Giving Thanks

My job keeps reminding me of how fragile life is. One minute you can be going about your business, next minute you're dead, or someone you love is dead, or dying, or has had their life turned upside down because of an accident or a stroke or something. I keep getting reminded of how important it is to live with the awareness that each day could be your last, and to be prepared for death or disability.

Today we went to see "The Little Match Girl", performed by the dance/drama juniors of Ingvild's High School. It is a heart-breaking story, of indifference, self-service, peer-pressure, the turning from need with the excuse that others surely will care for the needy. Ingvild danced in the performance: the waiter bringing in the roast with a gleefull grin, and the snow falling on the dead matchgirl...

Audun and Irene came to watch the performance as well. Afterward we had our thanksgiving dinner: turkey with stuffing, gravy, corn og the cob, baked sweet potatoes, waldorf salad, brokkoli and brusselsprouts steamed in butter, and cranberry relish. Cranberries were hard to get this year. My regular supermarket couldn't get them, but there's this ethnic store, run by a turkish family, where I go to get Tofu, halva, real greek feta made of goat and sheeps milk, haloumi etc, and they ordered them special for me. For desert we had pumkin chiffon pie and apple pie.

We talked about what we were thankfull for: Husband for his new job, which has made it possible to cut back on his medication. Irene for breaking up with Stian, and finding such a good friend in her new living situation. Ingvild for her Columbian boyfriend, and her job which she loves, we are all thankfull that Father is doing so well, and that Tormod finally got his drivers licence and has made a life for himself in the US. And the kids were thankful that their Father got better after his heart attack. Audun didn't say much about what he is thankful for, but seems to be pretty happy with his life, his job, new girlfriend, red cross youth, and has just aquired yet another elektronic toy: an I-phone. For myself, I am thankful for all of the above and also for the opportunity to start my anesthesiology training in january.

Snøkuten (the snow-run)

After the last few days of pouring rain the snow is all gone. This is what I like the least about November: it is so cold, and dark. All sharp corners (or mud - should it happen to be above freezing. Tonight was the second Snow-run. That's what they call the 4 - 7 mile evening walk/run in a village 1500' above sea level. Not that there was any snow today. The name is because the walk is done one tuesday evening pr month from October to March. It is a sosial event as well as a race. People walk or jog, often with their dogs, sometimes with children or babycarriages. And the racers compete fiercly. Warm juice is served at the end. mmmm. People come from as far away as Oslo (1.5 hrs by car) to participate. Participation in 4 of the 6 events brings a prize. This year it is art. In earlier years it has been pottery. Irene is joining Tor and me for this years walk.

Election night

Driving to and from work is a perilous undertaking - in fog the consistency of oatmeal and roads covered with an icy glaze.

For the first time I was able to follow the presidential election, since I had to work last night. They were broadcasting results on Norwegian Television from 1 am on. Unfortunatly a patient came in at 1:10 and we weren't done with him until 3 am and by that time it was clear that Obama had a good lead. Still it was fun watching the states on the CNN map turn from grey to blue or red as the night wore on. Barak Obama won. I feel optimistic, though the tasks he is facing are formidable. Must say I agree with the Norwegian newspaper (Dagbladet) who's front page said "Puh, we survived the worst president ever".

Our cat's have the right idea when it comes to the weather. I find them curled up asleep in various parts of the house. Fluffy is somewhat put out by the winter weather. When it first snowed she balanced along the fence trying to avoid having to walk in that cold wet yucky white stuff. She is intrigued however, by the bird feeder on the wall outside the kitchen. Perched on the roof above the feeder, she stretches her paws down to see if she can catch one of those delectable morsels, flying back and forth and feeding on suet balls and peanuts. The birds of course seeing that she can't reach them pay absolutely no attention.

Winter came on October 28th this year...

It started on tuesday with a killing frost and just some light flakes in the air. Wednesday it started snowing for real. I spent the morning with a friend in the basement of her house learning to make Siruptynnkaker, a traditional Norwegian cookie. We started at 9am, and when we resurfaced at noon it was to emerge into a winter wonderland. We had 4-5" of snow that day. Then today, the temperature dropped to 16 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrr. The snow is still there. This is definitly winter.