Why Finnish Mums are Scarier Than Other Mums

“You’re not like other mums, you’re scary” my darling son said to me, aged about 9 at the time, whilst comparing me to British mums. Whereas I possibly should have been offended by his off the wall comment, I took it as a huge compliment. After all, it meant I was doing a good job being a Finnish…

When a Fat Bitch Steals Your Identity

We have an unwanted guest in our house and I am literally fuming! This woman has moved in totally unnoticed and without even being invited! She treats my house like it’s hers and has replaced my smaller size clothes with her new frumpy size 16 ones, which now fill my wardrobe! Night time she drinks…

Where to Eat and Drink in Gravesend – An Expat Recommends

It comes as no surprise to my blog readers that I am a huge fan of both food and drink, you only have to look at my rotund stature for some evidence! Luckily, although a small town with just 100,000 inhabitants, Gravesend has got a plethora of pubs and restaurants to choose from, where you can…

Three Pigeons and A Wedding Present

We have made it without Brexit! Well, that is hubby and I, who celebrated our Silver Wedding Anniversary last month! When hubby and I first met in 1986 at the famous Queen concert, I don’t think either of us could have imagined celebrating 25 years of marriage many years later in sunny Gravesend! We made a decision to celebrate…

When a Killer Calls

What would you do if a murderer knocked on your front door at ten o’clock at night? Well, we let him into our house, lent him a golf flight bag and wished him a good holiday. You see, at that time, we didn’t know he was a killer. He was just a fellow member at…

Confessions of a Romantic Trip with a Farting Finn

Have you ever looked at other people’s holiday pictures and felt envy? The happy couples smiling, the wonderful destinations, whilst you are at home, doing mundane things and nagging with your other half? Well, if you haven’t felt envy, congratulations! You are a far better person than I am! So never did I imagine that…

When an Expat Turns Into an Idiot – Visiting Your Native Country

I have noticed lately that I have become an idiot. This might come as a surprise to some of you, but probably not to most…This time I am referring to whenever I’m visiting my former home country, Finland. It has crept on to me without me realising. Admittedly I don’t visit Finland that much anymore,…

Funny Songs and Funerals

Have you chosen your funeral songs yet? I have! This week I went to a beautiful funeral of a fellow Finn expat who had reached the mature age of 93. The service was lovely, but what really tipped me over the edge was the choice of music, and when the choir started singing the Finlandia…

How to Avoid Divorce from a Finnish Wife

Multicultural marriages are always tricky and sometimes I wonder how we have made it this far, celebrating our silver wedding anniversary next year. On paper, a Finn and a Brit aren’t too different, but reality is that there will always be clashes so I have decided to share my top tips of how to avoid…

Back Spasms and Dirty Phone Calls

Sitting in the Physiotherapy waiting room at my local hospital last week made me think how lucky I am to “only” have a shoulder problem. I have no broken bones, or even worse, I have not got a severe back problem. I had never appreciated how painful and life debilitating a back problem can be,…

Shoulder Problems and Sexy Physios

Why do the simplest things in life always become embarrassing when I’m involved? Firstly, I am happy to report that I am still here in Gravesend, despite the fact that most of my blog readers probably thought that I had been deported based on my last blog post! And I will continue to live my…

“We can vote Mum out!” – Brexit for a Finnish Mum

On Thursday, people in the UK are going to vote on whether we remain in the European Union or whether we leave, commonly known as Brexit. When I say people can vote, that doesn’t include me and the other 3 million EU citizens that are already settled in the UK, as only British citizens (and…