Therapy

"Therapy is expensive, bubble wrap is cheap. You choose!" I don't know who said this, but it has a point :-) But this time we chose knitting needles and crochet hooks instead of bubble wrap. (I have to admit that I love popping bubble wrap so much that usually DH ends up telling me to stop.)

Well, beth bynnag ("anyway" in Welsh), I joined a knitting group almost 5 years ago. We meet every 3-4 weeks taking turns to be the hostess. Knit, crochet, any craft will do. Outi joined this spring. We're 6 women who have 16 children! Sometimes when the DH's haven't realised the importance of these meetings and not taking care of the kids we have a lot of helpers and we're not able to do that much crafts, but it has become more easy since the children are getting older (aged 1.5 to 12, 11 boys and 5 girls). But the last Saturday of May we had a therapy day. Just the moms, no kids, no DHs. We started with a Pilates class in our livingroom, then had massages, had chicken-halloumi-strawberry salad for lunch and Outis banana muffins. Knitting and crocheting played a big part in our day. And it was therapy! We stayed at our place until late afternoon, then continued our session at Sari's, knitting, chatting eating chocolte cake. We were all of the opinion that 1 therapy day per year is way too little!
Sari, Anso, Kati (behind the spoon-art dangling from the ceiling), Marjo and Outi. Vilijonkka might recognize a few friendly faces, she used to be a member and as far as I know, visits this page quite regularly *waving*.

Animals, friends and first loves

What is is people that when they see a camera they make a face? Well, I have to admit that I do it, too. Anu "put this in your blog" is Auntie P's neighbour, a kennel owner. Uncle J's labrador Hex is from her kennel. Uncle J and Auntie P have also 3 Islandic horses Lysingur, Rodi and Gloi and two Jack Russel terriers (mother and daughter) Aino-Inkeri and Alli Manninen. Photo: DH
Would you buy a dog from this woman? I actually would, but I'm sure she wouldn't sell me one! Anu and her husband Pasi breed working dogs and use them for hunting, too. They are very careful about to whom they sell their dogs. It's amazing to see their dogs at work, to see they joy and energy. Very far from the over-fed couch potato labradors!

I went riding with Anu and Pasi, and with a new a acquaintance, Sari. Sari is also Auntie P's neighbour. Tuomas fell in love with Sari, always asking where she is. This might have something to do with the box of Bob the Builder candies he got from her. But Risto's love for Anu and Pasi's daughter was something else. He kept talking about his "lady friend", which was appropriate since she's almost 4 years older. But they did play nicely together.

Photo: Anu
Me on Rodi who did not want to stay still.

Photo: Anu
Sari riding first on Gloi, then Pasi on Lysingur and then me on Rodi.

The horses look so nice and calm, but they are full of energy and a will of their own.