School Destress *deep breathing*

Well, I'm not sure what's up with me this month. I have taken to being really hard upon myself and somehow set some unachievable things to do, which I didn't do then got angry with myself because I didn't do what I knew I wouldn't be able too.

Silly things too, like keeping my hour and half daily exercise to destress with mom and dad here, there was no time for this and luxury food resulted in weight gain, both I knew would happen but I was still angry I let it happen. And it isn't like I put a lot of weight on, it's coming off again now I'm eating normally and exercising again. Sometimes, I just move the frustration of not learning Finnish as quickly as I would like to other areas, unfortunately sometimes it snowballs there... but as the old saying goes "one snowflake never feels responsible for the avalanche".

Then mom and dad left us some money for staying! I got mom a new Halti coat and she got me my new blue coat! When they left, Eero and me went to look for my new coat, rubber boots and a school bag.

Rubber boots were torture, the two pairs I loved didn't fit, one size two small, other size so big my foot came out the boot when walking... then I ended up having to get the same boots as a friend as it was the only damn pair that fit in the shop... o.0

I loved my bag from last year but it just isn't very practical so many zip separation areas in it the inside is quite small which is no good for the long days I have next year and the food and drink I need to carry to eat at school. New bag cost me 50€!!!! then we came home and I put all my badges and brooches on it so it's shiny and I'm happy.

Eero, has seen my stress with Finnish and has actually stepped up, seems he can actually see how stressful it can be being foreign sometimes when some people won't use English even when they see you ran out of sensible Finnish lol. He is also very pro me taking these extra Finnish courses with the other school and as many as possible with my school. Hopefully, there will just be one more advanced course to do back in Tampere but that all depends on cost.

Saturday, was my granddad's birthday. We got him a £65 bottle of whiskey and a card. Sending them a photo card of mom and dad's time in Finland. Nan is still really ill awaiting her hip replacement which is being prosponed due to anemia! One the plus side, dad and granddad's cancer's are stable.

Also Sunday, we went berry picking with Jenny, we found an awesome spot at the last minute and ended up with almost 5kg of blueberries and some raspberries. Great day!!! Later, I made some Finnish blueberry pie... yummy.

Also I got into zumba tone up dvd's before mom and dad and was doing them daily, they did nothing for me. Last night I tried some of my new dvds I put away when I got zumba and this morning I ache like a B*?!*?! so I have 5 of those dvds to rotate through during the week, and I am one of these weird people. I LOVE DOING THE DVDS!!!

Biking with Eero again, he is so much fitter than me though but it's good fun and we don't stop so its a good workout. He has found me some good 8km routes I can do in 35mins during the week when I am pushed for time as some days I will be. I am hoping that I will have time for my workouts everyday and I am very motivated again which will only increase when results are starting to be noticed =)

Things are looking up... finally

Well, I just received my official Right of Residence to stay here... I don't feel like an alien now, that sort of homeless feeling has pasted and I can stay without leaving every 3 months! Alas, I will still leave as often as I can to see friends and family and they can always visit us.

So now, I get to do normal things and fill in a million more forms to get them no doubt. Progress can't be denied though... To new beginnings and my own bus pass!

Oh, we walked around Suolijärvi again last night, I love that walk! Although I saw mosquitoes and some weird march type fly tried bite my head. Today is meant to be the last sunny hot day for a while.

Later I am going out on my bike. We are going shopping for rice wafers then back for ice hockey at 5pm. Hopefully we win this time! I am hoping E wants to come a walk after too.

I decided on a fitness plan, to lose 9kg over the next 6 months. Week one and only doing 4 nights of walking 4.3km in 38mins. Plan on doing it daily from next week. There's also a bike path too but its a bit to hilly for my current level of unfitness. Also started on the outdoor gym yesterday, I discovered I still have that motion problem when i get over something that moves like a treadmill my ears are screwed and it still feels like I'm moving. But life's hard, what can you do but play the game with the cards you are given!!!

Anyway, I need to finish the chores and go outside for a little bit.

minun pyöräni (my bike)

Here is the long awaited photo of my bike, need to get me some baskets for it and then jobs good!

