Happy New Year 2013

May the year of 2013 make all your (and my) dreams come true! xo

Merry Christmas! And lots of gifts..

3 Days 'til Christmas

I did some late Christmas shopping this morning. It was freezing outside but I managed to snap some photos at a local Christmas market.

  

 (The title of this song in English "Black Christmas")

Happy 95th Birthday, Finland!

It's our Independence Day today.
Happy 95th birthday, Finland!

Joulukranssi

Aikaisemmassa kirjoituksessani kirosin kurjat varkaat maan rakoon (http://apinkglove.blogspot.fi/2012/11/thieves-varkaat.html) - olivat pöllineet syksyisen omatekemän ovikranssini. Pöyristyttävää! Kokemastani menetyksestä huolimatta päätin ryhdistäytyä ja tehdä uuden ovikranssin jouluiloa tuottamaan. Siskoni muutti perheineen omakotitaloon, joten lupasin tehdä heillekin ikioman ovikranssin.

Ehdin ennen näitä hirmupakkasia kerätä kassillisen männyn ja kuusen oksia. Jo metsässä yritin valita parhaimman näköisiä oksia: tarpeeksi taipuisia ja välttävän vihreitä. Löysinpä muutaman kävynkin. Ajattelin lyhyesti kertoa vinkkini ovikranssin tekoon, joten kaikki siis kuulolle!

Koska männyn ja kuusen oksista irtoaa pihkaa, käytin kertakäyttöhanskoja askartelun ajan. Näin vältyin pihkalta käsissä (ja vaatteissani). Ensin leikkelin oksia lyhyemmiksi, suurin piirtein 10-15 senttiä pitkiksi pätkiksi. Sen jälkeen asettelin 3-4 oksan pätkää viuhkan malliin siten, että alimmaiseksi tuli pari pidempää oksaa kranssia tukemaan ja päällimmäiseksi parempia oksia. Tämän jälkeen asettelin oksanipun Sinooperista hankkimani kehikon päälle ja kiinnitin nipun kiepauttamalla rautalankaa ympärille. Toistin tätä niin kauan, kunnes kranssi oli mielestäni tarpeeksi tuuhea ja hyvän muotoinen (ja oksat loppuivat).

Oksat tulee kiinnittää tarpeeksi tiukkaan, ette kranssi "lakastu ennen aikojaan". Kranssia tehdessä  nämä oksaniput pitää lisäksi asetella hiukan päällekkäin, että kranssi saa tarvittavaa muotoa ja ulottuvuutta. Lopuksi ylijääneillä oksilla voi vielä hieman lisätä kranssin ryhtiä ja paikata mahdollisia aukkoja. Aikaa tähän näpräämiseen meni kaiken kaikkiaan pari tuntia. Tilaustyönä 19 eur/kpl, tilaukset inboxiin!

Earlier I wrote about thieves and my autumn wreath that was stolen (http://apinkglove.blogspot.fi/2012/11/thieves-varkaat.html). And how pissed off I was. But despite my loss I decided to give it another try, and make another wreath. This time a very special Christmas wreath. And instead of making just one I made two - one for myself and the other for my sister. Let the Holiday Season come!

3 December 2012

Grinning At the Dentist

Me

My bf (photoshopped)

Are you afraid of dentists? Admit it!

I have this love-hate relationship with dentists. When I was a kid my family lived in a small village (my parents still do). Once a year a taxi took us schoolkids to the dentist. It was so much fun being in a taxi - I want the front seat! But, then, at the dentist I could smell the chemicals and hear the equipment - omg! Then I got the chills, and went on to brush my teet. And then they called my name and I almost fainted.

If I got a sticker - well done, no dental caries. If I didn't - bad luck, I definitely had dental caries. There were times when I got a sticker but there were also times when they didn't give me a sticker. If they didn't give me a sticker it meant one more taxi drive for me. And more sweat and anxiety.

Ukko

A couple of years ago I got my wisdom teeth pulled off. It hurt like hell. I mean one of my wisdom teeth was just pulled off, two of them were actually broken into my mouth, and then collected one piece after another. I still have one wisdom tooth left in my mouth. It's so "up" in my mouth that it cannot be removed. Otherwise they would get a piece of my brain to go with the wisdom tooth, as well. Yeah, I have got a brain, and I have some proof - how about you?!

I went to the dentist early this morning. I was so scared that I almost cried.

Last Saturday I was eating nuts and suddenly felt something strange in my mouth (sic)... It was a piece of amalgam (that I swallowed later on). So, I had to get that fixed at the dentist. But, contrary to my expectations, it was a very pleasant incident. The dentist was very nice and made me feel calm. The operation itself took about 15 minutes. She also did an "annual" checkup - no dental caries, no need to worry. And I got to choose a sticker. I took one with a horse on it. Thank you Dr. Järvinen. It was my pleasure! (In photos you see all kinds of teeth...)

Hanging Cliff Cabana

I want this!

I was a Girl Scout for more than a decade. It brought joy and fun memories to my life. I met new people. And obviously learned a lot of useful stuff, you know... We went hiking, camping, swimming, sightseeing. Fishing, singing, selling Christmas calendars. We were competing against each others. But, what's more important, I made friends for life, had great laughs, and memories.

When I first saw this Hanging Cliff Cabana I went bananas - I want it, I want it, I want it!
It looks so comfy, kind of romantic. Just think of you and your bf, gf, or bff camping outside somewhere with great views (or even the apple tree in your garden). No ants eating your candies, no unwanted guests - just you and your companion (or just you).

