Spent two beautiful days in Martha's Vineyard visiting Tormod, and the family where he is living. They have a garden center where Tormod works for room and board. It is a colorful, place, ordered chaos. Not chaos really but not military presision either. They have anuals, perrenials, herbs, vegetables and even houseplants. I think, if I were not a nurse I would just love working at a garden center, surrounded by beautiful colors and scents, caring for the plants...
The fish market gave Tormod the day off to spend with his Mom, and we went to the beach. Tormod's first time as he has been working 6 days a week and so far has no driving licence. The beach by the Gay's Head Lighthouse and cliffs reminded me of summer beach trips to long island in my childhood: huge waves that pick you up and whirl you around until you surface with your ears full of salt and sand.
The second day we spent at Oak Bluff's, the island's most colorful town. In the middle of Oak Bluffs a whole bunch of brightly colored cottages from the second half of the 19th century surround a Methodist Church and outdoor "tabernacle" where concerts and outdoor services can be held. There are many touristy shops, an ice cream shop that is said to sell lobster flavored ice cream. Extremely large and fancy villas surround the oceanside park. My favorite was the Norton house (as in Norton antivirus). It has a huge porch surrounding at least 3 sides of the first floor, second story balconies, a tower, and a captains deck on the roof. There is also a beach, which faces the mainland, so that the water is clear, cool and calm. Very different atmosphere from yesterday's beach which faced the open ocean.
We fell in love with the vineyard. The slower pace. There is no road where you can drive faster than 45mph. The way the society and landscape are contained (being an island). The absence of franchises. The forests and dunes.
Tormod seems happy here, and healthier. He's excersising, cutting back on his smoking, eating well, working hard. The fish market people, 4th generation Norwegians are very nice, generous people. And Mike and Carrie at Heather Gardens with their children, Jonah, 1 1/2 and Eli 4 1/2 are a wonderfull family.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
First week in Ithaca, June 20 - 28
The trip was a marathon. We got up at 2:45am to drive to the airport. Our flight to Copenhagen left at 6:15. After a 4 1/2 hour layover we continued our journey with a new flight to Newark. It was one of those modern planes with a little screen on the back of each seat and a dozen movies and games to choose from. I watched 3 movies: "the water horse" (very cute!), "Horton hears a Who" (interresting concept), and "Northanger Abbey" (I love Jane Austin films!). Got to Newark at 2:20pm and took the bus to Port Authority, arriving just as the bus to Ithaca was leaving. We had 2 hrs to buy supper to eat on the bus and a frappucino at Starbucks before the 6:30pm bus left for Ithaca. By this time I had acute dementia, with an attention span of 1 minute, short term memory of 10 seconds. It is an amazing and frustrating experience. Also my Alternatives Visa card wasn't working. Even though I tried several versions of what I thought was the PIN. Slept most of the way on the bus. We arrived at 11:30, walked to the house on Meadow street and collapsed into bed.
40TH BIRTHDAY
Our first day in Ithaca was also Husband's 40th birthday. We woke up at 7am. My brother-in-law, Joe had made coffee. Went shopping for breakfast things at Green Star. My alternatives card still wasn't working but I finally got the explanation: Alternatives Bank had changed every bodys PIN a month ago. I vaguely remembered Mother and Father mentioning this during one of my phone calls. We spent the morning going to Staples for office and school supplies. Then to the Ithaca Festival where I danced two contras. Finally we met up with my brother, Roland and Sharon to order the t-shirts for the aniversary at the T-shirt express. Husband was exhausted by then and we went home to nap and read, do laundry and clean the kitchen.
Birthday dinner at the Thai restaurant on the commons, to celebrate both Sharon (29 last sunday) and Husband. Mother and Father came. Mother looks as usual. Father has lost a lot of weight, but looks good. Older, and distinguished with his cane. Joe joined us as well before going back to Rochester. His only meal with us all before he and my sister come back from California.
All in all a good day. Met and hugged several dancing friends. I just love the ease with which you can exchange hugs in America. Good to see Mother and Father, Roland and Sharon, and Joe. Katya and Poussette, which are my sisters cats, are here as well, and as they readjust to Ithaca and us, I'm sure we'll be seeing more of them.
MIDSUMMER PICNIC
My parents had their midsummer potluch picnic and bonfire on Sunday. They had invited all the people who've visited father in the hospital as well as neighbors and their Waldorf and church friends.
Though the forecast had been for rain (70% chance) the weather was clear and warm. It had rained all night, so maybe that took care of the 70%. I had agreed to hostess the event and Roland was to be «fire chief» so we all came out early. Everyone brought food. In keeping with the tradition mother supplied her famous vegetarian lasagna (made by me) and strawberry shortcake. There was lots of other yummy food and deserts as well. Although the guests came from a variety of venues in which my parents have been active: the union, biodynamic agriculture, waldorf, chorus, church, neighbors etc, and thus did not know each other, - some people even brought friends/relatives who didn't know my parents - everyone seemed to get along.
As dusk deepened and the fireflies started lighting up the evening we wound our way up to where Roland had built a bonfire and there we sat around the fire singing, while the flames and sparks rose up and the kids roasted marshmallows in the embers a little later.
"Rise up O flame! By thy light glowing,
Show to us beauty, vision and joy!"
ITHACA IS GORGES
Monday, Husband and I went to Buttermilk Falls, he to run, I to hike. I love this trail, and walking in the early morning when no one else is out, green light filtering through leafy trees and vines, the stillness broken only by bird song and the splashing and rushing of the river. It had rained all night, and I had to splash through puddles on the stones of the gorge path. I did a figure 8, walking up the rim trail to the first bridge, then up the gorge trail to the second bridge, back down the rim trail to the first bridge and the gorge trail down to the pool at the bottom of the falls. The whole trip took me 40 minutes, and I sat on a bench by the pool reading until Husband, who had run all the way to the top and then around Lake Treman, came. The whole run, at least twice of what I had walked had taken him an hour!
In the evening I went to the contra dance on the commons. There was lightning and thunder when we started, and by the ende of the first dance it had started to rain. We moved under the roof of the pavilion - just in time. No sooner were we safe under the roof than a veritable downpour started that lasted for 3 dances. It was a crowded but cozy with the musicians and dancers all under the roof together, and the floor is better for dancing. Still, we continued dancing on the pavement, splashing in the puddles, when the rain stopped. There was just more space.
WAITING ROOMS AND OLD FRIENDS
Spent tuesday and wednesday taking father to his appointments and waiting around in doctor's offices. It is incredibly time consuming, which is why we wanted to take it off Mother's hands. Yesterday we went to the oncologist, who was very happy with how things are looking. Today it was the eye doctor. We did some stuff on the farm as well. Husband mowed the lawn, I hung laundry and cooked. Went swimming with Mother at the YWCA yesterday.
