Writer: Peter Bergström
Ok, here we go! Peter at the controls and "Here is my life" part 1. I will tell you about my life a few times in the future on Fridays and here it starts. Peter Andersson 19600706 was born at Sabbatsberg hospital in the centre of the city and of course a Djurgardian. When I was born we lived on Karlbergsvägen in Karlberg and a summer house on Blidö, so at the age of two weeks they drove me out to the archipelago, and there I started my career because I was born in July.
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My first years
We lived in a two-room flat without a lift on the fourth floor of a building in Karlberg, and it couldn't have been easy to get a pram up there. That's how it was, and that generation was tough. We went to our summer cottage on Blidö outside Norrtälje every day off during my first 20 years, and that's where I had all my best friends and wonderful memories.
We moved to Jakobsberg (Järfälla) two kilometres west of Stockholm in 1968 because Stockholm was expanding at the time. There were construction cranes or forest as far as the eye could see.
What do I remember?
My uncle worked in music and we got all kinds of music equipment from him. He always brought us the latest gramophone, stereo system and records from the early Beatles, Heppstars (where Benny Andersson started his career), the Stones and Tom & Mick (Tommy Körberg), etc. You name it.
He socialised with everyone in the industry so music has reflected my whole life. My dad grew up with jazz and classical music so that stuck and my mum loved Fred Alistair and the gang so that stuck too.
And some more
Now we come to the hard parts, haha. Those damn woollen trousers that just itch when you have to go out and be nice and a shirt that looked like wallpaper and a bow tie on it, what the hell were they thinking? I hated it and cried most of the time.
Then when it came to Christmas Eve, it was so wonderful to get a Christmas present in the morning that you could entertain yourself with all day, and what else would we do then? We were going to both grandma and grandpa and grandma and grandpa on the same day, well hello. It was always stressful to keep up with everyone and when we children received packages from the older ones, it was pillowcases and spoons in silver, and how fun was that for a child, haha. What times.
last calm period in my life
Confirmation was sort of included and I did it in the Blidö archipelago but I regretted it during the first few days. My father was very hard and just said "you have signed me up for this and then you just have to go through with it". He was very tough on the fact that you have to stand for what you do and say in life and that follows me to this day, and I love it.
I had a lot of love in my upbringing and the whole family very close to me so I am lucky and the first 14 years were easy. Then something happened at the age of 14 with my brain and body and I broke free but we'll talk about that next Friday.
What are your memories of the first 14 years?
Did you miss the last Happy Friday? Read the Being happy for the little things
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Peter Bergström
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English (UK) 
Svenska
Ditte says:
Good morning!
Nice Friday reading to start the morning with and nice to know more about you.
And we can certainly say that the years have gone by rather quickly.
Fun with a continuation next Friday.
Memories from the first 14 years; a lively girl who invented mischief, "rented" bicycles from older friends as a four-year-old and pedalled around the streets of Töreboda. (Västergötland)
Alternate living in Norway, moved to Solna, old Huvudsta when I was 10. Lots of athletics and basketball. Travelling abroad with the family, starting with Mallorca in 1960, continuing with Italy, Greece, former Yugoslavia and Cyprus. During a longer stay with my father in Cyprus, there was also a visit to Beirut, Lebanon, which was then a thriving and beautiful city.
Confirmation in Solna church where I didn't want to take communion, didn't understand the point. But the priest and I were in complete agreement. Already at a young age I did what I believed in and with the encouragement of my parents.
So there was no revolt during adolescence.
23 September 2016 - 7:00
Lennart says:
Great reading!
23 September 2016 - 7:13
nils-åke says:
You write well! As a 14 year old what do I remember it could be school and memories of our Stockholm trips. I have lost or repressed memories from young years.
23 September 2016 - 7:29
Steve says:
Nice Friday reading. Fun to get to know the guy behind today's Peter. What a memory you have. I also have a pretty good handle on milestones in life, but I rarely remember exactly what year it was. And you have saved many wonderful photos. I have often missed old photos that I have not been more careful with.
