Margus Reinsalu's Diary - Chapter: "1960.11.20. My Birth, Baptism, Childhood in Kohtla-Järve, and Summers with Grandmother in Sagadi"
Section 1: Birth and Baptism and early Home Life in Kohtla-Järve
On November 20, 1960, I was born in Kohtla-Järve, an industrial town with gray chimneys and dusty streets that contrasted sharply with my childhood summers in the countryside at my grandmother's. The following year, in the summer of 1961, my baptism took place in the Esku chapel belonging to Sagadi Manor. In addition to my parents, my godmother and godfather were present. My other godfather was still in Norilsk at the time, but his role in my life was still significant.
The Esku chapel, built in 1861, was a small chapel in the forest near Sagadi Manor. Norilsk, where my godfather was, was a forced labor camp in Siberia where many Estonians were sent during the Soviet era.
In 1961, we got a new three-room apartment with all amenities on Narva Road in Kohtla-Järve, which was a big step up from previous conditions. It was on the fourth floor above the Lastemaailm store, but right below was a beer bar always full of drunks. When I got bored at home as a little boy, I launched my little "attacks," throwing plastic bags of water at people below from the window, but not too often to avoid getting caught.
Section 2: Early Country Home Life in Sagadi with Grandmother
Summers were spent almost always in Kiviküla near Sagadi, at my grandmother's farm. This place was my second home in childhood, close to nature, open and full of rural chores. My grandmother was a calm and even-tempered woman who raised several of her grandchildren.
The farm had a cow, pig, sheep, and chickens with a rooster, but as grandmother got older, the number of animals decreased. One morning, my uncle, aunt’s husband, caught the rooster and cut off its head because the rooster's crowing in the early morning wouldn't let him sleep. The farm also had a large potato field from which the whole family got their winter potatoes, and vegetable beds where the children's task was weeding. In the fall, harvesting potatoes was hard and not the most pleasant work, as there were many and everything was done with the neighbor's horse and by hand.
Living on the farm, I learned all kinds of farm and field work from a young age, mowing with a scythe, feeding animals, and even working with horses. This experience stayed with me for life, and I still know how to mow with a scythe.
Section 3: Childhood Adventures and First Experiences
On the farm, I had my first experiences with the opposite sex and alcohol.
A neighbor girl, who was a bit older than me, wanted to see what was in my pants, and in return, she showed her secret in the sunlight.
Bottling homemade wine was also one of my first "adventures" with alcohol; I had to help bottle the wine, but since the wine wouldn't flow properly through the hose into the bottles, I had to suck it again and again until I got a bit drunk.
Kiviküla consisted of only five houses, but life there was exciting with good relationships.
The larger village was a kilometer away across the meadow, where my aunt, her husband, cousin ,aunt’s daughter and son, lived. My cousin was only a few years older than me, and we often spent time playing together, often staying overnight there.
The last house in our village was Kingu's house, where boys lived with whom we played football in the meadow. The game was with one goal, everyone played for themselves, and whoever scored a goal got to be the goalkeeper. Once, I slipped and fell headfirst against a stone, it hurt, but I survived and hope I stayed normal.
One boy was two years older than me, he had Lego blocks, which were rare in Estonia at the time, sent from relatives in Canada, and it was very exciting to play with them. My godfather, who had been in forced labor in Siberia, came back and lived in the Marjametsa farm as well. He was very close to me, and in the village, we were called "Uncle Karell and Boy Margell."
The farm also had a dog named Reks, whose breed was unknown, but who was my faithful friend and companion. When my father came from Kohtla-Järve on weekends by motorcycle to the countryside, I heard it from afar and ran at full speed to meet him.
Section 4: Family Influences and Early Interests
My mother had ruined her health at work because she worked shifts at the Kohtla-Järve Shale Chemical Plant. After my birth, she could no longer go to work, so in childhood, I was at home and didn't go to kindergarten. Since my father was the only one in the family earning a salary, money was always scarce.
My father was a big technology enthusiast, and I got that from him too. He had a sidecar motorcycle IZ-Jupiter, with which we often went to grandmother's in the countryside on weekends. The garage in Kohtla-Järve where the motorcycle was kept was a kilometer away from home, and when my father tinkered with the machine there, I was always nose-deep in it, studying the engine's working principles. From this, my interest in technology developed, which has accompanied me all my life.
When my uncle-godfather returned from forced labor in the Norilsk coal mine, the family started restoring and rebuilding the old country house. The leader of the work was another uncle, but more or less all family members contributed. This was a time when everyone stuck together; community life and mutual help were a natural part of life.
On to the next chapters.
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