post box

Still fascinated by the fact that I cannot mail a letter by putting it in my own post box. It needs to be hand-carried by me to the local post office or a drop off box. What?!

Exaggeration

Norwegian news is different than British and American news. It is simple, factual, and calm. The recent volcanic eruption is simply referred to as that here. A volcanic eruption. In the other papers a chord of fear, hype, and exaggeration is struck when they refer to it as "vilecano" and "eruption disruption!" and reports of the "ash monster" in the skies.

Slalom and luge in Texas?

With 8 inches of snow last week in Dallas, and sleet combined with rain in Vancouver, I vote for Dallas for 2014!

3 in 1

The coming Sunday is a big one... bigger than Superbowl Sunday for some. It is a triple hitter. Three holidays on the same day! Norwegian Mother's Day, Fastelavns day (like fat Tuesday but on Sunday), and Valentine's Day. Smiles and drawings from my daughter, fastelavns doughnuts, and romance and loving gestures for and from my husband. I can't wait!

It has happened

After two and a half years in Norway, my daughter has surpassed me in Norwegian. I may triumph in business Norwegian, but she wins hands down in preschool Norwegian. She says at least a word a week that I don't understand. Soon it will jump to a staggering word a day, no doubt. She told me yesterday that bunnies snort. I did not know the word for snort. And I still don't. Somehow onomatopoeia in Norwegian does not register any place in my brain permanently. But I do know the word for splash. "plask!"

Elle Melle

A little juvenile enrichment... The Norwegian equivalent to "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers let him go, Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" goes like this "Elle, melle, deg fortelle. Skipet går ut i år. Rygg i rand to i spann. Snipp snapp snute
- du er ute." (pronounced 'ell-a mell-a dai fortell-a'...)