Read On...

post box

2010-07-02T06:55:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-19T00:39:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-02-17T04:16:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-08T23:26:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-08T23:21:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-30T21:59:00.000-08:00

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'...)

Mineral water

2009-09-02T10:56:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-13T10:42:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-08T22:41:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-08T22:36:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-29T01:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-19T23:32:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-22T04:29:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-07T01:12:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-28T03:15:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-14T05:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-02-23T01:54:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-04T01:43:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-02-01T23:24:00.001-08:00

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

2009-02-01T04:27:00.000-08:00

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

Superbowl and groundhogs

2009-02-01T04:24:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-01-19T04:25:00.000-08:00

... 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

2009-01-14T02:35:00.000-08:00

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!

bom + pigg

2008-12-23T04:56:00.000-08:00

Kind of a cool word - bom. (pronounced boom) But not a cool thing. Bom is the fee you pay to enter Oslo. When you drive through the invisible border somewhere around Skoyen, you get charged 20 kroner. That is about 3 dollars. And now there is a new bom for Baerum county. This is just after my office building, so luckily I do not pay it every day. And that is 12 kroner, about 2 dollars. So, getting into Oslo, just to get in mind you, is 5 dollars. And in the winter time there is another fee. Pigg. An even cooler word! Piggdekk. This means studded tires. You have to pay a fee each time you enter Oslo with piggdekk. A good solution is to buy an electric car - no bom!

happy birthday under Christmas tree

2008-12-18T10:43:00.000-08:00

Charlotte and I were walking home from barnehagen, and her little buddy next door was snowboarding (his dad pulling him along in the snow). He offered Charlotte a ride on his snowboard, and she sat on it and sled around, beaming. Then he said, wait! I have a present for Charlotte. A Christmas present. He made gifts for only two people in barnehage - his mamma and Charlotte. She said thank you, and his dad said wait til Christmas to open it. We took it inside and that night before bed she kept saying "happy birthday" or "where is happy birthday." Ahhh... now I get how that little mind works. Present = happy birthday. I said we ought to put it under the Christmas tree until Christmas Eve and she agreed and replied with "happy birthday under Christmas tree."

how many days of Christmas?

2008-12-03T12:05:00.000-08:00

In the US we typically celebrate December 24th as Christmas Eve and December 25th as Christmas Day and that is it. We sometimes look at the calendar and see that the 26th is "Boxing Day" and we curiously wonder if this is something we should be participating in and should we get this holiday off too? In Norway, Christmas lasts longer. It starts on December 1st with advent. Remember, no separation of church and state here, so everyone (just about) observes advent and lights a candle every Sunday before Christmas, many go to church, and children indulge in a small gift every day from the advent calendar. December 23rd is "little Christmas eve", December 24th is "Christmas eve", December 25th is "First Christmas day", December 26th is "Second Christmas day" and December 27th is "Third Christmas day." Then, the days until New Year's Eve are referred to as "romjul" or "between Christmas." Then it becomes much simpler with New Year's. December 31st is New Year's Eve and January 1st is New Year's Day. Simple and sweet.

pappa sleeping

2008-11-21T23:31:00.000-08:00

Nils was away for 12 days and Charlotte tried each day to figure out where he could be. She understood first that he was on an airplane, but that explanation was only valid for one day. Then Charlotte would hear a sound outside and say "pappa home?" or on the weekends in the morning, "pappa sleeping?" To her delight, Pappa will return today.

light in the darkness

2008-11-14T22:50:00.000-08:00

I learned from last winter not to underestimate the power of darkness. It is mostly dark here now. Sun comes up around 8:30 and starts to disappear around 3:30 PM. In December it will rise around 9 and set around 3. Sounds cozy and nice, but our bodies need sunlight. I learned from experienced Norwegians the importance of candles, fire in the fireplace, and a trip to the solarium once in a while. And cod liver oil! Need your vitamins and minerals.

