If you´re bored, take a walk

It's popular to walk for something important. Don't you think someone is walking around this globe for some cause all the time? Let's do a quick search. It's interesting to find out what things people are walking for. Here we go. Walking for the suicided veterans, Guinness Book World Record, cancer and global issues awareness, looking for happiness and so on.

Alright. I think it's good for the health to walk. Some distances at least. One man walked for 11 years around the globe. Jean Béliveau did the probably world's longest uninterrupted circumnavigation on foot.

There are many other people, who are continuing their walks for years and years. As long as their legs move forward, I guess.

Don't you think that there would be other ways of finding happiness than walking for years and decades? Some people collect money for charity and try to achieve something good with their walking. There are several good causes worth walking for. And of course, you don't have to spend whole your life walking.

Come on. People do these walking things only because they are bored and don't want to go to their regular work. They do it for selfish reasons. Most of the walks might have started on Mondays. Ugh, I have spoken.

 

Playground fixing

We fixed our playground a little bit (or my husband did). Now there is a rope ladder going up to the top, "the ship". The wheel and periscope are waiting there for the captain.

Downstairs is a kiosk, with chairs and a place to play inside.

Last weekend we had a lot of kids here playing at Marie's birthday party. They enjoyed it a lot.

 

 

 This pirate flag is new, we added it in September.

Finnish summer

Here the summer is again. The time of the year when you don't want to waste any time sleeping. And people usually spend a lot of time outside. Always when it's possible.

That's why you might find more pictures than text this time. Do you think that I will spend too much time on the computer when it's finally possible to enjoy good weather? No way. All the winter we keep waiting for those five warm days of summer. During the winter we almost forget what summer is. What is it? Is there something else than snow, snow and cold? Yes, there is. At least for a few months.

In May people start planting flowers in their gardens and also barbeque the first time outside. In the beginning of June some people also start thinking about winter. It goes like this. "Soon it's winter again". Other popular thoughts are also: "Oh no, I don't want the winter to come again" and "Only six months until Christmas". And in the moments when it's "too hot": "I miss winter".

In May the media usually starts warning people about the summer weather. "It might be dangerously hot this summer". Or the worst scenario: "This summer it will rain everyday" (forget about having holidays, and book a trip to a warm country instead).

Enjoying summer.

Global warming and cold winters

While walking to the train on Friday morning I wasn't too worried about global warming. I think -24 °C is quite freezing. Somehow I can remember they promised some years ago, that the climate in Finland would be more like Italy in the future. That was good news. Unfortunately it's obviously not true. You see, this year the forecasters think the climate and especially the winters will change to similar than in Siberia. Which means freezing cold. Goodbye, warmth of Italy. Winters will be cold and you never know how the summers will be.

It seems like nobody knows for sure how the global warming will affect this globe. However, one thing is sure. There will be even more changes in the weather. Of course, the weather has been quite messed up lately. Extreme heatwave and bushfires in Australia in the beginning of this year, floods, drought and hurricanes here and there.

Maybe in the future it would be good to live in a few different countries. When it becomes too cold, you could pack your bag and go to Spain for a while. And when it becomes too hot, come back again. Great idea. Problem solved. Of course it doesn't help global warming. When people are flying here and there, the effects of global warming won't stop. They won't stop for a while anyway, because the ecosystem is messed up for some time.

So let's focus on other things instead. It's Monday tomorrow and I feel tired. You see, sometimes it's just enough to concentrate on everyday life and it's challenges. Ugh, I have spoken.

Snow is slowly falling

Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year. Snow is slowly falling to the ground. Beautiful Christmas songs playing and people are sending Christmas cards. It's time to gather around the Christmas tree. All the family together eating delicious food, that has been prepared with love. And all the presents, wrapped inside silvery and golden wrapping paper.

That's how Christmas should be. In reality it can be the worst time of the year for many people. For those without the near and the dear ones it can be the loneliest time of the year for sure. Also it's the time of the year when graveyards are much visited; it's the time of missing someone, who isn't here anymore. There are people wishing they had a family to spend Christmas with. Some wish they had kids that they could surprise with gifts. Families inside the pretty houses and Christmas lights are fighting too. Especially with too much alcohol Christmas can turn into a nightmare.

I enjoy Christmas time, mostly. It can be very stressful if there are too many things to do and food to prepare. Everyone should find their own way of spending Christmas. Without stress and the feeling of being forced to do anything. There are always some things that are left undone. But who cares?

Anyway, I have to go and do some shopping now. Stressed? Don't know. Tired? Yes. It's been a challenging year. I'm joining the hundreds of people running there and buying food and presents.
PS. In Finland we have only hundreds of people.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight

The playground and November light

I used to think that people who break their own routines and move to the country-side are at least crazy. Moving out of from the centre where everything is happening. Why does anyone want to do that? Maybe there are some reasons for that. Slower life, cosy life. More place for the kids to play, to live closer to the nature.

There are many things you can invest in. Some people use much of their money and time to travel to different places. I love travelling. There are so may places to see and things to experience. But right now we have been investing in our house and it's and surroundings. Many years of renovating the house and still some small things to be done.

Now we have been building a playground in the yard. The playground was not planned to be this big, it just happened. And actually, it can even be enlarged. Why not? Life is our playground. Enjoy these pictures taken in November's different shades of gray.

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself

(unknown)

 

New swings..

 

 

 

...and a slide,

 

 

our little girl playing in the dark.

 

A flying lantern sent to the sky..

 

 

 

 

 

It happened on a Friday

When something unexpected happens to you the second time, it's not that dramatic, or is it? From the last time I can remember what a nice and warm day it was, how I was lying in a hammock. This time it was the end of September, a bit chilly, the leaves coloured yellow and red. Describing the weather makes things sound more dramatic, right? Who cares about the weather, anyway.This time it happened on a Friday. I'm talking about miscarriage.

Last time the first feeling was sadness, now it was anger. I felt betrayed. Here I had been wishing for something and eating healthy, and not knowing that it would end again. If we had gone to check it earlier, the doctor could have told us that it was an anembryonic pregnancy. Now we went for the ultrasound scan at the hospital and everything felt just right. I've had all kinds of pregnancy symptoms and no bleeding at all. The scanner showed that there was a sac, but no baby inside. So, there had been nobody inside.

I'm quite speechless right now. Last time I had a need to go through and talk about what happened. Now I don't have much to say about this thing. These things just happen and there nothing you can do about that. So, the thing is: I don't even have a need of eating ice cream or chocolate. Wow. No Ben & Jerries this time. Hopefully I'm writing some songs and playing the piano. Going on with life here and now, and doing something creative. Playing racing cars with my toddler. This day could be as well my favourite day. Today, not tomorrow.

I've never been a big fan of Winnie-the-Pooh, but here is something, that is good to remember:
"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
― A.A. Milne