Merry Christmas 2011

Dear friends around our tiny Planet,
once again we have been travelling and met family and friends during the year that soon will be history.
 
On January 29 we lit the Candle on Rubens Grave.
Papa slept over with his best friend after that event.
On my 66th Birthday in April, we had an unforgetable party.
All 8 beds used.
We have met our daughter and her husband and his family in Germany.
We have met our Son Mats, his wife , her sister and their Mother in Michigan
We have met our family in California
This year we have met the nature as we can't control:
Earthquakes, Sunamis, Drought and Floods that millions still suffer from. Let us not forget those who suffers more than we do.

And here in Norway an insane person killed 77 persons on July 22.
At that date we were in the Chigaco area, and could not believe what we watched live on TV.
We thanks all the Americans we met who gave us their thoughts during our stay in US during these difficult time.


A special thanks to our blog friends in North America:
Lisa, Suzann, Comedy+, Expat Traveller, Steven and Irene

and Claudie and Pierre in Southern France.

In April we had the pleasure of meeting Ginnie and Astrid here in Oslo.
During the year, we had several phone calls with Mrs Lifecruiser. Hope to meet her and Mr Lifecruiser during 2012.

You are all very important in our life.
And we even met a Norwegian Blog friend.
That was a blast.


Of course I will not forget to mention my most important blog-mentor:
RennyBA.  I really hope he will recover and be back as usual in the blogosphere.


We have many more to thank for given us hope for the future.

Both Family and Friends. Like Maribeth, Naomi (we are on the Phone),
and Petunia who has been in charge for the Nordic version of Sky Watch, this week for #64.
I have a special blog for “Himmelsk” – photos you can see… without understanding Norwegian.

Have I forgotten some of you? Yes, I have.
Facebook Friends, but this is my blog...
It’s past Midnight here and I must post before the Pillow and Cats etc ….. 

Hope to meet you all during 2012.
In one way or another – at least we have social medias:-)

Papa goes X-Mas shopping with Grandson and visiting great-grandmother

Grandson Metin Leander and his Mother Ingelin arrived some days ago.  From Germany. Papa picked them up at Oslo Airport in the Northern Seasonal darkness.
December 21-22 is the longest Night here. And December 22 the shortest Day.
 
Well, look at the bright sides of life.  Or what Metin Leander? He agreed. Here before we went out shopping. Metin Leander had to check out the advertisments before we went shopping.

I want quality, he said

Take it easy, I said – have a biscuit
- See, quality?
- yes I do mama
 
Shopping might be boring.
- I blew a balloon

Wedensday was special. 3 Generations went to the Family Chiropractor. Who happens to very good and trustes friends as well. Ingeling and his family and kids have met often, both in Norway and abroad. Papa like this fact.

After our treatment, we went for a Lunch. Metin Leander had pancakes, Ingelin Salad, papa as well and some pressed fruit

You want a taste?
You cant’t see it, but it was red berries
We did some X-Mas shopping, which can not be revealed, at this moment;-) Then we went across Oslo to visit papa’s Mother.

Here Ingelin, Metin Leander enters Papas Mother – she was 92 in October.

We stayed there for a while and hope to see Great-Grand Mother on Christmas Eve.

This is the view from Great Grandmothers Window. See the Ski Jump in the Hill? Holmenkollen.
 
Another view from my Mothers home

Yet another view. In fact the primary School for the Royal Norwegian Family.
 
Hope to see you all again soon. Here in fact, Metin Leander and Marie Louise watch TV…
More to come…..
From here and there
PS. Papa had wonderful moments

Meeting a new blogfriend in Norway

Meeting a new blogfriend in South East Norway
 
Most of my readers might have observed that Anna and “Papa” has met several blogfriends face to face during 2011 far away from Norway. Besides of course RennyBA and DianeCA, who lives in our part of Norway.
Ginnie and Astrid, did visit Norway and Oslo in April.
Then we went to USA and there we met:
Lisa,
Suzann,
Comedy +
and in Canada we met expat traveler. 
Later this year we went to Ollioules in Provence (Claudie and Pierre)
and a Month later to Austin, Texas.

Let us not forget: Phone calls are still in operation:
We did not meet eye to eye,but met voice to voice:
The Old Lady in the Hills
and Mrs Lifecruiser.

Last Saturday we went South from Oslo – about 75 minutes to shop in Sweden. We only shop what is favourable there. At least we say so;-)

Planned
This trip was planned (as allways when we travel) long ago. Beside visiting and staying overnight with Anna’s Best Woman and her hubby and Felicia’s kitten, we (papa) had an aditional plan:

Norwegian Blogger
Visit a Norwegian blogger, living in Fredrikstad. She has several blogs. Here is her profile. Read it and then you’ll understand why papa would visit (She is working as a Teacher, like her Husband and as you know: Anna as well).

Small World
We talked and talked and even realized that back in the 1880’s around, the two male of us had grandparents from the same tiny area in Telemark, Norway.
That’s why we have a saying in Norway (When meeting Norwegians abroad): It’s a Small World – Specially if from Norway

Photos?
Do not be too curious. Do not excpect too much. We are talking December. When it is no Snow. It’s Fog or Rain or the Sun directly in your Eyes when heading South.
OK, here is some Photos:
 
Fruits. See the tiny Manx to the Right?
 
Window Shopping
 
X-Mas Street in Fredrikstad, Norway. It was very dark around 9 PM
 
Food – Turkey as served at Mer (aldri mer i julerushet)
 
Here we are. A Flash Photo. Not the best; but we had a great time.
The other men stayed at Home (Flue or something).
 
Closing time. The Food could have been better regarding the price, but we really had a wonderful afternoon and evening together. Here, to the left, my blog friend.

PS. We could have talked until the Dawn, at least…
  
Fruits next morning as well. These are Clemtines, which belongs to the same family of Trees as the Oranges.
In Norway we call  Oranges:
Appelsin. The origin is: Chinese Apple or Apple (from) China. You see?
PS. We met Marta and Monsen again. They are Cats and Daughter and Son of Felicia. Here is Marta. Monsen, the male cat, he was outside. (I’m a Male too, but staying inside)

I hope there will more to come, so stay tuned…..

Here as well