If anyone is following this blogg, they might be wondering why I haven't updated in the past 5 months.
On January 12th my life became incredibly hectic!
I went back to school to become a nurse anesthetist.
I first had 3 months of theoretical studies which culminated in a 4 hour written exam in pathophysiology and microbiology. The results came yesterday. I got a B, over which I am a bit dissapointed. However in addition to studying I have been working part time (50%) in the ER, and spent a month in the USA helping mother and father during mothers recovery from knee replacement surgery.
So between studying fulltime, working part time and spending whats left with my family and socializing a new puppy I have not been blogging much.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Winter Wonderland
It's been snowing for a couple of days now. A fine misting snow started on monday night and continued through tuesday, then got serious tuesday night. Woke up wednesday with about 7" and it has continues all day. We probably have close to a foot of snow now. It's beautiful the way it softens all the sharp edges, Lining the twiggs and branches with white. The lights from the houses with Christmas stars in the windows, golden against the the twighlight world.
I am not taking so many extra shifts now it is Advent. We have hung the advent star in the window, and started the Creche. The advent candles are on the table, a circular candleholder with 4 candles, one for each sunday. I have been ordering presents, and started baking: hutzelbrot and lebkuchen for starters. Saint Nicholas is being rather sporadic this year. He has brought advent calendars to Beren and Tormod in Ithaca, and left a bunch of goodies in Audun's shoes when he visited on sunday, the rest of us are still waiting. Perhaps he's off at the coal mines getting coal for us? I hope not. Course Saint Nicolas day isn't until Saturday, so maybe he'll be visiting our shoes then. I'll put them out, just in case.
I am not taking so many extra shifts now it is Advent. We have hung the advent star in the window, and started the Creche. The advent candles are on the table, a circular candleholder with 4 candles, one for each sunday. I have been ordering presents, and started baking: hutzelbrot and lebkuchen for starters. Saint Nicholas is being rather sporadic this year. He has brought advent calendars to Beren and Tormod in Ithaca, and left a bunch of goodies in Audun's shoes when he visited on sunday, the rest of us are still waiting. Perhaps he's off at the coal mines getting coal for us? I hope not. Course Saint Nicolas day isn't until Saturday, so maybe he'll be visiting our shoes then. I'll put them out, just in case.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
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.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
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.
Monday, October 27, 2008
news update
Good news today!I was accepted into the nurse anesthesiology program at the College of Hedmark in Elverum. It starts in January and is a full time course for 3 semesters. I have applied for funding from my hospital, in exchange for committing myself to a 2 year contract. But if I don't get the funding, I will try to work half time. It will be tough, and a bit tight financially, but I should be able to do it. I can also get a student loan. The important thing to make it work is to have Husband's support.
Sunday our quiet little ER saw some action. Remember, on sundays we are only 2 nurses on the floor and one charge nurse who does all the registrations, answers the telephone etc. We had 4 trafikk accidents, and the roads weren't even slick: first a couple of kids who in swerving to avoid a deer, ended up on the roof in the ditch. Then some tourists got the sun in their eyes and went right over the guard rail and into a cement block. The third was a car full of teenagers driving too fast. They lost control and head-on collided with a couple of older men. And in between all of these there was a COPD patient who could hardly breathe, a chest pain patient and a young girl who had been recieved a knee to the spleen and banged her head during a handball game. Just as the afternoon shift came in to relieve me while I was working on the patient with chest pain the trauma calling in my pocket went off again. I just took it out and gave it to her (it was the 4th MVA), while I finished up with my patient. Ended up going overtime with no lunch break.
Other news:
I have bought plane tickets to come to the US for Mother's operation. I'm flying over on feb 22. Mother's knee replacement is scheduled for feb 23, and I'm staying until march 19, by which time she should be just about ready to drive again. I'll just bring along my books and do a lot of studying while I'm there. It will be great to see Tormod again too:
Tormod seems to be doing well in Ithaca. Step by step he's been coming closer to his goal of a security job. He got his drivers licence at the beginning of the month. Then he took a 2 day course to get a security licence. He still has to do another 16 hr course - I'm not sure if that is conflict management or what, before he gets his badge. And today is his first day as security guard at the Mall. He is also finished with all the preliminaries for the border patrol job, and hopes to hear from homeland security about going to the academy after he turns 21. Still has a couple of weeks to go on that.
Irene and Ingvild are both in school. Doing well I think. This weekend they were both councelors at a Christian Community confirmation camp. Poor Irene was unlucky with the car, which I had let her borrow. She called me on Saturday to say that the oil lamp had lit up when she was out shopping for the camp. She made it to the nearby gas station and bought some oil, but it ran out at the bottom as fast as she poured it in. NAF (the equivalent of AAA) towed the car to a garage in Hamar, and today I got the verdict. The oil pan had a hole the size of a tennisball. Replacing it will cost me about $800. Just what I needed! I don't know what happened, but the roads going out to the camp are pretty rough.
Husband is enjoying his work with the pigs. He keeps telling me funny stories: like today, when he came to work after having had the weekend off, he got quite a shock. One of the pens was empty, though the door to it was closed. The boar had apparently jumped over the side into the neighbor's pen and was busily humping him while the humpee stood there happily chewing on the iron bars of the pen!
Nothing new on Audun. He's working that same market research job. Going to Red Cross Youth meetings. Has a long distance girlfriend in Bosnia.
Sunday our quiet little ER saw some action. Remember, on sundays we are only 2 nurses on the floor and one charge nurse who does all the registrations, answers the telephone etc. We had 4 trafikk accidents, and the roads weren't even slick: first a couple of kids who in swerving to avoid a deer, ended up on the roof in the ditch. Then some tourists got the sun in their eyes and went right over the guard rail and into a cement block. The third was a car full of teenagers driving too fast. They lost control and head-on collided with a couple of older men. And in between all of these there was a COPD patient who could hardly breathe, a chest pain patient and a young girl who had been recieved a knee to the spleen and banged her head during a handball game. Just as the afternoon shift came in to relieve me while I was working on the patient with chest pain the trauma calling in my pocket went off again. I just took it out and gave it to her (it was the 4th MVA), while I finished up with my patient. Ended up going overtime with no lunch break.
Other news:
I have bought plane tickets to come to the US for Mother's operation. I'm flying over on feb 22. Mother's knee replacement is scheduled for feb 23, and I'm staying until march 19, by which time she should be just about ready to drive again. I'll just bring along my books and do a lot of studying while I'm there. It will be great to see Tormod again too:
Tormod seems to be doing well in Ithaca. Step by step he's been coming closer to his goal of a security job. He got his drivers licence at the beginning of the month. Then he took a 2 day course to get a security licence. He still has to do another 16 hr course - I'm not sure if that is conflict management or what, before he gets his badge. And today is his first day as security guard at the Mall. He is also finished with all the preliminaries for the border patrol job, and hopes to hear from homeland security about going to the academy after he turns 21. Still has a couple of weeks to go on that.
Irene and Ingvild are both in school. Doing well I think. This weekend they were both councelors at a Christian Community confirmation camp. Poor Irene was unlucky with the car, which I had let her borrow. She called me on Saturday to say that the oil lamp had lit up when she was out shopping for the camp. She made it to the nearby gas station and bought some oil, but it ran out at the bottom as fast as she poured it in. NAF (the equivalent of AAA) towed the car to a garage in Hamar, and today I got the verdict. The oil pan had a hole the size of a tennisball. Replacing it will cost me about $800. Just what I needed! I don't know what happened, but the roads going out to the camp are pretty rough.