Ingvild has been visiting her school and catching up with teachers and old friends. We went to dinner at the Morales' tuesday evening. He made Guatamalan tacos, and showed us his garden. He is a wizzard with trees and bushes, trims yews into fancy shapes. Facinating. The house was full of teenagers. Ingvild and her friends, the Morales kids and their friends...I really liked Cindy Morales, the mother. She is a nurse like me, and Lauren's parents were there too, so there were some adults to talk to.
Wednesday night we had dinner with Roland and Sharon. Talked about their experience of Father's illness and how Mother and Father are dealing with it. A good talk. Roland and Sharon, especially Roland has been carrying a lot of responsibility. I think it will be good for him to get some distance when they go to California.
Friday we drove up to Taughannough to go kayaking with David Morales, Lauren and Ingvild today. What fun! Saw lots of crayfish near the shore, under the stones.I'v never seen them before. They are like little lobsters.
LES MISERABLES
Our birthday present from Mother and Father was tickets to the musical Les Miserables playing at the Merry-go-round theatre in Auburn. It was a lovely drive through Fingerlakes farmland, and a very nice performance. Not your usual catchy melodies, and not a lot of dancing, but a beautiful story. Very typical Victor Hugo.
40TH BIRTHDAY
Our first day in Ithaca was also Husband's 40th birthday. We woke up at 7am. My brother-in-law, Joe had made coffee. Went shopping for breakfast things at Green Star. My alternatives card still wasn't working but I finally got the explanation: Alternatives Bank had changed every bodys PIN a month ago. I vaguely remembered Mother and Father mentioning this during one of my phone calls. We spent the morning going to Staples for office and school supplies. Then to the Ithaca Festival where I danced two contras. Finally we met up with my brother, Roland and Sharon to order the t-shirts for the aniversary at the T-shirt express. Husband was exhausted by then and we went home to nap and read, do laundry and clean the kitchen.
Birthday dinner at the Thai restaurant on the commons, to celebrate both Sharon (29 last sunday) and Husband. Mother and Father came. Mother looks as usual. Father has lost a lot of weight, but looks good. Older, and distinguished with his cane. Joe joined us as well before going back to Rochester. His only meal with us all before he and my sister come back from California.
All in all a good day. Met and hugged several dancing friends. I just love the ease with which you can exchange hugs in America. Good to see Mother and Father, Roland and Sharon, and Joe. Katya and Poussette, which are my sisters cats, are here as well, and as they readjust to Ithaca and us, I'm sure we'll be seeing more of them.
MIDSUMMER PICNIC
My parents had their midsummer potluch picnic and bonfire on Sunday. They had invited all the people who've visited father in the hospital as well as neighbors and their Waldorf and church friends.
Though the forecast had been for rain (70% chance) the weather was clear and warm. It had rained all night, so maybe that took care of the 70%. I had agreed to hostess the event and Roland was to be «fire chief» so we all came out early. Everyone brought food. In keeping with the tradition mother supplied her famous vegetarian lasagna (made by me) and strawberry shortcake. There was lots of other yummy food and deserts as well. Although the guests came from a variety of venues in which my parents have been active: the union, biodynamic agriculture, waldorf, chorus, church, neighbors etc, and thus did not know each other, - some people even brought friends/relatives who didn't know my parents - everyone seemed to get along.
As dusk deepened and the fireflies started lighting up the evening we wound our way up to where Roland had built a bonfire and there we sat around the fire singing, while the flames and sparks rose up and the kids roasted marshmallows in the embers a little later.
"Rise up O flame! By thy light glowing,
Show to us beauty, vision and joy!"
ITHACA IS GORGES
Monday, Husband and I went to Buttermilk Falls, he to run, I to hike. I love this trail, and walking in the early morning when no one else is out, green light filtering through leafy trees and vines, the stillness broken only by bird song and the splashing and rushing of the river. It had rained all night, and I had to splash through puddles on the stones of the gorge path. I did a figure 8, walking up the rim trail to the first bridge, then up the gorge trail to the second bridge, back down the rim trail to the first bridge and the gorge trail down to the pool at the bottom of the falls. The whole trip took me 40 minutes, and I sat on a bench by the pool reading until Husband, who had run all the way to the top and then around Lake Treman, came. The whole run, at least twice of what I had walked had taken him an hour!
In the evening I went to the contra dance on the commons. There was lightning and thunder when we started, and by the ende of the first dance it had started to rain. We moved under the roof of the pavilion - just in time. No sooner were we safe under the roof than a veritable downpour started that lasted for 3 dances. It was a crowded but cozy with the musicians and dancers all under the roof together, and the floor is better for dancing. Still, we continued dancing on the pavement, splashing in the puddles, when the rain stopped. There was just more space.
WAITING ROOMS AND OLD FRIENDS
Spent tuesday and wednesday taking father to his appointments and waiting around in doctor's offices. It is incredibly time consuming, which is why we wanted to take it off Mother's hands. Yesterday we went to the oncologist, who was very happy with how things are looking. Today it was the eye doctor. We did some stuff on the farm as well. Husband mowed the lawn, I hung laundry and cooked. Went swimming with Mother at the YWCA yesterday.
Ingvild has been visiting her school and catching up with teachers and old friends. We went to dinner at the Morales' tuesday evening. He made Guatamalan tacos, and showed us his garden. He is a wizzard with trees and bushes, trims yews into fancy shapes. Facinating. The house was full of teenagers. Ingvild and her friends, the Morales kids and their friends...I really liked Cindy Morales, the mother. She is a nurse like me, and Lauren's parents were there too, so there were some adults to talk to.
Wednesday night we had dinner with Roland and Sharon. Talked about their experience of Father's illness and how Mother and Father are dealing with it. A good talk. Roland and Sharon, especially Roland has been carrying a lot of responsibility. I think it will be good for him to get some distance when they go to California.
Friday we drove up to Taughannough to go kayaking with David Morales, Lauren and Ingvild today. What fun! Saw lots of crayfish near the shore, under the stones.I'v never seen them before. They are like little lobsters.
LES MISERABLES
Our birthday present from Mother and Father was tickets to the musical Les Miserables playing at the Merry-go-round theatre in Auburn. It was a lovely drive through Fingerlakes farmland, and a very nice performance. Not your usual catchy melodies, and not a lot of dancing, but a beautiful story. Very typical Victor Hugo.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
What's new
I have a week off from work before we leave for the US. I've been spending it in the garden. Weeding, planting etc. Getting it ready for a 3-week absence. It's really looking nice. We have been eating home grown spinach, radishes and turnips in salads all this week. The beans and sweet peas have come up in the nick of time. I can't wait to see how much everything has grown when we come back.
The last few mornings I've been waking up feeling a little blue. I think I am dreading seeing Mother and Father as invalids. Being a continent away their situation is sort of abstract to me. I guess I am a little afraid to really face it, let it become real.
I chase the blues away by running in the forest with Topsy. We've been out orienteering every morning while Tor is at work. Like dancing, orienteering refreshes and renews me.
