Crazy. Nuts. Round the Bend.

Traffic. Going round in circles in order to try and find a parking place. Someone leaving only two mouthfuls of juice in the carton and putting it back in the fridge.  Large piles of grey snow. Never being able to get on the computer, American tv series, the Simpsons....

The list of "annoying things" that I had planned for today's blog post was a long one. My drive home this evening lasted around ninety minutes, and I was able to think of annoying things I could include the whole way home. Probably not a good idea when you'd prefer to be in a better mood.

We even talked about different ways of expressing annoyance at the Somero English Club this evening. There are loads if you think about it.

I'm hacked off. It drives me nuts, mad, crazy, round the bend, round the twist and up the wall. It does my head in, it winds me up.... you get the picture.

But just as I started writing I remembered the sunrise I saw this morning, and the fact that this evening Luca told me "I don't know why, but wherever I go the sun follows me. And when the sun goes, then the moon starts..." which I thought was adorable. And I turned on the computer to find a message from someone I haven't seen in twenty years (moi Janne!), along with an invitation to a birthday party in Armenia (what a great idea Jane..) as well as an invitation to coffee with a good friend (thanks Anne) and a lovely message all the way from Kenya (perfect timing Joy, thanks). And then all of a sudden the sky was all pink again. Literally. Except this time there was no battery left in my camera so I missed it.....which of course is one of those really annoying things...

Ready for Bed

Hmmm. I would love to tell you how smoothly the day went. But if I did, it wouldn't be quite true. With one child,  you can guarantee that things will be complicated sometimes. Just because. With five still at home and another one over the road with a baby of her own. Well.  Life is certainly never boring, and today was one of those days.

We've had a stomach bug in the family for the last week. I have been lucky enough to escape it so far, but everyone else has suffered to some extent as it's jumped from one child to another. You don't really need the details, you can probably guess, and certainly nothing you would want to read about. Anyway, it was poor Cameron's turn last night. The poor thing felt awful, so he went to bed early and didn't go to school today.

Luca only wanted the toy that Niko had (none of the others would do), and Niko was angry because Luca took his dressing up clothes. I then left the room for two minutes and came back to find that Niko had not only decided to put on Minttu's pink headband, but that he was wearing a dress and carrying a wand.

Then the two of them decided they wanted to put their fireman's and police officer's clothes on their teddies and started squealing when they wouldn't fit. Minttu decided she needed her hat, gloves and boots on even though we were inside, and got angry when we tried to take them off. Luca wanted juice but as soon as he got it didn't want it after all. Niko said he wanted porridge and then wouldn't eat it. Then he changed his mind again, finished his plate and wanted more. An hour later they were both hungry again. Minttu meanwhile mashed up her banana in her fingers and threw it all over the floor.

I didn't go near the computer all day. But then I had to write ONE email, as I had promised to send a document to a friend of mine. Of course exactly at that moment the computer would not work, the document would not load and the three little ones were annoyed because I wasn't singing "Tuikkii, tuikkii tähtönen...." (twinkle, twinkle little star) right then. The best laugh the little ones had all day was when they touched my nose and it said "beep." We did it lots of times.

Still, it's the end of the day now. Cameron is much better, the little ones are all asleep, Lucie is watching something rubbish on the tv (as usual) and I'm exhausted. There is only one thing I am certain about. I'm ready for bed.

Blue Skies

I woke up feeling a little pensive this morning, because 24 February is a date associated with some sad memories for me.On days like these I often go out with my camera to see what I can find. I've realised over time that when you're feeling a bit down, you usually don't have to go very far to see something worth seeing. As long as you remember to look. And today I was looking. 

The colour of the sky in Somero today

I was lucky, because I didn't have to go very far for the first one. I simply had to look up. We had bright blue skies in Somero today and for me, that was worth celebrating in itself. 

It was minus three this afternoon, but the birds were singing, the sun was shining and I am convinced that spring is just round the corner. Then just before I got home, I saw that there was a full moon.

The same moon that is there on good days and bad. The moon that will still be there when all of us are gone. And it's the same moon that my friends can see wherever they are in the world - Colombia, Japan, Sri Lanka or France - and it's perhaps something worth remembering on the days when you are feeling alone. You may not always be with the people you are thinking about, but they are never really very far away.  . 

