Ok - so due to the possibility of going into labour early - I've decided to carry my passport and ID# with me everywhere I go...just in case.
Thankfully I had it with me today. No I didn't go into labour or have contractions...but at the grocery store (went to a huge one called Prisma with Jessica) - I spent over 50 Euros - and they asked for ID. I had no idea this was a regular process. I thought they only asked when I was using a credit card (which has happened to us before) - but even when using the Visa Electron card ("Debit") - if you spend more than 50 Euros in one load - then you have to supply ID which I think is pretty neat (this is the banker in me).
I looked in a baby store called OZ...it's a more expensive store Jessica told me - but even still - there were some great deals. There was a crib for 99 Euros (but I think we'll be borrowing one instead) and some bouncy chairs for under 40 and one of those bouncy sling chairs that hangs from a door way or a ceiling....for about 30 Euros!
There's an online market on the University website - so I've been checking that out (thank goodness for Google translate) and there's a lot of good stuff online.
At the grocery store - I picked up reindeer meat. "Poro" in Finnish. Tim's birthday is this Thursday and he really wanted to try reindeer meat (Supposedly it tastes like beef?) - so I wasn't sure what kind of package it came in...or if I was to go to the butcher in the back to order some. But they sell it in bags in the frozen section and it's in strips like stirfry meats. Apparently it's traditionally cooked here like a stew and then it's served on mashed potatos with ling-den (sp?) berries. Ling-den berries are sort of like cranberries. I've had them in a desert and it was very good. A little tart like cranberries - but not quite.
Got a mop (forgot to pick up a bucket - duh), 2 metal bowls for the dogs' food (my poor mixing bowls are now cracked and beyond repair) a massive package of chicken pieces (already marinated and I'll probably just freeze the rest in even portions) along with other things that we needed for the home.
I finally caved and picked up a tin of vaseline (it's in a big flat disc like lip balm)...I couldn't justify spending almost 3 Euros for a tiny tin of vaseline but at Prisma - it was much cheaper.
It was nice to just get up and away from what I knew - and to walk around such a huge store. I definitely got my exercise for the day in!
Well it's 7:05pm - I think I'm going to layer up and take the dogs out for a walk - in hopes for some peace and quiet with Loki tonight.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Painted toes by 4...A White-Tie Event at 6...a lonely drunk at 1am..And some things I learned (at the bottom)
Tim was invited to see someone defend their phD yesterday afternoon. I didn't go as it's not really my thing and I honestly would not understand 90% of it I'm sure. Not that it was in Finnish - because it was in English - but because philosophy is not my thing. The only time I really talk philosophy is when Tim talks to me about it - a lot of times after events in which alcohol is consumed (on his part) and he manages to explain things to me quite well. Haha.
I managed to paint my toe nails a deep purple with the same skill level as prior to pregnancy - and if it wasn't for q-tips and nail polish remover - yeah I'd be toast.
The dinner was held at 6pm and being a white-tie event - I figured I'd wear black. Mostly because someone else was bound to do the same thing and I'm pregnant - so nothing I had with me that was fancy enough, fit anyways. I proudly wore my brown flower slouchy hat on the way there - and it was surprisingly warm. Tim and I discovered that one of his dress coats fits me!!! With the zipper up. I was so happy as it was quite chilly out.
The dinner was held in the same building as Tim's office but on the bottom floor where a very large class room is normally. Everything was decorated with white table cloths and black napkins. Some people wore tuxedos, some wore suits and many ladies wore fancy dresses.
The food was great - I had olive bread for the first time and thought it was wonderful!! Main course being salmon with lemon and dill - which is funny because Tim is starting to get accustomed to fish. Yet I haven't cooked it since we've moved here.
I got to see Sulevi, Jessica and Taneli (Tim's prof's family - as they were away for a month) and was very happy to see them. I think Sulevi may have been more excited to see us! He saw us come inside and squealed to the nines.
After the dinner we chatted with Taneli and I learned a lot in regards to health care.
On our way home - after several discussions with various people (I was exhausted!) - we were on the main street before turning onto ours (we still had quite a ways to go) - when a fellow stopped us and asked if we knew where "Rameteki" was. We're like uh no. So someone stopped her bike and pointed the direction for him and he knew where it was - he wanted someone to walk with him home! God he was so drunk.
