I've seen so much good, and so much bad, music this weekend. All the tales later, now I'm going to a work conference type thing.

Døgnvill

Going to watch these wonderful girls live tonight!

Still working, hello Syria

Me with Marwa

Last week, we made a quick decision and decided that this Wednesday, we would collect money for Syria, which the Red Cross has been doing all summer on their website. Sadly, it was cold and not that many people out, but we got some money, and I met Arne and Marwa, who are amazing volunteers, and we're already planning to do another collection this autumn.

Tomorrow I'm going to Døgnvill, another music festival up here, this one slightly more pop-based than Bukta. Now is sleepy-times.

Red Cross/new job

Hello there Ida

And hello Magnus, at our stand at the University on Friday

So: Troms Red Cross have advertised a position as Coordinator for activities for children and youth, which I am applying for as I write this. Until they hire someone though, they needed someone to take on some of the responsibilites of Hanne, the previous coordinator, to let her start her new tasks in Communication and Market, and I got engaged for a two month period, starting on the Monday that Maja was here.

I'm writing the application for the proper job now, and it is been one of the easiest applications that I've ever written, since this job is something I know and care about. That said, I have no doubt there are many very well-qualified applicants for this job, and I'm constantly making plan b and c and d in case I don't get it.

Until October 12th though, I am the Coordinator for activities for children and youth in Troms district (the county), and so far I am really enjoying it.

Now excuse me while I go and listen to Calvin Harris' "We'll be coming back" one more time. Ten times today, at least.

Skarsfjorden, a second time

 I do love my Northern landscapes

 Islands. Fjords. Mountains. The Ocean.

Strange weather

August is, as always, the month for mountain-walking, berry-picking, and long drives to distant fjords. 

Yesterdays Singstar-business was a success, if you were wondering. We had to download some high quality songs to sing, and ended up with Bad Romance, Baby Got Back, Ms. Jackson and Call me Maybe. And both Christine and I got scarily high scores on David Bowie's Space Oddity.

Today I'm just listening to Calvin Harris on repeat.

Saturday

I've been very busy today, reading books, watching Hot Fuzz, reading newspapers and reading more books.

Now I'm off to Christine's for some serious Singstar-business.

Happy days.

Week-end, Maja gone

 This beautiful lady, here documented in Tromsø, August 13th 2012

This fantastically funny weather, with fog, then sun, then mist, then sun,

then low clouds rolling over the sound and more sun

Both left yesterday.

Today was the first end of a working week at the Red Cross for me, and time to stretch out and do nothing. While Maja was here, we went on a long drive to sit by a beautiful fjord, we went on a small flea market, we went out, we had reindeer, and normal burgers, and whale, we watched films, met people, and walked about. I had a splendid time with Maja here, I only wish I hadn't started a new job the very week she was here. I went to the hairdresser straight after work today, to cut my hair for the first time since last November (nine months, if you're counting), and as she blow-dried my hair, I closed my eyes and almost fell asleep. This evening I've been shuffling around the house, drinking tea, reading books and slowly regaining my energy.

Love my new job. More about it later. Sleepy filmwatching times now.

WHALE

We had whale on Tuesday, just for Maja.

Slightly charcoaled after grilling it to make sure it wasn't rare. Also, I have a job and more on that later but this is my reason for not posting. I have a job and a Maja, all at once!

Maja! Maja! Maja!

 Maja is coming to Tromsø todaaay

 Maybe we'll have some drinks,

 a barbeque at the beach,

and go on road trips to see more beaches?

Maja should now be on the plane from Oslo to Tromsø, and I will drive soon to pick her up from the airport. I have so many plans! And hopefully I'll have more Norway-photos of Maja after these days. All the photos I can find are from England, which of course is where we lived together, studied together and had parties and went for walks together. Happy days!

Skarsfjord BBQ

 Not on Kvaløya for once, this is on Ringvassøya (Ringwater (?) Island)

Tuesday gave us sunshine for the first time in weeks, 

and sunshine means that we need to go to a beach far away and barbeque there.

Dina

 "This is moon" "But he's a banana?" "No auntie, it's a moooon" 

 Mississippi Mud Pie, very very much recommended (dark, sticky chocolate cake)

Far too aware of cameras at this age

I went to see my niece last weekend, as planned. She is far too adorable and far too clever and we were playing all day long. I also got to spend time with my sister, playing a trivia game from 2006 - mostly with questions about who won So You Think You Can Dance in 2006 and so on, watching a film and making chocolate goodness.

Not throwing things away

 I struggled to throw away my mailbox sign. With an address I'm not living at anymore. I managed to in the end.

 These old jeans are never going

And I'm always shocked by how torn and indecent they are. This is the decent side.

I can't throw away things, unless they're really broken and unusable, and even then I find it difficult if they have some sentimental value. Like the jeans I got when I was seventeen, and used day in, day out until (and after) they started falling apart. I just wore tights under them to make them more decent.

The move was supposed to let me go through my stuff again, and throw out more and give it away to charities and suddenly become very minimalistic and own nothing. I'm starting to realise that this will never happen as long as I'm this sentimental. Next time I move, I'll hire my friend Christine to force me to get rid of more stuff. Until then, nostalgia reigns!

Rekvika

 far, far out on Kvaløya, looking towards The Ocean

 there is an old, half abandoned fishing village

 with snow on the summer mountains

 and apparently a previously international fishing trade

 the village: Rekvika

the island: Kvaløya (Whale Island)

B&W

En herre med bart/A Gentleman With a Mustache
Yes, that is the title of a Norwegian film from 1942.

I watched it online, and realised Norwegian comedies were funnier seventy years ago.

Now, I have four letters to reply to, and instead, I'm going outside, since it's sunny for the first time in weeks, and my Norweg-genes can't handle staying inside on a sunny day.

Gratulerer med dagen, Line

 March 2006, when we were not yet seventeen (this is the excuse for bathroom photos)

Line is my oldest friend, we've known each other since we were ten and she started in my year group and I took care of her because I'd been the newbie six months before. She was the tomboy who'd come to school in holey tracksuit bottoms, I was the slightly preppier one. When this photo was taken, we'd changed roles. The past few years we've been getting closer again. We've become completely different people, but we still see each other every time I'm in the south, and I love her to bits. Happy birthday Line <3 font="font">

Back home

March 2012

I spent yesterday and today unpacking, and I can't believe how many things I own. And so much random stuff too, which I can't throw away because of reasons (mostly nostalgia).

And now I'm going on a two hour drive to see my lovely niece and give her a book and maybe get some exercise (which has been down on my priority list during this moving period) by running around the house with her, and stay there a few days.

I promise you, regular blog posts will be back soon!