Parquet

We have lived in and with Green Lady for 17 years. We have vintage parquet flooring in 2 rooms. Already then when we moved in, it needed updating. And we've been doing so. But actually nothing has lead to desired outcome. We've been talking about changing the parquet flooring but we see it vain. Simply because it is old wood flooring and I want flooring that at least looks like old wood. So, what is the point to waste wood and forest for that? It is not very sustainable.

We could have sand dusted it all like it is recommended but have not chosen that option. Why? Because the parquet is from early 60's, and it has few very deep holes that reach so deep that if you sand dust it all the way deep in, that would broke the whole parquet. Anyway we would need to leave it half way and it would look brand new here and there and very old here and there. That would probably seem funny. Also, we still have the traditional insulation in the house, which means we have sawdust also under the flooring. If it gets heated up by sand dusting by machinery it causes a risk of the fire. We don't want to take that risk. Add to that, sand dusting cause a lot of dust and avoiding it would need a lot of trouble. Too lazy for that.

That's why we have been trying to create the surface to look vintage old but cared and loved. All these years. With many different kind of methods, liquids, waxes etc. With the unsatisfied result. Until now. Now it seems I have accidentally found the way.

In early June I fixed the broken wind catcher. I used Extra Virgin Macadamia Nut Oil that Young Lady had forgotten into our kitchen and it was out of the date. I used it for the wind catcher. Later I used it for the weaving tools and noticed it really creates a beautiful surface also with 3D surfaces. I got a bit excited and oiled by it also some spinning tools. And there I faced an accident. I dropped just one tiny drop of the oil on the parquet. I did like always before when I drop any oil on the parquet. Wipe it by my sock and pretend nothing happened and a moment later none sees nothing. Except now I noticed with horror that it didn't fade away. I just spread around and left a very visible dark brown spot! EEK!!! 

I comfort myself that the parquet is so ruin already that nothing can make it worse... Except next day I noticed it actually looks great. I talked with Him and we decided to make a test for ½ m2 area because it actually is so ruin that we really can't make it worse. After few days we noticed it looks great and decided to oil the whole parquet flooring in these 2 rooms by the Macadamia nut oil. Then we ran into a problem. In the whole Finland, actually the whole Europe, seemed to have run out from Macadamia nut oil. I even consulted my Australian friend to find a shop that can deliver it online straight from Australia to me. See, Macadamia actually origins from Australia. But, we actually found two small groceries in Finland that seemed to have this oil in their store. One was 1½ hour drive far away and the other 12 hours drive away! I called to the closer one, they kindly checked out the situation and set aside their whole storage (4 x 250 ml bottles) for me. We jumped into the car and head to south.

Poor Pii was not very happy about the oiling because it lasted for 3 days and she is a person of order. She was quite ok for the first 2 days until we need to remove her dear loom to get also her very own corner oiled.

I did the oiling by my very own bare hands. I rubbed and massaged the oil into the wood. I must confess it was a very hard job because the starting point with our vintage parquet was so miserable. I have worked hard before with our flooring so I knew what to expect. I always did one part of the floor and moved the furniture to be able to do so. That's why it lasted for 3 days. But we all are satisfied with the result. Also dear Pii who needed to be separated from her dear loom just for 10 hours. 

I know Extra Virgin Macadamia Nut Oil is considered one of the most expensive cooking oils. I must tell you it is anyway cheaper than many liquids & waxes manufactured for wood & parquet floor maintain. Besides it is 100% natural oil without poisonous ingredients. Of course it doesn't fade away the holes and all the scratches on the flooring's surface. It actually deepens most of their shades and all the holes and faults in the parquet. In our case we had so many that it actually looks good now. The oil highlights all the natural figures of the wood and scratches. Now it all looks very old and worn but also loved and cared. I love it when I can spot out some scratches which origin I know. I love this house full of stories. 

I needed 4 dl oil for 36 m2 area. I still have 3 full bottles left. I will re-oil it all after a month. And in the future few years at least once in a year. That will show do I need to oil it annually or not. The cost for 4 bottles and gasoline to drive there and back was total 50 €.

NOTICE: The towels & rags you use in oiling include the danger of fire when they dry out!!!! You need to dispose of them in a special way. Check that out -before starting- from your local instructions. I did burn mine in the wood burning fire stove. If you don't have that option you need to find the way not to cause a fire! I used the rags only to wipe away any extra oil.

Boxing

We moved in the Green House at spring 2009. Since that the house has had us. Today Green Lady is over 80 years old. She was born right after the wars in Lapland, Finland. I love all her wrinkles and we have been slowly renovating her with the idea to respect her age and wisdom. 

The kitchen has gone through several updates. I have given up one full height cabinet because of the fire safety. We have changed the fire place to the iron wood-burning stove. And I gave up the center floor kitchen island which plaid the role of the dining table and cabinet and instead use a traditional style home made Dining Table. But this all has lead to the point, of which I was very aware of when doing it all, that I suffer the lack of the storage place in my kitchen. Giving up vain things is one solution and we've done so. But we can't give up all. After trying to cope with it all since 2018 we have end up to a fact we need some more storage place in our kitchen to make it all work better in practical daily life way. 

That's why I -after planning the solution for 12 months- walked into IKEA Haparanda-Tornio and bought just one Metod 40 x 40 x 60 cabinet and a door for it. All plain white.

I was very extremely proud of me and myself when putting it all up together. I am famous about it that any kind of wood work is not made for me but I have a talent reading the instructions.

But I also went into local super market and bought two packs of d-c-fix adhesive films. I placed the films on each 4 side walls of the cabinet. Then He helped me to screw 4 wheels under the cabinet. 

He helped me also with the iron latch. We bought the wheels and latch from a  local ironware store. Also the wheels are black. 

