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It's a grey and rainy day today, and I really should be doing something useful (like working on Swedish grammar, or a translation about lemmings, or even doing some washing). But let me first show you some good mail I've been getting recently!
A while ago I saw this button brooch on Mielitty's blog (in Finnish only - but check out her 'products' page!). I fell in love with it the moment I saw it; I love how the brooch seems so regal, it kind of reminds me of rosettes worn by important people like presidents or royals. On the other hand, it reminds me also of the ribbons won in horse shows or dog shows. The dog button makes the brooch a bit silly - I think the dog was what made me want this one. Plus purple has been somehow sneaking into my wardrobe lately, little by little.
Another fun thing is this postcard I got today. Miss H was a darling and bought and sent me a skein of yarn I desperately needed to complete a cardigan. She included this absolutely great postcard. It made me smile, I will find a good place for it on my wall!
Last but not least, a few days ago I got a special package all the way from California. I'm always so amazed when I order something from another continent, and it pops into my letterbox less than a week later! Inside was a little inspiration present ('cause I can't wait until Christmas) for a certain someone who reads this blog; that's why you get only a sneak peak for now ...more later! Let me just say that Etsy rules!
I will show you more after next weekend...
Now I must get going; I have a guest coming over for fika (fika is more appropriate a word today than ever, as we're planning to speak Swedish - I'm such a good student!) and I have some muffins to bake. Autumn always makes me want to bake; maybe it's some sort of legacy of the foremothers - winter is coming, one should prepare. Anyway, looking at a batch of fresh muffins makes me feel comfortable and satisfied. And they taste good, too!
My brother-in-law recently said that if one was to know me through my blog only, my life would seem idle and leisurely, with lots of sitting in cafés and days spent doing mostly nothing. I admit that might be true; I am not one of those people who can turn the most ordinary, everyday life into witty and funny stories, so I tend to skip most of the everyday life stuff, like sitting in classes and working.
Even though this post only reinforces the aforementioned false image of my life (although I'm sure most readers understand a blog rarely portrays the blogger's life realistically), allow me to show some photos from a visit to a café two weeks ago. This café is near my home in Helsinki, but somehow I had never visited it before, only peeked in the windows when the café was closed (it's not open in the evenings). Now that I know how cosy it is, I will visit it more often!
But I really wanted to tell you how I happened to visit the café. Sometime in July, a girl I used to work with some years back, Hanna (hei!), left a comment on my blog. She had found her way here by reading my comment about shoe shops in another blog, which led her to believe (correctly) that the person behind the alias had worked in the same store with her. Wow! Another good thing that's happened to me because of the blogosphere - actually I ran into her a couple of weeks after she left the comment, as we lived near each other in Helsinki, and we then agreed to meet for a cup of coffee (so I could fondle her Nikon). Hanna suggested this little café, and it was really lovely to catch up with her; I'm looking forward to our next meeting...
Um, after looking at the previous few posts in my blog, I understand what my brother-in-law meant! I don't even have time for cafés that often nowadays, I swear... I just seem to document every single visit here.
I'm blogging again. I'm not quite sure what's happened in the past twenty days, but classes have begun, I've gotten a new job, and I've been more or less ill for most of the month. And apparently time moves faster than it usually does...
Last week I really was quite ill: Sunday was the first day I was well enough to enjoy a walk. The day couldn't have been better; it was quite a warm day, and there were blue skies, sun, and lots of maples dressed up in all their autumn glory. And you know how good just being able to walk around feels when you've been under the weather for a long time?
After living in Tampere for one year (well, minus the three months in summer), I finally managed to see some must-see places. First I visited a lovely café called Amurin Helmi* - and ate some yummy apple tart - and then my guest and I walked to Pyynikki observation tower. The tower is not that tall, but it's situated on a hill, and with the sky clear, the view was great. I haven't got that many photos though, since I was with someone who seemed to think it's more fun to hold hands than snap photos - I know, some people are strange.
There's also a café there in the observation tower, famous for it's delicious munkkis (Finnish doughnuts), and obviously I have to go back, since I didn't have one. Maybe on a weekday though, as it seems plenty of people come on Sundays, just for the doughnuts. The queue was long!
*Thanks for the hint Heidi!
In late August I had a hard time admitting autumn had come already (maybe that's why I got the flu I have at the moment - I stubbornly wore no socks). But now that it's September, I'm ok with it - after all, early autumn with sunny, crisp days and colourful trees might be my favourite time of the year. Now I only have to find that early autumn enthusiasm somewhere; I'm sure it'll come when my nose is less runny.
There were a busy couple of days last week: I took the exam required for getting Swedish translation as a minor (though I'm having seconds thoughts about that - I used to be fairly competent in Swedish in school, but that was a long time ago) and moved to a new flat in Tampere. The long anticipated, but also dreaded, move (my former flat was shitty, I couldn't wait to get out of it, but I don't particularly like the packing and carrying and unpacking part) went really well, thanks to J who was an angel and drove with me from Helsinki and kept his cool even when I felt like I'm going to cry any second (we had some trouble with the rental wagon, plus I was really stressed out) and was really efficient. I know who I want to help me with my next move!
Now I've got a new home. White, clean walls, a cute small kitchen, and a roll top bath! Bathtubs weren't that popular in Finland in the past few decades, so not that many flats have one left. Tonight I'm going to light some candles and take a bath, and sip some read wine and munch on chocolate while bathing. Red wine and chocolate are good for you, you know.