Husband is enjoying his work with the pigs. He keeps telling me funny stories: like today, when he came to work after having had the weekend off, he got quite a shock. One of the pens was empty, though the door to it was closed. The boar had apparently jumped over the side into the neighbor's pen and was busily humping him while the humpee stood there happily chewing on the iron bars of the pen!
Nothing new on Audun. He's working that same market research job. Going to Red Cross Youth meetings. Has a long distance girlfriend in Bosnia.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
workaholic?
In the past 20 days I have had one day off, and that was 10 days ago. Have to admit I'm tired today. Of course part of the reason is that I had a day shift following an evening shift. I hate that. Never get enouph sleep, and come to work feeling like a zombie. Pluss, what with eating breakfast at 6:30, by the time breaktime rolls around (if indeed it ever does) I am famished. In fact I am famished way before noon!
Also I donated blood today, leaving me with a lightheaded feeling (maybe not the greatest idea in the middle of a work day, but hate to make the trip to town on a day off). Anyway, I came away with a workout t-shirt which I can use at spinning tomorrow, and a bunch of iron tablets.
It was still dark, and raining when I left for work at 7 am. The day started with the night shift chewing me out (not me specifically, but as representative for yesterday's evening staff) with a long list of complaints: we hadn't made them coffee, nor cleaned up the dirty utility room, nor emptied the garbage, nor were there enouph beds, nor disinfected the isolation room etc etc. Ok, I admit that I should have checked the dirty utility room before leaving, but I am positive that the rooms where I had patients were tidy and the garbage thrown away. The isolation room could easily wait until the housekeeping staff cleaned it in the morning, and 5 beds was plenty - they hadn't even used 2 of them. So maybe they were just complaining for the sake of complaining. Still, I like to think of myself as conscientious so it is not pleasant to be accused of sloppiness.
However the day picked up when a nurse from the surgical floor on her way through, saw me and said how pleased they had been last night when I brought the isolation patient to them: they had been soooo busy, and were so gratefull that I had taken all the tests (it was a case of suspected mrsa) and installed the patient in the private room and made her comfortable. All loose ends tied up. It made my day, I can tell you.
I am looking forward now to 2 days off, and next week looks a bit less intense as well. Hooray!
Also I donated blood today, leaving me with a lightheaded feeling (maybe not the greatest idea in the middle of a work day, but hate to make the trip to town on a day off). Anyway, I came away with a workout t-shirt which I can use at spinning tomorrow, and a bunch of iron tablets.
It was still dark, and raining when I left for work at 7 am. The day started with the night shift chewing me out (not me specifically, but as representative for yesterday's evening staff) with a long list of complaints: we hadn't made them coffee, nor cleaned up the dirty utility room, nor emptied the garbage, nor were there enouph beds, nor disinfected the isolation room etc etc. Ok, I admit that I should have checked the dirty utility room before leaving, but I am positive that the rooms where I had patients were tidy and the garbage thrown away. The isolation room could easily wait until the housekeeping staff cleaned it in the morning, and 5 beds was plenty - they hadn't even used 2 of them. So maybe they were just complaining for the sake of complaining. Still, I like to think of myself as conscientious so it is not pleasant to be accused of sloppiness.
However the day picked up when a nurse from the surgical floor on her way through, saw me and said how pleased they had been last night when I brought the isolation patient to them: they had been soooo busy, and were so gratefull that I had taken all the tests (it was a case of suspected mrsa) and installed the patient in the private room and made her comfortable. All loose ends tied up. It made my day, I can tell you.
I am looking forward now to 2 days off, and next week looks a bit less intense as well. Hooray!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Cat tales
PUSELINE
PIRIL
FLUFFY
GARFUNKLE
I got the idea to write this post this afternoon. I was sitting on the porch freezing Kale. It was a lovely warm (for the season) afternoon, with the late afternoon sunlight flooding the garden. While I worked I was watching the cats.
We have 4 cats. They are Puseline, the mother and oldest, 6 yrs old. Daughter Piril is 5 years, son Garfunkle, 4 years and newcomer Fluffy, who is 2 years. Fluffy actually belongs to Irene (as Piril belongs to Audun, except that Piril has been living here off and on since birth and all the time for the past 3 years). Since Irene can't have a cat where she is living she brought her here. Fluffy used to be an indoor cat and she absolutely loves the outdoors.
Now Puseline is the boss cat, though Piril has been challenging her constantly. The problem is that Puseline takes off for weeks and months at a time in the summer, so Piril doesn't want to give up top cat status when she comes back for the winter. This year however her sovereinty is undisputed. Piril and Fluffy are much too busy spatting between themselves.
Just now Piril went in through the cat door. Immediatly afterward Fluffy showed up from under the veranda. They had a little fight on each side of the cat door, growling and spitting and hitting the swinging flap with their paws so that it swung wildly rattling back and forth - until Topsy came to break it up.
Piril's favorite trick is to wait until Fluffy has climbed onto the roof, and then sit on the railing so that she can't get down, without landing on her. Garfunkle as the only boy, doesn't participate in all the power struggles. He just lies there and looks lordly.
I want to end this post with a memorial picture of Sebastian, who was with us for 12 years, and whom we had to have put down last winter because of a skin condition.
SEBASTIAN
PIRIL
FLUFFY
GARFUNKLE
I got the idea to write this post this afternoon. I was sitting on the porch freezing Kale. It was a lovely warm (for the season) afternoon, with the late afternoon sunlight flooding the garden. While I worked I was watching the cats.
We have 4 cats. They are Puseline, the mother and oldest, 6 yrs old. Daughter Piril is 5 years, son Garfunkle, 4 years and newcomer Fluffy, who is 2 years. Fluffy actually belongs to Irene (as Piril belongs to Audun, except that Piril has been living here off and on since birth and all the time for the past 3 years). Since Irene can't have a cat where she is living she brought her here. Fluffy used to be an indoor cat and she absolutely loves the outdoors.
Now Puseline is the boss cat, though Piril has been challenging her constantly. The problem is that Puseline takes off for weeks and months at a time in the summer, so Piril doesn't want to give up top cat status when she comes back for the winter. This year however her sovereinty is undisputed. Piril and Fluffy are much too busy spatting between themselves.
Just now Piril went in through the cat door. Immediatly afterward Fluffy showed up from under the veranda. They had a little fight on each side of the cat door, growling and spitting and hitting the swinging flap with their paws so that it swung wildly rattling back and forth - until Topsy came to break it up.
Piril's favorite trick is to wait until Fluffy has climbed onto the roof, and then sit on the railing so that she can't get down, without landing on her. Garfunkle as the only boy, doesn't participate in all the power struggles. He just lies there and looks lordly.
I want to end this post with a memorial picture of Sebastian, who was with us for 12 years, and whom we had to have put down last winter because of a skin condition.
SEBASTIAN
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Day off
Since coming home from Crete, I have either had an evening shift, been going onto or coming off a night shift. Today is my first full day off.
Woke up to frost on the grass, clear skies and a golden sunrise. Though I had to scrape ice off the car after work yesterday, this was our first frost here at home. I hurried to pack the onions which have been drying on the porch into paper bags and bring them inside, then turn off the outside water faucet so that it won't freeze.