But I was going to summarize what is new in this family:
Ingvild is finishing her first year of dancing High School. Her dancing has steadily improved through the year. Her grades are good, especially in the subjects that were final for this year: English and Science.
Irene is thinking of going back to school to get her high school diploma in the fall. Meanwhile her boyfriend Stian finally got a job as a plummer after 7 months of unemployment. They have bought a boat together with a couple of Stian's buddies, and have been fixing it up. In a couple of weeks they hope to have it on the water.
Tormod has taken a break from college. He has gone to the US "to seek his fortune", promising to come back if he hasn't found it by the end of november. At the moment he is working at a garden center on Martha's Vineyard for room and board, while looking for paid work and getting his drivers licence.
Audun went to Bosnia with the Red Cross Youth organization in May. They visited several Romani camps and red cross organizations there. It must have been an interesting experience.
Tor is leaving his job at the dairy farm where he has been for the past 6 years, to manage the isolation facility of the pig breeding assosiation, thus changing his focus from cows to pigs so to speak.
Nothing new with me, except that I was rejected by the International Red Cross for their delegate course because I lack specialization. My backup plan is to go back to school to in January, provided the colleges don't consider me too old.
The last few mornings I've been waking up feeling a little blue. I think I am dreading seeing Mother and Father as invalids. Being a continent away their situation is sort of abstract to me. I guess I am a little afraid to really face it, let it become real.
I chase the blues away by running in the forest with Topsy. We've been out orienteering every morning while Tor is at work. Like dancing, orienteering refreshes and renews me.
But I was going to summarize what is new in this family:
Ingvild is finishing her first year of dancing High School. Her dancing has steadily improved through the year. Her grades are good, especially in the subjects that were final for this year: English and Science.
Irene is thinking of going back to school to get her high school diploma in the fall. Meanwhile her boyfriend Stian finally got a job as a plummer after 7 months of unemployment. They have bought a boat together with a couple of Stian's buddies, and have been fixing it up. In a couple of weeks they hope to have it on the water.
Tormod has taken a break from college. He has gone to the US "to seek his fortune", promising to come back if he hasn't found it by the end of november. At the moment he is working at a garden center on Martha's Vineyard for room and board, while looking for paid work and getting his drivers licence.
Audun went to Bosnia with the Red Cross Youth organization in May. They visited several Romani camps and red cross organizations there. It must have been an interesting experience.
Tor is leaving his job at the dairy farm where he has been for the past 6 years, to manage the isolation facility of the pig breeding assosiation, thus changing his focus from cows to pigs so to speak.
Nothing new with me, except that I was rejected by the International Red Cross for their delegate course because I lack specialization. My backup plan is to go back to school to in January, provided the colleges don't consider me too old.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
EX's and EX's EX's
We went to an interesting confirmation last weekend. Confirmation is a big deal in Norway. The young man getting confirmed is my godchild, Christian, who is also the son of my ex's daughter by a former marriage. She had invited all the relatives: There were myself and Husband, and all four of my children who are Christian's uncles and aunts. My ex who hasn't been on talking terms with his daughter for 12 years came with his current wife and his sister. My ex's first ex, Christian's maternal Grandmother was also there. She and my ex hadn't seen each other in 25 years. Finally there was Christian's mother's ex: Chrisians father, though he didn't bring his new wife and children, and various relatives of Christian's mother's fiance. It was a gathering of ex's and new partners, but every one behaved well and was pleasant.
I think he had a memorable day: it was warm and sunny. During the seremony in the church the priest from Sierra Leone gave a sermon that cracked everybody up. He was so funny! The theme was riches in goods vs riches in God. A fitting subject as it is common to give money and gifts for confirmations, and the kids tend to compete on who gets the most money. When Christian had counted up his gifts he had recieved a total of about $8000. That definitly puts him near the top of the class as far as confirmation money goes. There was lot's of good food, and songs written especially for the occasion by his grandmother (another norwegian custom).
I think he had a memorable day: it was warm and sunny. During the seremony in the church the priest from Sierra Leone gave a sermon that cracked everybody up. He was so funny! The theme was riches in goods vs riches in God. A fitting subject as it is common to give money and gifts for confirmations, and the kids tend to compete on who gets the most money. When Christian had counted up his gifts he had recieved a total of about $8000. That definitly puts him near the top of the class as far as confirmation money goes. There was lot's of good food, and songs written especially for the occasion by his grandmother (another norwegian custom).
Friday, May 23, 2008
Birthday: One day in the life of...
At 5:45 am I opened my eyes. As usual just before the alarm was set to go off. Piril jumped off the pillow where she was curled up next to my head, Funky jumped off my legs and Topsy sat up and began licking my hand. We followed the usual morning routine: I fed the dog and cats, Tor made the coffee. After coffee we had our breakfast of yogurt with muesli and a nectarine. On the way out of the house I stopped by the cabin in the garden which is Ingvild's room to say good morning, good bye and good luck with her semester finals in jazz dance and ballet. She showed me some of her ballet moves yesterday afternoon. I am really impressed. She is graceful, controlled with a lovely expression of joy in the movements, not that fake smile you so often see. I'm sure she will do well.
Had a short day shift, ending at 2 pm. Most of my patients were planned admissions. You can often have quite interesting conversations with these patients, and get to know some interesting people. My last patient was an emergency patient, quite a complicated case: He initially presented with stroke symptoms and had a history of diabetes. The first set of vitals uncovered a fever of 102.2 and rapid breathing with an odd pattern. This caused me to take arterial blood gases, which showed an elevated blood sugar, and a urine speciman, which was positive for nitrite. So now we had a hyperglycemic diabetic with a urinary tract infection, hyperthermia and stroke symptoms. So I was kept busy initiating fluid replacement and giving medication to bring down the blood sugar and fever...
I had brought a rhubarb cake to share with my colleagues, but was busy with this patient and thus didn't get to sit down with them while they were having it. Everyone seemed a little surprised that I had brought cake on a Thursday - we usually have cake on Fridays - but only one person actually asked. So then I had to admit that it was my birthday, every one said "Happy Birthday", but I was out of there, leaving the cake for the afternoon shift when they came.
When I got home there was a present waiting for me on the dining room table. It was from our neighbors across the street. They had left it in the mailbox. Otherwise I had calls from all the kids, as well as from Father and from my friend Nils. Husband had big news. He has been offered the new job he had applied for: running the isolation unit for up and coming artificial insemination boars that the pig breeding association has. It's a part time job, and the boar barn is only a 10 minute walk from our house. Better pay, retirement package, regular hours. I think he will be happy there!
In the evening we went orienteering. They only had advanced level courses so I chose the shortest: 2.6 km. It still took me an hour and a half, but this is the first time I have found all the controls on an A-level orienteering course.
