Our vappu this year was made of friends & family, balloons & rosies, and a picnic.

I couldn’t find my hat but the hair rose served as such…

My darling goddaughter Helmi with Papa Eric.

A certain somebody had Papa wrapped around her little finger..

Hanski’s wedding basket, converted into a bona fide picnic basket ♥.

My Baby in active pursuit. Sometimes a balloon – or a football – is all that’s needed.

Or a slippery rock you can slide down.. Uh we should really learn from our children.

My darling Tytti, my darling Serge. So nice to see the smiles of loved ones all around.

Friends are the new family, we concluded with Tytti. I believe so.

Beautiful Tytti with her son N-N. He’s such a wise soul, he never ceases to amaze me. We’ve had the most extraordinary conversations on topics ranging from Nelson Mandela, human kindness, racism, the good and the evil. Once, my sons told him about how we’d seen a man loot the local Siwa store for beer. N-N said Hmmmmm… Maybe the man really needed the beer and had no money to buy it. Just like somebody who has no money might need to steal milk for his baby.

That left my boys seriously thinking.

French Baron Gabriel, who has lived in Finland since World War 2, graced our little group with his presence yet another time. A very, very interesting personality with a very, very interesting life.

My Hanski!!! I’m so lucky to have her in my world. And selfishly, I’m sooooo glad she doesn’t live abroad anymore.

AND she wants to take me on a girls’ road trip next weekend. Sauna (haven’t been in more than a year), swimming in a lake (haven’t done in more than two years – I wonder if I’m still Finnish), good food, good conversation, long sleep, best of company. I’m so ready.

And last but not the least… Nobody makes hair rosies like my friend Mariannlinn Le Fay. This is a piece of her artwork, made of finest wools and  laces, all hand dyed

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Till next time my friends, now I’m off for my weekend escape. Sauna anda a swim, here I come!!!

~*♥*~

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