"Søndagstur", a concept. BBQ in Grøtfjord.

 What my mum thinks necessary for a bbq: Tea, a pan, and cream to put in the tea.

 The group of adults, none looking remotely interested in the camera.

 I should stop with all the fjords and mountains. But there is little else to photograph here...

 Tante Solfryd (my aunt).

 My so-called tea, next to my aunt Hildur's barbeque necessities: waffles and cake.

 My dad and his mother, Ninna. I want one of my children to take a photo like this of me and him in another thirty years or so. It fits perfectly with my timeline, and we will be about the age these two are now.

 We tried taking several photos of my grandmother and me, but one of us would fall, or look silly, or the focus would be on the houses in the background. So my grandmother gets this: she looks lovely, I don't even know what I look like.

 Pappa og ho mor (dad and grandmother) taking a walk on the beach. Love.

"Søndagstur" explained by a foreigner.

I've gone back to the Red Cross Youth, did I say? Lots of exciting things happening and no time for interwebzz. I have finished two letters recently though (which means! My Real Life Inbox is empty! Send me letters!), and I am having fun and I am meeting new people all the time, and happily not just sitting home, alone, in my new abode, like I feared.

One photo a day, maybe perhaps if I'm organised

The lovely Dina being fed to the horses by her dad, Erling.

Dina is absolutely enthralled by any animal she sees. She's careful with them, she only goes up to our cat and stares at him while he's eating. And being fed to the horses was the ultimate Saturday night fun experience for her. All the love for my niece. Poor thing, she'll be quite spoilt by the time there's another grandchild.

Yttersia

Today I'm going on a bbq with my family to this place, close to where we went berrypicking a fortnight ago. It's called Grøtfjord, and if you come visit me in the summer we'll go there (like every other Tromsø native) and have a bbq and look out at the Great Sea (The Norwegian Sea). This is one of the places in Tromsø that is on "yttersia" which means "the outside". I don't know if there is an expression like it in English, but yttersia is the part of an island that is facing the Great Sea, that is not hindered by mountains and fjords or more islands. Do you have anything like that?

The Days of the Week

A week ago: cuddly time with Dina. A hundred or so photos still on my camera because I've had hardly any time at home this week. Sunday night, after my sister had left, I went to watch a film at Christine's house (Corpse Bride).

Monday: work, home, thirty minutes to change out of sweaty cycling clothes + make food + eat, then cycle into town to go to a hosting course for the festival I'm volunteering for this weekend, then to the cinema with Ida to watch this film (beautiful, sad, etc):

Tuesday: work, home, relax relax relax. I'm not even sure what I did. Read, probably. Then two hours of philosophy reading to do and make notes.

Wednesday: work, home, a whole whopping hour and a half to shower, change, eat before going to town to a) get car keys + letters + wellies from my parents, b) go get my festival armband, c) go to the Red Cross House to the Red Cross Youth meeting (I used to be a member when I lived here and am now starting again!)

Thursday: uni, philosophy, discussing bioengineering and designing children, work (late), home, thirty minutes to change, eat, then take one bus to town and another to the festival area, for my one day off, saw Eva & The Heartmakers and Roxette, both Scandinavian bands. Roxette was grand, it's Scandipop from the 90s at it's best. Walk back to town, pick up the car that my dad lent me for the day (yays for tired feet (and thighs! cycling to work every day is tiring)), drive home, sleepytimes.

Friday: ditch uni (I know, very bad of me, but it's only one lecture), work, home, forty minutes to change and eat (haha, I've got a car, I've got more time today) and get ready for festival times, drive to town and pick up my dad who will take the car home, go and try to get into the volunteer camp and get my stamps to show I am a volunteer, work in the bar from 4pm till 1130pm, run out for five minutes at 9pm to see the last song of Kaizers Orchestra, walk to town and get the last bus home.

Saturday: stay in bed all morning, try to write this thing because I can't be bothered to get my camera and upload photos (they're mainly of Dina anyway), then go to festival and serve more beer (øl, øl, og mere øl!) to Tromsø party people. Maybe go out.

Lazy bum

The only photos I have from the past week are from last Sunday, when I went berrypicking with these two creatures, also known as my parents. Say hello to John Harald and Nina, everyone. My dad and I also drove a bit longer and went to some of the most beautiful beaches in the area. The sea is blue, the sand is white...and the water is about 10-12 degrees, and makes the sea outside Falmouth seem warm in comparison. We wore plenty of clothes and didn't go in.

