Life Lately: Summer is Over

sunset 
Summer is over…

Well, August is almost over. And although the weather may be summery, the sun is shining etc, September is the beginning of autumn (at least in Finland).  

Is it just me, or has this summer gone by so fast? I mean, I feel as if I’ve barely had time to realise it is summer… Or maybe I’ve been so busy with all sorts of things that I haven’t really had time to just stop and enjoy the summer? Quite sad, really, if you think about it…

So, what have I been doing this summer, then?

Well, I’ve continued my decluttering marathon (seriously, how much stuff can we have in a tiny one bedroom flat???). And I’ve travelled a bit. There was the brief trip to Barcelona for my birthday in early June, for starters.

summer recap 1300 x 1000

Other than that, June was just work, work and more work. Till Midsummer, that is. That’s when all Finns go on holiday. Well, maybe not all Finns, but the city always seems a bit empty suddenly: all you see is lots of tourists, wondering what happened to the locals as there are so few people around…

Right, let’s move on to July… That seems like such a long time ago. What was I doing in July?

Oh, yes, I spent a few days (or a week, whatever) in the U.K., where we have a house (as my husband works there). I had all these plans of decluttering the house etc. Needless to say I did nothing of the sort. Didn’t see anybody either (except our lovely neighbours, of course). Brexit Britain is so depressing: full of raving maniacs and xenophobes. To be honest, I prefer to stay away as much as possible, and whenever I’m there, I tend to stay indoors rather than risk meeting the above-mentioned raving maniacs or xenophobes…

So, we escaped the Island of Lost Souls (a.k.a Brexitania) to the safety of the ‘free world’ (a.k.a Germany) as soon as hubby’s holiday started. 

Why Germany, you might ask. Well, it is Professor M’s native land, and summer is a good opportunity to see some of his relatives, or just tour the country a bit.

This time we spent a few days in Munich before going to Dortmund. It was awfully hot, which made sightseeing a bit challenging… OK, I admit: I did everything possible to avoid spending time outdoors. I even went to a museum.

It’s not that I hate museums; I just like them in small doses. More to the point, I prefer smaller, well-curated museums. For me, an hour in a museum is enough; after that I can’t focus on anything anymore, and it just becomes too much. Apparently, for me,  less is more when it comes to museums, too…

Anyway… In Munich we visited the Deutsches Museum. Yes, the largest science  and technology museum in the world…  Not a good idea. After the first couple of rooms I was exhausted, and ready to leave. Or at least find the coffee shop. Which isn’t easy, by the way: you have to tour the whole damn building to find the exit…

But the first couple of rooms were interesting: old boats and airplanes, and wacky demonstrations with loud noise and crackling electricity. Very steampunk, mad scientist stuff…

science

But that wasn’t the only museum visit: there was also a fantastic Carl Strathmann exhibition in Munchner Stadtmuseum (Art Nouveau paintings). It was very interesting, and so much more manageable (= you could easily spend and hour looking at the paintings and leave feeling invigorated and inspired instead of overwhelmed and exhausted).

summer recap 1300 x 1000

And then there was another Art Nouveau exhibition (sorry, no pictures) in Riga, Latvia, where we spent a day before returning to Finland. And it was awfully hot in Finland, too. And we needed to escape it somehow.

Hmm, there’s a theme emerging here. No, not the hot weather, but my new-found appreciation for museums… So, back in Helsinki I finally had an opportunity to visit a small museum I’ve been wanting to visit for ages:  Didrichsen Art Museum

summer recap 1300 x 1000

Looking back it seems my July was indeed busy.

And August… Well, August has been busy, too, but with work. I usually teach an intensive course in August, which means that the whole month seems a bit of a blur… But that’s what work is like, anyway, when it gets busy.

So, summer is over… Autumn means of course a busy work schedule, some more decluttering (will it ever end?), and a gradual transition to cooler weather. I don’t miss the summer heatwaves, but do feel that summer went by so incredibly fast. Is that what it’s like getting older? Time seems to speed up? Or maybe it’s me, forgetting how to slow down…

summer recap 1300 x 1000

How was your summer? 

Tiina

PS: Have seen the latest Dilettante Artist post?

Linking up with:

Not Dead Yet StyleElegantly Dressed and StylishHigh Latitude StyleStyle ElixirA Labour of LifeCurly Crafty MomFashion Should Be FunColor and GraceThe Wardrobe StylistNot Dressed As LambStyle NudgeLiving on Cloud NineA Well Styled LifeElegance and MommyhoodPosh Classy MomNancy’s Fashion StyleShelbee on the EdgeA Pocketful of Polka Dots Style SplashThe Fashionista MommaTina’s Pink Friday, Away from the BlueMummabstylish , Mutton Years Style and I

6 Comments

  1. Deborah Malinoski
    29 August 2019 / 5:48 pm

    I’m reluctant to confirm this, Tiina, but in my experience, time DOES seem to speed up as we get older…and I agree, this summer went by so fast, it almost didn’t register! Well, we’re all in it together, at least…and autumn is my FAVORITE time of year, though in L.A. you have to look pretty hard to find signs of it ——the earliest indicator here being when Starbucks starts up with its pumpkin spice lattes! My summer was a quiet one, my almost -17 -year- old fur baby kept me close to home. I have been an armchair traveller for awhile as a result, which is one of the many reasons I enjoy you blog. Keep ‘em coming and here’s to Fall!

    • Tiina
      Author
      30 August 2019 / 7:18 pm

      I was thinking that might be the case; that time speeds up. Oh well, all the more important not to waste it on something boring or stupid…
      I love autumn, too. The cooler weather suits me better, and I love the leaves turning!
      I wish I could have a fur baby, too, I’m always a bit envious of people who have pets (I’m allergic, so that’s not an option for me). I hope you get to keep your fur baby for a while still, and in reasonably good health.

  2. Arlene
    29 August 2019 / 6:38 pm

    Yes I think the summer went by so fast and I think as you get older for some reason, it seems to fly by. I also look forward to Autumn, but not winter!! Arlene from NJ

    • Tiina
      Author
      30 August 2019 / 7:19 pm

      Oh please, don’t remind me of winter! I just realised something: summer seems to go so fast, but winter always lasts forever…

  3. voguefauxreal
    1 September 2019 / 1:30 am

    I’m not ready to let go of summer. I hate winter in North Texas – I can’t even imagine what it’s like in Finland :/ At any rate, we’re at the end of August and I have no idea where the months between April and now have gone, but it’s at an alarming rate. I think we definitely need to learn to slow down. All I wish for on Monday is for Friday to get here quickly – just wishing my life away. I, too, need to de-clutter my closet badly. It seems I do a little every spring but it doesn’t even make a dent. And museums – some I love and some not so much. I love the science and technology ones that are interactive. I could spend days in there. And the art galleries for sure. I’ve done some exploring of small towns near my area and have really enjoyed some of their area history museums. I hope you get a chance to slow down a bit and enjoy your autumn. Gorgeous flowers in your last photo, by the way – all your pix are beautiful!

    Ruth
    http://www.VogueFauxReal.com

    • Tiina
      Author
      2 September 2019 / 11:02 am

      Oh yes, we need to lear to slow down. It’s as if we’re fast-forwarding everything these days.
      Except decluttering… I feel like I’ve been doing that forever, and there’s no end in sight. I know how you feel: I decluttered my closet in spring, and now I think I should do it again!

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