It is just perfect size for one tiny hole in my kitchen. There is wall installed electric radiator for heating but we don't need that because of our other heating systems in the kitchen so it has been switched off for couple of years by now. That's why we started to see it could be a place for an extra storage. 

I just turn the Metod cabinet upside down. The wheels are fastened there which part should be fastened to the wall. That's how it all turn out actually a box instead of cabinet! It all cost 136,20 € but was worth of trouble. But why I need it if I have given up a lot? What's in?

Ta-dah! It is full of plastic! I can't give up these if I follow the traditional Forest Sámi life style. We freeze a lot of berries and berry made food for the cold season. We hardly never buy vegetables, usually just potatoes. We get our vitamins from the berries. The easiest way in the modern times to storage and use them is just to freeze them. 😛

3Friends

In Finland it is never too cold (or warm) for ice cream. If you have Coeliac disease it challenges your ice cream pleasure especially if you love crispy cones. 

In 2019 I told you about one option and in 2018 another and now I am happy and ready to tell you about one more and it is made in Finland. It has been around for a while but you know I don't advertise anything, I don't have any contracts with anyone to blog about anything. Everything is my very own personal opinion and none can pay it. 

I have not told you about 3 Friends before because I was not completely satisfied with all their products and actions before. See, it is a Finnish 3 Kaveria trademark that manufactures ice creams with the idea "available for all". 

In my point of view, despite they have manufactured ice creams for years, it all was not available for me. 1st of all, it took time until it all was available up here in North because it was a small ice cream factory in Helsinki. When it was available up here in North it was not available in all the groceries. And then when it was available in all the groceries up in North it still was not always available for me, because some of their products (vegans) included inulin. Inulin is often included in vegan products to create the taste, feel and expression of milky, creamy and buttery expression. Inulin is not suitable with IBS. Even just one small bite can cause problems if you have IBS or just a sensitive and upsetting belly. That's why I must have been quite careful when shopping 3 Kaveria ice cream from these 3 Friends.

I have been following and reading 3 Friends' ice cream ingredients since I've known them and have ended up to the resolution they have finally removed inulin from their products. Now I completely trust in them on my diet that is naturally guten free but it includes challenges that base on FODMAP and some serious allergies. Today I can pick up any of their ice cream and I don't need to read the ingredients. I can count on it that it all finally is available also for me. That's why I write you about them only now. If you travel in Finland and have challenges with your diet, try 3 Kaveria ice cream. But be aware of everyone eat it, it is so good!

What is new is the fact that I was surprised to find out brand new TUPLA ice cream this summer at groceries. I love Finnish TUPLA chocolate. It is one of the few chocolates I can eat. It is over 65 years old trademark! I didn't even touch TUPLA ice cream package at the grocery because I immediacy assumed it is not for me because I saw no manufacturer's label nor gluten free adverts. Once I was in a shop with my sister, she asked if I can eat it (she knew someone else with coeliac disease who could) so I finally read the ingredients. I learnt "yes I can" and "OMG it is manufactured by 3 Friends" and " why none told me before". Since that TUPLA ice cream has been my No1 ice cream for the summer 2026. It has it all! Especially crispy chocolate waffle!!!

Romeo&Juliet

It's been almost 12 months since I did my last jigsaw puzzle. Since that it has been just an intention because of many practical things. Last year I received this 252 piece two sided Romeo&Juliet jigsaw puzzle as a gift from YougLady. It has all I love: words, art, books, stories, puzzles...

It is manufactured by Professor Puzzle. The quality is good and the idea great! It is not so big so it fits well in smaller places too. A great gift idea!

The Reading Challenge 2026 - Part 2

This year in March-June I've read two fat and two skinny (compared to the fat ones) books. All in Finnish and each mine, but 3 of them are vintage and pre-read.

I've read:

T.I. Itkonen's Suomen lappalaiset part 1 and 2. They are huge folklore books about Sámi people in Finland. Also Forest Sámi people are included in these over 1000 pages. Unfortunately Itkonen's books are not available in English. They are very comprehensive and informative books about Sámi people written by an outsider but still one that was part of the Sámi society. He was for about 8 years old when his family moved from South Finland up to Inari, Lapland, when his father received there a job as a local vicar.

Guiseppe Acerbi's Matka halki Suomen v. 1799. That is a part of his book Travels through Sweden, Finland and Lapland to the North Cape that considers Finland. That complete book might be interesting to all and available in several languages. Again, when reading this kind of book, remember it is written by an outsider to outsiders. But it still expresses his own private experiences on his travels and he has seen what he has been shown. That's only the part of the truth, but it is his part of it. Also, because it was written 200 years ago, that creates another interesting aspect to the story.

Juhani Torkki's Plutarkhos mielen tyyneydestä. Even this book is in Finnish it actually is a translation of ancient Greek philosopher Plutarkhos' essays about the peace of mind. It is an ancient mindfulness that still works in this modern world. It is amazing that his 2000 yrs old ideas are still valid and still human nature needs practice in these skills. I received this book as a gift from YoungLady who moved out to study ancient Greek 5 yrs ago. 

Here you can find her Barchelor's thesis.

Here you can find her Master's thesis.

They both are in Finnish but I bet that google translate can understand it better than ancient Greek. They both are about horses: the former about the role of horses in book four of Xenophon's Cyropaedia (which is a partly fictional biography of Cyrus the Great) and the latter is about latin loanwords used by Apsyrtos (who was a renowed horse doctor) in  Hippiatrica (which is the only surviving work on Greek hippiatrics). The topic of horses and hippiatrics has attracted relatively little academic interest. So if you are interested in horses and ancient history, you might be interested in trying to read these with the help of translator. Hopefully she'll get the funding (and a topic!) for her dissertation.