I wonder a bit more...

I have always wondered why women wear red shoes. Now, I probably will insult somebody here, but honestly: why?? Don't get me wrong, red shoes can be great. On Dorothy for example, even if FLB had her wear silver ones.  

Other than that? Stay away from them! Don't wear them! Don't even buy them! They are ugly about 99,99% of the time.  

I recently bought a really nice black dress. I needed shoes to go with it. So today I bought a pair of high heeled black leather ones. Really pretty.

Oh, and the ones in the photo! 

Summer

I spent a few of my summers in countries other than my homecountry. I spent a few weeks in Belgium in my not quite youth. I can't remember it raining once. Then I spent a summer in Yugoslavia, where it rained every Tuesday it seemed. A summer on Sicily, where the only rain that fell was so-called ghost rain: you could see it fall, but it was so hot that it would evaporate before falling on our heads. And then, a few summers in England. Which wasn't as bad as people usually say it is. At least I can't remember it being so. 

I have now moved to Norway. Live in a lovely cottage in the Norwegian countryside (I might have mentioned this before). And it's summer. Summer as in summer in Norway. Nothing like the 40+ degrees we had on Sicily, or even the 30+ of Yugoslavia. Summer in Norway is 17 to 23 degrees. Day time temperatures not changing that much during the night. But just because the temperatures are summery, it doesn't mean the weather necessarily is. 

Last week we had a few glorious days. Which ended on Sunday with some heavy rainfall. Then yesterday a lot of wind. And this morning a massive thunderstorm, which actually shook the house! But inbetween the weather is nice. Sunshine, nice temperatures and racing clouds. Plus an occasional day where you can sit in the sun and enjoy summer. In Norway!!!

Photo on Sunday 2013-17

Two years ago I drove 40 Dutch scouts from the Netherlands to Denmark and then on to Sweden for the World Scouting Jamboree. Great fun. And I remember that while I was driving through the south of Sweden, that it was a beautiful piece of the world. And why, if that part of the world was already so beautiful and Norway would be even beautifuller (yes, yes, I know), would I want to move to Canada? Those were my honest thoughts. Albeit in Dutch. Of course. 

Well, I moved to Norway in the end. Where it's beautiful. But in September I will be back in that little bit of Sweden to enjoy it some more. This time courtesy of my new friends who have invited me over for a girly week. So, an older photo this week of the landmark tower of Malmö. Where I think we will be flying to. And I hope I will get some more and clearer shots of this tower and lots more besides!

July 27th, 2009

Debbie (Just Breathe) asked a question on Facebook yesterday: what did you blog about 4 years ago? I just had to check it out of course. Because I might have been away on a trip to somewhere nice. I might have enjoyed a lovely day in. I might have experienced something profound and thought provoking. 

I blogged about a slug! An ordinary ucky yucky slug! 

That will teach me...

Original post

I wonder...

I wonder about myself at times. Why do I do the things I do. Why did I move to a little cottage in the Norwegian countryside for example. Don't get me wrong: I love living here. Hardly any traffic, beautiful views, great garden.

Hold on, did I just write great garden? See, that's why I wonder about myself! Because yes, the garden is great, but it's not great at all! It's big that's what it is. It's a place where runaway cows think they can drop their shit (literally: three big ones I found while mowing). It's a place crawling with crawlies. And not only the crawling variety either. Also the flying versions. Small white butterflies that I bet aren't butterflies at all, just look like that. Bees and wasps. Horseflies (thanks to Bessie and her mates) and all sorts of other assorted flying uckinesses. 

But if you have to mow the lawn, you have to mow the lawn. And when the battery is dead, you might as well trim the trees around the bins. Make them accessible again. That's when it must have happened.

I don't know whether it's animal, vegetable or mineral, I only know it's weird. As I was washing my hands (I needed a drink), I looked into the mirror and saw my right arm was sweating. I tried to wipe it off and... nothing! It didn't come off, since it isn't sweat. Looking closely it looks more like small blisters. It doesn't hurt. So, now I have my shoulder covered with blisters of some sort. 

I wonder...

PS: I tried to take a photo, but of course that didn't work! 

