Great afternoon with Samu

Surprise, surprise - Joanna told me that I could take grandson Samuel with me yesterday afternoon, without a time limit, and also without any major parental restriction!!

First we went shopping, then to eat at Hesburger, the local version of an American Fast Food chain. (I do not eat at American Fast Food chains!!)

Then we went to the Children's Park. Here is Samuel duly caged!!

Samu, the blue Tiger, caged

Actually he was trampolining.


Samu, trampolining

Then he decided he wanted to do some Motor Cross driving.


Samu getting ready for Motor Cross driving

Finally he did some more sedate driving in the petrol engine car.


A more sedate driver - Samu

Altogether a very nice day - and he behaved just perfectly all the way through!!

Bloomed after 7 years

Annikki wanted me to take a picture of this bush which bloomed in the Kampitie garden last year after 7 years of stagnation as just a bush.


7 years to bloom


7 years to bloom - magnified

Looks like you are getting a lot of flowery photographs!!

Another bad picture of the bee

Lots of you emailed me about the Bee in Kampitie picture!!

One said that she needed a magnifying glass to see the bee. Here is another, and although it appears that the bee is still out of focus, it is VISIBLE!!

Hei, I know I need a better digital camera.

Bee in rose in Kampitie - magnified

Please watch this on your computer

Please, please watch this video on your computer.

If the link does not work please try this URL

http://www.bushflash.com/right.html

Busy Bee in Kampitie

As I walked around the garden, early this morning, I saw that the bees were very busy at the flowers.

Busy Bee in Kampitie

I discovered the limitations of my digital camera when I took some shots. Will have to upgrade if I am to put some decent photos on this blog!!

Salmon, the emblem of Oulu

While enjoying my walk yesterday, I saw this statue in the park, one I had not noticed earlier.

Oulu Statue - The Salmon, the emblem of Oulu, and the eagle

This statue lies in the shadow of the Oulu Castle. It is the castle plus the salmon that features on the Oulu Coat of Arms.


Oulu Coat of Arms

Ghostly feeling in Oulu Park

I went for my daily walk today. It was blisteringly hot, so I changed my route to walk along the stream which runs through the town and through the main park where the City Museum is located.

As I was strolling casually, I suddenly felt as if I was in a ghostly place. Healthy trees were around me but then I noticed that several trees shrouded in a white spider web like cover which had killed all the leaves and even the bark was fully enveloped by this white thick killing mantle.

Tree shrouded by a spider web like cover


Tree shrouded by a spider web like cover
showing even the bark affected by the insect attack

For a moment I too felt claustrophobic. I had never seen this effect in Oulu before.

I was frightened. Would I carry this infection back to the Kampitie garden that Annikki was so carefully tending.

I treaded carefully, just taking enough time to get a couple of shots of this effect from a reasonable distance. Then I was out of that deadly place!!

When I got home, I asked Annikki whether she knew of such an effect. She assured me that it was quite common around here but she did not know what it was and what caused it.

Not being a botanist, my search on Google did not reveal much. Anyone who can give me an explanation will be toasted!!

Parking For QUESTS Only

Came across this sign outside the largest hotel in Oulu during my morning walk.

SAS Radisson is obviously organising some Quests

Obituary of a colleague, Heikki Torvela

Last Sunday, Annikki brought me our local newspaper which carried a small report about the passing away of Emeritus Professor HEIKKI TORVELA on 8th June 2005. Heikki was just 65 years old, being born on the 28th of April 1940.

1988, Heikki (right) with Indian Ambassador K. P. Fabian
and myself when the Ambassador made a special visit to
the Microelectronics Laboratory


1990, Heikki (on right) with a a visiting scientist
from China, Xue, and myself

Heikki got his Engineering Diploma (Master of Science) in 1967. When I came to Oulu in 1984, it was Heikki who found me and asked me to join the Microelectronics Laboratory where he was the Laboratory Manager. We became close friends.

I prodded him that it had been almost 17 years since his Masters and that he should finish his Licentiate and then get his Doctorate. He was sceptical at first. I promised that I would help him with writing the thesis which he wanted to present in English. He acquiesced.

So we set about this task with great fury, Heikki getting the experimental work and results and the two of us sitting and composing the thesis. He completed his compulsory course work rapidly. He got his Licentiate in 1986, in just a year and a half of really herculean effort.

Then we quickly got to work on his Doctoral thesis. Within a year he published and got his Doctorate. He especially thanked me by name in his front page acknowledgements in his thesis which was entitled "Detection of air pollution and studies on ceramic tin dioxide sensors used to sense gases emitted from combustion processes".

Heikki was co-author with me in a couple of major international lectures which I delivered in France. On one occasion, when I was unable to travel, he kindly delivered one of my lectures at an international conference.

During the final stages of his licentiate, and then his doctorate, I stood in for him as the Laboratory Manager. He was then appointed as the Chief Engineer. I also stood in for him in that post. He got the chance to become Associate Professor at Lapeenranta University in Eastern Finland in Measurement Technology. After much soul searching where we spent hours together weighing the pros and cons, he took official leave from his post at Oulu University to hold that post. I held his post at Oulu University when he was away.

