Family, friends, and pouring rain

This morning we left the guest house that, after four days, was beginning to seem like home.  Driving away we caught the light-colored fur of a fox kit.  Very cool.    We were on our way to the Kohvik Viljandi where we were to meet with my father's older brother's grandson Ju'ri for the first time.  Such a great visit we had with coursins Ju'ri and Ain.   Until we made contact, they had no idea we existed and vice versa.  We promised to add our family to Genii, and to scan photos and documents.  Next time we are in Viljandi, they will show us buildings important to our family's story.   Meanwhile, they walked us through who was who among the descents of Juhan, spoke about what had happened to the family "talu", and shared many photos of family.    My cousin Ju'ri reminds me very much of my father.

Our visit had to end so we could catch our bus to Tartu.  By then it was starting to rain.  It rained as we  rode to Tartu.  Even more as we checked into our hotel room and kicked back a bit, and then even more than that as we took a cab to Maie's.   For Californians, this was more rain than we'd seen in years.

What a warm and wonderful visit we had with Maie and her friend Ku'lli.  Maie had made a typical and tasty Estonian dinner for us, and we chatted about all kinds of things.  When the rain finally let up, she and Ku'lli took us for a drive to see local sights, including a memorable stop on the shores of Lake Peipsi.   We talked about her impressions of the U.S., and our impressions of Estonia, as well as the archetypical Estonian story of families who had been broken up.  These families are still being put back together.    Both Maie's parents and her husband's parents were sent to Siberia, where the couple's each had met and married, and where Maia and her husband were born.   Both families later were able to return to Estonia.   

We'll keep our fingers crossed for good weather tomorrow for our trip to the Piusa caves and Setomaa.