Moving to Jokkmokk? THINK TWICE!

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If ever there was a system failure among municipalities in Sweden, Jokkmokk should be near the top of the list. For anyone thinking of moving or dealing with Jokkmokk, be it for personal or business reasons, read these articles in this new category. There are always two sides of a topic and everyone with an ambition of moving to Jokkmokk should consider the unofficial side, the information that’s not given, of this municipality going nowhere.

Many people, both domestic and international, look to Jokkmokk as a center for Saamisk culture where this indigenous people live and work and have been in the area for thousands of years. They are, so to say, the original citizens of Jokkmokk. The work in keeping their traditions and roots are difficult as they fight against natural dimensions in reindeer breeding, financial challenges and almost every day tones of racism and jealousy with their Swedish neighbors.

It is important to note that not all Jokkmokk citizens have this attitude with the local Saami. But there are influential groups that quietly put a wrench into the works for Saami recognition and respect. (I know a jealous few that actively use their time to find loopholes in hunting and fishing laws, favorable to the Saami culture, in order for they themselves to receive equal rights.)

Most recently, due to a proposal from Karin Vanner (Saami politician) and Anna Hövenmark (chief municipal consular) suggesting that Jokkmokk symbolically recognizes the Saami in accordance to ILO 169, this proposal was defeated. The unofficial reason, darkly hidden to the public, is a hopeful establishment of an iron mine that could give considerable hardship to local Saami tribes and their way of life.

As one politician explained after the defeat, “We want to profile Jokkmokk as a municipality with a Saamish element. We don’t only want Jokkmokk to have a Saamish trademark.” What a slap in the face for these Jokkmokk citizens! It’s worthy to note that only 17% of Jokkmokk has a higher or university education. Apparently, this politician struggled through secondary level.

Surprisingly, Jokkmokk is dependent on it’s Saami citizens, comprising of 25% of the community, through an impressive number of events throughout the year…including the famed Winter Market. And capitalize on their Saami citizens is something Jokkmokk will do without hesitation…even using the Saami culture as a trademark:

Winter Market Trademark

Important: If Jokkmokk negatively values 25% of its taxpaying citizens as in this case, How will they value and regard other taxpaying citizens who don’t fit the mold?

So, if you value indigenous peoples, feel that the Saami of Jokkmokk are unique and their culture and traditions should be recognized…

DON’T MOVE TO JOKKMOKK
Boycott the place

Repairing a Static Caravan 4

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If anyone is familiar with the North Atlantic weather conditions and Shetland’s “between weathers” phenomenon, then understand the intensity and stress it required to change the roof of the caravan. Not knowing when nor how the weather could change, it took true grit and courage to rip-off the only thin protection against rain and winds this caravan has had for close to a year.

Having insulated, rebuilt and paneled all the outside walls, the layer of aluminum roof was only being held on with a small strip of treated lumber. This small strip was holding down the 40mm overlay that was available from the old aluminum walling and, together with many tubes of mastic, it was only screwed down tight onto the upper part of the new walls. This upper part prepared the way for new rafters, or roof trusses, and had to be “unsealed” to change the roof.

So it was! The mastic weather-proofed parts were taken apart, skylights removed, and starting at the one gable end the rafters were laid in place. Eyes were often spying the horizon for weather changes, weather reports were eye-balled several times during a day and the work days were….very….very…long work days.

Simply speaking, old roof is removed, new rafters put into place, electrical wiring adjusted and inspected, Kingspan insulation between new rafters, treated plywood screwed on rafters, layer of roofing “gortex” stapled on plywood, slats fastened on covered plywood, some insulation put between slats that would lie just under metal roofing (prevents condensation and keeps the place quiet during hail or heavy rains) and finish it off with metal roofing. (So “simple” this wasn’t…just to save writing many paragraphs)

How long did this take? I don’t remember. Maybe a week or two? I do remember several 18 hour days with hardly any breaks. I do know that it was tough working and sometimes I had to tack down a strong plastic tarp material for rainy periods in between all work. Fortunately, I had a few friends spend some of their time to lend a hand. Great help, indeed!

After the roof was in stable condition, I grit my teeth and attacked the extension area. Same procedure as the rest of the exterior…Kingspan, gortex and paneling. Just this last week, I finally could fit the new front door.

Old aluminum roofing was recycled. It weighed in at 40kg and gave £16.

I’ll let the pictures explain better…. (to be continued)

Repairing a Static Caravan 3

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Winter came and went and most of the outside work had to be put on ice…no pun intended in reference to winter. In lieu of this and before heading home to complete another building project during the Christmas holidays, it was possible to start chipping away on necessary indoor tasks with expectations to continue outside work after the holiday season and, supposedly, with a more favourable weather.

