Kaarna can’t believe her ears:
- To Lapland? Why?!? It’s like minus thousand degrees up there plus it’s pitch black dark!!! Why would you travel to Lapland now that we finally are getting a bit of daylight here?! That’s insane!!!!- Hector invited me. I want to go, and see how it feels to spend time with him. It’s been over two years.
While Ken is away, Kaarna takes care of his home too.
Ok, back to Netflix. Kaarna is wondering wheather to watch Casa De Papel or Orange Is The New Black...
The one day long train ride is killing Ken.
- Ouch how much my back hurts...
- Ouch how much my back hurts...
It’s midnight when Ken finally arrives at Hector’s log cabin. It feels nice to see his smiling face again.
Hector makes them a night snack before showing Ken his bed.
- Tomorrow I will show you the scenery.
- But isn’t it dark all through the day?
- No! We are not that high up in the north. There’s plenty of daylight.
- Tomorrow I will show you the scenery.
- But isn’t it dark all through the day?
- No! We are not that high up in the north. There’s plenty of daylight.
Hector has a snowmobile and he’s taking Ken for a ride.
- Wow... I should have guessed! You have always loved all sorts of motor vehicles!
- Wow... I should have guessed! You have always loved all sorts of motor vehicles!
They drive around the fjeld and on the ice. It’s a bit scary but still a lot of fun.
Darkness comes soon and it has started to snow. Ken is pleased to see that Hector heads home, because his face has already frozen.
Sauna will warm them up.
- You look really muscular, Hector!
- I went through another body transplant surgery to get a more sporty body.
- And are you happy with it?
- Very happy! Although my head keeps falling off, but still it’s worth it.
- You look really muscular, Hector!
- I went through another body transplant surgery to get a more sporty body.
- And are you happy with it?
- Very happy! Although my head keeps falling off, but still it’s worth it.
They run outside and roll in the snow. Ken hasn’t done this even once after the divorce.
They play a match of table soccer in the evening. Everything is almost like in the good old days.
On the next day Ken and Hector walk all the way to the top of the fjeld. It’s super hard for Ken, but Hector is used to it.
It’s worth all the effort!
Somehow hot chocolate tastes even better after climbing all the way up and almost getting a heart attack.
It’s so much easier to go down. They didn’t take a sled with them, but a big plastic bag filled with snow, does the trick too!
Everything feels so right when Ken is goofing around with Hector. This playfulness is what he has missed a lot.
It’s the last night of Ken’s visit at Hector’s.
- Thank you for inviting me here. I was nervous about how this would work, but it has been wonderful. Not awkward at all.
- I have missed you so much and I thought that maybe now enough time has passed and we might be able to be friends.
- It looks that way. We have always been a great team.
- We were together for almost 20 years. Nobody will ever replace you in my heart, Ken.
- I feel the same way about you, Hector. I hope we can spend time together every now and then.
- I hope that too.
- Thank you for inviting me here. I was nervous about how this would work, but it has been wonderful. Not awkward at all.
- I have missed you so much and I thought that maybe now enough time has passed and we might be able to be friends.
- It looks that way. We have always been a great team.
- We were together for almost 20 years. Nobody will ever replace you in my heart, Ken.
- I feel the same way about you, Hector. I hope we can spend time together every now and then.
- I hope that too.
To make the trip back home more enjoyable Ken chooses a plane instead of a train.
While hanging out on the airport he feels overwhelmed about everything. He never thought he would like Lapland. And being with Hector felt so right and happy, yet sad at the same time. He also wonders why he has lost his playfulness. He wants to be childish also without Hector around.
While hanging out on the airport he feels overwhelmed about everything. He never thought he would like Lapland. And being with Hector felt so right and happy, yet sad at the same time. He also wonders why he has lost his playfulness. He wants to be childish also without Hector around.
Ken has been feeling melancholy during the flight, but when he arrives at home he gets surprised:
- I have such a pretty home! How did I forget it? It’s nice to be back! And Kaarna has kept the fireplace warm.
- I have such a pretty home! How did I forget it? It’s nice to be back! And Kaarna has kept the fireplace warm.
Ken is about to go to show his holiday pics to Kaarna, when Mama Filia catches him.
- Strong girl!!! Where have you been all week?!
- Strong girl!!! Where have you been all week?!
- On a holiday?!? You are not allowed to go away when it’s snowing like this!!! Do you have any idea how old I am?!? I can’t shovel all this snow!!! Have you seen my front door? I can barely get out of my home!!!! This place is a shithole!!!!! Snowy shithole!!!!
