Connecting the Dots

As promised by the weather report, we had rain today.  It was a good day for it, since I had to be in the house the whole day anyway.  We’d invited Kory’s Tante Berit over for dinner, since she’s leaving Norway next week and going back home to Spain.  We just met her after Kaleb was born when I went looking for answers to questions never asked – like who Kory’s grandfather was. (Photo above is Tante Gerd, Tante Kari, Kory and Tante Berit.)

Kory’s mom was illegitimate, and she never knew her biological father.  Kory never even knew his name until I came along.  I found his mom’s birth record in the library and did a little research and found out her father had married and had three children.  Tante Berit is one of them – a half sister to Jenny, Kory’s mom.  We also met Berit’s older brother Per, but never met her other brother, Karstein as he died shortly after we made the whole connection.

We’ve had pretty good contact with Berit and Per over the years.  Two years ago when we were in Norway we flew down to Spain to stay a few days with Berit to get to know her better.  She’s a lot of fun to be around as she’s full of life and lots of laughs.  It’s so nice to have a connection with that side of the family.  There is also a family resemblance between Kory’s brothers and the cousins on that side, so it connects the family even more.

So, my whole day was spent cleaning house, going to the grocery store and making food.  I can’t believe it took all day, but it did.  I have to read all the ingredients on everything I buy to see if there is any added fat, and that takes more time than I’d like, since it’s all in Norwegian, but I’m doing what I can to keep Kory going. 

Kory spent the day cleaning up the mess on the deck and putting it all back together, thankfully.  He went over to Jonathan’s house and picked up the drill motor he got for free from him, which allowed him to do the work.  God’s timing all the way. 

Kaleb helped me a little but mostly just sat in front of the TV and watched one episode after another of “Myth Busters” – his favorite TV show.  Today was his lucky day as they had it on for hours.  He’s an easy kid to be around when he’s trying to avoid doing work, as he hides himself away in a corner and hopes I forget he’s home so I won’t ask him to do anything.

I had to make a few runs to the store and I ran into people I knew each time.  It’s a good addendum to my social life here.  If I ever get lonely I can just walk outside into the mall and see who is there.  The bakery tables were full this morning of dozens of old men sitting around drinking a cup of coffee, munching on sweets and talking.  The mall is where everything happens here so we live in the center of this town’s universe.  It’s something special, I tell ya.   I saw my neighbor on the first outing and Cousin Odd’s ex-wife the second time.  We had a nice chat in the grocery store and made plans for getting together.  It’s just so fun to know so many people around here.

I made Chicken Marbella for our guests, but Kory and I ate “meatloaf without the meat” (lentil loaf) covered in carmelized onions and sautéed mushrooms.  I didn’t burn down the kitchen, but I did blow a fuse using my emersion blender trying to mash up the potatoes.  I think I fried the engine on that thing – brand new, too, but it was an American plug-in on a Norwegian converter and I think I had it on the wrong setting.  I blew out Kaleb’s sonicare toothbrush the same way, so you’d think I’d learn the lesson there on voltage, but such is life in a foreign country.  There are so many simple things we take for granted back home. 

I managed to mash those potatoes myself and they tasted fine, so that was the only close call with the whole meal.  The Norskies said they loved it, too, so that was good, especially since everything was fat-free, except the chicken.  I’m sure they would have never known, if I wouldn’t have told them.  Garlic mashed potatoes with nutritional yeast, salt and pepper; carrots coated in brown sugar, ginger and caraway seeds; green beans drizzled with honey and toasted sesame seeds, and a green salad.  The dressing was aged balsamic vinegar, good Norwegian mustard and maple syrup.  It was all too yummy for words.  It was so good I might have to keep that menu and make it time and time again when we have company. 

Tante Berit came with her sister-in-law Gerd, (Karstein’s widow) and niece Therese, (his daughter - above) – a cousin Kory has never met before.  Now that was different – to meet such a close blood relative so late in life.  We’d been wanting to meet them all but the timing hasn’t worked out, so it was a very nice evening getting to know them a little better.  Of course, I did most of the talking, so I should say they got to know US a little better, but at least we bridged the gap.

We invited Tante Kari and Tante Aslaug over for coffee and cake afterwards, but Aslaug was busy so just Kari came.  They too have been curious all these years as to who their sister’s other sister was, so it was great to connect the dots for them all since they shared a sister, but never knew one another.  It went better than expected and I’m so thankful for the opportunity to have hosted such a gathering.  I’m sure it won’t be the last time, either.  Hallelujah!