Sunday, December 02, 2007

Saturday, the First Day of December 2007

Can't believe that it's December already. Yesterday I even "forgot" that it was already the first day of December he he he...Anyway, when we arrived at my in-laws, my mother-in-law hugged me right away and then she served coffee and my strawberry-cream birthday cake.

We had a little talk while Arttu and Dad were busy fixing the car. For some reason our car's heater didn't work well, so they were tinkering with it. I told my mother-in-law that my mother send regards to all of them. She looked happy and she sent regards back to my Mom he he he he...Then I got to ask her about her rashes. You see, ever since last summer, there were rashes all over her arms. At first she said it was due to allergy, but even after she applied some medication all over it, they were still there. The rashes looked like mosquito bites...red and itchy.

Then about two weeks ago she finally went to the doctor and the doctor took a bit of sample from the rashes to find out what it was. Yesterday I got a chance to ask her what the doctor said. She said that it was because of stress. I began to wonder what made her stressed. Arttu said that it must've been because of Dad. You see, a few weeks after I moved here, Arttu's Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. I thought he was still doing fine even though sometimes he seemed disoriented. Turned out that nowadays he grows restless during the night, so he walks around the house and urinates in weird places. Yesterday he urinated in a bucket. Gladly the bucket was empty.

I feel sad for my mother-in-law. The love of his life is now deteriorating mentally and she must be worried whenever he gets up during the night while she's sleeping. I remember Arttu telling me their story. They met when she was 19 and he was 31 and even from the first meeting, she knew she'd marry him. And they did get married!!! They'll have been married for 45 years on December 26th. Unfortunately, I don't know what to do to help. All I know is that I'll remember their situation more specifically in my prayers, especially since her rashes aren't getting any better yet.

Talk about stress...turns out my brother's girlfriend's mother is also in stress. She's also suffered from rashes or itch over the past few weeks. It seems that she's stressed over the "upcoming loss" of her daughter. My mother's told her that she can come and visit anytime she wants to. Gladly their house is near my parents' house so they can definitely come every day (literally) if they want to.

One thing that makes me SO RELIEVED...is that my Mom is able to let go of me. Yes, she did cry, of course, but she didn't get stressed out about me. At least not that I know of he he he he...

OK, now on to a lighter topic then...here are some pictures I took yesterday while walking to the frozen lake. I also took a video clip of downtown but I still have to edit it to make it more presentable.

First pic: my birthday gift from my BELOVED mother-in-law. Since I've never had plants before, I asked her how many times I should water it he he he he he...Hey, I just realized last night that this is my first "pot" of FLOWERS!!! Nobody'd EVER given me flowers before in my life HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE...YIIIPPPIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! ;-D



Second pic: Pic of the lake again. It was around -9'C when we went to Kelujärvi, but when I walked to the lake, it was already down to -12'C. Then when we were about to go home, it dropped to -20'C. It's again -19'C today he he he...BRRRR!!!!!!!!












Yeah, tried to make footsteps on the snow picture he he he...Hope you like it! I also wanted you to know how thick the snow was. Actually on the left side (the huge field), the snow was MUCH thicker, but I didn't want to walk there, thank you very much ha ha ha ha ha ha...


This last pic was taken from inside the car. This is the view of the river in Sodankylä. I just want you to see how thick the snow is at the side of the road since the snow truck comes every day and moves the snow from the road to the sides of the road he he he...There are MOUNTAINS of snow here and there (I'll take more pics later on, OK?)



I just uploaded this video of the frozen lake, so it might take some time before it loads. If it doesn't show yet, try again in a few hours, OK? He he he he he...



18 comments:

  1. nice shot, Amel.

    Time move very quickly isn't it. It is December already. Over 4 days, we will put Christmas tree in our living room. Yippieeee... Did you already put your own christmas tree, Amel??

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  2. Hi, Jul!

    Glad you enjoyed the pics. You'll put your X-mas tree soon, eh? We won't put any tree 'coz we don't have one. Plus our apt. is too small he he he...but we're going to put up some X-mas lights on the balcony. ;-D

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  3. Ahhh what fabulous pictures!

    It sure is cold... I hope you are bundling up and staying warm!

    Here in Virgina, (near Washington DC), it is cooling off... about 60 degrees!

    LOL!

