New year, new dreams - but what to dream about???

Stories from last week when internet was not cooperating...


Happy 2016 everyone! I hope your year has started off with a bang. We spent five wonderful weeks in Finland (in the loving care of my mother) and were able to re-connect with some of our loved ones. Sadly the time wasn’t enough – or we were too lazy – to catch up with everyone, but hey, I guess that is a good motivation boost to go back again sometime soon.

I’ve been trying to work on a post that would best describe what I want from 2016. I even started to work on my spring 2016 idea board, but sadly – or not – I’ve hit a slump. Not so much in life, it’s as busy as usual, but more so in my dreams and hopes and plans.

We’ve set a MASSIVE goal as a family to gain some financial freedom this year. Nothing insane like “Let’s try and win the jackpot-bingo-lottery-raffle" but rather in managing our finances responsibly, working on some buffers and clearing some debt that we have accumulated over the years of relaxed consumerism. This also means that I note down every, yes EVERY, income and expense into our home budget app. Still trying to turn it into a routine.

I’m also working on some very personal goals of reaching a massive dream of my own: having my own gymnastics hall this year. While it seems to be becoming reality, I’m struggling to grasp it fully. Somehow, the fact that it is actually happening is making me freak out. While it was just a dream, it didn’t seem so daunting. 

I still want to set some personal goals, and quite surprisingly losing weight is NOT on my list. Yay. I would even call that personal growth. But balance, simplifying, family time, good food and exercise are on my top 10 list. But as most lifestyle gurus say, the goals should be specific and tangible so I will work on these topics once my head clears out.

We lost some loved ones last week, I lost my amazing and loving mummu (grandmother) and Tonny lost a close friend. The emotional roller coaster that I went through last week was not easy. At times I felt overwhelmed with emotions of missed opportunities and regrets and of unfinished business. Saying goodbye over the phone was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I know mummu is now in a happy place, with her husband and watching over me and my family in Africa. But last week I really wished I was able to go back in time, a day, a week, a month. She was a very special person to me, and I hope she knew that. I will miss her dearly.

It's a rainy day in Dar es Salaam today. While in practice it means huge pools of water on the roads and massive traffic jams, I do love the quick break from sun shine and the freshness in the air. It's a perfect excuse to sit down and relax with a cup of hot lemon water and the last rye-cheese-tomato sandwich made of Finnish cheese.