Thankfully Rameteki was left of where we had to go - and we told him we "lived on the very top of the hill" (which was a lie - but nonetheless) - and he was very friendly - asking if we'd walk him home, had cigarettes because he drank too much and only smokes when he drinks...and blah blah.
It was to the point I thought he was going to walk US home - and I wanted to knock him out.
So finally we walked him to the lights and said good bye several times - and he kept referring to himself as a Finnish dude...asked where we were from and if we were a "Kappa". We're like huh?
And he goes "Oh a kappa is 2 people who live together and be together". He meant couple.
And then he wished us "So one". I think he meant "So long".
Maternity health care is free here. Public appointments cost 11 Euros for the first three of the calendar year and after that it's free until January of the next year. Public appointments typically take a month to book in advance unless it is urgent.
But if you're willing to pay 40-50 Euros for private health appointment - then you get in immediately.
Public and private is the same quality and competency we were told.
If I was to go into labour now - because my application for Kela is being processed - I would be covered.
Kela is also the public insurance company too. So once our application is approved and we have our Kela cards (like an insurance card) - when we pick up a prescription - the pharmacy automatically deducts the insurance coverage immediately at time of purchase. So you don't have to pay in full and then submit a claim. Unless you don't have your Kela card with you - then you would file a claim and then be credited to your bank account.
There is a tiered system of 100, 80 and 60% coverage - something like that - and depending on the type of medication you have prescribed - determines how much you pay. Apparently anti-biotics are typically only covered 60% by Kela. Hopefully my inhaler is covered!!
Well - time for me to make some food - "SO ONE" for now.
I managed to paint my toe nails a deep purple with the same skill level as prior to pregnancy - and if it wasn't for q-tips and nail polish remover - yeah I'd be toast.
The dinner was held at 6pm and being a white-tie event - I figured I'd wear black. Mostly because someone else was bound to do the same thing and I'm pregnant - so nothing I had with me that was fancy enough, fit anyways. I proudly wore my brown flower slouchy hat on the way there - and it was surprisingly warm. Tim and I discovered that one of his dress coats fits me!!! With the zipper up. I was so happy as it was quite chilly out.
The dinner was held in the same building as Tim's office but on the bottom floor where a very large class room is normally. Everything was decorated with white table cloths and black napkins. Some people wore tuxedos, some wore suits and many ladies wore fancy dresses.
The food was great - I had olive bread for the first time and thought it was wonderful!! Main course being salmon with lemon and dill - which is funny because Tim is starting to get accustomed to fish. Yet I haven't cooked it since we've moved here.
I got to see Sulevi, Jessica and Taneli (Tim's prof's family - as they were away for a month) and was very happy to see them. I think Sulevi may have been more excited to see us! He saw us come inside and squealed to the nines.
After the dinner we chatted with Taneli and I learned a lot in regards to health care.
On our way home - after several discussions with various people (I was exhausted!) - we were on the main street before turning onto ours (we still had quite a ways to go) - when a fellow stopped us and asked if we knew where "Rameteki" was. We're like uh no. So someone stopped her bike and pointed the direction for him and he knew where it was - he wanted someone to walk with him home! God he was so drunk.
Thankfully Rameteki was left of where we had to go - and we told him we "lived on the very top of the hill" (which was a lie - but nonetheless) - and he was very friendly - asking if we'd walk him home, had cigarettes because he drank too much and only smokes when he drinks...and blah blah.
It was to the point I thought he was going to walk US home - and I wanted to knock him out.
So finally we walked him to the lights and said good bye several times - and he kept referring to himself as a Finnish dude...asked where we were from and if we were a "Kappa". We're like huh?
And he goes "Oh a kappa is 2 people who live together and be together". He meant couple.
And then he wished us "So one". I think he meant "So long".
Maternity health care is free here. Public appointments cost 11 Euros for the first three of the calendar year and after that it's free until January of the next year. Public appointments typically take a month to book in advance unless it is urgent.
But if you're willing to pay 40-50 Euros for private health appointment - then you get in immediately.
Public and private is the same quality and competency we were told.
If I was to go into labour now - because my application for Kela is being processed - I would be covered.
Kela is also the public insurance company too. So once our application is approved and we have our Kela cards (like an insurance card) - when we pick up a prescription - the pharmacy automatically deducts the insurance coverage immediately at time of purchase. So you don't have to pay in full and then submit a claim. Unless you don't have your Kela card with you - then you would file a claim and then be credited to your bank account.
