Monday, May 6

I woke up to find it was my birthday. My Facebook timeline was filled with greetings from all sort of people, and I was happy to receive all of them. I got a shirt from Irma, a Penguin book-cover mug from AUo, and a new domain name from Naa.

At 8:05 Auo and I left for school and work. I spent the day trying to book rooms for next year, while Jutta sat at the other end of a Skype calling trying to do the same, while making sure that our individual efforts ended up coordinated. We more or less did it, although it took almost all of the day.

At 15:00 I left to have my passport photograph taken, only to discover that passport photobooths are the oldest technology available in Helsinki. They do not accept modern credit cards and they do not accept notes. Mission not accomplished.

Now we are at Auo’s cello school, Meri-Helsingin Musikkiopisto, where Auo is about to give her first recital. The school is set in an old, very old, traditional Helsinki apartment building, which was long ago turned into discreet offices, and I am looking out of the window at the traditional stairwell.

Soon Auo will give her ninety second recital. She will be the best cellist, although I suspect other parents will be under the delusion that their child was.