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 40: Light in the dark
Tag: 365 Project
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.
Day 37: Birthday
Alanna and Kiara turned 8 today. It’s a cliche – but I truly can’t believe it’s been eight years already!
The girls are at that wonderful age, when they can behave like big girls for a little while – discussing plans to meet up with friends and writing secrets in their diaries. And the next moment they are happy little kids again, playing with magic birds and a baby dolls.
May it last for a long time still!
Day 36: Miniatures
Last Father’s Day, girls and I got Stuart a small wooden model car as a present. He really enjoyed putting it together. It’ fiddly, but you see the progress immediately…
Now he is building a train. Much more fiddly, apparently.
Day 35: Just us
The girls are at scout camp for the weekend. As a rare treat, it’s just Stuart and me for two days. So, obviously, we clean…
But once the house is clean and the spring sun shines through the window slats, it’s time to relax.
Day 34: Homework
With 2/3 of first grade behind us, the elation of the first days has settled into a steady routine. Luckily, both girls quite enjoy school and are doing well in their studies – although homework is still quite an unpleasant chore.
I have been most impressed with how differently first-grade maths is taught compared to my own school days. The girls have studied how to visualize data in charts, estimate prices, solve verbal equations, measure distance, build 3D models… all this before ‘formally’ even learning how to write the number 10. It is all about challenging problem-solving skills, not learning by heart.
I’d quite like to go back to first grade myself.
Day 33: Humble but Mighty
A long day in the office means I am getting back to photographing my favourite kitchen implement: the mighty fork.
Day 32: Showering
One thing I miss from South Africa is a bathtub. Finland has an estimated 3.3M saunas but bathtubs are quite rare. Don’t get me wrong; sauna is amazing. But sometimes I would just love a bath.
When we moved to Finland, Alanna and Kiara were 3 years old and had never showered in their lives. Bathing a toddler is easier – and more fun. A bit of a culture shock.
Day 31: Two Young Wildcats
Most of the time (well… a lot of the time) Alanna and Kiara get along well. They play together often and still share many of the same interests, hobbies, and friends. But like any siblings, they also fight. Loudly! Usually at the worst possible moment.
Alanna was born about two minutes before Kiara, but they have both silently (and sometimes not so silently) agreed that Kiara is the big sister. She is often the one who takes responsibility, apologizes and consoles her sister.
Most often after first goading her into a furious rage.
Blue Moment 