It was just an incredibly gorgeous day today – sunshine and heat! We had the doors and windows open all day as it was downright hot in the house. This global warming thing works well for Norway and could make it a hot vacation destination – literally. Kory and I went for a nice long walk to soak up some Vitamin D this afternoon. It was so beautiful with the blue sky and mountains still covered in snow with so many signs of spring popping up all over the place!
I felt a little guilty that I skipped school today to take some time to prepare for my “radio spot” on Christian Radio this Saturday. I’m not sure how much time I’ll be on, but I want to have plenty of stories lined up. I’m happy I was asked to come back and talk. The woman hosting the show was gone the month of January and we were gone too much in February, so now I might be on regularly until we leave. I’m going to use a translator as my Norwegian is still pretty embarrassing. Kory was home with me all day but quietly went about his business so as not to disturb me - he even made some yummy black bean soup for dinner. That guy has come a long way with his domestic skills. One day last week I just sat back and watched him wash windows, vacuum, fold laundry, make dinner and clean up the mess all in the same day. I thought I was dreaming. I guess in a way I was – I am living in a dreamland with him doing so many household chores. He even does grocery shopping now and then, which gives me a big thrill. I have been finding myself feeling a little guilty for all that he’s been doing the last few weeks but then I have to stop and think, “Wait a minute, I’ve been doing all that for the last 18 years we’ve been married and he’s never felt guilty watching me do it” – or maybe he has and now it’s payback time!
Cousin/Dr. Odd wants to talk to Kory about “what’s next” with his heart condition. I think Odd signed Kory up for an exercise program three times a week at the hospital. Kory’s glad to go but I supposed if he doesn’t attend it, they probably wouldn’t approve any further care for his heart condition. They do that kind of stuff here. Norway’s socialized medical system is very practical. One of the women in the prayer group I attend said her husband needed by-pass surgery but the government wouldn’t approve it because he was a smoker. The doctor told him to quit smoking and come back in six months and then they would consider it. He did, and they did. Because everyone has to pick up the tab for everyone else’s medical conditions, they put a lot of emphasis on prevention and people taking care of themselves. I think it’s actually a good idea, but it would never fly in America because everyone wants their “freedoms” to live life as they see fit. The countries have such different mind-sets it’s hard sometimes to shift from one way of thinking to the other. It was also hard to accept that so many things are paid for by the government here – like our flight to Trondheim yesterday and all expenses associated with it. If we would have stayed overnight in the hotel, that would have been paid for 100%, as well as our meals and all transportation to and from the airport. Some things they pay for ahead of time, but others they just say to keep receipts and turn them in on an insurance claim form afterwards, like for meals and transportation. We went out for lunch yesterday in Trondheim and we each got a small bowl of soup, a cup of coffee and I had a piece of cheesecake and Kory got a scoop of sorbet afterwards. It cost $70 for that lunch. There’s no way I would expect that cost to be reimbursed by the government (the cost of eating out here in Norway is just prohibitive.) I have every right to turn in that receipt, as well as the $100 we spent on bus fares, but I just can’t bring myself to do it because we paid nothing for that hour long consultation with the doctor or the flight to Trondheim and I feel a little guilty about that. I guess if we didn’t have the money, it would be a different story, but we don’t spend much money here except for food (which has been running nearly three grand a month). God is good to provide for all we need and I’m very thankful for that.
I was so impressed with Kaleb today. He complains about having to do algebra but his abilities are amazing and far exceed my own. I hate that he does all the calculations in his head. I’m trying my darnest to get him to write down each step, but he thinks it’s too easy if he does that. Today he did this problem accurately 3[x+(-2)]-2x=-1 and several others that were even scarier looking because there were fractions involved. His class at school is still learning 8x6. (The answer to the algebra problem is 5.) What a kid. He’s starting to miss being in America because he’s read all the books we brought with us more than once. He’s reading Norwegian pretty well now though. I’m thinking with the combination of his math and reading skills, I might get him to figure out our Norwegian tax return this year.
I felt a little guilty that I skipped school today to take some time to prepare for my “radio spot” on Christian Radio this Saturday. I’m not sure how much time I’ll be on, but I want to have plenty of stories lined up. I’m happy I was asked to come back and talk. The woman hosting the show was gone the month of January and we were gone too much in February, so now I might be on regularly until we leave. I’m going to use a translator as my Norwegian is still pretty embarrassing. Kory was home with me all day but quietly went about his business so as not to disturb me - he even made some yummy black bean soup for dinner. That guy has come a long way with his domestic skills. One day last week I just sat back and watched him wash windows, vacuum, fold laundry, make dinner and clean up the mess all in the same day. I thought I was dreaming. I guess in a way I was – I am living in a dreamland with him doing so many household chores. He even does grocery shopping now and then, which gives me a big thrill. I have been finding myself feeling a little guilty for all that he’s been doing the last few weeks but then I have to stop and think, “Wait a minute, I’ve been doing all that for the last 18 years we’ve been married and he’s never felt guilty watching me do it” – or maybe he has and now it’s payback time!
Cousin/Dr. Odd wants to talk to Kory about “what’s next” with his heart condition. I think Odd signed Kory up for an exercise program three times a week at the hospital. Kory’s glad to go but I supposed if he doesn’t attend it, they probably wouldn’t approve any further care for his heart condition. They do that kind of stuff here. Norway’s socialized medical system is very practical. One of the women in the prayer group I attend said her husband needed by-pass surgery but the government wouldn’t approve it because he was a smoker. The doctor told him to quit smoking and come back in six months and then they would consider it. He did, and they did. Because everyone has to pick up the tab for everyone else’s medical conditions, they put a lot of emphasis on prevention and people taking care of themselves. I think it’s actually a good idea, but it would never fly in America because everyone wants their “freedoms” to live life as they see fit. The countries have such different mind-sets it’s hard sometimes to shift from one way of thinking to the other. It was also hard to accept that so many things are paid for by the government here – like our flight to Trondheim yesterday and all expenses associated with it. If we would have stayed overnight in the hotel, that would have been paid for 100%, as well as our meals and all transportation to and from the airport. Some things they pay for ahead of time, but others they just say to keep receipts and turn them in on an insurance claim form afterwards, like for meals and transportation. We went out for lunch yesterday in Trondheim and we each got a small bowl of soup, a cup of coffee and I had a piece of cheesecake and Kory got a scoop of sorbet afterwards. It cost $70 for that lunch. There’s no way I would expect that cost to be reimbursed by the government (the cost of eating out here in Norway is just prohibitive.) I have every right to turn in that receipt, as well as the $100 we spent on bus fares, but I just can’t bring myself to do it because we paid nothing for that hour long consultation with the doctor or the flight to Trondheim and I feel a little guilty about that. I guess if we didn’t have the money, it would be a different story, but we don’t spend much money here except for food (which has been running nearly three grand a month). God is good to provide for all we need and I’m very thankful for that.
I was so impressed with Kaleb today. He complains about having to do algebra but his abilities are amazing and far exceed my own. I hate that he does all the calculations in his head. I’m trying my darnest to get him to write down each step, but he thinks it’s too easy if he does that. Today he did this problem accurately 3[x+(-2)]-2x=-1 and several others that were even scarier looking because there were fractions involved. His class at school is still learning 8x6. (The answer to the algebra problem is 5.) What a kid. He’s starting to miss being in America because he’s read all the books we brought with us more than once. He’s reading Norwegian pretty well now though. I’m thinking with the combination of his math and reading skills, I might get him to figure out our Norwegian tax return this year.
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