The Goat

Yet to do...

I live in a house in the Norwegian countryside. Beautifully located, with views over fields and the sea. But I also have a garden. A big garden. Now, you may remember that when I lived in the Netherlands, I also had a garden. A small garden. Which was too much for me! Well, that's not really true, it was plenty small enough, it was just that I don't like gardening. 

So, when I told people about my new house with the big garden, for some reason everybody told me to get a goat. Not a sheep (although cutting the fence was mentioned once or twice), not a cow, a goat! In Norway I have a colleague who thought it was the perfect solution. In the Netherlands an old colleague came up with the same idea. Then my mother (who should know better by the way) and a friend. All with the same idea: a goat!

Goats bleat (I think, they might make a different noise). They eat everything, including the stuff you don't want eaten, like sprouts and strawberries (which by the way I don't grow). They poop. They climb stuff which means I have to goat proof the whole area. I DON'T WANT A GOAT!!

Done (well, the strimming part anyway)

I bought a lawn mower instead. And a strimmer as well (for the mountain). But the grass is so high, I need to strim the lawn first and get it down to a lawnmowable lenght first. I've done one third right now. It took me nearly three hours and my hands and arms are aching. 

I am reconsidering not wanting a goat!!

(PS: I don't know why goats make me think of Ginny Marie. Perhaps she can shed some light?)

'Wheels'

On May 17th there were a lot of different groups going past us in one of the three parades. The second parade especially was filled with clubs and teams and stuff and one of the clubs was a motor club. The rider in the photo was just coming down on two wheels again, after having done some little stunt or other. 

This is my 56th entry for Photo Theme for Thursday. Why not join?

Groceries

I've never been one for the Monday blues. Especially if I'm on holiday and have the whole week to myself. But yesterday was different. Yes, I still have the whole week to myself, but for some reason my body had decided to throw a spanner in the works. Presenting me with.... (drumroll) a headache. Which I certainly don't want to have while on holiday!!

Not that it stopped me from getting what I needed: groceries. As stated in yesterday's post, the food I can get in my home country the Netherlands is different than the food I can get in my new home country Norway.  Especially when it comes to bread and more specifically the things you put on your bread. Norway is a haven for jams and they have chocolate paste and peanut butter and stuff like that. But nothing beats 'hagelslag' in all sorts, shapes and sizes. 

Of course you now wonder what 'hagelslag' is exactly. Well, it's like the hundreds and thousands you can get in the UK to use for cake decoration. But where it costs an arm and a leg over there, over here in the Netherlands it's really cheap. There are several versions now: the ordinary chocolate sprinkles (the hagelslag) in white, milk or pure chocolate, chocolate flakes (vlokken), fruity sprinkles (and I discovered a new one: strawberry raspberry sprinkles) or aniseed sprinkles/powder/mice. The last one is used whenever a child is born. The white/pink one for a girl and the white/blue one for a boy. Basically it's the whole aniseed coated in sugar. Very often the tail is still visible, hence mice. 

Something else that's difficult to find is Dutch syrup waffles. Monique over in Canada has it easy: she makes her own, but I am not that lucky and I depend on the supermarket shelves in the Netherlands. Which I cleared of this particular brand of 'stroopwafels'. Which are my all time favourite. I did get some other biscuit/cookies as well though (see photo).

Besides all this I got liquid syrup in a squeeze bottle, aniseed blocks (lovely in hot milk on a cold night) and some other things that are typically Dutch or very hard to find elsewhere. I won't be taking everything with me now (apart from the stroopwafels), but my parents are due to come in a month's time and they will take that and what I will be writing on my grocery list regarding potted vegetables. 

Now I just hope I won't be stopped by Norwegian customs!!!

Food, glorious food!

Having grown up in the Netherlands with Dutch food all around me, it's very strange to move to a different country and finding out that they don't have the same types of food there! Yes, I can find potatoes and salad and stuff, but other food may be a bit more difficult to find. If not impossible. 

Kroketten with a little mustard on white bread. Mmmmm

So, my first port of call on Friday was a snack-bar as we call them. Nothing to do with a bar, everything to do with snacks. The fried version that is. Like fries and frikandellen (see photos on Saturday). Yum! On Saturday my sister and I went shopping. She needed something, I needed something, so we had decided to hit the town. But we did need some fortification before we would strike out and we ended up in a small lunch-room. Basically a small restaurant where they do lunch service only. There were only a few choices for us of course and in the end we both settled on 'kroketten op brood'. 

