Fresh air and exercise

What a wonderful day out! I love any opportunity to spend time with my brother Matt (or any of my siblings) and today we had planned to go out for a long walk down the beach and have lunch together. The only sad thing was that Andy couldn't join us, as he had a shift today.

We went down the cliff lift and then strolled or marched, depending on whether I was walking or riding, around the foreshore. It was so relaxing, just chatting and chilling together. We enjoyed fish and chips for lunch, before heading off around the Marine Drive.

The photo is one of those things you just have to do. You can't walk past this chap without stopping for a cuddle and a photo.

Having  walked all the way back through town, we descended back down to the beach and got the cliff lift back up to near my Mum's house, where we flopped in an exhausted heap. After all that fresh air and exercise, I can't stop yawning and feel sure of a good night's sleep.

Sunday afternoon drive

It's been a very pleasant weekend. Yesterday, we went down the beach and had a coffee and scone and a bit of a walk along the foreshore. Today, we've been for a drive over the moors. It was very pretty up there and we stopped in one of my favourite places for a walk but I'd forgotten how steep it was and I couldn't get down into the village. It was nice to stand at the top of the cliff and look up and down the coast.

I've succumbed!

It's no secret that I'm not a fan of Christmas. I know Christians are supposed to be all into the reason for the season but for a whole host of reasons, I just don't like Christmas.

Obviously at school I have to pretend to be into it for the kids. At home, mine are old enough to make their own decisions and I did ask whether they wanted to decorate the house but Josh didn't seem fussed either.

This afternoon, we had a lovely visit to Thornton-le-Dale and then went into Dalby Forest for a walk and a drive. That's when it happened...

Neil got all distracted by the real Christmas trees and suddenly wanted one. After discussions about pine needles in July, lack of space, etc, he pulled the line about making the house smell of Finland/forests and I fell for it.

Several hours later, with more pine needles in my hands than on the floor, it's up and decorated. I've failed in my Scroogism and will have to eat a double portion of bah humbugs.

Bonus pay

Some days, if I'm honest, teaching is really hard work. Then some little darling lightens and brightens my day with a wonderful treat.

This evening, a lovely young man from year 6, who recently acquired a place in Andy's and my Minecraft club, presented me with a box of homemade chocolate flapjack. It was a heartfelt thank you for giving him a place to come and play an amazing game with his friends. So touching! Made my day feel much better.

Best time of day

I generally get up between half five and quarter to six. My first job is to put a pot of coffee on. Then I have my breakfast whilst catching up on Facebook.

Before I shower and get dressed and ready for work, I do my morning physio. When we moved here we bought a new bed with a really good mattress so mostly I wake feeling reasonably well. The last few nights though, I've slept so well that I've woken up really stiff. This morning, my back is aching a bit. Physio will really help loosen my back up and get me moving.

I love this time of day. It's quiet and calm and peaceful. I can prepare my thoughts for the day. Today is Children in Need day and we're all wearing pyjamas at school. I think I'll take stuff to change into. It would be so embarrassing if I had an accident on the way to work and I was still in PJs.

In the English nature

I have really missed the Finnish nature, especially walking in the forest. On Sunday, I couldn't bear it any more! Winter is peeking out from behind every corner and winter draws me to the forest. So we spent a lovely afternoon in Dalby Forest. It was so nice that we splashed out on an annual ticket so we can go and enjoy it again and again. It seems a bit mean having to pay for access but if it helps maintain it all, I guess it's worth it.

Retail therapy

Today Neil and I indulged in a little shopping trip while Josh was at his uni Saturday school. We went to the White Rose Centre and Glasshouton. I had a shopping list - nothing absolutely essential but a few things that I could do with if possible.

Between the two shopping centres, not only did we get everything I was after, but we also had a lovely lunch to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.

First driving lesson

It's Josh's 18th today and his birthday present is all geared to him learning to drive. We got him his driving licence and learner driver insurance, L-plates and an internal mirror. This afternoon, I took him for his first lesson.

I had a certain car park in mind and it must have been the right place because there was a driving instructor there, doing a lesson too. Josh learned the cockpit drill, how to start the car, pull away safely and steer. We spent an hour, stopping and starting, driving in circles and figures of eight. He did really well!

