Day 143: Wintry view!

I can't believe this - it is not even November and we have so beautiful wintry scenery already! Unfortunately, like our neighbor said, it won't last. At least according to weather forecasts. But let's enjoy as long as it is here. This is wintry nature at best. It can't be more beautiful - or can it. That we will see during following months.

Day 142: Snowing!

Yes - it is snowing. Snow is covering the landscape - also roads. I love snow. I do. I don't know why but I really do! I would not like to live any country missing winter season

Day 141: Sign?

Once again - working late. Very busy with this project - feeling stressed and tired. I had worked already almost 12 hours and finally decided to leave. And what happened - the most important map which I need daily - it falls and all papers spread out and mixed up. Could this be a sign: I am not working efficient enough or I have work too much?

Day 140: Guru!

Even I am very busy in work I decided to participate discussion dinner about "Specifications by examples". Actually I made the decision about two hour before dinner started. And I had no idea that I will be sitting in the same table with one of the testing gurus - James Bach. This was good reason to have photo taken of me - even I don't like that at all. What level a vanity - to be photoed with James Bach making my day!

Day 139: How do you think like a tester?

Well - that I try to figure out. How do you think like a tester? Especially now when I am no longer tester but methods expert working with testing methods. Luckily there is lot of material available to read - I love to read and learn. One of my favorite material (and also material for course I am participating next week) is this by James Bach and Michael Bolton. I have already participated course "Rapid Software Testing" with Michael Bolton and this time it will be James Bach teaching me "Critical Thinking for Software Tester". Looking forward for that! Those two guys are gurus in testing business.

Day 138: Bedtime!

When I have to woke up about 5 next morning that means early bedtime for me. I am like little child: I need lot of sleep - otherwise I'll be really cranky! Even more than usually...

Day 137: More progress!

Now there is more progress in my project "Toe-Up-2-at-a-time". But I am now really wondering will the result be actually two socks or something else!

Day 136:Cheese!

I love cheese! I could eat cheese every day - actually I am eating but not with saltine cracker. But I can't imagine better snack than cheese and saltine cracker. No diet food - I know!

Day 135: In progress!

My project "Toe-Up-2-at-a-time" has not progressed very fast. But some progress can be seen.

Day 134: Dark and rainy evening!

I am very busy at the moment. Our project deadline is soon and I have lot to do. This night I was walking home about 8 PM in dark and rainy evening. But when looking this photo it is not so bad at all.

Day 133: Visitors from Sweden!

Managers in my unit where having meeting here in Helsinki and therefore we had two visitors from Sweden: Ulriqa and Johan - sitting in upper left corner. And Johan had had his 40 birthday about month ago and we were eating cake for that. In our unit there are three teams and in two other teams there is only one Finn but in my team - we are four plus manager.

Day 132: What is inside my bag?

The content of my bag is very much depending where I am, where I am going to be and what I am going to do. But perhaps this is not the normal stuff who are having with you when sitting in theater. It is not so clear but yes - there is book in my bag! I was reading it during half time. And camera - of course - for documenting this.

Day 131: Young drivers!

Yesterday with real car and today by video game... Oh these young drivers: never getting enough of driving!

Day 130: Look!

I must be quite old since my youngest one has driving license. In Finland you have to be 18 years old to get one. But I am still pretty proud of my girl: she drove our car with automatic transmission without pushing brake instead of clutch - which I did during my first drive!

Day 129: Finally!

My son is living in Pori and even my youngest daughter have been dating almost two years now my son and her boyfriend have never met. Until today when me, my husband, all my three children and boyfriends of my daughters were having dinner at Viikinkiravintola Harald. Afterwards we continue the evening at home playing (cards and board games), drinking and enjoying.

I am SO HAPPY that I had my whole family with me!

Day 128: Young love!

It has been a long time since the boyfriend on my youngest daughter visited us. But now he and my daughter - there are to celebrate my birthday (which was yesterday). Look at this young love!

Day 127: Lazy lady!

I am lazy - at least when we are talking about cleaning and washing the dishes. Each time night before leaving home I face this same view. And I have still not learned the lessons: there is much less to dish if I would dish daily.

Day 126: Good night!

This is what can happen when I don't have anything interesting to do. I can sit and write what ever comes on my mind. I am little bit proud of my handwriting but now I am learning new "hand made font". And I wont' stop practicing until I am happy with result.

Day 125: Two owls!

It is always nice to have postcrossing cards. Every one is much appreciated and wanted. And even nicer when receiving cards having something in common. Like these two owls!

Day 124: To be relinquished!

During summer vacation we inventories every and each fiction book we own. The result was that there are books we can relinquish - and yet still those books are with us. It is not so easy...

Day 123: Sour said the fox about rowan berries!

There is Finnish saying Happamia sanoi kettu pihlanjanmarjoista. That is, "Sour said the fox about rowan berries". Deeper meaning is that this is said to someone who says negative things about something he unable to have, but he probably deep down would like to have.

Too negative mental image for these beautiful berries!

Day 122: Not so many colors!

I have to say I am little bit disappoint - not so colorful autumn this year! Mainly yellow but it is also looking nice in sun shine.

Day 121: Home made safari!

I have a dream: to participate to photography safari and see all kind of wild animals. And lot of photos in memory card!  But before I have both time and money for that trip I have to happy with what ever there is shown in TV.