When we got home and had showered I called our neighbors across the street to have some of the delicious birthday cake that Tor had made me. It was a whole wheat sponge filled with sliced banana and caramel cream, and iced with whipped cream and almond caramel sauce.
After they left, we had just made our evening cocoa and were about to sit down to a few quiet minutes of crossword and griddle solving, when Ingvild called to say she had missed her bus home. Off I went in the car to pick her up. One of the unfortunately quite common aggravations of living with a teenager. To be fair, she has only missed the bus twice in the past many months, only it wasn't so long ago last time it happened.
When I got home, my cocoa was cold, and Tor was already in bed and practically asleep. Topsy was curled up at the foot of the bed. I crept under the covers and withing minutes Piril came poking her nose to get in under them with me where she curled up against my side with her head on my arm.
And that was the end of a typical Thursday, which was also my birthday.
Had a short day shift, ending at 2 pm. Most of my patients were planned admissions. You can often have quite interesting conversations with these patients, and get to know some interesting people. My last patient was an emergency patient, quite a complicated case: He initially presented with stroke symptoms and had a history of diabetes. The first set of vitals uncovered a fever of 102.2 and rapid breathing with an odd pattern. This caused me to take arterial blood gases, which showed an elevated blood sugar, and a urine speciman, which was positive for nitrite. So now we had a hyperglycemic diabetic with a urinary tract infection, hyperthermia and stroke symptoms. So I was kept busy initiating fluid replacement and giving medication to bring down the blood sugar and fever...
I had brought a rhubarb cake to share with my colleagues, but was busy with this patient and thus didn't get to sit down with them while they were having it. Everyone seemed a little surprised that I had brought cake on a Thursday - we usually have cake on Fridays - but only one person actually asked. So then I had to admit that it was my birthday, every one said "Happy Birthday", but I was out of there, leaving the cake for the afternoon shift when they came.
When I got home there was a present waiting for me on the dining room table. It was from our neighbors across the street. They had left it in the mailbox. Otherwise I had calls from all the kids, as well as from Father and from my friend Nils. Husband had big news. He has been offered the new job he had applied for: running the isolation unit for up and coming artificial insemination boars that the pig breeding association has. It's a part time job, and the boar barn is only a 10 minute walk from our house. Better pay, retirement package, regular hours. I think he will be happy there!
In the evening we went orienteering. They only had advanced level courses so I chose the shortest: 2.6 km. It still took me an hour and a half, but this is the first time I have found all the controls on an A-level orienteering course.
When we got home and had showered I called our neighbors across the street to have some of the delicious birthday cake that Tor had made me. It was a whole wheat sponge filled with sliced banana and caramel cream, and iced with whipped cream and almond caramel sauce.
After they left, we had just made our evening cocoa and were about to sit down to a few quiet minutes of crossword and griddle solving, when Ingvild called to say she had missed her bus home. Off I went in the car to pick her up. One of the unfortunately quite common aggravations of living with a teenager. To be fair, she has only missed the bus twice in the past many months, only it wasn't so long ago last time it happened.
When I got home, my cocoa was cold, and Tor was already in bed and practically asleep. Topsy was curled up at the foot of the bed. I crept under the covers and withing minutes Piril came poking her nose to get in under them with me where she curled up against my side with her head on my arm.
And that was the end of a typical Thursday, which was also my birthday.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
May 17th: Norwegian National Holiday
Woke up today to snow flurries! What a start to a day which in Norway is a celebration of Spring (as well as the constitution, democracy, independence, and peace).
It is Ingvild's 17th birthday as well, so we started the day with birthday breakfast: cocoa, boiled eggs, fried bacon, toast, presents and a little later, birthday cake. I decorated the table with balloons and bunches of flowers: daffodils and primroses. At 11am she got on the train to town. She is going to her old school to have cake and meet ex-classmates, and then to town to have dinner with her boyfriend and see the Russ (high school graduates) parade.
At noon we went to the village to watch the children's parade, listen to band music, sing national anthems and have ice cream. There is a store with Italian ice cream. Yummy!
Made a tofu veggie stir fry with fried rice for dinner. Otherwise I've been spending the day working on editing this blogg. The weather has been too unstable to make gardening savory: there's been a chill wind, and spots of sunshine, punctuated by snow/sleet flurries. Brrr.
It is Ingvild's 17th birthday as well, so we started the day with birthday breakfast: cocoa, boiled eggs, fried bacon, toast, presents and a little later, birthday cake. I decorated the table with balloons and bunches of flowers: daffodils and primroses. At 11am she got on the train to town. She is going to her old school to have cake and meet ex-classmates, and then to town to have dinner with her boyfriend and see the Russ (high school graduates) parade.
At noon we went to the village to watch the children's parade, listen to band music, sing national anthems and have ice cream. There is a store with Italian ice cream. Yummy!
Made a tofu veggie stir fry with fried rice for dinner. Otherwise I've been spending the day working on editing this blogg. The weather has been too unstable to make gardening savory: there's been a chill wind, and spots of sunshine, punctuated by snow/sleet flurries. Brrr.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Chicken Brains
There is something called chicken brains isn't there? There is in Norwegian at least. My little flock of 13 hens are an example. The weather has been gorgeous and we had repaired the outside run. Now we are just waiting for the chickens to actually go outside, scratch around in the dirt, and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. But no, the closest they have gotten by themselves is for the two bravest hens to lie on the platform outside the opening to sun themselves. First I stopped feeding them inside, until evening and scattered oats on the ramp. Then I moved the feeder outside and filled it there. Still those stupid chickens just craned their necks to peek out the opening put did not venture outside. Finally I simply waited until they had laid their eggs for the day and then chased them outside. The result: 6 or 7 came straight back inside, 5 of them didn't come in at all and had to be caught and put inside in the evening. They had forgotten to make note of the way in when I chased them out. Talk about chicken brains! Husband is sick and tired of catching chickens every evening. Tonight I'm home for once and this time I locked them out after chasing them out. Maybe if I don't open up until evening those 5 will learn from the others how to go back in. What I really need is to get a rooster who can teach them proper chicken behavior. They killed the rooster I had bought with them a few weeks after I got them.
Friday, May 2, 2008
MAY
May has always been my favourite month, even though it is different in Norway, than in more temperate places I have lived. There, May was the month of lilacs and the first strawberries. Here in Norway, may is the month when the leaves come out on the trees, when daffodils and tulips bloom. When the woodlands are covered with white carpets of windflowers and blue anemones dot the moss. It has always been the month of my birthday, but in Norway May is punctuated with holidays. First comes May Day, which is the European equivalent of Labor Day; then there is the Norwegian National Holiday on May 17th. Also usually falling in May are the religious holidays of Ascension and Whitsun, both of which are observed with schools and businesses closed. Since ascension always comes on a Thursday, schools typically take a 4 day weekend. The following weekend, Whitsun, is observed as a long weekend with Monday off. And working on any of these holidays gives 133% overtime in Norway (hooray for social democracy!)
