Dear (secret) santa

One of our family (pre)-Christmas traditions is the writing and exchange of Christmas lists.  It never really occurred to me until recently how potentially strange it is for a grown man to be writing a list 'for santa' still, although these days it is an email that goes to Mum and siblings.  We don't think it strange, quite useful in fact to have a few hints, especially when you don't see each other much, but Konna has always found the whole thing odd and refuses to write a list for herself (and looks oddly at whatever item I have suggested to some member of my family). On the other hand she usually agrees or even buys herself, her present from her Mum, and is certainly not above heavy hints to me. At least our way there is some element of surprise...

Lost Post 4: What not to take on a bike ride

Hazards for cyclists... From Kesä10 - lost postcards

Imagine it is the middle of summer again - heinäkuu 2010 to be exact - remember the blue skies, 20 hours of light, 30+°C heat? You are going with your partner on a ten day cycling/camping holiday around Saimaa, starting in Parikala and ending with a few days at a friend's mökki near Haukivouri (see map) - about 350km in all. You can't be sure if the weather will hold, and for every cyclists's instinct shouting 'travel light' there is the camper's instinct whispering 'be prepared'. It may be warm and dry today, but it could be 10° colder, wet and windy in a weeks time. What do you take? 

Are we here yet?

Kurpitsat! From Winter 2009 - Helsinki & around.

In case you were wondering we didn't turn into pumpkins, but did actually come back to Helsinki. So what's been happening to Emmdee and Konna?

• A fancy dress party where we went as teenagers c. 1987 (for me think black jeans, sister's of mercy T-shirt, studded belt...; for Konna think language student - complete with EF rucksack)
• A week dog/house sitting (good weather for walkies in the central park - where Konna had never been!)
• Mennimme Linnänmäkiin - katso valot karne kuvista (see Linnänmaki Carnival of lights pictures on Picasa) - the lazer show was crap though...
• Five (more) boxes of stuff arrived from UK: we now have more clothes, a TV, DVD/home cinema, and A3 printer again after a year! Hurrah! (But where the heck do we put it all?)
• DVD player and printer aren't working! Boo! Where's that insurance claim form...?
• Konna is working for a small but successful and critically acclaimed practice doing very interesting buildings (down to the doorknobs) ... can't say any more than that
• We (or I as Konna is working full time now) may have some small projects coming... the big problem is of course what to call the company if we do
• Menin hämmäsläkkärille / suunhygenistille, ja nyt minun hampaat ovat (melkein) valkoinen... ja hän sanoi minulle - sinä puhu hyvin suomea jos olet assunut suomessa vain yhden vuoden (!) Well who says Finns aren't polite?
• 'Somebody' lost that dentist bill - cue comedy misunderstanding of spelling of my name on telephone: dee ... day - pay?, DEE - bee?; DAY - ...? Voisinko lähetää sinulle sähköposti..?
• First sauna for six weeks (I even started to miss it)
• First cycle ride for six weeks (since the biggie); 75km Porvooseen ja takaisin - was so damp and cold that on the way back had to stop at a bus stop to take of my shoes and socks to warm my frozen numb feet; notes to self: a) dress warmly when it's 5°C; b) after six weeks 75km is too far...
• A video of my TdH triumph is on Strands here; and my Strands page is here (a sort of Facebook/training log for running/cycling)
• We may have blinked and missed autumn... it snowed today...

Being unemployed can be dull

Some things we have done this week:

• Walked on water (the sea in fact)
• Collected dog poo and vomit
  
• Watch dancers 'interpret' a range of light fittings
  
• Slept in someone else's bed
  
• Read it is okay to eat 5 or 6 loaves of wholemeal bread a day
  
• Watched 12 films
• Been asked if we want to sell our flat

One of these was a mistake...

Resolutions

1. Start continue writing funny, perceptive and incisive blog posts
2. Start make finishing touches to portfolio and CV
3. Get a job. Having taken a short sabbatical, investigate appropriate new career opportunities in a proactive and timely manner.
4. Practice speaking Finnish with the natives [note to self: haluaisin kupin kahvia doesn't count]
5. Write more blog posts in Finnish [starting tomorrow obviously; does this conflict with 1?]
6. Complete GTA IV and Forza 2 Cycle more, go nordic walking, visit art galleries, listen to finnish opera, take cod liver oil
7. Get Keep in touch with old friends
8. Buy another external hard drive Delete old junk from hard drive to make space more photos of trees
9. Learn/practice cross-country skiing Throw self down stairs [less painful and warmer]
10. Find out if Finns do New Year Resolutions
11. And upload some photos from last few weeks...

Helsinki/Porvoo January 09 Lapland - Winter 08/09