There is a tiered system of 100, 80 and 60% coverage - something like that - and depending on the type of medication you have prescribed - determines how much you pay. Apparently anti-biotics are typically only covered 60% by Kela. Hopefully my inhaler is covered!!
Well - time for me to make some food - "SO ONE" for now.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Walks, yarn, burgers and blonde little kids....(get your Friday chuckle here!)
I decided to take Loki with me - it was a heavy debate as Blue rarely gets one on one walks because of his aggressive attitude (he's merely curious at meeting other dogs - but the barking, jumping and growling does tend to scare people away and stop traffic)...and the fact that I'd be leaving him outside of a yarn shop for 2 minutes - could be life or death. He doesn't bite - he just barks like a maniac and everybody thinks he's a holy terror.
Anyways - the walk downtown was great with Loki - we didn't bump into a single pooch. Until I got to the yarn store. I tied Loki up outside to a post - where I could still see him and run to if necessary - but he did great. I heard a yapping when I was inside grabbing the brown wool yarn I needed for my hat - took a look and Loki was just sitting and waiting for me very patiently.
When I got outside I saw a pretty blonde girl with her little white pooch and she smiled and said hello - so I figured - okay - she's not scared to meet another dog that's 5x the size of her own.
She was great and adored Loki. Asked what breed and whatnot - her English was great. Her dog was a scaredy-cat. He wouldn't come near Loki and kept barking but running away from him and Loki just gave up.
So we went on our merry ways and decided to hit up Grilli 21 for a bacon burger.
Well Loki was just thrilled - there were little birds (they help with the crumbs - kind of like nature's bus-boys) for him to watch and garbage cans 1/2 filled with food he could devour. But he held off - thankfully.
I ordered my bacon burger and sat down beside Loki. He then thought I wasn't quick enough to put it in my mouth (it was quite hot so I was blowing on it to cool it off) and decided a nudge to the elbow was necessary...
You know those slow moments you see in the movie - where everything is moving so slowly - that one should be able to stop or prevent whatever is about to happen next?
Yeah - I had one of those. My burger flew out of my hand and all over the table, my backpack and the ground and chairs....the condiments were mostly all over my sweater and in my lap (and they pack a lot in those burgers!) and Loki knew he was in crap. All I had left in my hand was 1/2 a bun - no wrapper - no napkin...just half a bun.
I didn't yell and I didn't smack Loki on the nose like he deserved. He knew he was in crap when I said, "Loki" very quietly and calmly. Nobody was around except behind Grilli 21 there was a tour for the seniors of some monuments and such. They were all staring at me. Clearly not at the monument in front of them but the lady in black with the dog who just smacked a burger out of her hands.
I cleaned up what I could and ordered another burger. The lady was working on her own and thought I was crazy. I just smiled and explained that my dog ate my burger - which was going to be the truth - as I don't think birds are into big patties and massive buns that are 20x the size of them.
So I gave Loki the burger in pieces and he appreciated every bite. I only say this because he kept his head down and he looked awfully sad for what he did - but he knew I wasn't going to eat anything off the cobblestone ground.
Alright - blonde little kids part. Loki and I began the trek home and cut through a school play ground (past Tim's office) and 3 little blonde girls came running towards me screaming something in Finnish. I'm like, "Sorry? I don't speak Finnish". Well you'd think my face was bashed up and I was bleeding with a chain saw in my other hand. They ran away.
I'm sure they were asking if they could pet Loki - which I would've been fine with because he would've been tired out and whatnot - but I didn't think of that until after I said "Sorry I don't speak Finnish". So we kept walking.
I felt like a monster - I reek of grease, ketchup and onions etc.....thankfully I wore black and it's all in the wash as we speak.
Needless to say - I wish I brought Blue - it would've been worth the girl probably giving me a dirty look and the Poppeli lady thinking my dog was a monster just to have to only buy 1 burger.
Anyways - the walk downtown was great with Loki - we didn't bump into a single pooch. Until I got to the yarn store. I tied Loki up outside to a post - where I could still see him and run to if necessary - but he did great. I heard a yapping when I was inside grabbing the brown wool yarn I needed for my hat - took a look and Loki was just sitting and waiting for me very patiently.
When I got outside I saw a pretty blonde girl with her little white pooch and she smiled and said hello - so I figured - okay - she's not scared to meet another dog that's 5x the size of her own.
