Kory and I were occupied all morning – he started building the wall for Kaleb’s room, and I sat and read more farm history books to find out all I could about the Norwegian ancestors of my friend Stuart. It was a gorgeous day outside, but I couldn’t tear myself away from the amazing progress I was making finding the names of all his dead relatives. I was sitting at my computer at 10:45 when Kaleb walked in the door. Something was up, as he wasn’t supposed to be home until after 2:30. He started crying right away, as he told us that he never did find Sabina. He’d gotten on the #618 bus heading into “Sentrum” (the center of town), but she wasn’t on the bus. I had told him her school meets in the same building that my school was at, and that the bus stops right in front of that building. What I forgot was that the first three months of my school, we were at another building down by the harbor, and THAT is where Kaleb thought he was going. He never saw the stop where he was to get off, so he stayed on the bus a few more stops, then got off and walked around the center of town, looking for that school, which he never found.
He thought he was a lost a time or two, but then he’d see someplace he recognized. When he found the library, he got his bearings back, but that took over an hour of wandering around, being quite frustrated and a little bit frightened. He gave up the idea of going to school and just wanted to find a bus stop so he could get back home again. I guess this is why he needs his own cell phone.
Once he found the library, he knew the bus stopped right in front of it, but it stops there before going out of town the wrong direction. The bus heading in the right direction was across the street but it was blocked off by fencing and he didn’t know about the underground tunnel he needed to take to cross the street. He got on the #618 bus, knowing he was heading the wrong way, but he knew eventually it would have to turn around and go back toward Moa (where we live) because all of Aalesund is just a cluster of little islands, so he took one heck of a long bus ride to get back home again. All in all he was gone for three and a half hours. I couldn’t have been more distraught over the whole thing. He recovered from the experience quicker than I did, but I was pretty proud he found his way back home safe and sound.
Kaleb was a little tense when he got home so he decided to relax a little in the library next door, reading books. It was so nice outside, I hated that he was indoors, so after three hours he finally checked out a huge book and read it at home, sitting in the sunshine. He didn’t want to be gone from the house too much, nor play with any other kids, even though Sabina invited him over tonight. She and her mother, Tone, stopped by after school to find out what happened to him. As it turned out, none of us realized there was a bus that came at 7:15am and it was running a few minutes late and Kaleb even had to flag it down when he got to the bus stop as it was leaving just as he arrived. We thought there were only busses on the hour and half hour, but for the morning rush, they throw in that extra run, and that was the bus Kaleb got on by mistake because he was so early. Stakkars, Kaleb! He’s going to give it a try again tomorrow, but I’m walking out to the bus terminal with him this time, even though I’m confident he now knows his way around town, and how the bus route goes. He’ll never forget that experience, I’m sure.
A few of my friends from our old home fellowship group at Agape Church came over for lunch today so I had a wonderful time visiting with them all the while Kory was busy cutting wood for the bedroom wall.
Tante Kari also came up this afternoon for a visit. She is just back from a long weekend in Oslo visiting her granddaughter and family. Cousin Odd also stopped by, too. He was out riding his Harley motorcycle on such a fine day.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get out much today, but this evening I was invited back to a Bible study I attended last year. As a special surprise treat for all the women, the hostess took us out to the island of Vigra for a little beachside grill and coffee/dessert hour (see photo). It was beautiful (but windy) and we all huddled around the “engangrill” (one time grill) they use a lot here to cook hotdogs in remote locations. I’m not much of a hot dog eater, but it had to be the best one I’ve ever had (wrapped in bacon, no less). It was a great time spent with a lovely bunch of women, in a beautiful place, just enjoying all of God’s creation. I didn’t get home until 11pm as we all wanted to stay until sunset. It was a typically wonderful kind of Norwegian outing – where it’s all about being together with others, out in nature, and being ever so thankful for yet another sunny day. Hallelujah!
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