How heavy is this?

I read something today which I thought was worth sharing.

A psychologist was talking to a room full of people about stress management and held up a glass of water. Everyone in the room thought that she was going to ask the standard question...was the glass half full or half empty. But she didn't. Instead, she asked this. "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Those who were in the room took guesses at the weight of the glass. Guesses ranged from 200g-450g.

The psychologist replied "The absolute weight doesn't matter. The real weight depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel paralysed. The weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.

Your worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. Think about them all day long and you will feel paralysed, incapable of doing anything."

It's important to let go of the your stresses as early in the day as you can. Try not to carry them with you through the evening and into the night. Put them down, or they will become too heavy to bear.

I liked this little analogy and thought it was good advice. Not always easy to follow of course, but good advice nonetheless, so I hope you don't mind me sharing it with you on here. Wishing you all a stress-free weekend and lots of love from Somero.

Sledging in Somero

Somero's sledging hill

In the States, it takes many millions of dollars to build a theme park. In Somero, all we need for a bit of fun is some snow and a hill. And luckily we have both.

This week has been perfect sledging weather. Not too cold (and just in case you were in any doubt, not too hot either ;))

Even Luca was smiling!

Anyone who knows my son Luca, also knows that he has a reputation for being quite a serious little chap. But I have never seen him laugh as much as he did this week when we went sledging. So next time you are trying to think of something to do with the kids, remember you don't need to book tickets to Disneyland.

Just two things. Snow and a hill. Believe me, put the two together and even serious people smile.

 

The end of another exhausting day...

 

A Question for You...

What is the last thing that made you smile?

I have a reason for asking this. By the time I arrived home with the children this evening I felt completely wiped out. Both physically and emotionally. If I could have had one wish, it would have been to disappear into a big bed for several days.

But in a family with young children there is always something to be done, and disappearing into bed is not one of them. So I got on with the next thing on the list, which was making dinner. Just as the potatoes were boiling there was a knock at the door. It was my friend Manu, (see 6 February 2012), who had just come back to Somero from Masku. He didn't want to stay, he didn't even want to come in actually, he just wanted to drop us a loaf of beautiful fresh bread which he had picked up for us in a bakery.

There was no reason at all for this - except that he had thought of us and wanted us to share in enjoying this bread with him. And believe me, we did. It was delicious. And not only that, the fact that Manu had thought about us made a lovely end to an otherwise difficult day. So that is my answer to my own question. My friend Manu bringing us a surprise loaf of bread was the last thing that made me smile.

I would love to hear about the last thing that made you smile - so let me know, either on here or through Facebook, and if I receive any contibutions I'll add them as they arrive. Wishing you all a peaceful evening.

THE LAST THING THAT MADE ME SMILE IS...

Watching my daughter Charlotte and her friend Anna (visiting us at the moment from Finland). They are giggling on the sofa and talking about what they did in town yesterday. Young people have a love of life... It reminded me of my own youth! (Marjut Blomqvist)

Carrot Cake. I've been ill and not able to eat much at all, so today when I ate it, it was my realisation that I was on my way back. And it tasted nice. (Rob Wood)

Today when I heard my colleagues talking about their young children who are just beginning to talk and learning to explain their point of view on things. (Katy Henner)

My Dad turning up from England as a surprise on Monday! (Lucie)

Watching big, fluffy snowflakes in the desert southwest of the US. A rare occasion here. (Nancy Hamilton)

My lovely nephew Robert, who has arranged everything for my mother, who has just been admitted to hospital for reasons which are unclear to me, so that she has a bedside phone, so that family members know she is there and (approximately) what is going on, and who has offered to go in and feed her cat - I didn't exactly jump for joy, but there is great happiness in knowing that Robert and others like him will do the right thing. Lots of love Robert. (Jane Griffiths)

Your sons! (Edina Pillok)

Finding the photos and looking through all the memories of UK life....full of smiles made me BIG smile. (Mio Matsukawa)

A smile exchanged, in mutual sympathy, with another cyclist as I made my way to work in the cold today. It made me think about the importance of friendly contact between strangers in creating a sense of community. (Margaret)