'Hard'

I had another post all planned and then I walked up a mountain (Preikestolen) last Saturday. Which was hard on more than one level. First of all it was hard (as in difficult) climbing the thing. Secondly it was hard (as in hard like stone) because the path was mainly made of boulders and rocks and stuff. And I noticed both!

It took me and my friends nearly twice as long to reach the top than most fit people. And I fell over twice. Once backwards where I got stuck in a little pool of water with hard rocks surrounding me. On the way down I fell forwards where I probably was very lucky not to fall any further than I did: it was a nice drop! It hurt enough though. Although at the time it was mostly my ego that was bruised, once I was home, I noticed several other bruises.

It was however very worth it, the view was absolutely fantastic. A sheer drop of around 600 meters into very turquoisy water. Amazing. Never to be repeated however! Too hard....

This is my 59th entry for Photo Theme for Thursday. Why not join?

The water (yes, again)

The well is that large grey concrete thingy that's always in the way!

This morning as I flushed the toilet, I noticed the tank wasn't filling up. And as I washed my hands, there wasn't that much pressure. When I got back home from work this afternoon, there was no water. I sent a text to my landlady who phoned me back about an hour later telling me her husband was on his way over.

He looked in the well and found there was enough water. I would have liked to take a photo, but I doubt he would have leaned in again just for me (he was halfway in). He then had a look at the water pump in the basement and found that the pressure wasn't really what it was supposed to be. And finally he opened the the thingy and found there was a loose connection. 

A loose connection! That was all that was preventing me from having nice and fresh and clean water. Which apparently is as good or better than mains water! Either way: I have running water again. Again...

PS: on an even more positive note: all the plumbing is already in for a dishwasher, so guess what I will be getting? 

Are we nearly there yet???

Early morning view

On Thursday I thought: finally tomorrow I can sleep. And then I was asked to work. So on Friday I thought: tomorrow I can sleep. And then I was asked by a friend if I wanted to take a trip to Preikestolen. We would be leaving at 5.45am! Which meant no sleep again, but I did want to see Preikestolen (Pulpit Summit).

I was picked up at 6am, we picked up another friend and then we took a scenic route towards our destiny. The mist was clearing, we hardly had to wait for either of the ferries (the thing about fjords: you have to cross them at some point), we had beautiful views and just after 11am we arrived at the parking lot. From where it would be a little under 4 kilometers (just over 2,5 miles) to the top. Albeit with an incline of 334 meters (about 1100 feet) from 270 meters to 604 meters above sealevel. Didn't sound too bad and the two hours given for the trip up sounded okay. Little did I know...

Fresh and ready to go!

We started and pretty soon it became obvious to me that those two hours were very optimistic. Unless you were young or well trained or a child. For me being none of those it was a bit more of a struggle. Which showed itself, when I lost my footing at some point and fell backwards in a little pool of water. My legs were sticking up, my bum was securely lodged in said pool. It was quite funny though, even if I did need the help of two sturdy and cute looking guys to yank me to my feet again!

I am there you know. Somewhere...

Now, the problem wasn't so much the elevation but the path itself. First of all: it was thronging with people trying to either get up or down! Second of all, where I had expected a proper path, the path that was there, was basically lots of boulders strewn about. Climbing up and over, sometimes wet stones. However, apart from that one fall (and one near), I managed to clamber my way up the mountain to the top. Where the view was worth it. So beautiful, so blue! I had expected a flat surface, but even at the top, it wasn't. Nor was it quiet, since there were lots of people enjoying the view and the fact that yes, they had made it. Children and dogs included! It had taken us over three hours!

Definitely worth it!

People had picknicks, even barbecued, hung over the edge, sat in the mountain or had a little doze on the edge of the cliff (ie me). We enjoyed sitting there in the burning sun, then had our photos taken on the edge and decided it might be time to actually try and get back down. The two hours given to get back down were a bit more reasonable in my eyes, but still, we had to do it first. The fact that it was mostly downhill, didn't mean that much, since the boulders would be the same: big and occasionally wet and slippery. Besides we were getting tired already.

'War wounds'

Fortunately it was already half past three by then and there were more people going down than up. We still had to be careful though, which I noticed at some point where I took one route down, slipped, lost my footing and went crashing to the ground. This time forwards. I hit my head slightly, grazed my left arm and my right wrist. It gave us all quite a scare, especially me. I was treading extremely carefully (read slowly) from then on. Knowing that if I would fall again, I would have no chance of escaping with only bruises. So, it took us just under three hours to get down.

