Her first which was my first also been in Mikkeli 2008, then stayed in Tampere with us in 2009, and then again in Jyväskylä from the 10th to the 18th June 2011.
It was a weird week, weather wise. It started with the heatwave 30C+ then it rained, then scattered showers for the rest of the week but so far north, we can't really complain and it was the first week of rainy weather since the snow melted!
We had no car most of the time as Eero had to go to work in Tampere. Saturday, it was so hot so we went and found a beach after we had a drink and a ice cream at some old mansion cafe!
We went walking a lot, my favourite pass time after my bike, which almost killed Laura lol, at least shes now into her need to get fit stage! We went to the Natural History Museum, which was awesome! Went to the top of the näkötorni to look at the city while the sun was out! and to point out where we lived, where we were going and a general "yep, we are walking quite far". We then went to Tuomiojärvi (LAKE OF DOOM!!!)
Two of the nights the lunar eclipse was due, so each night we went a walk to Myllyjärvi (the sunsets that side of the hill) to see the sun go down and try and catch a glimpse of the red moon. The first night we saw Dennis and Iris!! but no red moon, the second night we called it quits at 11.45pm and the moon was seen red at 12.15am! bah! but it does come again the 10th December when we just have 4/5 hours of light so I will see it then mwhahaha!!
We went a car ride with Eero, Jenny and Laura, just a random drive around during the thunderstorm!
Then on the 18th we took Laura back to the airport and came home!
A new Life in Finland from 2009...
Friday, 1 July 2011
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
New Dynamics of Language Learning: Spaces and Places - Intentions and Opportunities
I ordered my poster long ago early May, it didn't arrive on time, still haven't got it. Eero to the rescue while he was coming to fetch me from the airport he stopped off and had my poster printed on page that I could cut out and stick together to make a poster. So that's what I had to do, all my business bard handouts arrived in time too and I put those out with my make shift poster.
First night, there was a big meal. Jenni, Jenny, Annika, Marlen and myself sat and talked all night, nothing new there. Jenni won an Ipod nano for the achievement award!
Annika, Jenni, Marlen
Jenni and the ipod!
The second night after another whole day of conference was the city's turn to host an event in Keski Suomi Musueo, was a lovely night, hot, no one I knew went so I socialised alone and had a really good night, I talk to much but it was very interesting and gave me much more motivation for learning my Finnish and ways to present my works in presentations when the audience is not native English speakers.
This week is heatwave week, 26-30C and of course everywhere by bike, it's so hilly here and the 4km back home is always uphill!
Wednesday, today was our presentation day, which was fun, after the 150 people presentation, I find nothing puts me off now. Tonight, there was a cruise but it was too hot to bother with so I came home instead!
My poster and handouts
Thursday is the last day of the conference so it is busy and thankfully, only until 2pm!
I will upload a few more photos later when I get chance to put them on the computer
First night, there was a big meal. Jenni, Jenny, Annika, Marlen and myself sat and talked all night, nothing new there. Jenni won an Ipod nano for the achievement award!
Annika, Jenni, Marlen
Jenni and the ipod!
The second night after another whole day of conference was the city's turn to host an event in Keski Suomi Musueo, was a lovely night, hot, no one I knew went so I socialised alone and had a really good night, I talk to much but it was very interesting and gave me much more motivation for learning my Finnish and ways to present my works in presentations when the audience is not native English speakers.
This week is heatwave week, 26-30C and of course everywhere by bike, it's so hilly here and the 4km back home is always uphill!
Wednesday, today was our presentation day, which was fun, after the 150 people presentation, I find nothing puts me off now. Tonight, there was a cruise but it was too hot to bother with so I came home instead!
My poster and handouts
Thursday is the last day of the conference so it is busy and thankfully, only until 2pm!
I will upload a few more photos later when I get chance to put them on the computer
UK trip
Eero, dropped me off at the airport and it was such a lovely day to be leaving on. The flight landed 30 minutes early and the weather was sunny and hot in the UK, so I sunned myself waiting for mom and dad to pick me up.
Most of this holiday is a blur of vets, emergency dentists, building and gardening when I wasn't cooking.
First to the vets was Ebby the day I came, then her sister who is never ill. Maisy improved but the last few days I was there she took a turn for the worst and was so hot, went off food and drink and even her legs. We took her to the vets who politely said she is very ill you should prepare yourselves in case she needs to be put to sleep. She was admitted to the vets and I didn't get to see her before my departure, few days in the vets and few more at home and she is recovering from a very bad virus.
