Eesti.

I've realised that my trip to Estonia happened over a month ago, but I haven't shared any pictures or thoughts from that adventure! So here you are, have a look at mostly Tallinn.

Estonia is a small country in Northern Europe with a population of 1.3 million. Below you can see the size of Estonia compared to the UK. Estonian is the main language spoken, but for historical reasons, there is a big Russian-speaking minority there as well. Some parts of the country are mainly Russian-speaking: essentially, the more East you go, the more Russian speakers you meet. In some places people speak Russian only.

Source: http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/GB/EE

Estonia welcomed us with snow and some seriously cold temperatures. But that wouldn't stop us from exploring the city centre which turned out to be absolutely charming with its little cobbled streets.

We've made three amazing discoveries in Estonia, two culinary and one cultural. First one was Rukis, a cafe in the Old Town with an amazing selection of cakes, tasty light bites and really classy decor. If I could, I would spend hours there, such a cosy place, with nice staff and those cakes!

The second culinary discovery was rather sketchy at first... Really sketchy.

But the reviews on the internet said not to be put off by the entrance, so in we went and discovered most delicious pancakes for about 5 euros each. It was absolutely perfect and is definitely a place that I will visit again if I come to Tallinn again.

The third discovery was Seaplane Museum. On entry, I thought I was transported to the depths of the sea.

I'm not a maritime enthusiasm, but there was so much to do there! There was a shooting simulator (7% accuracy), a submarine simulator, an actual submarine that you could enter, a plane simulator (which I managed to crash twice), a place to take picture in various uniforms and, most importantly, some longboats, which was the real reason I wanted to go there.

I don't think Estonia is a place that comes to people's mind as a trip destination, but definitely go there if you get a chance. A couple of days would be sufficient for Tallinn itself, maybe couple it with a trip to Helsinki (you can easily get a ferry across the water) or St Petersburg if you sort your visa out beforehand. And maybe avoid Estonia in the middle of February, unless you like cold or are a fan of wearing thermal clothing. As charming as all the snowy landscape was, I think I would appreciate  everything even more in positive temperatures.

Managing my wardrobe.

I've decided to do a proper house clear out this year, partly because I will be moving and it's a daunting prospect that all the stuff I currently have at home needs to be taken elsewhere (there's just too much of it), partly because I've become interested in minimalism and owing less.

I've started with paperwork and in one evening I've got rid of two folders full of old notes, printouts, advertisements and who knows what else. This was an easy fix, though I still want to digitalise most of the paper documents I have lying around.

My bookcase also got hit with the clearing out madness and many books which I have already read and would not read again, or those which I've started reading but never finished got sold or given away. I love books, but I have so many, and I spend insane amount of money on books each year that I've resolved to use the local library more.

Now the time has come to tackle my wardrobe.

This was my pile of clothes after I've emptied the wardrobe and suitcases. Loads and loads of stuff.  Dresses, jumpers, trousers, tops, skirts... The good thing is, I actually remembered that I had every single item here. So no surprises when the contents of my wardrobe was sifted through.

To aid sorting, some organisation was necessary I've made piles of types of clothing: this seemed like the only system that will work and will give me an overview of what I really have.

Now, I didn't think I had loads of stuff, I actually pretty regularly donate unwanted clothes to charity, but after I've counted all the clothing items that I had, I was rather shocked. This is when all the surprises came. This is my list:

13 pairs of bottoms?! I don't even like wearing trousers! Also, 19 dresses, I knew I had loads, but didn't quite realise that it was so MANY. It's insane! And the thing is, very few of those items were actually weather-specific. Apart from winter coats (yep, multiple >.<), the vast majority of my clothes can be worn all year round, with the exception of some summer dresses and such, so why do I need so much?!

Making this list of all the things that I possess made me quite uncomfortable. I don't need 3 different hoodies. I really don't, I barely ever wear sportswear. I don't need all 19 dresses. Or 17 tops! Oh my... And this is AFTER I've done some wardrobe decluttering already. I seriously got rid of so much stuff already. Insane.

I have managed to downsize massively now, although I still have a bunch of things that I'm not sure about. Those occasion dresses have been listed online, little bits and pieces taken to charity shops. I've realised that I have a lot of bold pieces but not so many neutral staple pieces that could be easily mixed and matched. This will eventually become my focused, to build a more functional collection of clothes.

Here's my wardrobe now, minus a shirt, a dress and a couple of tops. Most categories of items on my list have been halved in quantity.

For the time being, I'm testing whether the items that I've decided to keep are actually items that I wear regularly. I put all the hangers backwards and they only get turned around when I wear that item. Hopefully after a few months all the hangers will be turned around. But if not, then I will need to reconsider certain pieces.

I would recommend to do a wardrobe purge to everyone. It really does make you re-evaluate your possessions. Do I want to have loads of clothes of often poor quality or do I want fewer clothes that will last? Do I want to spend loads of time trying to work out what to wear or do I want to have a set of outfits that I can rely on?

I think now it's a nice to do it as well, because the winter season is coming to the end so you can go through your warm clothes and declutter those which you didn't wear at all. And you can go through your spring/summer outfits and really ask yourself: do I want to wear this in the next few months? This will only take a couple of hours in the afternoon. Listen to a good podcast while you're doing it (I really recommend Hidden Brain on NPR). And afterwards, treat yourself to a good cup of coffee and a hot cross bun or whatever else you fancy.

Sunday Special: Economy of gratuitous gifts.

This is by far my favourite scene in the Bible:

Just before the Jewish Passover Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting at their counters there. Making a whip out of some cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, cattle and sheep as well, scattered the money-changers’ coins, knocked their tables over and said to the pigeon-sellers, ‘Take all this out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a market.’ (John 2:13-16)

Jesus is angry because the temple of God became a market place where you buy and sell, where nothing comes for free. And this is completely against the nature of God: the Lamb of God comes to freely take away the sins of the world. You don't need to do anything to be overflowing with gifts from the Father.

Painting by Jeffrey Weston

I believe that this Gospel calls us all to be loving without measure. To stop making calculations whether helping this or that person is profitable. To be open to give up time and resources for others regardless of recognition that might come. Just do the loving thing. This is the only right thing to do. Because the truth is, that we have all been paid off already. 

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20)

We are the temple out of which Jesus drives out the sellers and money-changers. We must become the places of God once again. Where the sacrifice of thanksgiving rings out from dawn till night time. I am constantly amazed how much I receive without even asking, and thanking the Lord each evening for specific blessings given in that day makes me realise how much I have and gives me even more reasons to give what I can freely. 

I would like to be more like the woman who has anointed Jesus' feet with precious oil and wiped them with her hair, without any sort of calculation. She has given all that she had most precious. Would I be so generous? I'm often so precious about things that I own, time that I have, words that I use. Every day I need to battle with the tradesman inside of my heart. Looking up at the cross, I see the perfect example of Love which doesn't expect anything in return for its gifts. Be holy as the Father is Holy. Be even a half, a quarter as generous as He is.