Then yesterday we had our family day, great fun, good laughs, some cheating and of course food. Like soup and rolls for lunch. Like the 'oranjekoek' (orange cake that is not orange) with our morning coffee. Like the salt sticks and crisps and nuts with our pre-lunch drinks. 

And a yummy desert at the Greek restaurant

I still have today and tomorrow to get my fix of Dutch food. And in my suitcase will be quite a collection of Dutch goodies as well. Like stroopwafels and custard powder. The shopping list for my parents is getting longer and longer by the minute as well; they will be visiting in June and will arrive by car! Plenty of space...

Photo on Sunday 2013-10

It was difficult. It was hard. It was the best decision I could have taken. Because I've decided he's not coming with me to Norway. Mr Pepperfly and Peppermaggot are overjoyed! They had already been plotting several things: like changing the locks, moving, bolting the door, hiding him. In the end there was no need. I made the decision on my own. 

There are several reasons for my decision. First of all is his age. He is 15, which is older than most outside cats ever see. Second (and related to his age): do I really want to uproot him again. And to a home with no other playmates and no other humans beside me. And third: did I want to get him because I wanted to give him a better life, or just because I wanted him with me? And the answer was I wanted him with me. 

He has a great life. He has a playmate called Mickey, another called Linette and three humans who love him to bits and were not pleased about loosing him (hence the plotting against me). He can go outside and watch the bunnies. He can come inside after only 10 minutes. He gets to sleep in a bed and basically: he's happy. 

So, I will be going home again cat-less and a little sorry. But in the knowledge I have done the best thing. 

Day 2

The first call of course: frikandel speciaal and...

Being on holiday is great fun. Especially if you have the use of one white little car that can whizz you anywhere in no time flat. Well, it takes a bit longer than that, but still. It's nice to have a car. 

Yesterday I used said little white car to whizz to my old hometown of Emmeloord. I needed to close some bank accounts and I wanted to pay a visit to my old hairdresser. Well, the bank accounts were closed and the visit was paid. But even though I wanted to have my hair cut and dyed there, it turned out that through some fault which was entirely my own, I didn't have enough money in my bank account and couldn't pay for it. I went back home.

patatje met.

After having sorted the bank account I finally made it to a Dutch (and therefore cheaper) hairdresser and had my hair cut and dyed. It looks great again and I am very happy with the colour. Photos to follow soon. 

Later that evening I had a small party with my former colleagues. I had instigated it and it was great fun. I arrived last and left first, but then again, I was the only one who had nearly 45 minutes drive to get home! All the others live quite local and in the case of one: was home!

It was great to see them again though. The old stories came out again, we talked about what everybody was up to, what I was up to and it was good fun. There was good drink and good food and I enjoyed the evening very much. I don't know when I will see them again, because I am not planning on returning to the Netherlands after this stay for quite a while. 

Anyway, that was day 2 of my holiday. Today my sister (who arrived yesterday from Outlandia) and I will go shopping. Get the stuff that is unobtainable or very expensive in either Northern Ireland or Norway. Do some window shopping as well. And then tonight a dinner with Pepperfly and C and of course my sister and me. 

Forget Jennifer Aniston, this year it's scarecrow!

Bring it on...

So...

A first class traveller

So indeed. After five days off, I had to work yesterday. An evening shift finishing at 1am in the morning. It was long, it was boring, it was late. And it became even later, since one colleague wanted to talk to me. Plus I had to pay in my earnings. So by the time I finally made it home, it was nearly 2am. 

I still had to sort of pack and I had to do the dishes. By the time I had done everything I had needed to do, it was almost 3.30am. I went to bed. My alarm went off again at 5.15am. I never heard it. Fortunately it went off again 10 minutes later. I still didn't hear it. Ten minutes later I finally heard it. I slumbered for a further ten minutes before I finally got out of bed. Two hours after I had gotten in. 

View over the Oostvaardersplassen National Park

But it was a special day today: I was going back to the Netherlands. Only for a one-week stay with family. Because it's family day again. Every few years a family day is organised. Basically so we won't loose touch with each other. It's always great fun. And since I would be in the Netherlands anyway, I thought it would be nice to meet up with my former colleagues as well. So, a week back in Dutch speaking country. 

