A day before May Day, our class finished earlier, so I called my friend IN (the Russian girl from last year's Finnish evening classes) if she had time to meet me. She was just about to ask if we could meet on May Day, but I told her that I'd be spending it in Kelujärvi with my in-laws, so we decided to meet within an hour.
I walked home in a perfect 15'C sunny day (there was NO cloud in the sky at all) and found a PO slip to get a care package from my Mom (my friend in Germany sent it since she went home to Indonesia last month), so I quickly packed everything to bring to my in-laws and then went to the PO. I walked back home since the package was too big to bring with me to the cafe where we were supposed to meet. When I arrived home, IN called me back and told me that she would be there in 2 minutes.
I told her I'd be right there, so I walked quickly there he he he...I could wear my summer shoes and I didn't have to wear my long john anymore WOOOO HOOOO!!! I still had a summer jacket on, though, since it could still be windy sometimes. We decided to sit outside and sunbathe. Mmmmm...We talked and enjoyed some snack and cold Coke.
I called my hubby before leaving home, telling him that he could pick me up when he was ready to leave to Kelujärvi since I had already packed everything (except for his clothes). At around 4 pm, he called and said that he'd be coming in 15 minutes, so I bid my friend goodbye and told her that whenever I had free time, I'd visit her. ;-D
In Kelujärvi, we went to sauna right away he he he he...Mom-in-law was just coming outside as our car was parked in their yard. After yummy sauna, we sat outside for a little while to cool down as it was getting too hot inside (they were still warming the place up by lighting the fireplace, since during the nights it can still go down to 0'C).
We then had dinner and played cards he he he...After that we went upstairs to get ready to sleep, but we read novels first before we decided to retire. The next morning we woke up late and then I helped mom-in-law cut some onions. Then while waiting for the reindeer meat to be cooked, mom-in-law's elder sister and husband came by, so we played cards again he he he he...
Oh, almost forgot, mom-in-law's elder sister gave each of us a tight hug and told each of us, "Rakastan sinuaaaaa!" (I love you). It's SO very un-Finnish, you know? She's such a jolly person and it's always nice to see her he he he...She's as bright as the sun. ;-D
We had lunch together, then they left and we continued reading our novels. In the afternoon we got sleepy again since it was another hot day HE HE HE HE HE...Yeah, yeah, we're LAZY PIGS HI HI HI HI HI HI...But while we can do it, why not, right? Life needs to be enjoyed fully HI HI HI HI HI HI HI HI HI...
Then we played cards again and then mom-in-law offered us dinner. While eating, she offered me something (hard to describe). I didn't take it, though, since she needed it more than I did. It's AMAZING that she thinks of ME first even though she needs it!!!
I'm thinking of what to do or make next week, since next Sunday is Mother's Day in Finland. We're only visiting them on Saturday, but there's no stopping us from celebrating it then he he he...We'll see what I can do. ;-D
Speaking of the care package from Mom, I received 2 CDs from my brother: one of his prewedding/wedding photos, and one of his honeymoon photos. I almost cried while browsing through the family wedding pics. I MISSED THEEEEMMMMM A LOTTTTT!!! ;-D Maybe I'm going to cry when I meet them again he he he he he...Can't wait for that day to commeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!
Okie dokie, I'd better stop my babbling here and blog-hop a bit. ;-D
So many things to say, so little time...so let me just try to write this post quickly.
1. Watched Evan Almighty last night. Here are my fave quotes from the movie:"How do you change the world? By doing one act of random kindness at a time.""If you ask God for patience, do you think He will give it to you just like that or do you think He will give you the OPPORTUNITY to be patient?""If you ask God that your family be closer, do you think He will give it to you just like that or do you think He will give you the OPPORTUNITY to be closer to your family?"I must say that the movie has some touching moments and funny moments. It isn't TOO funny, but still it's not too bad he he he...
2. The other day I chatted with a friend of mine. She said that she was stuck between a couple. Both parties trusted her and told her about their relationship problems. However, they wouldn't talk about it to each other...at least not yet. My friend's got a dizzy head now 'coz she can't possibly tell on each other's TRUE feelings, as it means she's betraying their trust. I wonder why do people do that? I'm not talking about your partner's idiosyncracies or annoying habits. It's a risk you have to take for being together with someone and you know as well that the other person'll have to handle your idiosyncracies. I'm talking about serious problems that NEED to be solved. If they're not solved, then the relationship will be sour or the problems'll pile up and there will be an explosion sooner or later. Back in Indo, my Mom's also in the same position. Her brother told her about his marriage problems, and then his wife also told her about the same problems from her point of view. Mom tried to give advice to each one of them gently so that they could talk things through. However, none of them was willing to do it. Each of them pointed fingers at each other, saying that the other wouldn't listen to them, anyway. Why should it be that way? I know that sometimes you have your guard up and the other person also has his/her guard up, but shouldn't they TRY to do something to save the relationship other than just vent to a third party? Shouldn't they TRY to do something to save the relationship AFTER they seek for advice or suggestion from a third party?I posted this discussion on MyLot (I've been trying to make some money online by going to MyLot), and it seems there are various reasons. These are the things they said hindered the couple from talking things through:1. Ego.2. They don't really want to try to solve the problems. They just need someone so that they can vent their emotion.3. Fear of confrontation or hurting the other person's feelings.4. Sometimes in a relationship there comes a point when talking is unbearable. (Gee, I sure do WISH it won't happen to us!!!)5. Fear of not being listened to. Oh well...I know a relationship is HARD WORK, but if you're not even trying to make it work, what good things can you expect from it???