car wash

2008-11-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

I thought I struck gold when I went to get the car washed and found out that it was a Thursday special and I could get the deluxe #8 for the same price as a basic #1! Yes, please, one deluxe #8. And a bolle for the little girl. We will cozy up in the car, listen to our favorite music, nibble on a bolle, and enjoy a little car washing. What I struck was not gold, but rather entrapment. A terrified toddler screaming "no, no!" and begging "finish! finish!" as the contraption encircled our car with spraying water, flapping brushes and foaming soap. I apparently have broken rule #1 of parenting. Never torture your own child with the things that tortured you as a child. As I saw fear come over Charlotte, I quickly recalled my car wash fear as a child, and how I tried to get out of my seat belt and huddle under the glove compartment to escape the scariness. Now I have to repair my broken heart for scaring my little girl, and repair her faith that Mamma can be trusted. My conscience may not be clean, but the car sure is!

roller ski

2008-10-27T22:25:00.000-07:00

I admire the dedication that some skiers have... the season is not over when the snow melts away. For cross-country die hards Winter is just half the fun! The rest of the year they pound the pavement in their roller skis.

harvest moon

2008-10-17T03:21:00.000-07:00

We caught a stunning glimpse of the Harvest Moon on Tuesday! Interesting that the Harvest moon is actually a legend from Norse mythology. I checked into it and learned that all full moons have their own special characteristics based on position in the sky and time of year, and the full moons of September, October and November - as seen from the northern hemisphere - are well known in the folklore of the sky. All full moons rise around the time of sunset. In general the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, however the Harvest Moon rises approximately 30 minutes later, from one night to the next, which helped farmers bring in their crops. They could continue being productive by moonlight even after the sun had set. Hence the name Harvest Moon.

S

2008-10-10T23:26:00.000-07:00

I am on a mission to find a mattress company that does not start with S. Sleepy's, Serta, Sealy, Simmons, and even Ikea has used the name Sultan for their mattresses.

retract the buffalo

2008-10-10T05:45:00.001-07:00

Whoa! Just kidding. Populist president would be Ralph Nader. Okay, I will go for Obama instead. America needs change.

11 parties

2008-10-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

I got my absentee ballot for the US election on November 4th. Am I the only one who did know we have 11 political parties in the US? Democratic, Republican, Indepdence (those 3 are fair enough) and... Conservative, Working Families, Socialist Workers, Right to Life, Socialism & Liberation, Green, Libertarian, and Populist? And the mascots are all mixed up. Democrat is a star, Republican an eagle (what happened to the Donkey and Elephant?). I might just vote Populist because theirs is a buffalo.

får i kål

2008-09-28T23:34:00.001-07:00

It is the time of the year to consume heaps of cabbage and lamb! If you want to get a taste of Fall in Norway, get a big pot, put some lamb pieces (with the bone) in the bottom, layer some cut cabbage on top, then more lamb on top of that, then layer with cabbage. Sprinkle peppercorns in, pour some water (halfway up the stack you made) and cook for a few hours at a simmer until the meat pulls away from the bone. Salt to your liking.

re-use

2008-09-22T11:18:00.001-07:00

This evening we sat outside in the sun and blew bubbles. Lots of soapy bubbles. Charlotte was beaming when she got to hold the bubble container and blow them herself. She spilled some soap when she bent over to pick up the bubble wand she dropped. I need not worry, she found a way to re-use the soap she had left. Blow a bubble, catch it, blow again, catch it, blow again...

Halloween ideas

2008-09-19T03:43:00.001-07:00

Just a month and a half away! Loved your ideas last year. Any more suggestions this year for what the 3 of us can be?

waffle day

2008-09-19T03:43:00.000-07:00

It is Friday. Make your own waffle day in the cafeteria. Heart-shaped waffles with strawberry or raspberry jam. Or if you are a Norwegian at heart (no pun intended) you can put some brown cheese on top instead.

Ibsen

2008-09-08T11:22:00.001-07:00

A dive into Norwegian literature is one way to gain some intimacy with the culture. Henrik Ibsen it is. The father of modern drama, you know. I am starting off easy with A Doll's House, though he is more famous for Peer Gynt (influenced by Soren Kierkegaard). In A Doll's House he shows a gift of writing from a female's perspective, which at his time in the late 1800s was bold.

may I take your order please?