Then a few days in, I got bad pain in jaw, thought it was the remaining wisdom teeth playing up but a few days later, and many painkillers later, I discovered it was the tooth I have had nothing but trouble with since it was filled in the UK, that was the filling that ended my UK dental treatment but alas, in pain and stuck in the UK, I had to go back... the first filling hadn't been put in right and needed to be removed. Painkiller injection did nothing as the nerve was too irritated so I felt everything, and had a swollen face for a week. But it's good again now so that's something, I suppose.
Dad and me went shopping for garden and tortoise garden flowers and I planted those and the hanging basket for the front garden. Then dad and me started to build the car porch and replaced the old cat flap with a new one and scanned in the cats, apart from little Maisy who was at the vets.
Part of the tortoise garden
Days, were spent shopping for anything that was too expensive here and some new clothes for Eero and some new jeans for me! I then packed shipment boxes and ordered there collection and delivery to Finland!!!
We had a jewellery party, just a small get together and a chance for Don, to get the word out for her new business! so much lovely stuff! Take a look some funky stuff! I brought the kids a backpack each and Libby a small stuffed toy for her 1st birthday! The boys loved their bags and they are most likely wore out already!
Saturday, Pete and Laura came to see me at the pub was a lovely evening. Pete has lost 6 stone!!! He's half the guy he once was and looks great for it! keep it up Pete! Laura, has filled me in on all their wedding plans which made me sad that I have to give up being a part of these things living so far away but I am excited about going to their wedding next year with Eero!!
Little Laura, also came to see me and some me her new bit of stuff =P and we went to Simone's and Gaz's new house and saw baby Ethan! Was such a good afternoon of catching up and gossiping, oh how I miss that with old friends! Later that night, mom, dad and me were invited to Ishy's house for dinner! Was gorgeous and mom is still going on about it now! Was a great day for catching up but so busy.
I spent a few days with my niece Eden and was allowed to style her hair without complaint from her (weird!! hehe) The day we took her home dad took me and mom to France and Belgium as I had never been, we just stopped for some photos and went back home! Really was a pointless adventure just to explore but I loved it!!
The horse on the hill!
France
My new allergy cake was too popular, I made 12 of them in the end they were 1kg cakes.
Lisa and Ian's engagement party was also an exciting event! Though Lisa hasn't planned the wedding yet, she's letting the side down!! hehehe xXx Spent it with Ishy too so we had a good gossip about love, life and the world!!!
We also went out for a few meals with family which was nice!
It was such a busy trip, I need a holiday to get over it!!!!
Most of this holiday is a blur of vets, emergency dentists, building and gardening when I wasn't cooking.
First to the vets was Ebby the day I came, then her sister who is never ill. Maisy improved but the last few days I was there she took a turn for the worst and was so hot, went off food and drink and even her legs. We took her to the vets who politely said she is very ill you should prepare yourselves in case she needs to be put to sleep. She was admitted to the vets and I didn't get to see her before my departure, few days in the vets and few more at home and she is recovering from a very bad virus.
Then a few days in, I got bad pain in jaw, thought it was the remaining wisdom teeth playing up but a few days later, and many painkillers later, I discovered it was the tooth I have had nothing but trouble with since it was filled in the UK, that was the filling that ended my UK dental treatment but alas, in pain and stuck in the UK, I had to go back... the first filling hadn't been put in right and needed to be removed. Painkiller injection did nothing as the nerve was too irritated so I felt everything, and had a swollen face for a week. But it's good again now so that's something, I suppose.
Dad and me went shopping for garden and tortoise garden flowers and I planted those and the hanging basket for the front garden. Then dad and me started to build the car porch and replaced the old cat flap with a new one and scanned in the cats, apart from little Maisy who was at the vets.
Part of the tortoise garden
Days, were spent shopping for anything that was too expensive here and some new clothes for Eero and some new jeans for me! I then packed shipment boxes and ordered there collection and delivery to Finland!!!
We had a jewellery party, just a small get together and a chance for Don, to get the word out for her new business! so much lovely stuff! Take a look some funky stuff! I brought the kids a backpack each and Libby a small stuffed toy for her 1st birthday! The boys loved their bags and they are most likely wore out already!
Saturday, Pete and Laura came to see me at the pub was a lovely evening. Pete has lost 6 stone!!! He's half the guy he once was and looks great for it! keep it up Pete! Laura, has filled me in on all their wedding plans which made me sad that I have to give up being a part of these things living so far away but I am excited about going to their wedding next year with Eero!!
Little Laura, also came to see me and some me her new bit of stuff =P and we went to Simone's and Gaz's new house and saw baby Ethan! Was such a good afternoon of catching up and gossiping, oh how I miss that with old friends! Later that night, mom, dad and me were invited to Ishy's house for dinner! Was gorgeous and mom is still going on about it now! Was a great day for catching up but so busy.