May Day this year has been a productive day for me. The rain that has been threatening for nearly a week finally began coming down in earnest. I spent some time out in the garden right after breakfast: planted a sweet cherry tree, and a rhododendron. Mulched the blueberries and the other rhododendron with the remaining sack of rhododendron soil, and raked the straw mulch off the iris’ that I had set in the fall. That was as far as I got before it started raining. Perfect weather for newly planted trees and bushes!
Husband and I and Topsy also went orienteering. It was a great course, not too easy, not too hard: 1.8 km with 10 controls! I love running through the woods, along paths or just by compass, stopping now and then to study the map. I’m really not very good. I just love the challenge, the exercise and the woods. This course took me 34 minutes.
I’m at work now. The rain continues to fall. It is quiet in the ER, but I have a patient coming in by ambulance in a little while. So I’m sure there will be some nursing challenges today also.
May Day this year has been a productive day for me. The rain that has been threatening for nearly a week finally began coming down in earnest. I spent some time out in the garden right after breakfast: planted a sweet cherry tree, and a rhododendron. Mulched the blueberries and the other rhododendron with the remaining sack of rhododendron soil, and raked the straw mulch off the iris’ that I had set in the fall. That was as far as I got before it started raining. Perfect weather for newly planted trees and bushes!
Husband and I and Topsy also went orienteering. It was a great course, not too easy, not too hard: 1.8 km with 10 controls! I love running through the woods, along paths or just by compass, stopping now and then to study the map. I’m really not very good. I just love the challenge, the exercise and the woods. This course took me 34 minutes.
I’m at work now. The rain continues to fall. It is quiet in the ER, but I have a patient coming in by ambulance in a little while. So I’m sure there will be some nursing challenges today also.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Dancing Queen!
Ingvild had her first public dance performance this weekend. Audun, Tormod and Irene came for dinner, then we all went to see Ingvild and her classmates dance. They showed us flamenco, argentine tango, line dance, character dance, hip hop and lyrical jazz dance. When they danced argentine tango Ingvild was the boy. I remember one evening she practiced with me in the kitchen, and boy, can she lead! Character dance, is a type of classic ballet which imitates a dancing tradition, in this case Russian folk dance. The lyrical jazzdance was beautifull! It was great to see what Ingvild has been learning. She said she enjoys performing. Good that she doesn't have stage fright. I think she dances quite well, and I look forward to future performances.
I always enjoy gathering the children. Not that I see much of them. Even Audun who came down on sunday afternoon. His schedule exactly dovetailes with mine so that I didn't get time with him either: first he was tired from partying the night before, so he went to bed right after dinner for a nap. He woke up just as I was going to bed, and went back to bed just before I got up in the morning.
Whenever I gather the children they seem to have a great need for each other's company. I'm happy to see that. I can always talk to them when I see them or call them on their own.
Life is good! The days are sunny and warm. I have spent hours every morning digging in the earth, moving plants around, spreading compost, weeding.
I love my job! I love working hand in glove with the interns, with most of them I make a good team. I love being able to help the patients, to know what's going on, what the potential problems are, and what to do to solve them. I love the people as well. I feel like I am doing good deeds every day!
Good news from the US. The doctors are happy with Father's progress. No more dialysis so far. And he seems to be responding to the new chemo regime, and tolerating it well. Mother too, is making progress. She has been cleared for driving this weekend!
I always enjoy gathering the children. Not that I see much of them. Even Audun who came down on sunday afternoon. His schedule exactly dovetailes with mine so that I didn't get time with him either: first he was tired from partying the night before, so he went to bed right after dinner for a nap. He woke up just as I was going to bed, and went back to bed just before I got up in the morning.
Whenever I gather the children they seem to have a great need for each other's company. I'm happy to see that. I can always talk to them when I see them or call them on their own.
Life is good! The days are sunny and warm. I have spent hours every morning digging in the earth, moving plants around, spreading compost, weeding.
I love my job! I love working hand in glove with the interns, with most of them I make a good team. I love being able to help the patients, to know what's going on, what the potential problems are, and what to do to solve them. I love the people as well. I feel like I am doing good deeds every day!
Good news from the US. The doctors are happy with Father's progress. No more dialysis so far. And he seems to be responding to the new chemo regime, and tolerating it well. Mother too, is making progress. She has been cleared for driving this weekend!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Impressions of London
FRIDAY
The nice thing about living in Europe is that it is so close to all the other places in Europe. Last weekend Husband and I spent in London, arriving at Heathrow at 1:30pm on friday. After checking into the Royal Elizabeth Hotel, across the street from Hyde Park we went out to explore Hyde Park and Kensington.
Kensington was quiet neighborhoods, parks full of flowers behind wrought iron gates. Spring was in full bloom: flowering fruit trees, magnolias, daffodils and tulips.
Suddenly we came upon a row of little shops, one of them a natural health shop where we immediatly found the Bach Remedies I had hoped to obtain.
We also went shopping at Marcs & Spencer to get some gifts for the girls at home.
Visited the Natural History Museum (what a fantastic collection of minerals!) and had english "tea": in our case cafe latte with cake.
Dinner was in the hotel restaurant: It was advertized that the prices were surprisingly reasonable and that they used herbs grown on the premises in the cooking. Tor had a caesar salad, I had fettucini with wild mushroom sauce. The prices were indeed surprisingly reasonable, but the dishes surprisingly lacking in creativity, though obviously made of high quality ingredients.
SATURDAY
Saint Pauls Cathedral (from the outside), Tower of London and Tower Bridge, a walk through the financial distict, and the houses of parliament, westminster cathedral, horse guards, Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing street.
I particularly liked the gardens and birds in St James Park: not just ducks, geese and swans, but pelicans as well!
Back at the Royal Elizabeth I had a bath and we watched a horse race on the television, before dressing for dinner and a show. Dinner was at an Indian Tapas restaurant. A wonderfull meal with different and exotic flavors: we orderes a seafood platter with sesame shrimps and ocopus rings, a salad with marinated mango, risotto with steamed veggies and small banana pancakes. These were so good I had to ask for the recipe. Apparently it is just a batter of overripe bananas, rice flour, and egg fried in butter. I must try it sometime.
The Musical: Mamma Mia was fantastic. Music by Abba, and what dancing! It was an experience, quite worth the outrageously expensive tickets.
SUNDAY
Woke up to snow. Large white flakes whirling in the air, Hyde Park covered in a blanket of white. We went to the Florence Nightengale museum, where the old and new Saint Thomas Hospitals lie along the river Thames.There we immersed ourselves in the life and work of Florence and the history of nursing in England.
We visited speakers corner at Hyde Park. Turned out to be mostly preachers.
We visited the British National Museum, where I found the exhibit of british history with artifacts from the celts, Romans, anglo Saxons to Norman and Vikings of special interrest.
