We too have been very busy since Christmas. Sadly we can't produce lovely photos to show off all we've done, but you'll have to make do with the descriptions.
Our Father gave himself a few time limits for the outstanding jobs......
End of march 2008 Greenhouse
End of march 2008 All internal cupboard doors
End of summer 2008 Music room upper part completed and integrated into lower part.
So at March 4th 2008 what have we achieved?
Base of greenhouse and back and side block walls set. Front and back frame built. Old windows sorted into what will go where.
Foundations for most of the raised flower beds dug and some have concrete base in them. Mum of all is going to learn to be a brickie and will be building these herself. Hope they will be strong enough to survive the weight of soil inside them.
Internally, we rebuilt the cupboard to left of sink and made a space for microwave and put our Finnish bought drainers in the next bit for the new crockery to be stored in. However, there are no more cupboard doors, because the cathedral asked our father to build a wooden screen for their entrance barrier. This has involved a lot of designing and re-designing and is really very clever. If the router hadn't given up the ghost the other morning, the job would be nearly finished. This time round, Our Father will get paid for his work.
Hopefully, the two weeks at Easter will allow large achievements.
BBil and Big little Sis have had their share of excitement, having installed a Wind Turbine, which has sadly managed to burn out its inverter. So they are hoping this is only teething troubles as the electric Aga is coming soon.
Its wonderful to watch spring coming and to see the birds starting to nest in the new nesting boxes. I spend hours watching their antics.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Our Parents aren't in Cork Part 2
Well actually we're now back in Cork, but we had a second week away, in Norway.
Had very good instructions from VL to get train from Oslo Airport to Skoppum, where VL met us at 8p.m. on 27th.
Were delighted to be back at No 86 and to see Mrs VL (plus tiny lump) peg and the 5 cats.
It was not snowy, and only just freezing, so we were able to enjoy the outdoors. Spent a good while helping to stock up the woodpiles. Had the satisfaction of disposing of a huge pile of large logs and planks which are now neatly stacked ready for next year or the year after. Actually, we got the job done just as the snow started, so were delighted with oursleves. Also one more garage door was hung, but time and the light ran out on the second. Maybe, by now it is done.
Other smaller jobs on the famous blackboard were also completed, so great satisfaction all round.
We had a lovely day in Sofiemyer with Mrs VL's Mum and Dad. The highlight was the playing of Christmas music on the piano accordian accompanied by the piano. Also walking around the subburb and looking at all the decorations. The Norwegians really do Christmas in style.
Needless to say, every meal was a an adventure, and we tried our hand too at a little bit of cordonbleu. The chocolate mousse was delicious, but very sinful.
New Year's Evening we had special food, played a Scrabbled based game and then went outside to let off four little fireworks, ten sparklers and to enjoy all the displays around us. Auld Lang Syne was not up to its usual standard, but we did our best. It was all very atmospheric (and cold)!
By the end of our days at No 86, we were planning the summer and a family holiday. Hopefully, this will happen and we will yet again be in the land of the midnight sun, and able to go outside without having to get dressed up for the cold.
We spent our last day in Norway in Sandefjord and saw the shops and the train station and the fjord. All too soon it was time to return to Cork and to normality. We have very happy memories of our lovely time over the Christmas/New year and thank our lovely dils for making us so welcome and at home.
Had very good instructions from VL to get train from Oslo Airport to Skoppum, where VL met us at 8p.m. on 27th.
Were delighted to be back at No 86 and to see Mrs VL (plus tiny lump) peg and the 5 cats.
It was not snowy, and only just freezing, so we were able to enjoy the outdoors. Spent a good while helping to stock up the woodpiles. Had the satisfaction of disposing of a huge pile of large logs and planks which are now neatly stacked ready for next year or the year after. Actually, we got the job done just as the snow started, so were delighted with oursleves. Also one more garage door was hung, but time and the light ran out on the second. Maybe, by now it is done.
Other smaller jobs on the famous blackboard were also completed, so great satisfaction all round.
We had a lovely day in Sofiemyer with Mrs VL's Mum and Dad. The highlight was the playing of Christmas music on the piano accordian accompanied by the piano. Also walking around the subburb and looking at all the decorations. The Norwegians really do Christmas in style.
Needless to say, every meal was a an adventure, and we tried our hand too at a little bit of cordonbleu. The chocolate mousse was delicious, but very sinful.
New Year's Evening we had special food, played a Scrabbled based game and then went outside to let off four little fireworks, ten sparklers and to enjoy all the displays around us. Auld Lang Syne was not up to its usual standard, but we did our best. It was all very atmospheric (and cold)!
By the end of our days at No 86, we were planning the summer and a family holiday. Hopefully, this will happen and we will yet again be in the land of the midnight sun, and able to go outside without having to get dressed up for the cold.