- Filia gave me a lecture... does she really think that I’m obligated to shovel the whole yard?
- She’s been acting like a maniac. Pushing the snow back and forth... like the leaves in fall, remember? Anyway, good to have you back! I’ve missed you!
- She’s been acting like a maniac. Pushing the snow back and forth... like the leaves in fall, remember? Anyway, good to have you back! I’ve missed you!
Kaarna sees that Ken has been having a great time in Lapland. She herself on the other hand has spent the week in somewhat catatonic state watching Netflix.
After Ken has shoveled the snow off of his own and Filia’s path, he asks Kaarna to join him for kick sledding and winter picnic.
They keep themselves warm by taking turns in pushing.
- It’s still sunny on the other side of that island... we can enjoy the hot chocolate and sandwiches over there.
- It’s still sunny on the other side of that island... we can enjoy the hot chocolate and sandwiches over there.
When they find a sunny spot, Kaarna laughs:
- Food! Food! Food! I’m starving!
Ken’s eyes go wide open when he realizes that he left the backpack at the kitchen table.
- I’m sorry, Kaarna!!!! I forgot the food bag!
- You didn’t!!!!! Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!
- Food! Food! Food! I’m starving!
Ken’s eyes go wide open when he realizes that he left the backpack at the kitchen table.
- I’m sorry, Kaarna!!!! I forgot the food bag!
- You didn’t!!!!! Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!
On the way back home Kaarna’s hunger and anger spoils Ken’s mood too. He is also hungry and it makes him angry too, but watching Kaarna act like a child, he doesn’t complain. Kaarna on the other hand doesn’t stop complaining:
- The food is the most important thing! And I am thirsty too.... I need at least water.
- Eat some snow!!!!
- The food is the most important thing! And I am thirsty too.... I need at least water.
- Eat some snow!!!!
On the porch Ken notices a donut on a paper plate.
- And with a pretty napkin too... this must be Filia’s way to say thank you, or sorry.
- And with a pretty napkin too... this must be Filia’s way to say thank you, or sorry.
On the next day Ritva is visiting Ken.
- What’s with the swimming toys?
- You’ll see! Could you run to Kaarna and tell her to eat something and get dressed.
- Sure!
- What’s with the swimming toys?
- You’ll see! Could you run to Kaarna and tell her to eat something and get dressed.
- Sure!
- This slope might be a good one... no wait, that one is steeper!
Ready, set, go!!!
A bumby ride ends with a crash. Ritva looks shocked but is ok. She hasn’t used to slide down hills this steep.
Ken helps Kaarna to wipe the snow off her face and is a bit worried if the slide made Kaarna angry again. But no! She just laughs and wants more.
- What a nice sense of danger! Let’s do it again! This is euphoric!
- What a nice sense of danger! Let’s do it again! This is euphoric!
After sliding down the hill several times, they have waffles and play Yatzy. It’s a game that Ritva doesn’t always win.
It’s nice and hot in the sauna. Ken and Ritva discuss about how to balance between work and play. Kaarna sits silently.
She goes to bed crying. There are moments when she just hates herself. She thinks she’s no good for anything or for anyone. She might as well die, because there’s nothing to wait for in life. She will never be able to support herself and she even needs Ken to have a laugh every now and then. She’s ugly, boring and untalented.
This winter you don’t have to travel to Greenland to see an iglu. Ken goes to check out the SounDome.
Inside the iglu there are ice sculptures and instruments. And it’s a lot warmer inside than outside.
On his way home Ken pays a visit at the art museum. He likes this sculpture by Jasu Rouhiainen so much that he stays for a pretty long while admiring it. (Jasu Rouhiainen: Vihreä figuuri, 2021)
- Heyyy, there’s a great exhibition by the art students at the moment in the museum. You might find that inspiring!
- No! I’m not going. I’ll only get depressed because of other people’s talent.
- No! I’m not going. I’ll only get depressed because of other people’s talent.
Kaarna doesn’t tell Ken that she has been drawing and painting every day. Nobody needs to see this crappy shit that she has created.
Sometimes Ken gets annoyed with Kaarna’s constant negativity. Luckily there’s a Valentines card in the mailbox from Hector. His mood gets better.
Ken recognizes the photo on the card. Hector took it one evening when they were sliding down the hill. He puts the card on his souvenir shelf, because he didn’t buy or find anything on his Lapland vacation.