Outside the chinese population of London had gathered with waving flags, british and chinese to see the passage of the olympic torch. As the time approached more and more police gathered. The torch itself was preceeded and followed by police on motorcycles and in cars, and surrounded by running chinese and police running and on mountain bikes. Later we read that the relay had been beleaguered by protests because of the chinese oppression of Tibet all along the way.
The tibetan protesters that we saw however were peacefull. Next day The Daily Telegraph headlines read: " The only way the progress of the torch could have been more magesterially mishandled would have been if the flame had flown into Heathrow's Terminal Five, and then got lost in the baggage system."
Dinner that night was at Abu Ali, a lebanese restaurant in the middle of the muslim part of the city. Men sat under an awning smoking water pipes and drinking coffee. Inside a disk displayed the food. Behind it the food was prepared. guests sat at respatex tables and chairs. The TV blared music and news from an arabic station. Across the street was the Islamic Bank of England. We had lebanese salad, lamb kebabs with rice, grilled haloumi cheese while soaking up this foreign atmosphere. At the end of our meal we were offered baclava "on the house".
MONDAY
Mme Tussauds wax cabinet. Chocolate Latte at Nero's. A walk in Regents Park. Perhaps the best for birds, with a large variety of ducks, geese, and swans. Here we saw ducklings. And the blue herons nesting i the willows. Then back to the hotel to check out and then the 10 minute walk to Paddington Station for the train to Heathrow. Since both our bags had arrived safely when we did, we confidently checked them in again.
Afterwards I regretted that I hadn't packed the gifts, and my toiletries, at least some of them in my hand baggage. Our plane was delayed out of Heathrow. They had had to switch planes at the last minute as the original one had technical difficulties related to snow. Could that be why they sent my bag to Italy for sorting? In any event, only Husband's bag arrived in Oslo. Luckily he had packed the Nike pants which we'd gotten on sale at Lily White's (the famous 5 storey sports store). What with the bag being lost and the plane delayed we didn't get home until 11pm.
We've spent the past 3 days on the phone making futile attempts to find out what has become of my bag, and never even getting through to the lost baggage office. Then out of the blue the baggage guy called to say he was on his way and where do we live. Hooray! I've got all my stuff and the trip is at an end.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Spring is in the air!
When I woke up today, the sun was shining and temperatures were in the 40's for the first time in a long time. For the past 2 weeks winter has tried to get a grip again with temps around 5 degees and lots of snow. Then, yesterday, it all rained away, and today it is totally lovely. For the first time I was able to hang freshly washed sheets out to dry, and I went into a flurry of activity, washing windows and pruning the apple and plum trees. Also went to the garden center where I bought a whole mess of seeds. Now there are minigreenhouses on the window sills where cucumber, tomato, pepper, melon and parsley seeds are waiting to sprout.
I have been working at the ER like there's no tomorrow. In march I averaged 44 hrs pr week (that is including the TNCC, trauma nursing core course). I have worked 5 weekends in a row, and Husband was starting to wonder what I even look like. He never seems to see me. This Friday, however, we are going to London for a long weekend. What are we going to do there? - mainly just spend some time together, wandering the streets and parks, going to museums, exploring the ethnic restaurants, and take in a musical (we got tickets to Mamma Mia).
TNCC was great! I just loved it. I got top score on the practical and 88% on the theoretical exam. This is different from how I used to be. I used to score top marks on theoretical tests and barely squeeze by on practicals. It just shows how much experience matters. While I feel comfortable at the ER where I work, I don't find it particularly challenging. Today I sent in my application to be a red cross delegate. A step towards my dream of working with disaster relief or in undeveloped countries.
I have been working at the ER like there's no tomorrow. In march I averaged 44 hrs pr week (that is including the TNCC, trauma nursing core course). I have worked 5 weekends in a row, and Husband was starting to wonder what I even look like. He never seems to see me. This Friday, however, we are going to London for a long weekend. What are we going to do there? - mainly just spend some time together, wandering the streets and parks, going to museums, exploring the ethnic restaurants, and take in a musical (we got tickets to Mamma Mia).
TNCC was great! I just loved it. I got top score on the practical and 88% on the theoretical exam. This is different from how I used to be. I used to score top marks on theoretical tests and barely squeeze by on practicals. It just shows how much experience matters. While I feel comfortable at the ER where I work, I don't find it particularly challenging. Today I sent in my application to be a red cross delegate. A step towards my dream of working with disaster relief or in undeveloped countries.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Sickness and Health
Last week Father was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable form of blood cancer. From what I've read about it, it sounds pretty nasty. What this cancer does, is that the cancerous cells in the bone marrow crowd out the cells that produce red and white blood cells and platelets. Also they send messages to cells in the bone to break down bone tissue. In addition to the bones weakening, the calcium from bone breakdown does a number on the kidneys. Anyway, he was in the hospital for a week. Had 6 blood transfusions. Now he's supposed to start on a course of chemo, thalidomide and steroids, only the pharmacy hasn't been able to get hold of the chemo yet. From what I understand, the treatment, if it works, will cause the cancer to recede in the course of 6-12 months, after which he can expect a stable period of about 6 months before it all begins to grow again. That is if the treatment works and if he tolerates it, because obviously it can have some pretty serious side-effects. This is all very sudden and sad, and I tend to feel that I am on the wrong side of the Atlantic right now. However it was nice to know that Father was on the medical floor where I worked for 9 months last year.
So now Mother and Father are talking about giving up the farm and moving to a community for the elderly with a nursing home, back where we lived before I left home, that is run according to their life philosophy (ie Rudolf Steiner inspired) and also offers complementary therapy. Meantime, they are working on getting rid of the chickens and the horses, as Father doesn't have the energy, and Mother's knees aren't up to managing livestock. Right now my mother is having her peridonditis fixed so that she can have knee replacement surgery. Her first knee is due for surgery on april 1. The second will probably follow in August. It's strange though to think of the family leaving the Finger Lakes area. Even though it has only been my home for one year, it has been the base to which I have returned for visits for the past 30 years.
Here in Norway, spring is in the air. I have never before experienced snowdrops in February, but they have been blooming for 2 weeks. The snow is melting and raining away, and is almost gone now. Mud season is fast approaching. Topsy had her first bath in the brook on her walk the other day. And, best of all, the ice that has been covering the roads is almost gone!
Husband has never been so well in all the time I have known him! He finished group therapy 8 months ago and has managed fine without psychotherapy. Now he is carefully reducing the dose of his anti depressive medication, and so far, so good. He's working part time as a herdsman on a dairy farm (cows).
So now Mother and Father are talking about giving up the farm and moving to a community for the elderly with a nursing home, back where we lived before I left home, that is run according to their life philosophy (ie Rudolf Steiner inspired) and also offers complementary therapy. Meantime, they are working on getting rid of the chickens and the horses, as Father doesn't have the energy, and Mother's knees aren't up to managing livestock. Right now my mother is having her peridonditis fixed so that she can have knee replacement surgery. Her first knee is due for surgery on april 1. The second will probably follow in August. It's strange though to think of the family leaving the Finger Lakes area. Even though it has only been my home for one year, it has been the base to which I have returned for visits for the past 30 years.
