Mineral water

In the South in the States, if you ask for a Coke, the response is something like "what kind?" Because Coke means a soft drink (or soda, or pop as one might call it). Similar in Norway. In some regions, the phrase "mineralvann" (mineral water) means any kind of soda. Which really threw me the first time. I thought I was going to get a Perrier, but instead they kept asking me what I wanted to drink.

mouth-watering.... water

Of the 20 countries I have been to, Norway has (hands-down) the most pure and delicious, mouth-watering WATER. The best beverage is the complimentary one that streams pure and clean through the faucet.

saw

Our neighbor was pregnant, past her due date, and Charlotte thought it was time for the baby to come out. She said how do we get the baby out? I told her something way too practical, like it happens naturally when the baby is ready. She asked in return, "maybe we should get the saw?"

a different ice cream truck

It is ice cream trucking with a twist... over here packages of ice cream are sold (usually 12 or more per package) rather than individual treats. The variety is more basic - no pushup pops, rocket pops, sno cones, and the yummy sorbet with the gumball at the bottom. But the vanilla and chocolate pops are delicious!

throw a party

On a long train ride yesterday, Charlotte shows Brian with her three fingers how old she will be this year. Brian naturally asks, "will you throw a party?" and Charlotte replies "No, I not throw up. I am very not sick now."

hole in the middle

Reb and Brian commented that the Norwegian coin with a value of 1 krone that has a hole in the middle is neat. I remember my mom saying the same when she visited. And I have never thought about it, but it is neat. How can there be things so obvious yet we just don't notice? Like Little Denmark. There is a little tiny island just off the shore of the town Sandvika near where we live. I drive the stretch of road that passes the island every single day, sometimes multiple times a day. But I never noticed there was an island there. On Denmark's national holiday, there were some Danes celebrating on the little island. I had a friend in the car as we drove past and she said it looks like there is a party at Little Denmark. I look out the window and am dismayed to find there is an island there that I have never once noticed!

sankthans

Last Tuesday was mid-summer night - or Sankthansaften as it is called here - which is celebrated mostly on the water or the beach. We were lucky to get out on the water and see the "baal" (bonfires) dotting the shore, see all the other boats (it was a solid traffic jam out there), and participate in the pagan indulgence that is good food, good friends, sun, and swimming on the longest day of the year. Of course this used to be a Christian, religious celebration that has now turned into more of a beach and boat party. Charlotte got to sit out on the front of the boat with me, so her day was complete.

My professor

I am the proud wife of a PhD. A doctor. A professor. And the latest souvenir of my talented spouse is a chapter in the book Advanced Millimeter-wave Technologies. So, if and when you get your hands on the book, check out chapter 12 "MEMS Devices for Antenna Applications." And though, if like me, you may not understand a word of it, you will be just as proud of the author.

milestone

I will have mastered Norwegian when I pass the 4th milestone. But today is a celebration of the 2nd milestone. I can read and understand the Norwegian newspaper! I celebrated the milestone by investing in a 14-week subscription to Norway's premier newspaper Aftenposten. I no longer have to rely on New York Times, though it must be consulted to get a pulse on America now and then. Milestone #1? Eating lunch with colleagues and actually following what they are saying, not just nodding and laughing and then saying "huh?" when the conversational abruptly charges in my direction. Milestone #3 and #4 are a ways a way. #3 - dreaming in Norwegian. #4 - having a sense of humor and making jokes in Norwegian. It will be years before I can really have my own personality in the language. And it may be an eternity before I can make jokes, because I never mastered that in English to begin with!

a good neighbor

I am not so sure location, location, location is what real estate and owning a home is all about. I think it may be all about neighbors. Good neighbors. With them, life is much easier no matter what the location. We are lucky to have good neighbors all around us. Quiet neighbors, helpful neighbors, neighbors with kids who play with Charlotte, neighbors who watch our for our place when we are gone, who take turns with us to shovel snow in winter and weed in the Summer. Yes, it is all about neighbors, neighbors, neighbors.

de negen straatjes

Or "the 9 streets." This is in the center of Amsterdam where three canals and the streets around them make up 9 streets famous for specialty shops and a "gezellig" atmosphere. Best experienced by bike first to feel like a local and get your bearings, and then by foot to get a closer look. I fell for the charm of this area and nearly all of Amsterdam really, on my recent trip. Dutch do it right.

