The Autumn Leaves

Autumn has shown its colours for the past few weeks. This year autumn has come very gradually, unlike other years when it just sort of whizzed by so quickly. It's exquisitely rare! :-D

The other day I went to a flea market downtown and I took some pics of Kitinen river as well. I found a pair of nice curtains that cost only about 7 Euros and a book. Yeah, I'm really weak when it comes to books HA HA HA HA HA...

Anyway, here are some of the pics I took: 

There are several flea markets in Sodankylä and this is one of them. The two bikes outside are for sale. :-D Do you notice anything particular in this photo? No? Look at the next photo then he he...

Tadaaaaaaaa....yeah, they hang these on the outside wall of the building ha ha ha ha...

You can see Kitinen river bridge farther away...

Here's another view of the river...and yeah, you can see how the water "changes colour" 'coz I took the photo when it was a bit cloudy...and that's my trusted bike! :-D LOVE it SO MUCH! :-D I can put plenty of things in my bike's bags and keep my balance well even in winter he he...

I saw this busy bee on the bushes (which were located on the right side of the above pic). There are plenty of flowers nearby. :-D

And here are some pics of autumn colours...:-D

Shortie

Been busy with work and then another Rovaniemi trip today, so I'll cut this short 'coz I still have lots of things to do...

1. We went to the place where they said they could fix Panasonic stuff, but turned out he said they'd made a deal with all the other stores that the one in charge to fix Panasonic cameras is located in Helsinki, so we have to contact them later (either by phone or email first).

2. After asking about the job contract thingie, my area manager called me while we were on the way back from Rovaniemi, stating that they'd like to prolong my contract until the end of this year. We're going to draft a new contract next week, so we'll see about that. *fingers crossed* ;-D

3. Bought 3 tops in the flea market in Rovaniemi for only €6.50. WOOHOOOOOO!!! What a bargain!!!


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4. Found 2 cheap Finnish novels in GREAT conditions (one is new) from different places. YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!! ---> so I guess this action redeemed the fact that I had bought such an expensive novel the other day when we went to Rovaniemi HA HA HA HA...

5. Been feeling out of the weather still. Yesterday when I had my evening shift, I felt light-headed after a few hours and a light headache started kicking in. Uh oh...I hope I'm not going to be the one who's sick next, 'coz two coworkers have been sick for at least a week. I've tried taking lots of sleep, though, 'coz my eyes just feel weirdly heavy even after so much sleep. Oh well...

P.S. Been busy with work and 'coz I've tried to sleep much more than usual in order to avoid getting sick, I haven't had time to blog-hop. I'll do it later when I have more time and energy, OK? Take care, people!!!

The Day(s) The Key Was Forgotten

Before I begin telling you about the key, I just wanted to share something cool that I just saw online. It's a camera extender called Xshot! It's a gadget that's lightweight (and of course extendable) so that we don't need to ask a stranger to take pics of us. Pretty cool, eh? Maybe I should ask hubby to give it to me for my next birthday (it costs only $29,95 for a regular compact digicam extender - there are several types of Xshot in the site) ha ha ha...

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Anyway, I forgot to tell you the other day when I forgot my apartment key when I went outside. First of all, in the morning I went to the supermarket to buy some groceries, then I stayed home for a while and in the afternoon (at around 3 pm) I went out again, BUT this time I wore a different jacket 'coz I felt too hot when I got out the first time. When I left the apartment the second time, just as I was closing the door, I remembered that I had left my apartment/bike keys inside the pocket of the other jacket. Darn!!!

Good thing I didn't leave my mobile inside ha ha ha...so I did go and buy some stuff that I needed in a store, then at around 3.45 pm I called R2 to ask when he would be coming home (usually he comes home at around 4 pm, but sometimes he does overtime). I told him what had happened and I said I'd wait for him to finish work in a flea market (the flea market was right next to R2's office). Both buildings are actually located near our apartment (thanks to our apartment's location that's smack dab downtown) - around 1-2 minute walk away.

So I browsed around the flea market and then at 4 pm R2 called me to say that he was ready to go home he he...Then he told me that while I was in Indo, he had also forgotten his keys TWICE HA HA HA HA HA HA...I asked him why he hadn't told me about this when we chatted while I was in Indo, but he just smiled. Then I said, "I bet your conscious mind must've put away those experiences at the farthest corner of your brain."

