Karibu! (19.4.2007)

Dear friends all over the world. This is an official opening of my blog - something I have planned to do for quite some time now. After a long and painful consideration, this will be in English only - sorry all my Finnish-only speaking friends and relatives.

As June is drawing near, our preparations for returning to Tanzania are getting more and more acute. Yesterday we agreed over renting out our house, vaccinations and medical check ups are on the way, Jyri is preparing for the last exams - and there is a pile of stuff in the bedroom conrner (such as materials for handicrafts, collection of nice Marimekko napkins, new handbag, camping gear etc) that is supposed to find its way to Tanzania at some point. Plus a collection of most needed books on hiv/aids, Africa, counseling at hospitals and schools, relationship counseling, gender and development issues, research methodology and so.

I also got involved in a minor car crash today... My fault, completely, I was reversing from a parking lot in town and so it happened, I hit another car which I just could not see crawling slowly behind and totally out of my sight, must have been that famous "dead corner" (second time in my entire life). It was not that bad, the other car was even older than mine and the driver, a nice old grandpa did not seem to be very upset.

Garden looks inviting today: even if we got some nasty cold rain earlier, sun is shining now and there is so much dead leaves from last autumn to be raked up - can´t wait to get out. Pihla seems unwell today, took a lengthy nap after school, did not have appetite and feels hot. And refuses to skip the schoolday tomorrow. Kaisli had a science exam today.