3. To all mothers out there, I have a question for you: What are the hardest things in motherhood based on your personal experiences?
;-D You can either tell me here or write a post in your blog he he he he...I'm just curious 'coz I'm not a mother yet, but I want to know what a mother thinks or feels.
OK, time for me to go to the supermarket. I'm planning to make my own pizza from scratch, so it's gonna take A LONG time ha ha ha ha...
Before I forget, let me just add this quick list of 3BT (Weekend Wrap):
1. Sunny weather without a single cloud in the sky on Saturday.
2. Playing cards with my mother-in-law, hubby, and mother-in-law's sister and I LOST HA HA HA HA HA HA...
3. Making my mother-in-law and her sister laugh by (almost) forgetting to take my bag when we were going back home hi hi hi hi...Boy, I'm SO forgetful these days!!!
4. Hiding my hubby's yoghurt while he wasn't looking HI HI HI HI...We were preparing to watch a movie and then he realized that his yoghurt cup was gone HI HI HI HI...
5. Though hubby pretended to sulk for a little while (he refused to share his yoghurt with me), after he was done, he went to the fridge in the middle of the movie and poured me some yoghurt after all. YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!!
6. The smell of strawberry and banana wafting to my nostrils whenever I opened my fridge door. Heaven!!!!
Back from a relaxing weekend!!! HAPPY MIDSUMMER DAY to everybody who celebrates it! ^______________________^
1. Glorious weather. When we went to my in-laws' on Friday, it was around 20'C. Saturday it got as hot as 25'C for a while, so we sunbathed outside. MMMMMM...Oh, and of course we had sauna on Friday eve after helping my mother-in-law move the flowers/plants out of her greenhouse to the yard ho ho ho ho...LOVE my sauna! ;-D
2. The food: STEAK! STEAK! STEAK! YUMMY indeed! :-D Steak, salad, sausage, cake, buns, coffee, strawberry curd, milk, lemonade. I can be fat if there are too many parties like this here he he he...Billy Blanks, wait for me tomorrow! I shall burn calories with you again!!! Gambatte kudasaiiiiii!!! ;-D
3. Laughing at my own folly. When I was helping my hubby and his Mom prepare the upstairs room for us (I got upstairs a bit late as I was doing something else at the moment, so they were nearly finished when I got there), I did something stupid. Arttu told me to pick a pillow and changed the pillow case. I THOUGHT his Mom had already taken off the old pillow case, so I just grabbed the new pillow case and put the new pillow case on. After they were done, his Mom asked where the old pillow case was. I tried to search for it even though I was confused as I hadn't seen it. Then Arttu realized something. He took my pillow and took off the new pillow case and ta-daa!!! At that very second, I started giggling hysterically! Talking about embarrassing yourself in front of your own mother-in-law! Then Arttu and his Mom started laughing, too. :-D It was the first time I could truly laugh at my own folly without beating myself up. It was SO funny that when we were about to go to bed that night, I couldn't stop giggling for a few minutes as I laid my head down on the pillow. LOL!!! (side note: The old pillow case was thin and the colour was white-light greyish so I REALLY thought it had been a "naked" pillow, you know? In my haste I didn't even think twice about it.)
4. Spotted a bee flitting about, so I took this video. Hope it's clear enough for you. I should've zoomed in better but oh well...It was FUN looking at the little fellow busily sucking away the nectar of the flowers.
5. Card games. Friday night Arttu, his Mom, and I played cards. First game I won, but two other games were won by Arttu. Saturday afternoon my mother-in-law's elder sister and husband dropped by and we played cards again. Again my mother-in-law lost, but at least we had fun together he he...
6. OK, here are more pics of the glorious summer and of nature...As usual, better click on the pics to see a bigger version.
The below pic was taken at 1 am, right after we finished our card games. ;-D
Me amongst the yellow flowers. Arttu said that the name of the flower was voikukka in Finnish or in English it'd be butter flowers. I think it's SO lovely to see the green grass dotted with yellow flowers everywhere.
