Saturday, August 10

This morning was Irma’s final market day of the season. She didn’t expect many people and the girls were happy to stay in bed. The weather has been improving though, and people have been arriving and, to Irma’s surprise, people have been buying her wares. There are some closed stalls: Åke didn’t bother opening, Terttu never arrived, and Magnus opened late.

I went back for my toolkit at 10:00 and collected the girls who were up and now willing to come. A Swedish folk dancing group have arrived and are entertaining people. This may, we realise have been why people have come in the first place.

Two of the last customers will be Ari and Ulla-Maija, the people we have got to know from Brussels. They are driving back tomorrow with their four children.

At 12:00, we will pack everything up for winter and I will remove the hundred nails that we have banged in. Then we will stop at Benita’s for a farewell drink, before driving to Erika’s to buy some more farewell drinks.

The girls will spend a couple of hours picking about twenty litres of redcurrants. The weather will become hot and cheerful and so will we.