Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää!

Which means happy Finland's Independence Day.

What has already become a tradition, on every year we go to ”Patriotic Festivities” (Isänmaallinen juhla) at Tampere-talo. It's a day earlier than Finland's Independence Day. I’ve been there on many years. There were choir group ”Mieskuoro Laulajat” and with them were “Eagles Brass Band” (”Kotkien puhallinorkesteri”). My own father and godfather are on the choir.

I started to get myself ready too late and in the end I was in such a hurry. We left in a hurry and I was really anxious in the car. We got there right on time and I got to see my dad before the show and we drank champagne.

 

”Mieskuoro Laulajat”

Senior choir group ”Seniorikuoro Konkelot”

Then the show was about to start and we went to sit right in front of the stage, in the middle of the row. First there were only the “Eagles Brass Band” and then came ”Mieskuoro Laulajat”. At the end came senior choir group ”Seniorikuoro Konkelot”. The show was exellent. The song ”Finlandia” is always breathtaking and sends chills all the way to the back of my neck. It is so important to me on Finland's Independence Day and I always wait it the most. When it came I just closed my eyes and listened. At the end of the concert we all stand up and sing the Finnish national anthem, “Maamme”.

 
So, today was the Independence Day. We made food and like every year, we were watching the "Castle Ball” (Finnish: “Linnan juhlat”), the Presidential Independence Day which is held for approximately 2000 invited guests at the Presidential Palace. On this year it was particulary interesting to see the Ball for this was the first time our new president, Sauli Niinistö, would host them and it has been on the news also what he would do there. We ate and commented the gowns the guests were wearing.

Roasted vegetables, seitan steak and pepper sauce.

Like on every year the movie "The Unknown Soldier" (Finnish: "Tuntematon sotilas") is broadcasted on TV. I heard that this time some idiot has complained that it is show on TV at time when kids are watching and because the movie is centred around war it is not suitable for kids. It is a tradition that the movie is shown particulary on Finland's Independence Day and if someone doesn't want their kids to see it take the remote away - It's that simple! Dear concerned parents: don't ruin our traditions! Thank you.

It's coming closer!

 
I need to take a deep breath and calm myself down... But I can't wait for the Christmas to come!!
I went nuts when the first snow came down and everywhere I looked was white. Like always I had to go outside and try to catch the snowflakes with my tongue. I get so exited about first snow. Too bad it melted down and now it's just dirt and more dirt.

I took a false start to Christmas and we made Star-shaped Christmas pastries. I usually save it to Christmas Eve but now I absolutely crawed them. I have also made carrot casserole just to practice it for Christmas. I'm also going to practice making seitan (vegan wheat meat) again in the near future for it has been such a long time since I made it last time and I want to nail it on Christmas. Practicing, practicing, practising.

I truly wait Christmas to come. I've been planning Christmas presents and already bought some of them. We're going to start a massive Christmas cleaning at the beginning of December and decorating the house ahead of time. We have also planned on going to Helsinki with my mom near Christmas to visit my brother and spend time with him. We are also gathering up a big Christmas present for him... I can't wait!

Sorry for the Silence

I want to appologize the silence which has been taking over my blog for the last few months. I have been having a very tough time lately and writing my blog hasn't really been my first priority. My dear cat passed away which was a very though break for me, and then there has been other things also.

In time, I have tried to learn to live with all of these things and learning to accept them. In the mean time I have tried to do something positive and do something I feel good to blog about. I don't feel like blogging when I'm feeling down and no one really likes to read blog entries like that, right?

So now I'm concentrating on the good sides of life and day by day I'm getting there and I'm trying to keep you up with blogging about them.

Rest In Peace Siru

Last Wednesday my dear cat Siru was passed away. Because of her health problems she was euthanized.
Siru was the queen of this house. She was the first cat and she seemed to know this. Siru was VERY dear to me for she is my first cat I’ve every had and she had her own quirks. Siru was so special to me.

Siru had been worse and worse by the time going by. She stopped using the litter box and she was a lot by herself. She slept a lot and didn’t play with toys anymore. On the last day she just slept in the sauna and didn’t come out at all. When after the day I was coming to see Siru she was laconic and sad. This continued on for the rest of the day. And she didn’t eat anymore. At the end of the night we decided to take Siru to the on-call vet. 

At the vet the vet inspected Siru and he said that her gums were yellowish and there was something hard on her belly. This could pointed to tumor of some kind. Plus all we had told about Siru and how she did not eat anymore or anything and she was so painfully thin. The options were more examinations or euthanasia - and both the nurse and the doctor were suggesting euthanasia at this point. It was one of the most hardest decitions to made but it was necessary. Siru was so tired and done so it was painful to watch it anymore. I first was on the side of doing more examinations but at the end even I leaned towards euthanasia and it was so hard. 

I got the chance to say goodbye to Siru before the vet came with the needle. They told me that she was going to be put to sleep first before the final injection. I felt so bad after I had seen it and I wished I could just make it all go away or reverse everything - but I couldn’t. I said my last goodbyes to Siru and we left the room. We had to go to the car to calm down a bit before we went back inside to choose the urn for we had decided to cremate Siru. After that we headed home with a carrying box that was now empty. The rest of the night went in tears as we were thinking back the whole day and what had happened and the longing of our beloved cat. 

The next days went by crying over our dear Siru. I couldn’t believe that she was gone. But it helped me to think that she was now above the clouds watching down at us and she didn’t had to suffer anymore. It has been hard to let go to someone you love so dearly but the good memories will come up every time I think of Siru. I believe that in time the pain will go away and only the good memories will last. I will always remember Siru and she will always have a special place in my heart. 

Nice Day at the Café

Today we decided to have a nice Sunday at the Café with my mom. We went there and ordered hot sandwiches and a bottle of sparkling wine. We spend the time chatting and eating well. It was a very nice Sunday day spent in a good company.

Sparkling wine

 Hot sandwich - vegan Tofu-Olive-Tomato sauce

It was the last day of the London Olympics so like on the other days we tuned in the TV on the background and watched the Olympics. Later that night we watched the Olympics Closing Ceremony and what an amazing ceremony it was! I watched it with my mom and drank sparkling wine. I wish I could've been there but watching it on the sofa was the next best thing.