Daily Life-arkiv - Malix.se

Morning dip and everyday joy became the start of my day. It began in the sofa with a post that disappeared, but instead of irritation I chose gratitude and lessons learned. The swim today filled me with energy, the thoughts of my grandchildren opened both sorrow and gratitude, and the bedroom now waits to be cleaned until it smells of soap. Yesterday was a day of household chores, pride, and pain – but also joy in the little things.

morning dip and everyday joy at the lake on an autumn morning

Läs det här på Svenska->Morgondopp och vardagsglädje

Today – a Morning in the Sofa

The morning began in the sofa, with coffee beside me and the computer on my lap. I wrote an entire post – hours passed – and then everything vanished. At first I wanted to curse, blame the computer, mutter a bad word. But instead I paused and told myself: “Now you need to be a responsible adult.”

That shifted my thoughts. I realized I hadn’t saved properly and that I need to be better at always checking before shutting down. And perhaps I need to accept that words often come when I bathe, not right when I wake up. A morning lesson in patience, simply put.

Today – Morning Dip and Everyday Joy

This morning I went for a dip. My bathing sisters swam, but I floated still, letting the water carry me. I watched the trees, the sky, and all the beauty right there in that moment.

The feeling was powerful. My soul filled with light, my body with energy. Gratitude settled in: “I give myself these mornings where I wake together with nature.”

Two squirrels chased each other in the trees – lively little reminders of everyday joy. Before the swim, I even managed to record a short video for TikTok. In that video, an important insight landed: A good day is one you create yourself. I am the scriptwriter of my life. My thoughts give birth to feelings, and those feelings create the day.

Today – Thoughts of My Grandchildren

After the swim came thoughts of my grandchildren, the ones I no longer get to meet. There lives sorrow, and it hurts. But I told myself I needed to change the tone of those thoughts.

Instead, I chose to feel gratitude for the time we actually had together. Me and my son. Me and my grandchildren. All those days that were ours before he chose to shut me out as both mother and grandmother.

I carry so many beautiful memories. Memories of caring for Hugo when he was sick, holding his little hand, sitting and reading with him. Memories of Emilia, my princess – always wise, always close, a wonderful friend in a small body. And my son – whom I am so proud of. His wisdom, his words, his thoughts, shared so generously through the years.

The time that is now I cannot change. It is what it is. But I have the memories. And they fill my heart with gratitude for the time that was. This is my work: to choose gratitude for what was, and let that gratitude fill my time now.

Today – the Bedroom Waiting for Soap and Order

After the swim and those thoughts, the desire for the next project grew. Today, our bedroom will be made fresh with the scent of soap. The walls will be wiped down, the paintings dusted both front and back, perfume bottles polished, flowers refreshed. Every detail tended to, until the room feels truly clean.

I can already sense it: the lightness in my body, the bubbling joy and the deep gratitude when everything is done. Walking into a room that smells of soap is like giving myself a new beginning.

Yesterday – Everyday and KonMari

Yesterday was different. The day filled with chores. I went down to the laundry room, folded clothes and ironed what needed it. With the KonMari method, every piece of clothing has its place. It’s almost silly how happy I feel opening a wardrobe and seeing that order.

Yesterday – Pride at the School Meeting

In the afternoon, it was time for my little boy’s school meeting. I told him: “This is probably the best meeting I have ever been to.”

He hasn’t even been in school for a full year, but he has already succeeded so well in all subjects. When he asked why, the answer was simple: “You, of course. You’re the one making this work.”

Yesterday – When the Body Said Stop

After the meeting, I stopped to shop, still happy from the day. But when I placed the milk into the basket – bang! My neck gave way. The pain returned, almost like the nerve pain I sometimes feel in my legs.

At home, I cooked: fish sticks, rice with curry and salt, and my cold sauce with yogurt, mayonnaise, pickled relish, and spices. My little boy ate with joy – that always warms my heart. Myself, I finally had to give in. The neck had the last word yesterday.

Reflection

Perhaps this is what life is – a mix of swimming in the lake, the scent of soap, the pride of a child, and the pain of a neck. Everything fits into a single day, and everything is allowed to be as it is.

AHA – Between the Lines

Between the lines, the choice becomes clear. I choose not to remain in irritation or sorrow, but to see lessons, everyday joy, and gratitude. It is in the small choices, in the moments, that life truly shifts.

Your Voice: Between the Lines

I am a person who carries both joy and pain. I care for my home, my family, and myself, even when my body says stop. It’s not only the cleaning or the swim that matter – it’s the feeling that I choose to live my life, every day, in my own way. That is healing, and there gratitude is born.