Satisfied but very very tired

By the time we made it back home, it was nearly midnight. It had been a great day with beautiful weather, even more beautiful views, a great walk (despite...) and fantastic company. So, Preikestolen can be crossed off my list. Been there, done that, NEVER AGAIN!!! 

An 'easier' part

Living on the edge!

Photo on Sunday 2013-16

While on my tour of Haugesund a while ago, I spotted this monument. Normally I am not really one for poetry, but I loved this one. And I wanted to share it with you! Of course you reading it in Norwegian won't mean much, so below is the English translation!

So gather your flowers

in a big bouquet

Gather your lights

to see through the dark

Gather your happiness

to bear all the crying

Gather your hope

to hold on to the dream

Gather your thoughts

to withstand all doubt

So gather your people

Gather our fellow man

Gather together

Lars Saabye Christensen

I prefer Dolly...

One of many birds that I see in my garden.

I live in the countryside. Waking up nearly every morning with the sound of sheep, gulls (no, not Alfred), sparrows and that other one, the big one, the one that was not a stork. Oh yes, the curlew. 

When I drive to work early in the morning, I might be able to see said gulls, sparrows and curlews. I have also seen deer (twice now) and sheep on the loose. Deer flee as soon as you see them and sheep move as one and get to the nearest grass. Which is plentiful in this area I can tell you. 

WHAT YOU LOOOOOKING AT???

This morning I had the 'luck' of seeing yet more animals. Of the bovine variety (ie cattle)! There were four of them and they were standing in the middle of the road. At least one cow and two bulls I saw, albeit all very very young. But where sheep take off running as one as soon as they think they see you coming, those bovines don't. Not unless you get really close. When they trot off. Straight ahead. Using the road. Where I drive!

Needless to say, I was not that amused. Especially since I had to get to work. And when one of the cows had decided the grass was nice, the other three didn't follow suit. Causing the lonely miss to reconsider and get back on the road. I just had to turn around and go the other (and longer) way. Because I just knew that otherwise, I would show up to work with four bovines ahead of me!!! Which I doubt is a very good idea...

It must have been Alfred!

No, this is not Alfred. I think this might be Mabel.

Remember Pete, the Irish gull? The one that sat on the edge of the boundary between road and deep sea? Well, he has a cousin. A Norwegian gull that must be called Alfred. And he was scaring me half to death today!

I had finished work and was walking towards my car, when a gull squawked or whatever it is they do and flew overhead. It came back. It squawked again, flew a bit lower. And again. And again! And yet again. Fortunately I reached my car then and Alfred landed on a pole, while still watching my every move! 

Perhaps I was too close to its nest, perhaps it was drunk, perhaps it was just a bully. Whatever it was, it did scare me a bit. Especially since he came closer with every nosedive! If I had put my hand up I might have actually touched him. 

What next? Crows??

'Abundance'

This one had me stumped for quite a while. It bugged me before going to sleep and while I was at work, but I do think I finally found a photo that shows abundance. To some degree anyway!

The photo was taken in Skudenes a few weeks ago and shows a so-called antiques shop's wares. Basically a lot of old junk that was sold, but since I love looking at old junk, it was fantastic for me!

This is my 58th entry for Photo Theme on Thursday. Why not join?

Shrinking sheep

You know the old joke don't you? Why don't sheep shrink when they stand out in the rain? Well, to be honest, I don't know the answer to that, however I do know they have plenty of chance to actually get wet over here! Because it does rain on occasion.

My sister, who lives in a country known for its rain (ie Northern Ireland), is experiencing temperatures of over 20 degrees and no rain. My parents too, are experiencing high temperatures and hardly any rain. And over here? Well, their night time temperatures are not even our daytime temperatures! The rain is quite present and the sun quite absent. 

All this means the world around me is a bit gloomy and a bit smaller than normal too, since there's also low hanging cloud and fog. From Friday however, the temperatures are to rise to a full 16(!) degrees during the daytime and the sun is due to come out as well. Which means I can get to work in the garden again. 

I just have to remind myself of something my Mum always says: most of the rain falls beside you, not on you!

