Ulvön in my heart

I have this memory. I am sitting with my dads family in a restaurant-like room flooded with light. The windows are tall, covering the wall facing the sea. On the water sailboats, the sails in different beautiful colors. I think it is a regatta. We are celebrating my grandmothers birthday. I loved being in that room. I loved the sailboats, the light. I don’t know what age I was, but I’m sure I was dressed up.

When I was a girl my uncle and aunt and my cousin Kerstin lived on this island in the Bothnian Bay, Ulvön. It’s located at Höga kusten (The High Coast) which is now a World Heritage Site. It’s one of the prettiest charming places I know, and visiting cousin Kerstin was always an adventure. My uncle and aunt ran the general store on the island, and taking the ferry to Ulvön, arriving in Ulvöhamn I was filled with anticipations and my eyes were soaking the beauty and charm of this very special place. The funny thing is, I don’t really remember a lot from our stays. Except for that one time when I was 12 and fell down from a concrete gatepost and broke my right ankle.

This weekend I have been back at Ulvön. Together with my eight cousins on my fathers side, their spouses, nine of our children and in some cases girlfriends, boyfriend and wife. All together 29 people. The nine cousins all have childhood memories from Ulvön. And this weekend we have created new memories together and passed Ulvön over to our families.

Winter 2013 the cousins said goodbye to two loved uncles and fathers. That became the start for a first family reunion. We met on Midsummers Day a year ago at our grandparents house, the cradle for our fathers and mothers. And on that day we started fantasizing about coming together at Ulvön this summer. And how I love when fantasies become real!

Right before Christmas we agreed on a date that would actually work for all of us! Then Kerstin, our Ulvö native has spent the winter and spring doing an amazing job organizing accommodation, menus and ferry schedules, and all the rest of us had to do was just tagging along and wait for the big weekend to come. What a treat!

I have loved that this was happening. Although I had no idea if I would be able to make it myself. All I could do was hoping for the best. I just got back. Landed on my couch. Exhausted and my body upset and aching. I am so tired I can’t really write. I am writing anyway. 

I can’t believe that we all actually made it out there! And I got to pass Ulvön over to Trouble 1 and Fay, Trouble 2 and Audrey, and they got to meet most of their relatives on their Grandpa Martin’s side. People were strolling the harbor street, taking hikes up the mountain, had a fika or a beer, visited the little church and finally in the evening we all had a three course dinner at Ulvö hotell where we all stayed.

My body wasn’t very cooperative. I made it there, but I couldn’t stroll the harbor street looking for that concrete gatepost as I had hoped. I had to lie down for most of the time. But I hade a wonderful room with a little balcony and a gorgeous view of the bay, the sun shining in on my bed. I was lying there watching the flag flying in the wind on it’s pole, listening to my relatives on the porch right inunder being loud, having fun. I was sad I couldn’t join them in the afternoon sun, but I enjoyed listening to them floating in and out of a dreamy sleep.

I did join them though for the three course dinner! My body was protesting loudly but I didn’t let it win, mind over matter. And I am so glad I could do that. The food was delicious, the wine fine, and the company of course, the best. I am incredibly grateful and happy about my eight cousins and my father’s family who I am now reconnected with, it is such a gift.

On our ferry arrival to Ulvön we passed Graneliden, a beautiful lodge at the water. I watched the tall windows and the memory of my grandmother’s birthday came up from somewhere deep inside. That must have been the place! Or did I make that whole thing up? Today, on the ferry taking us back to the mainland, cousin Kerstin talked about the time when her parents ran the general store as well as Graneliden. So maybe I didn’t make the birthday party up? I asked around. No one else remembered. So we called my aunt Barbro, the only one left of my dad’s siblings. Did we at some point celebrate grandma at Graneliden? 

It turned out we probably did! I hadn’t made that light flooded room up, nor the colorful sails on the water! When did this happen? Well, it might have been when she turned 70, which means I would have been nine years old. Memories are magical. You don’t remember, and suddenly you do. Feeling that festive room, I started sensing which dress I was wearing. A white light fabric with small pink rosbuds. Which actually matches the guess that I was nine, my mother made it for my second grade graduation. I am quite amazed that summer family party actually happened, not only in my fantasy.

So, what about the concrete gatepost where I broke my ankle? Well, on my ride back to the ferry through Ulvöhamn, I looked for them. And there they were! Exactly as I remembered them! So, not only did I have an amazing family reunion with my father’s relatives this weekend, I also confirmed a vague but beautiful memory from the same family about 50 years ago, and I completed the misson to find that damned gatepost that put my right arm in a cast! What a weekend!