Helena-Reet: FEBRUARY 2024 (Language schools, fair, Valentine’s Day, Estonian Independence Day, etc) + LOTS OF PICTURES!

26 Feb, 2024 by Helena-Reet Ennet

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NordenBladet – School holiday is here (26 Feb – 1 Mar) and Allan’s vacation starts tomorrow. We plan to fit into this week a small renovation, the practice of using a gun on the shooting range, I plan several chores at home, and Allan keeps developing our personal robo-counsellor. For the weekend we have invited guests over. Estella went skiing to Sälen, Sweden, with her uncle’s family for ten days. I’ll do the summary of February and when there’s time left, I’ll retrospectively do a summary of January too 🙂

So what exciting and new things have been happening so far in February?

Tadaaaa! I decided that it is time again to study something, so I started several language courses! Firstly , I registered to a 4-month Tartu Folkuniversitetet Zoom environment web based Swedish language advanced course, supervised by Kristiina Kisler who has studied Scandinavian languages and culture in the University of Tartu (course price: 195 EUR, takes place 1x weekly, 2 hours per one time).

Then I thought: since it is already for some time quite topical to get us a winter home in Spain, I can’t get around the Spanish language and so I registered for entry level Spanish lessons at hispaaniakeeletunnid.ee. It is supervised by Sebastian Wesman Bustillo who lives in Estonia today but comes from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The classes are also in Zoom. Web based studies are very convenient, then you don’t waste time driving to some place (course costs 70 EUR a month, takes place 1x weekly, 1 hour at a time).

Besides, I created a Duolingo account and bought a family package where up to 5 people can join (the annual price was, I guess, $119.99). An absolutely amazing language learning program!!!! I love it so much! With this app I am currently learning Swedish as well as Spanish. Very playful and nice. I just did an exciting article about language skills and isn’t it an exciting fact that one can communicate in a new language on a beginner’s level already when one knows 300-500 words! Thus, at the same time next week I’ll already be talking decent Spanish (I hope :P).

So, what else? I continue knitting rag rugs. In February I completed three nice and big rag rugs (which I myself have knitted on looms – no 5, no 6 and no 7). I still haven’t taken decent pictures of them, but here’s a little sneak peek for you:

#5 My 5th self-made rag rug. The four first ones were little rugs, this one tagged #5 is my first large rug! It is from the same batch as my similar tone little rug (rug #4), which is still at the Koome Koos looms house in Nõmme.

#6 My 6th self-made rag rug (also large)… Until now it’s my favourite!

#7 My 7th, striped rug is completed, but still on the looms and not taken down yet. I made that for Allan’s home office, like the previous little light blue rug, of which you can see more pictures HERE if you wish).

February 8th was my younger sister’s birthday. This time once more she unfortunately didn’t celebrate it and we met only this weekend in Tartu. I made her the following gift: based on her own kitchen, a Mice-series painting, which was also exhibited in the Estonian National Museum. You can see more pictures of it and some background info here –> #31 Paintings by Helena-Reet Ennet: “His Highness Mouse the First” (series – painting no 13), March 2021.

February 10-11th there was a Valentine’s Day Fair at Mustamäe center and Estella Elisheva wanted to go and sell our Elisheva & Shoshana products there (you can find the web store here –> ElishevaShoshana.com). Vendor fee (considering that it is a small center) was quite pricy for two days, almost a hundred euros (97.60). I was pretty sure that by the end of the day we’ll have a negative balance, but I didn’t want to kill Estella’s vibe and so I agreed. Luckily the event created some profit – Estella earned herself some pocket money and I was happy that she is so venturesome.

Valentine’s Day (February 14th). I cooked and baked and Allan brought flowers – as always on different events celebrated in our home.

The day of me and Allan, i.e. the monthly Love Day (February 22nd). From now on we slightly break the tradition and we don’t make lasagne or whipped cream cake on the 22nd of every month… but despite that the day is always FESTIVE! This time grapes, oranges, cheese schnitzel with cucumber and tomato and Pagarini’s “Raspberry cheesecake”. Very tasty, but I still rarely buy it because I don’t like E-additives being added to store food.

We celebrated Estonian Independence Day (February 24th) at Marie and Raido’s place in Vorbuse, Tartu. Sprat sandwiches, cabbage, potatoes and other stuff like always. Festive atmosphere and Estonian National TV program. Must admit, it is only now that I realize – when my granny on my mom’s side once said, it was the best moment of her life when Estonia became free again. Long live free Estonia! Let freedom and peace go on! 🇪🇪

To conclude it, a picture from February’s manicure! Now I start cooking lunch (gosh, there is so much food in our lives!!!) and then (maybe already today) I will make a summary of January. Hugs!