Bedroom -
Many older caravans have two bedrooms. The smaller second bedroom of this caravan was one of the first things we tore away, creating an open interior planning but leaving only one master bedroom. This larger bedroom was less than 4 sq. mt. and hardly allowed legroom, should ordinary single beds were installed. Also,common beds would take up most floor space with a larger volume of remaining space inefficiently used. It seemed smartest to plan for two wide comfortable bunk beds as we were accustomed to this way of living from experiences in the mountains of northern Sweden.

Having removed all the old, damp, mouldy and smelly interior walling of the master bedroom, there remained the original 20mm insulation which was poorly packed between the original wooden squares of the caravan’s exterior walls. Should these squares be removed?

Using 25 mm Kingspan, I replaced the old insulation to the bedroom and filled up the rectangles of the interior wall. I also reinforced these walls where the bunk beds would be installed later. This gave the bedroom walls better strength and increased the u-value of that corner. I now had walls totaling 75 mm Kingspan insulation. Evaluating this, I decided that I would follow this path; keeping the original framework, insulating to 75mm and consequently increasing the caravan’s total u-value even more than first planned.

The interior bedroom walls were replaced with fresh plywood. Part of the original roof rafters were insulated with 25 mm Kingspan and “gortex” and finished off with 10 mm pine paneling for the ceiling. Later, the floor was covered with 6 mm laminate, which I bought locally second-hand via Internet. Bunk beds were built during wet days in March. See pics in gallery below.

Outside –
After returning at the end of February and when the weather Gods were kind(er), I tore away the remaining aluminum on the second gable end, reinforced this in the same manner as the other exterior walls, added the wind/waterproof “gortex” material and finished off with the exterior cladding. I now could feel the caravan gained the stability and solidness that it needed for the harsh winds of Shetland. As a result, hardly no vibrating or tremors can be felt in this caravan’s body.

Recycling –
Naturally, thoughts of recycling and the environment have been a part of this project and, as a little game, I had saved all the removed aluminium siding. Recently and with the last of the siding removed, I went to the dump. Surprisingly, the aluminum weighed in at 80 kg. At today’s rate, I drove away from the dump with an extra £32 in my back pocket. I thought this was fun and gave a little back to the costs of repairs. I wonder what the aluminum roof will weigh in at when I remove it?

Soon, hopefully –
I want to change the roof. I have all the necessary rafters to a saddle-shaped roof prepared and soon will have the new metal roofing delivered. As soon as weather and wind permits, myself with some friends will rip off the old roof and put on the new. This report will come later…

By the way, the extension part of the caravan has been built in a fashion that will allow it to be removed, should the caravan be moved in the future. An explanation of this engineering feat will come later.

With the Long, Dark…

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..cold winter, How many of us would like to take a break and visit Kew Gardens for just one bright, warm, sunny summer day? All the time in the world.! Picnic lunch carried in one hand! Beauty…lushness…fragrance! I certainly would!

Enjoy-

A Greek Wake-up Call?

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This past year, many eyes and ears have been welded to any news concerning the economic disaster attacking the Greek people by the Euorpean Union lynch mob, whose only intention with the process is to squash a member state into total submission and increase European serfdom within a growing new-feudalistic kingdom. While European leaders are possessed by self-importancy and ego, enforcing their demands for total Greek submission, shouldn’t other countries recognize that this process as a wake-up call and that responsible leadership should consider an absolute abandonment of EU membership in favor of genuine democracy and sovereign legitimacy?

Which country will be next to face total serfdom? Spain? Ireland? Italy? France? Which country will be struggling with debt from greedy banks and EU bailouts for generations to come, leaving a black cloud of poverty and guilt hanging over the heads of innocent children and grandchildren and who are completely irresponsible for their forefather’s mistakes? Which member country will reach “the top of the triangle” and reign over the other member states?

Shouldn’t decisions, having been made by any country’s leadership and which lead to total financial and democratic breakdown within that country, be held personally responsible for their actions? Shouldn’t these leaders, themselves, personally become the serfs of the “King of Europe” and personally pay for their dumb decisions; not the populace who once trusted them?

Let’s pay our respects to ordinary Greek citizens who don’t want the chain of slavery shackled around their necks and are desperately trying to survive. Let’s consider our own future, national leadership and lives.

Repairing a Static Caravan 2

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If you have ever experienced Shetland weather, you can understand the unpredictability and diversified nature of it. The repairs and modernization of this static caravan has taken time and the work has often been between raindrops and winds, often at the same time.

