Simple things that make me happy

 Cali is an incredibly green city. Even the red zones, which we've only passed in vehicles, have a lot of trees and greenery. 

It makes me very happy.

The avocadoes here are giant, squishy, and slightly more fruity than the ones you get in Norway or England.
This is half an avocado on a dinner plate.

Also food related: I was incredibly disappointed the other day, after buying a massive water melon that turned out to be green, because it wasn't ripe. Today I bought a baby watermelon and it was perfect (and I ate from it with a spoon).

Now, all these photos are from inside our apartment, because I haven't yet plucked up the courage to carry my camera around outside (we have had a lot of security training). They are also from my phone, much for the same reason. And they are mostly about food and the view because that's what I mostly do when I'm in the house - if we don't have visitors for dinner or I'm out swimming. I'll try to take more photos with our work camera, which might be slightly better than my phone, and I will show you more of where I work and with whom.

Until then - enjoy dreaming about watermelons and avocadoes!

More parties because

 there should always be parties, especially family parties

 because there is so much leftover cake that we're still finishing it a week later

 and I get to be with my sister and nephew

 and one grandmother after another

 Andreas gets to sleep on his grandmother's lap

and practice his posing skills with me (we're both slow learners)

As I've mentioned a few times already, I've been spending more and more time with my family this past year or so. Ah, I suppose that's what comes from being older, and from knowing that you're going away for an extended period of time. 

Leaving Tromsø, also: redcurrants

 I went berry-picking with my dad today

 Or currant-picking, if that word exists

On our own land and our own plants, we got about five or six pints.

And I'm leaving Tromsø today, I'm going to Oslo on the predeparture brief. I'll be back here one weekend, just before I leave properly, but still. I said goodbye to so many people yesterday, and having to say "well, I suppose I'll see you in June 2015" was hilarious in the saddest way possible. Last night, I stayed up far too late, reading webcomics and distracting myself as far as I could. And now I'm saying goodbye to my parents, and I'll see them again in less than three weeks, but this is the beginning of departure, and I'm sad.

So here's to Oslo being a brilliant experience, to keeping busy and not missing people as much, all the time.

New Year's Eve (Reading)

 Started out with baking cheesecake, brownies and gluten-free brownies

 And putting all the alcohol in neat rows

 Oh, look, I can haz friendz! I suppose Tony (Gale) should be credited for this photo.

 The party mood was high already from the beginning (Tommo and Jenny)

 Although it got better and better (the party mood, that is)
These were taken by Karla Smith and Tony Gale, I think (please correct me)

And we played this game

As you can tell, there were card games. There was drinking. There was dancing. There was hugging, probably some singing, eating of roast and drinking of Aquavit, and a little bit of fireworks seen at a distance. What really mattered was being back with my Falmouth crowd again, and it mattered so much to all of us that we arranged to meet up in London as well come weekend after... More to come!

I have been taking very few portraits of the people I've been with, and far more of food and games and ginger beers - all nice things but sadly not as interesting in hindsight...

No photos today,

Ladies and Gentlemen, since without no previous notice, I've suddenly used up all my storage space on the blog, and I'll have to look into this/do something about it. Tomorrow. (Today is Downton Abbey).

I've had a lovely weekend.

Friday was the first day (both weekday/weekend) I had without going to any Red Cross House or activity since 28th October.
Saturday was the first day I could sleep in since I-don't-know-maybe 20th October.
Saturday was the first party I went to since Utropia Cabin Trip at the end of September.

Saturday also brought two Christmas parties, one family and one Utropia, which in Norway means a lot of greasy, fatty food and of course a lot to drink. Christmas dinner twice in one day! And already today Sunday I'm busy stuffing myself with pancakes and chocolate.

Om nom Christmas, bring it on, I say!

Precious and Sunniva

 Fantastic unfocused photo

Sweet, normal photo

I have so many amazing unfocused and blurry photos. The one above is a result of giving my no-automatic-focus-lens to Silje, and having no flash, trying to bring the candle as close to us as possible, I upset Precious by bringing it too close too suddenly. We were eating in a really dark pub-type restaurant at the end of the Migration course. More Red Crossing to be done this weekend!

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.

Nesodden/Oslo

 Then I went to rainy, verdant Nesodden to stay with my grandmother

 To Oslo to see my friend Julie, among others

 and eat Moroccan tapas and drink mint tea with all the sugar

 then back to Nesodden to weed, read and smell the roses (quite literally)

Rural idyll, as long as it's summer

Let's talk weather

 28th May 2012, Monday

3rd June 2012, Sunday

 29th May 2012, Tuesday

(day after I came back from scorching London)

3rd June 2012, Sunday

(we had dinner outside, and cake outside, until 9 in the evening when it started to get chilly)

That's all.

Falmouth III

 Who is this Emma-person I see before me? MY Emma-person. So many hugs.

 English Sunday Roast is amazing.

 Tony, Karla, Mak, Maja, Emma, Jenny, me, Lucy (thanks, Henrik)

 Emma and Lucy

 Kimberley Park looking all right

Grumpy man, presumably enjoying the weather, the park and the ice cream he's eating

Aaaand we saunter (on a train, not really possible, but who cares) towards Brighton!

Almost everything beginning with "S"

 Skyr: an Icelandic almost-yoghurt that is amazing, and stuffed with protein (good for building muscle).

 Sult by Knut Hamsun: Also known as Hunger, in English. Just started reading it, and it is written in 1890s Norwegian, which makes it slightly harder. The spelling has changed so much the past 120 years. But it is so captivating, even though I've only read 40 pages I would recommend it to anyone.

 Squash: The Norwegian name for courgette. I know, it's weird. I would like to call this picture Still Life with Broccoli, Green Squash and Yellow Squash (or Courgettes if You Are English and Prefer This)

Sccchina. Made in the People's Republic of China. Found this bowl for 50p in a local charity shop.

I went to the farmer's market today to buy vegetables. There wasn't much variation though, most farmers had cauliflower and carrots and potatoes. I ended up buying the broccoli because it looked much tastier than shop-broccoli, and the courgettes because the yellow one was funny, and the green one was normal. This past week I've been feeling really bad for not being able to afford vegetables, but my body seems to be happy enough with all the carbs. I've been cycling about 30-35 miles (50-55km) every week for the past three weeks, so I'm sure my body's just going yum, caaaarbs. I'm trying to give it some more protein as well, so I can get stronger.

Oh (I just remembered), I've met my first person through Couchsurfing! Her name is Gabriela and she is staying in Tromsø to try to get a job and learn Norwegian, and we sat on the church steps in the park on Tuesday, eating ice cream and talking about Norway and South America (she's from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina). I've set myself up as "meet for a coffee".