I look forward to reading about your "teenage rebellion" next Friday.
23 September 2016 - 7:38
Elisabeth says:
Fun with old cards. The memories come when you look at them. I grew up in a working class community and my emancipation began at the age of 12. That year I grew a lot and started looking for new friends.
23 September 2016 - 7:59
Peter Bergström says:
How nice to hear Ditte! I know you've had a life where you've moved around a lot, but I didn't realise you started so early. You are still spinning around and enriching your life and you are very good at it. You seem to be determined with what you want and don't want and maybe that's why the teenage rebellion didn't come. fun reading Ditte.
Thank you Lennart for appreciating my writing!
Thank you Nils-Åke! I think it's more likely that you have forgotten your younger years, but repressing memories is more about things you don't want to remember.
Thank you Steve: Saving old things is not my style at all because I only want to look forward, but somehow these binders of old photos have stuck with me. which is lucky because I'm about to tell a whole story about myself and the teenage rebellion came as a slap in the face.
23 September 2016 - 8:01
Peter Bergström says:
Elisabeth: Sure, there's a lot of memories with photos and girls start earlier than boys to let loose so I understand that you started at 12. I hope you can tell us about your revolt on the blog next Friday.
23 September 2016 - 8:04
Anonymous says:
Fun reading! We have a lot in common, although I had my hoods more south / west of the city, ie Tullinge / Tumba, but then it turned out just in time for the start of school, then we moved to Kungsängen! Lovely times, but the move went once more before I was 11 and then we ended up in Stöde, outside Sundsvall, where Ingrid Bergman's first husband came from! I can say that my revolt began when I was 13 on the fourteenth! Will be fun to read the continuation:) Nice weekend by the way!
23 September 2016 - 8:10
Marina says:
A fun read with many "I-know-it-again" thoughts. Especially the part about woollen trousers - what were they really thinking? I had a pair of green checked ones and when I grew out of them I inherited my friend who had a pair of grey checked ones, how funny was that???
23 September 2016 - 8:14
Ulrika Ahlgren says:
Beautifully written and fun to read, looking forward to next Friday.
23 September 2016 - 8:26
Anette Åhnbrink says:
Anonymous?
23 September 2016 - 8:59
Solan says:
...a blonde even then! Many people probably remember the wool loincloth, I still refuse to wear it. A long drawn-out revolt 🙂 .
23 September 2016 - 9:06
Mary af Rövarhamn says:
Fun to read. It is easy to recognise you in the pictures from the past. Just as good looking then as now. Hugs. Linda
23 September 2016 - 9:24
Geddfish says:
What a wonderfully vivid description of your childhood years that you offer 😀.
You, a good blond guy, with a twinkle in your eye 😉 .
I myself have a lot of photos back in time, usually look at them sometimes. My childhood in the municipal community of Vårgårda, was filled with love, travel, meetings (both meetings in the free church and meetings with travelling evangelists of different nationalities, who came and stayed with us, and we had tenants in our house).
I was a rather shy girl until the age of 12. At 14 I travelled to Germany by myself. Pretty forward 😉
Hugs to you and happy weekend 😀
23 September 2016 - 10:04
Lena - gott för själen says:
Wow, what a fun series of posts! I also have some of those things from my parents that I found annoying as a teenager but that I appreciate now.
Looking forward to the next post in the series 😉
Hug Lena
23 September 2016 - 11:36
Ama de casa says:
Fun reading and lovely pictures! 🙂
The first 14 years I experienced as very idyllic. With lovely summers in the cottage in the country, with horses, sun and swimming. The sun always shone in the summers of my childhood as I remember it 🙂 Wonder what happened to the weather then? 😉
23 September 2016 - 16:47
BP says:
What a wonderful post both in terms of text and the fun pictures:-) Love it! Great idea too. Oh by the way, you are very similar to you!
