Back of the benches on the wall of Southsea CastleThe Englishman and I've just come back from Southsea. This time we were there due to a very sad occasion, a funeral of a close friend's father. Although his passing was sudden, the occasion was more of a celebration of a full life. As the pastor said … [Read more...]
Round and round in circles
I am beginning to annoy myself. I bet I'm also annoying you my lovely readers, for which I apologise.But, as the Big Move date draws still closer we haven't decided where we're moving to. One day I think I've made up my mind and then the next I'm totally undecided. Naturally the location … [Read more...]
Oh I do like to be by the seaside, Oh I do like to be beside the sea…
The Southsea factor has once again raised its lovely, sunny head.Yesterday we drove down to the South Coast after a thrilling afternoon at White Hart Lane when we (Tottenham Hotspur) beat Chelsea 2-1. For those who don't follow English football, Chelsea are another London team like us. But they … [Read more...]
How I came to be in England – Part 35
Espoo Old Church stood at the end of a country lane, set aside from a newly built shopping centre. In the distance lay high rise blocks to one side and a wide motorway to the other. Father and I went to see it for the first time on a Saturday in January 1984. It seemed odd to plan a wedding in a … [Read more...]
How I came to be in England – Part 31
It was raining when the plane landed at Helsinki airport. The goodbye at Heathrow with the Englishman had been even more difficult than usual. I lost count of how many times we said 'I love you.'On the last day together we didn't get out of bed until the afternoon. We talked about how we met all … [Read more...]
How I came to be in England – Part 29
I arrived at Helsinki airport only twenty minutes before the flight to London was due to leave. I’d missed the bus from Espoo, where it stopped outside my Father’s house, by a whisker. The nasty old bus driver had, I was sure, seen me running towards it dragging my heavy suitcase, but nonetheless … [Read more...]
How I came to be in England – Part 10
I had never felt as numb as I did waiting for my flight at Heathrow on 31st of August 1981. There were just a handful of us sitting outside the gate for the Finnair flight to Helsinki. No-one wanted to travel from London to ‘Hel’ as the label on my luggage read. It felt like Hell was just what I was … [Read more...]
Michael Jackson
I wasn't really a fan, and hadn't realised how much his music played in the background of my life until, this morning, I heard the many tracks he'd written. I fell in love while 'Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough' was played in a Helsinki bar. In one of the happiest times of my life I remember dancing … [Read more...]