Then I asked him how he could get inside 'coz I was still in Indo. He said that he had gone to the office of the company who owns the building he he he...Fortunately the office was located right on the first floor of the building, so he didn't have to go faraway to get the key.

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Ahhhh...where did our brains go? HI HI HI HI HI...Anyway, Christmas is coming soon and the end of the year is near...I wish everybody has had a beautiful weekend! Tomorrow and on Monday there's this Christmas market downtown, so maybe I'm gonna have a look at it and take some pics.

3BT: Random Days

1. Hubby saying to me "I'm sick for you so that you don't have to be sick" when he got a slight fever again and his nose started to be runny again.

2. Feeding hubby yoghurt and apple while he was gaming online (not the same night!) and hearing him thank me. *grin*

3. Getting the job training contract today. YIPPIIEEEEEEE!!!! ;-D

4. Hubby holding my fingers weirdly last night (he wasn't holding my hand, but my fingers). I didn't realize at first that he was doing that to WARM up my fingers since they felt cool to him, even though I wasn't really feeling cold. Still the gesture was SO nice. *BIG GRIN again*

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5. Finding cheap teenage books in Finnish at a flea market. Bought two just to practise reading Finnish HO HO HO HO HO HO...

6. Finding cheap (new) woolen socks at the same flea markets. At the other flea market, the cheapest ones I found cost €10, but at this flea market, they only cost €3.50 HUA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...ME HAPPY, SO VERY HAPPY!!! And the colours are SO nice as well...light yellow and blue HO HO HO HO HO HO HO...

7. Hearing nice, positive things from different people he he he he he...

8. Tuna puff pastry, hot from the oven. YUM YUM!!!!

9. Found moose meat on a BIG discount HUE HE HE HE HE HE...

10. Feeling the sun warming up my face and back...mmmmmmm...

Blessings!!!

Before I forgot...First of all:

HAPPY EASTER to everybody who celebrates it! God bless you all!!!!

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These past few days have been flooded with blessings. *WIDE SMILE*

First of all, we've got the return tickets to Indonesia. YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!

Then I bought something from Huuto.Net (a kind of Finnish ebay). The seller sent it as a package which status I could check online. After days checking the status online, nothing changed. Suspicious, I told Arttu about it and he told me to go to the PO to check it out since the package was supposed to come in two days already. So I went there and they couldn't find it!!!!!!!!!! I contacted the seller (I had to practise my written Finnish as she's Finnish) and told her that I couldn't give her any feedback yet since I hadn't gotten the package yet. She was REALLY nice and she described the packaging she used (starry gift paper).

The PO guy told me to come again the next day and he'd try to find it. I asked Arttu to go there since if they did find it, the package would be 2.1 kgs. When I got back home, the package was there already. I asked Arttu if they had found it already when he got there, but he said he had to describe the packaging before they could find it. Apparently one of the guys who took the package to this PO forgot to register it online when it arrived. I'm SO glad that the seller used a special gift paper so that it was easy for the PO worker to find it HE HE HE HE HE...I'm SO glad the package was found!!!

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Then the other day I also went to a new flea market and found a VERY friendly old Finnish guy. He started asking me questions and I could answer his questions. It was good practise even though I couldn't really understand every little word he was saying.

Then yesterday I decided to be brave enough to find myself a training place. As I've said before, after the course is done in June, we need to find a place for us to do some training. Anywhere in the city. At first I was thinking of ask the people in the bookstore, but I realized that the place was SO small and there were THREE people already in it. So I followed my gut feeling and went to a souvenir store instead. I had to practise my Finnish again hi hi hi hi...My heart was beating FAST, you know? But at least I managed to get myself a training place already. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!! ;-D

What else? Ummm...oh yeah, this morning I checked my bank account since I had to pay for something online and realized that I got MORE student money than I thought I'd get. GEE...I sent 85% of the money already to my "untouchable" account (only for VERY urgent matters). At this rate, I'm VERY sure I'll soon be able to reach the amount of money before we used that account to buy the plane tickets to Indo. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!!!!!! I felt like JUMPING up and down this morning, you know? It's SO AMAZING HUE HE HE HE HE HE HE...




