Brom bakes a cake

Coocoo

Yesterday was a quiet day we spent doing not much at all. However, Mara did use that nothing time and made me an apron. Because today we were going to bake a cake!

Mixing the carrot cake mix

Mara likes to bake apple pies and people love to eat them, so she had decided to bake one today and invite some colleagues over to eat it. And because she had some carrots left over, she decided to make a carrot cake as well. 

Ready to go into the oven

The first cake we made was the carrot cake, because it needed to cool before we could put the buttercream on. It was hard work, but it was fun as well. And the apron worked really well! Not a bit of flour on me.

The finished carrot cake with the buttercream icing

After lunch Mara and Gera continued with the apple pie. Gera made the dough and Mara peeled all those apples. I just looked while more and more apples went into the bowl. 1,5 kilograms or 3 pounds of apples! Mara is not very good at following the recipe though: it said a handful of raisins and she put nearly four big hands in. But she said it would taste great.

Checking on the apple pie

In the end only two people made it down, some had to work and others had other commitments. Which means that... we have lots more cake to eat this week. 

Ready for our guests

I don't mind at all...

Brom's Photo on Sunday 2017-18

We were all set to enjoy our day at the Viking festival. You can see the island (connected by bridges) in the background.

There were dead chickens and a dead pig and we saw pig's feet. Eeugh!

We thought this lovely dog was an Irish Wolfhound. It wasn't, it was a Scottish Deerhound. Just a bit smaller than the Wolfhound (like half an inch)...

One of the leather workers. Such intricate work and he was actually quite fast. 

The tent of the Swedish idiots and that was their name. Pest and Cholera and a bit of Typhoid thrown in as well. 

I thought those shoes looked lovely, but Mara wondered how wet your feet would get when walking through the mud all day. In fact, some of the Vikings didn't even wear shoes, which made Mara and Gera shiver.

Some of the felt mice for sale. We did think of getting one for Miss Oswin, but she has lots of mice already and we don't want to spoil her anymore than she already is.

I was looking for the snake, but couldn't find one at all. Perhaps it had escaped?

The one on the left looks very much like my own helmet. But mine fits a bit better.

Brom meets the Vikings

Coocoo

Here I am again to tell you of our day today. And to start with: everybody was feeling good! Which is very important of course. Especially since today we would visit the Vikings. In their own home. Because wouldn't you know it, Mara actually lives quite close to the Home of the first King of Norway! I think. 

He had nice hair and wanted to marry, but the girl said he needed to be as rich and powerful as some Viking who lived in Denmark and then Harald (that was his name you see: Harald Hårfagre or Fairhair) went off and conquered a lot of other people in Norway, not cutting his hair once and then he went back and they got married. I don't think it was true love, but it's a nice story.

Now, the place where he used to live is an island just off the coast of the island of Karmøy (where Mara used to live before as well) called Bukkøy. They have found lots of things in the area: bracelets and tools and ships and all sorts. And they rebuilt a sort of Viking village there again, which was where the festival was held. 

There were people selling wooden swords and shields, leather shoes, felt mice, raven claws and fox furs (yes, real ones), mugs, jugs and a lot of other things. We could listen to stories (in Norwegian though and Gera doesn't understand), fight (really) and eat. We saw a show of three idiots (they were professional idiots, they told us so themselves) which was really funny, we walked through mud and we enjoyed the nice day. 

The three professional idiots from Sweden

When we were finished there, we went to the Viking museum which was really nice as well. There we learned a bit more about the history of the Vikings and even a bit of what happened after. It turns out that Avaldsnes not only was the Home of the Vikings, it was also the first place the Hansa established a base in Norway! 

I was only a tiny bit scared. Really...

We all had a lovely day and I really enjoyed seeing all those Vikings...

Brom plays Florence Nightingale

Coocoo!

Well, Mara's headache yesterday morning was a lot better, but during the day it got worse again. She felt sick again as well, but managed to keep everything down. And then she got a phone call from Gera: the plane was late. Which was good, because by the time Mara picked Gera up, the headache had gone and she was hungry again. Yippee! A proper holiday!!