2008-09-03T05:11:00.000-07:00

I took Charlotte out for pizza after her swimming class. We walked in the door, found her favorite seat (you'd think we go there every day, but we were only there once before and she already decided which seat was her "usual"), and the waiter came to ask us what we would like. He looked at me and then at Charlotte as he asked "what will it be tonight?" to which Charlotte excitedly replied, "pizzaaaa!!!" and she looked confused when I elaborated on her request, telling the waiter we would like a small Capri pizza and two waters. But she is getting the hang of how communication and conversation worked. We sat and talked, yes, actually talked, until the pizza came. She talked about her favorite parts of the swimming class, about the motorcycle pictures on the wall, the balloon she got from the waiter, her friends in daycare, the apple juice she was drinking, and things she saw out the window. The advice I have heard is right. Enjoy the first times when your children begin actually expressing themselves with words - it is pure entertainment and joy. So as we left the restaurant she waved to the waiter and said "tusen takk for maten!" which means thank you for the meal.

the fast lane

2008-09-03T04:46:00.000-07:00

The fast lane here on the expressway is actually not the fast lane. The fast lane is the one furthest to the right (also known as the slow lane) because this is the lane where taxis, vehicles seating 7 or more passengers, and electric cars are found zipping by all the "regular" cars in the other two lanes who sit impatiently in the traffic jam. Counter to the American HOV lanes which are often used only during rush-hour or high traffic periods, these taxi/bus/el-car lanes are off-limits to any other vehicle at all times. Makes you think twice - maybe we should trade in for an electric car, or a 7-seater...

a little English with your Norwegian?

2008-09-01T23:22:00.000-07:00

It is fun to hear Charlotte blending Norwegian and English these days. She seems comfortable enough with both now that she just picks whichever words she likes best and makes sentences where Norwegian is favored but English words are peppered in. Like "kjoere bil airplane." Directly translated - drive car airplane, but to her it means fly an airplane. Or she likes to sing the Postman Pat theme song and twists the line "always early out" to "always tidelig ute." And the one she uses most frequently "ha paa shoes" which means put on shoes.

To salt or not to salt

2008-08-18T23:06:00.000-07:00

When it comes to snacks, proper salting is important. Pretzels that are too salty require way too much work to eat. You have to scrape off the little white specks of salt from each and every pretzel before you can eat it. Chips that are too salty? Hopeless. The chip will break in your hand before you have a chance to wipe off the salt. Nuts? personally, I like a little salt. But too much salt, and you just can't stomach it. Not a dilemma on par with the crisis in Georgia, but a trivial observation made on Norwegian snacks. Not so easy to find the right amount of salting for an American's liking.

Eclipse!

2008-08-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

We caught a glimpse of the lunar eclipse while we were up in the mountains this past weekend. We took a look with the binoculars. Wow! We could see the shadows on the craters of the moon! Quite something to see that in such a dark sky above the mountains.

Olympics

2008-08-13T05:20:00.000-07:00

Lucky or unlucky as it may be, we have all taken a turn being sick since Friday. The lucky is that we got to see part of the opening ceremonies for the Olympics. The Fou drums were incredible! Really a show. I became acutely patriotic when I saw the US athletes enter the stadium. 600 some athletes compared to the couple dozen from Norway. And of course, when the US played soccer and I heard the anthem it struck again. What is it about sports and flags and anthems that makes us so patriotic?

Zachary and Grandpa Luigi...

2008-08-08T01:42:00.000-07:00

It is your day! A very happy birthday to you.

jolly old England

2008-07-31T00:22:00.001-07:00

Just returned from a jaunt to the United Kingdom where we indulged in english breakfast in the morning, hearty sandwiches for lunch, cream teas in the afternoon, and cottage pies in the evening downed with a few ales. And we did a lot more than just dine. We puttered around the stunning Cotswolds region, walked the streets of the great minds of the world at Cambridge, and then walked the streets of the upper crust of London in Kensington. We succeeded in driving on the other side of the road, both Nils and I. We visited Winston Churchills birthplace at Blenheim Palace and the 9th century pagan church in Stanton. Charlotte cuddled her Paddington Bear all the while and ran around all the towns admiring lions in the architecture, flags above the buildings, dogs on the streets, and teddy bears in the shop windows.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Greene!

