Maintenance Day

We’ve been gone from “home” for ten days now so we were in desperate need for some of life’s little maintenances. We thought about going into the center of Oslo to a museum this morning but we all opted instead to stay put and get a few things done – like laundry and paying bills. It’s so awful to even think about doing those things when we are on vacation, but the length of this one precipitates the need to stay on top of dirty underwear and unpaid phone bills. So it was that today we just hung out for the morning after Jens-Frederik and Anne-Marie went to work. We had the house to ourselves and we all enjoyed the break. Kaleb played non-stop on his Nintendo, Kory sorted out his vitamins for the next two weeks and I paid bills, organized photos, read e-mails, and did two loads of clothes. There are worse ways to spend a day.

Jens-Frederik and Anne-Marie’s oldest daughter, Angelica, lives about five minutes away and she called and invited us over for lunch. We attended her wedding near St. Louis two years ago when she got married to Christopher, an American. On the 17th of May, this year, they had a baby boy they named Zion. Angelica and Chris are both rap artists so Kaleb was almost giddy to see them again as he plays their CD over and over and loves their music. He and his friend Timothy might be some of their biggest fans. Angelica is on maternity leave and Christopher also took the day off because his grandparents are here visiting from Venezuela. He grew up in Florida but his father is from Venezuela so Spanish is his native tongue. His grandmother offered to make us one of her favorite dishes from Venezuela so we were treated to an incredibly tasty meal. We also had a nice time visiting with them. Kory had much to talk about, as usual, and Chris acted as the interpreter when needed. Kory so impressed me with how much Spanish he remembers (Chris’ grandparents don’t speak a word of English). Kory lived in Paraguay for a year about forty years ago and worked at a mission station there building a medical clinic. He has many good stories about the primitive life he lived, so he was telling many of them today. I understood a lot of what was being said because I took years of Spanish in high school and college, but I’ll be darned if I couldn’t even think of one word to say. It’s like the Norwegian language erased the part of my brain that was storing all the Spanish and I couldn’t come up with a single word. It was embarrassing. I thought it was Spanish, but it came out Norwegian. And why I could understand Spanish, but not speak it, was a strange phenomenon. My brain is definitely on the down slide…

After much visiting we left Angelica’s place to drive into the center of Oslo to meet her brother, Bent-Jarle and his new wife, Birgitta, for dinner. They are still entertaining guests from around the world that came for the wedding so they’ve had a very busy week, but we didn’t want to miss the chance to greet them and take them out to dinner. Birgitta is a junior high school teacher in English, Norwegian and French. She sounds very prim and proper when she talks because she speaks British English as she lived in England for three years. She told us the school where she teaches is celebrating their 150 year anniversary so the school offered to take the staff out to have a celebratory dinner at a restaurant in Oslo. Then someone at the school figured out just how expensive that dinner would be (VERY expensive, as eating out in Norway is not for the weak hearted), and they came up with Plan B, not to save money, but to have more fun. For the same price as dinner and wine at a restaurant in Oslo, they could buy airplane tickets and two nights at a hotel in Estonia. They thought the staff could have a little weekend getaway to Estonia for the same price, if the staff would buy their own meals there (which are very cheap). Everyone loved the idea, so she is soon off on that trip with her co-workers. Now if that doesn’t say something about how expensive it is to eat out in Norway, I don’t know what does. When it’s cheaper to fly across the Baltic Sea for the weekend than to buy one meal at a restaurant here, I think there is something wrong.

Tonight we had our final chat with Anne-Marie and Jens-Frederik – two of our favorite relatives (see photo of them at Bent-Jarle’s wedding last week). Anne-Marie had a tough day at work because so many old people died over the weekend from the heat, (she works at a funeral home.) Jens-Frederik recently quit his job as pastor of a State Church and is now a State Church prison chaplain so his days are always interesting and varied. They are a lovely couple and wonderful servants of God. I love their tradition of praying together (even with guests) before they retire for the night. What a great send-off, for tomorrow, we hit the road again heading south.

The Heat is Off

We woke to rain this morning, for which everyone around here was extremely thankful. Friday the 93 degree heat broke all previous records in Norway. It was just too hot for Norwegian blood. And then yesterday in Oslo there was over 2,000 lightening strikes in one hour – freakish weather. So today it was wonderful to have a cool breeze and overcast skies as we hadn’t planned to do anything but visit with relatives, so it was perfect.

We had a nice breakfast with all of Reidunn’s family before we left Tønsberg at noon. Her sisters are a crack up. Some Christian Norwegian families say a prayer of thanksgiving after they have eaten a meal, but one of the sisters just said a little poem instead, that went like this: “Takk for mat og drikke. Vask opp vil jeg ikke.” It means, “Thanks for the food and drink. I will not clean up,” only it sounds way better in Norwegian because it rhymes. Edith, Reidunn’s daughter with the three boys, said they might come visit us next year in America, so that’s something to look forward to. She’s an obstetrician and was supposed to go to a medical conference in Seattle in April, so she flew to Copenhagen to catch her flight to Seattle, and they wouldn’t let her board the plane because she had the wrong kind of passport. Apparently she needed the passport with the little chip in it and she just had a normal passport. I think the anti-terrorism stuff has gone a bit too far when things like that happen. She had to buy a ticket back to Norway and couldn’t go to Seattle – even though she’d asked repeatedly before she left what documents she needed in order to go and was never told about the chip. A visa is now required for anyone from Norway (and probably all other countries) to travel to the U.S. Talk about overkill.

We headed north to Oslo to visit even more cousins on Kory’s dad’s side of the family. We had reserved a hotel for a few nights in the city, but Jens-Frederick and Anne-Marie insisted we stay with them. It was their son, Bent-Jarl, whose wedding we attended last week. It seems like it was a month ago. Kaleb isn’t too keen on all these family visits, unless there are children to play with, so he was a bit bored today as we sat the entire afternoon and evening and just talked about family dynamics and the little pieces of history that get passed down different branches of the tree. We all agreed there were some serious problems going on at the Slaattehaugen farm that made life difficult for several members of the family – and their descendants. Jens-Frederick (a pastor) also said anyone that believed anything other than what the State Church subscribed too was banned from the family. One of Kory’s aunts converted to Seventh Day Adventist and Kory’s father was Pentecostal. Both were outcasts because of it and never had much contact with relatives as a result. It seems the spirit of Holy Ole, the Viking King that killed those that didn’t convert to Christianity, has lived on. Up until just recently the parents had full responsibility and control over their children – even into adulthood. The Church dictated that and ignored the scripture that said a man should LEAVE his father and mother and CLEVE to his wife. So the adult children had to obey their parents and do as they said, long after they were out of the house. It was only when their parents were dead, could they decide things for themselves as long as it was in line with what the church dictated. So for an adult “child” to disobey their parent’s and leave the State Church – meant they were as good as dead. But now the rebellion is well under way in Norway because of the State Church’s abuse of power and morality has taken a hard swing in the opposite direction of the Bible’s teachings. It breaks my heart that all of this dysfunction has gone on in the name of God – when the fact is that God LOVED us so much he sent his son – to forgive us so that we’d NOT be condemned, but that we’d have freedom and new life. It amazes me that point was lost on them. Where was the love and forgiveness in the Church?

So we had some interesting discussions today and I had a good time looking through some of Jens-Frederick’s family history paperwork. Kory told a story about “Strong Nils,” a guy that lived in Telemark that could lift giant boulders. They once had a contest and put handles on a huge rock to see if anyone else could out lift him. No one could. That rock still sits in front a church in Telemark as a tribute to his strength. One time Nils lifted one end of a log that took three men to lift the other end. The men conspired to drop their end and in doing so, broke Nils’ back. The legend of his strength is now mixed with the weakness of his bladder that came as a result of his injuries. He had to wear a skirt the rest of his life. Some legend. I’m so fascinated by personal histories and want to do nothing more than search for details and then write about them. Kory thinks I spend way too much time with the dead, but I think they are much easier to deal with than the living.

Happy 4th of July

We had to leave Slaattehaugen early this morning to make it to our next destination before lunch. We hadn’t initially planned to stop in Tønsberg, but once the word got out to some of the Slaatthaug cousins that we were in the area, Kory’s phone started ringing. We only had one day we could possibly change so Cousin Reidun won out because she was the first to call and her house was in the direction we were heading. Reidun was on the Slaatthaug Family Reunion committee in the year 2000 and they pulled off one heck of a reunion with over 200 cousins gathering in this neck of the woods to honor their grandparents and get to know one another. Before that time we only knew a few relatives on Kory’s dad side of the family, but now we know many.