After breakfast we took a short walk with Topsy before going to the gym. Really got my pulse up during the spinning class today. Perhaps it is a good idea to walk the dog first, so as to warm up, prior to the real work-out. It was a good workout and left me in a good mood.
While Husband was feeding his pigs I did the laundry, went shopping and started on dinner. Audun called while I was at the store. He was mystery shopping at different stores all around Mjøsa including Stange today and wanted to come by. It was so nice to see him! We haven't been in touch since Irene's birthday dinner, except for an e-mail while I was in Crete. Audun brought Ingvild home who has spent the last 2 days with her sister. The girls have their autumn break this week. We had a great visit over dinner. Audun couldn't stay long as he still had a couple of stores to do before his red cross youth meeting this evening. But was able to give him the honey and olive oil that I'd brought for him from Crete and a box of eggs.
Dinner was a new recipe: pasta primavera, though it should have been called pasta autumna as the veggies involved were cantarelles, broccoli, cauliflower, red bell pepper and the beans that I picked the other day. It was really yummy and everyone liked it.
After Audun left we walked the dog again, I sat down to knit on Irene's sweater while finishing Bridget Jones Diary , laughing myself silly over the part where she writes christmas cards while drunk. Did 45 minutes of Pilates this evening, watched an episode of Desperate Housewives and called Mother and Father, to get some advice about the absentee ballot which arrived in the mail today. I mean I know who I'm going to vote for for president, it was the other offices I needed advice on. Father told me about taking Tormod to get his drivers licence, and how he finally passed his road test.
All in all it was a good day. Tomorrow I start a series of 5 night shifts followed by a couple of evenings and a dayshift, making 9 consecutive days of work.
Woke up to frost on the grass, clear skies and a golden sunrise. Though I had to scrape ice off the car after work yesterday, this was our first frost here at home. I hurried to pack the onions which have been drying on the porch into paper bags and bring them inside, then turn off the outside water faucet so that it won't freeze.
After breakfast we took a short walk with Topsy before going to the gym. Really got my pulse up during the spinning class today. Perhaps it is a good idea to walk the dog first, so as to warm up, prior to the real work-out. It was a good workout and left me in a good mood.
While Husband was feeding his pigs I did the laundry, went shopping and started on dinner. Audun called while I was at the store. He was mystery shopping at different stores all around Mjøsa including Stange today and wanted to come by. It was so nice to see him! We haven't been in touch since Irene's birthday dinner, except for an e-mail while I was in Crete. Audun brought Ingvild home who has spent the last 2 days with her sister. The girls have their autumn break this week. We had a great visit over dinner. Audun couldn't stay long as he still had a couple of stores to do before his red cross youth meeting this evening. But was able to give him the honey and olive oil that I'd brought for him from Crete and a box of eggs.
Dinner was a new recipe: pasta primavera, though it should have been called pasta autumna as the veggies involved were cantarelles, broccoli, cauliflower, red bell pepper and the beans that I picked the other day. It was really yummy and everyone liked it.
After Audun left we walked the dog again, I sat down to knit on Irene's sweater while finishing Bridget Jones Diary , laughing myself silly over the part where she writes christmas cards while drunk. Did 45 minutes of Pilates this evening, watched an episode of Desperate Housewives and called Mother and Father, to get some advice about the absentee ballot which arrived in the mail today. I mean I know who I'm going to vote for for president, it was the other offices I needed advice on. Father told me about taking Tormod to get his drivers licence, and how he finally passed his road test.
All in all it was a good day. Tomorrow I start a series of 5 night shifts followed by a couple of evenings and a dayshift, making 9 consecutive days of work.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Sunday night
Been home for a week and it's been alternately pouring rain or sunny and windy. Yellow leaves are carpeting the lawn, and the crowns of the trees are looking more and more transparent. Tonight I think we may have our first frost. Tor changed the tires on my car before I embarked on this weekend's night shifts in order to be prepared for just such an eventuality.
I've been working non-stop since returning from Crete. There hasn't been a single day when I haven't had either an evening shift or been going on or coming off a night shift. Can't wait for payday in November. Finally I'll be able to make a decent dent in my debts. It is now clear that I will be going back to college in January. I have been accepted to the 2-year midwifery program this week. Am still waiting to hear about nurse anesthesiology and intensive care. It's exciting and a little scary. I'm hoping to continue working part time while I study so as to avvoid a huge student loan. Though I have applied for the study grant that our hospital is offering, I fear they will consider me too old.
The other day when I woke up after an day's sleep the sun was shining and I just had to get out into the garden and start some fall clean-up. I picked the last of the zuccini and made mousaka and zuccini souffle for the last time this season. Also ratatouille where I substituted thinly sliced carrots for eggplant (yuck!). I also picked the last beans, not really enough to freeze, I think I'll figure out a good dinner to make with them. The corn never did fill out enough to eat. I had to give up and pull up the stalks. Too bad. Corn is always marginal here, but usually I have managed to get 2-3 ripe ears. Dug up the carrots which are a dissapointment this year. A very few of decent size, most went to the chickens to be recycled into eggs. Also pulled up the sugar peas and threw them into the chicken run so that they can pick through them. So really, the garden is almost done. There are still lots of flowers: roses, calendula, lavatera, cornflowers, sweet peas and sunflowers blooming (that is there were sunflowers until last nights rain storm knocked them down. I'll cut off the heads for the chickens to pick through, also I still need to pull up the dill. Thought I'll give the chickens the heads of that too. Only thing left is arugula which is blooming and Kale which I will harvest and freeze tomorrow or this afternoon.
But most of my "free" time has still been involved in replacing lost cards: automobile association, insurance, library. Unfortunatly the pictures I had of the kids from when they were little and up through the years are gone forever. I went to the police station on monday and reported the theft. Cause it turns out that whoever stole the wallet went straight to the nearest ATM and withdrew kr 9900 (about $1500). I think VISA will cover it but I have had to fill out some paperwork etc. Now I'm having problems with the new VISA card: the pin only worked once and I have to call them and find out what's the matter. I can't believe how much work and bother it is to have your wallet stolen! The worst thing is how my feeling of safety is shattered. I mean, I always thought of Norway as a safe country. There are bands stealing peoples credit cards not only at the airport, but on the trains and train stations, in the supermarkets in our little town of Hamar (it was front page news in the local paper last week - that time they got caught thanks to the surveillance cameras at the cash register!) and even more disturbing, when relating my misadventure at the airport I hear stories of bag snatching and card stealing even in our little village of Stange. I cannot believe it! I felt safer in Ithaca!!!
I've been working non-stop since returning from Crete. There hasn't been a single day when I haven't had either an evening shift or been going on or coming off a night shift. Can't wait for payday in November. Finally I'll be able to make a decent dent in my debts. It is now clear that I will be going back to college in January. I have been accepted to the 2-year midwifery program this week. Am still waiting to hear about nurse anesthesiology and intensive care. It's exciting and a little scary. I'm hoping to continue working part time while I study so as to avvoid a huge student loan. Though I have applied for the study grant that our hospital is offering, I fear they will consider me too old.
