A Beautiful Sunny Day!

The sun was out the entire day and I wasn’t out in it.   I hope it returns tomorrow.

Kaleb went back to school today so Kory and I had time (and transportation) to go visit Tante Ruth at the old folks home (see photo).  She was elated we were there and she kept saying, “Imagine that – you came all the way here to visit this old lady.”  She’s totally blind now and nearly deaf so it took her a while to have it even register in her brain that we were there – and it took the longest time for her to figure out who I was.  Kory had to talk right into her ear for her to hear anything so I just sat in the corner of her room, on this beautiful sunny day with the curtains closed, and read a book while they chatted away.  Actually, it was more like yelling. 

Kory had some questions for her about a family photo he received from my friend, Rigmor.  She gave it to me the other day at lunch as she’d found it in a photo album of her mothers.  It was a picture of Kory’s parents and siblings that Kory had never seen before.  (Photos were rare in those days.)  Apparently his whole family had lived with Rigmor’s family for a time when his dad was building a church on an island over near Molde, where Kory was born.  Halvor, Kory’s dad, was a traveling lay-preacher and I guess he not only built the buildings, but he also built up the body of believers that met together in them.  So Tante Ruth told him all about those days, since Kory didn’t remember them.  Funny what one picture can do.  Rigmor told me that her mother spoke nothing but good things about Halvor and the whole family and never stopped saying, “A nice man like that – can you believe he moved away to America?”  Like it was where only the bad people went.  I thought that was funny.

We brought Tante Ruth some Aplets & Cotlets from Washington State and she was floored that Kory remembered how much she liked them.  She savored every bite.  At least she has her taste buds working – which is more than Tante Kari has – she can’t taste or smell a thing, but at least she can see.  It must be tough to get old.  Whenever Tante Kari eats anything I make, she just raves over how good it tastes.  The last time she did that, I called her on it and said, “How do you know that?”  She said, “I can see that it does.”  I guess where one sense leaves off, another takes it’s place.

After a few hours with Ruth we swung by the second hand store on our way home.  I needed a few kitchen things but ended up buying many things I didn’t need at all.  I hate to say it, but I lust after cool old Norwegian stuff.  I got an old white coated metal pitcher that was used in the “old” days (when Kory was young) for washing, before they had running water.  Now it’s being used as a vase for my white tulips. (see photo).  I bought a few more metal trays and pewter vases and some German pottery cereal bowls – good for soup or oatmeal.  I don’t do much shopping in America, but I sure have a problem with it here.  At least Kory was along today so he called it quits for me, which was probably a good thing.

I should have sat outdoors in the sunshine when I started texting people invitations for dinner.  It took forever. No one calls anyone here – they all just send text messages.  I’m feeling the need to get dates on the calendar firmed up before the days slip by too quickly and we don’t connect up with everyone we want to see this year.  Then I had to start meal planning and going through recipe books to figure out what to make for some upcoming dinners… and the laundry had to be hung out on the deck… and I needed a little nap….   So I never quite made it outside to enjoy that sunshine.  Darn.

Kaleb came home from school with his pal Andre, who stayed on til bedtime.  I was hoping the boys would go on a little walk with me but I couldn’t tear them away from their electronics (see photo).  They played outside a bit, throwing a ball down into the courtyard and back up again to the balcony (see other photo).  They went to the mall and bought some candy, but then they were right back at the electronics again.  Andre had dinner with us and we made him practice his English while we ate.  He wasn’t too bad. His parents came over to pick him up and stayed on for coffee and dessert.  His older brothers joined us after they were done practicing with their worship band at Philadelphia Church, across the street.  We sat and talked about their wishes on what to do during their three weeks with us in America this summer.  Andre wants to eat donuts and go to a baseball game.  His brother Haakon wants to buy an electric guitar and go to a “gospel” church (meaning, mostly black).  Janne, Andre’s mom, wants to go to a drive-in movie theatre and a spa.  Sondre, Andre’s oldest brother wants a tattoo and to eat at Taco Bell.  Haavard, Andre’s dad, wants to see some historical sights and the Space Needle.  I’m sure we’ll be able to accommodate them all.

Kory was gone tonight to a home fellowship group just for men.  He said it was held in the “Ultimate Man Cave” – a converted garage that had everything a man could want – including an indoor BBQ, complete with a vent to the outside.  I wished he would have taken a camera as he’s not the best in describing things, but I could tell by the way he talked about, it was something special.  But then, most everything we encounter in Norway is. 

This is one side of the view from our front walkway.