Reidun loves to organize get-togethers so it was no surprise when we showed up today that she had invited other family members to come on over. (She also set out an American flag in honor of the 4th of July. There was no parade and we didn’t have a backyard BBQ, but we did have a lot of backyard fun.) One of Reidun’s twin daughters lives three hours away so she came for the weekend with her three sons (ages 12, 10 and 5). Reidun’s two sisters also came down from Oslo by train to meet us. Other cousins showed up for dinner but didn’t spend the night like the whole lot of us. It was one giant sleepover and couldn’t have been more cozy. Reidun is retired, as are her sisters, but it’s easy to see they are still little girls at heart. Reidun’s cherry tree was full of ripe cherries so she insisted we have a cherry seed spitting contest (see photo – if you double click on the photo it gets large enough to see all the funny faces). Kory won. One of Reidun’s sisters (who is in her late 70s) came to my defense when all the boys started attacking me with water balloons and other containers full of water. It was a hot enough day so I didn’t mind getting drenched, but when the hose got involved, things got out of control. The fight lasted for hours and included defense strategies, attack plans, guards to watch over the hose, and a neutral zone where I could go to dry off and catch my breath. When it was all over, I rang about a quarter cup of water out of my underwear. I was drenched, but we sure had fun. (I was thankful the women here didn’t do what most Norwegian women do – on hot days they take off their shirts and just wear their bra. A bra is considered a normal piece of clothing here – not an under garment so it’s quite common to see old ladies outside wearing shorts and a bra. I saw one very professional young woman I’d dealt with at the bank running up a mountain trail after work wearing a very sexy see-through bra. It didn’t seem right. The sight of so many shirtless women in the summertime does take a bit of getting used to.)

Later in the evening, the kids insisted all the adults join them in a game of Hide-n-Seek and I’ll be darned if these seventy something women didn’t run around giggling all the way, hiding as best they could. These women are not like the serious Norwegians I’ve grown accustomed to, nor do they sit around drinking coffee and watching the fun – they join in. I love that. Kaleb had a blast as well. I told him every day there will be new surprises on our road trip and he was delighted with the turn of events for today, as well as his chance to sleep in the loft above the garage with the two older boys.

Kory found out more juicy family history today as he sat in the shade talking with his cousins about their common ancestors. Apparently Kory’s grandfather that lived on the Slaattehaugen farm had an illegitimate daughter on a neighboring farm. That was the first we heard of that one. Now I have more work to do on the family tree. One of Reidun’s sisters said that family had a reputation as being gypsies because they had a dark complexion and dark eyes and their grandfather played the fiddle. As fun as it was to talk about today, it didn’t sound like a very stable family for Kory’s dad to grow up in, so that could explain a lot. We also found out from previous visits with Slaatthaug cousin’s that four of Kory’s dad’s sisters had been institutionalized with mental problems and had to have lobotomies. That one was a bit scary to hear. Depression and schizophrenia also run in his family. And he thought my family had problems….

Blazing Heat

It was a scorcher today – 90 degrees. Too hot for me. I should have been sitting by a river or lake enjoying a cool breeze, but instead I was sitting in a library most of the day, without air conditioning. I couldn’t pass up the chance to find out a few more details about Kory’s father’s side of the family that are missing from my collection of data on dead relatives. I should have passions that cause me to be outdoors more, as this one caused me to sit in a hot room and sweat for four hours as there wasn’t even a breeze that reached the research room.

Kaleb and I arrived an hour too early to the city of Ulefoss, thinking the library opened at 10 instead of 11. At least it opened. Many businesses in Norway are closed the entire month of July, including churches, because so many people are on vacation. We had an hour to kill so we found a little second hand store that was a gold mine. I love old Norwegian tin, pewter and wood things. I told myself I was getting my Christmas shopping done, but how I’ll get it all home, I have no idea.

This part of Telemark is well known for its locks and canal system. Kaleb and I stopped to watch them in action for a while this afternoon on our way back to the farm. There are a total of 18 locks in 8 locations near here. They were important 150 years ago when shipping was the only way to transport goods, but today they are mostly used by tourists. We thought about taking the steamboat that goes up and down the canal, but we didn’t want to go without Kory, so we just stood by and watched as the boats full of tourists took the stair steps down the river where a large waterfall once stood. Kaleb was fascinated by the process so at least we did something today that was fun for him because he didn’t enjoy hanging out at the library so much. A water balloon fight when we got home also helped keep his spirits up.

Kory and Hallvard spent their day up on the roof again. They replaced some rotten wood and took down a modification Hallvard never liked. It would make the most sense to tear down the building as it has a serious insect invasion going on and many of the interior boards are rotten, but he feels a responsibility to preserve it for the family. Hallvard has no plans to ever make it livable but he wouldn’t mind turning it into a kind of family history museum (it already is with all the contents it holds). Kory’s family only moved to this farm in 1912, but his grandparents had so many children and some of them had so many children, there are a lot of people now with roots in this place. I suggested they have some kind of 100 year jubilee on the farm and in preparation, ask some of the descendants to sponsor a new window or door or a side of the house in honor of their grandparents who lived here. Hallvard’s wife would just as soon tear it down. Kory’s most worried about future degradation to the building and he wants to be sure it’s tight so the elements don’t continue to eat it up. I think he’s already agreed to pay for the fumigation to get the bugs out, but he’s hoping to get other relatives to pitch in either time or money to help put a good shell around it so it will last another lifetime. We’ll be visiting a lot of his cousins soon so we’ll find out what the interest is in doing something like that. The inside of the house isn’t great, but it won’t hurt anything to stay the way it is and just move things around in an easy-to-view fashion and then it would be something worth visiting. I think the house was built in the 1820s but that isn’t old by Norwegian standards so there is no historical society that could help out. Kory feels like he is honoring his father by working on the house. He never puts flowers on his grave, so I guess this is the man’s way of expressing the same sentiment.

After the roof was done, Kory and Hallvard were drenched in sweat, so we headed to the nearest swimming hole so they could dive in. Hallvard’s oldest brother came by for a visit so he drove us all there. I was already cooled down from the constant bombardments of water balloons, otherwise I would have jumped in, too. We found out while we were there that the farm right next to that lake is where Kory’s grandparents lived before they bought Slaattehaugen. We went up for a visit so I could take pictures of the house and we could all see the setting. Family lore has it that Kory’s grandfather did NOT want to move from that place but his wife insisted, as she got a good price for Slaattehaugen from her uncle (see photo of the farm from a distance – Slaattehaugen means “ the harvested hill” – the old house it behind the new one). Kory’s grandfather did not want to be a farmer, as he was a shoemaker, so his grandmother had to do all the farming herself. His grandfather became depressed and never adjusted to living on the farm. He moved to the second floor of the house and didn’t talk much to his wife after that. That was how they avoided divorce back then. On second thought, maybe tearing down the old house might be the best thing. At least it’s not haunted.

Another Day in Telemark

This was the kind of day I’m glad is over. I’m completely exhausted, inside and out. I feel like someone pulled my plug and I just want to curl up in a fetal position and sleep. Kaleb and I went to Norway’s largest water park today while Kory worked with Hallvard on replacing some of the roof on the old house where Kory’s father was born (see photo). I was worried about Kory being up on the roof today, but I should have been worried about me. I thought I would have fun. I thought the water park near here would be like Silverwood in Idaho where there is a nice wave pool, a relaxing river current, some fun water slides and a good time to be had by all. But that just wasn’t the case. Every attraction was like staring death right in the face. It didn’t go well with me, and a few times I really wanted to back out before literally taking the plunge, but Kaleb insisted. This is what I do for love. I haven’t been that freaked out in a long time. It also didn’t help that I had flashbacks to my near drowning experience on the Oregon Coast when I was 15. (We got caught in a rip tide and the kid I was with died. It really was a miracle I survived.)

One “ride” today was on an inflatable cushion and after going through twists and turns in a pitch black tube, we ended up in a big drain looking thing that reminded me of the vortex where one can drop a coin and it spins around and around until it finally drops in the bucket below. Only it was us, dropping down into the drain like in the movie “Flushed Away.” That one wasn’t too bad. The one I nearly lost it was called the Half Pipe and it looked like a giant skateboard park only water was gushing down from both sides of the big U and we dropped straight down from one side sitting on an inflatable and then swooshed up the other side and back and forth we went until we were sucked down the drain. I wouldn’t do that one again for anything.

