Desire lines

This might just be the last 'pristine snowblip' that I can provide from Helsinki this year. This is the result of Monday's heavy snow, followed by a day and a half of sunshine. Obviously not too many people have thought it would be prudent to step off the bank in Taivallahti and follow the usually well worn path out into the bay on the ice. In fact, that looks like one, or at most two, skiers have done it. None the less, yesterday evening I could see the 'kite surfers' out on the ice, enjoying the effects of the breeze - but that was miles away out by the islands.

As I said, it may be the last. Meanwhile the temperature has risen to the heady heights of 5 degrees, it's gone grey and drizzly, and that's how it's expected to stay for a couple of days. Indeed tomorrow the temperature rises to 9 degrees! The snow is disappearing almost before our eyes. Meanwhile, the days are now 20 minutes longer than those 'enjoyed' by our mates in Leith. I put 'enjoyed' in inverted commas because they seem to be experiencing colder temperatures than we are right now. Meanwhile, I see from Facebook that pals visiting Lapland are enjoying glorious sunshine and endless days for cross country skiing in perfect snow conditions. I think we might have got the dates wrong for our visit to Lapland, too. This country does take a bit of adjusting to.

Today was not too exciting. Pilates, as usual. Some wandering, and coffee and korvapuusti in Regatta, where I found sitting inside for the first time in months to be a bit hot and airless. I'll be advocating for outside in future. Work was steady. I've been preparing presentations, and do various bits of work related housekeeping over the last day or so. Awaiting review comments on my paper, but that may be some time in the future.