I also received an email the other day from the police station that my residence permit would be ready in the beginning of April (had to extend my expired permit). I was beginning to worry a bit since it took MUCH longer than what they first told me. Phew!!! I don't wanna be separated with hubby againnnnn!!!!!!!!!

And today after the course was done, my Thai friend realized that my nose was runny, so she gave me a bottle of Chinese Thai-brand menthol oil to help me out. She's been such a giving person!!! I admire her for that! She even gave each of us an Easter ornament he he he he he...

Last Monday was my mom-in-law's birthday, so I sent her SMS since it was more practical that way he he he...In the SMS, I also told her that we'd go to Indonesia in October and that after that we'd try having a kid. She replied, saying that she also wanted to have another grandkid HE HE HE HE HE HE HE...I found some flower seeds in Lidl the other day, so I bought several packages. I hope she has never grown some of them yet. ;-D

Today I'm baking a cake for mom-in-law and Arttu since today's Arttu's birthday. I'll bring the cake tomorrow to Kelujärvi with us. As usual, it's chocolate cake since I LOVE chocolate HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

So, you know why I chose that title for this post, right? I've met WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL people and I've got more than I need. Plus this weekend is a LONG weekend where I can rest HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO...

Okie dokie, everybody...let's just rest and relax this weekend he he he...

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Going to A Christmas Fair at -20'C!!!

I woke up this morning and jolted when I checked the temperature and it showed -20'C. Last night I had decided to go to the Christmas Fair to meet my Brit friend there. We hadn't really decided on what time it was going to be as we are night owls and not really morning people ha ha ha ha ha...I decided not to let my mobile run on silent last night and an SMS from my close friend woke me up. At around 10.30 am I sent an SMS to my Brit friend that I was probably going from my house at 11 am. Then she rang me back and said that she was leaving with her friend pretty soon.

I had breakfast (HOT chicken porridge!!!!) and then got prepared. My heart was a bit pitter-patter for I didn't know whether or not I could stand walking in such a temperature or not. I had saved my anorak until the last minute and I knew that today I had to wear it in order to survive hue he he he he he...I put on a pair of long john pants (the regular ones made of cotton), another pair of angora long john pants (VERY VERY warm!!!), a pair of leg warmers, and two pairs of socks (a pair of thin summer socks and another warm pair of socks). Then I put on a short-sleeved top (made of cotton) and a long-sleeved top (dunno what it is made of but it's VERY warm). Then I put on my anorak and I also brought a long shawl with me to cover up my face in case it felt too cold. Plus of course I had my pipo (woolen hat) and a pair of thermal gloves.

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't as cold as I thought it would be...well, maybe it was 'coz of the layers of clothes and everything that I had put on. The place wasn't too far away from my apartment, so it was good. I entered and immediately felt hot and sweaty ha ha ha ha ha ha...There were not as many vendors as I thought it would be. After entering a different room, I ran into my Brit friend. She said that everything was pricey ha ha ha ha...Naturally so!!! I only bought a fruit cake as I didn't bring too much cash with me. Funnily enough, after we finished our shopping, we went to sit down near the coffee/doughnut stall and she bought me a doughnut and some juice (I didn't want anything but she insisted) and met her close friends (all of them are Finnish ladies). So I took a pic of them he he he...

My Brit friend came over to that place with one of the Finnish ladies (she drives her own car), so afterward the other ladies left to browse around while we decided to go to the flea market which I had often visited. I went along with them since Arttu wasn't home yet, so I thought it would be fun. I found a cake server with a beautiful rose handle (carved) that only cost €1.50. We didn't have one yet, so I bought it! ;-D

My Brit friend said that this year there weren't as many vendors or customers as last year. Oh well...this is my first experience to visit a X-mas fair. There are many things that they sell, starting from winter hats, woolen socks, cakes and gingerbread cookies, wall hangings, candles, Christmas decorations, dolls' clothes, etc.

OK, without further ado, these are the pics I took today he he he he...Enjoy them!!! Btw, my hubby's just come home he he he he...so I'm gonna relax now.