The other day when I woke up after an day's sleep the sun was shining and I just had to get out into the garden and start some fall clean-up. I picked the last of the zuccini and made mousaka and zuccini souffle for the last time this season. Also ratatouille where I substituted thinly sliced carrots for eggplant (yuck!). I also picked the last beans, not really enough to freeze, I think I'll figure out a good dinner to make with them. The corn never did fill out enough to eat. I had to give up and pull up the stalks. Too bad. Corn is always marginal here, but usually I have managed to get 2-3 ripe ears. Dug up the carrots which are a dissapointment this year. A very few of decent size, most went to the chickens to be recycled into eggs. Also pulled up the sugar peas and threw them into the chicken run so that they can pick through them. So really, the garden is almost done. There are still lots of flowers: roses, calendula, lavatera, cornflowers, sweet peas and sunflowers blooming (that is there were sunflowers until last nights rain storm knocked them down. I'll cut off the heads for the chickens to pick through, also I still need to pull up the dill. Thought I'll give the chickens the heads of that too. Only thing left is arugula which is blooming and Kale which I will harvest and freeze tomorrow or this afternoon.
But most of my "free" time has still been involved in replacing lost cards: automobile association, insurance, library. Unfortunatly the pictures I had of the kids from when they were little and up through the years are gone forever. I went to the police station on monday and reported the theft. Cause it turns out that whoever stole the wallet went straight to the nearest ATM and withdrew kr 9900 (about $1500). I think VISA will cover it but I have had to fill out some paperwork etc. Now I'm having problems with the new VISA card: the pin only worked once and I have to call them and find out what's the matter. I can't believe how much work and bother it is to have your wallet stolen! The worst thing is how my feeling of safety is shattered. I mean, I always thought of Norway as a safe country. There are bands stealing peoples credit cards not only at the airport, but on the trains and train stations, in the supermarkets in our little town of Hamar (it was front page news in the local paper last week - that time they got caught thanks to the surveillance cameras at the cash register!) and even more disturbing, when relating my misadventure at the airport I hear stories of bag snatching and card stealing even in our little village of Stange. I cannot believe it! I felt safer in Ithaca!!!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Home but Robbed!
Returned home from Crete yesterday, to trees fiery with gold, yellow, and red; and a black velvet night sky, studded with stars. Not too cold either: temps are 50's.
Topsy was all excited to see us again. A happy surprise was that Puseline, who has been gone since May 1 has come back, lonely and skrawny, but bossy as ever. She and Fluffy seem to tolerate each other, occasionally hissing at each other, but otherwise ignoring each other. Fluffy was Irene's cat whom we adopted when she and her boyfriend split up. I'm sure Puseline was not pleased to see that we had taken in a strange cat, and Fluffy must have wondered at this impudent stranger just walking in and making herself at home.
My wallet got stolen at the airport. All the years travelling in Italy, Egypt, Greece, London, Paris I've escaped thieves only to have it happen in what is practically my home town! It is outrageous! I had purchased train tickets and then bought some juice and a couple of bananas, paying each time with my VISA card since I didn't have Norwegian currency. We sat for halv an hour, then 10 minutes before our train was due we went down to the track. "Do you have the tickets?" asked Tor. "They're in my wallet" I replied. That's when I noticed that the zipper to my bag was open and the wallet gone. I retraced my steps, hoping it had just fallen out and was still lying there. No such luck. Called the lost-and-found, introduced myself, and asked if anyone had turned in a wallet in the past half hour. "No," the girl said, "No wallet. What was your name again? Someone turned in two credit cards with your name!" It was my bank debit card and Master Card. The VISA card and wallet with my drivers licence and various insurance cards remained missing. What cinched it for me was that when I asked where the cards had been found it turned out to have been on an escalator in a part of the Arrivals Hall where I hadn't even been. My theory is that someone watched me use the card, made note of my PIN and then opened my bag and took the wallet out while I had my hands full of groceries.
Obviously we stopped all the cards as soon as we discovered that the wallet was gone. So now I have no credit cards and no access to my bank account, and the bank will be closed until monday. Ordered new insurance cards on the internet today, and went to the police station to get an interim drivers licence until I can order a new one from the dept of motor vehicles. Luckily I still had picture ID. My passport was in Husband's pocket, not in my wallet.
Topsy was all excited to see us again. A happy surprise was that Puseline, who has been gone since May 1 has come back, lonely and skrawny, but bossy as ever. She and Fluffy seem to tolerate each other, occasionally hissing at each other, but otherwise ignoring each other. Fluffy was Irene's cat whom we adopted when she and her boyfriend split up. I'm sure Puseline was not pleased to see that we had taken in a strange cat, and Fluffy must have wondered at this impudent stranger just walking in and making herself at home.
My wallet got stolen at the airport. All the years travelling in Italy, Egypt, Greece, London, Paris I've escaped thieves only to have it happen in what is practically my home town! It is outrageous! I had purchased train tickets and then bought some juice and a couple of bananas, paying each time with my VISA card since I didn't have Norwegian currency. We sat for halv an hour, then 10 minutes before our train was due we went down to the track. "Do you have the tickets?" asked Tor. "They're in my wallet" I replied. That's when I noticed that the zipper to my bag was open and the wallet gone. I retraced my steps, hoping it had just fallen out and was still lying there. No such luck. Called the lost-and-found, introduced myself, and asked if anyone had turned in a wallet in the past half hour. "No," the girl said, "No wallet. What was your name again? Someone turned in two credit cards with your name!" It was my bank debit card and Master Card. The VISA card and wallet with my drivers licence and various insurance cards remained missing. What cinched it for me was that when I asked where the cards had been found it turned out to have been on an escalator in a part of the Arrivals Hall where I hadn't even been. My theory is that someone watched me use the card, made note of my PIN and then opened my bag and took the wallet out while I had my hands full of groceries.
Obviously we stopped all the cards as soon as we discovered that the wallet was gone. So now I have no credit cards and no access to my bank account, and the bank will be closed until monday. Ordered new insurance cards on the internet today, and went to the police station to get an interim drivers licence until I can order a new one from the dept of motor vehicles. Luckily I still had picture ID. My passport was in Husband's pocket, not in my wallet.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Crete - September 19 to 26th
Friday
Left at 4 o'clock this morning to go to the airport. Husband is sick with fever, chest congestion, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhea. Great start to our vacation! Actually we were going to get up at 3:15 but overslept. Luckily we woke up when Irene came in. She took us to the airport and is borrowing the car. We made good time. The roads are deserted so early in the morning. Plenty of bustle at the airport, though. Seems that 5am is when things start taking off there (ha ha, no pun intended)
Wonderful arriving in Crete with 80 degrees and sun! The hills around the airport all dry and brown, dotted with the occasional tree. After retrieving our bags we sat on the buss for 45 minutes to Georgioupolis, once a sleepy little fishing village, now a pleasant tourist village. Our hotel is 50 yrds from the beach, and our room is on the 3rd floor overlooking the village and mountains behind.
Spent the afternoon exploring. Found Anna's market where I used to shop when I visited here 10 years ago. Now she sells olive oil and honey from her own farm and local sheeps cheese. We stocked up on basics for breakfast and lunch, like yogurt, honey, fruit (peaches, grapes and oranges seem to be in season and are incredibly sweet and juicy!). We also found a bakery that carries our favorite greek pastries: galactoburetico and baklava.
We walked along the beach and the harbor, looked into different shops selling gold and silver, leather, herbs, and clothes.
Had the best dinner of the whole week this first night: tuna salad with a tropical sauce, and a plate of broiled octopus pieces. A bunch of sweet golden grapes for desert.
