This time last week we were still on our road trip, and now we’re settling into life in Helsinki.
- Modern travel is wild.
- The world is temporarily our proverbial oyster.
I feel much more content now that we have some logistics sorted. I can navigate to the nearest tram stop without GPS directions and using the washing machine no longer feels like a big deal.
A DRINK TO WARM MY HANDS
Today was frigid. I started the day with coffee at our apartment, moved on to hot chocolate at the famous Cafe Regatta, and am ending the day—chilled to the bone after hours outside—sipping a small mug of hot chocolate.
There’s something comforting about a warm drink, doubly so when I have cold hands!
A TASTE OF HOME
I made waffles last night for supper (I forgot to take pictures) and they were delicious. We usually have waffles a few times a month back home, so it was fun to finally make them on this trip. I have a feeling this meal will be on repeat now that we have all the ingredients.
HOT SHOWERS
I’m not the biggest fan of European showers (such weird configurations), but the one in our Helsinki apartment is AMAZING. It has the temperature automatically set to the perfect point, it’s a dream to turn on and off, and it has two different shower head options.
Oh, and I almost forgot. The bathroom has in-floor heating which is delightful! Our home back in Canada hails from the 1970s and most certainly does not have in-floor heating, so this makes it feel very luxurious (especially to someone who always has cold feet).
THE WEEKEND IS COMING
After a busy week on the road, we moved right into a hectic week in Finland (John had two big meetings this week so he’s been leaving relatively early in the morning and not getting back until the evening).
This weekend, I’m looking forward to sleeping in… and having John take the kids for a few hours. It’s been 24/7 togetherness since we left Vienna and I’m ready for some solo time. I’m realizing that being with the kids around the clock, navigating places, managing all sorts of logistics… is like a full-time job. I get to tag along and see/do cool stuff but it’s WORK!
So I’m contemplating taking myself to the public library for a few hours…
PLENTY OF THINGS TO CLIMB
Finnish people love nature and that is very apparent here in Helsinki. Everywhere we look there are families outside with their kids. Parks are around every corner, and it feels like there’s a truly limitless number of things to climb, much to Indy’s delight.
He has been climbing and jumping and scaling ALL THE THINGS.
It’s also interesting to see how “dangerous” playgrounds are here. Things seem objectively more risky than I’d expect to see in many North American structures and kids seem to be very independent. I see small kids navigating streets alone on their way home from school, and big groups of young kids playing together at parks without any adult supervision.
BONUS HAPPY THINGS
- My Kobo! For so many reasons. The most recent? It fits in the side of our bed frame. The bedroom is a bit tight in this apartment and my side of the bed is up against the wall. I was fretting about not having a bedside table, but the bed frame has a lip and I can slide my Kobo down beside the mattress when I’m finished reading at night. It’s perfect!
- All our warm layers. I’m so glad we brought hats and finger gloves and warm coats from Canada. After 25°C in Monaco and Venice, we’re back to 6°C in Finland. Womp, womp.
- Last night I made chicken caesar wraps for supper with pan-fried potatoes on the side. I’d been outside walking for most of the day and these tasted SO GOOD. I boiled the potatoes (skins on, they were baby potatoes) until they were fork tender and then heated them in a bit of butter in a frying pan right before we ate. I understand why Nordic cultures like potatoes so much; they really stick to the ribs after a day outside!
- Dishwashers. I am so thankful these devices exist. Ditto washing machines. Can you imagine life before these modern conveniences? I can imagine hand washing dishes because I grew up that way, but washing clothes by hand is a hard pass!!
- Toothpaste. Aside from the dental hygiene, it’s such a great way to reset and mark the start/end of the day.
- Hearing from people back home. In the last two days I’ve had multiple unexpected emails from friends that I don’t regularly hear from checking in to see how things are going. Some have included newsy updates from their lives and it made me feel loved and appreciated (and now I owe them responses)!
- Very random, but NYX The Face Glue Primer. I don’t wear much makeup, but this is an inexpensive and very effective primer. I’ve been using it since we left Canada and will definitely purchase another bottle when this one runs out.
- Family time. Yes, all this time together can be a bit much. But it’s also really special. Sitting around the dinner table laughing about inside jokes is fun. It feels like we’re freezing time in a way, probably for the last time before Belle leaves home. Once we get back to Canada life will go back to normal. The kids will have school and routines and birthday parties to attend and activities most nights of the week.
- After fretting a bit about lack of structured schooling, Indy’s teacher posted several math assignments he was able to complete yesterday morning and, as I’m typing this, Belle is finishing an assignment for English class!
It’s only 9 pm on Thursday night, but I’m going to call it a wrap on Happy Things this week and go get ready for bed. I am tuckered!
Now it’s your turn.
- Tell me some Happy Things.
- What’s your preferred hot drink?
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I think life is the most ‘normal’ right now for John, right? He still goes to work and so on. For you and the kids, everything is topsy turvy. I remember my mom coming to visit for a week once, and I loved it, but vacation time is not the same as living together time when we all had our own things to do. It’s kind of beautiful that you’re having this experience for that reason. And also…time at the library alone will be DELICIOUS.