I thought I’d like the relaxing float on an innertube down the river current, but as I found out within seconds after entering, it went way faster than what I’d experienced in other parks. I slipped off my tube and someone smacked my face and only then did I realize I was wearing my glasses. They flew off my face and were lost in the current. They were the only glasses I had left as the others I brought with me to Norway have already broken. I cried. I panicked. I talked to the staff and they just shook their head and said they were lost. I tried to explain I couldn’t drive home without them but they had no sympathy. I was desperate. I asked if I could wait until the park closed and try to find them without the current and they assured me that six hours of swirling around in the river, there wouldn’t be anything left of them. So I did the only thing I could do – I prayed. I called Kory and asked him to pray, too. I prayed God would allow someone to find them before they broke to pieces, or that God would heal my eyes so I wouldn’t need glasses. All I could think about was a month of sightseeing Europe and not being able to see a thing. We won’t be in any place long enough to get new glasses as no one here has the advantages we do in America of getting a new pair in one hour. It takes weeks. Within minutes after praying with Kory, Kaleb came running over with my glasses! Someone right next to him found them and yelled out they found some glasses. Kaleb knew they were mine. It was a miracle they were found, a miracle he was right there to get them (they may have never found their way back to me as there was no “lost and found”) and it was a miracle they weren’t broken. One side of the frame was slightly bent but the glasses weren’t even scratched. I cried again out of pure joy, then had to sit down for a while as my body was a limp noodle. I hated the river after that, but still went around and around that football field sized “ride” with Kaleb – but I left my glasses in my backpack. My body never fully recovered, especially since we had to go on the rides one more time.

Kory had a much more satisfying day working at Slaattehaugen – having a bonding moment with his dad’s memory and Hallvard. Hallvard teaches carpentry at the very school where Kory’s dad learned how to be one. Kory was thinking about his dad running around this place as a child and all the things he might have done. This farm really is like being on a movie set – going back to some significant place in history and reliving some of the memories – except Kory doesn’t have many memories here. There is a strong connection nonetheless and it’s idyllic in every way.

I was so thankful to get back to Slaattehaugen I could have kissed the ground. Kory “grilled” dinner for everyone tonight and once again we had a picture perfect evening in the shade of the old house, sitting outside talking on this warm summer evening watching yet another gorgeous sunset just before midnight. It almost felt like a perfect world, until I remembered the day.

Roots

We left Arendal early this morning. I wish we would have had more time to visit Ruth and Morgan because Ruth is very worried if I write a book about life in Norway, my perspective might be skewed from my experiences this past year with the folks that live in Sunnmøre (the region surrounding Aalesund.) Ruth says they are “special.” (I noticed she also used that word in describing other people - and it wasn’t used in a positive way.) She says those who live in Sunnmøre in no way reflect the lives of the average Norwegians. Each area has its own “reputation,” she says, but I didn’t find out what they all are except that those from way up north swear a lot but are very kind people – according to Ruth. Ok, then. I might have to live in Norway a bit longer before I write a book because I’m sure the whole of Norway would not be happy with me, from what I heard from Ruth, if I portray them to be like those we know and love in Sunnmøre. I found out soon after arriving at our destination today, that the people in Telemark (down south) actually chill their pop before they drink it. Here I thought everyone in Norway drank pop at room temperature, but apparently, that’s one of the little quirks that Sunnmøre people do. I have so much to learn.

After an hour long drive east along the southern coast, we stopped off in the popular little tourist town of Kragerø (see photo). It’s as cute as can be but very pricey. Our friends, Emmanuel and Ledto, from our English speaking Bible study group on Monday nights, were moved to Kragerø three weeks ago. We promised we’d stop in and see how they are doing and they couldn’t have been more pleased to see us. They have a beautiful two bedroom apartment with every window overlooking the sea. They have it good. For two years the Kommune here will pay for all their expenses, give them language lessons and additional education if they need it in order to find a job because they are asylum seekers. Emmanuel (pushing the baby carriage in the photo) used to be a pastor in his home country of Eritrea and spent time in jail for his Christianity. They didn’t know when they moved to Kragerø that many others from Eritrea were also living there. Emmanuel wasted no time and has already started a church in his home in his native tongue. The local Pentecostal church is supportive of his efforts and offered him free use of their facilities if his church grows. Emmanuel is certain it will, (four people have already accepted Christ) so God had a plan in moving them there, even though they were sad to leave all their friends behind in Aalesund. It was so great to see them and their new baby and to see how good they have it. Ledto made us a nice lunch and we had an inspiring visit with them before heading out of town.

Another hour on the road brought us to Slaattehaugen, the farm where Kory’s father was born and raised. If one has a need for speed, driving in Telemark will never satisfy it. The road getting here was so narrow, curvy and bumpy there was no use for speed cameras. Self preservation was all I could think about. We came here to visit Hallvard, Kory’s cousin’s son who now owns the farm. Kory has long desired to do some work on the old house, so this is his chance.

It was in the high 80s today – too hot for me. I was thankful for the massive trees surrounding the houses (old and new) once we arrived at Slaatthaugen. They have a trampoline under a large “asp” tree and it was calling my name. I laid down on it and fell asleep right away. When I woke up Kory and Hallvard were sitting in the shade of the old house talking about what to repair first. There was something very romantic and surreal about waking up in such a significant place on such a warm summer afternoon. The pace here is slower. Life is simple. There are rolling hills covered in wheat and rye as far as the eye can see. Evergreen trees cover the highest peaks. Only a few houses in the distance add dimension to the landscape. It’s almost magical. I asked Hallvard what he knew about some of the old books and papers inside the old house. He’d never looked at them. No one has lived in the old house for nearly forty years and the dust covering everything backed up that fact. He went in the house with me and just like in some mysterious old movie he wiped his hand over the thick layers of dust on a stack of yellowed papers and books and took them outside. We sat at a table in the shade and read through letters and cards, receipts and tax records. Most of the letters written were from one family member to another expressing the one’s concern for the other’s soul. Christianity and God were the dominant theme in them all. We found books from the 1800s and an old school book from 1921 that once belonged to Kory’s father. We also found a Christmas card from the 1950s that Kory’s mother sent to his father’s sister who was the last one to live in the house before it was abandoned in 1956. The entire farm was vacant for 13 years until Kory’s cousin, Gunnar, built a new house and moved in with his family of ten children, the youngest of which is Hallvard.

A Perfect Summer Day

After a much needed good night’s sleep, we had breakfast with Morgan and Ruth and headed to the beach with them again today. But this beach was something special. We took a small walk-on ferry from downtown Arendal out to Merdø, the southern most island in this area. It’s a pretty quaint place with no cars or vehicles of any kind. All the streets are just walking paths that in most areas two people couldn’t fit side by side. The houses are all hundreds of years old and it’s received much recognition for how undisturbed everything is from its days of glory. The island’s occupancy has been dated back to the 1300s but it reached its peak of importance during the sailing ship years in the 1600-1800s. Ships from all over Europe would use the island as a stopping point along their route. (It’s about 150 miles from Denmark.) Smaller islands dot the coastline between Merdø and the mainland of Norway, and often ships would be docked side by side for such a distance out from the dock that they would form a bridge from Merdø to the next island over.

When we got off the ferry we headed west out of “town” past the summer houses where people were sitting in their lawn chairs sunning themselves – a common sight in Norway. We walked through an area that was a genuine fruit tree jungle – completely impenetrable except for a small path to the sea that was constantly being bombarded with the new growth of blackberry branches. There were so many wild cherry trees in one small little area they would be impossible to count. I’m sure someone had quite the orchard there at one point but now it’s madness as future generations of the trees have popped up in every conceivable place. Honeysuckle vines had equally gone wild and entangled the plum, cherry and apple trees to the point it’s just downright scary. I’ve never seen anything like it.

We first planned to take a walk around the perimeter of the island but by the time we made it to the beach overlooking a majestic lighthouse on another nearby island, we decided to sit down and have a cup of coffee. The beach was full of more interesting boulders and rocks of all kinds so Kory and Kaleb couldn’t wait to continue honing their rock sculpture skills (see photo). Even Morgan decided to give it a try and came up with a pretty impressive tower of rocks himself. There were only two groups of people that passed by in all the time we were sitting there and they were mightily impressed with the art work. Maybe it will start a trend and others will give it a try, as the supply of rocks is phenomenal.

After several hours of sunning ourselves while chatting the day away, we continued on along the shore, then cut across the island to the central hub – a small café located next to a museum and the only sandy beach around. One of the three year-round island residents is a fisherman that owns the local café. He has two items on his menu – something that looked almost like fish and chips, and fish soup. People come from far and wide for a bowl of his famous fish soup (to the tune of $20 a bowl). Morgan and Ruth treated us to this local delicacy, which was well worth the trip and expense. We dined in the outdoor patio in one of the funkiest spot I’ve seen so far in Norway. It was more like a place that would be found in the San Juan Islands, than in Norway, but it was kitschy and cute and a perfect place to eat. Afterwards we took a tour of the museum – a home once owned by a successful shipping captain. The house has been completely untouched for over 150 years and the portrait the owner had done of himself sitting in his living room, showed the room to be exactly the way it was back then – including the now well worn imported silk wallpaper and every stick of furniture. It was almost eerie. The whole house was like that.