A quarter past six I took the bus to the busstation in Haugesund. Where I took another bus to another busstation: this time in Stavanger. There I took yet another bus, this time to the airport. After that it was a plane to Amsterdam, a train to my friend Pepperfly and I drove her car home to my parents. 

It's all flat!!!

I've had dinner (with ice-cream for afters) and right now I am quite awake again. Later on however, I will probably collapse. But I am looking forward to this stay here in the Netherlands. 

Now you know!

'Weather'

Last Friday was the national holiday here in Norway. The day they celebrate the first constitution written for Norway back in the early 19th century. And where other countries celebrate in jeans and t-shirts, over here they do it in their finest. And a bit of rain? That won't stop them one bit!

The photos show the high street of Haugesund. Normally filled with shoppers. And on May 17th it was heaving! I had never so many people there before. The rain didn't stop them, umbrellas and rain gear galore. But then the heavens opened for real and most tried to get undercover. And for a moment the street looked like it normally does on a good dry day. As soon as the rain slacked off again, folk came back though and it was a massive throng of people again. 

This is my 55th entry for Photo Theme for Thursday. Why not join?

Eurovision 2013

Ever since 2004 (since semi-finals started), the Netherlands have done awful at Eurovision. And for the last few years one very popular Dutch singer had said that she would like to be the one to sing at Eurovision, convinced that she could make it to the final. This year (after several awful entries), she finally got her chance and she had to put her money where her mouth was. Which she did...

She made it to the final. And then performed her song in the final and she was good. No frills, no sparkles, just her and her song. No, Anouk didn't win. Nor did she come in second or third place. But from the start she was on the left hand side of the result board (the best place to be) and she finished in a very nice 9th place. I am very proud and I am happy that my two votes helped her to that spot.

My favourite didn't get to the top either, but also ended up in the higher regions of the result board. It was Hungary's ByeAlex with Kedvesem (a lovely lovesong). One of many songs this year that was not in English but in the language of the country they came from. Anyway, Hungary ended up just below Anouk in 10th place.

This year we missed out on Russian grannies baking cookies, unicycles with clowns and sand artists. However, there was a guy in a glass box mirroring everything the singer did, apart from sing. There were two different countries sending people who were raised in the air wearing ginormous dresses (one of which a classically trained male opera singer), there was a bride from Finland, free alcohol from Greece and a singing doctor from Malta. Oh, and something that looked like giant condoms hanging from the ceiling!

And of course there was the winner. This year it was the Danish entry that came out on top. She had been favourite for a long time, but you can never tell until the results are actually in. It's like politics. Or a chicken coop with a lot of eggs. It was a bit run of the mill if you ask me, and I certainly didn't spend any money voting for it. But the rest of Europe did.

Of course after the contest there is always a lot of bickering about the voting. About how English always wins and other languages end up really low. Well, the English entry ended up really low (Bonnie Tyler ended 19th), as did Ireland (26th and last of the final) and Greece (Greek) and Hungary (Hungarian) ended up in places 6 and 10. Perhaps the countries complaining about it, should just send a better song.

Also there are always a lot of comments about how one country will vote for its neighbours. That is true. To a degree. Because if it was completely true, it would be a tie nearly every time and it never is. Plus, if you live in Sweden, chances are, you have already heard the Norwegian and Danish entries. Making it familiar. And when it's familiar it's easier to vote for! Then again, there was only one country out of 39 that didn't give any points to Denmark and that was the principality of San Marino (in Italy). Besides, I know for a fact that Denmark doesn't have 37 neighbours...

By the way: the Norwegian entry was the best beside the podium: they came in fourth! So, a good night all around!

My new home...

A house with a view

Now, even though I love living in the country, I have always lived in a town or village. I've always lived in a place with indoor plumbing. Houses made of brick and/or concrete. And then I moved...

A small house in the country side. Uninterupted views towards the sea, the occasional cruiser or ferry going past in the distance or even a plane landing or taking off. My nearest neighbours are sheep and gulls. The nearest people are over 50 meters away, meaning I can play my music as loud as I want. I have a basement which could also be described as a spiders' nursery. I have a sloping floor in the kitchen and living room, meaning my fridge is tilting backwards and my tv is tilting sideways. 