There is this bunch of people in Tumblr who are all Rise of the Guardians role-players, and they have made up an alternate universe where every character lives in London and they are all connected by Starbucks (some work there, some are regular customers, some are friends with workers etc.). I'm part of this group but so far I wasn't that sure if I belonged (since I have the only character who is my up by me and is not based on those from the movie or the book series) or not but yesterday I got invited in group Skype chat and now we are all joking around about our characters. I feel happy and smiling ^^ (Katri)

1000 HITS

Just a short note to let you know that yesterday's post about the excellent service in Somero Säästöpankki resulted in one thousand hits over the last twenty-four hours... It sounds like in these times where we are all fed up of being forced to press numbers and talk to machines almost every day, a post about good customer service is big news!

Somero has a reputation for being a friendly place to be. Let's keep it that way. Keep smiling Somero.

A Bank with a Difference

Do you remember those days when you could walk into a bank and speak to a real person? Or you could call and talk to a human being instead of a machine? And the people you spoke to knew who you were and were willing to help with whatever it was you needed? My guess is that it is a fairly safe bet that such a scenario sounds like a different world to the one you know...as though I am describing another planet altogether. Banks with real people inside them and genuine customer service don't actually exist anymore do they?

Well actually one does.  And I have been so impressed by the service inside this bank that I felt it was worth a post all of its own.

The bank I am talking about is Somero Säästöpankki - and if there was a customer service award to be presented this week I would suggest this bank as the winner. Let me tell you why.

When you walk in you are greeted with a smile. The staff know who almost all the customers are and take their time to deal with each person individually. (How long has it been since you have experienced good customer service in a bank?)

If you need to speak to someone in private, then you can get an appointment very quickly - often on the same day. When you arrive you are offered something to drink. (They even have hot chocolate.) The person you see then remembers your issue the next time you go in - knows who you are and why you are there and has always done whatever they promised to do on the last occasion. They answer the phone, they ring you back when they promise to do so, and they don't keep you hanging on the line for nothing.

My experience of this bank is that they not only do what a good bank should, but they go beyond that, and actually care about the clients they are dealing with.

I think most people nowadays would agree that the whole banking industry has become much less customer-friendly over the last ten years. But I am happy to say that in Somero Säästöpankki I have found at least one complete exception to that rule - and that is such a rare thing nowadays that it has to be worth celebrating. (And no...just in case you were wondering...I have not been sponsored to write this post. Its actually true.)

Better Days Ahead

My scrapbook of 2013

After all the challenges of last year, at the beginning of 2013 I decided to start a scrapbook. I have kept a diary for several years, but here the idea was to have a book in which I could record our family's major events and happy memories. A concrete way to focus on the positive.

And the week just gone is one which will not be easily forgotten. On Tuesday I became a grandmother (I still can't quite believe I am writing those words) with the birth of little Tiana. Then on Thursday and Friday Lucie had both her school play and her Prom night - both major events marking the fact that her school days are coming to an end.

Never forget.....

On Thursday it was also Valentine's or Friendship Day. On one hand, part of me wished I was sharing it with someone special. But on the other I was happy to remember how lucky I am to have such good friends in several countries round the world.  Friends who have stuck by our family through thick and thin.

....that better days are ahead

This was also the week in which (fingers crossed) we found the house which we hope soon to be calling our new home. After months of living in a flat which really isn't big enough for all of us (and has never felt like home) it might be that in a few weeks we will be able to start again somewhere new. Our own house where we can finally feel as though we are at home again.

So it's been a week of endings and beginnings. A week of big events and  important milestones. A week where I have been reminded never to give up hope. Because however bad things may feel on certain days...there are almost certainly better times ahead.

Prom Night at Somero Lukio

Last Night the Second Years of Somero Lukio (Sixth Form) had their Prom Night. There were forty-six dancers, with Elli Suonpää and Niilo Nieminen giving an excellent and very funny speech to open the evening.

Having danced at Joensuun School and the Old People's Home in the afternoon, the students had their final dance at the Monitoimitalo in the centre of town. Every seat was taken as several hundred people turned up to see one of the highlights of the academic year.

I am sure I was not the only parent there who was finding it hard to believe that their son or daughter is now less than a year away from finishing school.