Today Mara felt great and hungry, but they decided not to do too much today yet. Apart from grocery shopping, because there was hardly anything to eat in the house. Not even enough to make a yummy carrot cake! So, off they went, leaving me to look after the place. They came back with four big bags full of food! 

Mara cooked a really nice dinner that both of them enjoyed a great deal. A sort of oven dish with lots of vegetables and sausages and such. And for afters: rhubarb crumble! I would have liked a taste of that I can tell you. 

After dinner, Gera started to feel a bit poorly. A few trips to the little girls' room and then she complained of a headache. Then she asked for the bucket and the next thing we knew, she was really sick! Anyway, Mara made the bed for Gera and I think I will have to keep her company tonight, just to make sure she is alright. 

She did say she was feeling better now though, so hopefully she will be okay tomorrow, when we will be visiting the Vikings. That's the plan anyway... Providing nobody has the dreaded H, the dreaded PV or anything else that makes you feel bad. 

Brom gets a visitor

Coocoo

Remember me? The little orange teddy? Well, I am here to tell you that we are having a visitor. Not yet though, but soon. Mara has written about it a few times now so you will all know that it is her little sister Gera who's coming.

Now, Mara only had a few things to do this week: work for three days and during those last two days (both with a split shift), she would make the place ready for Gera. It didn't quite work out that way. 

During last year's road trip
Taken in one of Prague's underground stations

Because yesterday morning, she woke up very early with the beginning of a bad headache. She thought it would be okay to do the first part of her shift (from 5.45am to 8.50am), but she just knew already that the afternoon part of her shift would not be possible. Oh boy, was she right. 

She got home and she immediately started clearing the sofa-bed. Then she got the vacuum out to get rid of all of the cat hairs on it. And then she found a pillow and a blanket and went to sleep! I felt so sorry for her. She slept on and off for about 5 hours I think, but at the end her headache was still there, and worse than before. 

Oh and then... she had to run to the toilet and throw up! The rest of the day she spent on the couch watching a bit of television and sleeping/dozing in between. She tried to drink a little, but one wrong move and it all came out again (I had suggested a bucket and she had listened fortunately). Mara thought then that it might be wise to call Gera to tell her that it might be possible that she wouldn't be there to pick her up. She might be weak and sick and such. 

Well, if she hadn't phoned, Gera would have had to take a taxi anyway, since Mara thought she was arriving at 11 at night, when in fact it is 8.30 at night! 

After a good, albeit short, night's sleep, Mara said she woke up and it took her a few minutes to figure out that her head was much better. Not clear, but a lot better. Not only that, she was hungry! And even little orange teddies that don't eat a lot, know that Maras need food and she had hardly had anything yesterday! So, she is on the mend and can most likely pick Gera up.

Which is good because it's much better being on holiday when you're feeling good. Especially if Gera is coming!

¡Hola!

As you know I do speak one or two languages. Well, three really. Ehm, four. Hold on, five. And I understand a sixth and I can mumble a bit in a seventh. I am getting confused now, so I will have to go back and count properly. 

Dutch and English (that's two). Norwegian and German (four), French (five). I understand Frysian (my Dad's language and yes, it's a real one). And I get along fine with a few words of Italian. Like ordering food and asking the way. Basic though, very basic. So seven-ish. 

Anyhoo, yesterday a cruise ship arrived. Filled with about 2,500 passengers. Who spoke a language not on my list. Spanish! Well, I know hola, buenos dias and adios. And I think I would be able to order a beer in Spanish, but didn't think it would be appropriate since I was driving. 

My go-to language when dealing with Spanish speakers is Italian. Close enough to actually get a look of recognition from most. As long as I pick the right words of course. 

The passengers came on board and asked how much it would cost. Their English wasn't that great, my Spanish non-existent, but saying it in Italian worked fine. By the time they took the bus back (same group, plus a whole bunch more), I was able to mention that they had to use their seat belts in Italian. Something along the (very badly pronounced and not even proper Italian I guess) lines of 'sinture di sicurezza'. Everyone understood though and there were clicks everywhere. 

