"Under Construction"

I'm sure you haven't noticed much except the tabs above....well, I'm going through slowly and attempting to label/tag each and every post - so it makes it somewhat easier for you to find things if you put a search in Google for example: "Learning about Finland Blog - __________".

I thought I could organize it better - but unfortunately using Blogger as a free tool and not having my own domain etc. - causes me to not have things as I'd like them.

But that's alright! It could always be worse :D.

Extra Alphabet and an awesome deal

Today I woke up with a "feeling"....
One of those feelings where I didn't want to go downtown but I had the urge to shop.  And I felt like the second-hand shop nearby, Sillinteri, was calling my name...
I rarely ignore those feelings or sudden urges to cruise through a second hand store - because more often than not - I find something at a wonderful price and something useful for my son or the home...

Today was no exception.

I wasn't feeling all that great today (possibly coming down with a cold?) and started my morning with a trip to the playground with my (almost) 20-month old...he was bored and only wanted to keep eating crackers - so my "Shopping Senses" got tingly and I walked over to Sillinteri...
I didn't get a basket right away - thinking I wouldn't find anything bigger than a novel or a cloth diaper...
Well, wasn't I wrong!

I found 9 Chick-Lit novels (Queen of Babble series by Meg Cabot, The Nanny Diaries and some others) in English and all super cheap.....I grabbed a basket as the hood of my son's stroller wouldn't hold or support all of them.
Then I saw a laptop for 2�!  Not any kind of laptop but a children's laptop!  I confirmed with one of the workers that the label said it worked (although the power key is stuck - it thankfully auto-shuts off)...
And look at the inside of this thing:

Fisher Price's Laugh & Learn Preschool laptop

Note the funny alphabet?  � is a Swedish "A" and � and � are Finnish letters

I continued on and found some cloth diapers - which I'm constantly collecting if I can find them at cheap prices!  This way I'm prepared for whenever we have another kid (no rush! I just love a sale!) - and often times, I find bigger cloth diapers and can slip them onto V�in� now - so we save on disposables too!

Well, I was about to leave when I decided I'd do another quick run through and hit up some aisles I had previously missed...

WOW! Good thing I did!
For 20�  I found a baby back-pack carrier...no not a Manducca (I have a Patapum - which is quite similar) - but a "Deuter Kids Comfort III "!
What does that mean? I had no idea either...I just saw it's sturdy frame, it's hiking-like style, the big zippered enclosures for diapers etc. and the real eye catcher?  The sun/rain roof!

It still has the original foam and plastic protection on it!

Now, my husband wasn't terribly pleased when he saw I came home with "more stuff we probably don't need" - but once I did some research online and saw how much money we saved - even he couldn't disagree with this AMAZING find!

Okay - let's do some math and I shall explain what I learned about the "Deuter" brand.

The Deuter brand is a Germany-based company - mostly hiking and camping equipment stuff....kind of like MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-Op in Canada) I guess!

And then I started looking up this specific model of back-pack carrier....

• It was rated one of the Top 10 carriers in 2011 in a Youtube video....
• It's normally sold for 200-240�...(on MEC's site - I saw it for 315$ Canadian + taxes)....I PAID 20� FOR THIS!!!  And it's practically brand-new!
• It has large compartments to carry diapers and a hydro pack if you have one...
• There is a little zippered pouch near the hip band which contains a little mirror that sticks inside with velcro!  This way you can keep an eye on your little one and see how they are doing!
• Sun/rain roof can be zippered away or opened
• High back for the child - so their head and neck don't snap back like many other carriers do...
• Lots of room for a child to grow and move around in - without being in control of the walk! (aka if V�in� wiggles a bit - I often don't feel it because this carrier is so sturdy and has great padding).
• A kick-stand so you can fit your child in there without it toppling over
• Easy to adjust!
• The chin rest/pad is removable and you can wash it by hand!!  My son loved this feature and looked so comfy resting the side of his face on it while dozing during our trip to the grocery store.
• Here's the site with more specific information

Look at the TERRIBLE neck support from the Patapum! (This was taken when he was  17-months old)  Thankfully he didn't seem to mind this pose...but it was really scary to see him hang his head backwards like this!

I started slowly by taking my son to the nearby library, about 10 minutes away from our door and other than the fact that I did not properly adjust it - it was still quite comfortable!  I didn't have pains in any one particular spot of my body - which was a real joy!

So we returned some things at the library and I rushed home to adjust it as well as I could - and off we went to the grocery store (which is about 15 minutes away - walking at a lazy pace pushing a stroller)....With the exception of the hot temperatures (not the carrier's fault!) - it was a pleasure to carry and use!