Make a house a home

Scandinavians have a natural talent for design and decor. When you come for a visit at a Scandinavian home, you will typically be greeted by candles outside the front door or along the path leading to the door, you will sometimes be offered slippers to wear when you enter (shoes are always removed), you will be given a drink and bite to eat (coffee and cake, or a meal perhaps), the candles around the house will be lit, often fresh flowers will adorn the interior, and your host will make sure your glass is full, that you do not lift a finger when it comes to cleaning up. All that is expected of you is to converse and enjoy yourself.

New creation

When Kimmie was here, she created a new sandwich... open faced of course... slice of whole grain bread, brown cheese (Norwegian thing), slice of ham, lettuce and tomato. She swears it was good!

skiiing on the front page

Cross-country skiing is a big deal in Norwegian culture. It is so big, that opinions about it and developments about it make the front page of the biggest newspaper in Norway. I am becoming so used to it that I do not think twice, but it is really something! Kids ski at daycare... they strap on their skis and walk around the yard when they have outside play. They do the same throughout grade school. And there are several ski days throughout the year where all students go skiing all day. Cross-country skiers who win races are heroes here. But when I ski, everyone just tells me I need to improve my technique.

saarri

I learned yesterday that this is how to spell 'sorry' in Norwegian. I just spelled it the American way the whole time unknowingly.

Murray had a yellow lamp

Name that famous nursery rhyme. Or rather, that famous nursery rhyme as sung by a 2 year-old with a very strong Norwegian accent.

sour cream

I find that over here, there are endless ways to work sour cream into a meal. Sour cream on your potatoes and fish, sour cream on your pancakes, sour cream as a dressing on top of pizza, sour cream in pasta sauce, sour cream porridge for a late afternoon meal (with butter, cinnamon, and sugar).

why it is dark

It was dark when we were eating dinner last night. Nils asked Charlotte why. She said, "because no one turned the lights on." Silly pappa... don't you know these things?

Where's the party?

If you were to take a stroll in our neighborhood and surrounding streets on a weekday evening, you would think nobody lived there. There is virtually no activity after 7 PM. Where is everybody? Just because it is so dark, surely all have not hunkered down and resigned to another night inside away from the rest of the world. No, they have not. There is a party going on somewhere, where everyone is welcome, where light or dark there is just as much action. And where is this party? The cross country trail! Hop in your car, pack in your skis, and drive 20 minutes toward the hills, and there you find a flurry of activity. Kids ski teams, grown-up ski teams, friends, families, couples prepping their skis, donning their head lamps, tightening their boots and their gloves, taking a deep breath of crisp winter air and darting off on a silky white cross-country trail for a round of skiing before bed.

Ice cream cones

True or False: Ice cream cones are a summer food.

Superbowl and groundhogs

Big days in America... Superbowl is soon underway and all eyes will be set on the groundhog tomorrow. We miss the good ole days in the US of A.

17 inches of snow...

... and the schools (and everything else) in Norway are open! Surprised? Me too, but then again, if Norwegians cannot handle snow, who can? This gives the rest of us hope.

viking cow

The Copenhagen airport is a shopper's paradise. Even the youngest of shoppers. Charlotte seemed to be on the hunt for some kind of duck. I told her we could find a toy store and see if we saw a duck. She said big duck, so I found a big store. No ducks around, but sure enough in Scandinavia we found some trolls. She weeded through them, picking one up and saying, bunny! (one that was dressed like a bunny) and then man! (one that was dressed like a postman) and then cow! This one brought on laughter even after a 15-hour travel journey. She held up a troll dressed in a viking outfit... with the viking hat... with horns. Which to her was clearly a cow!