It was sad to see him leave Oulu, but he kept in touch with me regularly and helped me out on several occasions when I was in a jam.

He then moved in 1992 to Kemi as the Professor of Environmental Measurement Sciences. He did some extremely interesting and innovative work there. Although I left the University in 1992, I kept in touch with Heikki for many years.

Heikki retired in 2003 and was given the Emeritus Professor title.

It was a wonderful relationship where we both depended greatly on each other. I feel sad that just when we could have been enjoying our retirement years together, that he was so rudely taken away.

Heikki had many hobbies, including photography. He maintained a small photo developing studio in the Microelectronics Laboratory. He was also extremely physically fit.

Although he remained a bachelor, he really enjoyed life to the fullest, including an evening drink at his favourite pub.

I wish that his vibrant soul may now rest in peace.

Crumpled Rose

This morning, before I set out on my morning walk, I pottered around the garden.

There was one flower that Annikki had drawn my attention to a couple of days ago. It is a rose - except that when it blooms, in full bloom the petals look completely crumpled - "Crumpled Rose" was what Annikki called it.

Crumpled Rose in Kampitie

On the internet I found one description:

La Rose Bordeaux®
Masrobo

Pale pink - isolated, rose bed - H 1,2 +++ - TR

This rose is an ode to womanhood and sensuality. Large flowers bloom in generous flowering heads or panicles on a strong and vigorous bush with medium green foliage. It is then that bloom roses with crumpled petals, rustling like petticoats, whose pale pink shade becomes more flesh-coloured in the centre, giving off a soft and tender scent all through the summer.

T. K. Kurien (Unni) gets top job

T. K. Kurien, known to all of us as Unni, husband of Mary, youngest daughter of Dr. and Dr. (Mrs.) K. C. Mammen (Bapukuttychayan and Kunjunjammkochamma) has been appointed as the Chief Executive of Wipro's BPO business.

The write up in The BUSINESS LINE the Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications dated Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 was headlined:

"T.K. Kurien to head Wipro BPO unit"

"We are pleased to have Mr Kurien lead our BPO initiative at a time when it is at an inflexion point. Given his wide experience in technology and process optimisation and his excellent track record as a leader, Mr Kurien has the right combination of experience and energy to sustain and leverage our position of leadership in BPO to broaden our offerings and further realise the emerging opportunities in this space. We would also like to acknowledge the significant contribution of Mr Raman Roy in building this business. We wish him well in his future endeavours," Mr Vivek Paul, Vice-Chairman of Wipro, said in a statement."

There were several excellent reports on the web. I read on one that Unni will report directly to top boss, Premji.

I have conveyed congratulations to Mary and Unni on this on behalf of all of us. Well done Unni. We are all very proud of your achievement.

Samu gets his first Football Certificate

After one week of really hard training sessions, Samuel, along with half a dozen others, got their football ccertificates this afternoon.

I was able to watch him do the entire training programme. He has improved his game by leaps and bounds.

The football training group after the end of the last session
enjoying their earned ice creams courtesy the trainers

Samu has lots of homework to do, as the trainers taught the group great stuff of how to handle the ball, fool your opponent when being tackled, and also to shoot accurately at the goal.

I enjoyed watching the training probably as much as Samu enjoyed being trained.

Keeping busy

I was again fully engaged today. Did not get time for my usual afternoon 40 winks.

I had intended to clean up my office room, but could not get started. I took Samuel for football and then took him to town as Joanna was taking him for an eye test. Joanna was at the gym.

I bought a circular polishing and surface grinding tool as I have to clean up my old jaloppy as it looks so sloppy now.

Cleaned both the fountain pumps in the pond. The lotus stems which a friend gave us are surviving as floating plants. If they survive another week, Annikki and I intend to go out to the lake and bring some plants back which are in bloom.

Joanna and Tony had a small family barbecue to celebrate their wedding anniversary. I went a little later and shared some of the cake. Daniel kept me busy for all the while I was there. Samuel was busy reading a book.

Tenth Anniversary celebration

Joanna and Tony celebrate their 10th wedding anniversay today.

I still remember their wedding day - a most unusual one, as everyone had to pay for their own meal at the reception!! Great idea and hope more would follow this rule.

In the 10 years they have achieved a lot, besides two great grandkids for us.

I am sure the next ten years will see much more flowing under the bridge of time. Samuel will then be 18 and Daniel will be 11. I will be 72 and Annikki will still be 18. :-)

Worth waiting for.

Happy anniversary to both of you!

Busy Day

Bought myself a new pair of sandals as the last one lasted me five and half years - I bought them in India in December 1999. Not as good as my old leather ones, but prices have slumped so I can probably get a new one every summer!!
Bought health medicines for Annikki and also for her mother.
Picked up Joanna's Polar Heart Rate Monitor, which was fitted with a new battery. She will use it during her restarted gym training schedule.
Took Samu for his football training. He was full of effort as usual, tackling his opponents, double his size, with great vigour.
Kamu, my Zambian friend came to repair the Electric Scooter. Still some more work needed before we get it on the road this year.
Finally, spent the last few hours listening to various reviews of pResident Bush's speech to the US Nation last night. It has been slammed universally as a piece of trash filled with lies. In one spell he made 5 consecutive statements, ALL LIES!!
It is strange that both the US and UK have compulsive liars, Bush and Blair, at the top of the political tree.
Tomorrow promises to be still another hexctic day as I plan to tidy up the office room as my mid-year resolution.
Weather is flexible, but quite summery - with intermittent sunshine and showers, but quite warm and not too windy.