The last ferry off the island left at 5:30 so after a little more coffee and cookies on the sandy beach, we headed back to Arendal. Kaleb was so well behaved today that we thought it was OK to leave him home alone to watch TV while we all went to an outdoor restaurant beside a large river on the outskirts of town. (Kaleb was happy to stay home with a bowl of risgrøt – rice porridge.) The evening was so warm and wonderful none of us wanted to be indoors. We continued our non-stop chatting - Kory and Morgan are first cousins but have never gotten to know each other so that was the point of our visit. All the while we were entertained by watching all the boats coming and going up and down the river, kids diving into the water from nearby cliffs and seeing the setting sun change the colors in the sky. I haven’t had a day like this that felt so much like summer in a long time. I like it. I love it. I want some more of it!

Happy 18th Anniversary to US!

It was the kind of day that had something perfect in it for all of us. We got to spend the entire day visiting with Kory’s cousin Morgan and his wife Ruth. We hadn’t gotten to know them before because Morgan moved away from Aalesund when he got married 34 years ago. He is a brother to Axel and is much like him, as we found out today. There’s nothing I like more than chatting the day away, so it was good for me to hang out with someone who hasn’t heard any of my stories. Kory was pleased to have time with his cousin and to not be rushing here and there. Morgan and Ruth took us around their town and showed us all the beautiful places and then we spent the entire HOT afternoon down at the beach, which couldn’t have been better for Kaleb. We didn’t have a plan, or a schedule and both Morgan and Ruth had the day free from work to spend it with us so it was wonderful– which was just what we all needed.

When we were walking around downtown Arendal, there was a group of six young people singing in a square, asking for money. They were part of a youth group from a local church trying to raise money to go on a mission trip to Africa to help install a well in some remote village. They group split into two and each half was working a different side of town, competing to see who could raise the most money in a short period of time. Ruth gave them all she had, and Kory, ever longing for a good prank, told them if they ran to the top of some high steps nearby, raised their hands toward heaven and shouted HALLELUJAH as loud as they could – he would give them money. The whole bunch of them raced off to the top of the stairs, raised their arms and shouted loud enough I’m sure the whole town heard. And then when they returned to Kory, he asked them to do it again. And they did. It did Kory’s heart good as he hasn’t heard many other people in this country shouting Hallelujah and as Kaleb says, “He’s just crazy about those Hallelujahs.” So the youth group got 200 kroner from Kory (about $35). Some guy was filming the whole thing so I’m sure that little stunt will be long talked about. Kory was so proud. Morgan thought he was crazy.

After we left downtown we headed off to one of their favorite beaches that surround this coastal area, but the sand was missing. Apparently the sand comes and goes, and today it went. The rocks were not too inviting so we stood around a while and let Kaleb explore. I laid back on a larger rock and soaked up some rays with my eyes closed, as Kory was busy talking to Ruth. All of a sudden I heard Morgan yell something and go running off past me so I sat up to see what was going on. Kaleb was inching himself along a crack in a very large rock (see photo), walking further and further out over the water. One slip and he would be in for it – and surely we’d be heading to the hospital. Morgan saved the day by talking him off the ledge and pulling him up to the top of the rock where it was much safer. Kaleb thought it was exciting but from where I was sitting, it was anything but that. Why he insists on these daredevil stunts, I have no idea. I’m sure if he didn’t get a reaction out of me it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun for him but it was all my heart could take for one day.

We ate lunch outdoors at another beach that was much safer, but Kaleb decided not to swim in the water since the stinging jelly fish were a bit too abundant for his liking. He skipped stones and found beach treasures and thankfully entertained himself in a less daring way while we all visited. On the last beach we walked to, there were so many cool shaped rocks that Kory got the idea to start stacking them. He didn’t stack them in a logical way with the flattest and biggest parts on the bottom – no – he had to be artistic and balance them on their narrowest point and then stack addition rocks on top. How he did it, I don’t know, but it got Kaleb motivated to do the same so we were there much longer than expected as the two of them made rock tower creations. They were quite artsy and impressive.

Morgan and Ruth grilled us a yummy dinner tonight about 10pm – as we celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. Kaleb picked a wild daisy for the occasion and gave it to me. He also found several heart shaped rocks on the beach he insisted I keep as tokens of his love for me. Sweet boy, but at times a challenge. I had to sing him “his” song a few times today (it it sung to the tune of “You are my sunshine.”) It goes like this – “You are my son, my only son, you make me happy, when you obey. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take that good boy away.” Ruth said she’s never heard that version before. That’s because this was our first visit. Hopefully I won’t have to sing it so much tomorrow.

A Long Day's Journey

I only slept three hours last night. Maybe this is how addictions kill. I was sitting in the lobby of the guesthouse writing my blog until the sun began to rise and all the hotel employees were cleaning up after the reception. I’m sure they were wondering what I was doing there all alone clicking away on my keyboard at such an odd hour of the night and I’m pretty sure they were anxious for me to leave so they could clean the room I occupied. But I took my time, because I didn’t want to delay documenting the day and risk forgetting details. Even as some things happen now throughout the day, I’m formulating the sentence I’ll write about it in my head. Turid thinks I’m not fully experiencing the moment because I’m too busy taking pictures and thinking about writing. She quoted some famous photographer that said something along those lines as proof. I can’t say that I disagree with her, but I can’t stop doing either one of them, so my experiences may be a bit shallow, I’m afraid, but at least they’ll be well documented.

We were up early this morning as we had to catch the 10:15 ferry off the island, or wait two hours for the next one. We had a chance to talk with a few cousins we hadn’t seen in a long time at breakfast (aunts to the groom). One of them said she may come visit us in September, so that was exciting. We visited her in Bergen when Kaleb was two years old, so it’s been awhile since we’ve spent time with her. Another cousin is moving to Thailand in September and we told her we will plan to come for a visit this winter. Her husband is a minister and will be taking over the Norwegian Seaman’s Church in Bangkok. There are so many Norwegian men marrying Thai women now that just that one church alone performs over a hundred weddings a year. He will also be the pastor for merchant marines and sailors in port from Norway. So that will be a big thrill for us to go there. Kory has so many relatives here in Norway it’s mind-boggling.

Our destination today was the city of Arendal on the southern coast of Norway – at least a ten hours drive from where we began the day. I was worried about the drive with so little sleep last night, but we traded off and let the other take a short nap when it got too bad. It was so hot the heat didn’t help our sleep deprived state either. We chose to take a slightly longer route through the mountains, rather than along the coastline because we’d just traveled the coastal route during our Easter vacation. We wanted to see what Norway looks like in the middle of the southern tip, and it was quite different than the landscape along the coast. For most of the way, it was as if we were back home in Washington state as there were tall evergreens and rivers all along the road side. Kory thought it was a combination of Western Washington and Yosemite National Park as many places had huge sheer rocks jutting up out of the farmland below. It was beautiful and so different from other areas we’ve seen. The diverse landscape here is something else.

Most of the roads were just one lane with no center dividing line which meant we needed to pull far to the right when another car came toward us. That’s always a white knuckle experience when it’s a bus or big truck. We drove over the speed limit most of the day and looked for chances to pass other cars when we could. We only stopped once along a mountain river to have a picnic lunch and to enjoy the sunshine for a few minutes before we were back in the car. About an hour from our destination we stopped to have dinner at a café in one of the bigger towns we went through, which was tiny by American standards. Most towns on the maps here have nearly everything a person would need located under one roof so often when we drive through them, if it weren’t for a few houses being closer together than they are in other places, we might not even know it was a town. A bigger town might actually have the bank, the grocery store and café in their own building (but not the post office, that’s most often combined with the grocery store). And not every town on the map has a gas station, so planning and being prepared are the keys to a successful road trip.

While we were at dinner, Kory’s cousin Morgan called. We’re staying with him for the next few days. He wasn’t home yet from a weekend trip he took so he wanted to let us know. We slowed down after that and stopped at a few places along the way. One river was fabulous – not even a foot deep and very wide (see photo) so the water was warm and perfect for wading. We’d passed so many gorgeous swimming holes today we only dreamed of stopping for a dip, but we were on a tight schedule. But none of our days now have more than three hours driving in them so we can stop if we want and see what other unexpected blessings might be waiting.

Wedding Day (Bryllupsdag)

This was the first Norwegian wedding I have attended from start to finish. Actually, it’s nearly 2am and it’s still not finished, but I’m holding out. The whole event has been going for almost 12 hours now but that’s a far cry from the three days weddings used to last in Norway. It is some kind of celebration.

All of us who stayed on the island of Austevoll last night had to take a ferry to get to the church for the wedding. The bride and groom, Bent-Jarle and Birgitte are both preacher’s kids. Birgitte’s father officiated the ceremony at his church. It was sweet and beautiful. It followed the Norwegian tradition where the bride and groom sit facing each other through most of the ceremony. After they say their vows, they sit side-by-side. And instead of saying “I do” – they say “JA!” (Unfortunately, Kaleb was so tired he fell asleep in Kory’s lap and missed the whole thing.) I was surprised the first kiss wasn’t until AFTER the ceremony, outside on the steps with all looking on. So many cameras were going off during and after the ceremony it was almost like a paparazzi blitz.

