskinka

Pingu and Pinga's friend was slicing a Christmas ham. This was special, wild boar meat. Pinga was a bit suspicious about wild meat but it tasted delicious.

ピングとピンガの友達がクリスマスハムを切っているところです。クリスマスハムは通常豚肉ですが、これは特別で猪でした。ピンガは猪と聞いてちょっと不安でしたが、とても美味しかったとのことです。

Christmas tree

Pingu and Pinga got invited to their friends' home for a Christmas dinner. They had a very nice Christmas tree and underneath the tree, there were many presents.

Christmas present at work

Just like last year, Pinga and her colleagues each received Christmas gift from their boss. They got different books and Pinga's one was called "I trygghetsnarkomanernas land" which is in English "In the land of safety addicted people. It's a bit too advanced reading for Pinga but she will try.

Goodbye Tokyo!

Pingu is on his way to Narita airport. It is sad to go but also nice to go back to Pinga and me.

Bye bye shabu shabu

Pingu is leaving Tokyo and Pinga's parents arranged a very tasty shabu shabu farewell dinner. I think Pingu has gained weight in Tokyo.

Fortune?

Pinga's sister was doing this fortune telling at Sensoji temple. She first got bad fortune but tied it to the metal wires that are there to get rid of bad fortunes. Next time it was good fortune.

Test

Christmas lighting

Pinga was walking back home from work and took this photo. Many houses have nice Christmas lighting now. It gets dark around 4 pm these days.

Asakusa

Pingu arrived at Asakusa and is waiting for Pingu's sister to join up. It is cold today but the weather is clear.

At home with Pinga

Out in the snow

Pinga thought that she should take me out for a walk as I haven't been out for two days. That's nice of her but it was really much snow. The snow was same height as my legs! You can see me hurrying back home in this photo.

Carcassonne & 6 nimmt

Pinga and I have been staying home but Pinga got invited to her friends home to play game so she went out. They played Carcassonne and 6 nimmt. They had made nice Christmas sweets (citronkola, daimkola and vanilj & kanel kakor) at home and Pinga has also brought a piece of chocolate cake so there were many sweets on the table.

11 am and minnus 6 C degrees

It's snowing heavily outside and coooold. Minus 6 degrees. I don't think Pinga or I will go out in this snow.

Bye bye Yokohama

Pingu checked out today from the Yokohama hotel. It was fancy and with nice view. Bye for now!

Automized ordering

Pingu met a Swedish friend in Yokohama for some dinner yesterday. They found a cheap restaurant where beer was just 300 Yen. They had these touch screens where you ordered your food and drinks. The screen at Pingu's table was not working well so they waited forever for food that never came. They will not be coming back.

Yokohama Christmas decorations

There are nice light decorations around the Minatomirai area as you can see.

Cat@log

Pingu saw a very interesting presentation at the conference. It is a research project where you can track and analyze a cat's activities while you are away. It can even post twitter updates. Pingu is thinking of keeping track of me this way. Scary!

Guilty pleasures

There is a Krispy creme doughnut shop close to Pingu's hotel. For some reason there is no line outside this one like there is at their Shinjuku shop. Pingu indulges in a doughnut or two everyday while in Yokohama.

Presents from colleagues

As the last day at the current work is approaching, Pinga organized afternoon tea with her colleagues. There she got these nice presents from her colleagues. She was also happy that her colleagues liked the cake and muffins she has baked.

Snowing again!

I just went out on the balcony. It's snowing again and my paws got so cold! Can you see that I backed up to take the same ways as I went out?

Snowy and icy...

It was -5C degrees this morning. Snow removing work has been done early in the morning but as you can see it's white and icy. Pinga took her bike but couldn't bike all the way to work as it was dangerous.

Tonkatsu

Pingu is enjoying Japanese food every day. Yesterday's dinner was tonkatsu (breaded cutlet). Mmmm!

Siggraph 2009 Asia

Pingu is in Yokohama attending Siggraph 2009 Asia. It is quite big and lot of things going on. The official program is 180 pages long!

On Pingu desk

After I did pet me attack to Pinga, I moved to Pingu desk. Pingu seems to be having nice time in Tokyo but we miss him. Weather has been not good and it's still snowing.

Continue snowing

It started snowing before noon and continued. So Pinga came back biking in the snow. She thought she needed ski goggles to see better!

Snowing

Just like yesterday it started to snow a lot. I hope Pinga has no problem biking back home.

Living on the 53rd floor

Pingu came to Yokohama yesterday evening and checked in to the Royal Park hotel. He is now staying on the 53rd floor and this is the view. Nice, don't you think?

Game "Sequence"

Pinga's friend got a new game for her birthday. It's called Sequence. Its rule was very simple but a fun game to play.

Cute Christmas decoration

In addition to the tree, they had those cute dolls.

Christmas tree

It snowed this afternoon but it rained in the evening so the snow was melting. Pinga visited her friends' home for playing a game. They had a very nice Christmas tree.

Burglary in the cellar

Pinga was very sad and upset to find out someone has vandalized our cellar space. It was very organized before but now it looks like this... She called the police and filed a report and placed a new lock. She needs Pingu help to find out what has been stolen and complete the police report and contact the insurance company.

Snowy morning

When Pinga was on her way to work this morning, it was snowing a bit. Snow lit up a scenery a bit so it's nice but I was concerned about Pinga biking.

Shinjuku dinner and a Christmas ad

Pingu went to Shinjuku yesterday to have dinner with a good friend. The wife of this friend is in the hospital because of risk of premature birth of their soon to be born son. Pingu and Pinga was quite worried but she seems to be doing well. After dinner they saw this Christmas ad which is a play on words. The first part of the animal name sounds like hurry.

Niku dofu

Pinga made a Japanese tofu dish for dinner. It smelled good and according to Pinga, it tasted good as well.

Lucia

Today is Saint Lucy's Day. It is widely celebrated in Scandinavia. So there was a special TV program and Pinga and I were watching it. Teenagers were singing Christmas songs at the church. The girl with candles on her head is selected as Lucia this year.

Digital photo frame

Pingu brought a Christmas present for Pinga's parents. It is a digital photo frame that can be updated through internet. Very convenient and you can even email directly to it. Pingu also fixed so that this blog is shown.

At the onsen

Pingu, Pinga mother and Pinga sister went to the local onsen (hot spring bath house). It was very refreshing. You can not bring cameras where the pools are so this is just the entrance area.

Birthday cake

Pingu is visiting Pinga's parents now. Pinga's sister and husband also joined and they brought a very tasty birthday cake for Pingu. Pingu is very lucky this year with three birthday cakes!

Shabu shabu dinner

Pingu had a bad day yesterday so he comforted himself by eating one of his favourite dishes, shabu shabu. It was a bit expensive but it was all you can eat meat.

Tree with white fruits

Pinga is curious about this interesting looking tree with white fruits/flowers. Hope her friends would help her find out what it is.