Saturday
Varying weather today: partly cloudy, showers, gusts of wind that toppled the parasols by the pool right over the wall, and knocked down the stands outside of shops. This morning we walked the entire lenght of the beach, about 6 miles and back. Took us 2 hrs and 20 minutes. Finished off with a swim in the ocean which is nice and warm, about 80 degrees. Had to cross a couple of streams where they empty into the sea. The water was much colder there. Spent much of the day napping. Husband still has fever and I feel like I'm coming down with a cold now too.
It was raining when we went to have dinner so we ate at the hotel restaurant's buffet. Inexpensive, food ok.
Sunday
It was sunny this morning. We walked up to Kournas Lake, a 2 1/2 mile walk along the road. As soon as we crossed the highway the surroundings became quite rural. We passed olive groves and vineyards, saw chickens, sheep and goats in farmyards. The lake itself is surrounded by tavernas on the one side, and paddleboats to rent. On the other the wild hills rise straight up towards the mountains with brush and grazing sheep. We walked along the edge, as far as you can get (the guide books say that you can walk around the lake, which is blatently untrue. Possibly you could wade around but the bottom is very muddy. Not at all pleasant. Still we saw some of the turtles that live in the lake. Husband had a swim. He is almost well now, whereas I have a horrible cold with couph and runny nose, so am staying out of the water. Had our lunch of bread and cheese, sharing some with the geese who hang out on the taverna side of the lake hoping for handouts.
It was clouding over as we made ready to leave and the first drops of rain began falling as we walked back down toward the village. When we got back we napped while a veritable downpour was going on outside. Otherwise the afternoon was cloudy. I felt like shit. The bus trip we had signed up for tomorrow got cancelled due to more rain on the forecast. We went to eat at cheaper seafood place but it wasn't as good. The salad was drowned in a sharp mustard sauce that almost disguised the fact that the cucumbers tasted of nothing. The shrimp (boiled then grilled) were served with the shells on. Now what is the point of grilling boiled shrimp in the shell? Tried giving the restaurant cat the heads (every restaurant seems to have a cat, but she deserted us for another guest who had brought whiskas!
Monday
Rented a car, a little citroen. I was still feeling lousy, so we decided to drop visiting beaches and head up into the hills. Unfortunatly we got all the cloudy weather. I had the feeling that it was sunny on the coast. For some reason all the roads seem to run north-south. Even in the lowlands it is virtually impossible to go from east to west without zigzagging north and south, looking for the connecting roads that exist here and there. Even so you end up having to get onto the "New Road", and ugly highway that runs the length of the north coast from east to west, now and then. We had gotten a map with the car. In the hills, the roads are very curvy even where the map shows straight lines. Where the map shows sqiggles you have the most horrendous hairpin turns. We had a bit of a scare once when the brakes locked the wheels in the middle of one of these and we went skidding into the opposite lane. Luckily there was no oncoming traffic just then.
Anyway, we drove around in the hills for a while, through small villages with narrow streets between the houses, and with sheep, goats, donkeys, and vegetable patches in fenced terraces in between them. Ended up in Argiroupolis, where an elderly couple took us into their shop/home and explained how the present day village is superimposed upon the ancient Roman town of Lappa. Walking around the village you can find an ancient roman arch here, a doorway there, a mosaic, an excavation, and a church from the 13th century with some beautifull icons. The elderly couple spoke german, having lived in Germany for a number of years. They served us greek coffee, thick and sweet, with a plate of grapes, and showed us the cards and letters from German and Norwegian tourists that they had gotten over the years. We bought a piece of embroidery and a liter of olive oil from them.
Next we drove to the central mountains of Crete to visit a famous cave near the village of Zonania. The cave is 270 m long, and 150 m are open to the public, where you can see the most fantastic stalagtites and stalagmites that glitter. The cave is also home to several species of bat, though these live in the isolated part of the cave where it is dark.
Tuesday
Sunny this morning. Husband went running on the beach this morning, I sat reading, then watched the sunrise. It was fairly cool so that the water seemed deliciously warm when we took our sunrise swim. You can rent paddleboats or kayaks to take up the river that empties into Georgioupolis harbor. We took the kayaks and paddled up the river. Almost immediatly all sight and sound of civilization died away, and we were surrounded by tall reeds, and the branches of trees hanging low over the water and colored dragonflies flitting about. The stream was very clear and quite deep, but not too fast. We saw an egret or heron, I'm not sure which, and also a kingfisher and several turtles. It was one of the nicest things we did during this week. So peacefull and quiet!
Later in the day it clouded over. We went shopping. I had managed to lose my sunhat and had to but a new one. Husband bought me a silver necklace with a blue opal in it. I bought him a new wallet and a pair of shorts. We also bought presents for the kids and for Husband's niece and nephew.
In the evening we found a family restaurant where the food was delicious and relatively inexpensive, also they take VISA, which is important as we are running out of cash. The cucumbers and tomatoes in the salad were filled with flavor, and we were served a whole broiled octopus. Cool!
For desert we had a traditional cheese filled pancake with honey, something Husband had read about and wanted to try. The atmosphere was nice as well. It is fun to sit and watch the greek way of life. When there are lot's of customers they work hard, but when it is quiet, they don't go around doing make-work, but rather sit and pass the time of day over a beer. The take-out driver would get on his motorbike (no helmet of course) with the bag of food in one hand, and driving with the other. The waitress stood in the middle of the intersection to talk with a friend in a passing car. Cars behind did not get irritated and honk because of the conversation in the middle of the road. They just carefully edged past and around them.
Wednesday
Totally fantastic day, with clear sunny skies all day! We went hiking in Samaria Gorge today. The bus ride over the Lefka Ori Mountains was amazing. That a bus can even negotioate the switchbacks! It can become problematic when meeting an oncoming bus, but somehow they seem to coordinate and get past each other.
The hike is 16 km and can be described in 4 stages:
1. The path zig-zags down through pine, cypress, and cedar forest from 1200 m to the riverbed below. Through the trees the chalk cliffs gleam white.
2. The path follows the river bed, which was mostly dry. There are 2 major rest areas. At the first there is a little church built near the site of a Roman place of worship. The second is at the site of Samaria Village from which the inhabitants were forced to move when the area became a national park. You still see olive and fig trees, plots surrounded by stone walls. A few buildings are not ruined. The medical station is here. The gorge is entirely inaccessible to motor vehicles. We saw workmenn building restbuildings and around about stood several donkeys, some loaded with equipment, some saddled. Donkeys are the only mode of transportation in the gorge other than walking.
3. Entering the gorge itself. The walls are now perpendicular, hundreds of meters high, the path goes in the dry riverbed itself, which is why the gorge is closed during the rainy season. At the narrowest the cliffs are only 3m apart. The water that pours through the gorge in winter can be so violent that one year it swept away a village at it's end.
4. When you come out of the gorge you meet a few tavernas, rebuilt from the washed out village. There are still barns for sheep and goats here, but the people have moved a mile or so down to the coast and built the new village of Agia Roumeli.
In Agia Roumeli we treated ourselves to an ice-cream first, and then to a swim in the Lybian sea. The sand is black and course.
The village is tiny, but has a few hotels and tavernas. We had our dinner while waiting for the boat: tuna salad, and grilled rabbit. Agia Roumeli is landlocked, without any roads. There are boats from April 1 to Oct 31. A dozen or so people stay there over the winter. There is a helipad for emergencies. It would be really interesting to spend the winter there some time! Anyway, at 6pm we took the boat to another coastal town from which the bus took us back over the mountains to the northern shore. About riding the bus on the mountain roads of Crete all I can say is: who needs a roller coaster.