After an hour we all took the ferry back to Austevoll where the reception was held. It was quite a sight to see so many dressed in formal attire, bunads and all, riding the ferry. It was as if the ferry were hired just for the wedding. People came from far and wide to attend this wedding (Australia, New York, all parts of Norway) so adding a ferry ride to the day was as quaint as it could be. (The little islands we passed along the way barely stuck up out of the water – unlike the scenery around Aalesund where they mountains are so high and dramatic, but it was beautiful just the same.) It was another extremely sunny and warm day so it made for beautiful photos even if I was sweating while taking them.

The Guesthouse where we are staying was the location of the reception. There was champagne waiting outside on the patio for us when we returned. After some mingling time we were all invited to find out seats at a very formal dinner (there was a seating chart). Speeches ranging from 15 to 45 minutes were given by the parents, best man and bridesmaid and wedding couple between the appetizer, main course and dessert. The mother’s wrote songs for their children and everyone sang them to familiar tunes. Interspersed into the meal (which took hours) were short breaks and time for some smooching. If everyone banged their forks against their wine glasses, the bride and groom had to stand on their chairs and kiss each other. If the knives were banged against the tabletop, the parent’s of the bride and groom had to stand on their chairs and kiss. But it seems the speeches are the main focus of the wedding reception.

After dinner was over, we took a little break and those that wanted could go upstairs and see the gift table. When the gifts arrive, there are assigned gift openers who open the gifts immediately, document who they are from and set them out in a beautiful display on a decorated table so the guests can see all the loot. The wedding couple usually don’t see the gifts until the next day as they are busy with other things.

During dinner we had a chance to talk to those sitting around us and I sat across from a kid who just finished a year in America as an exchange student. He was in Arkansas so he had some interesting observations about that whole experience. He said he felt like the school there was similar to a prison with police, metal detectors and security cameras everywhere. He didn’t like it so much. We started talking about the differences between the two countries and I told him how shocking it is they print so many swear words in the newspapers here. He said, “That’s because we have freedom of speech here.” I told him we have that in America too and he said, “No you don’t. You say you do, but when you say something you can get fired for, or get sued for – that’s not freedom of speech.” Good point.

Just before midnight we moved outside to hear accordion music while the wedding couple took their first waltz together and others joined in. At midnight we headed into another building where about 20 cakes and coffee were waiting, along with additional speeches from siblings and friends. Most of the speeches revolved around revealing embarrassing information about the bride or groom, but it made for some good laughs. Kaleb lasted until midnight then went back to the room to sleep. He enjoyed the wedding, but thought it “went on a bit too long.” But if it ended any sooner, it just wouldn’t have been the same - as there was nothing that should have been taken from this day. It was like a storybook wedding in some dream land, far, far away. It couldn’t have been any better. We were blessed to be able to attend it.

And We're Off...

Some people might describe the inevitable ferries one must take along the coast of Norway as “charming”. This morning I would have described them as “inconvenient.” We were up early, ate breakfast in two gulps without even finishing our good cup of American coffee, and were quickly out the door to catch the first of many ferries on the road south out of town. We even waited to brush our teeth until we were on board. Only then did I realize I left my computer carrying case back at Odd and Turid’s house. I had my laptop with me, but many other important things were in that case – including the battery chargers for our cameras. And a road trip which doesn’t include me taking thousands of pictures along the way is no road trip at all. I was sick to my stomach. It couldn’t have been a rougher start for my meticulously planned journey. It cost us an hour, but that was a big hour so early in the day. I stayed on board the ferry for its return while Kory, Kaleb and the car got off on the other side of the fjord. Turid was gracious enough to meet me back at the ferry dock and hand over the precious cargo. I was so disappointed in myself, but somewhat thankful it wasn’t Kory or Kaleb who left something behind. Kaleb was already upset with me that I forgot to pack his favorite stuffed dog he’s had since he was two years old (given to him by my brother’s family). That dog has gone on all our trips with us and as Kaleb says, “He’s a good traveling companion.” (We know he has no broken bones because of the number of times he’s been x-rayed by airport security.) Kaleb cried a few tears until I told him there might be another dog in his future – stuffed of course.

The day was unusually hot but the kind of beautiful one comes to expect in Norway, and is rare in all other places on this planet. We went on Route 39 to Bergen – a road we’ve been on a few times now. Each season brings a different appearance to the all familiar terrain. In winter, the way the ice is formed and the minimal lighting makes it a unique sight. In the summer, the wild flowers and the bright blue skies make the exact same scene appear completely different. Even with the loss of an hour today, we made it to Bergen on schedule. Kory drove like a maniac and fortunately, didn’t get caught. I nearly died a few times from close calls, but surely angels were watching over us. I think he was dreaming of driving a race car very fast around tight corners, and I only let out a screech once or twice along the way all the while praying for traveling mercies. I think Kory misses his Studebaker Avanti back home. Kaleb entertained himself in the back seat reading books and watching movies. We spent so much time in tunnels he had to keep a flashlight handy.

We stopped in Bergen for dinner by the harbor and a little walk around town to stretch our legs. Kaleb didn’t find any stuffed dogs as a suitable replacement for “Brownie,” so the search will continue. It was a five ferry day, which makes for a decent road trip since we are in the car an hour, on the ferry for 20 minutes and in the car for another hour until the next ferry and on it goes. The ferries are also the best public restroom system Norway has going because otherwise, it’s just a bush or a rock providing the same service with no toilet paper or flush. We timed all the ferries well except the last one where we had to wait over an hour, but it was just as well since the last 50 cars didn’t get on board and had to wait two hours for the next one. The harbor where we waited was gorgeous with little boat shacks nestled in between the cracks in the rock walls near the shore. It’s beyond describing. Ice cream helped pass the time.

When we finally arrived at Austevoll - the island of our destination (we are attending Bent-Jarle’s wedding here tomorrow – Kory’s cousin’s grandson whom we love very much), Kory insisted on programming his GPS system to help find the way. I nearly lost it. There is only one road on this island and it goes right past the guesthouse where we are staying, but there’s something about men and their gadgets. It’s not like I didn’t have a map. It wouldn’t have been so bad to have him playing with that thing if he wouldn’t have also been driving at the same time. I keep telling him he needs to lead by example and that sure wasn’t something I wanted Kaleb to see. I decided it was best that I drive and before he could even punch all the buttons on his little “toy,” we magically arrived at our destination without the assistance of GPS or a map. Imagine that.

For the next two nights we’re staying next to a very quaint harbor at a Guesthouse (see photo). We have a suite complete with kitchenette overlooking the sea. The family is all here now and after a few hours with them tonight out on the deck drinking wine and talking about all our hair-raising experiences we had getting here, I had to cut out early (at midnight) to feed my blog addition. They all thought I should just skip today, but they don’t understand either.

Our Last Day...

I hardly slept a wink last night. I tossed and turned with thoughts of all I’m leaving behind and all I must think about for the weeks ahead. I couldn’t have been more tired today, or sad, or worn out. Good thing I got so many hugs.

We slept at Odd and Turid’s last night so I was up before eight and over cleaning the last few things out of our house. It took me all day to clean it, even with Turid’s help. I can’t believe how grungy things can get in places we never see. But now the house is clean, we’re out and the next chapter begins. I wonder what God has in store for us. I was a little peeved with Kory as he spent some time last night “relaxing” with Odd and a glass of wine while I was slaving away at the house. And then this morning he was “relaxing” for two hours over coffee while I was at the house slaving away. It wouldn’t have been such a big problem except we were on a time crunch today and the clock kept ticking away – along with my patience with Kory. Kory’s bosses had invited us to a farewell party at five, but My Pal Vestina wanted to have coffee with me and say good-bye at three. It’s so hard to get work done when there are so many people to see. So Kory’s “relaxing” ended up cutting into my Vestina time and I wasn’t too happy about that. But once the day was done, all was clean, everything tucked safely away in storage, and the car loaded down for our road trip, I forgave him (sometimes it takes a while).

My Pal Vestina looked stunning today with her tanned body inside a white cotton spaghetti strapped sun dress. We went to a park and sat in the shade and talked. We watched the kids playing in the water and rowing their boats across the lake on this unusually hot summer day. I was so glad to have a cool break from all the hustle and bustle and especially glad to have time with Vestina before we left. As usual, she had “news” for me. She told me she’s been seeing a guy, very casually, but she’s sure she has feelings for him. When she told me who it was, I grinned from ear to ear. She’s “almost in love” with Kim. He was a substitute teacher in our Norwegian class. He’s from Korea but was adopted as a baby by a Norwegian couple. He is the most mild mannered, intelligent, kind and funny guy. He’s very respectful and upright. I couldn’t have hand picked a better guy for her so not only did I give her my seal of approval, I gave her my blessing. I hope something develops, but she said they haven’t even kissed yet – they just sit and drink tea and talk about all kinds of things. I love that. She so deserves a guy like Kim and he couldn’t go wrong with her. So that was a happy note for my exit. I’m so thankful Vestina respects my opinion, so she was VERY happy today when I gave her the thumbs up. She’s something else. I will miss her terribly as she’s been so good for me. Norwegians are pretty serious folks and I don’t think I would have laughed even a fraction of what I did this year, if it weren’t for Vestina.