My toilet

My bedroom is big enough to hold my large bed and my side boards and once I get it up here, my dresser. But I can also lay my hand flat on the ceiling with my arm bent and my feet flat on the floor. I have a walk-in closet, but I can only walk in for about 10 centimeters before I bang my head. The small bedroom is small. I can go a bit further in before banging my head, but still. I do have plenty of closet and storage space up there though. Although it might also be a haven for spiders, I have yet to find out. 

The kitchen is big enough for me to cook food in (like pizza and apple pie) and I have a view over my own little mountain. And then there's the bathroom. A washing machine, a sink, a shower and a toilet. Sorry, I should have said: a washing machine, a sink, a shower and two toilets. Yes, two as in double as in more than one! It shouldn't be two, there should only be one and for the first week there was. 

And then... trouble. I could flush, but it wasn't going anywhere. It was clogged. I tried some chemicals: no luck. I tried some weird looking metal contraption: no luck. Well apart from scratching the bowl itself. And then when I had friends over last night (it was Eurovision night), they couldn't use the toilet and if they did, they couldn't flush. The one male used the chicken coop. And he used a little stick to unclog the toilet a bit. 

My spare mobile toilet!

So, now I have a camping toilet in my bathroom. Until Tuesday. When they will come and empty the sceptic tank. After that I have to occasionally take a looksie into said sceptic tank. To make sure I won't have to use my second toilet again...

Russ

Three blue Russ during the children's parade

When I went to high school back in the 20th century, the last day official schoolday before exams was spent dressing up. For some reason the good people who had organised it, had not really been very inventive and just used the same theme from the year before. Since I had never really been involved very much in extra curricular activities, I didn't join in. A few weeks later the exams started and after a few more weeks of waiting I got the news: I had passed. High school was over and I never looked back.

A red Russ leading a marching band during the adult parade.
They would normally be dressed in the official uniform.

Then, lots of years later I moved to Norway. And in Norway they do it a bit differently. But for that I need to explain a bit more about the school system here. School only starts at the age of six. You go to a school called a 'barneskole', which would be comparable to primary schools and you go there until you are thirteen: classes 1 to 7. After barneskole (literally children's school) you go to 'ungdomskole' (youth school or lower high school) until you're sixteen: classes 8 to 10. After that you need to learn some more and you go to 'videregående skole' (literally further going school or upper high school) for a further three years: classes VG1 to VG3 until you're nineteen. 

The blue Russ passing

At the end of all that you are called a Russ. Nothing to do with Russians, but it does have something to do with an old habit they had in Kopenhagen and the only place Norwegians could get a higher education back in the day. It's like a hazing in reverse. Anyway, on May 17th, the national holiday all those Russ come out. In force! The night before is spent partying by most. Since the legal drinking age in Norway is 18 and most are over that age by the time they are Russ... you fill in the dots. 

A red Russ van

Most towns have three different parades on May 17th: the children's parade in the morning, the adult parade in the afternoon and the last one is the Russ parade. In Haugesund it was the shortest parade, but it was also the loudest! Most use whistles, they have the Russ song of the year blaring out of the red or blue vans they use and there is much screaming, yelling and other general noisy stuff. 

The film shows the blue Russ only. Blue Russ study at a economics based high school. Red Russ study at a general based high school. There are also green Russ which study at a nature based high school, but we don't have that one in Haugesund, so only red and blue here. All Russ wear a red or blue pair of dungarees. This year was a pair of dungarees, last year it was overalls. You customise your dungarees to your liking: name, flag, buttons and other stuff. In addition to that all Russ have business cards with the name of their school, their photo (mostly silly poses) and a fantastic made up name. The weirder the better. Those cards are highly collectable among school children and they try to get as many as they can.

I hope they do as well in their exams as in this parade!

Photo on Sunday 2013-9

This was by far the cutest photo I took on May 17th. If you don't count the photo I took of these two head on! A very high 'Hansel and Gretel' feeling, the only thing missing is a dark forest in which to get lost! They are actually the two youngest children of a colleague of mine and there is no need for them to collect pebbles so they can find their way home again!

Tidero

That was the name of our team: Tidero. Tide (pronounced Teeduh) and then ro (pronounced roo, meaning row). Easy! There were seven on our team. Well, there had to be: six rowers and one yeller! I was the yeller. And I yelled.