She was great and adored Loki. Asked what breed and whatnot - her English was great. Her dog was a scaredy-cat. He wouldn't come near Loki and kept barking but running away from him and Loki just gave up.
So we went on our merry ways and decided to hit up Grilli 21 for a bacon burger.
Well Loki was just thrilled - there were little birds (they help with the crumbs - kind of like nature's bus-boys) for him to watch and garbage cans 1/2 filled with food he could devour. But he held off - thankfully.
I ordered my bacon burger and sat down beside Loki. He then thought I wasn't quick enough to put it in my mouth (it was quite hot so I was blowing on it to cool it off) and decided a nudge to the elbow was necessary...
You know those slow moments you see in the movie - where everything is moving so slowly - that one should be able to stop or prevent whatever is about to happen next?
Yeah - I had one of those. My burger flew out of my hand and all over the table, my backpack and the ground and chairs....the condiments were mostly all over my sweater and in my lap (and they pack a lot in those burgers!) and Loki knew he was in crap. All I had left in my hand was 1/2 a bun - no wrapper - no napkin...just half a bun.
I didn't yell and I didn't smack Loki on the nose like he deserved. He knew he was in crap when I said, "Loki" very quietly and calmly. Nobody was around except behind Grilli 21 there was a tour for the seniors of some monuments and such. They were all staring at me. Clearly not at the monument in front of them but the lady in black with the dog who just smacked a burger out of her hands.
I cleaned up what I could and ordered another burger. The lady was working on her own and thought I was crazy. I just smiled and explained that my dog ate my burger - which was going to be the truth - as I don't think birds are into big patties and massive buns that are 20x the size of them.
So I gave Loki the burger in pieces and he appreciated every bite. I only say this because he kept his head down and he looked awfully sad for what he did - but he knew I wasn't going to eat anything off the cobblestone ground.
Alright - blonde little kids part. Loki and I began the trek home and cut through a school play ground (past Tim's office) and 3 little blonde girls came running towards me screaming something in Finnish. I'm like, "Sorry? I don't speak Finnish". Well you'd think my face was bashed up and I was bleeding with a chain saw in my other hand. They ran away.
I'm sure they were asking if they could pet Loki - which I would've been fine with because he would've been tired out and whatnot - but I didn't think of that until after I said "Sorry I don't speak Finnish". So we kept walking.
I felt like a monster - I reek of grease, ketchup and onions etc.....thankfully I wore black and it's all in the wash as we speak.
Needless to say - I wish I brought Blue - it would've been worth the girl probably giving me a dirty look and the Poppeli lady thinking my dog was a monster just to have to only buy 1 burger.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Maybe if I stay up long enough - I'll get pics of a beautiful sunrise...
Dear Mother Nature:
It is presently 5:14am on a Friday. I have a month and 2 days left until my due date. All I had to do was get up and use the bathroom and have a sip of water.
But no - we couldn't leave it at that on a Friday morning could we, at 4:30am?
With the threats of a potential leg cramp and with hip cramps already having a fiesta - and a puppy that's really not a puppy anymore stretched out lengthwise on my side of the bed - you had to keep me going.
I promoted myself to the couch in the dark with nothing but my pillow in hopes for a blissful sleep - which was the norm. I usually can pass out on the couch comfortably as it's an old, well-loved leather couch and cool to the touch (great for the cramps if you didn't know already) and dog & husband free. Today - was not the case.
I used to brag to my other pregnant colleagues, "Oh no I sleep like a baby - even with a couple bathroom breaks in the middle of the night." Now I'm ashamed to say - I may have insomnia? Who knows. It's supposed to hit 75% of pregnant women.
I'll try to go back to sleep - but I know that you live life on the edge and enjoy teasing us in various ways throughout life. Knowing my luck - this would be one of them.
As if having an alien in your tummy bounce on your bladder, like a 4 year old tugging your hand to go to the playground with their friends - wasn't bad enough.
The pregnancy-brain moments (The title of this post originally was "Maybe if I stay up long enough - I'll get pics of a beautiful sunset"), the cramps, the Braxton Hicks - nothing like a good April Fool's joke everyday during the final weeks of pregnancy.....the cravings (mine have been controllable - thank goodness), the constant bladder interruptions, the stretch marks ("Tiger stripes are cooler than lions - they don't have stripes" says the husband) and the raging hormones....and the aches and pains....the list goes on - but eventually - you forget it all once you hear the first cries of your baby. So they say.