So I only had about 45 minutes to say my good-byes before I had to run pick up Kory and Kaleb to go to the BBQ at his boss, Jonathan’s house. It was so sweet for Jonathan to have a party for us – they invited other co-workers and their kids, so Kaleb loved running around playing with the others. The food was fantastic and the summer weather we had today made for another wonderful outdoor summer evening. Kory was so lucky to work for those guys (Espen is on the left, Jonathan on the right in the photo). He got to decide when and how much he worked, and even the kind of work he did, so it was one of the biggest blessings we had in living here. (It was especially nice that Kory could earn some Norwegian money to help supplement our income, too). Kory found the way Norwegians build things very interesting, so even though he came home tired, he liked the work. He has the greatest respect for Jonathan and Espen’s work and ethics, so that was additional icing on the cake. Now he’s looking forward to retirement again, but they offered him his job back anytime we might be living in Norway in the future. He’ll be like those professional boxers that keep coming out of retirement for the next big gig – except it would ONLY be Jonathan and Espen that could ever get him to come out of retirement again, I’m sure.

We went to say good-bye to Tante Kari tonight before ending up at Odd and Turid’s again for an evening of wine and much discussion. Odd and Turid may meet up with us in Copenhagen in a few weeks, so that would be fun. Odd used to live there so he could show us around. I get a lot of razzing from those guys about my obsession with daily blogging, (Turid calls me a blog-a-holic) but they just don’t understand my need to express myself. I will continue to write every day, and now my hope is, as we travel around, that I can find an internet connection to post the blogs. Prayers are appreciated.

Our Next To Last Day

It’s now after eleven at night and we just delivered the bulk of our belongings to our storage space over at our condo. When I drove back to our house and stepped inside, it echoed. It’s no longer a home – it’s a shell. All our things are packed away and just the mess remains to be cleaned up tomorrow. I’ve been numb all day. I’m trying hard not to think about leaving, as it’s too sad. Axel and Kari and Odd were all here helping us move things out. It’s easy to tell who our friends are when it’s moving time. The fact they are also related makes it all the sweeter. We will so miss them.

Kaleb spent the day playing with friends while Kory and I worked on the house. Axel and Kari invited us all over for dinner tonight, which was very good and much appreciated, then afterwards they came with their trailer to help move out the furniture. It comes and goes.

Tonight, while we were loading things up, the new care taker came with more of his belongings and unloaded them in the house next door. He had a rough looking bunch of friends helping him and it just gave me the creeps being around them. I think a lot of our joy in living here in Norway hasn’t just been time spent with relatives, but it’s been extra enjoyable because we’ve had good weather all year and where we live has been so wonderful. (It also helped that we didn’t stress about money because we got free rent.) We’ve had no immediate neighbors to hear slamming car doors in the night or talking out in the driveway after we’ve gone to bed. It’s been the best possible scenario to be the only occupant of three duplexes all in a row. I’m not very good at living in close quarters with others so I’m extra appreciative that God’s timing has allowed these houses to be empty and quiet the entire time we’ve been here. Next week that all changes. I’m simply amazed at the details He’s taken care of for us. Even yesterday, when the woman from the Kommune came by – she told us to call the power company to register the meter reading and sign the form to stop our service. I told her we’ve never been signed on with the power company and she couldn’t believe we’ve never paid for electricity. We told her we couldn’t believe it either, but for some reason, the paperwork to transfer the account just kept slipping through people’s hands and next thing you know, a year has gone by and we haven’t paid a dime. She couldn’t understand how that could happen, but that’s how God works. Electricity is VERY expensive in Norway, so it’s saved us a bundle.

On the upside for today - I got my first photo book in the mail– the one I made of the Lofoten Islands vacation we took last fall. I was so apprehensive about how it would turn out because I wasn’t sure if the colors would be dull or if the pictures would be a bit blurry when I enlarged them so much on the page, but I can say I’m completely astonished by the outcome. The company I used here in Norway must have some photo enhancer software or something because I swear the photos look even better than they do on my computer screen. Everyone I showed the book to was blown away when I told them I took the photos and made the book, as they were sure it was something I had purchased as a souvenir. So, La-Tee-Da! I’m pretty proud and now can’t wait to see the other books. I hope the one I did on Rome comes tomorrow. But what I’m most excited about it getting them all to bring back home and show people really how gorgeous it is over here. Woo hoo – nice marketing.

Odd and Turid were rightly proud too as Hege, their daughter, got her “marks” from school. They have a different system here for grading things. They grade heavily on a curve, so the bulk of the students get threes and fours out of a possible six points for a class. Everyone expects to get a three and most do. Getting a four is considered good and above average. Getting a five is REALLY good and everyone is impressed if that ever happens, but getting a six is almost unheard of. Why they have a grade that is nearly impossible to achieve, I have no idea, but according to Hege, only those who specialize in a subject and are super passionate about it and work extra hard in it would ever get a six. They are extremely rare and no one ever expects to get them – except Hege. She’s gotten her share of sixes over the years but this year – she pulled off an astonishing six sixes and three fives! They will be doing a national newspaper article on her for sure, as that kind of report card is completely unheard of. That girl is one smart cookie and she works super hard in all her subjects. What I found amusing however is that she scored a six in English speaking, and a six in English writing, but only a five in Norwegian writing! That goes to show just how hard Norwegian is, when a smart native can’t even get a six with all those silly grammar rules. Now I don’t feel so bad.

The photo today is a creation made by Kory the other day when he was cleaning up the kitchen counter. All those bits of food were wiped up and when he found the potato in the pan, his imagination went wild. It looks like how I feel.

Sankthansaften

The Sun “turned” yesterday. That’s big news in Norway. It means that the days will no longer be getting longer, and tonight will be the longest night of the year. The march toward winter has begun again (even before summer fully arrives) as the days grow shorter and darker. This day is not red on the calendar, meaning no one gets the day off, but it comes with all kinds of traditions and activities just the same. The name itself – Sankthansaften- is pretty funny. It means Saint John’s Eve. No one I asked knew why it was called that so I had to investigate it myself. Summer solstice is one of the biggest pagan holidays of the year and since long ago when the good Christians didn’t want to miss out on all the fun, they decided to make the day have some kind of Christian meaning to it so they celebrated the birthday of John the Baptist. John was a cousin to Jesus and born six months before him so it was as good a “cause” as any to take the place of the pagan traditions. “John” in Norwegian is “Johan” which was then shortened to “Han” and it's the "eve" since it’s the day before the actual “birthday” (which is when all things are celebrated in Norway because they can’t wait for the real thing), today is called Sankt (Saint) Hans (Johns) Aften (Eve). It was also Kaleb’s last day of school (mine too, but I didn’t go). I sent a camera to school with Kaleb in hopes he would try to capture memories and friends and moments. I wasn’t disappointed. He can trump me with that shutter finger. He took hundreds of pictures and videos, so hopefully today won’t soon be forgotten.

I was hoping to spend some time with Kaleb after school and do all the traditional family things on Sankthansaften. Everyone heads down to the beach to watch the huge bonfires burning along the shore. The pagan traditions are long gone so now instead of making human sacrifices, they “sacrifice” hot dogs and marshmallows and then eat them. The little kids compete in a costume contest after they march through the streets, so it looks like Halloween as they are all dressed up in the same kinds of cute costumes we use in America. It’s also traditional to eat Rømmegrøt today (a porridge made of cream that tastes REALLY good). Many places with huge bonfires sell bowls of Rømmegrøt or hotdogs at little impromptu concession stands. Families hang out at the beach for hours while a few self appointed strong men keep heaving pallets on the fire. Most of the fires are quite the construction project. The one closest to the heart of the city is over a hundred feet tall – built entirely of pallets. Sometimes they set some effigy person up on top kind of like “Burning Man” in Nevada and they watch the person burn up in the flames. It’s a little gruesome but with all the little kids running around dressed up so cute, it’s hard to take it too serious.