I know it is a well-used cliché to say that childhood goes by quickly, but last night it felt truer than ever. These dancers were not children anymore, but young men and women with exciting and I am sure very varied futures ahead of them. Wherever they end up in life, I hope that they will always remember Somero and come back to play a role in the town.

Here are some pictures from a very special evening.....

Somero Lukio Play

This evening the second year students from Somero Lukio performed their play to a packed audience. Here are some pictures from a great evening - congratulations to everyone who made the play possible!

Three tired members of the audience with their dragonfly sister

Happy Valentine's Day 2013

Vuokko Kulta from the Svensson Centre

"Life is full of ups and downs, and the journey is so much easier when we have friends to hold our hand along the way..."

I wrote those words on this blog exactly a year ago, and how true they turned out to be. I didn't know at the time what the coming twelve months had in store for our family, nor that this Valentine's Day I would be single again. But you often don't know what is round the next corner, and ups and downs there have certainly been.

Whilst Valentines Day in the UK is a romantic occasion which is celebrated between couples, here in Finland the day is about remembering friendship....and that is one thing I believe is worth celebrating at every opportunity.

I have lost things over the past few months that I would not have chosen to lose, but our family remains rich in terms of friendship, and I say thank you for that every single day. Without those people, the world for both me and my children would be a very different place.

It has been a busy week this week, especially with the birth of Tiana two days ago, but last night when the little ones were asleep, I sat with Lucie and Cameron and we made some friendship cards and talked about the people who are important to us. Then, like last year, I spent the morning at Somero's community centre (Svensson) and helped with the friendship day lunch there. Last year around forty people turned up to this event - this year the figure had more than doubled.

Everyone of us has different dreams and priorities and hopes for the future - but one thing that none of us can do without is friendship. So this is to say Happy Friendship Day and Happy Valentine's Day to all our friends, both in Finland and all over the world. Thank you for always being there. Wishing you all love for today and for many years to come.

Where is the Sun?

Mid-February and grey skies. Not cold, not hot, just wet and slushy. Yuk. I don't know about you but I am ready for the summer. Each morning as I am putting snowsuits on the three little ones and finding their gloves and woollen socks and hats and boots (don't even attempt to turn up at nursery without one of the above or you will be arrested and put in jail), I dream about other times. Times when the sun is out and a dress or shorts and a pair of sandals is enough.

Still, even though we are all awaiting the sun in terms of that big yellow thing in the sky, there has been sunshine in other ways this week.

Tiana was born yesterday of course, and we are looking forward to her arriving back in Somero in the next couple of days. Minttu also decided me help me tidy up the flat this evening. Her idea was to throw cat food all over the kitchen floor. Because when you are 19 months old that is a totally fun thing to do.  Kiitti.

But she reminded me that there is no point getting annoyed by little things like that.

If Mummy doesn't like cat food on the floor, then the trick is to flash my big brown eyes and pout my lips and the camera and look like a supermodel. She won't stay annoyed for very long.

 

Tiana's First Day

Tianas first day

Thank to you everyone who has sent messages over the last few hours to both Saskia and me about Saskia's new baby Tiana. I passed all your kind thoughts and wishes on to Saskia this evening at the hospital and she was really touched that so many people had thought of her and the baby.



Saskia and Tiana are both doing well

Uncle Niko, Uncle Luca and Auntie Minttu meet Tiana

Saskia was unsurprisingly a little tired this evening, but doing well, and slowly getting used to the fact that she is a Mum. Those of you with children will probably remember how overwhelming the first few hours feel, especially when you become a parent for the first time.



Yes, I know. Granny, Nana, Grandma, Mummo....got it.

A smile from Uncle Luca

Luca, Niko and Minttu, however, have all adapted very quickly to their new roles in life as aunt and uncles. They were ready with plenty of advice for little Tiana and at one point Minttu also gave a convincing demonstration to her little niece of how to kick and scream if you want something. It will be the first time that Minttu isn't the smallest one in the family, so I am quite certain she will have more to say on this subject over the coming months.

Anyway, normally on Shrove Tuesday English families spend at least part of the day eating pancakes. We didn't manage to fit pancakes in today, but we will certainly remember today for another reason as it was the day Tiana entered the world. We need to savour these first few days as it won't be long before she is eating pancakes with the rest of us.