TIME DOES ITS JOB

Finally, a continuation of the previous one. (I apologize for the delay)…

After hours of searching, I finally found the key to the cottage on top of the dresser, in a storage basket filled with all sorts of miscellaneous items, including euro coins from different countries. Before that, I had been rummaging through the drawers of the dresser itself. The drawers were packed with stuff, and among them, I found my grandmother’s old health insurance card, a couple of decks of cards (a nostalgic blast from the time before online gaming became prevalent), and my brother’s old birthday cards, all of which were once again a part of the apartment’s and my family’s significant history. Many of the cards were from my parents, and my name was on them too. My mother had beautifully handwritten them, as she always did with the family’s joint cards. I mentally traveled back to those years. It had been a while, but still, they felt so close, as if everything had happened just yesterday. One of the cards had a picture of my brother as a toddler. Mom had glued the photo to the card, and below it were birthday wishes for the birthday boy.

I left with the key, card decks, and other items with me, heading back home, and once again, I left behind my brother’s former apartment.

On Sunday, August 6th

My partner and I headed to the countryside in Keuruu to find out the current condition of our family’s cottage. The drive took a little over 3 hours. We made a pit stop at a ”Kangasala” gas station along the way to refuel and have a meal.

When we arrived at Hotel Viikinhovi, where we stayed, it turned out to be the former Keuruu barracks area. This place was the same one where my brother had served in the military. Additionally, Monday, August 7th marked exactly 2 years since his passing. All of this was purely coincidental, but it added a special significance to the trip.

-Former- military area
Unauthorized entry and open flame building are prohibited under the threat of consequences mentioned in Chapter 42, Section 1 of the Criminal Code. Garrison Commander

”At this Keurusselkä garrison area, young men have fulfilled their civic duty in our defense forces for the benefit of our independent homeland. Units stationed here include:

Central Finland Pioneer Battalion 1967-
5th Separate Signal Company 1967-1976
4th Separate Signal Company 1974-1976
Central Finland Signal Battalion 1976-1998

Since 1992, it has been the Central Finland Regiment, which includes:

Central Finland Pioneer Battalion
Central Finland Signal Battalion
Civilian Defense School”

The hotel room was comfortable, quite basic with a double bed and a TV, but it had a beautiful view directly overlooking the lake. I love sea and lake views; there’s something very calming about them. It’s like nature’s own therapy. Worries seem to wash away as you gaze out at the lake.

Funny statue in the hotel area

Funny statue in the hotel area

The view from the hotel window

After checking in, we headed to the hotel bar and played a couple of games of pool. Then we had dinner at the hotel restaurant. Both of us decided to go for the hamburger meal that was already highly recommended on their website, and it was by far the best hamburger meal we’ve ever had. The flavors were absolutely perfect, the sauce was mouthwatering, and even the salad was heavenly! There’s no exaggeration in praising this dish. If you happen to be in the area, I highly recommend trying it out! (This is not an advertisement, but it was honestly just that good!) They say the meat is locally sourced organic beef.

Aika tekee tehtävänsä. Tältä meidän mökki Keski-Suomessa näyttää nykyään. Ennen täällä oli elämää… ja pihalla oli mustaherukkapensaita, perunamaa ja omenapuu… nyt on suurinosa kävijöistä jo poistunut. Niin rapistuvat talot, kuten ihmisetkin… pic.twitter.com/v84PHonLdb

— A-M R (@AMR2050360) August 12, 2023

In the video recorded from the cottage attic, you can see at the beginning a self-portrait that I painted myself when I was around 13 years old during art school.

The dance venue at the Youth Association Hall, and behind it, there is a kiosk called ”Kesäpihlaja”. The sign advertises the annual event called ”Hattutemppu,” which includes market stalls, a theater performance, and evening dances.

Monday, August 7th

We traveled to Pihlajavesi to our cottage (about a 30-minute drive from Keuruu), and I felt a tense, excited feeling as I knew I was returning to the beloved place of my childhood and youth after a long hiatus. The drive went smoothly under the magnificent, scorching heat of 30 degrees Celsius. Upon reaching the small town’s hill, we stopped by the familiar village store. Even there, a flood of memories rushed back. Those scents and the atmosphere had an inexplicable charm. From the store, we decided to explore the condition of the cottage path on foot and left the car at the store, just to be sure… Fortunately, we did because we soon realized that the car couldn’t make it onto that path. The trail was completely overgrown with tall grass. That important path of my childhood, which I used to walk every summer to the village store, always neat and well-maintained, was suddenly no longer the same. Of course, it hadn’t happened overnight, but it felt like it. We walked down the hill and arrived at the cottage’s yard. I could already anticipate what sight would greet us…

The mandolin and the toy truck made by my father… and the dartboard.

Stairs to the attic and the external door, along with the decayed steps in front of it.

Naturally, the garden was covered in tall grass; no one had taken care of it in a long time. But in addition to that, a birch tree that had stood in the yard for ages had snapped in half. Its branches had fallen all over the yard. Even though I had been aware of the stormy night’s destruction that happened years ago, the sight was still stark. Time and its relentless impact were evident in everything. Everything showed that my family was no longer there, that the house was like an abandoned deserted house, a mere memory of better times. (I won’t say good times because the house had never been lavish; it was an old house, already in my childhood – built by my great-grandfather in the 1800s). The roof of the old woodshed/sauna building had come loose from the woodshed side, although the newly built outdoor toilet from the 2000s was still in good condition. I remember how the house used to be bustling with people and life. How my father’s uncle (my ”grandpa”) was always there to greet us and served coffee and buns upon our arrival. There was a potato patch and blackcurrant bushes in the yard from which I diligently picked berries. Now all of that was gone. The yard was quiet.

When my spouse stepped inside the house, an already renewed wooden staircase from the past gave way beneath him. Moisture had taken its toll. Thankfully, it didn’t turn out worse. When we got inside, I realized, rather foolishly, that I needed two keys, so we couldn’t access the main living quarters. We could only enter the attic, which had also deteriorated over time…

To be continued…

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THE GARDEN BIRCH IS GONE