I think he's probably quite tired now. I remember often having leg ache after my lessons. Tonight, he's going to someone else's birthday party. We're celebrating his next Saturday because half the family are away this weekend. Hope he has a fab time tonight though.

Back in the swing

It's amazing how quickly we adjust to change! The Finnish school system is so different from the English one in so many ways. I thought it would take weeks, if not months to adjust to all the changes but already I feel like I've been at this school for ages.

I should start by saying that I really like the school. Well it was my school so I should like it. The staff are friendly and the kids are great! Having said that, there are certain things that I'm missing from Finland. One thing I really miss is being called by my name - by my first name, that is. I got quite comfortable with being Nicki and it felt much more natural. Now I'm mostly back to being Miss.

I'm also not entirely happy with having to keep nagging about uniform. Fasten that tie properly! I wish kids could dress in something that they feel comfy in and dress to the weather. That's just my opinion though and I know others would disagree.

The workload is huge - a massive change! Actually though, I quite like that. I always felt a bit part time in Finland. It was nice but I feel like I'm working really hard now. I'm exhausted by the end of the day, which makes me feel like I'm earning my keep.

Parade and fireworks

There are three Saturdays in September when there's a fireworks display on the beach. Tonight was the middle Saturday and there was also a parade of rather grandiose motorbikes. We went there and met up with my mum and dad and my aunty and uncle. We had hot drinks at a cafe on the beach and generally had a lovely relaxing evening. The fireworks were brilliant!

Shopping excitement

We've just done our second full shop at Aldi. We were always glad of Lidl in Oulu but this overflowing trolley cost just under £60!!! That's fantastic value!

Removal complete

Getting our stuff here was not without its fair share of challenges! We had booked a removal company months ago but they pulled out on us at the last minute. Fortunately, we did find a new company and after a couple of communication errors, the lorry arrived yesterday. We were very glad of the inventory we had put so much time into. It made checking everything off much easier. Now we just have to unpack and be ready to start work on Monday.

Transport sorted

Well that's one stress sorted. We both have cars organised. Mine won't arrive until mid-September but the garage have lent me a nice car until then. Neil collects his car on Saturday. Here's Neil's car. I haven't seen mine yet but it's a Kia Venga.

Biggest miss

With the obvious exception of people, the thing I missed most whilst living in Finland was...

New furniture

In the last few days, I have wondered more than once what possessed us to sell so much of our furniture. Yesterday, though, our new bed arrived and we bought some flat pack furniture.

When Josh was little and obsessed with Lego and K'nex, I had no idea that later in life it would be such a blessing. He actually enjoys building flat pack furniture.

Fish 'n' chips

Yesterday, we collected a dining table and chairs, which is now residing happily in our conservatory. I'd promised the boys that the first Friday we were there, we could have proper fish 'n' chips from the village chippy. It was quite special, sitting together and having our first meal in our new place.

Family meals

There are many things that we had forgotten to miss, things like coupons to collect. Tonight we went to Tesco and had the dilemma of which toilet rolls to buy. The comparison price gives the price per 100sht, which made us giggle a bit. There were a couple of cheap but functional brands but Andrex won because you can collect 'puppy points'.

Other things, we have consciously missed. Sharing meals with family and friends is one of these. Last night we had dinner at my auntie's house. They had made an amazing buffet but desert looked spectacular!

Nice end to a sad day

Today was always going to be very difficult for me. For the last few days, I've had a sadness descend on me everyone I've driven around Oulu. The thought of not being there is unthinkable! Leaving home for the last time, I was utterly heart-sluffened! There just aren't adequate words to describe it.

The flights were pleasantly uneventful apart from being abandoned in Stockholm by the assistance crew. They seemed to find 2 branches of Roberts Coffee too much to cope with. You'd have thought that when they went to the wrong one, they'd have guessed it was the other... but no!

To finish the day, we enjoyed a treat that we have really missed and can't get in Finland - a KFC and Starbucks - thanks to my uncle who collected us from the airport.

Almost ready

We have just had confirmation that a lorry is coming tomorrow to take all our stuff. What a relief! All we have to do now is finish packing.

Playing by the rules

One of the things I have found difficult about living in Finland is the fact that the customer is rarely right. Customer/consumer rights seem to be unheard of here, so I was quite looking forward to going back to a culture where contracts are completely binding and customer service generally underpins everything.