However, first we had to get into the boat. It had been difficult at the first dock the boat had been docked at, but this dock was nearly impossible. I needed a hand getting in and one getting out. Actually the getting out wasn't that bad: they just yanked me out!

We raced against the purble boat on the top right hand side.
The other two boats had just finished their race.

Anyroad, we made our way to the startline, the gun went off and we had a bit of an issue with a buoy, through which we lost about 15 seconds I guess. But after that we got going. And going and going. We nearly caught up with the women's team we were racing, but in the end my yelling had a positive effect on them as well! Not so good. However, since they weren't in the same category as we were, it didn't matter too much. We only had to focus on the other mixed teams.

Our time was 6'23" and we thought that was quite good. Considering the buoy, the aches and pains of two and the unbuttoning of a shirt along the way! However, that time wasn't good enough to win the race. The winner clocked a time of 5'49" or something like that.

We got one of those small cups on the right

We did come in second though! So we were quite pleased with that! We got a cup (as did every other team) and a glass memento. Not bad for our first try though. Next year we will try again. If the boats haven't rotted away that is...

They clean up nicely!

Now, I don't want to say that Norwegians are bad dressers. Actually they are quite good dressers. If it rains (which it does ocassionally) they wear rain gear, if it snows they wear snow gear and if there's a party: party gear! But on May 17th they go all out!

Since I was on the rowing team (more on that tomorrow) early this morning and we had said we would do so in jeans and uniform shirt, tie and vest, I came in my jeans. I had a second pair of jeans with me just in case of bad weather (it is after all Norway), but I didn't need them. I did however change out of my uniform shirt afterwards. Into my nice Norway sweater. 

I quickly realised I was highly underdressed. Since everybody and their aunt was in their Sunday finery. And I mean everybody! Most women and girls came in their 'bunad', a national costume that comes in many variations. Most small boys and some older boys and men came in their 'bunad'. Those who didn't, came in either a dress for the women or a suit and tie for the men (all of them, I don't think I saw a teen in jeans today). I think underdressed is a massive understatement. 

I met up with a colleague, her three children and her boyfriend all dressed in their finest and we went to town. The first thing that was going to happen was the children's parade. Basically every primary and middle school in Haugesund showed up. With Every Single Pupil. Then there were some high school children as well. Interspersed were some school marching bands and other marching bands. And all this happened in the ocassionally pouring rain. I felt so sorry for those children. 

After lunch (which I had at my friend's family's place, yum), was the 'adult' parade. Basically all the clubs in Haugesund show up: swimming club, horse riding club, jiu jitsu, churches, the red cross and many many more. 

The last parade was high school graduates only. Well, they hope they will graduate, since the exams have yet to start. But this is their way of ending their time in regular school and they go all out. More on that next week. 

Anyway, I am tired now: all that shuffling in heavy crowds (despite the bad weather) is very draining. But I have gotten an insight into life in Norway that I didn't have yet!

Away

I realised yesterday that I had five days off. One because of the national holiday here (called May 17th for some obscure reason), the weekend, Whitmonday and then another ordinary day off. I then have to work for 1 day only before I will be off to the Netherlands for a week. Exciting!

However, since I don't have internet at my place yet, I cannot keep you as updated as you (and I) would like. So, just so you know what is important for me: on Constitution Day (the official name of May 17th) there will of course be the rowing race. Plus a parade, plus a dinner at somebody's best mother. 

On Saturday it will be the final of Eurovision. Very very very important of course, because (tada) the Netherlands are in it! Yes, for the very first time since semi-finals began in 2004, we made it to the final. Very exciting of course and I hope we will really do well. I will be voting for them I can tell you! 

Sunday will be a day off from festivities, unless they call me up and I have to go to work. That would not be a bad thing, since I don't get paid that much if I have time off for a holiday! Monday the same as Sunday and Tuesday the same again. I might hang up the new curtains (yet to be bought though). 

Next weekend will be as exciting as this one: a nice night with old colleagues, a day to the sauna (female problems permitting) and our family day. And to top it all off: Wuppie is coming home with me!

That's it. Why bother with international touring when you can move to Norway and get more action in one week than I ever got touring!?