As a child, I was a mascot in my father's football team already as a pink-clad three-year-old and was spoiled by all the players (I was quite cute at that time;-) ). We moved from apartment to house when I was six years old. After that, a lot of sports were on my mind, though not football at that time.
I also remember my childhood as very happy.
23 September 2016 - 18:45
Rolle o Carina says:
A lovely story about your youth Peter!
Have a good time and tell me more 🙂
23 September 2016 - 20:12
Peter Bergström says:
Anette Åhnbrink who wishes to remain anonymous: I am glad that you appreciate what I write and that we have somewhat similar experiences. I will write next Friday and you will add your story, I hope, because so much happened at that age. Have a nice weekend.
Haha Marina: it's easy to laugh about it now, but damn, I hated it when it had to be nice. Grey or green in plaid was the model and preferably the shirt too, what memories ...
Hi Ulrika Ahlgren: it's great that you're writing and of course I'm glad you appreciate my story and crazy things are coming on Friday. Have a nice weekend and week and think positive.
Haha Solan! It's time to let go of childhood and try again, haha. Put on your woollen trousers and experience your childhood again but "don't cry for me". Say hello and have a good week.
Hi Linda! Glad you like my contribution to our blog and thank you for your nice comments about me. I am stretching and happy. Greet them at home and take care of yourselves.
Geddfish. Hi Gerd and what fun to hear about your story when things happened from 12-14. What a difference between a girl and meeting new people all the time in your home. I think it was very good for a young girl and maybe they contributed to you daring to believe in yourself, and actually travel when you were young. Have a nice weekend and a nice week.
Lena- Good for the soul: I'm glad you enjoyed it and we all have a story to tell about our younger years, and I want to hear about yours next week. Have a great week and think positive.
Ama De Casa: Thank you for enjoying bringing both me and you back to our very young years. I have also realised that there were also wonderful winters in the big cities and fantastic summers in Sweden. I think we didn't mind the rain because we had other things to think about, but now it becomes a problem because it soaks our clothes, sort of. Being under 12 years old is "Hakona Matata" so no worries, haha.
BP: We have some things in common like I was cute at that time and I felt loved most of the time. A little pink pastry BP and I understand that the gang fell for it. Whose mascot are you now? I think I know:-).
Have a great week and I'll talk to you next week after my crazy childhood.
23 September 2016 - 20:31
Peter Bergström says:
Rolle and Carina: Great that you liked it and maybe it's contagious so you take up something next week. Have a nice week and we will hear from you again soon.
23 September 2016 - 20:32
Matts Torebring says:
You've just gotten a little bit older. It's pretty clear that it's you.
23 September 2016 - 20:35
Ruth i Virginia says:
Forest ranger's daughter, who lived in the middle of the forest in a house without electricity, water
and sewers, and with cows and chickens, until I was 4 1/2. when my father died.
of heart attack, Mum, 4 years older brother and I moved to the nearest "hole",
where my enterprising mother opened a food service. The three of us lived in ONE
room on the 3rd floor and went to the bathhouse once a week, and here I remember wool! We had woollen socks, and to put them on,
when the skin is moist, was torture.
About 15 kids on the farm; I was the youngest and learnt early on how to take care of myself. - Mum built a house near ASEA, where they lived.
most diners were working. Also had roommates. Shared room with
Mother until I was 13. Always participated in swimming and skiing competitions; enjoyed
always being outdoors. Had an easy time at school and enjoyed life,
Loved my brother, who always looked after me. Unfortunately he died at only 65 years old. Admires my Mother more than I can say.
23 September 2016 - 21:16
Alexandra says:
Fun reading! Your happy Friday always cheers me up. ?
Looking forward to the continuation of your life ?
23 September 2016 - 22:13
Peter Bergström says:
Thank you Matts Torebring! It is nice to know that I have only become "a little" older. I have a plan to become a saddlebag with eyes and I like my wrinkles and my age, because when you get older you know more and there is also a calmness. Have a good week Matts and you can.