Photo on Sunday 2013-15

Last week we were in Skudenes (me and the parentals) and one of the many lovely sights we saw was this bow head. Fixed to the rock! I wonder whether that piece of rock will ever sail somewhere? 

Anyway, she was taken from a sailing ship called Concordi and placed here in 1925!

Post Title

The hotel

As I didn't quite know what to name this post, I decided to just use what Blogger suggests: Post Title. I had several ideas floating around in my head. Foggy being one. Others were: The taxi; the hotel; back to the past; do I really want it anymore? All explaining some part of what happened to me over the last two days. But let me start at the beginning. That usually seems to help explain things to people who might otherwise be lost in a jumble of words. 

On Thursday I was asked whether I wanted to pick up some 'speiders' (scouts) today (Saturday). Well, getting the chance to do something else than drive according to timetable again was very tempting, so I said yes. Then yesterday I got a phone call: could and would I go to Stavanger earlier and take passengers with me? Since it was very foggy over here, I couldn't see the airport. And if I can't see the airport it's not safe enough to fly apparently. So, I headed to the airport with a big bus, picked up the remainder of the passengers (there were three other buses) and we drove to Stavanger airport. Where it was foggy.

My 'designer' room

I had to drive from Stavanger today, so it was decided I would stay in a hotel. But when I got to the hotel, there was no record of me. Nor did they have a spare room. The receptionist phoned around and a hotel around the corner had one room left. I walked to the hotel around the corner (it was) and found that they did have indeed a room free. But it hadn't been cleaned so couldn't be used. Which meant I was still without a place to sleep. The receptionist phoned another hotel in their aquaintance and lo and behold: a room was available. I did make sure he asked about it being clean though, I didn't want to be caught out again. It was after all 11.30pm! The hotel was about ten minutes away, so I decided against walking and got him to phone me a taxi. 

The taxi arrived and started driving. Eighteen minutes later it stopped at the hotel! I payed the taxi, got into the hotel and got a key to a clean room. This morning I had to pay for the hotel, got into another taxi back to where the coach was parked. Unfortunately I wasn't that familiar with the area. Well, I had never been there before, so I basically knew nothing. I had however been quite clever the night before and asked the first taxi-driver about the address. And we did find it, albeit after turning around once. 

I had been told where I had to go, but since I didn't even know where I was... But Lady Luck smiled on me again as there were two coaches waiting in the parking lot going to the same place I was! I got there in good time, got my people half an hour before they were due and left to take them back home. After dropping everybody off where they wanted to be dropped off, I drove back home. Missed my exit, had to drive the long way round, which turned out to be a really good and possibly faster option.

So, was it all it used to be cracked up to be? Apart from the fact that I didn't really know what was going on, having to sleep in a hot hotel room and having to pay for the lot? Well. Probably. Would I like to return to the touring part of driving a bus? Ehm... Probably not. It was a lot of waiting. It was irregular. It was lonely. And I missed my own bed. On the other hand: the driving part of it was great. Just being able to drive without having to stop every other second because somebody wants to get on or off was fantastic. The different scenery was lovely to see. And I even saw a motorway!! But for now I am happy where I am. 

'Machines'

After a little lull I thought to get back to Photo Theme for Thursday. This week's theme is machines and I had to look in my archive a bit. However, the last set of photos I took last week when my parents were here, showed that I didn't have to look very far. I give you: a barometer!

Barometers were used to help predict the weather. It uses the air pressure and can then help you determine whether the weather will be nice or rainy or what. This one was hanging on an outside wall in Skudenes. And if ustadigt means unsteady weather I don't think this barometer is a good one. Since the weather was lovely the whole weekend!

Anyway, this is my 57th entry for Photo Theme for Thursday. Why not join?

H2O again

I bought the 5 liter bottles of water. I used a bowl to catch all the water so I could 'flush' the loo. I filled up the first empty bottle at work. I was getting geared up to washing my hair somehow. 

And then out of habit I turned on the tap. And lo and behold: water came out. A bit hesitant at first and when tasting it, it needed to be run a bit longer, but water did come out!

I don't know what happened. Did the landlady pay the water bill? Did someone fill up a well somewhere? Did the waterpump all of sudden decide it did not want to be broken? Or did the water fairy interfere? Whatever the reason I have water again. Running water. Both varieties (ie the hot and the cold). And the bottles will be stored in the basement. Just in case...

