75 Comments
User's avatar
Seeds's avatar

You will remember your friend when rowing, digging holes, hammering nails, cleaning chimneys and driving jalopies!

Long live the salt of the earth!

They add unique quality to our lives.

RIP Andrei.

JHOC's avatar

I'm sorry for your loss.

I have to say, this is the most hilarious memorial I have ever read.

Catherine H's avatar

Made me cry and I didn’t even know him! And I’m a girl.

Catherine H's avatar

Thank you all for liking my post. Much appreciated. I still believe this is the best blog in the world. Thank you Riley.

Edward Slavsquat's avatar

You are too kind, Catherine. Thank you for reading my little blog.

Kate Ledogar's avatar

I loved reading this. I can hear Andrei in your words. I imagine you were very important to him: what greater final gift to a salty village Russian than a writer/emergent-homesteader game for his idiosyncrasies. He probably knew just what a blogger is as well. He paid you with schooling, as you worked for him as his biographer.

Crixcyon's avatar

They will never replace a person like Andrei with silly A/i or anything else. Homegrown practicality beats upstart technology everyday. This is a marvelous tribute to Andrei.

Markker's avatar

Wonderful tribute to Andrei. Will you inherit his fykes? You are probably the only one now who knows where they are!

Bugey libre's avatar

Best comment Man!

Respect

Markker's avatar

He needs to have a boat though! lol!

Bugey libre's avatar

It is indeed a prerequisite but it can easily be fixed... Stay safe Markker.

jacquelyn sauriol's avatar

An honest tribute, the only real sort of tribute. I guess he was unwell, and really did need help doing things. It was good of you to 'take it', and isn't it strange that you went along, when another person could not have made you help them in such demanding ways.

RT's avatar

That was a very moving and beautiful tribute Riley. Characters like Andrei add richness to our lives, just as your writing does.

Lilien's avatar

Dear Andrei and Edward,

You made a truly wonderful team... and thanks to you, Andrei, you see, Edward continues his truly Chekhovian trajectory...

You are both a source of immense, interplanetary, borderless inspiration, and I'm sure that one day we will find ourselves together to gather nets in the immense eternal pond...

Edward, as always, I'm with you from France, Paris, and if one day your steps take you to Paris, we absolutely must meet!!! I too have many missions to entrust to you...

Greetings to all of Edward's reading friends, and rest in peace, my dear Andrei!!!

Edward Slavsquat's avatar

If I'm ever in the area, I will absolutely let you know. Thanks for your readership and support, Lilien :)

Bugey libre's avatar

Be careful Riley, that French woman must have work to do at home and must have understood you could not say no. Beware of French women, once they know you can hammer a nail... They can be great.

Salut Lilien. From Higher Bugey

Lilien's avatar

Hi Bugey libre! And thank you so much for your comment! But actually, I'm not French... What you wrote about the nails being driven in really well made me laugh though!!!

Sincerely,

Lilien

SoloD's avatar

You see now why he was in such a hurry. So much to impart, and so little time to do it.

Was he..... vaccinated for CV-19 ?

York Luethje's avatar

Rest in peace, Andrei!

/pours one out

Charlotte Ruse's avatar

Andrei, knew all the survival "ins and outs" of living in a rural village, but it's unexpected poor health which always "does you in." May he RIP.

RegretLeft's avatar

Poor health and poor longevity prospects are unfortunately not unexpected among Russian males. Been that way for a long time.

Charlotte Ruse's avatar

The US is catching up. Life expectancy going down rather than up.

RegretLeft's avatar

Good point - and correct (I was almost going to add that observation myself).

I think - post Covid vaccine - it will become a global and accelerating trend (i.e. decline in longevity) - check back circa 2030.

I wonder if the SMO is already discernible in the Russian actuarial data for males.

Charlotte Ruse's avatar

The SMO accelerated the population decline as many young men fled Russia at the beginning of the operation in fear of being drafted. In addition, birthrates significantly declined.

However, there's a high Russia's Muslim immigrant population primarily composed of individuals from Central Asian republics and Azerbaijan. However, this migration is causing security concerns.

Stacey curtis's avatar

A worthy blog ... like a worthy friend ... brings such a medley of belly laughs, angst, and tears. RIP Andrei, who was correct ... время идёт!

Mikhail's avatar

Hello Edward. As a curmudgeon in his 7th decade I will say that it's obvious to me that Andrei held you in high regard. If not, he would have "commandeered" your help one time only. He knew he could count on you and in this day and age that means a great deal.

Another WorldView Is Possible's avatar

It seems like the Institute for Village-Life Studies, has lost a treasured and senior member of the faculty. His loss diminishes us all.

RIP Andrei.

Seeds's avatar

Perhaps we can all be inspired to become worthy hobbits in our own shires.

Whether we are orthodox or somewhat unorthodox, we can all still make valuable contributions to the fabric of life in our own little kingdoms.

Nash Elephant's avatar

RIP to the legend – and thanks for being his disciple, Edward. You now have the duty to take over his place in the village.