Finnish friends

Today, I met with Nina, my "pen-pal" from Finland in London. I can't really call her my pen-pal anymore because we don't write letters to each other anymore (we email) and pen-pal tends to indicate that I have never met her before but I have (several times already!). So, she's my Finnish friend.

She and her friend Sanna (whom I have also met before) were in the UK visiting some friends who live near Doncaster. They were on their way to Stanstead Airport via King's Cross and Liverpool Street station to go back to Helsinki. I met them at King's Cross and spent an hour and a half with them until they got on the coach to Stanstead.

It was really nice to see them. It has been a couple of years since I last saw her. She came this time with her younger daughter Mari (11 1/2 months). Sanna brought her youngest daughter, Sophia (3 years). They were really sweet, blonde, blue eyes like little angels!

We did some catching up and she reminded me that we have known each other for 20 years!! That sounds like a really long time, but I do feel like I've known her all my life. The first time we communicated was when I was in Form 1 and received a letter from her. The first time I met her was during the first winter I spent in London. She came over with Sanna and visited with me when I was staying with my aunt. And since then she has been in London several times and we have always met up.

I have visited her once in Finland about 10 years ago. It was for New Year's Eve, very cold and I had a really bad flu. I'll definitely have to go back again soon, hopefully next summer so I can experience the midnight sun. Fingers crossed...