I only brought 1 plastic bag with me because I didn't want to put eggs in the carrier's zippered pouch and a baguette wouldn't fit either...but for the most part - a lot of things did fit and yes it does add weight - but it's worth it for the convenience of not having to carry extra bags!

We met with my husband on the way back and he was really impressed with how comfortable and well-supported V�in� looked in it!

When we got home this is what happened:

He didn't want to get out of it!

Prescription is FILLED!

Something I've never posted or discussed here before was getting a prescription filled.

My inhaler was running quite low - so I asked the nurse when I last visited if I could have a refill by her.  Not all nurses are able to sign for a prescription - she being one of them.  So she advised me when the doctor was in and told me when to come in to swing by and get my prescription.

And this is what it looks like:

I blocked off my full name and security ID# for privacy purposes - but at least this way, you can see what a prescription here looks like!

When you bring this paper in (don't forget your Kela card!) to the pharmacy, they'll stamp the date, initial it and add a sticker label from your prescription onto this prescription.

Don't throw this prescription out!  Keep it if you have more than 1 prescription listed - or refills available to you! (If you can see it - I have a total of 3 inhalers available to me - 2 are refills).  That, and if you need a doctor to fill your prescription again, it's easier and faster for them to fill one out if you have proof that you've had this issued to you before hand.

A typical prescription filled by my doctor looks like a piece of stationary (a longer form of a Post-It note almost) with the doctor's office on the top, my doctor's messy writing (aren't all doctors messy writers?) and her stamp.

Finland clearly thought of the doctors messy penmanship and this is a nicer and easier form to use and read!

** On the off chance you forgot your Kela (benefits card) at home while at the pharmacy, ask the pharmacist for a Kela form - and submit your receipt and prescription copy (along with the filled out form) to Kela - and they'll credit your bank account that way.  I've done it once and it didn't take very long at all!**

International Food

I cannot believe I haven't posted about this before (at least I don't think I have...) but let's talk about "International Food".
Food that is not normally sold in Finland - would be American brands and British brands.

The big thing I missed since moving to Finland was Kraft Peanut Butter.  I don't think anywhere in Finland sells that brand (the jars are generally bigger) but that's okay...I eventually got used to the "Finnish" version of peanut butter, although it's not crunchy and it's more oily than the Kraft brand I'm used to.
Although, bonus points to Finland for selling Nutella!

Anyhow, a friend of mine, introduced me to this store, Behnford's, located in Helsinki.  They have their site in English (which I've linked for you) and they also ship based on weight and size of the package.

A friend of mine had gone to Helsinki and picked up a jar of Skippy's Peanut Butter - the jar was relatively small...I made it last as long as I could (got it in February I believe...) and the last bits were gone 2 days ago.
A very sad day indeed.

So, yesterday I got the chance to go with a friend (who thankfully has a car) to the big grocery store, City Market.

I wandered around and got the meat for the week and some other "heavier" stuff (bigger boxes of juice, extra milk cartons, pop - a real treat!, a big bag of potatoes) that can be a pain to carry home while walking....and then I remembered I was out of PB and Nutella!

Once I was in that aisle for spreads and jams - I looked across and saw a sliver of Heaven.

I bought 3 bags...the husband doesn't know.  I can finally make LOTS of treats and goodies with these!

Nutella is sold at all grocery stores....it's a hazelnut cocoa spread...yum.

The first time I've seen crunchy PB in grocery stores (City Market)

I've been here for almost 2 years and this is the first time I've seen semi-sweet chocolate chips! (Other than in Behnford's shop).

The Finnish version of smooth peanut butter...

So there ya have it...my special trip to the City Market ended with me coming home with special treats for me to bake with!

Marshmallows are sweet and sticky and great for Rice Krispy Squares, S'Mores, and other great little cookies...

Chocolate Chips are wonderful for baking with...like chocolate chip cookies....or chocolate chip muffins...or pancakes...or melting them for dipping small things to coat them in chocolate (although I've lately been using Fazer Dark chocolate baking squares) like macaroons (a coconut kind of cookie - sometimes known as a "hay stack")...

(My friend has never heard or seen them before and thought they looked like hamster droppings...I was mortified!)

I use PB for toast, sandwiches, dipping apples, a spoon of it in milk shakes...baked in cookies...for dog biscuits...

I use Nutella for toast primarily...sometimes in baking and occasionally in a milk shake or smoothie if I want to have something "chocolatey" but not a whole bar if you know what I mean!

