Some of the women that attend the night time Bible study I held at our place last night, are also part of the Praying Women group I attend. Last time I was there I offered to have the next prayer meeting at our place so everyone could see where we live, and to give Kristen a week off. I didn’t realize until after ten o’clock last night, that I would be hosting it at ten o’clock this morning. The house was already clean, so that wasn’t the problem, but what to serve for lunch - now there’s a perplexor. I thought the grocery store opened at eight o’clock, but I was off by an hour, so that meant I had less than an hour to shop for food, prepare it, present it properly on the coffee table, and get several pots of coffee brewed and in thermoses in preparation for the seven women that were to come. I was scrambling, but I put on a pretty good show. It was almost as good as Kristen does every week – I even had fancy serving dishes and fancy little spoons and serving knives (all from the second hand store.) The candles were burning when they walked in. They presented me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers (see photo), all nestled in a tight bouquet with what looked like a bird’s nest surrounding it. It’s so Scandinavian looking, I love it, but it was then that I realized I didn’t have a vase in the house. Somehow I missed shopping for that. It’s now on the final “must have” list.
We had almost three hours of soaking and praying this morning, so it was time well spent. Kory came home toward the end and was able to meet the women I call my friends here in Norway. How lucky I am to know such fine women.
After they all left Kory and I hurried into the city because I saw a locksmith place yesterday that I thought could solve a few of our problems. We only have one car key, so we needed an extra one made (I thought $15 was a bit much, but those are Norwegian prices). I also have a built in lock on my bike, but the key to it was stolen last year when we were in Prague (along with that extra car key). The bike has been helplessly locked up since then. I went to a bike shop to see if they could help and the guy’s response was just to chuck the whole bike and buy a new one because mine is about 20 years old. Right. I thought the locksmith could help pick the lock, but he tried for a few minutes and gave up. It was a bit too rusted inside so he suggested just taking a hacksaw to it. That’s now on the “must do” list for Kory.
While we were in town I wanted to show Kory a large needlepoint piece of art that I saw yesterday at the second hand store. Kory loved it more than I, so we bought it today. It cost more than most things we’ve purchased so far (a little over a hundred dollars), but it really is incredible. (See other photo.) We had one bare spot on our living room wall that needed something, and this was just the ticket. We only have a few more things to buy and do, and then I think we can call our second home complete, but I’m sure we’ll be working up to the bitter end.
Kaleb stayed home today after school to get some homework done and to help with the sleepover preparations. He wanted to go to the grocery store with me to be sure I bought the right kinds of pop (pear flavored is his favorite), and all the right snacks. He wanted orange colored napkins. It’s kind of his half birthday party celebration, so I’m letting him call the shots. Tonight I made a kind of white cake (not at all like we have in America), that tomorrow I’ll top with some kind of creamy vanilla pudding stuff and fruit. It’s my first attempt at a Norwegian cake. I also made brownies as a backup, and I made “boller” (sweet rolls with cardamom in them.) I had a package mix for each thing I made, as it was quick and easy, but nothing really turned out as I expected. The rolls taste heavenly, but look terrible because they stuck fast to the plastic wrap I put on them while they were rising (the directions never said to butter the plastic!). It felt like the episode last week on “Alt for Norge” where they had the contestants making fish cakes and the best chef in Norway was the judge. He spit out everything he tried and gave them quite the lecture on how bad of a job they did. I’m hoping the kids tomorrow won’t notice that what I made looks NOTHING like boller, but the taste is right on. Maybe we’ll play some kind of blindfold game at the cabin, and then they’ll never know.
Tonight was the final episode of “Alt for Norge.” The guy from Seattle won so he got to meet his Norwegian relatives (most of them were fourth cousins – same as I have here.) In his dialog afterwards, he made many of the same observations I made when I first came here, like how amazing the bread is and that Americans have no sense of a rich heritage that provides so many traditions. Being the melting pot that America is, we gain a lot, but also lose a sense of identity. Here in Norway, it’s all about identity. I just hope mine isn’t that I made some weirdo looking cardamom rolls.
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