Kaleb asked to go home with his friend Toben after school. We said we’d pick him up and take him to the beach later on. He called Kory to ask if we could just meet up at the beach. Kory said it was no problem but he would miss out on the invitation to eat Rømmegrøt over at Odd and Turid’s. He could have cared less. After our bellies were full, Odd, Turid, Hege and Kory and I headed down to the beach – a few miles walk from their house. Just as we got to the beach Kaleb called and asked where we were. When we told him, it was then he realized, as did Kory, there was more than one huge fire at the beach tonight. He was across town at another beach watching another fire with Toben’s family and we didn’t have the car with us to go get him. So we ended up being separated the entire evening. I was a little sad about that. Turid said I had “separation angst” and I just need to get used to it because from now on, his desire will be to hang out with his friends more than us anyway. I was still sad. I called him and asked him to take more pictures, and he was happy to oblige (see photo). Then he asked if he could spend the night with Toben so I saw him a total of five minutes today as I dropped off some clean underwear and his toothbrush. Kory and I then hung out at Odd’s house all evening which was a nice break from the packing we did all day. They lit a fire in their yard and all the neighbors came over and sat around, drinking wine and eating a little food and swatting mosquitoes until the skies turned red around midnight from all the fires burning in the area. It’s quite the tradition. The sun will be up again by 2am and darkness never falls.

As sad as I am we are leaving, today I was thankful. A woman from the Aalesund Kommune came around with some people from Germany. They will be the new care takers of The Sinking Houses when we leave on Friday. They are going to live in our house just during the construction phase of the work that is planned. They will be tearing down the garages (we couldn’t have survived without them), and tearing up all the yard and gravel and setting more poles under the houses. It will be a dreadful place to live in a few weeks so I’m glad it’s them living here and not me. Once again I’m completely overwhelmed with God’s timing. Hallelujah we are leaving on Friday!

My Last Day of School

Tomorrow is officially the last day of school, but I’m not going, so today was my last day. I didn’t even want to go today, but The Good Teacher Inga had planned a hike out to a nature preserve on an outer island near here and I really wanted to see it as she said it’s her all-time favorite place to be. As I’ve learned from living here, I must experience how to get somewhere first hand, as the trails are not marked and not in my wildest dreams would I ever imagine I could go in a certain direction unless I’d been led there first. So I needed to set aside the packing and instead take a break and go see some of God’s handiwork along the coastline of Norway. I wasn’t disappointed. I’m sure I will be back to that place many times in the future as it was fantastic with sandy beaches, beautiful farm land and amazing rock formations all sandwiches between the ocean and some mountains. Oh, how I love Norway.

Our destination was a rocky wind break (see photo) built by some local guy. It’s shaped like a “t” so that there is a place to sit in each quarter, depending on which direction the wind is blowing. It’s nice to have a guaranteed wind-free spot no matter what. The wind always blows out there and even on a nice day like today, it was a bit chilly, but sitting inside the shelter, it was downright hot. It’s so clever not just from that standpoint, but also because it’s built entirely from things found along the beach. The rocks used to build the walls posed a problem for the builder, as it’s built inside a Nature Preserve and not even a single rock is to be moved from its original location. The government came down on the guy pretty hard with a big fine and impending jail time, but the entire island community came together and claimed they too helped build the shelter and if they were going to fine him and put him in jail, then they must put them all in jail as well. The government backed down and left him alone and the shelter stands today as a sign of community pride. Local artists also flock to it. (It’s not well known outside the island.) Many of the rocks are beautifully painted and all the wood that is somewhat flat has poems written on it. Beach treasures decorate the walls, including a whale bone and the skull of a dolphin. It’s a collection spot for everything odd that washes up on the beaches so it’s a fun place to explore.

We all brought a little food along today so about 15 of us crammed into the little spot circling the palate that’s used a table, and we all ate lunch together and talked about Norway and our Norwegian class. I’m so going to miss The Good Teacher and I tried not to cry when I had to say good-bye. It was a nice way to get a sense of completion. Kory came along also because I wanted him to see this place and help me remember how to get there so we can take others there in the future. I’m glad I went.

After we got back to town Kory and I ran some errands, dropping off things at Salvation Army, donating books to the library and changing our address with our car insurance company. We also bought some special travel insurance we need for driving down into Europe. It wasn’t cheap (nothing in Norway is), but it’s good for a year all over the world (even in America), so if we have some unexpected medical expenses, we have full, unlimited coverage. Now there’s a bargain. I just hope we don’t need to use it.

Kaleb didn’t do much at school today except watch a soccer game between the 7th graders and all the teachers. The teachers won. He also got back his end of the year test and was proud that he got 123 of out of 140 correct. It covered everything they had learned the whole year – even stuff he was taught last fall before he knew how to speak Norwegian, so he was impressed with himself. We were pretty proud, too. He said if the test were in English he would have gotten 100% but some things he just didn’t understand. Like one thing said to draw a star pattern, so he drew a star, but what they meant was a constellation – so the Big Dipper would have been the thing to draw. Not understanding the innuendos of just one word throws everything off, so he did extremely well considering his learning curve.

We were invited over to Solevaag for dinner tonight with Kory’s mom’s cousin, Oddrun. They are just the nicest folks over there and they make the best food, so I was thrilled I didn’t have to make dinner. It cut into our packing time, but we’ll be leaving Friday whether we are ready or not, so I couldn’t worry about that when dinner was calling… plus, Oddrun made some homemade ice cream and plum pudding. Man, was that ever tasty. She also made a cheese cake – they really like desserts around here. I’m not sure my waistline can stand too many more parties, but I’ve got all summer to walk it off. And I must or I won’t be able to fit into any of the clothes I have waiting for me back home. Uffa meg.

Happy Father's Day!

It’s not Father’s Day here in Norway, but I came prepared. Good thing I was packing up yesterday and going through some things, otherwise I would have never remembered where I put the card and the World Best Dad t-shirt I bought for Kaleb to give to Kory. Both of them had no clue it was Father’s Day so it took a lot of pressure off. Normally Kory would get breakfast in bed, but Kaleb was at camp, so that didn’t happen. Our life’s routines have been so messed up this year, but no one is complaining.

Kory and I walked to Agape Church for our last Sunday there. I brought my camera so I could take a picture of the awesome worship team they have there and the second I clicked the shutter, I broke out in tears. Oh, how I bawled. I wasn’t expecting that flood of emotion so I was completely caught off guard, but just thinking about not going back there for a while was too much to take. Maybe I didn’t get enough sleep or maybe I really am going to have worship withdrawls – I don’t know. The local newspaper described that church as a “happy clappy” church because they sure are. All the worship team bounces up and down on the stage and everyone is clapping their hands together singing very peppy songs – many of them from Hillsong in Australia. But I love the Norwegian songs the best. They sang my favorite song today, which made me cry all the more. I love the opening lines - “Uten deg er jeg uten håp, men med deg har jeg alt.” (Without You, I am without hope, but with You, I have everything.) Oh, it was tough to say good-bye. One woman from our home fellowship group couldn’t stop crying when she heard it was our last week here. Uffa meg. (Ugh.)

We also had our last guests come for a meal today. Atle was married to Kory’s cousin Kari-Anne, but Kari-Anne (Odd’s sister) died in 1994 so he was left to raise their three little children himself. He now has a wonderful woman he lives with so they both came today for lunch. Atle loaned us his moving truck last summer when we moved into our house and I’ve been wanting to have him over as a thank-you, but he’s a pretty busy guy and works odd hours as a fireman so it’s not been easy. Today was the last chance, so I’m thankful we got to spend some time with them before we take off. Kory was bragging about his dinner last night, how it was the first time he’d ever invited someone over for a meal and then cooked it himself. He said he felt a little strange about the whole thing even though it was just with his cousin. He said they had a nice dinner out on the deck, they drank wine, talked the night away then went for a walk together. It wasn’t the usual male bonding moments he’s used to. Building something up or tearing something down, followed by chips and a beer afterwards is more like the quality time he spends with other men. Last night was a new experience for him and he wasn’t totally comfortable with discovering that much of his feminine side. Too funny.

Kaleb came home from camp today (see photo of him with his buddies Daniel, Andre and Henrik) and couldn’t have been more exhausted and tired. He didn’t sleep much two nights in a row so he cried about every little thing. It took the longest time to find out he even had a good time because he was too busy crying about not being able to go over to Andre’s house this afternoon. We heard bits and pieces of this weekend’s events and it sounded pretty fun but it was hard to tell through all the tears. They did some kind of contest where they had to eat pickled herring, followed by two Fishermen’s Friends (a strong throat lozenge) and a Coke. Kaleb said kids were throwing up over that one as no one but him and one other kid would eat the pickled herring. He loves that stuff, so he scored a lot of points for his team, but he didn’t like the Coke too much. Funny. He was also pleased with a special certificate they presented to him, signed by all the Children’s Church workers from Agape Church, thanking him for being such a good kid, for helping them out so much this year and to say they will miss him. They also gave him a t-shirt signed by all the kids at camp – no one else got one so he was feeling pretty proud, but still so tired he was tough to be around. He was asleep by six. Thank you, Jesus!