    Hugs,

    jen

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  4. Truthdancer: Hi, Jen! ;-D Yeah, it sure is cold here, but I think my body's getting used to it bit by bit. And THANKS, I always try to dress up in layers...warmer than the weather to make sure I don't get sick he he he he...;-D

    So it's around 15'C there, eh? Pretty warm compared to here he he he...

    HUGS back! ;-D

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  5. Hi Amel,
    I have that plant too.I think they call it a Christmas cactus here!!!
    I am so jealous,you have snow!!!

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  6. Awesome pics Amel. Its around 30 to 40 degrees here it keeps fluctuating. I use to work in a nursing home and dealt with Alzheimer's it's no fun. best of luck to your mother in law.

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  7. Living with Alzheimer is a struggle and my sympathy goes to her.

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  8. Hey, I'm sorry to hear about your parents-in-law, Amel. I hope everything will improve...

    The cactus is so cute. Since you won't be having an X'mas tree in your apartment, it's a substitution he he he...

    The pictures are great especially the one with a lady sticking her tongue out ha ha ha ha ha...!! 'Winter Wonderland'...so white and OMG so cold!!! He he...

    *waving back to you* in your last pic he he... ;D

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  9. Nice Pictures!! Gave me a sense of calm and peace. Having a great time ya my buddy??!!

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  10. Oh! How beautiful!!! Clay would love to do ice skating on that frozen lake hehehe..

    Amel, I think you will stay forever young because you live at Finland... just like you are put in the freezer... hahaha.. Amel, write my name on the snow!! come on! :-)

    I am so sorry to hear about your father in law... We can pray for your MIL, knowing that our love one is sick and will getting worse is really heart breaking, especially they have been married for 45 years!!

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  11. Frasy: Ohhh...it's called X-mas cactus, eh? THX for telling me he he...Well, I hope you'll get your snow later there! Will you get some? ;-D

    Kasper: THANKS, Dawn. So you once worked with Alzheimer patients? Yeah, I can guess that it's not easy.

    Mother Hen: THANKS! :-)))

    Choc Mint Girl: Yeah, I hope that his condition won't deteriorate too fast 'coz he's been taking medicine.

    Oh yeah, you're right about the X-mas cactus he he he he...

    BWA HA HA HA HA...Glad you enjoyed the pics! Yeah, I decided to have fun a bit while taking pics of myself. I got bored taking "normal" pics ha ha ha...

    THANKS for the wavveeeee he he he...

    Waterlearner: GLAD you liked them, Karen! ;-D Yep, I've been having a WONDERFUL time indeed.

    Trinity: OK, I'll do that for you, Trin. I decided to try to footsteps first to make sure that it would look okay he he he...

    Forever young indeed. :-D THANKS for your prayerssssss!!! Yeah, it's tougher to see our loved one getting sick rather than being sick ourselves, isn't it?

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  12. Sorry to hear about arttu's dad. All I can think of for his mom's stress is... do they have anything like an Alzheimer's support group there? I have two friends with parents with Alzheimer's and I know that having people to share and talk with helps a lot. Also... to be honest - later she will need more literal help as well. You reach a stage where you cannot cope by yourself taking care of a sick family member, especially one who is able to walk about and get into dangerous situations.

    Sending prayers for them both.

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  13. Hi, M!

    Hmmm...Alzheimer's support group? I'll try to find out about it. Indeed it'd help to find a support group. Even though I'd love to talk to her, but my Finnish language knowledge is still too limited.

    Yeah, I know what you mean about the later stage. I'd think that he'll need more than what my mother-in-law can give later on. Sigh...it's sad. :-(((

    THANKS for the prayers and the two cents, though.

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  14. Nice pictures! Hope all mother's rashes get better soon.

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  15. Kathy: Glad you enjoyed the pics. Yeah, I hope for the same thing...that the mothers will be freed from stress.

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  16. Sorry tohear about your father-in-law's condition. I hope your m.i.l will learn to cope without stressing herself out too much. I often read about this recently in our newspapers.

    As usual, lovely photos of your neighbourhood. It's such a contrast over here.

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  17. Sorry tohear about your father-in-law's condition. I hope your m.i.l will learn to cope without stressing herself out too much. I often read about this recently in our newspapers.

    As usual, lovely photos of your neighbourhood. It's such a contrast over here.

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  18. Blur Ting: Glad you enjoyed the pics. As I said in my latest post, I didn't get your comment in my inbox...gladly I did check all my posts now that I know that there's a problem with blogger he he he...

    Yeah, I also hope my MIL will not be too stressed.

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