A Thought on Gratitude

I often sit and wonder what to cook today. And right there, my thoughts make a somersault – because in that question lives gratitude. I get to think about what to cook, not if I can cook anything at all. There are parents wondering whether they can even serve food today. I have the privilege of choosing. And there, gratitude lives in abundance.

Closing Words

Yesterday no longer exists except in memories, tomorrow is something we may experience, but right now – in this very moment – is the only place life can be lived. It is in the now that memories can be created.
— Carina Ikonen Nilsson

Links

Internal link: The First Day of the Rest of My Life – Gratitude and Self-Love
Internal link: KonMari – folding clothes and creating order
External link: YouTube – Animal films for small children (educational and playful)

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The Coffee Machine That Gave Up and Back Morning Coffee

Av Carina Ikonen Nilsson

den 7 september 2025

i Vardag & familjeliv

The Coffee Machine That Gave Up – and the Coffee That Tasted Like Water. I’ve fallen ill – a very sore throat and fever. Even the Little Guy had it last week, and so now it was my turn. At the same time, my small battle with the coffee machine and morning coffee began: when the machine gave up, the first cup tasted mostly like water, but the aroma of coffee was still there and kept me going.

Read this post in Swedish ->Kaffemaskin som gav upp och vägen till Morgonkaffe

Morning Coffee That Tasted… Like Nothing (the search for creamy coffee)

Yesterday we had decided to sort out the basement, but before that – when only I was awake – I sat down with my coffee. The first cup didn’t taste much like coffee, I thought. When I looked into the cup, the milk foam was white, but it never turned brown when I tilted it.

I assumed the coffee flavor was gone because I was sick and drank what was in the cup anyway, but it was completely tasteless.
When the cup was finished, I took that second cup I usually have. Suddenly, the coffee flavor appeared, and that’s when I realized my mistake – or the machine’s mistake.

The Coffee Machine That Gave Up – and the Road Back to Morning Coffee

The machine has been acting up for the past half year. Sometimes only water ends up in the cup, sometimes coffee. Those drainage trays inside the machine have constantly been full of water. I’ve had to empty them after just two or three cups. The coffee grounds in the container have been watery, not at all like before.

Clearing Out the Basement & Saying Goodbye to the Machine

Tidying up the basement meant removing everything we’d stored there. The Little Guy who moved last autumn had left some things, and as always, some junk remained. Over the year, we had also collected our own bits and pieces. The younger one has moved in, and his broken “might-be-useful” things were standing there too: a broken screen and more.

My old stereo – you know, those cassette decks – also lived down there. Two speakers and a couple of leveling blocks for the motorhome we hadn’t used in years were there too. There was even an old plastic Christmas tree with baubles and tinsel.

All of it went to the dump yesterday. Even my coffee machine, which had been giving me trouble. I thought: I have a percolator and a milk frother – I’ll make coffee the way everyone else does. The basement was cleared, and I was left without a coffee machine.

Should We Go to Town or Not?

My husband asked if we should go to town and buy one right away, but I explained my plan. Besides, I was too tired – exhausted from the basement clear-out and feverish. When you have a fever, you’re not exactly eager to go to town. At least I’m not.

The First Attempt With the Percolator (the aromas!)

I thought I’d brew some coffee in the percolator and went out to the motorhome to get the milk frother. I started grinding the beans and enjoyed the pleasant aroma filling the kitchen as they were ground. Coffee smells better than it tastes, I think – though I still love the taste.

I filled the percolator with water, added the freshly ground beans, put the lid on, and turned on the power. The light came on, and an even more wonderful coffee aroma spread through the kitchen. That smell I’m not spoiled with, because it disappears when you drink machine coffee. With a coffee machine, you don’t get that aromatic scent as the coffee brews.

In 15 Minutes: From Beans to Morning Coffee

The whole process took about 15 minutes – from grinding beans to having coffee in the cup. The aroma was heavenly when I poured it. The milk foam lay like a lid over the coffee, and I thought to myself: this is surely just as good as my machine coffee.

Freshly Brewed Coffee – Did It Deliver?

I took my cup of freshly brewed coffee and went to the living room sofa to enjoy and test if it really measured up, to feel what future mornings would taste like.
I looked forward to that first sip. Lips to the cup, and the first taste of coffee touched my mouth.

The Missing Creaminess

The thought came instantly: so empty, so thin – this is not creamy coffee. I took another sip, but the creaminess was still missing. I kept working with my thoughts, telling myself: this is how coffee should taste, I’m just not used to it. I drank half the cup, encouraging myself all the way, then gave up.

I Poured It Out

I went out to the kitchen, poured out the rest, and told my husband: maybe in a few days I’ll get used to it. He hasn’t grown up enough to drink coffee, so he doesn’t really understand my two cups of morning coffee that are so important to me.

