'Modern'

A few years ago I was driving for the Airforce Days in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. Since we had to cross several canals there were also several bridges and this one bridge had to come up to let some boat or other through. It was very wonky and crooked and modern looking and where I normally don't take photos of bridges, I did take one of this one. 

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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....

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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