Thursday
Our last day in Crete. It was cloudy this morning. I had an appointment to get my hair cut (only 12 Euro, compared to 30 in Norway) at 9:30. At 9:20 the shop was still closed. At 9:25 a swedish woman came with her little boy and joined me on the front steps. She also had an appointment for 9:30. We talked while we waited. She has been living in Crete for 7 years. Works as a real estate agent. At 9:40 the owner of the store showed up. Still nothing happened until her assistant came at 10am. We talked while she cut my hair. She says the weather this week has been unusual for september, and told me about the time in february 2004 when it snowed for 24 hrs leaving 3' of snow lying on the beach followed by a 3 day power outage. No one could remember snow actually lying on the ground. I told her we had been to Samaria. She said she would never do that, because she has to be on her feet all day. She did once do a long walk though, she told me. She had promised the virgin Mary to walk 24 km up to a church if a friend of hers who had been in a car crash survived. The friend survived, and the lady did the walk. It took her 8 hrs, and she said the next day she wasn't at all tired. So maybe it is a question of motivation.
By the time I was done with my hair the sun was out, so we packed up our snorkling gear and found a sheltered cove by the rocks where we could float in the water watching the fish. We saw several different kinds, as well as sea urchins and snails.
Tired this afternoon. Legs aching from yesterday's hike. I can hardly walk down stairs. Took a hot bath, and a nap which helped tremendously.
Left at 4 o'clock this morning to go to the airport. Husband is sick with fever, chest congestion, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhea. Great start to our vacation! Actually we were going to get up at 3:15 but overslept. Luckily we woke up when Irene came in. She took us to the airport and is borrowing the car. We made good time. The roads are deserted so early in the morning. Plenty of bustle at the airport, though. Seems that 5am is when things start taking off there (ha ha, no pun intended)
Wonderful arriving in Crete with 80 degrees and sun! The hills around the airport all dry and brown, dotted with the occasional tree. After retrieving our bags we sat on the buss for 45 minutes to Georgioupolis, once a sleepy little fishing village, now a pleasant tourist village. Our hotel is 50 yrds from the beach, and our room is on the 3rd floor overlooking the village and mountains behind.
Spent the afternoon exploring. Found Anna's market where I used to shop when I visited here 10 years ago. Now she sells olive oil and honey from her own farm and local sheeps cheese. We stocked up on basics for breakfast and lunch, like yogurt, honey, fruit (peaches, grapes and oranges seem to be in season and are incredibly sweet and juicy!). We also found a bakery that carries our favorite greek pastries: galactoburetico and baklava.
We walked along the beach and the harbor, looked into different shops selling gold and silver, leather, herbs, and clothes.
Had the best dinner of the whole week this first night: tuna salad with a tropical sauce, and a plate of broiled octopus pieces. A bunch of sweet golden grapes for desert.
Saturday
Varying weather today: partly cloudy, showers, gusts of wind that toppled the parasols by the pool right over the wall, and knocked down the stands outside of shops. This morning we walked the entire lenght of the beach, about 6 miles and back. Took us 2 hrs and 20 minutes. Finished off with a swim in the ocean which is nice and warm, about 80 degrees. Had to cross a couple of streams where they empty into the sea. The water was much colder there. Spent much of the day napping. Husband still has fever and I feel like I'm coming down with a cold now too.
It was raining when we went to have dinner so we ate at the hotel restaurant's buffet. Inexpensive, food ok.
Sunday
It was sunny this morning. We walked up to Kournas Lake, a 2 1/2 mile walk along the road. As soon as we crossed the highway the surroundings became quite rural. We passed olive groves and vineyards, saw chickens, sheep and goats in farmyards. The lake itself is surrounded by tavernas on the one side, and paddleboats to rent. On the other the wild hills rise straight up towards the mountains with brush and grazing sheep. We walked along the edge, as far as you can get (the guide books say that you can walk around the lake, which is blatently untrue. Possibly you could wade around but the bottom is very muddy. Not at all pleasant. Still we saw some of the turtles that live in the lake. Husband had a swim. He is almost well now, whereas I have a horrible cold with couph and runny nose, so am staying out of the water. Had our lunch of bread and cheese, sharing some with the geese who hang out on the taverna side of the lake hoping for handouts.
It was clouding over as we made ready to leave and the first drops of rain began falling as we walked back down toward the village. When we got back we napped while a veritable downpour was going on outside. Otherwise the afternoon was cloudy. I felt like shit. The bus trip we had signed up for tomorrow got cancelled due to more rain on the forecast. We went to eat at cheaper seafood place but it wasn't as good. The salad was drowned in a sharp mustard sauce that almost disguised the fact that the cucumbers tasted of nothing. The shrimp (boiled then grilled) were served with the shells on. Now what is the point of grilling boiled shrimp in the shell? Tried giving the restaurant cat the heads (every restaurant seems to have a cat, but she deserted us for another guest who had brought whiskas!
Monday
Rented a car, a little citroen. I was still feeling lousy, so we decided to drop visiting beaches and head up into the hills. Unfortunatly we got all the cloudy weather. I had the feeling that it was sunny on the coast. For some reason all the roads seem to run north-south. Even in the lowlands it is virtually impossible to go from east to west without zigzagging north and south, looking for the connecting roads that exist here and there. Even so you end up having to get onto the "New Road", and ugly highway that runs the length of the north coast from east to west, now and then. We had gotten a map with the car. In the hills, the roads are very curvy even where the map shows straight lines. Where the map shows sqiggles you have the most horrendous hairpin turns. We had a bit of a scare once when the brakes locked the wheels in the middle of one of these and we went skidding into the opposite lane. Luckily there was no oncoming traffic just then.
Anyway, we drove around in the hills for a while, through small villages with narrow streets between the houses, and with sheep, goats, donkeys, and vegetable patches in fenced terraces in between them. Ended up in Argiroupolis, where an elderly couple took us into their shop/home and explained how the present day village is superimposed upon the ancient Roman town of Lappa. Walking around the village you can find an ancient roman arch here, a doorway there, a mosaic, an excavation, and a church from the 13th century with some beautifull icons. The elderly couple spoke german, having lived in Germany for a number of years. They served us greek coffee, thick and sweet, with a plate of grapes, and showed us the cards and letters from German and Norwegian tourists that they had gotten over the years. We bought a piece of embroidery and a liter of olive oil from them.
Next we drove to the central mountains of Crete to visit a famous cave near the village of Zonania. The cave is 270 m long, and 150 m are open to the public, where you can see the most fantastic stalagtites and stalagmites that glitter. The cave is also home to several species of bat, though these live in the isolated part of the cave where it is dark.
Tuesday
Sunny this morning. Husband went running on the beach this morning, I sat reading, then watched the sunrise. It was fairly cool so that the water seemed deliciously warm when we took our sunrise swim. You can rent paddleboats or kayaks to take up the river that empties into Georgioupolis harbor. We took the kayaks and paddled up the river. Almost immediatly all sight and sound of civilization died away, and we were surrounded by tall reeds, and the branches of trees hanging low over the water and colored dragonflies flitting about. The stream was very clear and quite deep, but not too fast. We saw an egret or heron, I'm not sure which, and also a kingfisher and several turtles. It was one of the nicest things we did during this week. So peacefull and quiet!