I spent a few days with my niece Eden and was allowed to style her hair without complaint from her (weird!! hehe) The day we took her home dad took me and mom to France and Belgium as I had never been, we just stopped for some photos and went back home! Really was a pointless adventure just to explore but I loved it!!
The horse on the hill!
France
My new allergy cake was too popular, I made 12 of them in the end they were 1kg cakes.
Lisa and Ian's engagement party was also an exciting event! Though Lisa hasn't planned the wedding yet, she's letting the side down!! hehehe xXx Spent it with Ishy too so we had a good gossip about love, life and the world!!!
We also went out for a few meals with family which was nice!
It was such a busy trip, I need a holiday to get over it!!!!
Friday, 20 May 2011
Exams OVER!!!
So, the hard work now pays off! I have a few months before exam season revisits! Also, I am hugely excited about this conference now! but sad that my poster and alternative style handouts which are business cards won't arrive while I am still in Finland... but that doesn't make me sad about going to the UK!!!!
I have spent an hour today, checking my blog for errors for the conference, not this blog! updating certain pages, updating the background, adding a handout page, and my poster on a small pdf version!! maybe it was a bad idea to do something that excites me within 24 hours of something else hugely exciting happening... oh well! we will see if I sleep tonight!
Two of the cats are sick, after one dying while I was away and no allergy to cats I will stick to them like glue... So long blogger for 2 weeks!!! or maybe one if I get time to blog while I am away!
Tomorrow, I fly out... yay!!!!! There is so much planned it's going to be near impossible to fit it all in but I shall die trying!!!
Exams today were ok! I was comforted by my original thought of "they could be a lot worse at least I can think of some answers"... so now I must wait to see if the grades agree! they normally do!
I have spent an hour today, checking my blog for errors for the conference, not this blog! updating certain pages, updating the background, adding a handout page, and my poster on a small pdf version!! maybe it was a bad idea to do something that excites me within 24 hours of something else hugely exciting happening... oh well! we will see if I sleep tonight!
Two of the cats are sick, after one dying while I was away and no allergy to cats I will stick to them like glue... So long blogger for 2 weeks!!! or maybe one if I get time to blog while I am away!
Tomorrow, I fly out... yay!!!!! There is so much planned it's going to be near impossible to fit it all in but I shall die trying!!!
Exams today were ok! I was comforted by my original thought of "they could be a lot worse at least I can think of some answers"... so now I must wait to see if the grades agree! they normally do!
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Teeth, sun and explore!
So, the wisdom teeth removal wasn't so bad. It bled for almost 2 days (it was meant to stop before 24 hours but what can you do?!?!?). I couldn't talk properly until the stitches were taken out. The stitch removal was the worst part of the procedure but a few hours later the irratated nerves had calmed down and it was improving.
Eero took me for a drive the first weekend after my teeth removal, as I wasn't allowed to do any kind impact exercise. So we went for a drive in the woods by lakes, it was beautiful, we even took a little walk. Day dreaming about what houses we would like to have and how many ponies I'm getting!!
Monday, was a horrible day, it was a seminar presentation 10-4pm with no more than 25min break all day. I couldn't speak befor much without pain to practice my presentation. Nor could I take anything to eat, so I just drank apple juice all day!
Wednesday, I had my stitches removed then walked home. It was such a hot day, just at shirt and cropped trousers. In the evening I biked back to school for the prep meeting for the conference in June. I had almost finished my poster and started my handouts and no one else had started.
Rest of the week was studying for my finals next week. Friday, I ordered some networking cards for the conference as upto 400 people can attend. So, I now have 300 handouts. It is the biggest linguistics conference in Europe. The poster and handout are now finished and I will be sending them to print tomorrow. We also brought a grill so we can barbeque more often, yummy! I have some expensive normal networking cards all ready (they are awesome).
Saturday, was a lovely day we went to kanavuori (Chicken mountain) and went in the nature trail, beautiful day, warm but there was a breeze that kept the mosquitoes away. We saw 2 different kinds of woodpecker but no moose or bears, though we did see moose poo. We will be vising there again in the not so distant future!!! This morning, I baked apple, blueberry and cinnamon cake so we ate that when we got home. We also went shopping on the way home to buy the normal going home gifts. Then we had a barbeque!
Eero took me for a drive the first weekend after my teeth removal, as I wasn't allowed to do any kind impact exercise. So we went for a drive in the woods by lakes, it was beautiful, we even took a little walk. Day dreaming about what houses we would like to have and how many ponies I'm getting!!
Monday, was a horrible day, it was a seminar presentation 10-4pm with no more than 25min break all day. I couldn't speak befor much without pain to practice my presentation. Nor could I take anything to eat, so I just drank apple juice all day!
