Visit to England - October 8th to 13th

On Saturday, October 8th I arrived at Byrnes Railway Station in south-east London to visit Ingvild and Irene. It was a long trip: first the train from Stange to Rygge, then Ryanair to Gatwick. Then the train to Byrnes Rail station with several changes along the way. On the plane I had the opportunity to be a good samaritan when one of the passengers fainted. A young man with wild eyes started calling "hey" a couple seats behind me so I got up to see what the problem was. A young woman, his fiance, was lying on the floor with her eyes closed. I talked to her, and though her eyes remained closed she responded by shaking her head so I knew she was resonsive. Her puls was strong and steady, her breathing a little fast, her skin warm and dry: just a fainting spell then. According to the fiance she had fainted before, just not on an airplane. Meantime the Ryanair staff had come running, they were definitly stressed out, and a man joined me, whom I assumed must be a doctor. The fiance held her legs up, the ryanair staff wondered if she needed sugar or anything. The doctor and I agreed she was most likely dehydrated. By this time she was opening her eyes and responding verbally. They gave her water and she went back to her seat. The doctor turned out to be a psychiatrist. I think he was quite happy to have an ER nurse on his team.

Irene and Ingvild came to meet me a the station and we walked to Ingvild's university to dump my stuff before heading back into the city to take in a show. I had discovered on my last visit that I had seriously neglected their education by not introducing them to "the wizard of Oz" stories when they were children. We made up for it by going to see the musical. It was really great with a real live ToTo!


Sunday Irene had to go back to Cornwall, where I was to join her on Monday night. In the meantime though I would have 24 hours alone with Ingvild. We took the bus to Paddington with Irene. First you cross this Bridge into the part of London called Hammersmith, where we had to change busses. From there the bus winds on until it eventually arrives in Paddington.

On the way back to Roehampton we went shopping at the Whole Foods Market. Both girls have embraced a vegan lifestyle and this is a fantastic market, full of organic goodness.




There is even a bin where you can throw away your traditional toiletries before buying the healthfull ones sold at the whole foods market.
We got up early on monday, and were just sitting down to breakfast when the fire alarm went off. Ingvild's first reaction was "just ignore it". Then she looked out the window and said: "I guess we have to go down". Slowly but surely all the students came out of the dorms, most of them in their pyjamas. It turned out to be just a drill. An official looking person thanked us all for eventually showing up before dismissing us to go back inside.


Above is the area where everyone gathered for the fire drill, the blue doors are the entrance to Ingvilds dorm house. She lives on the third floor on the right hand in a flat that she shares with several other students.
Below is the Sociology building where she has a lot of classes.


We took a long walk around the campus on monday morning before I went back to Byrnes station to take the train to Cornwall, where I would be visiting Irene on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Irene met me at the train station and we walked to her house. There was a birthday party going on for one of her housemates. Below is the front door to her house in Falmouth



Irene has 3 housemates: 2 guys and Krissi. I met them all. They seem really nice. The picture below is of Krissi and Irene in the Kitchen.

Irene studying in her bedroom. They have a guest room too, but while Irene was at class on tuesday I sat in her bedroom doing reasearch on lifestyle and diet for menopause.



I also spent some time on tuesday morning wandering around in Falmouth, shopping, and getting my hair cut. I bought some delicious cornish fudge at the farmers market below.

Lunch was an organic cornish pasty eaten at the harbor while listening to a street musician play the classical guitar.

Wednesday, Irene had more time off and we walked up to the castle that you can see from the town. In the evening she took me to a poetry reading. Some of the poetry was really quite good. Then thursday morning at the crack of dawn I had to get back on the train to London. Food didn't used to be something I particularly went to England for, but this time I have found some favorites. The bagel factory (a chain) at Paddington Station sells the yummiest bagels with melted cheese! And of course there is Starbucks. Anyway, I took a Brittish Airways flight home, noticing that they are much better prepared for emergencys with 2 overhead compartments dedicated to first aid equipment and an AED (defibrillator). I can only assume that the staff recieve appropriate training as well. I still like Ryanair though.

Trondheim - September 23rd to 25th

On the last weekend of September I visited Audun and Annina in Trondheim. I took Lucy. It was her first time riding the train and I wondered how she would take to the movement, the noise, being surrounded by strangers etc. But she behaved extremely well, lying under the table at our assigned spot. When I went to the bathroom she would look after me with a slightly worried expression, but the arrival of 2 more passengers in our courner, as the train filled up in Lillehammer didn't faze her in the least.

