Between trips: Last days of summer holiday

Even though the weather is still summery warm and it is still perfectly suitable to enjoy

 on the terrace, I can't stop thoughts of warmer clothes in lovely shades of purple and moss green and the same autumn-coloured eyeliners and eye shadows creeping into my mind. I have only four days of summer holiday left and going back to work means automatically wearing jeans instead of white linen trousers, a russet, rayon long-sleeved dress instead of sleeveless crocheted sundress and nylon bobby socks in ballerinas instead of just bare feet in sandals. It's entirely about the mindset. +25 Celsius degrees doesn't feel as hot in August when you're coming home from work, tired and grumpy, as it does in June when you still have your full holiday with all it's pleasures ahead of you. But as long as you can hear birch leaves humming in the gentle breeze you know in your depths that it's still summer. In these latitudes one must hold on to that.

 To value the last days of our holiday we took the kids to Flamingo Spa in Vantaa (http://www.flamingospa.fi/). They loved the water slides (even though the age limits are ridicilously low), the wihrlpool baths and the tide pool, and for us adults it was equally fun. The spa wasn't as crowded as it usually has been and the visit left me feeling relaxed and satisfied. Niiiiice.

Regarding the russet, rayon long-sleeved dress I already mentioned above, I went to visit a Nanso boutique (http://www.nansogroup.com/nansogroup_home) in Helsinki with a dear friend of mine, who was visiting us with her family; we found the shop by accident, stepped in and there was a big sale with even -60 % off! I bought the dress for only 31 € and my friend also found a lovely shirt on sale. I'm sure this dress will save many hurried I'm-already-SO-late -mornings and I could wear it also for a quick drink (or two) after work. I can't wait to wear it for the first time! I'll post a picture of it later.

Umm.. I'm sorry guys, but I find it extremely difficult to focus on doing any more writing as THIS appeared in front of me.. Lovely sangria! Talk to you later!

Between trips: Getting back to shape

After having spent a week on the road and a week with delicious food in Tuscany (and enjoying long drinks and mojitos for a couple of sunny weeks even before that), my jeans have suddenly become too tight and there is this saggy feeling on my waist. So not nice 'n cool. On our way home from Turku we took a different route than we usually do from the main road, and to our big surprise there was a brand new gym just about 5 km from our house! Just when I had started to get frustrated, once again, thinking of how on earth would it be possible to combine work, the kids and workout into an actually manageable daily life.

(It is so nice to write about training at the moment when I'm actually having a mojito long drink on our sunny and HOT terrace.)

..where was I? Oh yeah, for the past two years we have found it extremely difficult to find enough energy and time for regular workout. I have settled to workout DVD's (e.g. zumba and pilates) which have given me the chance to exercise at home, while the kids have been watching the telly, and my husband has been doing almost nothing as he doesn't like compromises. He either works out properly using his full potential or he doesn't work out at all. This settlement has resulted in us both gaining some weight (he naturally more than I). Now that they opened the new gym so close to us and also our youngest son starts school this autumn, it's finally possible for us to start exercising together again. It is such a liberating feeling! For so many years we have been stuck between work and home (meaning that if we went somewhere, we had to take the kids with us), and now we can actually have a hobby! A thing of our own!! YAYYYY!!!

Another nice thing about the new gym (http://www.bailofit.fi/Etusivu.html) is that you don't need to buy a membership to join. You can go once, buy a ten-time card or pay per month. At least this way you don't end up paying for a full year's membership and stop excercising after a month when you realise that you really don't have time for it right now or that you just simply don't like this kind of sports. I can now focus on the training, day by day, and take it as it comes. No strings attached - just the way I like it. And after only two times at the gym I am already so excited about it! The muscle pain after a workout is such sweet pain, because you know it's good for you; it's kind of a reward for a job well done. 

We still have 6 months before the Caribbean cruise and wouldn't it be nice to look slim in my new Missoni dress? Sure would!

Between trips: Who wants the Irving?!

I finished John Irving's novel In One Person on the ferry. Again I couldn't put it down until having read the very last page. Like I mentioned before, this is the first of Irving's novels I have ever read, but now I can't wait to read another one. My friend recommended Last Night in Twisted River and I'll definitely have to get my hands on it since she's not the first one to recommend that specific novel to me. But since I already have four more novels that I bought for holiday reading, I can't skip to Last Night just yet.

To celebrate the 1000+ hits on my blog (and to clean up my bookshelf, which is already bursting, and to let someone else enjoy this new Irving book, and to give this one excellent paperback more use), I'd like to send it forward to someone, who will only have to promise to give it further to someone else after having read it. Doesn't matter how long it will take as long as the book won't end up gathering dust in a bookshelf just as it would in mine. I hate reading library books as I never manage to finish all the books in time and I end up paying more fines than I would pay for a new paperback... so....

Who wants it?! The first one to comment will get it. You'll only have to send your address to my email (fastenyourseatbelts2013@gmail.com). If you like Irving (or if you think you just might), be quick!



The next novel on my list is Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. Thriller of the year? Must be a good one!



Today is a good day to start a new book, as the weather didn't turn out to be sunny OR warm.