Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Crossing the border of time and vegetables

We weren't in much of a rush on Saturday morning but had plans to travel to IKEA in Haparanda, just on the border between Finland and Sweden. We left at 1130 and were soon travelling on the motorway towards our destination. The journey last just over 2 hours and soon we crossed the bridge that marked the border between the two countries. It was at this moment we travelled one hour back in time.......... due to the time zones.

The Border.
We entered IKEA and soon decided that in future we wouldn't go during daytime as it was PACKED! As we were both hungry we thought we would have dinner at the on site restaurant but that idea was soon dashed by the cue that looked like something from a snake game after the 1000 point mark. After about an hour, Tanja and I had finally reached the warehouse bit of the store, with our yellow bag full of wee bits and pieces we got a trolley and went on our search for book shelves and a rocking chair. we found the Chair and Shelves in no time but we had to ask for help to get the matching footstool. We were extremely lucky as there was only one left in stock and after getting it checked to make sure all the bits were in it we proceeded to make our way to checkouts. Well we had many choices of queues, they were all just equally as long. Once we got everything scanned and packed, Tanja tried to pay for the goods; tried being the operative word. For some reason Tanja's bank card has a limit on it and refused to work, so after what seemed like ages we sorted the problem by ringing her mother and getting some funds on another card, another addition to the adventures of Tanja and Larry boy. By this point we were really hungry and decided that to keep the hunger at bay to purchase some 50 krona (50 Euro cents) IKEA hotdogs.

After a trip to the largest Sweetie shop in Europe, in which we bought very little surprisingly, we travel into the present by crossing the border back into Finland. We went into a shopping centre called Rajalla meaning Border in Finnish. After some quick discussions, it was mutually decided we shall go to Rax, a pizza buffet place to eat. Rax is a very nice place to eat, not just pizza stuff. They had marshmallow pizza at this one two, some kind of promotion, I decided to skip this flavour as I wasn't too amazed at it when I had it last week..... it was an interesting taste but that was it. After filling my plate a few times, it was time to head back on the road towards our home.

We arrived home 2 hours later and Tanja decided to nap. I went ahead and made the dinner for Sunday as we were having Tanja's younger brothers coming round after chapel. I decided to make mince and salami cannelloni. Once I did my house wife bit but I proceeded to do the manly husband job and put together the IKEA furniture. I put up the footstool, rocking chair and one bookshelf before heading to bed.

Sunday's are Chapel days. We received a text early morning from the branch president asking us if it would be ok to announce our wedding to the congregation, which Tanja and I had no objections too. Once suited and booted for Chapel, we went to pick up Tanja's two younger brothers as their Father had gone to another Chapel as part of the District council or something. During the first part of the meeting, Markku announced that Tanja Maljanen was no more and it was now Tanja Robinson. After chapel all four of us head to the apartment and whilst I put the prepared meal in the oven, Janne and I moved about some things in the study so I could put the IKEA bookshelves in the room for my numerous books. The food hardly had time settle as it was lapped up with several rounds of fresh garlic bread. It is good to see people enjoying ones food, gives you a morale boost but also a feeling of satisfaction. After the boys left, I finished the last bookshelf and loaded them up with my books. Tanja and I took a wee nap before returning the borrowed BMW back to her older brother Ari. After watching Ice Age 3, we hit the hay.

After a night in which I had an upset stomach and sore throat which kept me up for most of it, I slept in till 11. I potted around the house doing bits and pieces of housework before heading out to meet Tanja from work. Her work colleagues had given us a card and a candle holder, that was very nice of them. After dinner of Chicken Chasseur, Brown Rice and garlic bread followed by a Nap; we printed off a new name piece for the door. We now officially have our name on the door.


1 comment:

  1. Where are the pics!!!! Stop messing us around and get them posted ... all in one go; no more of this rationing pleasse :)

    ReplyDelete