Annina met me at the station and we walked up to their house. After 5 hours on the train, Lucy needed a walk so the first thing we did was go to the park behind their house. It is a wooded hill with a fort on top, and a great view over the city.

The path goes through woods up the hill.

The fort on top of the hill.

View of the City from one of the many viewpoints in the park.

When Audun got off work, we walked downtown to pick him up. On the way we passed this pretty church (Trondheim seems to be full of pretty churches).


Audun works on the third floor of the building on the left. We went shopping in the building on the right, with Lucy lying nicely outside waiting for us by the bicicle parking.

Here is Audun in front of their house. They have the corner appartment on the first floor. Small but airy, with high ceilings. A cozy little nest for the two of them.


We spent a pleasant evening. Annina cooked and we watched a movie. The next day we went on a long walk along the coast. Lucy could run free most of the way.






After several km we came the this hole in the cliff. It is the entrance to a tunnel of about 200 m cut into the rock. Tea lights stood here and there along the whole way, but they were not lit. We had brought flashlights as Audun and Annina had been here before. Lucy did not want to come in, but once inside went along nicely.






Here Lucy has become friendly with Annina at a goat statue as we reenter town at the end of our walk. I was only in Trondheim for that Saturday. I had brought them our raclett maker and we had raclett for dinner and played Carcazonne, a fun game that Annina has. It was a lovely visit and I hope to visit them again in the spring.

Early Sunday morning Lucy and I got back on the train for home. We were to compete in a club agility trial in the afternoon. In spite of all the traveling Lucy got a third place on the class one agility course and a fourth place on the open jumpers course, as well as taking and passing her bronze medal test.

Thanksgiving 2011

Audun and Annina

Once a year (at least) it is good to reflect on what I have to be thankfull about:

1. I am gratefull for my job at the ER at AHUS. I love it. I love the variety, the new disiplines I have learned, the way we work in teams of 2 and all I learn from my colleagues, as well as the respect, and validation I enjoy from them. I love the challenges, and being able to make a difference.

2. I am gratefull that the girls, my daughters have caused me to focus on my diet in a positive way. I like the results of drastically reducing the amount of refined and processed sugar, grains and fats has had on my weight and my teeth. And I am gratefull to them for having made me more aware of animal welfare.

3. I am gratefull that we found an affordable place to live as well as as job for Husband on Holden Farm. That it is in the country. I am also greatfull that we were able to sell the property in Stange so easily, and for this opportunity to go through all our belongings and get rid of what we no longer need. I look forward to the move. To have a smaller house to keep up, to be free of the responsibility that comes with owning property. To getting to know a different part of Norway.

4. I am gratefull that I became aquainted with Susan Garrett's dog training philosophy, for the fun and new persectives it has brought to dog training, and for the difference it has made to Lucy and Topsy.

Audun

5. I am gratefull for the people I have known who have passed away this year, especially Mother-in-law. I am gratefull for the lesson that I must not allow myself to be blinded by prejudice, or prevented by previous experiences from seeing the good in another person or in reaching out a hand of reconciliation, support and kindness to those who might need it.

6. I am gratefull for the direction my children seem to have found in their lives and for their ongoing and unvavering love. I am gratefull that both daughters have found subjects that inspire them: that Youngest Daughter is enthusiastic about her sociology studies, and that Oldest Daughter has found found a path she wants to take after her bachelors, where she can explore her interest in healing through nutrition. I am thankfull that youngest son has chosen a path where he can cultivate his physical strenghth and find excitement while learning to help others, and that Oldest son has found this lovely girl to share his life with and for their visit to celebrate thanksgiving last weekend.

7. Finally I am greatfull for Husband, because he took the initiative for us to learn better ways of communicating and problem solving, for the experiences we have together: the trip on Hurtigruten and the days in the mountains, and that he has made it possible for me to commute to my job and to visit my girls twice this year by taking care of everything at home while I am gone.

8. I still need to mention the other things in my life that I am greatfull for: reasonably good health, the good conversations I have had with Mother, Sister and Younger Brother throughout the year, and my friends: they are not many, but their support and friendship is invaluable.