Here in Norway, spring is in the air. I have never before experienced snowdrops in February, but they have been blooming for 2 weeks. The snow is melting and raining away, and is almost gone now. Mud season is fast approaching. Topsy had her first bath in the brook on her walk the other day. And, best of all, the ice that has been covering the roads is almost gone!
Husband has never been so well in all the time I have known him! He finished group therapy 8 months ago and has managed fine without psychotherapy. Now he is carefully reducing the dose of his anti depressive medication, and so far, so good. He's working part time as a herdsman on a dairy farm (cows).
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
February Blues
I've been keeping busy. Working mostly. Slip sliding around on icy roads. I am so sick of ice! Every time we get a good snowfall, it rains a few days later, and freezes right after that, ruining the skiing posibilities and turning the roads into skating rinks. However, last week I discovered snowdrops in the garden. In February! So I guess there's hope.
Woke up this morning at 6:15 from the phone ringing. It was my mother. Father is to be admitted to the hospital with severe anemia. I'm worried. How I wish I were there now!
At work things are going well. I'm studying for the TNCC (Trauma Nursing Core Course) which I'll be taking in March. Another step to cement my identity as a critical care nurse.
Had tooth surgery a week ago. Nothing big - I worked an evening shift later the same day - hope it'll save the tooth which has an expensive crown. Now another tooth is acting up, and I have to cancel my workout to go to the dentist. I fear I might need a crown on that one too.
My youngest daughter is having a case of teenageritis. Thank god she doesn't get it too often or too badly. I had to put down some clearer rules. She had to protest, but I think we've got things sorted out. The thing is, each teenager is different, they test different boundaries, respond differently to rules and need different rules as well. What works for one just doesn't work for all. At least that has been my experience after 4 teenagers. She has a boyfriend now, and thats where the new set of rules comes in. But she's a good kid really. Enjoys her dancing, gets good grades, and even has a job waitressing on weekends.
Woke up this morning at 6:15 from the phone ringing. It was my mother. Father is to be admitted to the hospital with severe anemia. I'm worried. How I wish I were there now!
At work things are going well. I'm studying for the TNCC (Trauma Nursing Core Course) which I'll be taking in March. Another step to cement my identity as a critical care nurse.
Had tooth surgery a week ago. Nothing big - I worked an evening shift later the same day - hope it'll save the tooth which has an expensive crown. Now another tooth is acting up, and I have to cancel my workout to go to the dentist. I fear I might need a crown on that one too.
My youngest daughter is having a case of teenageritis. Thank god she doesn't get it too often or too badly. I had to put down some clearer rules. She had to protest, but I think we've got things sorted out. The thing is, each teenager is different, they test different boundaries, respond differently to rules and need different rules as well. What works for one just doesn't work for all. At least that has been my experience after 4 teenagers. She has a boyfriend now, and thats where the new set of rules comes in. But she's a good kid really. Enjoys her dancing, gets good grades, and even has a job waitressing on weekends.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Second week of Advent
Leaden skies and frozen fog have Hedmark in an iron grip. The thermometer seems stuck at 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrrr.
I spent the week baking for Christmas: Norwegian sandcakes, sandwich cookies and gingerbread, German cinnamon stars, and chocolate heart sandwiches, and of course on St Lucia's day, Swedish Lucia bread, a yeast bread made with saffron and formed into various sun symbols.
Tormod collapsed at work and was admitted to the hospital. Exhaustion apparently. Too much stress, not enough sleep and infrequent and irregular meals. I'm worried about him. Hope he will take this as a warning and take better care of his health.
Irene has been unhappy at work, too much responsibility and not enough guidance. They're working her hard, making her work alone much of the time, and not paying overtime. She is after all an apprentice, not a pastry chef.
Husband started physical therapy this week for his inflamed achilles tendons. Suddenly all his favorite activities are forbidden: dancing, running, skiing, cycling. He's only allowed to walk, and not overdo that either! The treatments are painful - but hopefully they will help.
On tuesday we went on the 11.4 km "Snøkuten", a nighttime walk/run in the hills near here (this was before the physical therapist limited the amount of walking Husband is allowed to do). It took us 1 hr and 35 minutes and my butt and thighs ached for days afterward. Still, I'm trying to work out more intensely and more regularly to stop the trend of weight gain which has been going on for the past 6 years.
Ingvild has had a lot of tests these past 2 weeks. She's done really well, though she was disappointed with her grades in ballet and jazzdance. Tonight we all watched her hip hop performance. It was outdoors in 4 degrees Fahrenheit, but worth coming to. She is good!
I spent the week baking for Christmas: Norwegian sandcakes, sandwich cookies and gingerbread, German cinnamon stars, and chocolate heart sandwiches, and of course on St Lucia's day, Swedish Lucia bread, a yeast bread made with saffron and formed into various sun symbols.
Tormod collapsed at work and was admitted to the hospital. Exhaustion apparently. Too much stress, not enough sleep and infrequent and irregular meals. I'm worried about him. Hope he will take this as a warning and take better care of his health.
Irene has been unhappy at work, too much responsibility and not enough guidance. They're working her hard, making her work alone much of the time, and not paying overtime. She is after all an apprentice, not a pastry chef.
Husband started physical therapy this week for his inflamed achilles tendons. Suddenly all his favorite activities are forbidden: dancing, running, skiing, cycling. He's only allowed to walk, and not overdo that either! The treatments are painful - but hopefully they will help.
On tuesday we went on the 11.4 km "Snøkuten", a nighttime walk/run in the hills near here (this was before the physical therapist limited the amount of walking Husband is allowed to do). It took us 1 hr and 35 minutes and my butt and thighs ached for days afterward. Still, I'm trying to work out more intensely and more regularly to stop the trend of weight gain which has been going on for the past 6 years.
Ingvild has had a lot of tests these past 2 weeks. She's done really well, though she was disappointed with her grades in ballet and jazzdance. Tonight we all watched her hip hop performance. It was outdoors in 4 degrees Fahrenheit, but worth coming to. She is good!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
First Week of Advent
ADVENT PREPARATIONS
As 3 of the children are living on their own I got them each an advent present. For Irene and Audun an Advent candle holder with candles. For Tormod a star (with an electric light in it) to hang in his window. Ingvild, who is still living at home, got a ticket to see the hip hop version of the Nutcracker Suite.
I met Tormod at a bar called Sistre Indre on Sunday. Felt we hadn't really talked in a long time. We had a long talk over 2 cups of cocoa, and he filled me in on his trip to London (a birthday present from a friend) and life in general.
