I'm dreaming of a white... Halloween?!?!

A foot of snow fell by Halloween afternoon, and it's still falling every now and again. (and I was looking forward to walking to language school tonight :oP )

It is nippy outside but very beautiful. See for yourself:





Karin just taught me how to make a snow lantern, that photo will be put up soon. :) (snow balls making a sort of lantern/igloo around a lit candle.)

A SNOW LANTERN looks like this from this website. Ours probably isn't as perfect... but it has such a nice glow in the yard at night! :)

Just Cruising

Two weekends ago, Vegar and I rented a fun little VW for a couple of days. We went to a mountain region east of Lillehammer that is called sjusjøen. The changing leaves, the moss, mushrooms, blueberries, etc were all soooo beautiful!



While that was peaceful and refreshing, the real adventure began Monday morning! Vegar and I had to wake a little after 5 so that I could get him to the train station on time so he could get to Oslo by 8 for work. At 6 am, though, my brain doesn't run at full speed and I somehow thought the train left at 630 instead of 615! So, he missed the train... which meant we had to drive him to a town about 45 minutes away so he could catch a local train. We made it in time for the train... with some 15 minutes to spare... So I hopped on the train with him and kept him company before he had to leave. We talked for awhile... and then suddenly an announcement came, 'Doors locking.' I ran to the door, but they were already locked! I was stuck on the train with no wallet, no coat... I had my Crocs (sandals), the car keys, and that was it! Vegar paid for my trip to the next stop, which was the airport train station. He had 10 kroner, and I had some spare change in my pockets... that paid for my return trip back to the train station where the car was parked! I felt so silly... no coat and it was 40F/3C and the sun hadn't risen yet. Brr!! After waiting 30mins or an hour, I finally got back to the train station and RAN to the car! Hopped in and went the wrong direction... delaying my return trip to Hamar by 30 minutes because there was no where to turn around on the highway! And I was on a time schedule because I had to be back to turn in my car by 11. So, rushed back to Hamar... trying to keep it under 50mph/80kmph and actually going more like 62 mph/100kmph. Whoops! That could have cost me $300! And it might still cost me that if one of those cams caught me! I was really trying, but I was sleepy, had no cruise control, and find it difficult keeping it at 50 mph when I drove 75+ every day for quite awhile.

I managed to make it back in time to clean out the car and do some quick errands before turning it in. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to fill up the tank. Finally realized that I had to press the keyless entry button to open the car before the gas tank door would open. Then I had to press it in and it popped right open. Strange.

The car was really cool! Brand new! It had all the bells and whistles... including heated seats! :)

Well, that was the start to my crazy Monday. That day was SO long and busy! By 2pm, I finally had the chance to eat breakfast/lunch! :)

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

"An Inconvenient Truth"

Read film reviews here

Vegar's Review:

There are some movies out there that make me drool. More or less. They make me go crazy about them anyway. Lord Of The Rings; The Fellowship of the ring was one such film. I think I saw it five times in the cinema. This one; AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH is another. If for completely different reasons. There are no special effects. No entertainment really (I did not laugh my head off) and it does not have a cast so full of stars the milky way looks dim in comparison.

However, this movie is one I would say is not a "should see" nor a "warmly recommended" - but a must see.
For anyone who supported Bush in the elections where he competed against Al Gore the movie does contain a few jabs. It seems Al is a little bit bitter about the whole issue. And this pulls the quality impression of the film. After all, it is not supposed to be about who won the election. It is about the current issues of global warming. And regardless of your political or ideological viewpoints this movie is a must. It holds a lot of facts that simly must get 'out on the streets', and these facts are presented in a way I believe will keep the vast majority of the viewers nailed to their seats. Especially if you are American, as this movie - made by an American - contains many facts and pointers that are especially valid for citizens of the USA.

In essence, See the film. Buy the DVD and petition Al Gore to make it available for free on-line. This movie must be seen!

Kelly's Quest for FAIR TRADE

The first time Vegar ever mentioned fair trade to me I was completely clueless. I knew it must have something to do with paying overseas workers more money for their goods... and after quite a bit of traveling, that idea made me a bit skeptical. I have seen the effects of people overseas getting twice as much income as their friends and family. Envy and greed inevitably rule in such settings. On the contrary, fair trade doesn't mean paying the people American salaries for factory work... it means giving them a fair and decent salary for their work.

A friend of ours is a textiles designer. She works with women in southeast Asia. They make the most magnificent silk scarves! Her women make FAR less money than we make in a given day... Just a few dollars a day... but that is more than the big corporate factories pay. They must work longer hours in sweatshop conditions for maybe half the income in these Walmart type sweatshops. It is amazing to me that one thing I valued about American shopping is the cheap sales... unbeknownst to me... those cheap prices were very costly.