With that in mind, we were extremely disappointed, frustrated - totally discombobulated - when the removal company (English) that we had already booked and paid for, started messing us around. First they raised the price, then demanded that we finish packing, weigh everything and send an inventory that day. Finally, they lowered our agreed weight limit before cancelling the job altogether. After the last few years, we should be used to such things but this time there is one thing going in our favour - we will be seeking compensation in our own language! We know good English lawyers and they are already on our side. Okay, it's still unacceptable but at least we have hope of a satisfactory outcome.

The packing is going pretty well except for the dilemma of how to weigh a sofa with household scales.

Total weight - Josh's weight = weight of sofa

Misty Evening

Neil and Josh have been outside, working hard again today. I still get twinges of sadness when I think how much work has gone into this house and that we won't get to enjoy the benefit of it. One of the advantages of summer is that it stays light, well into the night. This evening though, we saw something we haven't seen for ages! The mist suddenly descended and it now feels positively autumnal after such a hot summers day.

Victoria Sandwich Cake

Food has been a constant source of conversation since we moved to Finland. There have been several unobtainables, which we demand of guests in return for their keep and some things that we have to motivate ourselves to reproduce. One of Josh's culinary talents is his cake-making. He rarely uses an electric mixer, preferring to beat by hand. The result is always perfectly light and fluffy, making the traditional English Victoria sponge a regular treat.

Now we know we are moving back for the real thing, we decided to experiment a little with a two-tone version, for which the patent is pending (likely to be refused), called the 'Joshua Sponge Cake'. Basically it appears to have a split personality!

Lots of good news!

I'm back at home in Finland, so I can't get appropriate photos to support this post. However, on Monday, Andy had an interview and OJE (bet you don't know what that is!) at McDonald's. I thought he'd done well just to get the interview, given that every job seems to have hundreds of applicants. On Tuesday though, he found out he'd got the job! So proud of him! He applied for so many posts and never gave up and it's paid off. He starts next week. I just wish I could be there for his first day. Feel like I've deserted him.

Neil went to England on Wednesday and had an interview today. He wasn't giving much away when I spoke to him just after the interview but it must have gone well because he got the job too!

All good things are said to come in threes, so I should have been expecting the next one... Josh wafted in his teenage manner into the fridge and informed me that the results are out. He's not even 18 yet and he's half way through his degree. I think that's an achievement on its own but he's got 91% on his OU maths exam and 84% on the Java paper. I can't believe it! Of course, he's a trifle gutted with the 84% because 85 is a 1st or distinction. Even though his course average was in the 90s, he still had to get 85 on the exam to get an overall distinction. When he went on the course Facebook page, he found a soul-mate to commiserate with.

So good news all round - well, except me - but I'm a wife and a mum so I don't really need my own separate good news. I'm happier that my boys have had a successful week and I've just had a nice sauna. Mmmmmm!

Rollercoasters

I love rollercoasters! One of the highlights of my year used to be our annual trip to Lightwater Valley. The Ultimate was the best! I doubt that I'll be able to go on it again. I can't imagine the pain it would cause, rattling along as it does, shaking my back up. I think my rollercoaster days are over - physically, at least.

The last year has been an emotional rollercoaster. I haven't enjoyed that anywhere near as much as a real one. Even as I sit here in my favourite place at the airport (not that I like airports much) I'm excited about seeing Neil and Josh, sad that I've just left Andy and uncertain about what the future holds. It's at times like this, I'm glad I'm a Christian. When life is a rollercoaster, there's a God who loves us and has everything under control.

Despicable Me 2

If you want to see a film that is funny without needing to concentrate too hard, then this is the one. We went to a tiny weeny cinema to see it. The seats were enormous though!

One nice thing is that there were no subtitles... 

not Finnish, nor Swedish. Just a whole screen of film. Nice!

Found a house

Today has been an exciting and busy day! Andy had appointments to open new bank accounts and to get his National Insurance number, both of which are now sorted. We also went to the estate agent to fill in all the paperwork for what we hope will be our new home. It isn't signed and delivered but the owners have agreed to us taking it and we're hoping there won't be any problems.

It's a dormer bungalow in a village just outside town. I like the gardens, which are clean, tidy and simple. Unlike most of the town, this estate is completely flat - handy for me. Andy and I went back for a second look yesterday, just to be sure. It's hard to be 100% sure when Neil and Josh haven't seen it but I think they will both like the place. 