2008-07-31T00:21:00.001-07:00

I don't think Brian reads this, but in case he does...

proverb

2008-07-21T03:14:00.001-07:00

While waiting in line at the foreign office for two hours for a renewal of my residence permit, we were entertained by casual conversation with an elderly air force pilot from India. He shared with us some jokes, but felt strongly about these two proverbs which we discussed a bit... 1) "a son is a son until he acquires a wife; a daughter is a daughter all her life" and 2) "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen, and dinner like a pauper" and for him, breakfast is a banana, a bowl of oatmeal, a slice of bread with pickled herring, and a slice of bread with Norwegian goat cheese, washed down with a cup of coffee.

MIB

2008-07-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

I know what you were thinking, but MIB here stands for Menn i Barnehagen (men in daycare). And this does not mean daycare for men, if you have seen that web video where women send their husbands to daycare. It means that in Norway (and other countries), there is a movement to encourage men to work at daycare centers. Research shows that children benefit from having more male educators and men in general in their lives. The daycare and early school years and often highly dominated by a female presence.

prayer for brumm

2008-07-10T00:22:00.001-07:00

We say our prayers with Charlotte at bedtime, and she goes through her list of people to pray for. Tuesday night it was: Zachary, Bryce, Jason (Uncle Jason), Sinsen (Aunt Lindsay), Grandpa, Sinsen (again), Grandma, Mikkel, Gudrun, Mimi, Farfar, and Hannah (from daycare). Last night it was: Zachary, Bryce, Grandma, Brumm (winnie the pooh), horsies.

Gourmet burgers

2008-07-07T00:56:00.000-07:00

We turned our backyard into a test kitchen for 4th of July and we upgraded our ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato to bbq sauce, sauteed yellow onions, and grilled red peppers. The result was YUM. Recipe: work some bbq sauce, worcestershire sauce, grill spices into ground beef. Shape into patties and grill. Cut red peppers into wide slices (almost like tomato slice size) brush with olive oil and grill. Saute thin rings of yellow onion in a pan with a generous bit of olive oil over medium heat until golden and soft. Paint a toasted bun with more bbq sauce, stack onions and a red pepper slice onto the burger and dig in.

july

2008-07-04T01:01:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July and happy birthday Gudrun!
July is vacation month in Norway. Certainly not everyone takes vacation at the exact same time, but July is more or less when people take a long 3-4 week vacation. Sommerferie! Some venture to their Summer homes in Southern Norway or the coast of Sweden, or visit family around Norway, or travel abroad. From the 1st of July the traffic on the main expressway E18 thins, and the workday is much more flexible.

tape

2008-06-30T00:37:00.000-07:00

We inherited a cassette tape (haven't used that word in so long, I don't know how to spell cassette!) last night from Nils' family and our ride home playing this tape in the car brought back some good 80s memories. "We are the world, we are the children... we are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start givin'..." That was a good tune. Maybe I am in the minority, but "Tears are not enough" was my personal favorite. And I know my mom's was Bruce Springsteen's "Trapped." Whichever song struck a chord with you from the USA for Africa We are the World album, you hear it again and then suddenly you are transported back to 1985, sitting in the family stationwagon on a roadtrip perhaps. But, how impractical were tapes? Maybe we have forgotten now that we are spoiled with MP3 and CD, but there is no jumping ahead to the next track, it is guesswork with a tape. Rewind a little, play... no that wasn't far enough, keep rewinding, play... now we went too far, fast forward a little...good enough... hear the rest of the other song, and now comes the song you wanted to hear. So far the world has come in the past 15 years!

Don't sleep the summer night away

2008-06-29T12:12:00.001-07:00

This is what Nils says, and with good reason. It is just too light and too beautiful! We went to the shore Saturday evening for a swim in chilly 50 degree (Fahrenheit) water, baby and all... and enjoyed the evening sun afterward. Never too cold to swim in Norway as long as it is Summer!

