Oh, and my SO applied for a marriage license and was told that it's pretty much a done deal and we can get married next Monday if we want
So that's a huge thorn off my side. We thought we would pick November 2nd for the big day, but it's not certain yet. He still hasn't told his parents and brothers about the wedding (well, they do know we're engaged, but they don't know we're getting married so soon), and hasn't been able to call the maistraatti at Turku to get an appointment because he's been away this week (a work-related trip that took him all the way up to Lapland, but he's slowly making his way back south). Hopefully all this will be sorted out tomorrow. So let's see. I booked my apointment at the salon for the day before my trip (a lot of things to be done there
), I'll be done with the dentist by Sunday (hadn't been to one in four years, and there were like four cavities to clean up and fill) and everything is booked for my stay and for our short trip to Germany. I need to get smalls packages of dates (fresh ones) and halva for his parents, aunt and cousins, and two liters of local olive oil (the best there is in the world) for him and his father. Probably some French chocolate for his middle brother, and also an engagement present for his eldest brother and his fiancée. I was thinking some china candle-holders with Berber patterns painted on them. Hopefully I'll find something presentable enough. Oh, and it's his grandmother's 90th birthday in November so we thought we'd give her a framed picture of us, but I have to find a decent one. And of course a bottle of strawberry liquor because she loves the stuff.
I was thinking of buying a new jacket for myself before I travel but it's still so warm here (34°c today) and the only ones on sale are ugly models from last year, so I'll probably buy one in Finland, and until then my winter coat will do. It's rather cold there, these days, and it's not going to get any warmer as days go by. I'm at the (usual) stage of checking foreca.com for weather predictions for the next ten days, and they change all the time! At least I can count on it being rainy, and under 10°c (most likely 5°c) and very dark.
I really like Finland in autumn. I don't mind the fewer hours of sunlight (well, it's mostly clouds anyway) and there's something strangely reassuring about it being pitch dark by 5 pm. You feel like there's still a lot of time to get things done. And I tend not to notice twilight which is nice, because twilight generally depresses me. And not just because of the "vampire" books
One thing that will need to be bought very quickly is our wedding rings. We will probably go with plain white gold bands because there isn't enough time to be original. Or money for that matter. Not that we're not comfortable financially, but there are better things to spend money on than wedding rings, especially since I probably won't be able to work for a long time after we close the distance (the Finnish job market being what it is). Well, I suppose we might still find something interesting, but we won't look too hard. I was hoping we'd come up with something creative to engrave the rings with, but neither of us could; our minds went blank. Except when I suggested "Avon & Stringer" (fans of TV show The Wire would get this) but strangely he refused! So it will probably be just our first names. Or each other's name on the other's ring.
Speaking of name, I'm still debating myself over which last name to take. I don't have much time left before making a decision and that scares me a bit. I don't think I'll keep my maiden name (as much as I like it and as fancy as it sounds in its original language) but I'm not sure I want to take his either. It feels like it would hurt me to cut off something from my "identity" that's been part of it all this time. People generally dislike hyphenated names as they tend to be long and difficult to pronounce, but it's likely I'll go with that. Just not sure which name should come first? I'm pretty clueless when it comes to these things. In Algeria a woman automatically takes her husband's name, although official papers like passports state "FirstName MaidenName épouse HusbandName", "épouse" meaning spouse in French (duh!)
What else? I suppose a normal bride-to-be would worry about what she will wear on her special day, and I do worry a bit, but not that much. I don't have anything specific though. I was thinking of maybe wearing a knee-length black skirt and high heels (original choice was jeans and sneakers, so it's an improvement!) but I have nothing when it comes to a nice top. And I don't really feel like going shopping for that. I asked my SO not to even think of wearing a suit. We'll leave fanciness for after I move to Finland. But then I'm not sure how you're supposed to celebrate your wedding if there are no papers to sign?
I'm sure we'll figure it all out when the time comes. I think that's all I need to think about for now. Wait, I just remembered I have to buy a copper mortar & pestle for my SO's kitchen. He doesn't need it, but I do (or I will, in the future) as it's a very important cooking accessory where I come from!
And we're done.
I admire you for actually liking that it gets dark at 5pm. Poland is the last country in CET so it gets dark really early in winter
Zephii: Yeah, I wish we could do that, but we're boring people who call each other baby and darling and we don't have any cool or original line
Ioanna: Thanks <3
Dziubka and Lucybelle: Sunset in Finland is still pretty early. First time I went there was in December the sun would rise at 9:30 and set around 2 pm (or a little later, but it gets pretty dark around then). Finland has a pretty high suicide rate in the winter, as a consequence.