Monday, January 14, 2008

A Not So Ordinary Sunday

Yesterday I was busy since right after I woke up, hubby urged me to eat as we were going to visit my father-in-law in the health centre. He's OK. It's just that my mother-in-law needed enough sleep so that she could heal her ankle well, but when he was home, he walked around the house during the night, so she couldn't sleep well. My mother-in-law spent some nights in her elder sister's house so that she wouldn't be alone in hers. She asked us to bring my father-in-law's mobile phone to the hospital so that they could contact each other.

It was the first time to go to that section in the health centre. Visitors are allowed to come starting from 1 pm to 7 pm. The place didn't smell like medicine like the most hospitals in Indonesia. I can't really describe the smell of the hospitals in Indo, but they have this distinct smell he he he he...Anyway, after asking where our father-in-law was to one of the nurses, we found him.

He was sitting in the common room, watching TV with the other patients. They were mostly elderly. His eyes lit up in recognition when he saw us he he he he...then we went to his room to talk as there were not enough seats for us in the common room. After all, it was a small health centre, not a full-fledged hospital. Even so, the place is so clean and everything looks new (unlike some hospitals in Indo where everything looks old).

We talked for a while...or should I say, Arttu talked to his Dad as I was trying to practice my listening skill HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...After about half an hour, we said goodbye to him and while walking out of his room, I was SO happy to see my mother-in-law coming towards us with her elder sister and husband. Thank GOODNESS her elder sister's husband is healthy and he can drive her around! ;-D My mother-in-law walked using one walking stick and then she and her elder sister hugged me.

I think my father-in-law's coming home either today or tomorrow. He said it was boring in the hospital and the food was lousy. Porridge, porridge, and porridge. I can imagine how bad it was. After all, at home he always enjoys his wife's delicious food he he he he...

Then as usual, my bladder was full, so I went to the toilet first as we were going to the supermarket afterwards. I was trying to find the light switch inside the HUGE toilet, but then it turned out the light was on automatically when I stepped into the room. COOL!!!! I've never seen that before he he he he...

Then before going to the supermarket (we were running out of milk), I asked Arttu to escort me to an ATM. Believe it or not, I've NEVER used an ATM before in this country. After all, I can almost always pay everything with my debit card (I have no credit card here as I have no income), except when I go to the flea markets or open markets. Funny thing is that the post office's card reader wouldn't read my card, so that was why I needed to get some cash. I'm going to send a package to my friend in Germany as she's coming to Indonesia in March. The package is for my family he he he he he...

Well, you know what? Turned out that when I inserted my debit card, the instruction came out in ENGLISH!!!! HURRAHHHHHH!!! I was SO HAPPY hi hi hi hi hi hi...I think when I first opened my account in the bank, I was grouped as an "international customer". VERY VERY COOL!!! Now if I ever need cash, I wouldn't feel afraid going to an ATM alone HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

Anyway, on Saturday I also had a short conversation with my mother-in-law as Arttu was shovelling snow out in the yard. First of all she asked me if my brother had sent his wedding pics, and I said not yet. It was hard for me to explain to her that my brother used a professional photographer service, so the CD wasn't done yet. So I didn't even try to explain since I didn't know how to do it. Then I told her that he had sent me the honeymoon pics he he he he he...

Then she asked me if I had to go back to Indonesia. I misunderstood her at first. There is this one word in Finnish that can either mean "like" or "have to" and I thought she asked me if I would like to go back to Indonesia. So I replied that I would love to, but it would be expensive. Then she tried asking me the question again using a different word, and right then it dawned on me completely what she wanted to know HA HA HA HA HA HA...

Ahem...so I told her that I'd soon have to go to the police station to renew my residence permit (well, actually I said visa, but that didn't matter as she understood it). I guess she was worried that I would have to go back to Indonesia to do my paperwork he he he he...I could tell that she was glad that I could do it here in Sodankylä.

Oh yeah, almost forgot...after buying milk at the supermarket yesterday, Arttu said that he was craving for kebab...so we went to a nearby kebab resto to buy some. I was craving for pizza instead, so I ordered one. YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!! My pizza had kebab meat, pineapple, cheese, and reindeer toppings. Plus I added jalapeno chili at home. VERY VERY delicious HE HE HE HE HE HE...

Okie dokie, now I'm going to eat my pizza first before blog-hopping he he he...I'm STARVING after exercising he he he he...

7 comments:

  1. It's rather strange for me to imagine eating reindeer meat. I mean, all we every see are cute reindeers pulling Santa's sleigh on TV.

    I think that hospital smell you're talking about is the smell of antiseptic. I remember our hospitals used to have that smell too which I hated. But lately the hospitals here have undergone huge transformation. They're now very bright and cheery, comfy and even the nurses (used to be unfriendly and sulky) are so helpful these days.

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  2. Blur Ting: Ahhhhhh...well, it won't be strange anymore once you try it he he he he...

    Ah yeah, you're right about antiseptic!!!! :-)))) That smell really reminds me of illness. :-(((( Glad to hear the hospitals there have undergone changes, though. :-D

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  3. i think hospitals smell the same wherever.. i hate that smell! glad that everyone is getting better.. and lucky for you the ATM is in English! Oh yeah..the automatic lights in the bathrooms..they have those here in JP too! Guess it saves energy so that it shuts down if no one is using it....LOL

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  4. Oh yes... the 'smell'... Yeah, it makes me feel sick and downhearted as well each time I visited someone. :(

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  5. JYankee: Yeah, I felt like a hillbilly about the automatic lights HA HA HA HA...

    Choc Mint Girl: So it seems everybody dislikes that hospital smell...unless perhaps when you go to the maternity ward and you can see babies he he he he...

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  6. it's always funny to read your post, Amel :D. Even after exercise you have idea to write your blog. APPLAUSE FOR AMEL ;)

    Oh boy, i don't have idea what should i write tomorrow hua ha ha ha...

    Oke..Back to reality time. Jason is wake after take a nap :D

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  7. Jul: I'm GLAD you enjoyed reading my posts he he he...Well, after exercising, I need to let my body cool off before I shower, so I took the time to write the post HE HE HE...I knew already what to write 'coz last night I thought about it. So I only needed to type it out. ;-D

    Well, no worries about knowing what to write...you can write about your past, your love story with Ray, or even whatever it is that Jason does he he he he...

    Jason woke up? Yeah, go and play with him then he he he...;-D

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