'Tree'

Olive trees in the Provence
Photo take a few years ago

Anybody who lives close to the sea knows one thing about trees: they grow lopsided. It's not that they want to grow that way, but they are forced to grow that way. By the wind of course, not by some nasty person holding a gun at their crown threatening to cut them down to firewood if they don't do as they are told. 

But those lopsided trees can be quite dangerous. If they lop too far, they might topple over, so occasionally those trees are cut down. The wood is then sent to flat pack furniture makers who turn them into nice tables and chairs and wardrobes. So far, so good. 

You go to the nice flat pack furniture sales room and find something you like. You buy it, take it home, curse all the way because there is another screw missing and finally have it set up. It may wobble a bit, but whatever. And then you wake up the next morning and you find that the table has moved. The chair has fallen over and the wardrobe stands sideways. What's going on?

Well, because it's made of wood that was so heavily influenced by the wind, the wood is infected you could say. And even though it's now a chair or a table or a whatever, it's still influenced by the wind. So, even the slightest breeze will make it move. And if there is a hurricane force wind you are sure to have a house that looks like it's been ransacked. 

The solution? Nail everything to the wall and/or floor. Problem solved!!

This is my 54th entry for Photo Theme for Thursday. Why not join?

Dress

Size very small. I still own it as well.
It will be wall decoration...

I don't often fall in love with clothes of any description. Some of the clothes I own are second hand, others were new, but never at the height of fashion when I bought them. But as I was driving through Haugesund the other day I saw a dress in the window of one particular shop. And I fell in love. It was feminine, it was red and cream and I wanted it. 

I got my sock savings out this morning and decided that I would give the dress a go. So, inbetween jobs I took the bus to the shop. The price tag was a bit higher than I expected, but that didn't matter too much. The fact that the dress was silk was a yea/nea moment as well. But the dress was still very pretty and feminine and I still wanted it. 

I didn't get it. Not because it was made of silk and not because of the price tag. Because it was too small. The sales lady showed me a few other dresses, most of which looked like coloured potato sacks to me. I left empty handed. The sock savings are going right back to where they came from!

Internet

When I bought my washing machine and my television thingymebob, I also asked about internet. They filled in the form and then all of a sudden I needed some numbers I didn't have. A gardnummer (plot number) and a bruknummer (user number). I had to ask my landlady about those. But as soon as I had them, I could proceed. 

I went back about a week later. With the numbers. They couldn't help me then, but they would email the company and get back to me. Which they did the next day: I had to phone them up myself. Grrrr...

Now, you have to know that even though I speak quite good Norwegian, it is still extremely hard to speak that language on the phone. I just don't get it, I don't follow anything. Very hard. So, it took me some time to get on the phone. Which I finally did two days ago. 

Here's the deal: first they have to see whether or not I can actually have internet at my address and then it will take about 11 working days (basically two weeks) before I am hooked up! More grrrr...

I think I will take my baby into work for a while and hope everything gets sorted asap, so I don't have to use the company computer (like I do now) or the baby. 

Ah well, another moment on the great big learning curve of living in another country...

The prodigal daughter

Wuppie

I used to have four cats. Wuppie, Mathilda, Sophie and Linette. Sophie was sick and I made the very difficult decision to have her put down in July 2011. And then a few months later I came back from Canada and Mathilda was sick and again the difficult decision to put her down. So, I had two cats left: Wuppie and Linette. 

Mathilda

I had to make another very difficult decision in October last year: take them or leave them. I chose to leave both of them in heaven (ie Pepperfly's household, which is the closest they can get to heaven). After the initial difficulties (which fortunately were virtually non-existent), they settled in nicely, enjoying the attention and the good life. 

Until only a few weeks in: Wuppie decided he would go wandering. Nobody knows where he went, but it took him all day and a lot of frantic searching and worrying. Since then he stayed close to home. 

Sophie

And then there is Linette. She has always had a wandering spirit and while living with me, she had on occasion been out for three days on the trot. I could see her in the garden at times, but she refused to come in when I called. So, when she left for the day, nobody worried too much. And when she stayed out that first night: no problem. Nor were the second and third day. But when after a week, there was still no sign of her, the worry crept in. The vet was notified, as was the local pound, the not so local pound and the national chip-service (if any chipped animal is found, they can find the owner very easily, provided the address is updated of course). To no avail however. 