Not that I'm a negative person - but more so - a realist. I've been keeping a journal for the baby of things that have happened throughout the pregnancy. I think it's because I don't want to forget any of these things and that somewhere deep down inside my confused brain - I kind of like knowing that my baby will have a great chuckle at my expense some day down the road. I know I have while reading earlier entries.
So now I sit here in the dark - hungry as anything (but don't want to wake the husband with my crashing in the dark attempting to make a PBJH sandwich) but I will survive.
I will attempt to fall back asleep...I think that's why nobody is writing me back on MSN haha.
Long story short? Thanks Mother Nature - the baby will be worth it - I know.
It is presently 5:14am on a Friday. I have a month and 2 days left until my due date. All I had to do was get up and use the bathroom and have a sip of water.
But no - we couldn't leave it at that on a Friday morning could we, at 4:30am?
With the threats of a potential leg cramp and with hip cramps already having a fiesta - and a puppy that's really not a puppy anymore stretched out lengthwise on my side of the bed - you had to keep me going.
I promoted myself to the couch in the dark with nothing but my pillow in hopes for a blissful sleep - which was the norm. I usually can pass out on the couch comfortably as it's an old, well-loved leather couch and cool to the touch (great for the cramps if you didn't know already) and dog & husband free. Today - was not the case.
I used to brag to my other pregnant colleagues, "Oh no I sleep like a baby - even with a couple bathroom breaks in the middle of the night." Now I'm ashamed to say - I may have insomnia? Who knows. It's supposed to hit 75% of pregnant women.
I'll try to go back to sleep - but I know that you live life on the edge and enjoy teasing us in various ways throughout life. Knowing my luck - this would be one of them.
As if having an alien in your tummy bounce on your bladder, like a 4 year old tugging your hand to go to the playground with their friends - wasn't bad enough.
The pregnancy-brain moments (The title of this post originally was "Maybe if I stay up long enough - I'll get pics of a beautiful sunset"), the cramps, the Braxton Hicks - nothing like a good April Fool's joke everyday during the final weeks of pregnancy.....the cravings (mine have been controllable - thank goodness), the constant bladder interruptions, the stretch marks ("Tiger stripes are cooler than lions - they don't have stripes" says the husband) and the raging hormones....and the aches and pains....the list goes on - but eventually - you forget it all once you hear the first cries of your baby. So they say.
Not that I'm a negative person - but more so - a realist. I've been keeping a journal for the baby of things that have happened throughout the pregnancy. I think it's because I don't want to forget any of these things and that somewhere deep down inside my confused brain - I kind of like knowing that my baby will have a great chuckle at my expense some day down the road. I know I have while reading earlier entries.
So now I sit here in the dark - hungry as anything (but don't want to wake the husband with my crashing in the dark attempting to make a PBJH sandwich) but I will survive.
I will attempt to fall back asleep...I think that's why nobody is writing me back on MSN haha.
Long story short? Thanks Mother Nature - the baby will be worth it - I know.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
5 months later
Yesterday I went to the library and saw a free newspaper called 6 Degrees. It appears to be similar to The Coast with a bit more context and no Dan Savage (as far as I know). It's an English paper for all of Finland and had some great things in there such as articles and advertisements of events for each big city or town in Finland. Which is nice.
There are also movie ads...and I noticed that "UP" is coming to theaters October 9th - the day after my husband's birthday...but more so 5 months after it's May 29, 2009 release date in North America.
We've seen all the movies up to date so far prior to leaving Canada - so at approximately 5 months between each film (or more) we should be theater free for the next 2 years at least!! I think GI JOE was the last movie we saw...so yeah we should be theater free for awhile. I don't even know where the theater is here.
I visited the library again today (but didn't go up and down the stairs as much - which helped I think) and managed to get 3 books reserved (one will come next week from another library) on needle felting. I had gone yesterday but the books the librarian helped me find were all about wet-felting techniques. Which is messy (depending on the size of the project) and not exactly what I wanted.
The librarian was helpful and it is 1 Euro per item reserved - to be paid at time of pick up. Which isn't that bad considering they have to either e-mail or mail you a letter to inform you that your book is ready for pick up. I opted for e-mail as I try to go as paperless as possible in terms of bills and whatnot. That and it makes it easier on Tim and I when Loki's barking at the mail man if he's not quiet enough dropping the mail - HA.
