Long roads and giant knickers
After 18 months of planning we finally got our final family holiday. Next summer the two oldest are going their own way and it surely will not be Finland, somehow they do not associate words fun and relatives from my side together. I have a huge family who love to organise. If we stay with them I'll get our holiday meals minutely detailed two weeks before we travel and during today's afternoon coffee they tried to explain No1 son what he wanted to study in the university. Soon followed by "He is desperate to learn Finnish, if you would let him!" .....?******
For reasons of peace I this time round turned down every offer of accommodation and hired a cottage in the end of a very long and winding gravel road. They are all coming for a BBQ tomorrow - so much for my careful planning. But I must admit this is an ideal place for country dwellers: No near neighbours, large cottage and a second one to separate the teenagers with reasonable breathing space. The second one houses the inevitable sauna too, and yes, we have been. We mix and match and eat in the middle and go swimming and then back to sauna again. Health warnings do exist - I just do not want to remember any of them.
The place is next to Baltic and offers endless fun. My kids are trying to fish and as they never have tried before their ingenious attempts are killing the family with laughter. My dad is likely turning in his grave but as they are all allergic to fish I see no reason why they should catch any.
They have all learnt to row a boat too. First we pulled the boat up to the beach and practised on dry land, then tried on water. The owners are very wise, the oars are bolted in and cannot escape and buoyancy aids are offered free of charge. No5 wears one all day long. If she wanders to the water we should be able to spot her riding the waves safely. I think the biggest threat to her is mummy swan who is rather protective of her five babies.
The kitchen in the cabin is first class but the BBQ is even better. It stands in the middle of a roofed sitting area and is a home made design I've never seen before. A square funnel, with a hole in the bottom (covered with removable drain cover) and a bucket for ashes below. Bit of mesh on the top and it cooks beautifully.
Hisself is not one for boats but we are only 3 miles from one of Finland's topmost agricultural colleges. It is open every day for visitors in summer time and has enough to keep any farmer happy for a day of two. We had good links there before as Hisself has over the years visited a few discussion group meetings and given the odd lecture.
Oh, you are still waiting for the giant knickers. When the first load of washing returned from the washline I found a giant pair of knickers! They were obviously in the machine before we got here. So I lifted them up and hisself said "Definitely not mine." I do hope so as they were ladies. Turned to No2 daughter who innocently said "I thought they were yours mummy, extra room for comfort on the flight...." The size of them!!! I am still speechless.