Thursday, July 25

This morning we did two loads of washing and had lunch early, when the girls came back from the fields.

This afternoon Mikael was taking us for our annual excursion with Camilla and Ann-Sofie. We went to Kabböle where we stopped at a cafe for a beer. The place was about half way between Tirmo and Lovisa and very much like a scale model of Benita’s.

After that we went to an island where Mikael and Camilla have rented some sheep to keep the grass under control. That was extraordinary. It was an isolated island with a village of four houses and a farm, and as we walked through it, it felt like a film set. “A horror film set”, Auo said, insisting that it was “really interesting but very creepy”.

Now we are at Svante’s island, Herrskär, where he lives most of the year. Mikael has just walked onto one of the jetties to greet Svante. Soon we will all join them.

We will stop and have a picnic here. The island is full of stuff, all of it in use in one way or another. I could imagine living here most of the year too.