Wednesday, I had my stitches removed then walked home. It was such a hot day, just at shirt and cropped trousers. In the evening I biked back to school for the prep meeting for the conference in June. I had almost finished my poster and started my handouts and no one else had started.
Rest of the week was studying for my finals next week. Friday, I ordered some networking cards for the conference as upto 400 people can attend. So, I now have 300 handouts. It is the biggest linguistics conference in Europe. The poster and handout are now finished and I will be sending them to print tomorrow. We also brought a grill so we can barbeque more often, yummy! I have some expensive normal networking cards all ready (they are awesome).
Saturday, was a lovely day we went to kanavuori (Chicken mountain) and went in the nature trail, beautiful day, warm but there was a breeze that kept the mosquitoes away. We saw 2 different kinds of woodpecker but no moose or bears, though we did see moose poo. We will be vising there again in the not so distant future!!! This morning, I baked apple, blueberry and cinnamon cake so we ate that when we got home. We also went shopping on the way home to buy the normal going home gifts. Then we had a barbeque!
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Happy Birthday Mom!!!
Have a great birthday! sure it will be made better when all your presents turn up!
I have to say, even I am excited to hear when she opens everything and makes the connections to what she has got! She won't get it I don't think until the main gift comes but she may!
I have to say, even I am excited to hear when she opens everything and makes the connections to what she has got! She won't get it I don't think until the main gift comes but she may!
Hauskaa Vappua!
For Vappu, we went into city, checked out the amusements and then walked into city to see the stalls and other activities. It was quite warm when we left home but by the time we left the amusement park it had gone cold!
We had the new camera so we were playing with that on the way to everywhere! random photos of everything! Then we came home and the party continued, good food and drink! I got apple juice so I'm not complaining!
Sunday, Eero changed my bike saddle as the other one was painful after a few kilometers! Weather wise it has been a cold week but it is warming up again now!
Tuesday, I went to the dentist to have the first 2 wisdom teeth out. It was under local anesthetic, no swelling to my face though and no where near as painful as I thought it would be. Also the only painkiller I can take is paracetamol so I expected more pain than most people. Drinking was impossible, the first day. IT was painful to drink but the top one bleed for around 40 hours, everything I drank it restarted the bleeding. I bit down on cotton for 5 hours and had different ice packs on my face but nothing stopped it!
Wednesday, was better. Drinking wasn't painful just a little uncomfortable. I managed to eat yoghurt then Eero made me some sweet potato and goat's cheese soup. I ate as much as I could but small portions made me feel a little nauseous.
Eero has been a god send the last few days and has done everything. Even silly things like going to shop to get more cotton as it bleed so long we ran out, getting more milk as I drank loads of it, trying to understand my muttering for the days I couldn't speak properly. Lots of random little things, he did without moaning, I would of probably moaned hehe!
I sorted everyone paying into Mom's birthday presents to get her want she had been going on out but hadn't brought herself. So we all chipped in, got her an ace camcorder with loads of accessories and a huge memory card. For some annoying reason, even taking into account the two days bank holiday of UK, the presents still haven't been received on her birthday so I'm a little annoyed that all that effort planning and forward thinking and there's nothing to show for it!
We had the new camera so we were playing with that on the way to everywhere! random photos of everything! Then we came home and the party continued, good food and drink! I got apple juice so I'm not complaining!
Sunday, Eero changed my bike saddle as the other one was painful after a few kilometers! Weather wise it has been a cold week but it is warming up again now!
Tuesday, I went to the dentist to have the first 2 wisdom teeth out. It was under local anesthetic, no swelling to my face though and no where near as painful as I thought it would be. Also the only painkiller I can take is paracetamol so I expected more pain than most people. Drinking was impossible, the first day. IT was painful to drink but the top one bleed for around 40 hours, everything I drank it restarted the bleeding. I bit down on cotton for 5 hours and had different ice packs on my face but nothing stopped it!
Wednesday, was better. Drinking wasn't painful just a little uncomfortable. I managed to eat yoghurt then Eero made me some sweet potato and goat's cheese soup. I ate as much as I could but small portions made me feel a little nauseous.
Eero has been a god send the last few days and has done everything. Even silly things like going to shop to get more cotton as it bleed so long we ran out, getting more milk as I drank loads of it, trying to understand my muttering for the days I couldn't speak properly. Lots of random little things, he did without moaning, I would of probably moaned hehe!
I sorted everyone paying into Mom's birthday presents to get her want she had been going on out but hadn't brought herself. So we all chipped in, got her an ace camcorder with loads of accessories and a huge memory card. For some annoying reason, even taking into account the two days bank holiday of UK, the presents still haven't been received on her birthday so I'm a little annoyed that all that effort planning and forward thinking and there's nothing to show for it!
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