Day 120: Ecuadorian dinner!

My team member invited us to Ecuadorian dinner. Food was really good but else to expect from chef Jorge.

Day 119: Cars, cars, cars!

Every day when walking from home to work and back I have to cross Sturenkatu where traffic is quite heavy. No matter what time of day I am there - there are always lot of cars. And what makes me almost angry is the fact that in the most of the cars there are no passengers - only the driver. How about saving the planet? Never heard?

Day 118: It's autumn!

While in Helsinki I walk every day from "home" to work. It is easy to see that autumn is here - sidewalk is covered with brown and yellow leaves. And it is not the nicest thing in my world to step on that stinky stuff! But what would one not to do to get to work...

Day 117: Something new!

It is always nice to learn new things. To do something differently. Just to challenge myself.

About year ago I bought this interesting book: Toe-Up_2-at-a-Time_Socks  (in Finnish though) and now I finally started the project "Toe-Up2-at-a-time". Starting was quite easy - third time and all stitches required for my project were in place in a circular needle.

Day 116: Shy!

This duck was either shy or bored with people photographing all the time.

Day 115: Spiderweb!

It is interesting what is as art and how to define art. Visiting this exhibition opened my eyes: spiders are artists!

Day 114: Vesa-Matti Loiri!

I am huge fan of Vesa-Matti Loiri. (So, if you have read my posts, you know that I am also fan of Seminaarimäen Mieslaulajat and Risto Kaskilahti). And this year Vesa-Matti is celebrating his 50 years as artist. And of course - concert was organized. And yes indeed - I went there with my husband (maybe not so huge fan) and my older daughter (real Fan). And no doubt that was experience which can't be described. It has to be experienced!

Day 113: What if there is no internet?

How people managed when there was no internet? Nowadays it is so easy to find a lot of info from internet and which is important to me, to find knitting and crocheting patterns. This is much more easier than having lot of magazines and books full of patters. Expect that I have lot of magazines and books though.

Day 112: No hangover!

I am proud of my new team. Even we were having fun previous evening all of us came back to work place as fresh as never been drinking anything. And this time also manager is in the picture.

Day 111: My newest team!

I have a new team. Not the same I presented in June.

We have our first physical team meeting here in Finland and we spend pleasant evening in Konstan Möljä - eating, drinking, discussing and having fun.

Our manager was taking this photo so he is not there in picture - not even under the table.

Day 110: My stuff!

Since photography is more and more important to me I am ready to invest to my hobby.

Luckily there is still room for something new.

Day 109: Risto!

No secret - I am huge fan of Risto Kaskilahti. On Finnish TV they are showing three-part-serie based on movie Risto. But I can't watch it because I have to go to bed early! Otherwise I am in trouble next morning - and it is Monday morning which makes it even worse. :(

Day 108: Something for me!

Something for me and not always for others. I am worth of it!

Day 107: It is all about tools!

Yes - it is all about tools and this is my set of crochet hook. The colored ones!

Day 106: What an earth?

Another lazy day. But photo of day was taken. This time from bed...

Actually this is a pattern in my pillowcase and not looking so bad anyway.

Day 105: What?

I was feeling lacy but still wanted to have photo of the day. Can you imagine anything more stupid than this photo of my lamp?

But what is there in front of photo. That is the mystery.

Day 104: Something new!

I have learn something new! I participated meeting of handiwork society in Snurre and now I know how to crochet decoration baskets.

Day 103: Homecoming!

My childhood dream furniture came back home!

Day 102: Behind the corner!

Maybe I am too enthusiast with flowers in our back yard. I even have them behind the corner where I can't see them while sitting in teracce but neighbours can when walking by.

Day 101: Mismathc!

This is no news to anyone knowing me or reading my blog - but I just love to knit socks. And even more happier if I can knit something to myself. This time it was these mismatched socks. Meaning that I didn't even tried to synchronized socks to be similar. Thank you Raisa for this idea.

Day 100: Backpack!

What would be more appropriate photo in day one hundred than photo of my camera backpack. And same time it shows that I am really not so keen on cleaning. Can't help noticing the dust around the backpack.

Day 99: What wouldn't mother do for her children?

My youngest daughter really utilizes my urgent need for doing things with my own hands. She knows that I love to knit and crochet. And she doesn't hesitate to ask me to do something. And yes - this scarf is for her.

Day 98: One small please!

I had one meeting in Helsinki and so I decided to get better and get back to work. But I was not feeling good so I decided to drink only one small beer. But I didn't realize how small it will be.  After that I was still thirsty!

Day 97: Fly agaric?

This is funny. Most of people recognize fly agaric: the red mushroom with white spot. But I found totally different kind of sample: mushroom with flies.

Day 96: Flu got me!

I should have stayed in bed during weekend! Flu got me. It was not nice to woke up in Monday morning and realize that I really am sick. So I stayed in bed and have two things in bedside: tissues and cough medicine. Not so nice Monday!

Day 95: Results!

Even having flu don't stop me knitting - this is what I achieved during one weekend.

Day 94: Age!

It is not easy to get old. The most difficult part is to see your own parents to get older and sicker. My father has been hospitalized for several weeks and since I am living part of the week in Helsinki, it is not possible for me to visit him during weeks. And even I was having flu we, that is me, my husband, my daughter and her boyfriend, drove to Loimaa and spent some time with my father.