Two Weeks

Taking a break from work and enjoying some salsa 

First of all, to those of you who read the blog regularly, sorry it's been so long since the last post. I only realised today that two weeks has already flown by since the last one. Still, at least there has been a nice picture of the Somero sun to look at.

The reason for the gap is that I have spent most of the last fortnight in England. I am in the middle of a job that will come to most of us at some point in our lives and that no-one looks forward to. I have been clearing out my parents house in Darlington. This of course would be quite emotional whatever the circumstances, but when you live in a different country from the house in question it is even more complicated, especially when there are no brothers or sisters around to share the task.

This is only a fraction of it....

Luckily I have had help from my friends (Samuli last week and Annya this week), both of whom flew over from Finland just to help me, and to whom I will be eternally grateful.

Anyone who has ever had to do this job will know what it is like. You are surrounded by all sorts of memories. There is rubbish to clear out, decisions to make and tears to be cried. I have been throwing out empty envelopes one minute and crying over an ancient photo of me sitting in my fathers lap the next. Some bags have been full of nothing but empty sweet wrappers - and others have contained letters written in 1934. My parents threw NOTHING away, EVER -so I can tell you there has been a lot to go through.



Annya remembering what a "99" tastes like

To be honest, I have dreaded this job for years. I knew it would come eventually, and I always thought it would be overwhelmingly hard. As it is, once this is all over, I will look back at this time with fond memories. It has been (and still is) a lot of work, but there have been several high points in the last two weeks as well.

Once again, I have been surrounded by friends old and new, just when I needed them the most. In addition I have had the chance to catch up with my salsa friends from Darlington and all over the north east. I've also taken the opportunity to enjoy all the foods that I miss when I am in Finland...baked potatoes, chips (from the chip shop), a cooked English breakfast and sun blushed tomatoes from Sainsburys. As well as mountains of cake.



View of the Swale river in Richmond

This fortnight has taught me several things, not least of which is that often things are not nearly as hard as you fear they might be. And even when they are, if you have friends, dancing and cake in your life, then anything is possible. And I mean anything. Wishing you all a wonderful week.