Scandinavian influences

I might have written before about my Scandinavian roots as well as my English roots. Of my four grandparents three were born in England and one was born in Finland.

My mom had never travelled there. My dad went first. Then after my dad died my mom and I went to Finland together and then I went on to Sweden.

My mom’s second cousin - their dads were first cousins - is from Finland. I still keep in touch with her at Christmas time.

My dad came home with a fur hat that I still have and wear. On a cold winter day in Ottawa it is very cozy.

I have a Scandinavian painting and a carved wooden picture of the same part of the country. I also have a wooden shelf with some of my mom’s small mementoes on it.

I was trying to remember without hopping down to my basement what is on that shelf. I think the items that are closest to that part of the world are two little dolls from Holland that my dad sent my mom during the war.