Later in the day it clouded over. We went shopping. I had managed to lose my sunhat and had to but a new one. Husband bought me a silver necklace with a blue opal in it. I bought him a new wallet and a pair of shorts. We also bought presents for the kids and for Husband's niece and nephew.
In the evening we found a family restaurant where the food was delicious and relatively inexpensive, also they take VISA, which is important as we are running out of cash. The cucumbers and tomatoes in the salad were filled with flavor, and we were served a whole broiled octopus. Cool!
For desert we had a traditional cheese filled pancake with honey, something Husband had read about and wanted to try. The atmosphere was nice as well. It is fun to sit and watch the greek way of life. When there are lot's of customers they work hard, but when it is quiet, they don't go around doing make-work, but rather sit and pass the time of day over a beer. The take-out driver would get on his motorbike (no helmet of course) with the bag of food in one hand, and driving with the other. The waitress stood in the middle of the intersection to talk with a friend in a passing car. Cars behind did not get irritated and honk because of the conversation in the middle of the road. They just carefully edged past and around them.Wednesday
Totally fantastic day, with clear sunny skies all day! We went hiking in Samaria Gorge today. The bus ride over the Lefka Ori Mountains was amazing. That a bus can even negotioate the switchbacks! It can become problematic when meeting an oncoming bus, but somehow they seem to coordinate and get past each other.
The hike is 16 km and can be described in 4 stages:
1. The path zig-zags down through pine, cypress, and cedar forest from 1200 m to the riverbed below. Through the trees the chalk cliffs gleam white.
2. The path follows the river bed, which was mostly dry. There are 2 major rest areas. At the first there is a little church built near the site of a Roman place of worship. The second is at the site of Samaria Village from which the inhabitants were forced to move when the area became a national park. You still see olive and fig trees, plots surrounded by stone walls. A few buildings are not ruined. The medical station is here. The gorge is entirely inaccessible to motor vehicles. We saw workmenn building restbuildings and around about stood several donkeys, some loaded with equipment, some saddled. Donkeys are the only mode of transportation in the gorge other than walking.
3. Entering the gorge itself. The walls are now perpendicular, hundreds of meters high, the path goes in the dry riverbed itself, which is why the gorge is closed during the rainy season. At the narrowest the cliffs are only 3m apart. The water that pours through the gorge in winter can be so violent that one year it swept away a village at it's end.
4. When you come out of the gorge you meet a few tavernas, rebuilt from the washed out village. There are still barns for sheep and goats here, but the people have moved a mile or so down to the coast and built the new village of Agia Roumeli.
In Agia Roumeli we treated ourselves to an ice-cream first, and then to a swim in the Lybian sea. The sand is black and course.
The village is tiny, but has a few hotels and tavernas. We had our dinner while waiting for the boat: tuna salad, and grilled rabbit. Agia Roumeli is landlocked, without any roads. There are boats from April 1 to Oct 31. A dozen or so people stay there over the winter. There is a helipad for emergencies. It would be really interesting to spend the winter there some time! Anyway, at 6pm we took the boat to another coastal town from which the bus took us back over the mountains to the northern shore. About riding the bus on the mountain roads of Crete all I can say is: who needs a roller coaster.Thursday
Our last day in Crete. It was cloudy this morning. I had an appointment to get my hair cut (only 12 Euro, compared to 30 in Norway) at 9:30. At 9:20 the shop was still closed. At 9:25 a swedish woman came with her little boy and joined me on the front steps. She also had an appointment for 9:30. We talked while we waited. She has been living in Crete for 7 years. Works as a real estate agent. At 9:40 the owner of the store showed up. Still nothing happened until her assistant came at 10am. We talked while she cut my hair. She says the weather this week has been unusual for september, and told me about the time in february 2004 when it snowed for 24 hrs leaving 3' of snow lying on the beach followed by a 3 day power outage. No one could remember snow actually lying on the ground. I told her we had been to Samaria. She said she would never do that, because she has to be on her feet all day. She did once do a long walk though, she told me. She had promised the virgin Mary to walk 24 km up to a church if a friend of hers who had been in a car crash survived. The friend survived, and the lady did the walk. It took her 8 hrs, and she said the next day she wasn't at all tired. So maybe it is a question of motivation.
By the time I was done with my hair the sun was out, so we packed up our snorkling gear and found a sheltered cove by the rocks where we could float in the water watching the fish. We saw several different kinds, as well as sea urchins and snails.
Tired this afternoon. Legs aching from yesterday's hike. I can hardly walk down stairs. Took a hot bath, and a nap which helped tremendously.
Monday, September 15, 2008
New Beginnings
In August the weather turned cool and rainy. There was suddenly a feeling of autumn in the air. Here and there the trees became tinged with yellow or red, the mountain ash hung heavy with red berries.
There are 3 major areas in which I feel the need for new beginnings: One is my career, one is preparation for old age and the third is finding an anchor in a larger reality than the physical which is inexorably winding down.
I enjoy following my childrens progress into adulthood:
Audun has embarked on a long distance relationship with a girl in Bosnia.
Tormod is in USA working to get a foothold in a career in Security.
Irene has spit up with her boyfriend and moved into her own place, and has gone back to High School to finish her High School Diploma, and her new interrest: hiking and camping.
Ingvild is learning to juggle school and a new job on weekends and afternoons at a cafe in Stange.
Cancer. It seems to be all around. Father is actually doing pretty well. Mother and Father have decided on staying at the farm. My mother-in-law however is experiencing a relapse of her breast cancer 10 years after she had her masectomy. There is new growth in the lymph nodes as well as metastases in the lungs. The good news is that it is a slow growing type of cancer. She has started hormone therapy which is supposed to keep it in check.
Tor is doing well with his pigs. The first lot were a handfull and quite rough, biting and charging him when he tried to clean their pens. Now, with the second lot he has learned organize their care around their character, feeding first so that they are busy eating when he is cleaning their pens, then they are satisfied and tired when he comes to give injections or tag their ears and so avoids the whole circus. But his mothers illness has been a source of some stress and worry. Hopefully a week in Crete will help him wind down.
In orienteering I have been practicing A-level courses. They are considerably harder than I am used to. In one 3.5 km course I spent 2hrs because I managed to turn the map upside down at the 3rd to last controll ending up at the opposite end of the map from where I should have been. As I made my way back and further toward the goal the sun shone lower and lower through the trees and I began to fantasize what I would do if I was still wandering about in the woods when it got dark...
At another training where I spent 90 minutes it was pouring rain so badly, and the clouds were so dark that I could hardly read the map, and ended up missing the last controll. However I signed up for the Veteran Championships in my age group. First time ever. The course was only 3.1 km so I thought I'd be ok, until I realized that I was one of the latest starters. About half way through I stopped seeing other orienteers in the woods, but still heard the loudspeaker system from the goal area. As I approached the goal (there were 3 controls right in the area around the goal) the loudspeakers became quiet. When I finally ran to the finish at 1hr and 40 min I was the absolute last person in. In fact Tor told me that they had asked him about 10 minutes earlier whether they should send a search party out to look for me!
There are 3 areas of my own life where I feel a need for new beginnings.