“Let’s Go” – The Decision About a New Machine

My new Siemens – after half a year of trouble, I finally got my creamy coffee back.

I lay down on the sofa to rest, working inside my head with the thought that morning coffee wouldn’t be the same joy anymore – apart from those aromatic scents I rediscovered with the percolator.
I took two painkillers to bring down the fever. Then my husband said he had more errands in town than just buying my coffee machine. I told him: I can’t, you go yourself. Besides, it’s expensive to buy such a machine if it’s just going to break down like the last one.

My new Siemens coffee machine in the kitchen – back to creamy morning coffee.

15 Years of Coffee Machines

I’ve gone through two coffee machines before, over a 15-year period. The most recent one wasn’t that old. I’d already been a bit grumpy about it this past half year when it started acting up. Even grumpier because it had cost quite a lot and only lasted a few years. A Monday model, on and off.

I’ll Never Learn

I still tried to convince myself that I’d get used to it, and that I’d enjoy the aromas every morning. Half an hour passed, the painkillers kicked in, and I went out to the kitchen where my husband was cooking. I said: I’ll never learn to drink coffee without a machine. Let’s go.
I had already googled and checked what the whole thing would cost, weighing pros and cons. 6,500 SEK – a price I didn’t like.

Siemens – Always Siemens

But I’m a bit of a nerd too. I’ve only ever tried Siemens coffee machines. I wouldn’t dream of testing another brand.
Once we got there, we decided that my husband would drop me off at Elgiganten while he went to the optician. I’d do what I needed, and he’d do his errands.

Among All the Beautiful Machines

Inside, I walked around looking at all the beautiful coffee machines. I realized mine was one of the middle-class ones – not the cheapest but not the most expensive either. The one slightly better than the one I’d looked at was three thousand SEK more, still Siemens.

Joyful Feelings and a Box in My Arms

I hurried so my husband wouldn’t have to wait. After a moment of joyful feelings – which always comes when I walk among kitchen appliances – I grabbed the box with the machine I wanted, paid, and went out.

Enjoyed the Feeling

My husband wasn’t there yet, so I sat on a bench and enjoyed the feeling: a brand-new coffee machine, and the knowledge that the very next morning I’d be able to drink my creamy macchiato again.

A Stop at the Pharmacy (on the way to morning coffee)

We also stopped at the pharmacy – my blood pressure medicine had run out. Inside, I met a tired pharmacist who told me he was tired. It had been slow with customers, and life seemed mostly gloomy for this man.
That’s not how you treat someone like me, who’s nervous about medication and wants to feel reassured that the staff are alert and know what they’re doing. In the car, I checked several times to make sure he had really given me the right medicine. He had.

Home With the New Coffee Machine

At home, I unpacked the machine and tried to learn the technique. Not easy – I realized it wouldn’t be simple even the next day. I probably need a course, but I’ll learn. I’ll ask my son to read the manual, then he can explain how to really do it.

For now, it was just about making coffee for the morning. But the machine has features: favorite programs and different cleaning settings. Those I’ll learn over time.

The Purpose of This Post?

What was the purpose of this post? I have no idea. But I can tell you that this morning’s coffee tasted wonderful. Today’s cup was even creamier, the foam softer, than any cup I’ve had before.

The cup that saves the morning – creamy, smooth, and exactly the way I want it.

PPU – Price Per Use

A creamy cup of morning coffee with smooth milk foam – exactly how I love it.

6,500 SEK is still expensive. But if I calculate PPA (price per use) and the machine lasts five years, two cups a day (sometimes more when we have guests), it comes to about 1.80 SEK per cup – lower when more cups are brewed. That’s something I’ll have to learn to live with. Yes, stingy as I am, I still have to accept that good taste comes with a price. Which means I’ll endure it.

Reflection

Two cups of coffee can become a whole story. Maybe it’s not just about the machine, the aroma, or the foam, but about the small things that make everyday life bearable when you don’t feel well. I realized coffee isn’t just a habit; it’s company. A way to hold on to something that’s mine, regardless of fever or a failing machine.

AHA – Between the Lines

Between the words about Siemens, the dump, and the pharmacy, there’s another layer. This isn’t just a story about coffee. It’s a reminder that I deserve to treat myself to what brings me joy – even if it costs a little more. The coffee machine became a symbol of taking care of myself, despite illness, despite fatigue. Choosing creamy morning coffee became the same as choosing me.