H2O

As I occasionally do, I take a shower. Wash my hair, wash my body and finish with my face. As I was getting in the shower this morning, I noticed the water wasn't as abundant as usual. I grabbed my shampoo, washed my hair and noticed in the mean time, there was less and less water. I managed to get my hair shampoo free before the water became a mere trickle and then stopped.

I live in a cottage in the Norwegian countryside. There are many fantastic birds here, lately I have been spotting a deer when I drive to work early in the morning, it's quiet during the night, it has a view to the sea. And now?

No water. The water pump was making some funny noises last night and I now think it was because there was no water to pump up from wherever the water comes from. I got some 5 liter bottles of water today to help me with the important things, like washing hands, brushing teeth and making tea. I would have liked some more rain (I know!), but alas, nice weather is expected!! 

Of course I have tried to get in touch with my landlady, but I have the funny feeling she might actually be on holiday and has her phone turned off! Which is annoying to say the least, since I don't know what's going on and she might. 

In the near future, water will be preserved: the last drops of drinking water will not be thrown out, washing hands water will be used to 'flush' the loo and no washing up I am sorry to say.

Isn't life in the Norwegian countryside a blast??

Food

I like to cook. Honestly, I do. I don't do it very often, but when I do: culinary high lights! Well, perhaps not that exactly, but I haven't poisoned anybody yet!

With my parents here last week I had to cook. Every day, apart from the day we spent in Bergen, where we ate out. On my birthday (Sunday) I made my own birthday dinner: potato wedges, sausages and cooked cauliflower including a 'papje' (a cornflour and milk sauce). Monday saw me make pizza à la Mara. On Tuesday we ate out. Wednesday was a day for chicken wings and potato wedges. Thursday was salmon, boiled potatoes and salad and Friday I made pancakes. 

As for desserts? Well, yoghurt most days, but also rhubarb crumble and apple crumble. Plus I made apple pie for my birthday. 

I hope I can continue cooking for myself. But I fear it will become very boring eating my michelin starred food on my own and I will return to easy food. Microwave dinners and the like. Perhaps I just have to invite people over!

PS: I of course didn't take any photos of the food I made, so two photos of what we encountered in Skudenes last Friday instead.

Language

Reading the comments by my friend Pepperfly on my post about Wuppie, I had to laugh. Any language is difficult. But there is of course a difference between decaptiovating, decaptivating and decapitating. The first one is a misspelling of decaptivating and that is the wrong word if you are talking about 'off with his head'. Although...

This post is however not about heads coming off. It's about a conversation I had a few weeks ago. As you know I was able to speak French again with somebody from Morocco. If I couldn't remember the word and spoke Norwegian it wasn't a problem: she spoke Norwegian as well. After a while however, we decided to continue our conversation in Norwegian: a bit nicer to the people sitting around us. 

At one point she was describing having to use medication for some ache or pain and since she couldn't take the ordinary oral route, it had to be rectal. So far, so good. I understood what she meant to say, but now we had to think of the Norwegian word for a pill up your backside. I thought I knew the English/French word, but couldn't get any further than suppo... which was not much help. Fortunately she came up with the word: strikkepinne. Sounds good doesn't it? Although, sticking one of those up your behind might cause a whole new pain, since it's a knitting needle!

We were in fits of laughter, but still didn't know the real word. Realising I couldn't find the English/French word and she couldn't find the proper Norwegian version, we decided to ask her husband. Who told us it was a stikkpille. Well, it sounds like the strikkepinne doesn't it? Honest mistake... 

(About three days later I finally came up with the English term: suppository and the French version would have been suppositoire)

Photo on Sunday 2013-14

What with being back online I thought I would go back to posting for Photo on Sunday as well. This time not a photo that I took, but one that was taken by my good friend Pepperfly of my/their cat Wuppie. 

I just wonder what he has in his sight...

Last day

 

Yesterday was the last day my parents were here and the weather was beautiful. So, we decided we would go and visit Skudenes on the southern-most tip of the island of Karmøy where I live. Because there was a festival going on there, we didn't really think the car would be a good idea, so we took the bus. Giving my parents the time to enjoy the surroundings and the smell of stale alcohol (the men sitting behind them).