Most large corporations in America take advantage of free trade agreement and expose many to horrible working environments and unfair market value for their work. They pocket most of the profit and even walk away from these villages having used up natural resources or polluted water systems. Coca Cola has even ruined the water supply of a village in India, for example.

WHAT CAN WE DO?
Well, think about it... We buy 5 tshirts from Walmart that cost $5 each (*cough cough* ahem... Dad. ;) Nah, the example just went that way, I am not pointing fingers at Dad just because he is known for his Walmart shirts :). So, these shirts probably won't last many years because, to be honest, they were poorly made out of fabric that is laced with chemicals. So, you spent $25 on some shirts that won't last long, may irritate your skin, and encourage unethical working conditions/wages. Instead, you could buy an organic cotton shirt from the wonderful cotton farms in your own state (there are several in Texas), you could buy bamboo fabric shirts which last a very long time, don't hold onto odor, and keep you really cool in hot summers, or you could buy a hemp tshirt that will last for many years and supports village women who are making a fair living.

I have started buying fair trade, ethical clothing. It is really awesome to know that village women in Nepal made the headband I have on right now... or that my cardigan is good for my skin AND helped people in Romania earn a fair living.

We live in the richest nations in the world. WE are responsible for making a difference in the world! We have the money to spend, so let's spend it wisely and carefully.... in a way that will make the most difference.

One of the neat things about Fair Trade is that it's such a good way to do missions. Many missionaries work with villagers to teach them a trade or skill. Then they teach them how to market that trade... and thus they create a sustainable business! That's what it's all about-- equiping people living in poverty to make something of their lives. No one WANTS to BEG. We CAN'T simply send money! Supporting these village initiatives really makes a difference in developing these communities! Once people have the basic physical needs met, we are able to point out their spiritual needs as well... Just as Jesus met physical needs, it is crucial that we support these groups who are meeting the needs of villagers around the world.

Some things to think about...
Our Ministry Tshirts... what sort of conditions did the 'made in china' ministry shirts promote? We buy them cheap so we have money for more ministry... but isn't it a part of our responsibility as Christians to care for the hopeless and defenseless? We may not directly force people into these sweat shops... but our money supports their continuation. Did you know that organic cotton shirts, made in Texas, aren't very expensive at all? Why not put in a few more dimes per shirt to ensure that we are living ethically.

Cheaper does NOT mean better... The next time you need to buy socks, underwear, clothing, etc... Let's buy fair trade! What will you get? a higher quality garmet that is healthier for your skin, better for the environment where it was made, and provides a fair job for the person who made it!

Written in the Coffee... Starbucks uses Fair Trade coffee. :) Next time you are looking for fresh grounds, make sure it's fair trade. It just costs a dollar more but makes a huge difference!

An Ethical Christmas... From the time we are babies, we are given so many things. How about a really unique gift in the form of a donation to a charity, mission group, or actual physical gift for someone who really needs it more than we do. For example, if you know a couple getting married who wants to make a difference in the world, a nice gesture would be buying wedding goats for a couple in Africa. This allows them to start their married life with two goats that will provide offspring and a way of income and food for this new family that has so little. :)

Just some things to get you thinking:
*Fair Trade Certified-- What you can do to make a difference
*Do Something Ethical-- Creative ways to live ethically, especially geared for young people
*Make Trade Fair-- activism
*Creative Gifts that are given to someone overseas with a card sent to the person whose event you are celebrating
*Womans Missionary Union's WorldCrafts-- Gifts that not only support village crafts but also missionary work!
*Global Exchange-- An Amazing Fair Trade Online Store with loads of gifts for every occasion and even care packages and gift baskets!

You can buy almost everything fair trade... food, clothing, pencils, pens, lighting, cleaning supplies, decorations, jewelry, accessories, and the list goes on and on. Email me if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular! :)



My Fair Trade Organic Cardigan that feels SO comfy, cozy on me! I LOVE IT! I can feel the difference between this and most of my synthetic clothing. It breathes SO much better. :)

My organic cotton fleece jacket. :)

Wandering around Oslo in Early August






"soft is"... or soft serve ice cream... either dipped in candy sprinkles or dipped in chocolate cocoa powder... waiting for the train to come for me to go back to Hamar. :(

Vegar's first hamburger at TGI-Fridays. It was served burned though. :(

A Walk in Early August

I have never seen SO many mushrooms. They are EVERYWHERE... in yards, on the roadside, in the forests. Some are edible, but I don't dare try!

Harvest Time
Fields around Mjøsa (the largest lake in Norway, 130 square miles!).

Views of Mjøsa

With a view of Hamar

Fall is Here...
I can't believe it. As suddenly as it came, the Summer has disappeared! The first week I was here in May, it was still Spring. Still rainy. Still cool. Now, it is the middle of August, and it's now rainy and cool again!