These items were pricey (and not a brand name I recognize - but I don't care!) - however, if you factor in the cost of shipping from a friend or the cost of shipping from Behnford's....plus the potential of squished marshmallows....it works out to be cheaper than Behnford's and definitely cheaper than shipping from the US or Canada!

Beep! Beep! Beep!

What goes "Beep!" repeatedly when you walk by?
Those big plastic sensors that detect if you've stolen something with a hidden electronic tag in it...like a video game, something expensive and electronic, clothing or a movie for example.
Pretty normal stuff right?

Well, today I had set off one of those thing in downtown Sokos, while out with my 19-month old.  I almost passed out!  What in the world did I have on me that would set something off?
I don't steal - so what could it be?
I pulled over by a bench near the S-Market (well not actually called S-Market but they take S-Card for the points...so to me it's "S-Market") in the bottom floor of Sokos and look through my stuff.
Nothing but crushed cereal bars, gummies, a dentist bill to be paid and my wallet with some diapers and wipes were in my bag!  (Nobody had stopped me - but I did get a few stares.)
Then I looked at my son, who has a plastic chicken toy in one hand and a plastic tea cup in the other....then I remembered his outfit.
V�in� was wearing a Cookie Monster shirt from H&M that he's worn several times before - so that wasn't it.
However, he was wearing a new fleece sweater from Old Navy (in Canada) and Old Navy is known for these cloth tags sewn into the clothing that will set off if you steal from their store...so I begin to strip my son on the "seniors bench" outside of the grocery store.  (It's not really just for seniors - but quite often that's who's sitting there).
No tag.

Hmmm....so I push my son towards the plastic sensors and again, "BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!"...so I wheel V�in� back to the senior's bench (and by now, all the seniors are looking at me in disgust - thinking I stole something I'm sure...it doesn't help that Finns have a slight tendency to be a wee bit racist....this is not a general statement for all Finns - but I was advised this BY a few Finns!)....
And I try to look up my son's shorts....I felt around and recognized the tag instantly.
I un-buckled my son, removed his shorts, buckled him back in and swung the shorts through the sensor panels and voil�!  It beeped!  (TAKE THAT seniors who thought I was a thief!)

So I went through my bag and noticed I did not have my little scissors for crafting in there - and went to the nearest Sokos cashier and asked the fellow to borrow the scissors.  He looked at me a little confused and then I pointed at the tag in my son's shorts and made a "Beep" sound and he instantly understood.

The tag was disposed of and we commenced with some grocery shopping.

Point of the story? Ensure you cut off those hidden tags after you've made your purchase....because regardless of the amount of times you've washed the product - and apparently, regardless of the country (or continent?) you move those products to and just because it was de-magnetized (or whatever it is) at the location of purchase..............it can STILL set off sensors!

PS Here's some photos of what they look like:

Just a pair of shorts I was folding...then I looked inside and saw....

The electronic tag!  Good thing we didn't go through the whole above AGAIN!

Sometimes you'll see these tags in books...they're hidden in CD and DVD cases too sometimes (although there's a little plastic bar shaped one too that is removable).
I'm so glad I noticed this before folding and putting away V�in�'s other pair of shorts! (Also Old Navy brand)

Oh just an FYI...

Canada Post is on strike...so if you're wondering why you didn't receive a Father's Day card from Canada - that's why.

Here's an article I found on the current situation...

That and Canada Post is pretty slow when it comes to shipping stuff to Finland without the strike.

I have 10 - how about you?

What do most people have 10 of?
FINGERS &TOES.

Now, why in the world would I blog about 10 fingers and toes?
During one of my knitting nights at a friend's home, the husband (not mine but the hostess's) was mowing the lawn outside.  All was well, we were chatting, knitting, going over the latest magazines and books and all of a sudden we heard: "CLANG CLANG, CLANKETY CLANG...MMMMMMMMM" from the lawn mower.
The hostess jumped up quickly and ran out the door.  Needless to say - I was confused.
But all was well.

Why did she jump up and run outside?
Well, it turns out that several years ago, her husband was outside mowing the lawn and cut off some of his toes (I forget how many - but a good chunk of them).  Because their yard has some bumps and small hills - the lawn mower was angled so that it got caught on a bump and he had kept walking and snip snip snip.  Bye-bye toes.
I've never seen his feet before - so I was impressed that he was managing without some (if not all) of his toes. But my friend advised me that they found them, put them on ice - rushed to the hospital and the doctor smiled and said, "Well! You're the first one this year!"
Thankfully because they were quick and the toes were on ice - they were able to re-attach them properly.

I guess it's common here in Finland to lose some pedi-digits!
(And yes, he was wearing sneakers and socks - the lawn mower cut right through the layers!)