Friday, June 21

We get up slowly and step into bright sunshine. Perefect midsummer weather.

We walk over to meet Camilla and Mika to wish them trevlig midsommar at about 14:30 and I photograph the midsummer flag, flying over Sundö in the extraordinarily warm breeze.

Later in the afternoon we will all take the larger boat to Hasselö where we will celebrate midsummer in traditional style with good friends and energetic dogs. We will begin with champagne on the lawn at Marina’s house and then the men will go for a sauna.

I will decide that I will not inquire about the temperature of the water but just jump in. I will find myself in two and a half metres of icy sea. When I get out thirty seconds later Mika will explain that the heavy winds over the last few days have brought cold sea to the shores. The explanation will not make me any warmer.

We will walk back from the sauna to have a long and delicious dinner outside on a lawn, with pauses for schnapps and singing, before walking across the island, past the sauna and down towards the jetty, to Miina’s for desserts.

After much conversation in several languages, we will walk to the jetty, get in the boat, and head back to Sundö sometime around midnight. Amy and Heidi, the two sheep dogs, will finally get tired and lie down happy.

We will get to bed by 1:23.