I haven’t had a proper summer holiday for a few years so this summer it was such a luxury not having to work very much. Of course as an artist I’m always somehow working on upcoming projects and preparing new works, but I didn’t work in terms of waking up early in the morning, sitting in the office, rehearsing or warming up shows nor performing. It was pretty nice. I didn’t do anything special really – slept, cooked, exercised, wrote, thought…but what was pretty special for me, was that I had time & peace to read. Meaning anything; novels, newspapers, short stories. I really really love reading and drowning myself in the thoughts of a writer, but unfortunately this is something I find hard to find time & space to do in my normal everyday. I think I should change that – so much I enjoy reading. This summer I read some books I should have read years ago (like Mereta Mazzarella and Kari Hotakainen) and some new discoveries like Siri Hustvedt (how amazing? And how amazing that I haven’t read her books before?). Unfortunately, I didn’t have money to travel anywhere or to do anything special, but maybe that was good. Not to do too much. Less is more.
So when last weekend when we went to our friends’ house warming party 150km away, I felt like I was abroad! The sun was shining, there were good friends around, we ate amazing foods, drank a lot of wine and got to spend a night in a house designed by Alvar Aalto! I really need to make sure I have time to see my friends and spend proper time with them. I love them. The house warming party was pretty special as the couple whose house warming party it was, announced that they had gotten married last December. So there were a lot of tears of joy and happiness! We ended up talking a lot about marriage as another friend couple has also decided to get married. And I was trying to explain why I don’t understand this institute. I just don’t. I’m not against it but I don’t get it. So everyone kept saying that it’s only us who’s left to organize a love parade…but somehow I don’t see it happening.
Of course I’ve gone back to work and the autumn looks pretty…busy. I’m not sure how I will manage everything when the daylight is getting less and less, it’s getting darker and colder and one has to get up insanely early every f*king morning. But of course, there are amazingly exciting things coming up as well! It’s time for the 10th ANTI Festival, I’m performing in Tanssin Aika Festival in Jyväskylä and in the city theatre of Kuopio, I have talks and lectures in Joensuu, Helsinki, Kuopio, we are preparing UP TO NATURE EU funded project for 2012, I have a work period in London etc etc. It’s all very very exciting but at the same time feels like it’s a lot. And besides that I have my basic training to do. I’ve also registered our lovely Yorkshire terrier Pimu to a puppy training…  By the way, Pimu was voted for the pet of the week in July, see link here!
Autumn is the time to pull out warmer clothes from the wardrobe, get inspired by new colours, trends, prints, textures… I’ve sold two pairs of Minna Parikka shoes and had a stall in a second hand shop in Kuopio for a week where I sold clothes, shoes and all kinds of little items like plates, puzzles, games and bags. Maybe it’s time for something…new? I think this pair of Minna Parikka’s A/W 2011 shoes with the snake from ‘Women are dangerous animals collection’ is pretty awesome. Don’t you?
Highlight of the summer was a long weekend we spent on our friends boat Gerda boating. The weather was great, the kids were great, Pimu was behaving well and we had enough food & drinks! On board were the hosts Vilja & Jari (THANX SO MUCH!!!), Zulani, Justiina & Pimu and Pekka & me. A selection of photos here:
The gorgeous Gerda:
Looking forward to more active blogging period!
Johanna