MaryAnn and Lucy

A Sea Voyage along the Norwegian Coast - Part 3

Monday, August 29th

Had a great night rocking on the waves from the "storm"; I love waves! But the morning broke with bright sunshine and cloudless skies, as we glided into the Tronheim harbor at 6:30 am. Audun and Annina stood on the quay to meet us, and we got them visitors badges and invited them in for breakfast. So nice to see them! After breakfast they had to go to work /university so we explored the harbor area of Trondheim as the ship was anchored there for 3 1/2 hours.

It's been a sunny morning, gradually clouding over a little as we head south along the coasts of Sør-Trøndelag and Møre. There weren't as many stops today, and we spent most of the day, basking in the sun on deck. The two ports of call looked like very interesting places, but we were there way too short for it to be worthwhile even to go ashore.

Kristiansund straddles 3 islands, giving it a feel reminicent of Venice, and there looked to be at least 2 churches worthy of exploring.

Kristiansund

Molde had the prettiest harbor area. In fact Molde looked like a beautiful town, with some very cool modern architecture. The American woman with whom we had dinner the other day, said that having understood Norway to be a rich country she had been wondering where all the rich people were. They are in Molde! I hadn't realized this before, but Kjell Inge Røkke, Norway's richest man is from Molde. We've finally been getting some decent waves this evening, with the result that the dining room was soon half empty, as passengers turned green and evacuated the premises. Too bad too, cause the dinner was the best so far, with cured reindeer with rowanberry jelly for the appetizer, salmon and halibut with basil sauce, strips of root vegetables, and baby potatoes boiled and sauteed in butter for the main dish, and a berry sauce with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Molde

Tuesday, August 30

The weather has been varying between fog and low cloud cover all day. Too wet to hang out on deck. Spent all morning in the panorama lounge, which was crowded, running down a deck to take pictures if it wasn't raining, or taking them through rainspattered windows. Hmf.

We disembarked in Bergen at 3 pm. It was raining - no big surprise, as Bergen is famous for it's rain.

Approaching Bergen Harbor

One of the ancient harbor buildings still standing in Bergen

The Bergen College of Nursing which we passed on our way to the aquarium

Since the forecast is for sun tomorrow, we decided to visit the aquarium today. It was a very nice exibit, and gives a home to a number of animals impounded after attempts to import them illegally: a family of monkeys, some crocodiles, a number of snakes and spiders. We watched 3 harbor seals that do tricks for their dinner. It is amazing to watch these short stubby seals do all the same tricks that you normally see the lithe and slender sea lions perform. We also had fun watching a large colony of penguins; some speeding around in the water and doing flips; one quietly stealing stones from her neighbor's nests to put in their own. When she got caught, a penguin argument would ensue. It was hilarious!

We got back to the hotel soaked, especially my left and husband's right shoulder, as my newly aquireed umbrella didn't quite cover us.We are staying at the Scandic hotel. It is strange not to feel the floor sway underfoot. Nice to have a large room and fast internet...



Wednesday, August 30th

Woke to continued rain, even though theforecast had been, and still was for sun. Scandic has the best breakfast buffet ever: with lots of organic and vegan options, plenty of fruit, home made butter croissants, hot milk to put in the coffee... After hanging around in our room we finally got out the umbrella and went to explore the city.

Bryggene across the harbor

The fish market

Bryggene Unesco World Heritage Site

Enjoying morning coffee at Bryggene

After breakfast we made our way out into the famous Bergen rain to do some sight-seeing.First we wandered through the fish market and on to "bryggene" the restored warves of old Bergen, a Unesco Heritage site. From there we went to Bergenshus Festning, the medieval fortifications. After that we sought refuge from the rain in a museum about the Norwegian Occupation during WW II. Further we visited several churches: the Korskirke was the only one that was open. I lit a candle there for my Mother-in-law, who was hospitalised today.

Bergenshus Festning

Pigeon bath at city park

Bergen City Park

The Domkirke and Johanneskirke we had to admire from the outside only. Finally we walked through the city park (it had stopped raining by then), and into the area taken up mostly by the University of Bergen, where we found the botanical gardens, an oasis of peace, and respite from the roar of traffic. It was afternoon by then, time to get our bags and take the bus to the airport for our flight home. Unfortunatly this last day has been shadowed by worry about mother-in-law. Husband will be making the long drive to see here first thing in the morning.

Botanical Garden

Bergen University from the botanical garden