So that's work sorted (for me, at least), a house sorted... now I'm thinking about a car.

Lost - brain cells

Where did today go? I spent the entire morning on the phone to school, estate agents, Neil and I can't remember who else.

After lunch, we went into town and sorted out a few things and I forgot to buy a new tube of toothpaste.

This evening, we sat quietly and caught up with some work. Andy did a maths test that they gave him on his sixth form induction day. Then I suddenly remembered that we needed milk and toothpaste, so we walked to Sainsbury's... bought milk... and forgot toothpaste! Agh!

Hope my brain cells are back with me tomorrow. I'm going into school to find out what my job will be and meet the teachers I'll be covering for.

Barbecue

We've had disappointingly hot weather today and I've mainly been trying to hibernate. This evening, though, we went to my auntie's house for a barbecue. The food was fantastic - lots of different meats. Pudding was lovely too.

New school

Well, after various interviews, ummings and aahings, September is now sorted. I'm going to be teaching 4 days a week to cover management release time at my old primary school. Even though I really wanted full-time, I'm really excited about being able to give something back to the school that gave me so much as a child.

Preparing for interview

Yesterday morning, Andy and I went to the beach to get some photos for a lesson I have to teach as part of my interview. While we were there, we saw a sign that reminded me of a day, many years ago, when I got stranded on the beach. It was so scary and I ended up having to climb part way up the cliff to avoid being swept away by the sea. Thankfully, it wasn't a rough day and I escaped with wet feet.

Royal Air Force

What a fantastic afternoon! Andy and I collected Nanny and drove up to the war memorial, from where you can see right over the bay. We watched an amazing display by the Red Arrows and then a fly by with some big planes.

We had afternoon tea in a cafe while we watched some other smaller events and then went for a walk round the park. Andy got his driving licence for wheelchair pushing, so now we could take Nanny out for walks by ourselves. I tried out my new scooter, which meant I could stay out and enjoy the day.

Interview

Today, the postman brought me some good news. I have an interview for a teaching job at a local school. I've applied for three posts there, so I really hope I get one of them. The thing that is a bit strange is that I went to this school as a child and at least one teacher who taught me is still there.

As part of the interview, I have to teach a short lesson. So time to plan and prepare...

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!

This afternoon, Andy and I went down the beach. The main point was for him to keep looking for work but we had a nice surprise as we got there just in time for some marching bands. They were all from Norway and they were really good.

Andy met a lady in one shop who seemed really positive. We're hoping she gets back to him because she wrote on the top of his CV that he was nice and confident.

Finding a new church

This morning, we visited a possible new church. I felt a bit strange about it, missing home and thinking about all our friends back in Oulu. We didn't know until we arrived but today was a special international service. Different groups led parts of the service, which was nice. The main thing was that they clearly value their international people and that makes me feel a bit more welcome.

During the service, we prayed for refugees and that reminded me of several of our own folks and their situations.

As we left, we spoke briefly to the pastor. He seems a pleasant enough chap. They have a coffee morning tomorrow so I might try and get down there and chat to him a bit. It all feels a bit weird without Neil though.

What a view!

I visited another school this morning, a lovely little village school with another beautiful journey. I love the school and I'd love to be the Head of one of these small schools but the view opposite was not my ideal...

Still job hunting

We're both still job hunting. I visited a school yesterday afternoon and another one this morning. At this stage, I just want to find something but really I want to be somewhere where I can make a difference.

Andy handed his CV in at a cafe in a garden centre today. I think he'd fit in well there. Here's an example of their sense of humour...

Should have gone to Specsavers!

Over the last few weeks, I've noticed that my eye sight has changed and even with my glasses, it's not as clear as usual. This morning I went to the opticians for an eye test and ordered new glasses. I'd forgotten how cheap glasses are here. For £79, I've got two new pairs plus an eye test. Bargain!

Another long awaited bargain was this little treat...

Returning to England

I've heard and read a lot about reverse culture shock when expats move back to their own country and now it's my turn to experience it. Andy and I moved back on Friday and arrived at my parents' house last night. 

This blog will start with our re-entry experiences and our search for work but after that, it will probably turn to educational issues.