Where has the summer gone?

Just yesterday it was spring, and we just got back from our Italian vacation, and now it's almost winter.

Our summer has been a bit splitted, working and taking care of our own house in the southern of Finland, but we have also been participating in taking care of my in-laws property in Ikaalinen 200 miles north from us, also helping in the task of my mother-in-laws moving into an apartment in the center of Ikaalinen, leaving more responsibilities for her childrens familys to take care of the house in the countryside.

As a member of many family organisations boards, I've also have had lots of meetings and speaking sessions to attend during this year, a few bigger meetings upcoming before the yearend.

The last of our previuos generation, my mothers brothers wife passed away lately, and there is also a few things to take care of before the year changes.

Velho and Velhotar also just recently got their eyes on a suitable property for our pension days down in Hungary, a country we have learned to love, the property is about 2000 miles south, so we expect that there is a bit warmer, and a bit shorter winters, how about half a year south, and half a year up here in the north. Well it's a dream, we havn't got any answers from the seller yet, but maybe next week. Up here we are used to get answers at once.

Your Lazy Blogger.

Nine days without...

Piccolo Antonio

...phone and Internet, that's holliday. Neither didn't work at our previous villa in the mountains but at this one they work now and then.

First week we were five persons spending our time in Sant Agata sui due golfi on the Amalfitana costiera in Italy. Celebrating a few birthdays, seeing relatives and eating good Italian food. The last evening in Sant Agata we all went to a local "Ristorante" with our Italian relatives for an evening of good food before we continued to our next location.

The first week we had very good weather, a little cloudy in the mornings, but then sunshine and around 20-24 degrees Celcius.

Santa Maria di Castellabate

This week we spend in Castellabate on the Cilento coast of Italy. What a scenery we have from our villa on the hillside! You can see the Thyrrenian sea and the smaller part of Castellabate called Santa Maria di Castellabate on the coastline belowe us. Above us there is the old town from around 1020 AD as the area has been inhabited since Upper Palaeolithic times. In early medieval times, the current part of Licosa was a base of the Saracens, who were defeated here in 846 by a coalition of the Duchy of Naples, Amalfi, Sorrento and Gaeta. The history of the current Castellabate is tied to Saint Costabile Gentilcore (St. Constabilis), fourth abbot of La Trinità della Cava. In 1123, the same year in which he was elevated to the position of abbot, he started construction on the Angel's Castle 1123, which afterwards became entitled to him. His title gave the village its present name: Castrum Abbatis, Latin for "the castle of the abbot". His abbacy lasted until 17th February 1124. His successor, Simeon, completed its construction and helped the inhabitants.

Kirsberry flowers

Today Castellabate is a typical south Italian town with about 8000 inhabitants living on tourism and agriculture. Castellabate's cuisine is based on local products: wine, olive oil, cheese (such as mozzarella), garbanzo beans and salami.

This week we will continue with good food, but also explore the area better. Here are many historical places like Agropoli and Paestum, let's see what we have time for to see.

Castellabate seen from San Marco di Castellabate

Your Lazy Blogger with wife and brother-in-law.

Velho on the road

Lasse & Henrik Mangs. Photo by T. Nikus 2012

Yours truly has once again been on the road, speaking about digitalization of material of interest for genealogists, this time in Korsholm, Vasa.

The one day event was arranged by both genealogy Associations in Vasa. The amount of visitors was about 300+, and on the speach sessions average around 90 persons. In my point of view, the numbers are excellent when thinking about how small area of minority language persons is in question.

I also spoke about our Calamnius and Holm familys, both on the lecture and at different occations later. I'm happy to say that I revived many genealogical contacts, and got a bunch of new ones to deal with.

I also got a lot of new reseach material, but due to lack of time havn't checked it out yet.

Your Lazy Blogger

We've got a new president.

This morning was the coldest so far this year at Velhola. 10:00 in the morning we still had -31C, and even at noon it was -29C, but at 21:00 in the evening it was only -9C, so we are clearly going towards the summer. Well maybe not that fast, but anyway.
Here are a picture of our summer terass, the table have been cleaned from the snow once, but now there is about 50cm of snow again, and for the moment more is coming...
Today it was the second round for our presidential candidates in the election. Both candidates have had a very good campaign and are very equal. Unfortunately my candidate lost and the other one made it. I still believe we got a good president, this is democracy. Congratulations to Sauli, and Pekka please be available again after six years.
Well these are the short news from your Lazy blogger for this time.

Hyvää Joulua - God Jul - Merry Christmas

Hello my readers,

Your lazy blogger is just as lazy as you could expect, so I make this entry as short as possible.

I only want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year with this picture.

Your Lazy Blogger

Autumn

Sadly summer is gone, we're way into the autumn, near it's end.
A weekend when both Velho & Velhotar are at home, so today we've beeen doing a lot of work in the garden and around the house before the winter comes with a suprise, with snow and cold weather.
While outside today, I also had my camera with me, and snapped a few photos, one attached.
Now we're waiting for next spring, two booked events, first "Sadoin sähkökitaroin" (a hundred electric guitars) at the Savoy theatre in Helsinki on march 3.




Later in the spring our Italian vacation, seeing friends and relatives in a bit warmer climate!

Your Lazy Blogger

The web is 20 years today

As you all know I'm the lazy blogger, so to prove it I simply link the next news for all of you to read:-)

http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/06/the-internet-is-20-years-old-today/

Your lazy blogger