Arctic adventures

The last week has seen cold winds coming down from the Arctic with temperatures below -25 degrees. This has meant that we spent a lot of time inside, reading Pettson & Findus, building Lego and making paella. I have also had reasons to be rather impressed by how energy efficient the new house is. Despite that all heating and warm water is electric and we make extensive use of the washing machine and dishwasher, our total electricity consumption for December came to less than a thousand kWh (all certified nuclear electricity of course!). Today, I decided to invest the savings from my electricity bill on the secret fuel that takes me through the winters up here.

As for winter experiences, my mother-in-law had a rather extreme train journey the other day. The engine of her night train broke down just outside the village of Nattavaara where it was -38 degrees. After many cold hours, the train was eventually towed by another engine down to the coastal town of Luleå where she arrived 16 hours after starting her journey. During the night, the local people in Nattavaara served tea and sandwiches to the stranded passengers. Stories like that go a long way in restoring one’s faith in humanity.