The first five weeks have past and, reflecting upon what has been accomplished, the original strategy has been followed. The outside conversion from a tin can caravan with rot has miraculously become a “Cinderella” of changes. This is what has happened…

The technical jargon-
With start on the smaller gable end, I took away the caravan-like angled floor at the old tow bar area. I built this out, extending the floor and gaining 2 m2 and having a full 90° wall inside. Quite practical for putting a sofa or bed later along that wall. The humongous sitting room single glazed window had to go and, after its removal, I peeled off the aluminum siding and screwed on my treated 12 mm plywood to the wooden framework of the caravan; sealed with “mastic”, or polysulfide sealant, between each jointed section of plywood!

TIP: The wooden framework has no set measurements and, once covered, it’s trial and error finding a hold for screws or remembering where electrical lines are. To best resolve this problem, mark along the wooden base where the center line of the original vertical/horizontal framework is or where to avoid screwing into electrical lines, then use a water level to mark out your line along/up the sides as you work. I allowed myself no more that ±3mm margins with all measurements.

With plywood screwed on, I set up my baseline board with a water level. Made my vertical studs and positioned/screwed these onto the gable wall taking into consideration where I wanted the new windows to sit. Everything had to be horizontally and vertically correct, as these measurements would be identical for the whole outside wall work around the caravan. Distances between vertical studs are flexible depending upon window size and wall strength. It’s up to you!

After studding is completed, I insulated the walls using 50mm Kingspan. This is comparable to 150mm normal rockwool insulation but doesn’t take the same volume. Windows were lead-free polyethylene double-glazed energy saving and filled with argon gas. These costs and efforts I’m putting into the caravan will pay for themselves within 7 years through the “energy pennies” I’ll save.

After the insulation, wind and water resistant foil (I call it gortex) is stapled onto the studding and covers the whole wall. Treated wood paneling is tacked onto the studs with stainless steel wood screws following a bead from the level. Altogether, from the original caravan siding, I added on 97mm.

The floor was insulated with 100mm, 100% earthwool insulation. This made a big difference compared to the earlier 20mm carton material used for fish boxes.

Several weeks later-
With all this work, the inside environment is comfy, warm and much more quiet from outside noise. It will probably be cooler on “warmer” days; if Shetland has these? The porch area is under construction just now, but it’s getting to be too late in winter to continue with it.

The major thing is, this caravan will be beautiful when it’s finished and comfortable to live in! A new roof will come later when weather permits. Let the pictures show the work and results up to now… (to be continued)

Repairing a Static Caravan…

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…can be a no-brainer-don’t-do-it-you’re crazy kind of project to undertake, unless you are an experienced and stubborn skilled trades teacher with a will to solve problems that arise.
Having had the opportunity to acquire a small beast of a caravan on Shetland, this project will involve a complicated technical construction to convert it to a very inhabitable place to live on a wonderful patch of islands in the world. But, what is this project all about?

Photo: Initial inspection- looking for rot

Background: There are two types of caravans in the U.K. The increasingly popular touring caravan, hooked onto the back of a car and driven from site to site, and the larger static caravan that needs a more complicated means of moving and, by its name, is considered staying on its site for longer periods or permanently. In Sweden today, these are called a “Villavagn”, or “house wagon” and have become a new solution for owning or renting a summer cottage.

Static caravans in the U.K. have a long history of use as temporary summer or holiday dwellings as regulations in vacation laws for workers developed through the last century allowing time for workers and families to get out of large towns and relax. From what can be understood from Internet, static caravans are traditionally found near climatically stable and warmer areas of the U.K. i.e. like Cornwall, Devon, Wales etc., where the commute from larger cities (London) allows for a reasonable drive. They are now quite commonplace and have become more popular for permanent habitation all over the U.K. as economies are uncertain.

There are many large caravan parks for single unit rentals or one can purchase a static caravan on site and pay annual site fees to park owners. Static caravans are also popular to buy and live in due to on-site construction of private homes and sold off after the house is finished to live in.

The Project Caravan: The make and model is, as yet, unknown but probably originating from the early 1990’s. It has been first sold, then apparently traded in, cosmetically refurbished and re-sold again a number of times. When it was bought, it had been vacated for almost a year in a very tight and closed condition. On first inspection, there was a leafy fungus growing on the carpet and floor. The wet and smell of this environment is impossible to describe but the whole construction cried out for air.

First things first, out with everything that wasn’t rotted, mildewy or dirty beyond patience to cope with. It originally had two bedrooms but the smaller one gave way to the crowbar and a whole truckload of this scrap went to recycling. Once the windows had been opened and the drying sun came into it, the caravan could be heard sighing and thanking us.