P.S. My Russian friend invited me to visit her place in Russia someday. That would be SO nice. I mentioned this to my Brit friend and she said she'd love to go, too!!! We'll see if we can make it together someday! ;-D After all, it's not too far from here and my Russian friend still has her own apt. there he he he he he he...Free accommodation is always good, isn't it? Plus you get a good friend as a guide HO HO HO HO HO...-------> Wait a minute! Now I can't laugh that way anymore 'coz even Santa has to change his laugh into "ha ha ha". LOL!!!! Have a FAB weekend, everybody! *wink*

3BT: November 5, 2007

1. Received an unexpected letter and early b-day card from one of my best friends who doesn't have an internet connection. She also sent me some pics of her son. She was the one whose pregnancy I followed through from the beginning. She was the one that made me TRULY feel that pregnancy is a MIRACLE. ;-D She also sent me a book marker with a wonderful friendship quotation on it. ;-D This is such a NICE surprise!!!!!!!!!

2. Finding some cheap stuff at the flea markets (for me and for a gift) he he he he...

3. Cooking meat with the spices imported from Holland that tasted similar to what I used to eat in Indo. YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!! And eating the cooked meat with warm rice...OOOHHHHH it made me fly to heaveeeennnnn...SO TASTTTTYYYYYYYY!!!!!! ;-D My mouth exploded with delight ha ha ha ha ha ha...

4. Searching for some apple cake recipes to make this Friday for Father's Day (for my father-in-law on Saturday). The anticipation is brewing inside me...I sure do hope it'll turn out okay ha ha ha ha ha...

Bad Weather

Ahhhh...such bad weather today! Gladly I went shopping yesterday already. I've just realized how crucial it is to check the weather prediction in a 4-season country. Back in Indo, the worst thing that could happen was raining cats and dogs and thunders. Well, I know that there have been natural disasters there, as well, but still over here the temperature can drop pretty quickly and if I'm not prepared for it, then it's doom (especially since I'm not used to the cold weather yet). If you wanna check the weather prediction in Lapland, just visit "Everything About Lapland" link at the bottom of my blog. There's daily weather prediction there.

Anyhow, I shudder at the thought of the worst temperature next winter. Yeah, yeah, I'm crazy for thinking ahead. That's one of my Achilles' heels (and one of my strengths, too). I just feel unprepared for it. I don't have long johns that would be warm enough for it. A friend of mine (a British lady) who's been living in Sodankylä for 3 years said that the worst temperature they had ever experienced was -38'C. Yikes!!! I guess I better buy a few VERY WARM long johns later on. I can't help thinking that all the residents of Lapland must be Polar Bears he he he...*grin*

Apart from the fact that Sodankylä's a small town, whereas Bandung is a big city, I've enjoyed my time here. There are two flea markets here that are open like regular stores here, Löytötori and Kirpputori. I've been to both and I found some cheap used shirts (YIIIPPPIIIEEE!!!). I didn't bring too many clothes from Indo as I could only bring 27 kilos of my belongings. There's also now another flea market somewhere downtown that's only open for a certain period of time. I've also been there a few times (my mother-in-law suggested that I visited it more than once as the stuff sold there kept on changing, she said) and I found T-shirts and a summer jacket on a VERY reasonable price. ^____________________________^

So, even though there are no malls here, whereas there are PLENTY of malls and factory outlets in Bandung, Sodankylä's allright. What I enjoy most here is the serenity and peace and nature. Lots of trees and birds, especially now in spring. I can hear birds chirping whenever I go downtown. And there's NO traffic AT ALL! No jaywalkers.

Oh yeah, by the way...about a month ago I found something that reminded me of me and my friends. A Katana! It was the first and only Katana I ever saw here. The Katana was parked on Lidl's parking lot. Back when I was at uni, two of my closest friends owned a Katana, and we used to drive around the city in their cars, so it brought back SO MANY wonderful memories of my past. Ahhh...the good old days, when we had nothing to worry about except exams and exams and exams he he...

Speaking of the weather again, sometimes I don't feel like summer's ever going to come here. I know that the temperature can be above 20'C later on and even reach 30'C for a day or two, but looking at the weather this past week makes me wonder. It seems unlikely as even spring comes so late in this town. Oh well...one thing I miss is wearing only jeans and T-shirt or tank top without having to put on layers of clothes he he he...but I ain't complaining. I'm living my dream now, living in Europe. ^______________________________^

Okay, that's all for now. I better start studying Finnish again. I'll write more later. Ciao!!!