Also, I am never not grateful for running water and washing machines. I’ve lived without a dishwasher, but having clean water at any temp I want is magic, and washing your own clothes by hand? HORRID.
I just read a memoir by someone who spent years without running water and electricity. And she talked about the DAYS it would take her to get through all their laundry. It sounds so exhausting. That said, I guess there was no input from phone notifications and the like.
Still, I have no desire to go back that far into the past.
The family just left and I’m alone for the first time in a few weeks. It feels SO LIGHT!!!!
It’s a lot of time together and for an introvert, having some white space without any noise and distraction feels truly incredible.
Your kitchen/laptop view with a mug of hot chocolate looks very similar to mine right now. But it’s not evening – it’s morning, I have a hot cup of tea (with a dash of milk) and I’m staring at an Airbnb kitchen in London. And I’m missing a dishwasher and a washing machine, but for two people that’s fortunately no big deal.
Helsinki sounds like such a lovely reset after the road trip 😄 And I have to say, I’m slightly in awe of how quickly you settle into new places. From navigating trams to mastering the washing machine in no time… very efficient.
Also, that picture of the kids is so good. They look genuinely happy and relaxed. Enjoy the weekend!
I’m so glad you’re settled in with tea (and milk).
I was surprised how overwhelming it felt after so many transitions on the road trip, but we’re all much more settled now and Helsinki is lovely. Very relaxed and it’s a much newer city, so I don’t feel the pull to explore as many nooks and crannies since nothing is particularly old and grand here (for the most part).
What wonderful happy things! But what is indy climbing on in that second picture?
I like an occassional cup of hot cocoa, but my usual hot drink is black tea with two sweeteners.
The Finnish showers sound lovely, and a heated floor? Swoon!
It was an interactive art installation of sorts (it’s actually a skylight into a modern art museum below).
The heated floors in the bathroom are making me so happy.
BLACK COFFEE BABY. I’m drinking a cup right now!
Oh I do love the Kobo. I just fired mine back up as we are driving to Sylvan next week to visit my parents. Is this a happy thing? I mean. Maybe? In the grand scheme of things I guess.
Mark is leaving for his 8-week solo backpacking trip tomorrow. He finishes his last exam today. So that’s a happy thing and also a bit of a sad thing because I will miss him so. But I am reminding myself that we are lucky he’s been only 30 minutes away from us this whole time, so we have been spoiled. Still. You know. Mama heart and all that.
I think I’m especially appreciating the Kobo for night-time reading. In most apartments, I haven’t had a light on my bedside table (or, where we are now, I have no bedside table). Being able to read without needing a light is kinda magical. I haven’t missed paper books at all which is kinda surprising to me!
Wow. The days can be long, but the years just fly by. What an exciting adventure for Mark. I’m sure you have all sorts of emotions. Excitement for his future, but also sadness over the changes that come as kids age and become more and more independent. What a blessing you have a close relationship with both boys. They know home is a safe haven and will continue to return.
So curious —where is he going? 8 weeks is an extraordinary amount of time to carry all your gear, so I assume he is going somewhere that he is able to resupply. Appalachian Trail? PCT? The Way of St. James?
He’s backpacking across Europe!
There are so many great things about this trip, but the family time is probably the best. Yes, once you get back home life will continue at a breakneck speed and before you know it, Belle will be off to college. I love that you have this oasis now where you can appreciate having the family all together. It is like you’re freezing this moment in time. I know the togetherness isn’t always easy, but glad you’re able to appreciate the good moments.
You know my favorite hot drink- Earl Grey tea!!! Is it available in Finland???
I KNOW! It all feels a bit surreal about Belle being in high school. Time is really speeding up now that she’s firmly settled into the teen years.
I haven’t ordered tea here yet (coffee is definitely the preferred drink in Finland), but I still have some Earl Grey tea bags that I brought with me from home 🙂
So many happy things—it’s good to know you are settling in Finland okay, and that you didn’t abandon all your warm clothing in Munich. What a treat for John to go to work and come home to his family instead of an empty place in Finland!
Six happy things are about finishing:
1. delivered a copy of a book I’d been working on to the author, who was unable to finish due to Alzheimer’s but seemed to recognize that it was his book.
2. finished proofing/editing a very boring document for someone who was so thrilled that he over paid me (by $20, but that is measurable money to me)
3. attended/spoke at a mural dedication for the mural that took 3 years to get through red tape before I could spend a mere 13 days actually painting it.
4. got the A/C fixed on my car after 3 visits to the mechanic
5. got a good proof copy of a novel that I edited, formatted, and did the cover design after the previous version was substandard quality
6. finished Theo of Golden, which I really enjoyed
Three more:
7. got a new oil painting commission
8. IT RAINED! MORE IS COMING!!
9. A new gift shop (in a motel lobby) requested my notecards of Sequoia Nat’l Park (very little profit but the exposure won’t hurt)
I was so happy to read about the mural dedication. Lovely recognition of your hard work <3
I am on the wait list for Theo of Golden and am really looking forward to reading it.
