Summer is C-R-A-Z-Y!

Sorry for this longish pause on writing here, but as the title suggests: this summer, up here in the back alleys of Europe, has been just insane. Weather-wise, I mean. And ya, I do know that the whole of Europe has been pampered with warmth, sun and high temperatures - but us Finns; we're not used to it! Thus, I've tried to spend as much time outside, in the sun, as possible.

Ok, enough of that. My career in Dagmar (=the media agency I work in) has picked up nicely - but as the whole of Finland is on summer vacation for most of July, it's been almost lethally slow for past week and some. Not just that our office is basically empty, but the clients are also enjoying this luvly weather at home. Luckily I was able to take a week off - non-paid of course - but without it I would've probably gone mad with the idleness that ruled my work-days in the office.

So. A summer vacation. My first one on this millennium - and despite the fact that this time was taken off my salary, it was worth it! I started this luxory up in Kinkomaa, a.k.a. my parents place. The crab-season started in Finland on July 21st and we got the first taste of that delicacy only 2 days later! After a crab-feast Olli and I drove down to Tampere from where we took an inland waterway ship to Hämeenlinna - the oldest inland city of Finland. We had a superior-class room reserved in a local hotel there and the weather treated us - again - smoothly and gently. The fact that we got soaking wet when we arrived the Hämeenlinna harbour is just minor details, since on tuesday the pavement was melting under our feet as we walked to the old Häme castle - which is the main attraction of the city of Hämeenlinna.

From Hämeenlinna we took a train back towards Tampere - just to get off in Lempäälä and to visit Olli's grandparents in their summer house. We took a look around their property, had a nice coffee-moment - and then we headed to Hämeenkyrö for a relaxing and easy rest-of-the-week in Olli's family's summer cottage!

So. Our summer-vacation-week was an easy, relaxing and peaceful oasis in the middle of a hectic work-period. Now, being back in the still-quiet office seems just that much harder - and on the other hand I'm full of energy and enthusiasm for the upcoming fall!

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On the other front I also got some good, happy news: MSc-students for Helsinki School of Economics were announced and I got a spot in the International Business Communication-program! So, if I want to, I can go back to school in September!!! And I really do intend to do so - in a degree that's possible to cope with my work. There are many classes starting at 16.15, and as you know; academic world isn't so strickt. So, I'm sure I'll manage - as long as I just remember to listen to myself and won't take on too much.

Other good news are Julia's and Katja's plans to visit Helsinki: the first "losing" her boyfriend to Nokia and the latter coming over to see me! So, the rest of you: follow the good example and book those flights! :) :)