Closing Words

Oh my, this turned into a very long post about just two cups of morning coffee.
I wish you a good day, and live by my motto:

Today, right now – yesterday is history, and tomorrow hasn’t come yet. It is here and now that I can enjoy my coffee, my creamy morning coffee. / Carina Ikonen Nilsson

Questions for You, the Reader

Has your coffee machine ever broken down? What did you do then?
Are you a percolator person or a coffee machine person – and why?
How important is milk foam/creaminess for your perfect cup?
Or do you simply drink plain black coffee?
Do you have any tips for getting more flavor at home?

FAQ – Coffee Machines, Brewing and Morning Coffee

1) Why does coffee sometimes taste “thin”?
Often it’s the bean quality, grind size, or brewing temperature. Try finer grind, correct dose (about 6–7 g/100 ml), and fresh beans.

2) How do I get more “creaminess”?
Three things matter: beans (darker or espresso roast), grind (slightly finer), and milk foam (around 60–65 °C, microfoam).

3) Coffee machine vs. percolator – what’s the difference in taste?
A percolator circulates water and can give aroma but sometimes a thinner body. A fully automatic machine pushes water through compressed grounds – usually fuller.

4) How often should I clean the machine?
Daily: rinse brewing unit & frother. Weekly: wash removable parts. Regularly: descale according to manual.

5) How long do opened beans stay fresh?
Best flavor in the first 2–3 weeks. Store cool, dark, and airtight.

6) What’s a reasonable lifespan and “price per use”?
Fully automatic: 4–7 years is common. 6,500 SEK / (5 years × 365 × 2 cups) ≈ 1.80 SEK per cup – drops when more cups are brewed.

Also Read

More everyday posts and reflections at malix.se

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Everyday Life with a Cat

Av Carina Ikonen Nilsson

den 8 juli 2025

i Malix – personligt & bloggen, Vardag & familjeliv

read this on Swedish

An unusually ordinary morning. A husband who was awake before me. And a cat who’d been out all night – even though he’s not allowed to. In our home, the roles are clear: I’m the lunch lady and the cleaner, my husband is the cozy corner. But sometimes, routines shift, and then it becomes clear just how much space a little meow can take in our hearts.

An Awake Husband and That Darn Cat

I’ve been awake for a while now, but it was an unusual morning here at home. Not because the cat was lying on top of me to wake me up – he always does that, I’m the one who feeds him. Not even because he jumped up on my legs and patted me with his paw to remind me about breakfast. No, what was unusual was that my husband was already awake.

That happens rarely. Maybe three or four times in all our years together. But today was one of those days.

And I know why.

A Restless Night with the Cat

Findus – my husband’s little cat, his darling and best friend – had been outside all night. Something he absolutely isn’t allowed to do, according to my husband. The cat usually comes in by the evening, but last night he never showed up. And he already seemed a bit under the weather before he went out, which made my husband even more worried.

So there he sat, awake and anxious, with worried eyes and his heart in his throat. Waiting. Listening for every sound. I fell asleep long before he did, so I don’t know how long he lay there listening for the cat. That’s why he was up before me this morning.

Morning Routine with Cat – and Milk in the Coffee

When I woke up, the cat was lying on me as usual. I got up, pressed the button on the coffee machine, poured in milk – and the cat started pawing my legs. Breakfast time. I went to his “pantry,” an IKEA drawer, grabbed his food, and walked toward his bowl.

He attacked my hands as I lifted the bowl – as he always does – and then gobbled his food down. Afterwards, he clawed at the living room chair, meowed, and wanted to go out again. I opened the patio door. He stared at me. I closed the door. He stared at me again. I told him it was raining. Then he slowly approached, his tail waving gently. I opened the door again. This time, he went out.

A Love Story Between a Cat and a Man

The cat isn’t just a pet in this house. He’s my husband’s baby. Meow-meow. Prince Findus. Yes, he probably has ten nicknames.

If anyone ever hurt the cat – my husband would be there like a front-line soldier. He carries the cat inside, dries him off, takes care of him. Me? I’m just the sidekick. I clean, feed, scoop the litter boxes, and try to stop the cat from sneaking in with half-alive prey.

My husband gets the cuddles. The cat seeks him out, purrs in his lap. I just get the shadow of their bond. Jealous? Not of the cat – maybe a little of my husband, who escapes all the work but still gets all the love.

Oops – I guess this turned into a cat post! I was actually going to write about my neighbor.

Want to read the next part where I talk about my neighbor’s YouTube channel, AI as a coworker, and what I really meant to write about?
Click here to read Part 2:
A YouTube Channel, AI as a Colleague – and Newfound Knowledge

Thank you again for reading my blog. It means more than you know.

Carina Ikonen Nilsson

Reflection:

Sometimes it’s those little shifts in everyday life that speak the loudest. Like who wakes up first. Or who waits by the door.
Love can look like a tail waving in the rain – or a glance between a man and a cat.