Project kesä completed

So, it's the end of the day and I sit on the newly finished balcony. Seems we finished it just in time for summer to start.

Nothing much fun to report today, I am in process of sorting out the wardrobe storing the winter clothes finding the summer clothes and my sports stuff out. Today was mostly doing chores; hoovered, floors washed, dusting, general clean up, 3 loads of washing done (nothing fun).

I also got in touch with Jyväskylä checking confirmation of the language course, one lady was very helpful and rerouted my enquiry from which I am still waiting to hear. I received a confirmation email about my accommodation for the intensive language course but I will be in Tampere as much as I can be.

We watched ice hockey when Eero got home (Finland vs Slovakia), we won! Then we went to the library to return a book, posted my acceptance (acceptance, international student registration and my receipt for the student union) back to University of Jyväskylä. Then went food shopping... there must of been another strike as the shelves were empty so back we went with little of anything.

Eero then went to attach the basket to the front of my bike which doesn't fit... ho hum. So now we have to attach it to the back and maybe get a different one on the front (not a good light to take a photo of the bike I plan on doing it tomorrow). Then hoovered and sorted the balcony, put the new mat down and I attached the new cushions to the chairs (all nicely painted)

Ascension Day (helatorstai)

Yesterday was Ascension day, a national holiday in Finland but not in the UK where majority are Christian, odd.

Anyhow, the day was a busy one Eero didn't want a quite day off work and to be honest I was glad of the company! We put my bike together and then locked it up in the shed with 2 locks, no one is taking my bike!!! lol will post a picture before the weekend is out!

We went to Jouko's and Kati's for lunch, everyone happy I had supplied the list of things I can eat previously so I didn't have to take things with me! Even pudding was rotated toward me with meringue, cream and raspberries. Though I need a filling in my tooth redone and that was happy with the sugar hehe. Still, it's one of few luxuries I get! Also my filling is being repaired in 3 weeks so not long left to have a sensitive tooth! The weather was gorgeous and we ate cake and coffee on the balcony.

Went home, chilled out and I ate potato chips again, no rash nothing. So glad I tolerate potato again!!! My weight is a pain in the backside since my reintroductions I am getting fat but not actually eating much which is annoying. So I am upping exercise and continuing to eat the same... my metabolism should stabilize soon. Not impressed that it will mean I go to Spain as heavy as I was when I got here but still battle is lost but the war is not yet won!

Mom and dad confirmed their visit yesterday afternoon which was a nice lift to my mood. I'm excited already and planning places to go and what to do!

Yesterday was my 6 month marker, it has gone so quickly. I can't believe I only have 2 months left until I am at university again... its surreal. However, I have choosen 3 potential apartments until Eero gets there. I will ask him to see them later and book them.

Äitienpäivä

Sunday 9th May is Mother's day here, so off to äiti Suominen's for dinner we went. It was a lovely dinner and a few hours chat... a sign my Finnish is improving as I understood a lot more than I did last time!

So back in time now, Friday was Wok Wok day and although we had a short lunch we still caught up on the week's gossip and planned to have an extra meet up this week. I had a nice time, then back home. I then baked a blackcurrant crumble cake before we went shopping.

Saturday we drove down to Helsinki to Hanna and Antti's to get the bike Hanna was giving us, it's blue and I love it! Thankfully it's a mountain bike similar to my other one so we should get along great!!! whoohoo!! We also went (if my bearings are right) to Itäkeskus shopping centre. Must of been there as it was massive to look for a birthday present for mom... I know exactly what she likes and thought Marimekko would of had a bright coloured top to match, alas it was not meant to be! However, I did find something suitable in a different store so the journey wasn't wasted.

After shopping we went back to Hanna's had cake and coffee. Put the bike in the car in the pouring rain and left for Tampere.

Sunday night I ordered a few crime books and 2 research textbooks that will be useful for choosing what to write about for my biomass dissertation for my master's (I decided that much at least)I also hope that whatever I settle on I may compare against landfill (seems a waste not to use what I worked with so long!) but time will tell and there's enough time for me to change my mind a hundred times. The books are coming from England as they were a lot cheaper even with shipping that buying them from here.

We are going into city later to get some fish and go to the library...