I am presently working on a pig - why I don't know. I do have quite a bit of pink wool left - so that could be it. I need to pick up some more yellow if I am going to attempt a better duck for a future order and I definitely need some red for some Christmas cards that are on hold.
I had no idea how much red was used in Christmas/winter themed cards. Candy canes, Santa, Rudolph, poinsettia flowers, mistletoe berries....the list goes on. But I think that will be October's adventure - completing all of the Christmas cards before baby Riggs makes their big debut in early November.
I feel wretched. Not ill or sick or in a tonne of pain - but I just cannot get back into crocheting for the life of me. I have a scarf started for a gift and a single slipper completed for Tim's birthday (Oct. 8) and I just do not have the tolerance or patience to finish the 2nd slipper. I'm sure it wouldn't take more than an hour and a half but I cannot do it.
It took me awhile to get some motivation to do some needle felting tonight. Usually when I got into a creative block - I just tighten up previous works and felt them some more...or play a video game for a bit or read...but it took me atleast 2 hours to figure out that I wanted to make a Pig. I'm taking some advice to heart from my colleagues in the Felting Forum I'm with - so I'm going to do the head first completely - and then hopefully be able to work on my symmetry and proportions this way.
I'm also going to try wet felting some soap. The purpose? To decorate the soap with a cover of felt, which acts as an exfoliator for the skin (great for those that have dirty hands all the time - i.e. gardeners) and helps to keep the soap life longer. These may be the Christmas presents for abroad instead. We'll see.
41 days left....
There are also movie ads...and I noticed that "UP" is coming to theaters October 9th - the day after my husband's birthday...but more so 5 months after it's May 29, 2009 release date in North America.
We've seen all the movies up to date so far prior to leaving Canada - so at approximately 5 months between each film (or more) we should be theater free for the next 2 years at least!! I think GI JOE was the last movie we saw...so yeah we should be theater free for awhile. I don't even know where the theater is here.
I visited the library again today (but didn't go up and down the stairs as much - which helped I think) and managed to get 3 books reserved (one will come next week from another library) on needle felting. I had gone yesterday but the books the librarian helped me find were all about wet-felting techniques. Which is messy (depending on the size of the project) and not exactly what I wanted.
The librarian was helpful and it is 1 Euro per item reserved - to be paid at time of pick up. Which isn't that bad considering they have to either e-mail or mail you a letter to inform you that your book is ready for pick up. I opted for e-mail as I try to go as paperless as possible in terms of bills and whatnot. That and it makes it easier on Tim and I when Loki's barking at the mail man if he's not quiet enough dropping the mail - HA.
I am presently working on a pig - why I don't know. I do have quite a bit of pink wool left - so that could be it. I need to pick up some more yellow if I am going to attempt a better duck for a future order and I definitely need some red for some Christmas cards that are on hold.
I had no idea how much red was used in Christmas/winter themed cards. Candy canes, Santa, Rudolph, poinsettia flowers, mistletoe berries....the list goes on. But I think that will be October's adventure - completing all of the Christmas cards before baby Riggs makes their big debut in early November.
I feel wretched. Not ill or sick or in a tonne of pain - but I just cannot get back into crocheting for the life of me. I have a scarf started for a gift and a single slipper completed for Tim's birthday (Oct. 8) and I just do not have the tolerance or patience to finish the 2nd slipper. I'm sure it wouldn't take more than an hour and a half but I cannot do it.
It took me awhile to get some motivation to do some needle felting tonight. Usually when I got into a creative block - I just tighten up previous works and felt them some more...or play a video game for a bit or read...but it took me atleast 2 hours to figure out that I wanted to make a Pig. I'm taking some advice to heart from my colleagues in the Felting Forum I'm with - so I'm going to do the head first completely - and then hopefully be able to work on my symmetry and proportions this way.
I'm also going to try wet felting some soap. The purpose? To decorate the soap with a cover of felt, which acts as an exfoliator for the skin (great for those that have dirty hands all the time - i.e. gardeners) and helps to keep the soap life longer. These may be the Christmas presents for abroad instead. We'll see.
41 days left....
Monday, September 28, 2009
I may not know a word of Finnish - but the blonde roots are coming through.
I've had many blonde moments or silly moments -whichever term you prefer to use.
I've referred to Euros as "Pounds" for a few days when we first moved here...which makes no sense as Canadian currency is Dollars and cents.