Everything's bigger in the USA!

2008-06-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

I had always heard this expression, and thought of course it was true to some extent. However, after a year abroad, I can confirm that everything is a LOT bigger in the USA! Cars, soda cans, furniture, cereal boxes, milk cartons (any food item for that matter), roads, buildings, houses, everything! What's smaller? For one thing, the number of people who bike to work.

Japanese, Chinese, and Gordon Ramsey

2008-05-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

I heard about an exclusive hotel in Tokyo called the Conrad, and I got a kick out of their restaurant selection. They advertise that the restaurants a visitor can enjoy are - Chinese, Japanese, and Gordon Ramsey. Is Gordon Ramsey so popular that he has become and ethnicity?

Eurovision Melodi Grand Prix

2008-05-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

It is only our first year living in Europe, but we have become fast fans of the annual Eurovision song contest (Melodi Grand Prix)! This is a competition that has been going on in Europe for many decades. Each country has a national contest to determine who will be their contestant in the final contest which is for all of Europe. The final competition consists of two nights of semi-finals and then the final grand finale night where the winner is determined. It is really fun hearing the songs and watching the performances! The countries have such varying styles and tastes and of course there are so many languages. I was surprised that Malta and Andorra, such tiny countries, were in the race as well. Norway had a strong candidate who came in 5th place, but the final winner in 1st place this year, crowned Saturday 24th of May was.... Russia!

Happy Birthday, Bryce!

2008-05-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

Or "byce" as Charlotte calls you.

Russ

2008-05-16T22:01:00.001-07:00

"Russ" is the word for students who are in their last year of school. During the course of their final year of school, they are intensely working on a big project... converting an old bus to a dance party on wheels. Seriously! Groups of friends pitch in the money to buy a bus and all the stereo equipment and materials. They decide on a theme (like reggae, hollywood, etc) and deck out the entire interior to fit the theme. They paint the outside, hire a driver, and drive around partying for the 3 weeks that lead up to Norway's national holiday (17th of May). And one other twist - they have special pants they wear during these 3 weeks. Blue or red work pants depending on the type of high school they went to. They put the Norwegian flag on the pants, the town their school is in, and then as they visit these other busses while partying, they write the name of those busses on their pants. Sound like fun?

10 days of sun

2008-05-09T00:33:00.001-07:00

With ten days of beaming sunshine behind us and another four forecasted for the long weekend ahead, there has been little time indoors to write! Would love to hear what is new with you, so write in a comment!

Patriotism

2008-05-02T01:36:00.000-07:00

What do Celine Dion and Patriotism have in common? Someone asked me a while ago if I have become more patriotic since moving abroad. I thought, "no... I have never been extremely patriotic, and certainly not now." But then, I sat quietly on a Saturday morning, watching country music videos, waiting for the family to wake up. These were not pop country videos, these were country (really country) videos. The only time one can catch them is at 6 AM. And I loved it! I was never a big country fan, but seeing something I consider really American made me happy. And there are a number of odd things that have filled a patriotic space in my heart. Don't laugh now, but that includes Celine Dion (I know she is an import, but nonetheless), wide open highways, grilled cheese made with American cheese slices and white bread, our flag, and yes, country music.

Off

2008-04-27T04:34:00.000-07:00

When both parents are sick, parenting is a real challenge. We tried to get Charlotte to watch TV with us one day last week before dinner. She wanted dinner NOW! Not after TV. We said we would be eating in 20 minutes, which was after the show would be over. She looked at us for a second, and then marched up to the TV and turned it off. Show over, right? We looked at each other and laughed. But... she did not have any tricks up her sleeve for how to make the pasta boil faster.