We spent our last day in Norway in Sandefjord and saw the shops and the train station and the fjord. All too soon it was time to return to Cork and to normality. We have very happy memories of our lovely time over the Christmas/New year and thank our lovely dils for making us so welcome and at home.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Our Parents Aren't in Cork at present. Part 1
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS.
Our Parents have been globetrotting AGAIN! On December 20th, we left Cork and flew to Helsinki via Dublin. Spent very short night in Cumulus Hotel getting up at 3.30a.m. irish time to fly on to Kuopio and see for ourselves how life in a northern land is.
Had a wonderful time thanks to the care that toco and Mrs toco took of us.
Highlights were:-
Surprise visit from Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. Came by Honda Civic. Reindeers and sleighs being in short supply this year.
(Pilot on airplane had announced that there was an exclusion zone within 500 miles of artic circle- Santa had flying rights).
Spending lots if time with our granddaughters, visiting the Christmas show at the Byvvakotti(Nursery school), playing all sorts of games, making gingerbread biscuits, going for walks on ice (our father did a lot of involuntary skating) helping them at the local playground, talking to No. 2 in English and being delighted when she replied.
For our Father, the chance to play 5 organs in 11/2 hours in the Sibelius Academy.
The visit to Jyvaskyla and meeting his summer recital organ in a WARM church. He nearly got locked in when toco went to get a pizza for their lunch.
The wonderful and very different Christmas fare. Mrs toco and toco went to a lot of trouble for us.
We enjoyed the traditional saturday night sauna, followed by the even more traditional bottle of beer.....
Just seeing their lovely house and garden with the special features, baking oven that heated the whole house, the workshop, all toco's shelving, views of the woods from the windows.
Me shopping with Mrs toco and getting disorientated in the supermarket. Had two goes at finding her!
Going on Sunday to the Cathedral service and then seeing the 'Potato Masher' at the top of the hill and the ski slope and ski jump in use from the bottom.
Going to the family service on Christmas Eve and singing hymns in Finnish. Talking to another Finnish girl who had an English mil who refused to go to church because she wouldn't understand what was going on. I said that part of the interest for me was to try and follow and recognise bits of the service.
Our Father went to Church with toco on Stephen's Day and sang 17 hymns in Finnish. toco was in the choir.
Our six days in Finland flew by and we reluctantly left on 27th early in the morning. Flew to Helsinki and had the day reminding ourselves of our trip there in 1997. Did a little shopping, walked to the Winter Garden via the Rock Church, went back and had lunch in Stockman and then caught the bus back to the airport and flew late afternoon to Oslo.
Our Parents have been globetrotting AGAIN! On December 20th, we left Cork and flew to Helsinki via Dublin. Spent very short night in Cumulus Hotel getting up at 3.30a.m. irish time to fly on to Kuopio and see for ourselves how life in a northern land is.
Had a wonderful time thanks to the care that toco and Mrs toco took of us.
Highlights were:-
Surprise visit from Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. Came by Honda Civic. Reindeers and sleighs being in short supply this year.
(Pilot on airplane had announced that there was an exclusion zone within 500 miles of artic circle- Santa had flying rights).
Spending lots if time with our granddaughters, visiting the Christmas show at the Byvvakotti(Nursery school), playing all sorts of games, making gingerbread biscuits, going for walks on ice (our father did a lot of involuntary skating) helping them at the local playground, talking to No. 2 in English and being delighted when she replied.
For our Father, the chance to play 5 organs in 11/2 hours in the Sibelius Academy.
The visit to Jyvaskyla and meeting his summer recital organ in a WARM church. He nearly got locked in when toco went to get a pizza for their lunch.
The wonderful and very different Christmas fare. Mrs toco and toco went to a lot of trouble for us.
We enjoyed the traditional saturday night sauna, followed by the even more traditional bottle of beer.....
Just seeing their lovely house and garden with the special features, baking oven that heated the whole house, the workshop, all toco's shelving, views of the woods from the windows.
Me shopping with Mrs toco and getting disorientated in the supermarket. Had two goes at finding her!
Going on Sunday to the Cathedral service and then seeing the 'Potato Masher' at the top of the hill and the ski slope and ski jump in use from the bottom.
Going to the family service on Christmas Eve and singing hymns in Finnish. Talking to another Finnish girl who had an English mil who refused to go to church because she wouldn't understand what was going on. I said that part of the interest for me was to try and follow and recognise bits of the service.
Our Father went to Church with toco on Stephen's Day and sang 17 hymns in Finnish. toco was in the choir.
Our six days in Finland flew by and we reluctantly left on 27th early in the morning. Flew to Helsinki and had the day reminding ourselves of our trip there in 1997. Did a little shopping, walked to the Winter Garden via the Rock Church, went back and had lunch in Stockman and then caught the bus back to the airport and flew late afternoon to Oslo.
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