A Special Welcome to The Outlook Readers (and a trip home in pictures)

As Linköpinglivin' returns from an unusual mid-Autumn break, we must welcome the readers of the Outlook newspapers in Pasadena, California and soon, my hometown of La Canada, California (both thankfully spared in the recent wildfire devastation throughout Southern California).

The Outlook is a locally-based, hometown newspaper (now in two different neighboring cities) for which I am writing an occasional travel column beginning today. Starting with Sweden (which the Swedish readers of Linköpinglivin' would be very interested in reading - I'm working on getting an online link), I hope to introduce readers to some familiar and not-so-familiar parts of Europe and share some travel advice about being an American abroad.

So if you're a long time reader of this blog about the experience of living in a smaller town in Sweden, then hopefully we will have online access to this and future articles soon. And if you are brand new to Linköpinglivin', welcome to Sweden and please visit on a weekly basis to learn more about this often overlooked, but special part of Northern Europe and the adventures of an American living abroad.

Ironically, I just returned from a two-week swing through my west coast, former hometown cities of Seattle, La Canada and Santa Barbara. As always, this time at home was treasured and every moment was worth the long trip as the pictures attest:

1. What a difference 16 months makes. My cousins Lexi and Hunter as compared to their picture from June '06 on the right-hand side of this page.

2. Celebrating the wedding of a good friend, Chad Fransen (who has Swedish roots!), with my close friends in Seattle (Clay Robinson, Chad, Daniel Hinds, D.J. Del Rosario and Tony Scaringi).

3. A reunion of college friends where we went to school in Santa Barbara, California, a place as close to paradise as you will find in the USA (okay, besides Hawaii). Left to right: Jason Sunukjian, Jason Berns, Matt Gazaway, Dan Deeble and me in front of the famous Santa Barbara mission on yet another perfect day in "SB."

4. The Swedish summertime game of KUBB is introduced in the United States!

5. A competitive introductory game of KUBB lasts well over two hours and successfully adds one more Swedish product to the long list of Swedish items loved by Americans (IKEA, Volvo, ABBA, Pippi Longstocking and KUBB...).

The weekly commitment of "a new post by Monday night" should return to Linköpinglivin' this coming Monday. Good to be back. Vi ses snart!