Linette

After three weeks we all knew it was over. She would not be back. Perhaps she had found another home, or she had been had by either animal or vehicle. It is after all farm country! 

Until Mr Pepperfly opened the door last Saturday to let out the youngster of the house. And guess who was miaowing in the garden? Exactly: Linette. It took them another day to get her in, but she is back home. Skinny as a rake, but home. 

Sleeping the sleep of the innocent

Photo on Sunday 2013-8

Do you remember last Sunday's post about Dumbo? In the center of town they have done it a bit different. Instead of getting some dimwitted idiots to spray willy-nilly, they actually hired somebody to make something nice! The wall extends a bit further either way, but this is the part I like most!

Some photos

The view from my bedroom window

I promised some photos, so here they are!

Most of it is cleared now. Still some things remaining though

My poopy couch looking great!

My kitchen

'Wet'

Turns out that despite all the wet that fell from the sky in the past few weeks, I haven't got that many photos that look wet. Although any photo of any body of water is naturally of wetness of course. So I dug and I found and I posted!

It's a photo I took during the first rowing training we had and you can see the wetness nearly jumping off the screen. First of all the wetness coming from the water itself: the Karmsund (Sound of Karm) and then of course from the low-hanging clouds that only promise more rain and wetness. I can tell you from experience that it delivered and I was soaked at the end of our training.

This is my 53rd entry for Photo Theme on Thursday. Why not join?

And again...

My alarm clock went off at 6am Tuesday morning. Never heard it though, since I had only been asleep for four hours: I had had to work late the night before. By 6.30am though, I was up. Shower, packing, more packing. At 9.30am one of my colleagues arrived with her pizza-car (a small van) to start loading everything up. The most important of course being my bed. 

Another colleague arrived and us three women worked hard. We moved my bed and a lot of boxes. After depositing them at the house, we went and got the couch I had bought. The photo doesn't do it justice though, because I am actually quite pleased with it. It's comfy, it's large, it's still in good nick. Even if it is a poopy colour. 

After we deposited the couch at the house, I was to stay in and wait for the washing machine (didn't want to miss it twice) and they were going to get my stove. They also got lunch! Which was much needed. Later that afternoon we drove to Åkra to get some of the larger stuff and the smaller stuff I had not needed yet. I had to leave the biggest wardrobes behind, but we got a good load again. 

We drove back, unloaded and then loaded again in Haugesund. However, we didn't drive to the new place immediately. First there was to be a bit of respite for me, if not for the other two: rowing training! The weather was glorious, the sun came out, it was warm, not a lot of wind. And I had forgotten my camera of course!

Well, the last bit was dropped off at home and then I was able to 'slappe av' or relax in good English. But if I wanted to sleep in my bed, I would need to make it first, since it was still in pieces. It didn't take me a long time, even with the wild screw. 

To say I slept soundly last night is an overstatement. As a matter of fact, it was hard for me to get to sleep. The stress of moving certainly had a part in it, but mostly I think I was just too tired. And my body just couldn't relax enough. Even after the nice warm shower I had had. Tonight will be better I think.

As you may have noticed, there are only old photos here, I will post some new ones as soon as possible. 

Boxes

Remember those? Soon they will all be in one place again:
HOME!

After work today, the first thing I had to do was rowing training. Well, the others rowed and I steered and learnt about starboard and board (not quite sure I got it though). After that one of my colleagues asked about when the helpers were expected to show up on Tuesday: moving day. And before I knew it, I was home and grabbing boxes and other stuff and stuffing them in her car. Yes, I was already moving!

The fake wall in my bedroom is no more: only one box left. The fake wall in my living room is no more either: I just have to fill the empty boxes that are under my bed (which I had planned on doing tonight by the way). She had also gotten her old dining room table and that table, along with all those boxes are now in my new home. I still need a few things, but it will be okay to start with. 

The neighbours from across the road
(the sheep I mean, not Peppermaggot)

I will be moving on Tuesday and have a day off for that, paid as well. I will be off on Wednesday (according to my rota) and Thursday (Ascension) and Saturday and Sunday (both according to my rota). So, plenty of time to sort and unpack and order and do everything needed to get my home okay. I may be off-line for a few days, but don't worry: plenty of photos and stories coming up.