Skudenes was filled with market stalls, big and small boats and a lot of people. After we had strolled through that part, entering every single antiques shop (and I use that term quite loosely), we sat down to enjoy some waffles, fish soup and bacalao. The last one is not native to Norway, hailing from the Mediterranean, but I like it. And so did my dad when he tasted it. 

After the sit-down we strolled a bit further, this time through the old 'town'. And a lovely quaint part of town that was! With more antique shops, so me and my mother were happy. There were lovely houses, lovely gardens and lovely other things as well. We made our way to the view point which gave us a lovely view over both Skudenes and the North Sea. And then we walked down to the quay where a bus was waiting already that could take us home again. 

A lovely day!

Woman at work

Working in the garden is not normally something that is seen by many other people. Mainly because I live alone and nobody will stop their car to gaze admiringly at my handiwork. Or not admiringly for that matter. Anyhoo...

I have visitors right now in the form of a paternal and a maternal unit. Otherwise known as Papa and Mama. And since yesterday was a dry day, although very cloudy, I had to work in the garden again. I got out the mower and the strimmer and the rake. Exclaimed over the lack of wheel barrow and set to work. Back and forth over the lawn in my lovely bright pink boots. Until the battery was dead. 

In the mean time my father was busy pulling out the big weeds that surrounded my parking area. Even though I live on my own, there is space to park at least four, possibly six cars around my property! Ridiculous really, but it gives me enough choice to park where I want. 

Note the boots!

After my dad was done pulling weeds (he is getting on a bit and shouldn't do too much) and the strimmer was put to one side because of grrrr moments while using it, I only had to wait a few more minutes before the battery to the mower was charged and I could continue mowing the lawn. I was even able to do a part I hadn't gotten to before and while working there I spotted something I wanted: a wheel barrow. This place certainly gives me lovely surprises at times!

Talking of surprises by the by: I knew I had an apple tree in my garden, but according to my mum I also have two cherry trees and two plum trees. Plus I have chives, lovage and probably some other edibles as well. 

42 (and a bit)

Last Saturday was a day on which I had to some shopping and some serious cleaning. Fortunately my parents weren't due to arrive until late in the evening, so plenty of time to clean! Yippee... Anyway, by the time I had cleaned everything, there was still enough time to watch television and wait for my parents to arrive. Which finally happened at around 10.45pm. They had found my home in one go. 

My mum exclaimed over the house, my dad exclaimed a bit over the low ceilings (especially upstairs). But in short: they liked the place. Wouldn't be a place where they would want to live, but that's good, since I wouldn't want them to live here anyway!!

Sunday was an easy day. I made dinner, baked an apple pie, we did some sightseeing (only some), we watched some television. No Wimbledon for my mum, but they could see some Tour de France. A film out of my vast collection and the day was almost over. The day on which I turned 42!

Monday was a bad weather day. Rain and wind and we decided we would go to the shopping center. After all we are Dutch, so we don't (yet) go with the whole 'outdoor in all types of weather' craze they have here! However we had seen Tuesday would be a nice day, so I checked at what time the boat and the bus would run and decided to visit Bergen, the city with the slogan: It rains in Bergen. It didn't! 

My parents had wanted to see Bergen and I didn't mind seeing it again, so on Tuesday we headed to the quay in Haugesund to take the three hour journey by fast ferry to Bergen. It was a nice ride, although a bit boring. In Bergen we had lunch, saw the Hanseatic houses, went up the mountain with the funiculaire and had dinner, before heading back to the busstation to start the three hour journey back, this time by bus.

Yesterday (Wednesday) was another rain day and we mostly stayed in. I did venture out for a bit on my own to do some necessary shopping and I (finally) got my internet router.

All in all a quiet week. Today we wanted to work in the garden, but there is a threat of rain and the grass is still wet, so...

Ice

Well, it took some time. Almost two months in fact, but I finally got back online in the privacy of my own home. Me not having any credit rating because I haven't been here long enough turned out to be the main problem. Well, when added to general not doing much about getting internet that is. 

But I now have internet again. Ice cold internet I have to add. Since my provider is called Ice! So, expect some more stories on this blog again soon. Starting from tomorrow I think. Because after all, I am on holiday now!!!