The weather is against Ken’s chores. It’s either cold and rainy or hot and rainy.
When it’s sunny, Ken tries to do the outdoor chores, but the rain showers or thunders take him by surprise. Day after day the same thing.
It’s so warm and humid that it’s impossible to wear clothes. Kaarna sighs:
- Feel this paper, it’s so damp! This rain forest weather has been going on for weeks now. It must end soon!
Ken looks at the weather forecast and sees the cruel reality:
- No, same same same. Until the end of the summer I guess.
Even though it rains every day for four weeks, it hardly ever rains during night time. Ken prefers sleeping in Herbert.
The rains make the grass grow faster than anyone has time for lawn mowing. There are frogs everywhere and Kaarna can’t walk barefoot anymore.
Also new types of snails have been discovered in the village.
These viinimäkikotilo creatures are cute and welcome, but sadly the neighbours have found one espanjansiruetana also. The last ones mentioned are an invasive species that has to be destroyed. Killing a snail is an impossible thought for Ken.
Kaarna sighs:
- We really should move to Spain and live in Herbert right now and not wait for your retirement.
But Ken says:
- Clothilde just told me that all the millions of vanlifers have made the whole Iberian Peninsula a stinking pile of trash and shit. They don’t even want to travel there anymore. Plus Spain is deserting because of the climate change and cultivation. I think I will have to rethink my retirement plans.
- There’s no place for us then… what’s the point of anything…
- Hector, what on Earth are you dragging in?
- I found this in an antique market and thought that you might love it!
- A big closet full of antique cleaning supplies! I’m not much of a cleaner though…
- I know, but maybe these things will encourage you.
- Well, these look amazing and are really well made, so we never know!
- Damn that Hector! I have a million important things to do on my to do list and now I have to re-organize the whole house!
Everybody knows that Ken loves the furniture chess. Hector just gave him a welcome way to escape his boring duties.
Luckily Ken doesn’t have to sleep in his bed. He can pile up all the souvenirs on it until he figures out a new place for them.
- I can do that in September… now back to my to do list… Sigh.
A good thing about August is that it brings Mari back to Melukylä!
- Mariiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!! Finall…. Shit!!! I knocked over Ken’s plant!
- Looks like it was already dead, Mari laughs.
- Yes, it might have drowned during the rains.
- What rains? Mari asks and hugs Kaarna.
Kaarna has been waiting for this moment so anxiously!
- I’ve missed you so much! Can Bianca stay here while we say proper hellos inside?
- I’ll put her cage in the shadow. Mmmm, you feel so good! I had forgotten how good you feel!
After a while the girls come back outside and Kaarna rejoices:
- This is the second day in a row without any rain! Just unbelievable! And this lovely warm wind blows away the humidity!
- What are you talking about, it’s been a dry summer. At least in Kotka, Mari replies and makes Kaarna astonished:
- Seriously? No wonder you are so tanned… acting on an outdoor stage.
Mari has had a great summer with her new friends in the theater of Kotka.
- I learned some SUP boarding and snorkling also!
- What the hell…?
- Oh yes, we had so much fun at Aksu’s boat…
- Aksu? Boat? Snorkling? SUP boarding? So you have turned into an outdoor person all of a sudden!?
- I have found the joy of summer sports, yes!
When Ken comes home from work, he finds Kaarna moping in the sun.
- What’s with you? It’s finally a perfect summer day! You should be happy!
- Mari and her stupid ass friends…
Kaarna tells Ken how Mari has done all kinds of fun activities and become an outdoor enthusiast. Ken smiles:
- Isn’t that great! Now you can have summer adventures together!
- I bet she only wants to snorkle with her NEW friends and not with me.
- Did you ask her?
- No.