The Playdate!

It’s the big day! Ken is super excited in the most positive way:
- Could you go clean up the toilet, Kaarna? I already checked the sauna yesterday.
- Sauna! Do you actually think that some asswipe will go to our sauna!????
- Kaarna be quiet! I’m hoping some of my insta friends would stay for the night with us.
- Whaaaaaaaaaaat!!!!!!!

 

Kaarna rushes to the toilet and pretends to do some cleaning up.

- What’s this then?
- A help yourself sandwich table.
- What if nobody shows up and you have gone through all this trouble for nothing?
- I won’t cry about that in advance. Did you clean up the toilet?
- Yes. Partly.
- Sigh.
*KNOCK KNOCK* Somebody’s already at the door.

 

Amir and his boyfriend Matthew arrive early. They are on a holiday in Finland. They live on the border of France and Germany, but Ken became friends with Amir last summer in Helsinki. Now he has a chance to get to know Matthew too. 

 

Ken leads the boys to the hiking paths of Melukylä. He adores Matthew just as much as he likes Amir. The North wind makes the weather chilly, but these foreigners can handle the cold surprisingly well. 

 

But now Ken must hurry back home, because there might be other visitors coming also.

 

Ken’s Insta friend Minime arrives! Ken can’t really believe that she came all the way from Sweden! It’s incredible to finally meet her in real life! She and Ken has something in common: a passion for road tripping. She shows Ken the amazing power bank and solar panels that she has in her car. Now Ken knows he needs to get a set like that for Herbert for this summer!

Tetta and Jairus come right after Minime. Tetta wants to see every room at Ken and Kaarna’s home and she takes Kaarna by surprise. 

 

Kaarna has no other option but to act civilized. After all, these city people might post anything on social media!

Tetta is not even the only tourist who has the nerve to approach Kaarna. Since she can’t even hide herself from the visitors in her own room, she figures she might as well be in the kitchen. There’s a strange man making a sandwich. When Kaarna approaches Ken, she sees two tiny grannies sitting on Ken’s lap and blabbering loudly about a Northern place called Sössöx.
 

 - Dwarfs! Elves! What the hell are these freaks even?! Kaarna thinks but Ken seems to love them and the strange man doesn’t seem to mind. Maybe this silver fox is used to having loud women around?

 

Outside Filia has many potential clients. Jaakko is interested in some vintage Morgan Kane books, but Filia’s prices make sure nobody actually buys anything. She’s a hoarder and she simply can’t part with any of her belongings! Aino asks for the way to the closest toilet, and Filia gladly shares the information.

 

But when Aino sees the toilet, she gets appalled! Is this really the way these people live?! They have an outhouse! The experience is unforgettable for an urban girl.

 

Meanwhile Filia is getting rid of the rest of her clients.
- You smoking idiot! Cigarettes kill! Stay away from my treasures!
Amir however is too cool to be offended by this semi senil lady.

 

When a group of bikers park next to Filia’s booth, she has had enough! These young people of today! Cruising around with noisy motorcycles! 

The girls are not at all interested in Filia’s garbage. They are looking for a sauna to warm up their shivering bodies. 

 

Even though Hector’s cabin is in the forest, some tourists actually find their way to taste the rosvopaisti.

 

 

 

 In the evening it’s time to head to Mocambo. Amir’s band is performing there! Ken wants to look pretty. Kaarna decides to go too, but she doesn’t give a damn about how she looks.
- What’s the name of the band, Ken?
- The Graveyard Shift.
- Oh Ken, you sweet old thing… Are you sure it’s your type of music?

 

Mocambo has never been this full! Kaarna wants to have a good view of the band, but Ken finds a free bar stool in the back.

 

He sits next to Minime who has ordered a Coke. Ken feels comfortable spending the night with a sober person. And with earplugs the music sounds almost bearable! The band is talented though! The other band members are Ilja, Vanessa and Kia.

 

Muija has no idea whether this tiny little woman called Maija is a real person or only a product of her drunken imagination, but oh lord how much fun she is! 

 

They find an instant connection and Muija is very eager to learn everything about Maija’s famous methods.

 

The biker girls from the band, Kia and Vanessa, together with their friend Taika come home to Ken’s after the concert. They will sleep in a tent on the yard. Neither Ken nor Kaarna is used to staying up this late, but the girls have no problem. Kaarna enjoys the view even though she’s too tired to take part in the conversation. Bikers who play in a rock band - that’s more than sexy.

 

Mari gives a couple of guided tours on the next day also, and Kaarna and Taika decide to go together to the castle and join a group of tourists in the morning. 

 

 

Mari tells them about the history of the castle and the ancient Russian emperors or whoever who have lived there.

 

Kaarna loves to watch Mari playing her role and even the national costume doesn’t look that unappealing anymore.

 

Mari leads the group to see the river bed and tells that before the power plant was build, there were massive rapids. She dramatizes how the desperate maidens of old times and the depressed people of the modern times throw themselves down from the bridge. There’s a memorial statue to honor the ones who have lost their lives here. 

 

Kaarna wonders why she doesn´t spend more time in this area of her own home town. The views are after all really stunning. 

 

 

The Playdate was a real event at my home. I invited other doll enthusiastics that I have gotten to know on Instagram. You can find their photos with the hashtag #susannasplaydate on Instagram.

Minime from Sweden

Amir and Matthew from France and Germany

Oona and Ilja,
Tetta and Jairus,
Taika, Kia and Vanessa and
Aino and Jaakko from the capital city area of Finland

The whole population of Sössöx

Thank you so much, tack så mycket, merci beaucoup, Danke schön, kiitos ihanat!