Liking alternatives

2008-04-26T04:37:00.000-07:00

We have lived in Norway for about 9 months now. Things I missed from the States and could not do without are slowly finding themselves replaced. Like Cheerios. I am still pretty astounded that 'yellow box' cheerios as they are called do not exist in Norway (I wrote Nestle who distributes Cheerios here). Maybe you do not get a craving for Cheerios like I do, but, now I have found a great cereal called Mini Fras which is a fun substitute. And ziploc bags. They are expensive here and come in 1-2 sizes... not the fantastic array I was used to. But, we found that the plastic bread bags here work for most things, and if not, we use more tupperware-type containers than before. But it is funny how you get attached to silly things. We saw an American movie, and when Nils saw someone in the movie using a garbage bag, he realized... hey those American garbage bags were good! I miss those.

Movie theater for two

2008-04-26T04:34:00.000-07:00

We had an anniversary date to remember. We had an entire movie theater just for ourselves! Just the two of us! THAT is how to have a date.

I passed!

2008-04-26T04:30:00.001-07:00

I passed my driving test! The 'sensor' as he is called in Norwegian said I was an 'effektiv dame' which is an efficient lady. He meant I drive a little too rushed and fast. But otherwise I am 'trafikk sikkert' which is traffic safe. And he said I did a good job. The rules here are not that much different, but one has to learn new rules for roundabouts (which lane to be in, when to blink) and also to watch for who has the right of way. Unless there is a yellow diamond sign on the road you are driving, you have to yield to people coming from the right. It feels really unnatural after driving in the states for 12 years. And... no right turn on a red light!

Do you remember your first field trip?

2008-04-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

How old were you? Where did you go? Charlotte had her first field trip today to the "Sensory Center" where she rode on a bus (no idea how the daycare leaders did this with so many carseats) and got to play with instruments and listen to music, touch all kinds of things with different texture, smell, see (of course), and probably taste a thing or two. I was surprised they dare to take little ones ages 1-3 out, but I commend it.

Driver's License

2008-04-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you do not know what you have until it is gone! In Norway, there is very low tolerance for traffic violations. Driving while under the influence can result in losing your license... for good! And speeding, even maybe 10 mph over the limit can result in a suspension of your license for several months and steep fines. The moral is, follow the rules. Two of my colleagues just got their licenses back after 2-3 months suspension. I do not even have my Norwegian license yet (driver's test next Friday!) so I think I would be wise to be extra careful. Not cool to lose your license before you even get it!

Happy Birthday, Jason!

2008-04-09T04:34:00.001-07:00

How much would you pay for chicken?

2008-04-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

If you are vegetarian, I am guessing the sum is pretty low. But I have to ask, because I was surprised at myself that, without giving it a second thought, I purchased 4 chicken breasts for about the equivalent of $30. Just plain old chicken breasts at the grocery store. That is how much chicken costs in Norway. And the even more surprising thing... I still keep buying it!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2008-04-01T23:48:00.001-07:00

Fove

2008-04-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

Charlotte is running around lately playing pretend sleeping. At home at various times throughout the day she will say "fo-vah?" which is her version of "sove" which is Norwegian for "sleep." She burrows into the couch cushions and asks for a pillow (pee-yo) or tugs a blanket to cover part of her. Or she pats on the couch cushion and looks at me and says "Mamma..." "fo-vah?" and guides me down to the couch where I am to close my eyes and wear a pillow on my back. She puts her dolls to sleep, her stuffed animals, her little newborn cousin Mikkel, us... anything that looks somewhat living. And in the car sometimes, she closes her eyes and squints and "takes a nap."

Tattoo

2008-04-01T23:39:00.000-07:00

Our intranet where I work had a great April Fool's Day prank. We received an email - just as we normally do when there is a new posting on the intranet - regarding our new company logo that was just launched. We have recently had a lot of focus on our values and giving prizes to employees who embody our values (such as customer-focus prizes and enthusiast prizes). The intranet posting advertised our new logo and offered 10 giftcards that would cover a tattooing of the logo! It was actually strangely believable, since the text went on and on about how we are a young organization, we are a breath of fresh air in the market, and how a tattoo is a way to make our logo more visible and recognizable.

"hyttefra"

2008-03-28T00:31:00.000-07:00

In a couple of years I may have my own word in the Norwegian dictionary! I started using the expression "hyttefra" before Easter break... colleagues were talking about heading up to their cabin early before vacation actually started, to catch some better weather. I agreed, but I said instead of working "hjemmefra" (from home) I would have to work "hyttefra" (from the cabin) since I still had some work to do. With growing availability of internet access from cabins, I wrote the Norwegian dictionary and suggested this word. They have noted it, and if people start using the phrase, they will put it in the dictionary!