Boycott call by Jury of Conscience of the World Tribunal on Iraq

The Jury of Conscience, after the final session of the World Tribunal on Iraq, after 2 years of deliberation, included the following recommendation:

7. That people throughout the world launch actions against US and UK corporations that directly profit from this war. Examples of such corporations include Halliburton, Bechtel, Carlyle, CACI Inc., Titan Corporation, Kellog, Brown and Root (subsidiary of Halliburton), DynCorp, Boeing, ExxonMobil, Texaco, British Petroleum. The following companies have sued Iraq and received “reparation awards”: Toys R Us, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Shell, Nestlé, Pepsi, Phillip Morris, Sheraton, Mobil. Such actions may take the form of direct actions such as shutting down their offices, consumer boycotts, and pressure on shareholders to divest.

May I request all my readers to take steps and pass this information on to at least five of their friends.

To read the entire verdict and recommendations of the Jury of Conscience, please visit my blog page:

http://jmpolitics.blogspot.com

Now I am excited...

I have just discovered that I can post my entries directly from my Mac OS X Dashboard to all my blogs. No more the need to log in and enter text. I will have to work out how to manage image uploads, etc. With this development, you can expect more frequent entries to all my blogs.

Catastrophe gives me a great meal

Joanna and Tony had a small catastrophe on Saturday evening. When they returned from their trip to Kalajoki, where they visited Tony's parents, they found that they had left their deep freeze off for the two days they were away. Most of the stuff had thawed and both of them, being health freaks felt that nothing could be refrozen. Joanna called me late on Saturday evening to give away stuff she said we should use up quickly. Then they got rid of a lot of stuff and finally, Joanna decided that she would have a barbecue with all the remaining grub.

Mika, Annikki and myself were invited.

So on Sunday evening, Chef Tony rustled up a great barbecue of lots of chicken legs and sausages, while Joanna made some delicious baked garlic potatoes and baked broccoli with onion.

We killed the stuff in a couple of hours.

I managed to get a few pictures at the event.

Chef Tony having a break during his barbecuing session


Annikki having a swig of lemon juice


Joanna with Daniel


Daniel relaxing


Shirtless Samu
A great family evening where I dearly missed Susanna and family, and Jaakko!!

Visit to see Timo and Gopa

Last Wednesday I had a call from Gopa, daughter of Sadhana Madhusadan (Cathedralite 54er) from Pune, from a nearby village where she was visiting her mother-in-law. Gopa suggested Annikki and I visit them as it was not a long drive (about an hour and a half).

Anniki had tons to do, so I took off in my ancient rabbit and was with them in less than an hour and a half. I would have done the journey quicker but a Police Motorbike shot past the queue of cars streaming out of Oulu, so we did not know where he was in hiding - so we had to keep our speeds to within the speed limit!!

Spent some real quality time with both of them and Timo's 82 year old mother. Although partially blind (she recognises people from their voices as she cannot distinguish them with sight) she lives alone in her home and manages everything like clockwork. A truly great lady, mother of 11 children, she recalled the names of not only all of them but also her 26 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren!!

Timo's mother, now 82

Gopa looked as lovely as ever and Timo was his real gentlemanly self. Gopa was her sprightly full of life self and Finland is really suiting her. She is lucky to have such a wonderful man as her husband.

Gopa had even brought me some real Kerala papadams from Pune!! We love papadams.


Timo and Gopa in front of the traditional built in oven
in Timo's mother's home in a village near Pudasjärvi

Two wonderful ladies celebrate birthdays today

Two of my dear elder "sisters" celebrate their birthdays today.

Accakuttykochamma, Mrs. K. G. Kuruvilla, mother of Dilip (Chennai), Susan (Ontario), Annu (New York) and Usha (Singapore) and grandmother of numerous outstanding youngsters, celebrates her 78th birthday today. Accakuttykochamma was the bridesmaid at my mother's wedding and she still looks as sweet as she did then. She is also as sweet a person today as I always remember her.

Bridesmaid Accakuttykochamma is the little girl
(on the extreme right) at my parent’s wedding (1936)

Happy birthday Accakuttykochamma from all of us here in Oulu.

The second dear "sister", who celebrates her 65th birthday today, is Beebikochamma, Mrs. K.C. Mammen, mother of Anil, Roy and Rachel (all in Bangalore), and daughter-in-law of that wonderful grand lady, Pallammachi (Chennai). (Sorry, no photograph available at the moment.)

Happy birthday Beebikochamma from all of us in Finland.

We miss both of you very very much and our hearts are with you and your families on this auspicious day.