Hooray for working AC, rain, new places to display your art, and a commission!!
Black coffee is my preferred hot drink. I start my day with it and end my evening with it. I know it’s unusual, but I am fortunate not to have caffeine keep me awake at night.
Happy things this week are having the privacy panel on our deck installed, a run of warm, sunny days, and seeing dark purple flowers for the first time on my lilac bush. I planted her (I call her Lila) in 2022 as a tiny little plant and while she has grown a lot over the last 4 years, I have been anxiously waiting for the flowers to arrive. It’s so nice to finally see them!
Enjoy your well deserved time on your own at the library!
Wow! I cannot imagine being able to consume coffee that late in the day. I know other people who are not impacted by caffeine at night. It’s a gift.
Aww. Lila the Lilac Bush. Love it!
I’ve been super behind on reading/commenting (let alone posting!) and it’s so delightful to have a quiet morning to catch up on everything I’ve missed in blogland! Glad you’ve settled in more and I think the rhythm of your trip is so wisely planned that you have enough time in each place to really enjoy it after sorting out the logistics. I so relate to the emotional ups and downs of so much togetherness — it’s precious but also definitely makes you crave that alone time! I started running regularly when we were in Rome as a way both to explore the city and to get some much-needed solo time.
The perfect temperature shower and heated floors sound divine. One of my biggest pet peeves about our house is that the plumbing is set up such that if any water source is turned on while the shower is running (even the sink tap for a few seconds!) the shower runs scalding hot. God forbid someone flushes the toilet in the other bathroom — the shower boils for at least 3 minutes. It drives me batty!
Happy things around here: passed my 1 hour glucose test with baby boy so I don’t have to do the dreaded 3 hour test (is this a thing in Canada??). The only other time I’ve passed the 1 hour is with Greta. All the others I had to do the 3 hour (twice it was normal, and with Victoria I failed and actually had gestational diabetes which fortunately was completely managed with lifestyle changes and no need for medication). I’m planning a 40th birthday party for Nick and think he’s going to have a blast! And I’m still riding the high from the school musical last week where Greta had an absolutely gorgeous solo and all of the kids did a phenomenal job, as they always do.
Hooray you passed the glucose test. I always passed so I’m not sure about the 3-hour variety?? I’m assuming we have that, too? I’m sure that’s a huge relief.
Your family always seems to plan epic parties, so I’m looking forward to hearing all about it!
Back home, our shower goes freezing if anyone uses the water. Oh the joys of older plumbing.
Solo time has definitely been lacking lately, but I got 4 glorious hours today!
Earl grey, or lady grey. But I also love a matcha latte (with almond milk) or other green tea. Or tea with fresh ginger or mint.
Happy things: my plants have all been repotted and checked. I have an annual ‘let’s look at my plants day’ with a friend who loves plants and gardening and is able to advise on what my plants need. Also, it was a gloriously sunny day yesterday. And I have a week of holiday!
I’ve never had a matcha drink but they were EVERYWHERE.
My plants really need to be repotted. Maybe a job to tackle when I get home?? I am a neglectful plant parent but they seem to survive against all odds.
Warm beverages are so comforting on cold days. My favorite is a vanilla latte, ideally with sugar free vanilla syrup but I’ll take whatever they have. I get cold so easily. Yesterday I took the boys to a park and they were running around with t-shirts and I was so cold in my long sleeve + hooded zip up sweatshirt. We had to leave earlier than they wanted to because I was so cold. They couldn’t get over how cold my hands were but it was good to have legit proof that I was really, truly cold.
Good things from last week were being able to get an earlier flight home, even though it meant being in the absolute back of the plane that did not have a functioning sink… But landing at 5 is way better than landing at 9!
My kids are much more hardy with cold weather than I am (I used to be a bit less sensitive to it when I was younger). I also find that they’re moving so much (especially Indy) that he is generating so much more body heat than I do!
Yay for getting back earlier than expected.
Ack, cold temps are back for you?! No, no, no. I hope it’s not too much, and you are well-suited for the weather being hearty Canadians. (I would not be.)
Preferred hot drink is coffee, and I need it sweetened so it’s almost as light as my skin. HA.
It is so cold, Stephany. IT WAS HAILING HERE YESTERDAY. What’s up Helsinki? This is NOT cool. Thankfully, it’s supposed to be warmer and sunny this weekend. I’m really hoping the forecast is accurate because the weather is not very nice so far this week (cold and also incredibly windy; I think it was -10C at one point).
I suggest inviting a friend – it’s a nice job to share. And hey, plants don’t do well with too much water, it causes mushrooms and flies.
For the macha, I got properly hooked last year on our trip to Japan. I do want to try making ice cream – I had amazing macha ice cream in kyoto. I hope you give it a try!