Day 261: Who have visited us?

As mentioned so many times - lot of snow everywhere. One night we were wondering who have visited our back yard and teracce. So many foot prints in the snow! And what they have been doing there?

Day 260: Good bye Nokia mobile?

Well - some might think that this was some how intentional but no - I found my work mobile phone like this: one key missing. Or not missing but loose. And do you know what this means: I had to order new mobile phone and this time it will be iPhone 4S (the model available for us). And that mean that my iFamily will grow.

Day 259: Where is the cat?

Cat is on the table - as you can see. I visited my cousin and as usual in her place cats are where ever they want to be. So there were we - me and cousin drinking tea and eating biscuits, and cat was just sitting there.

Day 258: Old toy and new toy!

I was registering PostCrossing cards. For that I need only my old laptop but as you can see - I couldn't keep my new toy far away.

Day 257: My iToy - next to bed!

Well, now I can say. I need my iPad. As you can see (or most likely not see but please imagine) iPad is next to my bed and I am watching evening news just before my bed time. Yes, I need this new iToy. It is fact. (Or then not...) Oh - what you can't also most likely really see but my old laptop is under my new toy. It has not been forgotten - yet.

Day 256: Do you eat hamburgers?

Do you eat hamburgers? I don't. And reason is that when I was young I was working for couple of years in Hesburger - Finnish version of McDonald. I have not eaten many hamburgers after that. When working 8 hours in the smell of hamburgers you want to eat something else.

I don't eat even one hamburger per year, or per two year. I can't even remember when I have eaten hamburger last time!

Day 255: Helsinki-Chicago-Tokyo?

Now when I bought iPad I can't afford to travel anywhere for a while. So this is my trip Helsinki-Chicago-Tokyo and inside of it is my work mobile. This is my life!

Day 254: My new toy!

There it is - my new toy. My own iPad! I couldn't help myself. I just had to buy it. I am not sure whether I really need it but I wanna have it! When you are grownup you can make also foolish decisions  That is called life.

Day 253: Do you have fun at work? We have!

It was Valentine's Day and all of us were in good humor. My colleague was especially playful. Do you have Monopoly, joke book and snow glider in your shelf at your work place? My colleague has.

Day 252: Men in black?

I was walking home from work when I noticed few black men in the roof. They were pushing snow away from the roof. We have too much snow in Finland! We need men in black to do something!

Day 251: My work desk has been cleaned!

I don't know why but I cleaned my work desk. I am not sure whether I actually am able to work in this clean environment. I am used to have lot of books, papers and other stuff on my desk. But colleague sitting next to me is always having so clean work desk that I started to feel that I have to also do something. (But still my colleague's desk is much much cleaner.)

Day 250: Snow!!!!!

Snow, snow, and more snow. My callunas are not feeling okay under the pressure of snow in our wintry teracce.

Day 249: Thumbs up!

In Finland we say "Thumbs up!" when people in English speaking countries are saying "Cross your fingers!" These thumbs belong to mittens I knitted for my youngest daughter for Valentine Day. I will send these to her and there is secret inside these two thumbs. Let's see whether she find the secret immediately or will it take time. If it takes time - then she don't like these.

Day 248: Fire!

This morning there was stable in our neighbor's yard. But not anymore. Afterwards we read on local paper that fire department was practicing and after all hard practice they let it burn down. And reason why I don't have any photos of burning barn -we were not at home at that time.

Day 247: Oh no - more snow!

People around me are complaining "so much snow, too much plowing", but then there are these positive ones saying "yes, more snow - I go skiing as soon as possible". Great that people are different. I like snow.

Today I was travelling by bus from Helsinki to Naantali and I have to say that I was little bit worried how it will go since it was snowing and from time to time quite heavily. And as usual - traffic was quite messy. But luckily bus driver was guy who didn't try to drive according time schedule - instead he drove very carefully in this awful weather. Points for him.

Day 246: Success!

