Finland ~ Tuesday

April 23, 2019

Birch and spruce woods

Last night I took the first dose of the prescription and this morning the second.  I’ve never done well with cold medicine.  I either can’t sleep at all or can’t stay awake.  I really didn’t want to take this but also didn’t want to deal with the ear pain on my Thursday flight.  I slept very well, as I have almost every night in Finland.  But once I was up, even a few cups of strong coffee didn’t do the trick.   I felt so lethargic and useless.  Anna was busy with the youngest kids, getting them to and from their clubs and school bus stops.  I wandered around outside and took a nice walk in the woods.  Only the sight of ants on the ground kept me from laying down in the leaves for a nap. 

Purple forest anemones carpet the forest floor.

After lunch I got all my luggage packed up.  I truly enjoyed and appreciated the use of Anette’s room throughout my stay here, as well as the Finnish hospitality shown to me by the entire family.  Until it was time for a quick supper, I followed Wade around as he did various outdoor activities in the yard.  Spring has finally sprung in Finland so there is plenty to be done.  Some of the time I just camped out in a chair on their front porch and watched Wade work.  He brought me a family history album to peruse, which had a picture of Honningsvaag, Norway, where my grandfather was born.

Top of Wade's open-front shop against the blue sky and birches.

Following a light supper, Wade drove me to the Helsinki area to stay with Ken and Anne again.  There I enjoyed panakkaka (my guess at the spelling of the word for Finnish pancake) and coffee with my hosts as we talked until nearly midnight.