Despite the recent prolonged silence, I am in fact alive and well and certainly
haven't abandoned this phlog. Rather, I spent quite a bit of time getting an
introduction to what the Finns call "mökki elämä", or "cottage life". During
summer the majority of Finns retire to a family cottage (traditionally lakeside)
and spend some time engaged in a combination of barbecuing, berry picking,
drinking, fishing, hiking, mushroom gathering, and, of course, sitting in the
sauna. My new boss kindly invited my wife and I, along with some of my new
co-workers, to spend some time at her parent's cottage so we could all get to
know each other in a relaxed environment. We had a wonderful time and I
scarcely touched my computer the entire trip, hence the lack of updates.
