Spring. Mud.
Inevitable.
Day 47: Mud
Category: 365 Project
Day 46: Long Way Up
Most often, when I go to the office, I take the metro. I live almost at the end of the line, so even on the busiest of mornings, I can get a window seat, close my eyes, and listen to my audiobook.
Almost without exception, I come home after rush hour has passed. Rarely more than a handfull of people get off at my stop. I get the long escalator all to myself.
One of these days I will get off one station before, as that apparently has the longest escalator in Finland. So far, I have never prioritized the experience over getting home faster.
Day 45: Stars are Born
I work in consumer product business and we needed to shoot a simple product video for a new launch. When our intended model got sick, Alanna and Kiara stepped in at short notice.
I was very proud of the girls. They handled the whole thing as little pros. They listened to instructions, patiently went through all the repetitions, and kept a positive attitude. After all, I had promised them a salary.
I don’t think the experience made either of them dream of acting as a career.
Day 44: Bad Mood Weather
In Southern Finland, there is no weather worse than +2°C and rain. My foreign friends think I’m nuts when I say I’d take -25°C any day over +2°C.
You can enjoy the beautiful crispness of -25°C if you wear the right gear. But nothing improves +2°C and rain. It is miserable, depressing, gloomy, and, because it is Finland, most often dark.
I think my opinion has only gained credibility now that my South African-born-and-bred husband has started to agree with me.
Day 43: Heat of the Moment
Nothing to add.
Day 42: Roughhousing
Stuart relaxes by lounging on the couch, reading a book or browsing his tablet. Often, one of the girls ends up curled next to him.
Occassionally – probably too often in Stuart’s mind – the girls start a game of “daddy playground”. The rules seem varied and complex, but involve a lot of climbing, swinging, tickling and shrieking.
Highly relaxing!
Day 41: Surprise
Stuart brings me flowers often, at least a few times a month. He has done so for as long as we have lived together. Even now, it is always such a nice surprise
Day 40: Light in the dark
Days are getting longer with spring, but even that does not help, when your workday extends to late evening. Luckily, our winter lights are still in on.
Day 39: Totally Useless Facts
I am a sucker for totally useless facts. Did you know that a seashell has an IQ of 8? That means it isn’t smart enough to attract or hunt food—but it is smart enough to eat it if something happens to land on top of it. Or that with an IQ under 80, you can’t chew gum and walk at the same time.
Well, now you know. And a day when you learn something is never completely wasted.
Day 38: Spicy
We use spices liberally. For most recipes, I double the amounts written and often add one or two that weren’t even mentioned. And, because we love variety of cuisines, we’ve ended up stacking dozens and dozens of jars. I think one of our major expenses, whenever relocating to another country, has been replacing all the spices we’ve had toleave behind.
When the kids started eating the same food as us, we reduced the heat, but otherwise changed nothing. The girls simply grew up eating anything and everything.
They still join me in the kitchen – just to smell each spice and taste every herb. And now they even enjoy little chili.
Blue Moment 