Today we celebrated me and four of my colleagues successfully passing certification exam of Professional Scrum Master. Also our trainer Lare Lekman was invited as well as members of neighbor teams. It was great moment. And the best part was when member of other team said: damn - you are good at celebrating successes. Yes indeed - we are. And we success so often...

Day 245: What a whether!

I left office early - I was not feeling well - symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux. It just had started to snow and it was also quite windy. Lucky me that it takes only about 10 minutes to walk from office to home. To walk out there any more than absolutely must - really.

Day 244: 26!

I have been little lazy with postcrossing lately. But today I was not: I wrote 26 postcard. You have to remember that I have two profiles: soikka in Naantali and soikkis in Helsinki. Tomorrow I have to go and buy some new cards and stamps.

Day 243: Fill the gap!

I love Kakuro. It is more interesting than Sudoku. You have to calculate - for me that means that I have to use my brains. (And I am not saying that you could do Sudoku without brains.) My father having Alzheimer is reason and motivation for me to challange my brains daily basis.

Day 242: Sun is shining!

Today sun was shining at least here in Naantali. Notice the footprints in the teracce - they are my husband's. He has not been dancing there - he checked whether there is still something to eat for birds. Today we saw black bird in our teracce but I didn't have my camera ready.

Day 241: Banana!

I am like a monkey. I love bananas! Almost like diet food - or...

Day 240: To be or not to be bored!

Look! This is my husband looking very boring. I have just arrived home after spending several days in Helsinki. Or is he like this because I play with my new toy and try all different features of that new camera. That is, not spending time with him.

Day 239: Wanna have!

I have been wondering for long time whether to buy iPad or not. Today I most certainly decided "yes, I will buy". Now it is only matter of funding. I don't think I can afford another new toy near future. But decision has been made - timing depends on funding.

Day 238: Grey day!

Even I like winter and snow today's whether was too much also for me. It was snowing, it was windy, and everything looked grey. So, this time I edited colors off from this photo. Totally grey day!

Day 237: New toy!

I have a new toy. Story of my previous compact camera ended when I got estimation how much it would cost to repair. So I bought a new toy. And I am happy! I am like little children waiting to start exploring what I can do with this toy.

Day 236: Honey!

I am nowadays tea lover. Only one cup of coffee per day - and not even that in some days. For me tea and honey - they belong together. And that is why when we have honey (hunaja in Finnish) in our kitchen cabinet. But don't wake sleeping bear!

Day 235: Finally framed!

Another unfinished handcraft project finalized when I got these two cross-stitching silhouettes framed. Finally. I don't even remember how long these two have been waiting frames. Several years - that is sure. I have the really bad habit: I leave my handcrafts waiting for perfect moment to be finalized (framing or hemming) and that moment - well, it never comes. It is just about me to do it!

 I think I will give these to my older daughter as Valentine's Day present. Let's see.

Day 234: Snow pig?

This is once again about mental image. What do you see in this photo? I see pig's snout. Or dog's.

Day 233: Sad frosty art!

This is the last photo taken with my compact camera before it went broken. It is giving object error all the time. I don't want lose my dear friend. Tomorrow I will take it with me and visit one camera shop and ask whether there is something they can do or do I need to buy another one. So sad!

Day 232: Frosty art?

This is our balcony - it looks quite frosty place. And my honest opinion is that it is almost as cold place as our teracce at this point of time.

Day 231: You never know what you find when looking under the table!

This is true story. This photo is real. I was eating in restaurant and took a photo under the table - and look what I found. Cute little girl smiling like sunshine.

Okay - let's be straight here. I know her and I had some idea that I might find her exactly there. But still - you can't ever be sure what you are photoing if you are just putting your camera and shooting under the table.

Day 230: Reading experiences!

I read a lot. Actually I am also myself wondering how an earth I have time to read when I have the feeling that I am all the time knitting or crocheting. But anyway - even this year I have had reading experiences which I wanna share with you.

Day 229: Celebrating!

Today I passed Professional Scrum Master certification exam. I really have reason to celebrate: have some coffee and cake.

Day 228: Colors!

