You Are Invited...

to come and take the Finnish Language test on August 12, 2008 at 13:00 (1 o'clock). I can not even begin to tell you how excited and nervous I am about finally getting my invitation to test for my language course. The only downside is that the course I am testing for begins on my birthday, Sept. 5th. Not that I'm complaining, nope, I was just expecting to begin on a different day. It's all gravy though, at least I am going to be in a course, and that is all that matters to me. If I hadn't been so dang tired when my husband read the letter to me I might have got up and jumped around the apartment. I didn't though, so maybe I'll make up for that later. Jump around a bit before I go to bed or something.

I have been living in Finland for a little over a year now so the language course was a little overdue. Now that that is out of the way the next big hurdle will be applying for my second resident permit. You see the first one you receive is only good for a year, then you have to apply again. I think it is sort of like a trial run. They are not going to give you one that lets you stay for 5 or 10 years if you aren't actually going to stay here. My current permit doesn't expire until the 12th of December, but you can submit your renewal application up to 6 months prior to that. Next month (tomorrow?) we'll be getting right on that. That and looking for a job (to appease the employment office until my language course starts). Fingers crossed!

A Golden Girl

Growing up I watched the Golden Girls religiously! Estelle Getty portrayed my favorite character, Sophia. She was so perfectly sarcastic and extremely funny. So I sadly mourn her passing.



"Why do blessings wear disguises? If I were a blessing, I'd run around naked."


"Look, you didn't ask me for my opinion, but I'm old, so I'm giving it anyway"

~Estelle Getty as Sophia

Must have Pepperoni!!!

I LOVE pizza like a madwoman! To me it should be its own food group. I could honestly eat it on a daily basis (like popcorn, which should also be its own food group). Of course I would have to run 20 miles a day to work off all of the foods that I love. Anyway, today Kai and I went and got Pizza Hut pizza for lunch and got their lunch special. We both got a Classic Pepperoni pizza (what use to be a small size in the U.S. before they came up with these ridulously small personal pizza mini things) and a 20oz. drink a piece for 14.80 euros. How cheap is that? So I enjoyed my pizza lunch and am going to have to chain myself to something here in the apt. from now on to keep me from going to get myself a pizza every day. Anyway, I said all of that to say this, I love pizza! I just wish I didn’t feel guilty for eating it, but that too shall pass. Now I am off to treat myself to Smash (Bugles that are covered in chocolate) as dessert.




Our beloved Pizza Hut that is just 5 short minutes walk from the apartment! How tempting!!

Bank Card

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Op Bank and set up and account with the help of my husband. A few days ago I finally got my brand new Visa Electron bank card, and I was really excited over it. I somehow felt like more of an adult if that is possible. It is really cute so I thought that I would share it with you, that and I am just so darn excited about getting it!



I know it isn't the best quality picture, but you can still see the card pretty well. Also you will notice that I am technologically challenged and are not "computer savy" one little bit, so I had no idea how to edit out my card number. So I stuck with what I did know and that is how to use post-it notes! They did the job just as well. Anyway there she is in all her glory (minus my digits). My bank card! Now if I can just keep money in both my U.S. account as well as my Finnish account then I will be doing well for myself!

McDonald's anyone?

Kai and I walk by this Mickey D's everytime we go to the Center or whenever I walk to meet him after work I float by it, but I could never figure out just where the actual fast food joint was because of that pesky wall. All I knew was there was a huge Golden Arches sign in the middle of a wall!!! Also, I kept seeing a sign for the Mcdrive, but where on earth is the driveway?!? Well, I took a picture of the building the day that we decided to mosey on in and have a look see. You know what? That McDonald's is right there on the bottom floor of this big round building, and yes they do have a drive thru. You have to turn left, or right, at the stoplight there and drive around to the back side of the building to get to it. It is just a big round McDonald's! Now I cannot begin to tell you what that odd black cage looking thing surrounding the building is. I still haven't figured that one out yet. I can however tell you that it is not a cage. That is all I know. That and the cheeseburgers are really good! Yum!

Blistered and Tired!

For the past two days I have walked all the way to my husbands place of employment to pick him up from work. Normally we would meet halfway, or what I consider to be the half way point. I'm not actually sure if I make it halfway or not. Anyway, as I've said the past two days I have walked the entire way. Now my husband says that one way just to his work place is a mile and a half, well, when I get there I only have 6 minutes of relaxation before we jet out the door and walk all the way back home. Needless to say this is more walking than I am use to. Hence the reason why I am tired. Now, what I don't understand is why I have blisters. Sure we walk to the center of the city every now and then (2 miles from the apt.) and I don't get blisters, so why in the past two days have they appeared on my feet?!? It makes no sense to me. My shoes are good and broken in. I mean I have been wearing them for a little over a year now...they feel nice on the feet! And to top things off, the blisters are in odd places. They aren't on the heel or the ball of the foot, they are in the spot where my big toe bends. That's the darndest place for a blister I've ever seen. At least I have never managed to get one in the spot before. LOL. So...I am hoping that by tomorrow when we are ready to walk to the Center of Helsinki to go to the movies that the pesky jokers are gone. We are walking (correction: I am walking) a lot more than usual because I am not currently happy with my outward appearance. I'm not very big, I am just a few pounds heavier than I want to be, and I can tell when I put on my clothes. Seriously though I am just trying to get rid of a few pounds, nothing major!!!! Now if only I could do it without being tired and getting odd blisters! Only time will tell. As long as I am getting a good workout I am not going to complain!

Happy 4th Of July!!!!

I hope that everyone has a fabulous 4th! Finland's Independence day is not until December 6th, so no fireworks here today. I'm sure we'll find a way to celebrate though!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Movies...lots of movies...

My husband and I went and saw the new Indiana Jones movies yesterday after walking roughly 2 miles to the center of the city. Now this was his second viewing of the movie so I am pretty sure he slept through most of it, but it was my first time. I enjoyed the movie, but it isn't my favorite Indy movie. I do think that Harrison Ford did a great job of reprising the role, especially since he has put on some age! I also thought it was nice that they brought Karen Allen's character back. Overall, it was an enjoyable day and I am so glad that we didn't walk home after the movie. :-)

Speaking of movies, we are going to go see the McAvoy/Freeman/Jolie, Wanted, on Wednesday evening. My younger SIL is coming for a visit, although she is staying with my oldest BIL (bless her heart), and since she is going to go see the Hulk with him and possibly Narnia while she is with him, we are going to go see the other movie. I think we are planning to go see Narnia ourselves next week. Lucky for me I managed to get through The Magician and His Nephew, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and The Horse and his Boy over the course of the past two days. That means I am finally to Prince Caspian. I read the Chronicles a long time ago when I was in Middle school, but I am rereading them for the movies. Why? I love to read. I do it daily. It can't be helped. Anyway, the whole point of the post was really to point out that I just saw Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and that I am going to see Wanted and Prince Caspian in about a weeks time. Last week we saw the Hulk. It was a lot better than the Eric Bana one. Anyway, this is going to be a summer full of movies for us. I love movies!!!