Please don't stop the music

2008-03-28T00:26:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have heard the song by pop singer Rihanna "Please don't stop the music" on the radio these days. The title of the song is my request to the radio stations here. There is clearly great respect for punctuality. If it is 3:59 and you are singing along to your favorite song, just as you get to the refrain and you are ready to give it all you've got, the music stops! Because it is now 4:00 and the next program starts. Maybe a news report, or an abrupt shift to jazz on the same station that was just playing easy listening tunes.

Hot dogs

2008-03-17T02:09:00.001-07:00

They are everywhere! This was a big surprise to me. This is a very healthy country. I am always surprised by how active people are. It is truly ingrained in the culture. And the healthy eating! I could not buy a soda or a sweet in our cafeteria now matter how hard I tried! But... hot dogs... they find their way into almost any occasion. They dress themselves up in lomper (a floppy floury potato tortilla) as night food for weddings, they cover themselves in ketchup and mustard for any given outdoor gathering, they bathe themselves in thermoses of hot water and accompany long cross-country ski journeys and hikes, and they soak themselves in toppings at gas stations nationwide.

School

2008-03-17T02:03:00.001-07:00

There is a hot debate going on in Norway. Norwegian schools have been in decline over the past decade. Students here perform poorly on standardized tests which positions Norway behind all other Scandinavian countries and below the global average. Why? I am still learning about the topic, but some reasons I have heard are that children are encouraged to be children and are not really pushed to learn until about third grade. Before that, all that is taught is just taught and if they do poorly, well... they will get it next year or the year after. Parents are less likely to challenge children at home, because if they become too advanced, their boredom at school will lead to negative consequences. Some parents pay for private schooling, often International schools, however in a socialist society, this seems to be frowned upon.

Stop signs answer

2008-03-14T02:58:00.000-07:00

Most people have only actually seen three or so themselves, but when they guess, they presume there are maybe between 50-100 in the whole country. In other words... not much.

Stop signs

2008-03-13T01:07:00.000-07:00

How many stop signs are there in Norway? Answer in next entry...

Oops

2008-03-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

Good thing we have friends or colleagues who can double check us sometimes. I was preparing a note to a client the other day where I described some work we had to do with templates (called "maler"). So I referred to it as a "malerjobben" which I thought meant a templates job. My colleague politely held back her laughter and pointed out that a "malerjobben" is actually a painting job, like painting a house! Because "maler" is also a verb form of "to paint." And today I said I was looking forward to seeing the figures, referring to some business numbers related to our sales. Apparently "figuren" does not mean "figure" as I hoped. It means more like someone's body shape. So my colleagues got a good laugh about me looking forward to seeing the sales team's figures! I had to laugh at myself.

DIY

2008-03-08T22:29:00.000-08:00

A lot of people are "do-it-yourself"ers. Opting to roll back their sleeves and delve into all kinds of projects around the house on their own, without the assistance of costly professionals. Many Norwegians adopt this philosophy whole-heartedly. Could you imagine chopping down your own trees? That means... climbing up them with a saw and branch by branch taking them down? Or never accepting a store's offer to deliver something to your house, but rather hitching a trailer to your car each and every time you need to transport something that does not fit in your car?

Starbucks

2008-03-08T22:28:00.000-08:00

There is not a single Starbucks coffee shop in Norway. However... the coffee has sneakily made its way to Norway in the form of delightful bags of the coffee-brewers ground and whole bean French roast and Columbian coffees. I discovered a bag on a shelf of a little deli three weeks ago, and our house has never smelled better in the morning!

Easter = Marzipan?