After using one and a half weeks with discovering how this caravan was made and making attack plans for its repairs, I discovered that it basically is built with small sticks and thin plywood. The outside walls are 45mm thick and holding rusty and leaky single-glazed windows. The floor larger has no insulation and the roof is basically a skin of aluminum over a few bowed wooden supports.

When built, workers started with the iron chassis and added a plywood floor. On this floor came the outside walls followed by electrical work and furnishings screwed onto the 3mm masonite inside ceiling, some flimsy 20mm rafter things and finally the roof skin to hold everything together.

During my inspection, I found the indoor floor pretty stable but some parts along the bottom of the outside walls had acquired rot and need replaced. Any electrical wires needing replaced or taken away must be done when everything is opened up.

Preliminary Plans: Crawl underneath and insulate the floor. Since the walls are attached to the floor, I’m choosing to take off the aluminum siding (recycle for 40p per kilo) simultaneously screwing water repellant “marine” plywood to strengthen the structure. On the plywood goes vertical water repellant woods studs and, finally, peel back the roof skin as I place a new saddle roof on the new outside wall frame replacing the roof with marine plywood and a layer of…uh…metal roof sheeting. This all will be tricky with consideration for Shetland’s winds and rain. At the end, insulate with Kingspan, add a wooden cladding and install the new double-glazed windows.

I’ll end here for now…

Mataffären ICA Rajden i Jokkmokk…

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…är en som många inom Sverige ombud för posttjänster till allmänheten. Tyvärr så vill jag tillägga att Post-och telestyrelsen inte klarar av att upprätthålla en postservice framförallt i glesbygden och lämnar över ansvaret till troliga vinstsugna och sämre kapabel privata ägare som ju ICA Rajden i Jokkmokk. Men, denna berättelse har inte så mycket av en ekonomisk eller politisk anknytning utan det är hur konsumenten ska anpassa sig till ICA Rajden i Jokkmokk och inte tvärtom…

Ungefär så här är berättelsen…

Här om dagen fick jag en SMS att ett beställt paket kunde hämtas vid s.k. ”posten” i Jokkmokk dvs ICA. Jag som många andra uppleva ett stort besvär med denna tjänst då oftast stå man i kö bland de som handla mat eller dyl. Främst vid posttjänster under storhelger eller vid ICAs perioder av underbemanning.

Jag räckte fram avin och, medan jag boxade med att få ut min legitimation enligt Postens enorm svåruppfattad regel, sade jag till kassören, ”Hämta paketet (ligger på hyllan strax bakom grabben) å så ta jag ut leg,” föreslog jag.

Nähäj, det gick inte! Numera måste kunden visa legitimationen förre kassören hämta paketet. Det visste jag inte och börja ifrågasätta reglarna medan jag fortfarande försökte att få fram min leg. (Som bakgrund så är det ju många gånger att kunden kan mer om posttaxor eller brev hantering än de anställda som inte ha fått tillräcklig med information, utbildning eller praktiska erfarenheter.)

Hur det nu var så tolkades mitt ifrågasättande att jag var ju ”besvärligt” och kassören ifrågasatt detta beteendet! Hur en kund ska vara besvärligt och kassören framför sin privata värderingar öppet inför andra i kö stående kunder förstår jag inte?

Nästa dag skulle jag hämta ut mina glasögon som kom till…å nej…ICA Rajden. Jag hade en avi i handen. Jag hade min legitimation. Det fanns inget ”tidigast tid att hämta” på den. Behövs inget autograf. Det var bara åk och hämta. Jag kände hjärtklappningar inför en besvärlig uppgift då jag for till ICA. Andas…andas…lugn…andas

Jag var förberedd. Jag hade avin i handen, legitimationen framme och inombords var lugn. Det här gången fick jag inte paketet! Trots avin i handen, paketet kom aldrig fram!

Igen börjar jag att fråga ”När kommer det då,” frågade jag? ”Nja, jag vet inte,” sade kassören. ”Men, hur ska jag veta när jag kan komma tillbaka och hämta det,” frågade jag mer irriterande? ”Njaaa, jag kan inte säga…uh…kanske vid 12-tiden” var svaret. ”Ska jag fara hem igen (en resa på 20 km) och vänta och komma tillbaka…kanske vid 12-tiden…å så ha det inte kommit? Jag har en avi här och det borde ha kommit, eller…” Nu var jag upprörd men inte otrevlig.

