Tag: family

Day 234: Chores

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It’s a guaranteed rabbit hole in any conversation with fellow parents: how many chores should kids do?

We are still at a pretty basic level.  We expect the girls to clean up after themselves: to tidy their rooms (and whatever else they have scattered around the house), take their plates away, put their laundry in the basket and clean up the kitchen after making their own snacks or breakfasts.

For bigger jobs, such as raking leaves or cleaning up the garden, we expect them to pitch in for a few hours.

I think the girls are soon ready to take on more responsibility around the house. In fact, we’d probably have insisted on it already, if getting them to do their chores weren’t such an enormous chore for Stuart and me.

Day 233: Birthday Dinner

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Stuart, Alanna and Kiara took me out for dinner to celebrate my birthday.

Over the years, Stuart and I have perfected the art of maximising the number of dishes you can taste in a restaurant. We never order the same dish, and often go half-and-half on starters, sometimes even on mains.

The girls complicate the maths, as they are just as keen to taste everything. With you have half a starter to start with, sharing it with two other people tends to leave you with very little.

When the dish is very small – or exceptionally good – we claim it is super spicy. But even that doesn’t always work anymore.

Day 215: Super-Teddy

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There are a few fluffy friends that have remained the girls’ favourites throughout the years. Eddie (the teddy) is one of them. He has been Alanna’s favourite since before she learned to walk and is still a main character in whatever adventure is happening. In fact, he has travelled the world more than most adults.

The girls are not even aware that Eddie is special to Stuart and me as well. Eddie joined our household in 2012, accompanied by my engagement ring.

Special in all ways.

Day 183: The Weirdest Cottage in Hiiumaa

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We got an early start today due to a serious underestimation of how early one must book the ferry to Hiiumaa. Luckily, someone had come up with the idea of a few non-prebookable tickets. 

But that gave us plenty of time to meander around the southern part of Hiiumaa. A short hike towards the southernmost tip, an old (sill functioning) wool factory, and a playground or two…

We decided to have a quiet evening and braai (BBQ) at the cottage – and luckily we did. The girls loved the place! The cottage looked like a pink Moomin house, with round walls, the main bedroom in a tower, massive cubby beds for the girls and an amazing floating sauna in the little pond. It even had a tiny playground.

The fact that it was totally impractical bothered only Stuart, who was cooking.

Day 179: Picturesque Pärnu

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Stuart and I visited Pärnu during our longer European road trip 10 years ago. I, however, had almost no memories of it, so I believed it to be a somewhat boring town. Stuart felt the same.

When we started talking about it, though, we realized we had gone there approximately a week after I badly hurt my foot. I was in a moon boot and on crutches. And having just hobbled around Tallinn for two days, I had no interest in even leaving the hotel. I remember driving along the beach the next morning before heading to Latvia.

So, maybe not something I can blame Pärnu for.

Now that I’ve actually seen Pärnu, I find it amazing.

Day 171: Friends Like Family

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Some friends become family, even if you only see them occassionally.

It was less than a year ago that Alanna was genuinely surprised to learn that ‘Auntie Maria’ is not actually her aunt (in the real meaning of the word). She knew Maria was not my sister, but “she feels like family”. Fortunately, as Maria is Alanna’s godmother, we were able to establish a link close enough to enable her worldview to remain unchanged.

‘Auntie Maria’ lives in the UK, so it’s a rare treat to have her over, even if only for a brief visit. A walk, a drink, a loooong sauna and a few good conversations later, we have recharged the friendship enough to last until next visit – whether that is in a a few months or a few years.

Best friendships don’t require more than that.

Day 170: Game of Cards

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Playing games in the evening is as much a part of the summer cottage holiday as the sauna.

When I was a kid, we played cards with my parents and grandma, mostly Marjapussi and Lupaus. We still occassionally crack open a deck of cards, but we have expanded our repertoire to include all kinds of card and board games. My brother has become our game-finder-in-chief, so we usually discover approximately one new game every summer.

It’s not easy to find a game that works. There are usually 7-8 of us, with very different intrests and attention spans.

Deciding what to play can sometimes take almost as long as playing it.

Day 169: The Longest Streak

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Today, I have officially surpassed the number of days I managed in my previous 365 challenge, nine years ago.

Still posting.

To mark this momentous day, the weather turned foul with high, gusty winds and intermittent rain.

The perfect occassion to go frisbee golfing with family. We will enjoy the summer, perkele!

Day 167: Bother With Boats

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Boats (of any size) are hard work.

I love being on the water, but have no interest in owning, operating or maintaining a boat. I want to admire the scenery, take photos, feel the wind… and step off at the end. 

I only have to look at my dad or some of my friends to understand how much work boats are. I’m lucky to be in a position, where I can help out here and there without carrying the resposibility. I occassionally drive boats, but even that I do reluctantly. Like with a car, I get no pleasure from being behind the wheel (and I’m always convinced I am bad at it).

When we moved into our house in Espoo, the previous owners asked whether we’d like to include their boat in the deal. Stuart and I did not even need to glance at each other before saying no.

Luckily, there are people more willing to put in the work. I certainly benefit from the result.