Another hectic week...

The last week has again been hectic.





On Saturday evening we went to climb to the top of the water tower at Puolivälikangas in North Oulu. Fellow Thai food lover, Miika Peltonen, had alerted me that the City of Oulu was opening this site as part of their move to educate and entertain the population.

I did not remember ever having climbing this 50 metre high tower. But Annikki did. She reminded me that in July 1969 when we were on our way back to India with our two small kids, Susanna and Jaakko, Annikki's uncle had taken us to the top of the tower which had been completed in May of that year.

Once at the top the memories flooded back.

The view had changed substantially as 37 years when it was forest, forest and more forest with a sprinkling of small lakes. The City was just a speck in one direction.





The picture today was quite different. Oulu was the hub of developments on all sides. Although plenty of forestry and lakes were visible, the encroachment was clearly visible.





The cloud formations as the evening progressed were truly exciting. We took snaps with both our cameras, this quite useless digital and our old and trusted Canon film camera. But we have to have the energy to send the film for developing - there are about half a dozen waiting to be developed!!



The University Observatory is now situated atop this tower.



Coming down from over the evergreens was truly a great feeling as we looked down at the tree tops.

We then went to Nallikari Beach and sat on the empty seashore and enjoyed a quiet moment and a nice pleasant evening.



Soda asked me to attend the Parents-Teachers Meeting on Turésday evening to listen to him playing in the music fest. I borrowed a digital video camera and taped the entire practice session and the live performance by the three Thai Boys - Yut, Khim and Soda.

They were really good and had the audience joining in.

Soda is a natural performer on the stage.

Wednesday was Annikki's birthday. At half past midnight Pailin, Soda and Unnop were at Kampitie bearing a lovely birthday gift for her, despite my trying to convince them that we have everything possible!

There were lots of phone calls from family and friends with Susanna, Joanna and Jaakko checking in from England and all the grandchildren wishing their grandmother. Annikki was happy.

We celebrated by getting some spicy Chinese food from the Hai Long restaurant which Tingting has introduced us to.

No cake this year!!









The Kampitie garden is still flooded with beautiful flowers. Every day I take a small walk around it to enjoy the colours and flowers! The autumn leaves are sprinkled on the ground, but the weather remains summer-like with Annikki still sitting in the sun for a few hours everyday covered with sun tan lotion.

Tingting has been having some problems with her driving. I spent a couple of mornings with her in a deserted car park going through some of the things she had not been taught in the driving school. The Emergency Stop, the 3-point turn, reversing in a straight line and reversing into a parking spot with a left or a right swerve are important steps in the process of learning to drive and control a car. The correct use of the handbrake and the understanding of engine sound to car speed should be natural subjects in a driving course. I was surprised to find that none of these had been taught in her course.

Hopefully Tingting will soon get her licence and then it will be legitimate for some of us to take her around on the roads to give her some real practical on-road experience and advice.

(More about the week in the next blog entry.)