I did enjoy the summer a lot despite its brevity! Went wild raspberry and strawberry picking! Picked cherries in the front yard! (The apples are ALMOST ready! Yipee! and I HOPE to pick some wild blueberries in the forest this weekend! :) I spent quite a bit of time preparing the fruit to be frozen for the winter! We'll have cobbler and smoothies every now and again for a burst of summer in the snowy winter!

Exploding Romanians
Next week, I will begin my Norwegian courses. I haven't learned many words yet, but I am becoming more familiar with the sounds and the way the written language looks. Last week, I registered for Norwegian class... I stood in line for an hour with many other immigrants from around the world. I met a guy from California who plays for the local soccer team. His wife is Mexican. Small world, really. Three people from the sunny Americas who know more about each other's cultures than they do the new one they are in. :) I also stood in line behind a very interesting fellow from Romania. He told me his whole medical history... I really enjoyed telling his story to my Norwegian friends here because it was SO bizarre! :) Feel free to let me know what you think... (Norwegians find it quite odd that he would share so much and in so many detailed descriptions and using words that Americans would never say in public.) hehe

Once, he was at work, and he noticed his belly button was leaking. He went outside to get a bit of warmth from the sun as he sat. His boss saw him through his office window, came outside, and yelled saying that he shouldn't be sitting down on the job! He went back to work... at which point his belly button exploded and he fell. His boss saw him, the young man yelled curse words at his boss, and then he was taken to the hospital. His mother also had a case of exploding plumbing and can no long poo. He has had four stomach operations, miningitis, and some sort of brain tumour? Poor guy. :oS He shared a lot more details that I won't go into here for those with weak stomachs, but I will just say that it all felt completely commonplace to me... I enjoy hearing about those sorts of things... but for most, it would be... Strange. At least I can say that you only hear these stories happening in third world countries. Karin told me that its because someone in the west would never let symptoms get so bad that a body part explodes. :oP

PHOTO OPS:


Harvest time is almost here! This is half a mile down the road.

Where is Vegar??

Vegar at the top of the cherry tree, picking those that are hard to reach!

Vegar's Bounty in Cherries!

Vegar enjoying Kelly's chicken enchilada's,
mom's recipe... with chips and salsa! :)














One minor issue, though... I could not find packaged or canned cream of mushroom soup anywhere! So, I had to make it all from scratch. I was a bit worried, but it was really good though. :)

It is monday morning, 5.15 am, and I am at the computer, blogging. Why on earth would I do that? Should I not be sleeping? I bet once Kelly reads these first lines of the blog she will roll her eyes at my early morning, but - it has a reason. I guess I will have to wait to say for sure, but...

As we approach our marriage, a few things need doing. We needed a bed large enough for the two of us for instance. And just a couple of weeks ago I went to town and bought one Kelly and I had set our eyes on. A tempur bed we both liked. Now, we will not BOTH enjoy it until January when we return from the states, but for now I have a seriously good bed that I will enjoy all by myself. Mwa-ha-ha Mine, ALL mine!
...
Erm, anyway. The bed is good, and even though it is 5:15 I am wide awake and fully rested. Tempur rocks!

The bed was delivered to my flat Thursday last week. I had paid extra to have it delivered to my flat, which sadly is not a free service here in Norway (some places it is, not everywhere though). However, Thursday comes, the delivery guy arrives, and drops it off. BUT; My flat is a few stories up. The bed - while in parts was heavy. The weather was hot - and mr. delivery just left. With all the matresses, bed frame, everything just dropped down behind the door on the ground floor! Thankfully it was all small enough to fit into the elevator. Even if barely. So, I lug it all into the elevator, piece by piece, realizing it is not too easy to even get it through my flat's door. Glad it was not one mattress, then I would have had to lug it up the stairs alone. And tempur material is heavy.
So I sweat a couple of days worth of water, but get the bed into my flat. I then proceed to put it all together (it was in pieces). As soon as it was all put together I left for Hamar, as I took Friday off to go home, and spend some time with Kelly.

It is good to see the pieces for our life as a married couple falling into place. Things are getting ready for the life we will lead together as a married couple. I like seeing that :)

Photo Log
(be sure to read my most recent post below these pictures!)
Oddities:

Norwegian pinecone. My hands are really small, so you can imagine how tiny this thing is!

Mexican food aisle! :) Yum!

Song we sung at a state church. hehe 'Come by ya'

Norwegian Tartar Sandwich: Slice of white bread, raw beef, raw onions, raw egg

Kelly eating crepes the way vegar did as a child, starting in the middle! He told his parents it was the ONLY right way to eat a crepe! :P

Kelly keeping Vegar in his ???. At the fort and monastery in Hamar.