Sabina came around tonight with a shopping bag full of wrapped items. She asked if I wanted to buy a gift. For ten kroner (about a buck fifty), I could pick anything I wanted out of the bag. I couldn’t resist. It was a bargain as I managed to score a small back massager. She said once a year she cleans out stuff she doesn’t use any more, wraps them up and goes around the neighborhood selling them. Very clever idea, I thought. Since they don’t have garage sales here it’s one way to get rid of stuff and make a little money on the side. I saw in the news last week the dump here in Aalesund is going to start selling things because they are tired of people throwing away perfectly good items they are sure someone else could use. Perhaps Sabina should take a summer job working the cash register there as she made a nice chunk of change today. I learn something new every day I’m here. I’m so not ready to go home.

Five Days and Counting...

Kory and I spent nearly the whole day going through stuff and packing it, throwing it or giving it away. At least now the garage, the attic and my desk are empty. Those places tend to collect the most junk, so now we just have to deal with surface things. We’ll wait until after lunch tomorrow to do all that since we have guests coming for lunch. It never ends.

A new friend, Tina, stopped by for coffee today. I was so excited to show someone my new bedcover. Kory just doesn’t “get it” as to why I’m so pleased with it, so it was good to have a woman here who understands. We talked about all kinds of things and both of us flipped back and forth from English to Norwegian – sometimes in the same sentence. It’s so funny now when I throw in a Norwegian word into an English sentence and don’t even realize it. I just pick the word that’s easiest to say and often has less syllables. And I feel like I’m right on the cusp of beginning to understand the proper use of pronouns and the variety of endings to adjectives, so I’m a little sad I may forget some of it at home. It does get easier to speak the language the longer we are here.

It’s now two in the morning as I write this. I was invited to a 50th birthday party tonight for Kristen, one of The Praying Women (see photo). I feel like I’ve entered the inner circle and now I see how these Norwegians really live. I feel so lucky to have been included and so accepted by this group of women. So many at my school feel completely isolated and shunned here and they find it very difficult to make friends. I’m sure if I weren’t married to someone from here, I might have the same problem, but as it is, I have been warmly embraced. It feels so special for me as I’ve lived in the Skagit Valley for ten years and still feel somewhat like an outsider, so it’s nice to feel like I’m one of the gang here, even if I don’t speak Norwegian properly.

I was a bit surprised by the formality of the party. I should expect that by now, but I was still unprepared. All the women had on very nice dresses and they wore makeup, jewelry, perfume and high heels (I barely got my hair brushed). It’s the first time I’ve seen shoes worn inside a house, but they assured me they were “innesko” (inside shoes), and they ARE allowed on special occasions. I wore my sandals, knowing I’d have to take them off when I got there, so I was walking around all night barefoot like some hillbilly, while all the other 14 women were clunking away on the hardwood floors with their pretty high heeled shoes. Who knew there were exceptions to that rule.

When we walked in the door we were handed a small glass with a tiny spoon. The glass was full of some mixture of something bubbly with tiny bits of fresh fruit floating around it in. The liquid tasted good but I avoided the strawberries as they aren’t my favorite. We chatted a bit waiting for all the guests to arrive then we were invited to the table. We stood behind our chairs while Kristen read a poem she’d written for the occasion, thanking us for sharing this day with her. After she was done, she invited us to sit at the table. They all sang a prayer (I didn’t know the words) and then we ate some very good food while we visited. After dinner we drank coffee and ate cakes. There were six cakes for 15 people. I guess they are crazy for their cakes in this part of Norway and it’s not uncommon to be at a party where there is a cake for every two people in attendance. Oh man, I’m going to miss those cakes. They aren’t ANYTHING like America cakes – in fact, flour is probably not even an ingredient in most of them. One of my favorites is when they bake two whole sheets of just whipped egg whites, so it’s nice and crunchy, then set a vanilla custard in the middle of the baked egg whites. That one is to die for. Oi. After dessert we played a game of “Mad Libs” where someone wrote a story and left all the adjectives blank and before the story was read, we had to give random adjectives to fill in the blanks. It turned out pretty funny and had everyone laughing for a good long time. Kristen opened all her birthday cards and read out loud what people wrote on them (that’s very common here) and the party went on until midnight. What a treat. I told them I’m taking some of that good Norwegian food back home with me to America, as I patted my behind. Surely I will.

Kory had his cousin Axel over for barbequed whale tonight so they ate together and had a nice visit (Axel’s wife Kari was with me at the party). We got a text message inviting us over to Odds, just after midnight, so we went there after the party. We were all outside on the deck until 1:30, drinking wine and talking about how sad it is we have to move back home. Odd is quite adamant we should move back here in October. Cousin Kari is sure the bedcover I found is a sign from God we should stay here. I thought she was joking, but I’m not quite sure. It’s good to know we’ll be missed.

My Last Day of School

Had I known our only assignment today in class was to rank all the swear words by how bad they are, I’m sure I would have stayed home. I couldn’t believe we were given that assignment. And it was out of a book, no less, complete with exercises to define what each word really means. Our teacher was even overwhelmed to hear us pronouncing the words (apparently it’s important we learn how to say them.) Good grief. Then the last hour of class we “got” to go to a presentation by some other students that was kind of like a senior project. It was one of the most boring and horrible things I’ve has to sit through since I’ve been here, so I used the time to get to know my cell phone. I learned all kinds of trick features I wish I would have known before, and I also figured out how to delete old text messages. Everyone and their uncle here use text messages as the number one way to communicate with each other. I had hundreds of them on my phone so I was glad to be rid of them. People send text messages for every possible thing – party and dinner invitations included.

And to really put the icing on the cake today, when I went outside during the lunch break, I saw a girl about ten years old from the private school that shares out building, haul off and kick a boy very hard in his side. She did it right in front of me so I yelled at her that she must NOT do that. She turned to me and with the snottiest voice she could muster, said (literally translated) “You can’t decide that,” which was her way of saying, “You’re not the boss of me.” I told her it wasn’t allowed to hit and kick other students and she must stop it right now. So she hauled off and kicked him again. I was so ticked off at her I marched into the principal’s office and tattled on her. I yelled at the principle and said they MUST teach more respect around here – not just to other students but to adults as well as I didn’t appreciate the way she spoke to me, and why in the world isn’t there an adult out on the playground anyway? The principal did what I expected and said that she would talk to the girl’s teacher, to which I replied that talking isn’t enough. I told her how Kaleb takes his daily blows (today was no exception), and it’s insane there are no consequences to these children beating up on each other. She just gave me a look like I was from another planet and then thanked me for letting her know about the situation and walked me to her door. I could have had a better exit from school, as the rest of the year has been quite pleasant.

Vestina also gave me the what-for today when she told me she’s worried, after reading my blog, that people might think she’s “like this” as she stuck her nose up in the air. She said she might come across as too picky and that no one is good enough for her. I assured her that wasn’t the case. (This is the reason I’ve hesitated in giving out my blog address to anyone in Norway.) And actually, I went to school today to help Vestina. I was going to introduce her to a woman I know from Filadelfia Church that knows a lot about makeup and styling. Vestina wants nothing more than to be around that kind of stuff and see what she can learn. The woman couldn’t meet with us until 2:45 so I had to kill a few hours in town. It wasn’t a bad thing as I was able to change my address info at the bank, post office and library, and I also did a little thrift store shopping and found the coolest hand croqueted bed cover for fifty bucks. A big thrill for me as it’s just like one my grandma made that I always wanted, but my aunt inherited it, rightly so. God provides. I also used the time to take a lot of photos of downtown Aalesund since I won’t be going there so much anymore. Today was my last day to take the bus, too. So after waiting for two hours, it turns out the woman we were to meet was running late so I had to catch the bus at three and I was never able to introduce them. Talk about frustrating. Vestina will meet with her next week on her own, I guess. I had to get home to pack up Kaleb’s things for the weekend as he is now at his first church retreat with forty other kids around his age. He has two friends from school with him, a new friend from church and our neighbor girl, Sabina. They were all sitting in the back of the bus after we dropped them off. I always thought the bus rides were one of the best things about going to camp. They are just going across the fjord but it might take an hour to get there with the ferry wait and all. I’m so praying he stays safe and has a great time. We thought it would be a good way to end out his school year (his last day isn’t until Tuesday however) and have some good memories with his friends before we leave. He was thrilled to go. So I’m thankful something good happened today.

After cleaning up the house a little, Kory took the van in to his friend’s car shop and got two (slightly used) tires mounted and balanced and installed on our car for FREE, just in time for our road trip. Once again, God provides! Tonight we walked over and visited with cousin Odd for a while as Kory forced me to take a break from my computer (I’m still working on picture books of our time in Norway.) The day was not a total loss, but I’m glad it’s now over.