Jag som kund blev igen ”besvärlig” och igen framfördes detta beteendet så att de som stod i kö fick höra. Då gick jag för att prata med ägaren i ICA.
Efter ett samtal, kom det fram att även andra och han själv har problem med Posten och paket leverans och han medgav att jag hade ett argument. Så var det med det.

Men, jag anser att problemet med posttjänster i Jokkmokk ABSOLUT MÅSTE FÖRBÄTTRAS!

Slutet av berättelsen var att jag kom tillbaka till ICA i Jokkmokk vid tolv tiden och paketet hade ännu inte kommit! Det är ju inte klokt!

Förslag till förbättringar kan vara bättre och löpande utbildning för de anställda! Bättre information? Uppenbart behövs det kassafolk som inte belasta kunder med ”problemet” och högljudigt kränka kunden med att vara ”bevärlig” inför närbeläggande åhörare. De ska bättre lära sig kundservice, eller…? Man kan inte alltid ursäkta sig och avfärda att det är Post- och Telestyrelsen som ha ansvaret och ”inte vi”.

Men, blir postkörerna och posttjänsterna vid ICA Rajden i Jokkmokk bättre? Under åren ha det inte! Det är bara att konstatera. Många fruktar sig att stå länge i kö och sedan bemötts av sämre kunniga personal. Hur gör vi då? Vem äger problemet? Kunden?

Jag som kund väljar en annan affär. Jag som kund undvikar ICA Rajden i Jokkmokk så långt som möjligt!

Retirement Insurance…

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…can be a familiar topic of discussion to many of us in the world. Especially after the recent economic depression and new predictions being made for another upcoming economic problem… not to mention the upcoming outcome of Swedish elections.

But, in northern Sweden, retirement insurance brings about a whole new concept. With sub-zero temperatures banging on doors during the long frigid winter months above the Arctic Circle, fear of living in a cold house at an old age can be bone chilling. Some can still remember stories of older people, unable to move out of the warmth and protection of thickly piled bed covers, living in a cold house and not having fuel to burn. Or, for that matter, not having the strength to gather fuel for winter.

Older people’s fear of freezing to death, all alone, can be real!

Photo: Stacked firewood waiting to warm a house

So, just as we finished laboring with some 11 cubic meters of birch firewood and neatly stacked this supply under roof, we considered the economic warnings, politics and our age and decided to invest in some “good old retirement insurance” in the northern Swedish tradition. This last week came still another truck load of birch to our doorstep. This, too, will be cut, split and stacked as time draws on.

Photos: From the truck…
…ready to be cut, split and stacked

Admittedly, our retirement insurance feels pretty good. Even better when the stuff is stacked drying and ready to use should we for some unlucky reason not want to freeze to death. And, just like gathering peat on Shetland, this warms the body twice.

Could this be better than a bank? Talk about giving yourself a bonus? Think about it. Retirement insurance is good to have!

London is Wonderful…

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…and my very favorite city to visit when having the time to do so. Coming into Heathrow Airport, I started to consider the many many exciting and educational places that could be visited in this wonderful metro area. Should I pay a visit to The Globe Theater? Museums around town? Boat ride along the Thames?

I came upon a slightly different idea for amusement during our few weekend days here. Why not visit Kew Gardens? Kew is about 10 miles from Paddington Station and I wasn’t sure just what the best way was to get there. To my surprise, it was just to take The Tube, an easy ride via Earl’s Court and directly to the Kew Station.

Kew is probably the best place in the world to see thousands of plants, flowers and trees from our earth. Starting in the 19th century, Kew has collected botanical specimens and taken well care of these for all of London, or the world, to see, take guided tours and learn from. Perhaps not the first thing most would visit on a trip to London but a wonderful time can be had for the daring tourist.

Fortunately, the weather was superb. The entrance fee was not harsh in comparison to other attractions (Kew = £13,50 adults / London Eye = £18,90 online for one trip) and once inside you can stay the whole day and walk around the place taking in everything that Kew has to show. Some people even take picnic lunches and easily spend a day!

One drawback about Kew is the closeness to Heathrow. Every 90 seconds the air is filled with a noisy jet coming in for a landing. To bad, but that’s how city planners decided!

My favorite Kew place was the treetop walk. I also fell in love with the hundreds of different trees growing within the whole compound. The greenhouses were full of exotic plants but the “waterlilly house” was on the top of my list. And this summer they had a special exhibition area with a butterfly room, where many butterflies were flying loose inside for everyone to get near with.

So, tired of the Tower Bridge, Picadilly blasé or no time for Big Ben when in London? Wear a pair of good walking shoes and try a day’s outing to Kew Gardens. It’s much more than a walk in the park!