The most recent blonde moment was last night- which I forgot to post in my previous posting... here it goes:
I'm on Skype with my dad - we had set up a time and naturally the internet was up and down.
When I finally got online and in the chat room - my Dad calls me. I'm hovering over my laptop microphone (it's in the top part above the screen) yelling, "Can you hear me?" But he sounds so far away. I couldn't figure it out and hung up and just chatted via typing.
He calls back again "Hello can you hear me Dominique"?
Well no I can't. This goes on for about 5 minutes - and then I realized - the volume's on 10 - which is equivalent to barely above a whisper.
Hope that made your day.
I've referred to Euros as "Pounds" for a few days when we first moved here...which makes no sense as Canadian currency is Dollars and cents.
The most recent blonde moment was last night- which I forgot to post in my previous posting... here it goes:
I'm on Skype with my dad - we had set up a time and naturally the internet was up and down.
When I finally got online and in the chat room - my Dad calls me. I'm hovering over my laptop microphone (it's in the top part above the screen) yelling, "Can you hear me?" But he sounds so far away. I couldn't figure it out and hung up and just chatted via typing.
He calls back again "Hello can you hear me Dominique"?
Well no I can't. This goes on for about 5 minutes - and then I realized - the volume's on 10 - which is equivalent to barely above a whisper.
Hope that made your day.
3 hours walking is not a good idea anymore...
Alright - here's the confession - I need to slow down.
I'm really good at getting pumped to go downtown for a walk - some Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Taylor Swift get me going....but coming back - the old people with their cross-country ski poles pass me..it's sad.
Anyways - today's adventure was to call the vet - and nobody spoke English. But at least I made my first call successfully. I was looking for the flea drops and she told me to call back - I never did. As I figure that it's slightly pointless as she'll probably still be on the phone 2 hours later.
So I've put a post out there on the Finnish Forum I read frequently - hopefully somebody knows. It's not that the vet is far away - I am estimating about a 10-15 minute walk - UP HILL. Up a very steep hill...that's all.
I didn't go to the medical clinic. Maybe tomorrow - which is pathetic because the parking lot (as previously mentioned) I can see from my living room window.
2nd thing on the agenda (well I suppose 3rd) - was to go to Elisa and get an updated version of the CD-ROM I need to install the modem. However it's still not working and that was a 30 minute jaunt downtown. I'm getting very frustrated by the whole process overall.
I have internet - when I don't necessarily want or need it.
It's when I do need it or am planning on meeting someone online - that I don't have it.
ARGH.
I figured since I am downtown I may as well go to the library and return one book while finding some on needle felting. The first lady didn't speak a lot of English and the 2nd one found me lots of books on wet-felting. I'm thinking the needle felting ones were all checked out as I didn't see any of them on the shelves.
I'm going to hold off on another trip downtown - as it's killin' the hips and lower back.
Time to post this before I lose internet (again).
I'm really good at getting pumped to go downtown for a walk - some Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Taylor Swift get me going....but coming back - the old people with their cross-country ski poles pass me..it's sad.
Anyways - today's adventure was to call the vet - and nobody spoke English. But at least I made my first call successfully. I was looking for the flea drops and she told me to call back - I never did. As I figure that it's slightly pointless as she'll probably still be on the phone 2 hours later.
So I've put a post out there on the Finnish Forum I read frequently - hopefully somebody knows. It's not that the vet is far away - I am estimating about a 10-15 minute walk - UP HILL. Up a very steep hill...that's all.
I didn't go to the medical clinic. Maybe tomorrow - which is pathetic because the parking lot (as previously mentioned) I can see from my living room window.
2nd thing on the agenda (well I suppose 3rd) - was to go to Elisa and get an updated version of the CD-ROM I need to install the modem. However it's still not working and that was a 30 minute jaunt downtown. I'm getting very frustrated by the whole process overall.
I have internet - when I don't necessarily want or need it.
It's when I do need it or am planning on meeting someone online - that I don't have it.
ARGH.
I figured since I am downtown I may as well go to the library and return one book while finding some on needle felting. The first lady didn't speak a lot of English and the 2nd one found me lots of books on wet-felting. I'm thinking the needle felting ones were all checked out as I didn't see any of them on the shelves.
I'm going to hold off on another trip downtown - as it's killin' the hips and lower back.
Time to post this before I lose internet (again).
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