Petra’s asleep and Tage’s happily occupied on his own and there are at least ten things that I should or could be doing right now, but I just can’t find the energy to do any of them. Instead I’m sitting here in front of the computer, drinking coffee and refreshing the same three or four webpages over and over again and trying to talk myself into going to town to buy pet food. I should have bought it yesterday when I did my big grocery shop, but the store had only smaller bags of dog food and I didn’t realize until this morning that we were so near to being out of cat food. I think what I need to do is make a rule to always buy pet food when I’m at the grocery store, whether I think we need it or not.

One of the webpages I’m refreshing is Tradera, the biggest Swedish auction site (there is eBay in Sweden, but it’s slow getting off the ground, it seems). I’ve been buying way too many things there lately, and every time I go back I find something more to bid on. Like I said, poor impulse control.

I’ve always liked teapots (probably because my mom collected teapots when I was younger), and in the past couple of years that interest has expanded to include entire tea and coffee services–cream pitchers, sugar bowls, cups and saucers, dessert plates–and even the odd soup bowl and plate. Up until a year or so ago I was content with picking up the occasional piece at a thrift store or flea market, but Tradera has propelled me to new heights altogether. I never used to check the marks on my porcelain and I had more “no-name” pieces than anything else. Time was, I’d buy whatever caught my eye, without regard to the “who, where, what” bit. Lately, though, I’ve discovered Swedish porcelain designers and manufacturers, and I’ve even begun branching out to some German and Finnish designs.

Right now I’m in love with Gustavsberg and Rörstrand, and am entertaining more than a passing fancy with Finnish Arabia and German Hutschenreuther and Arzberg. Every day I find something more that I want, and my Tradera search list grows and grows and grows. I think I’d be a semi-serious collector if I had a bit more capital to invest … and a few more china cabinets.