In Loving Memory...

...of Risto.  For us he was more an acquaintance than a friend. However, some of our friends were really close friends with Risto, so we bumped into him now and then.  He worked in the forest once upon a time, then he was a carpenter, he could fix an old car, or find you a suitable one to buy for very little money, in fact he could fix pretty much anything. If you needed a tree taking down, or cutting up he'd be your man.
He'd moved to Nämforsen 10 years ago but because he loved people and was always full of life he quickly became part of the village.

The last time we met Risto was at the spreading of the ashes of another friend, DK. (Risto is the one in the hat.) We needed a boat because DK wanted a sea burial and Risto had a boat. It turned out to be a rowing boat, and there were no oars but we managed to solve that problem and DK would have been very happy to have seen his ashes spread upon the waters. Today we heard many more stories of how Risto had helped people.

He was small, lithe, and moved easily. When you met Risto you felt happy and smiled. He looked like he would live for many more years.  So when we heard he had died we were shocked, and today in church and at the coffee afterwards we heard how many others were equally shocked. He had been ill, and then he recovered, as you do, and then he suddenly got very ill and died quickly.
Our thoughts and prayers for his wife Marie .
The picture is taken as we come out of the church and walk towards the red parish hall, for coffee and cakes. It's a little frosty and very damp and mostly a monochrome world. The flag hangs totally still. It is a very beautiful day.
Some things to be grateful for today
...
Knowing Risto just enough to appreciate him!

Eating blueberry cakes today, covered in blueberries picked by Risto this summer gone!
Listening to wonderful music played by some of Risto's family and friends.
Singing a hymn in Finnish, which thankfully is a very phonetic language - definitely a first for me. (Risto was originally from Finland, and several of his family came over for today.) He’d have really laughed to see us all trying to sing that hymn!
(Jan's take on the day is here.)