When the sun is setting, between dusk and darkness, there is a moment when the light turns blue. And the world stops for a heartbeat.
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.
Nothing to add.
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!
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Blue Moment 