When I was growing up we walked everywhere. It was a combination of things. We had one car, which was fine since my Mom didn't drive and walking saved us money. So I grew up finding things along the way. My Mom was the best at this, she could spot a coin (pen, paper money, nails you name it) from a distance and was always thrilled to pick it up. I never bought pens or pencils for myself until I was grown, I would find them in the hallways at school or on the street so I always had a motley collection in the pencil case in my binder.
Being here in Finland I am walking everywhere again, it feels familiar and I know I can do it. Some of the other skills are coming back to me, like finding things. Here are some of the things that I have found:
Handkerchief (nice blue one that I washed and am using, along with the ones a friend gave me before I left)
Umbrella (haven't used it yet)
Long sleeved black cotton sweater (works well over leggings)
Stretchy gloves (we used them as liners when it was -31 degrees C)
Hat (my daughter liked it better than the ones I brought, and would actually wear it)
Matches (at least four boxes worth, most of them full)
Cigarettes (an almost full box)
Beer (two cans, unopened)
Coins (a few)
Reflectors (we hang them from our jackets and purses for increased visibility)
Rubber bands (they are scarce)
String
Shorts (they fit my husband)
This is all in addition to the many cans/bottles that we found and returned for the deposit, and the flattened ones that we put in the recycle bin. Being good stewards of the earth can be fun.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Bidet/Douchette
This is a delicate subject, and I will be sensitive to people's feelings. For those that don't know what a bidet is, it is a place to wash your private parts after using the restroom. It looks like a cross between a toilet and a water fountain. More on the douchette in a bit.
My first encounter with a bidet was in Italy. I was backpacking across Europe with my sister and we went to stay with a former foreign exchange student that has stayed with our family. When we arrived she offered us a bath towel and a hand towel. We refused the hand towel saying that we didn't need it. She paused, looked a bit uncomfortable, then explained that it was for use with the bidet. We looked on in fascination as she showed us the gentle liquid soap that we could use and she demonstrated how to straddle the bidet and adjust the water temperature to our liking. I couldn't do it. Refused outright with a firm shake of my head. This was about 15 years ago.
Over time I regretted my unwillingness to try it. Knowing we were coming to Finland I looked forward to trying it. It turned out to be even easier than I thought. Especially because we are using a douchette instead. It is a sprayer that is mounted near the toilet. Usually you don't even need to leave the seat to start the water, set the temperature and use the wand to wash the parts in question. Then, at home, you use your own bidet towel to dry. I love it, and took to it immediately. Mental preparation is so important when doing something new. I am so happy to have saved so many trees since we have arrived.
Recently we took the train north to Rovaniemi (the arctic circle) and on the way I pointed to the beautiful evergreen trees that we could see most of the way there, and reminded my daughter that if she would use the douchette, the trees could stay there. Food for thought.
My first encounter with a bidet was in Italy. I was backpacking across Europe with my sister and we went to stay with a former foreign exchange student that has stayed with our family. When we arrived she offered us a bath towel and a hand towel. We refused the hand towel saying that we didn't need it. She paused, looked a bit uncomfortable, then explained that it was for use with the bidet. We looked on in fascination as she showed us the gentle liquid soap that we could use and she demonstrated how to straddle the bidet and adjust the water temperature to our liking. I couldn't do it. Refused outright with a firm shake of my head. This was about 15 years ago.
Over time I regretted my unwillingness to try it. Knowing we were coming to Finland I looked forward to trying it. It turned out to be even easier than I thought. Especially because we are using a douchette instead. It is a sprayer that is mounted near the toilet. Usually you don't even need to leave the seat to start the water, set the temperature and use the wand to wash the parts in question. Then, at home, you use your own bidet towel to dry. I love it, and took to it immediately. Mental preparation is so important when doing something new. I am so happy to have saved so many trees since we have arrived.
Recently we took the train north to Rovaniemi (the arctic circle) and on the way I pointed to the beautiful evergreen trees that we could see most of the way there, and reminded my daughter that if she would use the douchette, the trees could stay there. Food for thought.
Recycling/garbage/composting
One of the things I like very much here is the fact that they make composting and recycling very easy. Garbage is easy too, but that is of less value to me. Tonight I learned from my guests that the garbage is sorted, my husband heard the opposite.
At our apt. there is a pail for compost, we found an abandoned bucket that we use to collect the bio-waste on the counter before we take it downstairs. If it gets too smelly we set it out on the enclosed porch. Apparently people sleep out there in the summer, there is no air conditioning in the apt.
We are diligent about sorting and recycling whatever we use. One thing that has a been bothering us is all the plastic refuse we have and we couldn't find a place to recycle it so we threw it in the garbage. When we were in Tampere we spoke with a very knowledgeable man Touku, who sent us information on a pilot program that is happening here. We can now take plastics 1, 2, 4, 5 to be recycled. The bins are in parking lots around the city. We will take ours to the one by the bus station, about a 25-30 minute walk from our house. Makes me glad. All the soda and beer cans are already taken in at the grocery store.
