Call me mama! Godmama!

On Sunday night my friend called me and in the end of our lenghty conversation she asked if I'd like to be her firstborn's godmother. I am so delighted!

I've spent the last four days googling for gift options, enquiring my friends' experiences of gifts both as godparents and parents and googled a little more. There is so many traditions when it comes to baptism and some of them are just ridiculous if you ask me. Why should a 2-month old get cufflinks and who on earth wants to store their kid's first teeth in silver boxes once they come loose?!

My thoughts have wondered along the lines of traditional silver spoons with the wee one's details engraved in it or tiny silver cross necklaces. On the other hand a kickbike, a children's Bible or a good quality backpack for spare nappies and onsies for now and for daycare use later might've been nice.

In the end it looks like I'll end up with the most traditional: silver spoon. The same one I've got 26 years back.

Today the mailman brought me an invitation to the babtism. It says Godmother on the envelope and the card has F's tiny footprint on it. Am I getting old or what - there was an aaaawww and something wet in my eye after opening it...

Sosiaalinen ongelma.

Teologin kesän on usein yhtä leirielämää. Kotiin tullessa on vieraantunut ruuanlaiton kaltaisista arkirutiineista ja kun sitten vihdoin tarttuu toimeen, ei muistakaan että perusohjeita noudattamalla ruokaa tulee aina neljän päivän satsi kerrallaan. Tätäkin sinällään herkullista bataatti-vuohenjuustokeittoa syötiin kyllästymiseen asti. Haaveilen siitä, että syksyn tullen tästä lähiympäristöstä löytyisi omaa väkeä, jonka kanssa kokoontua vaikka kirkon jälkeen sunnuntaisin laittamaan yhteistä lounasta. Pikkukaupunkimaisuutta, yhteisöllisyyttä.

Edellinen leiri oli raskas, monellakin tapaa. Oli vaikeaa huomata olevansa se epäsuosittu henkilö, jonka nähdessään nuoret ottavat puolustusasennon ja vastaavat kaikkeen vänkytysäänellään. Here some attitude for you! Ilmiö on yhtä selittämätön kuin leikki-ikäisten päättömät ihastukset, esimerkiksi se pikku-James, joka kulki perässäni viikon hokien you're so funnya ja nimeäni. Ihmissuhdetaidot eivät ole vahvinta alaani ja se jäi vaivaamaan, etten vajaan viikon vaivaannuksen aikana keksinyt keinoa purkaa jännittynyttä tilannetta.

Ystävien parisuhteesta muodostui kolmio, kolmen ihmisen rakkaussuhde. Rikkoo normeja ja on pyörinyt imelessä paljon viime viikkoina. Annan itselleni aikaa tottua ajatukseen, jonka kaihertavuus taitaa jälleen kerran juontua omasta parittomuudestani. Kateus vie kalatkin vedestä, sanoisi äiti.

Japanilaiseen tyyliin.

Kaksi palaa tatamia.

Yksi ohut futon.

Tyynyjä ja valokuvia.

Päiväpeitto vauvavuosiltani.

Harmaa seinä.

Siitä on viihtyisä alkovi tehty.

Summer breeze.

The third day of hauling stuff.

This time we took 7 boxes on a bus with a friend.

Hung too many shirts and piled too many tshirts in the wardrobe.

We got the rugs on floors, flattened so much card (luckily I got a lot of practice in that last year as recycling was my specific responsibility as a volunteer!) and dusted cushions, stacked books on shelves and discovered six lamps (I have space for two).

Amazing.

The yellow bookshelf.

In my childhood things didn't come easy.

"Everyone else has it!" doomed your destiny - you wouldn't get it if you gave such a bad argument.

Sometimes you had to wait long and be patient.

I waited for this bookshelf.

It resided in my grandparents' loft for a quarter of a century and for at least the past 15 years it was obvious to everyone it was me who dreamt of a shared life with that bookshelf.

When I told my grandpa I was about to move again he asked me if I'd like to have it.

Here it is.

With home delivery.

Assembled by grandpa (87).

Baby bliss.

Last year while I was away, loads of friends sneakily made wee babies. Now there's finally a new baby on it's way and the best part is that my new home is less than 10 minutes away from this cute poopmachine! We had a wee baby shower a couple of weeks back and I crocheted a blankie for them. I would like to say I'm tired of waiting already but as it might be a little inconsiderate knowing how eagerly my friend would like to meet her newborn, I'll just tell you there's not that many things I'm looking forward to more than this new human being!

PS. The crocheting is quite ok but oh my word the amount of loose ends to finish off! Whoa!

If Muurame went Ikea.

Today was full of hard work, let me tell you.

First an early swim in bright sunlight at 6.45am, then some tax justice campaign planning. That stuff is complicated, let me tell you! The planning meeting was in an NGOs office and I tried several times to tell the front desk which meeting I'm planning to attend but my brain just produced the word "tax" and some non-comprende type mumbling. The lady understood me anyhow.

Then my very best brother drove 2h to help me move, smiled nicely as we carried some Muurame and Artek furniture. Let me tell you, it's no Ikea - weighs about a ton!

The trousers I bought him in Berlin fit perfectly. Super slim fit, low waist and a whole lot of attributes I did not understand.

Tomorrow, the move is to be continued.