Wonderful weekend!
I had a wonderful time this weekend! I left around midday on Saturday with my sister's family to go to one of my uncles' 70th birthday (I have 8 uncles and 3 aunts who are still living, originally there were 13 children in my father's side of the family) party in Mommila. Actually, my and my sister's earliest summer holidays were always spent at the exact same building right by the Mommila church with my father's family.
The weather has been fabulous for the entire weekend, so quite a lot of the time was spent outside in the sunshine. I was a bit apprehensive before going there, but to my surprise, I enjoyed myself a lot! Apart from the oldest sister, all of my (paternal) uncles and aunts were present at the party. There were also quite a few of us cousins and our families.
It was nice to chat with people who I haven't probably seen for 5 to 10 years, especially among the cousins. And just as my sister remarked, none of my father's siblings are getting any younger. The eldest 76 now and the youngest is about 56.
After my father and mother got divorced and my father died I haven't really attended any of the family gatherings on that side and haven't kept in touch with any of them. But this gathering reminded me that some of my aunts and uncles and cousins are very nice people and it's great fun to chat a bit and to spend some time with them.
The only slightly annoying bit of the party, which most of us female cousins took in good humour was the obligatory singing :P. My father's side of the family are all good singers and the talent has passed on to most of us cousins, so every family gathering must have some group singing and this time my uncle's wife had copied some songs that she asked me and my female cousins to sing (why not the boys, I ask?!). Well, we obliged and in the end it was sort of fun with most of us fumbling with the songs (which were slightly unfamiliar), but muddling along the best we could *g*.
After the party, me and my sister's family all went to my mother's, where my youngest sister also lives for some sauna and barbeque and relaxation. Well, the children dropped pretty early after all the excitement, and we didn't stay up that late either. I think I was the last to go to sleep (no surprise there) and was full asleep by 2 a.m.
Today, the weather was still fabulous, so we were in no hurry to leave. Most of the day was spent outside, and I'm really surprised that I wasn't burned even though I had on some strong sunlotion. Surprised, because I'm pasty-white, freckle very easily and don't really tan, however much I might try. A few spots are feeling a bit warm, but still nothing like real a sunburn. Luckily!!!
I didn't even have a swimsuit or bikini with me, but since my mother's yard is pretty secluded, I was outside reading my book in just my shorts and a bra :). The lack of a swimsuit was keenly felt on Saturday afternoon, as well, since my sister took the children to a nearby lake to swim and asked me to come with them. She and I just waded a bit along the beach, but the water was soooo warm - it would have been wonderful to dip in for a bit...
It was so warm that my sister suggested to Eemeli (2,5 years old) that they might sleep his (and her) afternoon nap in a tent outside, which was, of course, a grand adventure, so the suggestion was welcomed with great enthusiasm. Ronja (4,5 years) is already old enough that she doesn't necessarily sleep an afternoon nap anymore, though this resulted in her being very sleepy and a bit cranky while we were driving back into town.
But she did stay awake during the entire trip. Actually, my task, since I was sitting on the backseat between the children, was to keep them awake for the entire trip so that they would be tired enough to go to sleep early once they got home :).
BTW, my sister took a few pictures with her digital camera of my mother's garden and front yard which I'll post once she sends them to me.
The weather has been fabulous for the entire weekend, so quite a lot of the time was spent outside in the sunshine. I was a bit apprehensive before going there, but to my surprise, I enjoyed myself a lot! Apart from the oldest sister, all of my (paternal) uncles and aunts were present at the party. There were also quite a few of us cousins and our families.
It was nice to chat with people who I haven't probably seen for 5 to 10 years, especially among the cousins. And just as my sister remarked, none of my father's siblings are getting any younger. The eldest 76 now and the youngest is about 56.
After my father and mother got divorced and my father died I haven't really attended any of the family gatherings on that side and haven't kept in touch with any of them. But this gathering reminded me that some of my aunts and uncles and cousins are very nice people and it's great fun to chat a bit and to spend some time with them.
The only slightly annoying bit of the party, which most of us female cousins took in good humour was the obligatory singing :P. My father's side of the family are all good singers and the talent has passed on to most of us cousins, so every family gathering must have some group singing and this time my uncle's wife had copied some songs that she asked me and my female cousins to sing (why not the boys, I ask?!). Well, we obliged and in the end it was sort of fun with most of us fumbling with the songs (which were slightly unfamiliar), but muddling along the best we could *g*.
After the party, me and my sister's family all went to my mother's, where my youngest sister also lives for some sauna and barbeque and relaxation. Well, the children dropped pretty early after all the excitement, and we didn't stay up that late either. I think I was the last to go to sleep (no surprise there) and was full asleep by 2 a.m.
Today, the weather was still fabulous, so we were in no hurry to leave. Most of the day was spent outside, and I'm really surprised that I wasn't burned even though I had on some strong sunlotion. Surprised, because I'm pasty-white, freckle very easily and don't really tan, however much I might try. A few spots are feeling a bit warm, but still nothing like real a sunburn. Luckily!!!
I didn't even have a swimsuit or bikini with me, but since my mother's yard is pretty secluded, I was outside reading my book in just my shorts and a bra :). The lack of a swimsuit was keenly felt on Saturday afternoon, as well, since my sister took the children to a nearby lake to swim and asked me to come with them. She and I just waded a bit along the beach, but the water was soooo warm - it would have been wonderful to dip in for a bit...
It was so warm that my sister suggested to Eemeli (2,5 years old) that they might sleep his (and her) afternoon nap in a tent outside, which was, of course, a grand adventure, so the suggestion was welcomed with great enthusiasm. Ronja (4,5 years) is already old enough that she doesn't necessarily sleep an afternoon nap anymore, though this resulted in her being very sleepy and a bit cranky while we were driving back into town.
But she did stay awake during the entire trip. Actually, my task, since I was sitting on the backseat between the children, was to keep them awake for the entire trip so that they would be tired enough to go to sleep early once they got home :).
BTW, my sister took a few pictures with her digital camera of my mother's garden and front yard which I'll post once she sends them to me.