Wow Ruth in Virginia! I would really like to make a story of your entire life because you were born and raised at a time I would have liked to experience, for better or worse. From your story, you write how much you appreciate your family ties, and from what I understand, they were incredibly close. I understand how you have struggled together to survive at all and you have so much more to tell than you do. I am happy when you write and I would like to meet you in real life and just talk. Take care of yourself and write again. Warm hugs Peter.
Hi Alexandra! I really appreciate that you appreciate what I write, strange sentence, but there it is. We'll see where this goes. Have a nice week and stay positive.
23 September 2016 - 23:12
BP says:
Answer: I have to compliment you Peter! You are a genius at writing personal and warm comments to your readers. Strangely enough, I rarely read comments on comments if you know what I mean, but I actually follow your opinions. They seem so genuinely honest and interested. You should be commended for that. (Well, sometimes I also read Helena's personal comments;-) ).
Then Steve guessing your teenage revolt next week was the icing on the cake:-)
Ruth in Virginia is probably the most fascinating woman I have met in bloglandia. The girl is well over 80 and as lively and clear-headed as ever. She is an amazing woman that I would also like to meet irl. She sits in bars and follows hockey or football matches. My God, I want to be like that when I get really old:-)
PS. Yes, I'm not an AIK fan. Stands out with DIF (drank a beer at their stampub at Östra Station today) but is probably Hammarby fan for the whole thing, which you already knew:-) DS.
24 September 2016 - 1:05
Inga says:
Very funny series! Imagine if you knew then what the Karlbergsvägen apartment would be valued at! Fantastic hair! Home cut? Looking forward to the revolt!
24 September 2016 - 6:39
Peter Bergström says:
BP: Hello again and what fun to get an answer and a very nice one too. To be appreciated for who you are is the very best thing in life so thank you BP for your nice words and I carry them with me.
None: I'm also wondering what an apartment cost on Karlbergsvägen in 1966 so I'll probably have to Google it. I don't actually remember the hairstyle so it's a very good question, and I'm currently scratching my head and thinking. No, I was no wiser, haha. It will actually be fun even for me to put together Friday's post because the more I think about everything that happened those years, it is completely crazy. Have a good week Inga!
24 September 2016 - 10:43
Lena i Wales says:
Interesting! Nice to know more about you.
I was an only child and remember a lot of loneliness, enjoying school, even though I was never a light, wonderful parents in great surroundings and much, much more!
Have a nice weekend!
24 September 2016 - 12:53
Anna i Dubai says:
Meh....what happened....how long is it until next Friday. I am waiting with excitement!
24 September 2016 - 14:37
Ama de casa says:
We have had the great pleasure of meeting Ruth in Virginia a couple of times. An absolutely WONDERFUL woman with many amazing stories.
If you haven't seen what she looks like, you can check here:
https://amacasa.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/idag-gratulerar-vi-5/
She is just so amazing, this "Krutis" 😀.
25 September 2016 - 2:17
Eva – People in the Street says:
Really fun reading! Looking forward to the continuation 🙂
Have a nice Sunday!
25 September 2016 - 10:12
Peter Bergström says:
Lena in Wales: Glad you're writing! The school and I went our separate ways after a while but I always had friends. Feel free to write more next Friday if you feel like it. Have a nice week.
Haha Anna! It will be a bit crazy next Friday so you know. good to hear from you.
Lucky you Ama de Casa: I will of course check your link.
Eva: People in the street. We hope the sequel is as good, but you be the judge. Have a good week Eva.
25 September 2016 - 21:52
Discovering The Planet says:
Thank you for sharing. My first fourteen? Accept that you have two cultures and try to adapt to the Swedish one. Still struggling with not standing out too much 😉 🙂 🙂 .
26 September 2016 - 11:53
Anna, New York - My Bite of the Big Apple says:
Such a great read! Great to know more about your life. You look the same in the top picture with your brother. The other pictures don't show up on my computer; they are just thin lines!
We can take my life story IRL sometime. 🙂 However, I can say that the summers in the countryside meant a lot to me as well.
28 September 2016 - 18:25