Weekend-fun…

At least someone had fun today. The kids helped their grandparents do some gardening at Iverhjelen. Maybe they didn`t help that much but I am sure they had fun.

I know I said that I looked forward to not doing any layouts today, but cute photos always inspires me. Digital templates don`t make any mess…

Ah, they are so helpful these two…

“The Christmas tree picking”…

 

It was Elin Marie’s day. She followed grandma and grandpa into the woods to get the Christmas tree today. She got to do the picking.

Not easy to have short legs in the snow...

Is this big enough grandpa?

 

Lets get home grandma.

Were do I put the gifts?

Now, I think this tree need some stash, but that have to wait for another story.

Winter….

I don’t know why we don’t have snow during the winter anymore. But it is a fact that the climate is changing. Maybe we are to blame for that – maybe it is a natural thing.  Me – I am happy without the snow, but I do think it’s sad that the kids don’t get to play in the snow.

We do have snow for a few days every winter, but it’s nothing like I remember from my own childhood. I remember a lot of snow all winter. I remember the smell of wet cloths, cold feet, the joy we felt when the school bus had trouble making it up the hill. I remember the happy feeling making snow-angels in the untouched snow; making tunnels, snowball fights, skiing….We did have fun.

As all Norwegian I was born with skies on my feet. At least I did believe that. Until my first contest – skiing, I was nine and it was a beautiful sunny winter day. All the kids in the village were competing and I was crossing the line, tasting blood in my mouth.  I was so crossed finding out I came in last – because – really there were other kids crossing the line after me. How was I supposed to know that there were different classes and so on…? I went home to my parents and declared that it was something wrong with my skies. They were crocked, and I needed new ones.  They said no…and that ended my skiing. Come to think of it…I never competed in anything for the next 30 years.

My childhood home during winter – early 60`s.

I made my manifesto for this December journey…

Almost feel like I made some kind of pledge. Anyway here it is..

This last week our community has made the headlines in the newspapers, and that is nothing to be proud of. I respect everyone’s opinions and I wish we all could do just that. This fine young man that serves us so well is too liberal when he welcomes the homosexuals to church. The state and the church have decided that they are welcome in church. I may not be a believer, but If there is a God, I don’t think he meant that a few where to decide who is worthy or not…I am so glad that the community mobilized and filled up the church for mass this Sunday. GO Sindre…

Our priest Sindre at mass on Sunday - photo RB.nett

This reminds me about another fight in church some thirty years ago. I grew up a few miles from here and as a community we had to fight to keep our female priest. She still serves in the same community and is the best priest ever. Like I think Sindre is going to be if he is willing to stand on the barricades – and if the community supports him.

 

....seems they do support him. Good for us.

My journaling today just had to be about this. I could not let it go without making a statement, and that is okay.

01.December 08my journaling...

 

my journaling...

I made this in Norwegian. Just my reflections on this conflict. I do believe that all men are equal and that we all should have the same rights.

Soon it is Monday…

…and we have started the countdown for Christmas. 23 days left before the big day. Only 23 days. I wish December had more days. Wouldn`t that be neat?

We have been blessed with good weather this weekend. My family is planning to build a vacation home on the land my father was born. It has taken years to get to this point. Building so close to the sea has become difficult in Norway. We have been waiting 40 years for this to happen and now we are almost home. Since the weather was good Tormod and Kjellaug has been out there this weekend looking over the place.

Out there we have the Atlantic Road – turning around, we have Håholmen and the open sea.

Today – on the seventh day – I have been resting. And I am ready for Advent.

Tomorrow I am ready to journal my Christmas….

The village is ready for Advent…

After weeks with storms and a lot of rain,  we finally had a good day and I bet the men working with the Christmas decorations today were happy about that. The lights are right outside my windows and gives me an extra nice view this dark and cold month of December. I just took a photo from my window:

I hardly need Christmas - lights inside my apartment...

Earlier today I finished all my 37 pages for my Christmas-album. I will use the front page for photos and whatever Shimelle inspires me to do. The back will be for writing. Since I`m still inspired from Jessica Sprague`s Stories in Hand I plan on writing a lot.:) The good thing about the AC ring album – you can put in extra pages and move them around. And that is a good thing because I have no idea how Shimelle plan to play this.

American Craft 6x12 - ready to go...

The little three is one of Kolette Hall`s design and it is so cute – I just had to find a way to use this cutie.

The front page - design Kolette Hall

I am so exited about this class, I can hardly wait for December 1. For me Christmas starts tomorrow. In the afternoon there is a mess in the church, then everyone goes to the center of the village and lit the Christmas three. There will be music and singing and all the kids gets a bag with candy from Santa Clause. Then it is time for countdown for Christmas Eve….

The good old days…

 

 

 

Lyngstad – May 17 ..early 60`s…

I was browsing Face book earlier this evening and I found this photo posted by an old friend of the family. Gunnar and my brother are seven years older than me and from my perspective Gunnar was always there when I grew up. The boys were always hanging out together.

The last time the family had Sunday dinner together we talked about this. I was trying to convince my brother and his wife how important it is, writing down their stories. Coming straight from Jessica Sprague’s class; Stories in hand, I was really burning about this. I know I am fighting a losing battle to get them to write anything, but that is not stopping me from trying.

We got to talk about the good old days. We talked about my brothers first job and how Gunnar’s father became his first boss. My brother started out as a TV repairman.  We all have clear memories about the first television, and we remember when my father came home with the color TV.

But, we had all forgotten those crazy years my brother worked in the TV business. The dishwasher, the car stereos, the video, the satellite, the video camera, the hairdryer….Man, there was an ongoing stream of newbie’s and we were right in the middle of it. And…we had forgotten all about how big this was for us. My dad had the best time in his life and I think Gunnar’s dad also had exiting days being responsible for getting this new fashion things into people’s home.

About the photo and the importance of it…I don’t have a photo of “the old road”. Nowadays the road is on the other side of the river.

Someone is ready for Christmas…

Yes...she is ready for the guests....

 Me ? No, I am not ready yet. Although I have been cleaning one more room.

….Instead of working hard – I take it easy. When I came home from work today I plugged in my TV. Have not done that in almost three years. I was starting to feel left behind. Not so much to see, but I did get some Christmas spirit. There is no way I can spend time watching the screen without doing something with my hands, so I made something totally useless…..

So...maybe I will find a bush to hang it on....

Family….

…I spent som time with my family this weekend. It was nice to meet the kids.

What is it about boys and cars?

 

                                             

                                            Okay…I was more like thinking about this kids….

 

Elin Marie and Kristian knows how to "play grandpa"...

 

                                                           

                ELIN JANNE

Visiting Ona….

…Karen and Ansgar spent the day visiting Ona. This tiny little island at the northwest coast of Norway where Karen was born and raised. There is no roads and no cars on this island, but people still have their home out here. A few years ago you could buy a house for less then nothing, today you need a lot of hard cash. It is a beautiful place in still weather, but I am sure you can feel the storm out here.

Karen watch her childhood home coming into view.

 On the highest point on the island you can see the lighthouse that still make sure the ships are sailing safely through the storms.

The lighthouse at Ona.

 The seabirds is not the minority on this island…

Walking the beach, happy memories?

 

The streets are so cute…while walking between the houses you can find out what everyone have for dinner. i can not imagine how it was growing up out here. And Karen, being the silent type of person, do not talk so much about that.

Karen and Ansgar walking the -streets- of Ona.