Did the same with Audun on Wednesday. We went to the bakery where Irene works, since Audun hadn't been there before. There we had coffee and sampled cakes she had made. She was so surprised and pleased to see us there, and I had a good talk with Audun as well.
NUTCRACKER SUITE
The month of December was initiated with heavy snows. The radio warned that december 1st was a good day to stay home and curl up with a good book. Of course that was the day we had tickets to take Ingvild to the Nutcracker Suite in Oslo. Here, along the lake a wet snow was falling, but in Oslo it was pouring rain. Before the show we went to the Italian Cafe "Dolce Vita", that I always go to when I'm in Oslo, where we had ice cream cake and coffee. Ingvild almost lost her ticket. It fell out of her pocket on the way to the theater. She retraced her steps and found it soaking wet but intact on the pavement. The show was great, with some pretty impressive dancing. Some people had brought very small children who were frightened by the monsters and had to leave... Why bring small children to a hip hop show anyway!?
SLICK ROADS
After the rain, which eventually hit Hedmark as well, the roads were of course transformed to scating rinks. On Tuesday a bus slid off the road on one of our country roads, the tractor which came to pull it out ended up in the ditch as well.
Thursday, I thought I wouldn't get to work at all: when I got up in the morning, a car which had slid off the road was partially blocking the driveway. Luckily Tor managed to ease my car out past it.
Meantime I'd replaced the back right hand light on the car, which I'd smashed when I backed into Tor's car at Thanksgiving. This turned out to be an expensive part: about $150, which Tor replaced for me himself. Friday evening I came out from Irenes house where I was picking up Ingvild, to where I had left the car on the curb, and it was not there. It had rolled (or slid) backwards across the street and stopped in a pile of snow, missing a tree by inches. Had it hit the tree, the same back light would have been smashed again! But I was lucky that time.
HEART ATTACK
The children's father had a heart attack this weekend. This came as both a shock and a surprise, as heart disease does not run in his family to my knowledge. It came on as it often does with chest pain after shoveling snow. However he was sent to a Hospital in Oslo for cardiac catheterization where they unblocked and stented 3 arteries. Obviously the children have been worried and upset.
SHORTHANDED IN THE ER
The ER has been busy this week, and several people are out sick. On Sunday they called at 6:45 am to ask if I could work the day shift. I had thawed lots of currants to juice for gløgg, so had to say no. Don't you know, they called back at 2:30 pm (by now I was kneading the dough for the advent cake) to ask if I could come in for the afternoon shift. I did end up working Monday - Friday this week though. The hospital is as usual struggling to stay within the budget, and the latest effort by the ER is to not replace the first person to call in on an evening shift on weekdays, thus leaving us potentially shorthanded. Wednesday evening went okay, but Friday evening was hell!
SAINT NICOLAS
Saint Nicolas Day was on Thursday. Wednesday after work I drove Saint Nicholas around Hamar along absolutely icy roads to deliver packages to Irene and Tormod. It was simply too icy for his horse so I had offered to chauffeur him around. He must have made it to Stange on his own, because in the morning there were packages in each or our shoes at Fjellhaug as well. Irene messaged me when she found the package in her shoe by her front door, when she went to work at 5:30 am. She couldn't figure out how St Nicolas had managed it.
As 3 of the children are living on their own I got them each an advent present. For Irene and Audun an Advent candle holder with candles. For Tormod a star (with an electric light in it) to hang in his window. Ingvild, who is still living at home, got a ticket to see the hip hop version of the Nutcracker Suite.
I met Tormod at a bar called Sistre Indre on Sunday. Felt we hadn't really talked in a long time. We had a long talk over 2 cups of cocoa, and he filled me in on his trip to London (a birthday present from a friend) and life in general.
Did the same with Audun on Wednesday. We went to the bakery where Irene works, since Audun hadn't been there before. There we had coffee and sampled cakes she had made. She was so surprised and pleased to see us there, and I had a good talk with Audun as well.
NUTCRACKER SUITE
The month of December was initiated with heavy snows. The radio warned that december 1st was a good day to stay home and curl up with a good book. Of course that was the day we had tickets to take Ingvild to the Nutcracker Suite in Oslo. Here, along the lake a wet snow was falling, but in Oslo it was pouring rain. Before the show we went to the Italian Cafe "Dolce Vita", that I always go to when I'm in Oslo, where we had ice cream cake and coffee. Ingvild almost lost her ticket. It fell out of her pocket on the way to the theater. She retraced her steps and found it soaking wet but intact on the pavement. The show was great, with some pretty impressive dancing. Some people had brought very small children who were frightened by the monsters and had to leave... Why bring small children to a hip hop show anyway!?
SLICK ROADS
After the rain, which eventually hit Hedmark as well, the roads were of course transformed to scating rinks. On Tuesday a bus slid off the road on one of our country roads, the tractor which came to pull it out ended up in the ditch as well.
Thursday, I thought I wouldn't get to work at all: when I got up in the morning, a car which had slid off the road was partially blocking the driveway. Luckily Tor managed to ease my car out past it.
Meantime I'd replaced the back right hand light on the car, which I'd smashed when I backed into Tor's car at Thanksgiving. This turned out to be an expensive part: about $150, which Tor replaced for me himself. Friday evening I came out from Irenes house where I was picking up Ingvild, to where I had left the car on the curb, and it was not there. It had rolled (or slid) backwards across the street and stopped in a pile of snow, missing a tree by inches. Had it hit the tree, the same back light would have been smashed again! But I was lucky that time.
HEART ATTACK
The children's father had a heart attack this weekend. This came as both a shock and a surprise, as heart disease does not run in his family to my knowledge. It came on as it often does with chest pain after shoveling snow. However he was sent to a Hospital in Oslo for cardiac catheterization where they unblocked and stented 3 arteries. Obviously the children have been worried and upset.
SHORTHANDED IN THE ER
The ER has been busy this week, and several people are out sick. On Sunday they called at 6:45 am to ask if I could work the day shift. I had thawed lots of currants to juice for gløgg, so had to say no. Don't you know, they called back at 2:30 pm (by now I was kneading the dough for the advent cake) to ask if I could come in for the afternoon shift. I did end up working Monday - Friday this week though. The hospital is as usual struggling to stay within the budget, and the latest effort by the ER is to not replace the first person to call in on an evening shift on weekdays, thus leaving us potentially shorthanded. Wednesday evening went okay, but Friday evening was hell!
SAINT NICOLAS
Saint Nicolas Day was on Thursday. Wednesday after work I drove Saint Nicholas around Hamar along absolutely icy roads to deliver packages to Irene and Tormod. It was simply too icy for his horse so I had offered to chauffeur him around. He must have made it to Stange on his own, because in the morning there were packages in each or our shoes at Fjellhaug as well. Irene messaged me when she found the package in her shoe by her front door, when she went to work at 5:30 am. She couldn't figure out how St Nicolas had managed it.
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