Another blast from the past

Today I was going through one of our ‘evidence boxes’, boxes we used to use for storing proof of Shaena and me living together, mostly for visa purposes. Now they are mainly used to store other important stuff we want to save for the future, along with memorabilia and birthday cards etc.

I came across a little photo album from my dad that once again brought me back a bit but this trip down memory lane was a little bit more emotional and closer to heart than the last ‘history lesson’.

First, here is another picture of Thores Trio that I mentioned in my story about Båtskärsnäs taken during the traditional midsummer’s celebrations. I remember their songs and the ambience in the park clearly and somehow they always seemed to play their songs like it was their first and most important gig ever and they were always very close to their audience. Very inspiring! I know, I was only like 8-9 years old but those memories are the kind that sticks.

Next is a picture of a couple of blond boys (guess who!) in their Speedo’s. Think this one is from Frevisören, a beach resort close to my grandparents house outside Båtskärsnäs. We used to go there in the summers whenever we had a weekend at my dad’s – divorce kids as we were – and the weather was good. My grandpa used to come with us and swim in the ocean or rent paddle boats. Good times!

Two things I remember from Frevisören was that you were never allowed to swim outside the red buoys because that was where the water got really deep; the other thing I remember was that if you were really lucky you could be offered to go on the waterslides, but I was always too chicken to go. I guess I still have quite a lot of respect for waterslides and I am not really sure why.

These next few pictures are from a birthday party at my dad’s where I used to live in Haparanda. The first thing that strikes me is the ugly clothes all the kids were wearing! But that was just the fasion in the late eighties.

I remember those parties; I always have and probably always will. Those parties were always fun, everyone invited always turned up when they could – birthday gift or no birthday gift- did not matter, just like me and my brother always turned up when we got invited to other kids parties. Usually the invitations were extended outside in the sandbox where we all hung out and played a game called nurkka (corner in Finnish) and hide and go seek.

My dad and my stepmom have always been the kind of people that makes an effort to throw a good birthday party and my stepmom’s whipped cream fruit cake was to die for!

Below is another picture from the living room in Haparanda with me, my grandparents, John, Isabel and Henry. The date stamp says 11.11.90 so that was me when I was eight. Remember that picture in eight and a half years when our little boy is the same age. I am so curious to see what the similarities will be!

My grandparents have always been the kind of people that comes across as fair, calm, easygoing and very happy people with a genuine interest in their grandkids. Grandpa Eskil and grandma Linnéa will certainly be my role models for parenting when baby is born. Obviously, the way you remember your grandparents parenting style is likely to be far from what your own parents remember them as parents when they were kids, but all of the above are still traits I will do my best to mirror as a parent.

Next one is a picture from a trip to the zoo in Finland in the fox’s lair. The trips to Finland and to the Santa Land were always a hoot. It was all about us kids and we got to do whatever we wanted to do. Think Disney World but a lot colder and with a Santa-theme instead of a cartoon-theme.

I might be mistaking on who the boy in the middle in the picture below is, after all it was a while ago, but I think the last time I saw him was on my mom’s lawn in Piteå about 11-12 years ago. The blond hair was replaced with a colorful mohawk and his jeans and sweater were replaced with cut up plad trousers, a leather jacket with spruces, chains and a wife-beater. Punk rock!

Ok, this made for a very long entry. Think I'll save the rest for later.