Greysummer Madness

It's Vaarallinen juhannus ("Dangerous Midsummer") again. Midsummer is a huge public holiday in Finland, and all the shops and offices are closed. It is pretty much impossible to find an open restaurant. People escape the city to travel to their summer cottages or visit relatives. The streets of Helsinki are suddenly empty, except for confused tourists (trying to find a loo that's open) and wild greyhounds with their servants.

With no traffic, Tara got to choose where we'll walk. We never knew she'd want to start a political career. Here's her new office, Parliament House.

Her steps were very determined when approaching the main entrance.

"What the retriever? It's closed! A summer break??! In the middle of the summer...?? Oh, bugger."

She decided to take a rest outside Musiikkitalo opposite the Parliament House. Servants were told to keep an eye on the office in case it the summer break ends, Tara spent her time looking good in case any possible voters or concerned citizens need her advice.

HRH Scarlett O'Hara

Lady of the house turns 9 today. Tara has gray nose, gray eyelashes, and gray hair poking out of her ears, but she still runs to the kitchen when I'm cutting cheese. She has plenty of small boyfriends (dachshunds, german spitzs, chihuahuas, pomeranians) sniffing her toes: sometimes she looks puzzled when a small suitor runs around her feet. When a strange bitch enters her territory she either makes friends (if the stranger submits) or raises hell (if she tries to question her rule). She has a couple of enemies in the neighborhood and a lot of neutral friends she either greets or ignores.

Tara's getting stubborn and wants to choose where we'll walk. Usually, she wants to visit the railway station, Stockmann department store, or "granny kiosk" ie a corner shop where dog's are allowed (and she'll get a treat from the owner). But she likes traveling by metro best: she knows the way to the nearest station, drags me down the stairs, right to the elevator, and then we'll travel two stations to Sörnäinen. She's a funny old lady.