These photos were captured using the Kodak EasyShare DX4900.
All images are © TomSettle.Communications.
Monday June 16 2003
Sawed some old trees and burnt a small bonfire. Cooked makkara (sausage) on the fire.
Walked around and took some pictures of the cottage and surroundings: flowers (note the raindrops),field, woods (the bay is visible in the distance) and the road to the beach.
Heated up sauna for the first time here. Went to Teuvo’s in the evening.
Tuesday June 17 2003
A rainy day but a nice evening. Cool as usual. Worked on the website.
Talked with Antti and Harri…may be going to Puumala to visit Antti and family next week.
Went to Leena’s again to play cards…should be earning casino points for this!
Took some more nature pictures today: Liisa’s flowers, Leena’s flowers, clouds over a field and a naked tree!.
Wednesday June 18 2003
Went with Liisa and Leena to the local church village, visited their parent’s graves at the cemetery.
Later stopped in the nearby village of Virojoki. Leena went for a haircut while Liisa ran to the bank and hardware store. We shopped at the village’s expanded supermarket and Alko (booze shop).
Teuvo stopped by our cottage for some afternoon coffee. Leena came over to…surprise surprise!…play cards. She left early to go dancing in Lappeenranta, an hour’s drive from Alapihlaja.
Thursday June 19 2003
The weather has been very cool since I arrived…today seemed like the warmest day thus far.
Went to Hamina with Leena and Liisa. Shopped at some flea markets, walked around the marketplace, bought groceries (saw our friend Ulpu..first time in 5 years or so) and had lunch at Rosso. I had a very tasty pizza, topped with chicken, pineapples, shrimp and smoked salmon.
Talked with Harri, Mirja and my father Ron today. Went to you-know-who’s to play cards.
Bonus pictures: a dwarf stands guard over Leena’s yard, a historic building in Hamina (Liisa says its called the “Tower of Peace’ because a significant peace agreement was signed there).
Friday June 20 2003
A rainy day for Midsummer (Juhannus) Eve, Finland’s big summer holiday.
My aunt Terttu arrived from Germany. I heated up sauna in the afternoon, later visited briefly with friends Jorma and Jaana who just arrived from Helsinki.
Crazy cousin Harri came to pick me up and was promptly detained by Liisa and Terttu. Yes, my family is certifiably insane!
Went with Harri to his home in Lappeenranta, then to their mokki (cottage) to celebrate the holiday. We had dinner with Harri’s wife Mirja and son/zombie? Timo.
We walked over to the local community bonfire (a Juhannus tradition), then came back and burned a small fire on the beach. Stayed up drinking and talking ’til 3AM.
Saturday June 21 2003
Midsummer 2003. Slept in until around noon. Went to sauna with Harri and Timo and took a brief dip in the lake.
Harri cooked dinner outside on the grill. Mirja, Timo and I went back to Lappeenranta in the evening. Stayed up late with Timo watching the cult classic horror movie Dead Alive. Timo’s brother Mikko arrived home late and watched part of the movie. Went to bed around 3AM.
Bonus picture: a view of the lake thru the trees.
Sunday June 22 2003
Slept in again. Watched a bunch of horror movies with Timo: Dead Alive, Evil Dead and Creepshow 2. Went back to Harri’s mokki in the evening.
Took some more pictures of the lake: clouds overhead, reflections of the sun and a colorful sunset.
Went to sauna, had an evening snack. Mirja headed home to Lappeenranta because she has work in the morning. Harri, Timo and I stayed at the cottage and watched some more movies. Confirmed with Antti I will be going to Puumala tomorrow.