In order to keep the city clean and encourage recycling they have a bottle deposit law. We jumped right on that and started taking any can or bottle we found to the store across the street. They have a machine in the back of the store where we put the bottles/cans in and then get a ticket to be redeemed at the counter.
We were thrilled to be "making money." Glass is 10 cents, aluminum 15 cents and plastic 20 cents (times these times 1.4 to get dollars/cents) so it is a substantial amount. Some of the cans/bottles do not pay out and I finally found out why. Those not purchased in Finland do not pay, some are from the ships others I don't know. We find more of those than any others, but we still pick them up and recycle them. The machine still accepts them.
We quickly found out that some items are not accepted by the machine, and the nice clerk told us that items purchased at the state run liquor store, Alko, had to be recycled there. Alko is the only place to get wine or hard liquor. Had to run up there yesterday before they closed to get wine for Purim. Beer is available at the grocery stores.
They just passed a law that cigarettes have to be covered up. Every store now has them in a fortress looking machine, you have to know what you want before they will open it.
The city is quite clean, there are garbage receptacles on almost every block. The downtown square has about 30 all around it, and people use them.
At our apt. there is a pail for compost, we found an abandoned bucket that we use to collect the bio-waste on the counter before we take it downstairs. If it gets too smelly we set it out on the enclosed porch. Apparently people sleep out there in the summer, there is no air conditioning in the apt.
We are diligent about sorting and recycling whatever we use. One thing that has a been bothering us is all the plastic refuse we have and we couldn't find a place to recycle it so we threw it in the garbage. When we were in Tampere we spoke with a very knowledgeable man Touku, who sent us information on a pilot program that is happening here. We can now take plastics 1, 2, 4, 5 to be recycled. The bins are in parking lots around the city. We will take ours to the one by the bus station, about a 25-30 minute walk from our house. Makes me glad. All the soda and beer cans are already taken in at the grocery store.
In order to keep the city clean and encourage recycling they have a bottle deposit law. We jumped right on that and started taking any can or bottle we found to the store across the street. They have a machine in the back of the store where we put the bottles/cans in and then get a ticket to be redeemed at the counter.
We were thrilled to be "making money." Glass is 10 cents, aluminum 15 cents and plastic 20 cents (times these times 1.4 to get dollars/cents) so it is a substantial amount. Some of the cans/bottles do not pay out and I finally found out why. Those not purchased in Finland do not pay, some are from the ships others I don't know. We find more of those than any others, but we still pick them up and recycle them. The machine still accepts them.
We quickly found out that some items are not accepted by the machine, and the nice clerk told us that items purchased at the state run liquor store, Alko, had to be recycled there. Alko is the only place to get wine or hard liquor. Had to run up there yesterday before they closed to get wine for Purim. Beer is available at the grocery stores.
They just passed a law that cigarettes have to be covered up. Every store now has them in a fortress looking machine, you have to know what you want before they will open it.
The city is quite clean, there are garbage receptacles on almost every block. The downtown square has about 30 all around it, and people use them.
A day in Kuopio Finland
Today we had guests for Purim, so to get ready this is what I did today:
Washed a load of laundry
Emptied dishwasher
Made chicken soup
Filled dishwasher
Hand washed the rest of the dishes
Ran dishwasher (needed clean dishes to serve dinner)
Made melted chocolate and salty peanut candy and put on outside porch to cool
Emptied dishwasher again
Hung laundry
Played Scrabble (needed a break)
Vacuumed the apt. (thought my daughter would do it, because we talked compensation but...)
Washed the kitchen floor (not in the plan, but I spilled the bowl of soapy water on the floor while vacuuming)
Played Scrabble (really needed a break)
Scrubbed the bathroom
Showered
Dressed funny for Purim
Had guests over, nice dinner, good conversation , ate the new candy my daughter and I made)
Laundry (yes more)
Cleaned up
Playing Scrabble and watching TV.
This is not a normal day!!
Washed a load of laundry
Emptied dishwasher
Made chicken soup
Filled dishwasher
Hand washed the rest of the dishes
Ran dishwasher (needed clean dishes to serve dinner)
Made melted chocolate and salty peanut candy and put on outside porch to cool
Emptied dishwasher again
Hung laundry
Played Scrabble (needed a break)
Vacuumed the apt. (thought my daughter would do it, because we talked compensation but...)
Washed the kitchen floor (not in the plan, but I spilled the bowl of soapy water on the floor while vacuuming)
Played Scrabble (really needed a break)
Scrubbed the bathroom
Showered
Dressed funny for Purim
Had guests over, nice dinner, good conversation , ate the new candy my daughter and I made)
Laundry (yes more)
Cleaned up
Playing Scrabble and watching TV.
This is not a normal day!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)