Colors are important to me. I wrote a lot - as I have mentioned, I believe, also in this blog. But I don't like to write with pencils or pens - unless nothing else available. I am addicted to Stabilo. Does it make me a stabiloholic?

Day 227: Another sick bird!

I am now really worried. I saw another sick blue tit in our feeding area. First it was just sitting and watching to nowhere. Then suddenly it started to peck the plastic wall - I think it tried to get nuts shown there. After a while it stopped, picked up some grain and flied away. We definitely need to disinfect containers again and sweep all dropped grains and nuts under the containers. I really don't want all the birds to get sick!

Day 226: Something to eat!

So hungry! After travelling almost three hours in bus after 7 hours working day I wanted to have something "easy" to eat. So we made this pancake with mushrooms, onion and turkey. So easy to made: just whisk all ingredients and put the result into roaster. About half an hour in oven and there it is: delicious evening meal. Once again - maybe not a diet food.

Day 225: Take a note!

Anyone who has seen me sitting in training, seminar or conference knows that I write all the time. It is my style of stay alert. And I enjoy writing. And not just writing. I also used to read my notes from time to time. At least if they are easily available. So, second day in Testing '13 event and even when listening the last speaker I wrote notes. So many interesting issues to be thought again later. Very efficient two days - thank you TestausOSY.

Sorry that notes are in Finnish. Usually I wrote in English but there was only one speech in English so it was more straightforward to use the language heard.

Day 224: Shut your mouth!

I was participating Testing '13 Event in Helsinki (sorry - in Finnish only). There we had possibility to play Boggle - or to test it, like it was told us. You get five letters and you should make words out of those. And the game (some kind of computer there has to be) didn't accept my words! That is why I am standing my mouth open.

It is so rare that here is photo of me. I am not for self-portrait!

Day 223: Delete?

Are you sure you want to delete this object? (Yes I am. This is competitor's premises.) Or maybe they are just redesigning they architecture.

Day 222: Smile!

Since I am quite cranky person I try to keep my spirit up with different means. These smileys are on my laptops - smaller one in work laptop and bigger in personal laptop. Today evening I had them both in use. If only could separate my left and right hands and enable my brains to work with two tasks at the same time - wouldn't that be really high-performance?

I just had to photo these "sisters". Smile! Don't you believe that seeing smiling facing makes you smile too?

Day 221: Finalize!

I love knitting socks. But when using different colors there are more yarn ends to be "hidden" compared to one color socks.

Day 220: It gave it's all!

This poor Xmas tree has given it's all. As you can see even needles are gone. But this will be great photo for next year's Epiphany card. Yes indeed - I have started new tradition. It is so common that people send Xmas cards - I will be sending Epiphany cards. At least for two friends. For very special reason.

Day 219: Let's meet!

During winter time when it is dark outside most of the day I am working hard to find things to photo. I have always thought I have great ability to imagine what ever. Bah! But let's meet - said these two here.

Day 218: Inside?

Have you ever wondered how it looks like inside of wool sock? If yes - you can now stop wondering. And if you are not at all interested, never mind - I show you this photo anyway.

Day 217: Go home!

Hey come on. Xmas is over. Go home! (I am talking to those two Xmas gnomes in upper window.)

Day 216: Snout?

Once again - it is about how you mind works. What do you see in this shadow? And any guess what it actually is?

Day 215: What is the difference here?

It is obvious that some cars have been parked longer time than others in this parking place. During winter time that difference is quite easy to see - at least if it has been snowing lately.

Day 214: It is all grey!

Two things. One, the world seems to be very grey during winter time - even though snow is white. Two, Hartela's construction site is not "up and running"  - even that was promised to be started during autumn last year.

Day 213: To be certified?

My manager has decided that our team needs to be certified for agile methods. And that is the only reason why I am reading Scrum Guide on Saturday evening. I will participate Professional Scrum Master course next week and I wanna be at least somehow prepared.

Day 212: Out of the box?

There are lot of Finnish design articles which I am not so fond of. Mariskooli is one of them. And still I get one as Xmas present. Well, it is still inside the original box. Maybe it some day comes out of the box. But not today.