2008-03-08T22:25:00.001-08:00

As soon as the end of February came, the shelves of all the stores here filled quickly with Easter candy! Not the Cadbury creme eggs and jelly beans as one expects in America, but rather all types of marzipan. Marzipan eggs, marzipan logs with pastel sprinkles, marzipan figures covered in chocolate... marzipan, marzipan, marzipan. Although... I did find a special boutique that sells Cadbury creme eggs! I might make my own Easter basket to be safe. Marzipan is nice in small doses, but I am not Norwegian enough to devour a basketfull yet.

Animals

2008-03-02T23:54:00.000-08:00

We hear lots of animal sounds these days from our little lamb... monkey "eee eee" sheep "baa" horse "neee" cow "muh" kitty kat "mow" duck "quack" snake "ssss" pig "some version of oink oink" owl "hoo hoo" chicken "bak bak bak"

Mikkel is here!

2008-02-23T20:58:00.000-08:00

Our nephew Mikkel was born today, February 24th at 3:00 in the morning!

Princesses

2008-02-19T23:28:00.000-08:00

Charlotte has a little lunchbox with princesses on it. She thinks a lot about her little buddies at Solhellinga. The other day she looked at her lunchbox, pointed to the first princess and said the name of her little friend Andrina (a nee na!) and then to the next princess and said Cecilie (cee ya!) and the last princess Frøya (fru yah!). It melted Nils heart.

Ski shooting

2008-02-19T23:24:00.000-08:00

"VM" and "skiskyting" have been in the news a lot lately. This is a big deal for Norwegians. VM is the World Master competition, if I can translate it like that. And skyskyting is ski shooting, where the athletes are cross-country skiing with a rifle that they use for target shooting along they way at certain points. Big, big stuff here. Norwegians are often expected to bring home lots of medals.

Let there be light

2008-02-17T23:34:00.000-08:00

And now that the shortest day of the year is long behind us, the days are filling up with light! It is wonderful to see more sun and have more light. However... now I can't sing in the car in the morning in the dark without anyone seeing me.

How about us?

2008-02-07T03:25:00.000-08:00

And some adult news too... Nils wrote a chapter in an engineering book recently, and I have been accepted as a member in a committee that is compiling a new global ISO Standard for project management.

Hat!

2008-02-07T03:17:00.000-08:00

The "owa" incident proved to be just the first of many times Charlotte will see something once and remember it for weeks. We like to look outside the windows in the morning. We say "good-morning" to things we see, like neighboring houses, passers-by, cars, etc. And we do the same in the evening to say good-night. One time we saw a dog at the neighbor's house. We have never seen the dog again. But, each and every time Charlotte looks out the windows she says "foof?" And we saw construction workers once wearing yellow hard hats. So every time since she exclaims "hat!" though there is no hat to be seen.

Boller

2008-02-04T03:24:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday are celebrated a little differently here. It is Sunday that is the big feast. 'Boller' are baked, which are sort of a Scandinavian sweet roll or doughnut. But not at all doughnut-like. More like dinner rolls, but a little sweeter and made with milk and cardamom. They are eaten year-round plain or with raisins, but during this feast they fill them with marzipan, whipped cream, or all kinds of other sweet creations.

Groundhogs

2008-02-04T03:23:00.001-08:00

I did not hear any reports here in Norway about the Groundhog. Did he see his shadow? I sure hope there will be more winter in Norway since there has been so little of it so far. I want snow!

Audio books

2008-02-04T03:21:00.000-08:00

How have I been missing out on these for so long? I just listened to 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' over the past couple weeks while I sit in traffic to and from work and it has been so fun! I look forward now to all the time I spend in the car. I have come to the end, so now I need to find a new story to enjoy. Any tips?

Owa update

2008-01-26T06:09:00.000-08:00

Charlotte has been bringing me my slippers lately (nice service, eh?) and she tries to put them on my feet. But, when she puts the one on my formerly 'wounded' foot she still says owa! It has been 2 weeks! It probably did not help that when her pappa and I were changing her diaper, we somehow knocked a heavy snowglobe off of her dresser. It was a nice one with a sterling silver plated base and is quite heavy. Nils saved it with his foot so it did not hit the ground. But, ow! He saved it with his foot! And it was the metal edge that dug into his foot when he broke the fall. That was another foot owa. Any tips? I am afraid we have traumatized her!