The first is my career:
I'm thinking of applying for further education. I will be 50 in the spring. It feels like now or never. Sept 1 is the deadline for Midwifery school, Oct 1 for nurse anesthesiology and intensive care. And possibly in November it will be possible to apply for emergency care nursing...
The second is health and fitness:
I continue to gain weight. Am now 20 lbs over my comfort weight of 20 years. I've been having problems with a muscle or tendon or something in my arm as well. The doctor said weight lifting would help as strenghthening the surrounding muscles would protect the hurting one. And again, I think of the fact that I am pushing 50, and menopause cannot be far away. So - I have started a regime of (nearly) daily resistance training and pilates, with handweights, resistance band, and excersize ball. Also since September first I am going to the gym a few times a week for spinning classes, as the orienteering season is winding down. I worry that worrying about weight, etc makes me superficial. However my body is the instrument I have for this life and if I don't take care of it especially now that the aging process can be expected to accellerate I would be limiting my possibilities for contributing in the world.
The third is spirituality:
I keep getting the feeling that life will be over in a few years, and I don't know if there is anything after, or if there has been any point to anything. Is my experience just subjective or is there some lasting meaning? Is life just a phase and death a threshhold to a different existance with new adventures and tasks or is it all nothing. I cannot live ignoring this need to get things into perspective any longer. To this end I have begun reading Emanuell, a book my godfather sent me many years ago. Also I have started going to First Class again after a 15 year break. I am trying to take 5-10 minutes 3 times a day for excersises in relaxation, visualization, meditation, concentration etc, using techniques from the Silva method, anthroposophy etc. Finally I have started rereading and reworking the 7 Habits of highly effective people by Stephen Covey.
There are 3 major areas in which I feel the need for new beginnings: One is my career, one is preparation for old age and the third is finding an anchor in a larger reality than the physical which is inexorably winding down.
I enjoy following my childrens progress into adulthood:
Audun has embarked on a long distance relationship with a girl in Bosnia.
Tormod is in USA working to get a foothold in a career in Security.
Irene has spit up with her boyfriend and moved into her own place, and has gone back to High School to finish her High School Diploma, and her new interrest: hiking and camping.
Ingvild is learning to juggle school and a new job on weekends and afternoons at a cafe in Stange.
Cancer. It seems to be all around. Father is actually doing pretty well. Mother and Father have decided on staying at the farm. My mother-in-law however is experiencing a relapse of her breast cancer 10 years after she had her masectomy. There is new growth in the lymph nodes as well as metastases in the lungs. The good news is that it is a slow growing type of cancer. She has started hormone therapy which is supposed to keep it in check.
Tor is doing well with his pigs. The first lot were a handfull and quite rough, biting and charging him when he tried to clean their pens. Now, with the second lot he has learned organize their care around their character, feeding first so that they are busy eating when he is cleaning their pens, then they are satisfied and tired when he comes to give injections or tag their ears and so avoids the whole circus. But his mothers illness has been a source of some stress and worry. Hopefully a week in Crete will help him wind down.
In orienteering I have been practicing A-level courses. They are considerably harder than I am used to. In one 3.5 km course I spent 2hrs because I managed to turn the map upside down at the 3rd to last controll ending up at the opposite end of the map from where I should have been. As I made my way back and further toward the goal the sun shone lower and lower through the trees and I began to fantasize what I would do if I was still wandering about in the woods when it got dark...
At another training where I spent 90 minutes it was pouring rain so badly, and the clouds were so dark that I could hardly read the map, and ended up missing the last controll. However I signed up for the Veteran Championships in my age group. First time ever. The course was only 3.1 km so I thought I'd be ok, until I realized that I was one of the latest starters. About half way through I stopped seeing other orienteers in the woods, but still heard the loudspeaker system from the goal area. As I approached the goal (there were 3 controls right in the area around the goal) the loudspeakers became quiet. When I finally ran to the finish at 1hr and 40 min I was the absolute last person in. In fact Tor told me that they had asked him about 10 minutes earlier whether they should send a search party out to look for me!
There are 3 areas of my own life where I feel a need for new beginnings.
The first is my career:
I'm thinking of applying for further education. I will be 50 in the spring. It feels like now or never. Sept 1 is the deadline for Midwifery school, Oct 1 for nurse anesthesiology and intensive care. And possibly in November it will be possible to apply for emergency care nursing...
The second is health and fitness:
I continue to gain weight. Am now 20 lbs over my comfort weight of 20 years. I've been having problems with a muscle or tendon or something in my arm as well. The doctor said weight lifting would help as strenghthening the surrounding muscles would protect the hurting one. And again, I think of the fact that I am pushing 50, and menopause cannot be far away. So - I have started a regime of (nearly) daily resistance training and pilates, with handweights, resistance band, and excersize ball. Also since September first I am going to the gym a few times a week for spinning classes, as the orienteering season is winding down. I worry that worrying about weight, etc makes me superficial. However my body is the instrument I have for this life and if I don't take care of it especially now that the aging process can be expected to accellerate I would be limiting my possibilities for contributing in the world.
The third is spirituality:
I keep getting the feeling that life will be over in a few years, and I don't know if there is anything after, or if there has been any point to anything. Is my experience just subjective or is there some lasting meaning? Is life just a phase and death a threshhold to a different existance with new adventures and tasks or is it all nothing. I cannot live ignoring this need to get things into perspective any longer. To this end I have begun reading Emanuell, a book my godfather sent me many years ago. Also I have started going to First Class again after a 15 year break. I am trying to take 5-10 minutes 3 times a day for excersises in relaxation, visualization, meditation, concentration etc, using techniques from the Silva method, anthroposophy etc. Finally I have started rereading and reworking the 7 Habits of highly effective people by Stephen Covey.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Hiking in Jotunheimen
This weekend we drove up into the mountains. We stayed in a cabin that our friends Nils N and MaryAnn have by a lake above the tree line. We love to come here. It is so peaceful. Goats and cows from summer farms along the lake roam freely. People come here to fish or to enjoy the wildness of the surroundings. The cabin is primitive: no electricity or running water. We bring our drinking water with us, and fetch washing water from the lake. We cook on a small 2 burner propane stove, and keep food cool by setting it in the shade of the cabin walls or in a water bath.
We had come to do the classical hike on Besseggen, an narrow ridge of rock between two mountain lakes. Early in the morning (7:30) we took the boat to Memurubu, a mountain lodge where from which we would start our hike. In honor of the Saint Olav's Day celebrations there was to be a dance and a picnic of whole roast reindeer. We hadn't come to party though.
You can see that Gjende lake is below the treeline, at 980m. We quickly climbed above it though. The pictures above and below are views along our path.
The lake above had large patches of snow around it. We saw a flock of reindeer on one of these patches on the other side of the lake. What was fascinating was how the lake overflowed into a stream which cascaded down the mountainside to Gjende Lake below.
Above you can see Knutshø on the right, and the Leirungå river valley. One of our most memorable hikes a couple of years ago was over Knutshø and then along it's foot at the edge of the valley.
Here you have Besseggen itself, the narrow ridge, whose summit is at 1740m. Above we have it before us. Below we are looking back on the ridge.
Once we had reached the top of the ridge we had to cross what seemed to be an endless stony landscape before coming back down at the end of Gjende Lake to the place from which the boat had taken us in the morning.
Coming down the final descent at the end of the 6 hr hike. My feet are aching so bad! But it was nothing that a couple of aspirin and a hot foot bath couldn't remedy.
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