When we got back to town, I could feel the tension in the bus. Where do we get off, where exactly are we? So, I said in a nice friendly holler (I am a great hollerer): 'prossima stop, sentro o barca' (meaning next stop: center and boat). Whether it was good or bad Italian/Spanish I don't know, but everybody thought it was brilliant and I got a round of applause and most of them got off. 

Adios!

Blooms

Well, the rhododendron is definitely in bloom. I remember the first time I ever saw them bloom. One of my first trips to Ireland and we were going around the Ring of Kerry. The mountain side was just awash with purple from the blooming rhododendrons. I loved it. Of course where I lived at that time, growing them was near impossible because of the soil, so having one in the garden right now is just a treat. 

But it is not the only plant blooming in the garden right now. There are also peonies that are just beautiful. I remember my parents having red ones and they were the only roses (in Dutch they are called peony roses) that I actually liked. The fullness, the colour. Just beautiful! 

Close-up of the rhododendron

There was one other garden flower that I always loved and once a year* I would tell my parents that I wanted to be given those flowers: the spit flower. So called by me because they always seemed to have spit on them. It took a bit of searching, but I think they are called Sweet Williams (duizendschoon). Unfortunately none are in the garden here. 

Peony in bloom

*In the Netherlands, most towns and villages organise an annual 4-evening walk. Every evening you can walk either 5, 10 or 15 km and schools, sport clubs, other clubs and individuals join one distance. At the end of the 4 days (or 4 in 5 days), there is a big parade with music and everybody gets flowers. I wanted the spit flowers. Or Sweet Williams. 

Out

That was the smallest lager they had!
And yes, that is my food.

I don't often go out to bars and restaurants, but yesterday was different. To celebrate our second and fourth place in the rowing race we had dinner at one of our local restaurants. Well, half of us did. The other half had other obligations. They missed out!

Because we had a huge deal of fun. After dinner I wanted to go home, but when I found out I would be the only one and the rest was going down to the quay-side (where things are happening), I tagged along. I didn't get a dessert at the restaurant, because they had stopped serving crème brulées! but the place we ended up at at the quay, did serve them. So, a beer and a dessert for me thank you. 

We talked shop, foreigners (ie several of us) and their language problems and the other general stuff that people talk about when having a good time. I wanted to leave again, but I was then told I was the youngest, so to get real (by one year, just the one year) and stick around a bit longer. I am glad I did, because it was fun. 

I had a couple of drinks, although every (large) lager came with an equally large water or soft drink. After a great night out, I was driven home by my colleague. Yep, a night well spent!

Sniggers

I ordered a couple of balls of yarn.
Here's the box that was delivered to my sister's office.

I called my Mum today because I wanted to know how she was getting on. And she's doing fine. Yes, she still gets tired, but she is able to go places again. Not for long yet, but still, she's on the mend. 

She then asked me how I was doing and how my fingers were. Now, you may remember I had some trouble with my right index finger. Whenever I have a day off it doesn't bother me at all. When I am at work though, it's another matter. One simple movement and it hurts. Leaving me to think that my body is getting to be allergic to work...

I then told her about my left middle finger. The one I cut with the small scissors just the other day. Which made her snigger a bit. Because apparently I am exactly like my Dad! Not to be trusted with sharp implements. And even my Dad agreed!

Anyway, the good news was that my Mum was doing fine and the other news is that I am a lot like my Dad (which we already knew).

Buttons

Earlier this year me and my sister went home to see our mother after her first operation. At the time she was feeling okay and definitely not in need of 24-hour bedside visitors, so we made our way to the shops on the Saturday. It's always good to have some Dutch food in Norway and I was on the look-out for some yellow fabric. 

And then my eye fell on the buttons. Big buttons, small buttons, blue buttons, yellow buttons, black buttons. Buttons in the shape of flowers, animals, hearts. Buttons made of wood and plastic and metal. But there was one button I fell in love with. I just had to have them! I would figure out later what I was going to use them on. 

Any ideas??