Saturday, May 28
Vartiosaari, 17:00
I left home at 9:00 and got to Herttoniemi in time for the 89 to Reposalmentie. There I found Steve, and soon afterwards Oliver appeared with bags of beer and groceries. He rowed us and the bags across to the island where Steve and I carried them to the artists’ house. Shortly afterwards Oliver arrived with Petri and Ilpo, and then with Juan, Mia and Päivi. The Pixelache Extraordinary General Meeting began. Then, somehow, Albert arrived.
We talked and planned until it was time to make soup and then we all peeled vegetables. I cried because I was given the onions. The soup turned out fine, and we ate it with bread and cheese and pickles.
There had been plans for an archery contest and a sauna and a barbecue, but all this evaporated as everyone wanted to leave as soon as we had finished whatever passed for business. The weather had turned cold and windy and nobody wanted to wander around. We hurried down to the quay instead.
Ilpo decided to stay for awhile and so he is going to row everyone. The first boat is leaving Vartiosaari now with Steve, Petri and Päivi. I will be on the second boat with Mia and Albert, who will regale us with some of his inimitable stories. Mia, Päivi, Steve and I will get the bus and metro to World Village where I am hoping to see Asian Dub Foundation. We will stop to see Egle in her yout and I will then decide that I am far too cold to hang around waiting for pop music. I will catch a quick glimpse of a Korean band and then walk to Rautatientori for a metro home.
I will be delighted to sit in the warmth eating a pasta box instead of experiencing the joys of incipient flu in a crowd.