I think I'll buy one and move in. If someone asks you find me hanging up in the air!
ʘ *

(for more information: http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/big-wall/cliff-cabana-double-portaledge)

* (trail sign for "going home" or "I have gone home")

Rakas joulupukki!
Haluan joululahjaksi oman hepan, angoravillaiset yösukat ja teltan - saanhan?!
Jos pitää valita, niin kaikkista eniten haluaisin sen hepan. Ja sitten teltan. Kolkuksi pehmeät yösukat, jotka eivät kutita. Siis: heppa, teltta ja yösukat. Mutta jos en saa heppaa (enkä telttaa), niin ne sukatkin on ihan kivat.
T. Johanna

Christmas Lights

Thieves, varkaat

Straight from my broken heart:

there are thieves living among us!

Let me take a deep breath and start from the very beginning.

Here we go:

About a month ago I wanted to do some crafts – anything.

Then I noticed all the maple leaves falling from trees; on the ground in yellow, red, light green, and knew exactly what I was missing! An autumn wreath!

I picked a shopping bag full of maple leaves and started crafting. It took me maybe an hour to finish but it includes getting more leaves. I put it up on my front door and enjoyed it ’til this afternoon ’cause

it was stolen! You f*****g thief, bastard, son of a b****!

(To be honest I really can’t tell when the wreath was stolen... I only noticed it today missing. Maybe last weekend while I was away. But it really doesn’t matter: am still missing my autumn wreath! You damn a*****e!)

Joku kurja on pöllinyt / varastanut / ottanut luvatta / nyysinyt / siepannut / kähveltänyt / rosvonnut itsetekemäni ovikranssin! Ni, enää ei ole sitäkään valopilkkua toivottamassa kotiin pimeinä syys- ja talvi-iltoina! Kiitti vaan... Alla kuva-aineistoa tekovaiheesta sekä siitä itsestään ovessa roikkumassa.

out, out, out

As you can see: snow's gone!

Isn't he photogenic?

A Perfect Pair

I wanted to give something special to a dear friend's firstborn. I didn't come up with anything else but a pair of woolen baby socks. I asked my mom to knit them  - she knits almost on a daily basis. This is what she came up with:

It's not her own design but I haven't seen a pair just like that anywhere. The baby who got the first pair (of course in pink) ended up being my goddaughter! And after that my mom has knitted more and more woolen baby socks. And from what I have heard the baby socks are almost perfect: babies cannot kick them of their feet. What do you think?

Happy Father's Day!

It's a Father's Day here in Finland. I couldn't resist but had to turn to Wikipedia to see how and when it's spent all around the world. First of all, Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in the society. In many countries it's celebrated on the third Sunday of June, but for example in Russia they celebrate "Men's Day" 23th February; first Sunday of September in Australia, and second Sunday of November in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and Iceland.

Father's Day was founded in Spokane, Washington, at the YMCA in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd after hearing a sermon about a Mother's Day. Her dad was a Civil War veteran, but also a singel parent raising six children. However, Father's Day was resisted during a few decades, seeing it as just a commercial holiday. It may be a commercial holiday (sic) but I do believe it still has a real meaning and importance in it even today.

Mun iskä on aikas retee jäpikäs. Tuos kuvas se on jotaki parikymppine ja näköjään tupakilla. Ei kai se oo nykyään yhtää erilaanen, tukka on kai vähä pirempi. Niin, ja onhan sillä kaks likkaa, mä ja mun sisko. Hyvää iskänpäivää mun omalle iskälle, Paavolle!

Paavo ja Tauno

                                             

Tampere by Night

...And Less Than a Day Later

 

 ... this is what I see when I take a quick walk in the city center less than a day later (and here am referring to my latest entry "http://apinkglove.blogspot.fi/2012/10/that-time-of-year-again.html"). My toes are freezing, my riding boots are cold and wet (am heading to the stable), I can't feel my fingers - and some people say they love winter. What's there to love?

Tunnen kylmyyden jo sormissani, varpaissani.
Odotan jo kevättä, kesää.

That Time of the Year - again

Dammit, it's t h a t time of the year, again. 
Instead of four seasons we should have five seasons. Between autumn and winter there should be something like "almost winter but not yet". That would give me a little more time adjusting to darkness (24/7), coldness, and the coming winter. Now, it's all coming just too fast. I mean, like, two months ago I was (almost?) able to walk barefeet and wear sunnies and t-shirts. Now I haven't even polished my Uggs.

In some parts of Finland it's snowing - right now. And "that part" isn't too far from here, 160 kilometers. So, please, save me and take me somewhere hot. I don't care where but, please, hurry!

On our morning walk with Ukko. Can you find him?

In this photo you can see both water and ice if you look closely enough.

 

AngelMule

While surfing on the Internet I came across this amazingly interesting network, AngelMule. AngelMule is an online network that enables regular travelers to spend a portion of their vacations delivering much-needed goods to impoverished communities, in exchange for authentic, one-of-a-kind experiences. Current proposals include used wheelchairs, kids toys, vaseline and multi vitamin in exchange for real Balinese experiences such as a visit to a Balinese family where you will have Balinese coffee with Balinese goods. At AngelMule you can also find proposals like ”muling” pet care products in exchange for puppy petting in Bali, and Fazer’s Pantteri Black Shot in exchange for a walk in Sydney.

It’s up to you, the traveler, to set up a time to deliver the goods and to use common sense in regards to safety, but AngelMule thoroughly vets all nonprofits and allows you to connect via secure messaging. Check it out www.mmmule.com. And, please, bring me sunshine and hot temperature in exchange for blueberry muffins!