Brushing time! Kelly, Vegar, and Linda Lee

Now that is Trust! Kelly giving Vegar acupressure below his eye. How very trusting he is to let me press so close to his eyes!

Shrimp Night!! (Loads of shrimp, heads included!)

Hugging :D

Bugs, Bright Lights, and Roller Coaster Rides

It's official! Summer is here, the nights are long and bright, and everyone is outside enjoying the ever-present sun! So much has happened in the past month, and it is difficult to know where to begin!

Invasion of the Dandelions!
As Spring progressed in the middle of May, dandelions overtook every patch of dirt in southern Norway! I have never seen SO many dandelions in all my life! They find places to grow in the asphalt and in tiny crevices in rock walls! Norwegians spend quite a bit of time on their lawns and gardens, thus, seeing Norwegians out uprooting dandelions, trimming trees, and mowing is a regular occurance here. :) Just as quickly as the dandelions popped up, they quickly disappeared, giving way to other types of wildflowers that grow a bit more sparsely and do not threaten to overtake whole yards and roadsides as the dandelions did. Just an interesting sidenote, the Norwegian word for dandelion is Løvetann, or Lion's tooth.

Bright Lights
Summers in Norway are very sunny! The sun never goes down completely, resulting in very bright nights! :) It took me some weeks to adjust my bedtime... I wanted to stay up late because it always felt too early to go to sleep! :) The sun is extremely bright at a very early hour, so I really must go to bed at a decent hour here! Because the days are so long and warm, there is a lot of activity out on the streets, especially in Oslo! There are street musicians, statue actors, beggars, demonstrators, open flower, produce, and cheap goods markets, etc... There is always something going on in downtown Oslo! I have really enjoyed wandering around Oslo in the daytime and evenings! I just can't get enough of that town. :)

Apartment Search
Vegar and I began looking for apartments several weeks ago. The market is really good now, and we considered buying something. Everything is very expensive in Oslo, though. So we have decided to save for a year and then next summer see what options we have with apartment buying. It seems silly to rent and put money into someone else's pocket when we could own and put money into our own pockets. So we will see what happens in the months ahead. :)

Kelly's Education
Last weekend I visited the University of Oslo. I knew it was close to Vegar's apartment, but I had no idea how CLOSE it is! It is perhaps a quarter mile or half mile... just a couple of blocks! It takes a couple of minutes to be on campus! Very very convenient!

Norwegian First: I will have to begin Norwegian language classes in Hamar in August. I will take classes there until moving to Oslo in January. Then I will continue with language courses there. If I had enough undergraduate credits in science classes, I could begin graduate school immediately without needing to learn academic Norwegian. (Graduate school is taught in English, but undergraduate courses are only in Norwegian. *pout*) Thus, I am concentrating on Norwegian first, and then perhaps I can begin my year and a half of science credits in Fall 2007 or Fall 2008.

BUGS!
A couple of weekends ago, Vegar and I went for a five hour walk around this area I am living in near Hamar. The hike is called Ottestadstien. Along the trail, we came upon the yuckiest thing! Thousands and thousands of catterpillars had formed webs over trees... they were hanging everywhere by the thousands... forming small coccoons and covering the trees in that white silky webby stuff. :) We found out that it is a night moth that is currently devestating forests in northern Norway... they fear that there will be a belt of dead forest stretching from the sea to sweden! Click on a photo below to see more pictures of these crazy bugs!
























A Thousand Glees
Tysenfryd... A thousand feelings of glee. :) This is the roller coaster park in Norway. There are three roller coasters and several other rides... Tidal wave, something like the Superman at Six Flags, the wooden roller coaster, the Loop roller coaster, and then a new super fast one that does several cool loops and G-force drops! :) We had a wonderful time there last Saturday! :) Vegar got quite wet on the tidal wave ride... We enjoyed the ride that rolls and rolls upside down over and over again! Weee! And then the roller coasters... ah! Isn't life exciting?! :0D

Vegar standing very close to the tidal wave part. He almost got soaked! I don't think I have ever seen him run so fast! haha!

Vegar and I on the ride that rolled around and around, upside down for a very long time!

The Longest Day Ever
Summer solstice is the longest day of sunlight in the year. In Norway, summer solstice comes around the time of St. Hans' day. St. Hans is John the Baptist. They celebrate his birth with barbeques (AKA grilling sausages at home or on the lake), bonfires on the lake, and spending time with friends in this late night gathering. :) I made delish shish kebabs for us to roast. Num Num! We had a fun time visiting some of Vegar's friends on the island where Vegar spent his early childhood. The island is very lovely, mainly farmland, with beautiful views of the lake! :)
Trine, Vegar's mom, making the kebabs with the bonfire behind her. ----^