Other than that, I've been working every day, went to the cinema on Monday, had my parents over on Tuesday, had Ingrid over for dinner on Wednesday, and yesterday I went to a thing for the volunteers of Døgnvill-festival (I am one of them). Today I'll be going home to my parents, since my sister, her fiancée (get married soon plix so I can start calling him husband, much easier to spell) and my amazing niece.

Hopefully sometime this week (maybe even on Sunday) I'll go through all my berry/beach photos and maybe post some of them, and maybe I'll get a more even blogging pattern. At the moment I am annoying even myself.

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".

Tuesday and Wednesday

 Went to Tromsø Uni to fix some stuff. More about that later. I just love the text under this mailbox. No Parking. Locks will be cut! The post will --- this is difficult to translate. It's like the Norwegian version of this motto.

 Had a few days off, so went to town, got some books out of the library and went to the park to read them.

 This page photographed especially for my dear Freya.

 There was a mistake with my pay check, and I haven't received all my pay yet... This week: Pasta + tomato puree + cheese. Not much else.

Wednesday I went to see Jonas Gahr Støre give a little talk, our foreign affairs minister. He is one of a kind, really. I try to be critical when he (/any politician) speaks, but then he says a lot of clever things, and I just want to hug him.

So: I'm going to try to combine studying with working. It's a bit like Open University, but with my local university. You can choose to just do one subject, and you get all the student priveleges while still being able to work almost full time. I've yet to work it out completely with the Norwegian Mail (I'm probably staying with them because they're so flexible about working hours), but I'll figure it out somehow. In Norway, no matter what you want to study, your first semester will comprise two extra subjects: ex.phil. (examen philosophicum) and ex.fac. (examen facultatum). Everyone has to do this: The first is an introduction to basic philosophy, the second is an introduction to philosophy of science. Since I don't know what, or whether, I'll be studying next (the cost of studying in Norway is 50 pounds student fee + whatever your books cost, per semester), I thought I'd study ex.phil. for now. Some reasons:

1) I get to do something outside of work, and get to know some new people my age

2) I get to think and discuss philosophy, which can be (already is) interesting, and will keep my brain from melting into only knowing street names and house numbers

3) I get student status, and probably some student discounts

4) I get to be a part of the student community

Sooo...yeah. I could have done ex.fac. as well, but this is already taking 5-6 hours off my working week, and I primarily want to work and earn (and save) some money.

Ps: P.G. Wodehouse is the primary reason Norwegians think all English men saunter around in tweed, hallooing and saying "tally-ho" to each other, while they marry their secretaries and housemaids.

Where I make a point

Norwegians wear blue, white, black or faded colours. Or plaid. Not much else. English people wear florals, band tshirts, tshirts with funny quotes on them, and/or other patterns. Generalising is fun.

Oslo, happy times

 On Saturday, Maja and I went to see the opening of the election campaign in Oslo. Here: Fabian Stang, Mayor of Oslo.

 Just to show you that Nesodden, where my family lives, and where Henrik and Elaine is from, is a bit of a faerie land.

 I took almost no photos on this holiday. Which was nice. All the photogenic things happened when I had only my mobile phone camera to rely on.

I can't stay in Oslo for more than a week though. I went temporarily insane for a moment and thought "maybe I need some beige slacks. They're nice". Lucky I was going back home this day.

Maja and I were interviewed on national news on Saturday! And we're very proud of it. I can't get the clip to work, but try following this link, we're in one of the very first minutes: Dagsrevyen

We think they approached us because we were loudly debating the opening of the election campaign and whether they should have talked more politics and less roses (we think they should). I don't think anyone will be surprised to hear that Maja and I had strong views on this.

Oslo, sad times

Maja took me to see the area that was affected by the bomb. This is the labour party building in Oslo, with chipboard (apparently that's what it's called) put in instead of windows. I already knew it had happened, of course, and I didn't see any broken windows, since it was now three weeks since the attacks. Still, though. Seeing it with my own eyes made me realise more than ever what happened.

We also walked past one of the girls whose story from Utøya has been published online and in several newspapers. If I'd thought about it at the time I would have given her a hug. Strange times.

Poor quality photos of high quality experiences

 Adorable indoor-cat at a party I went to. Friendliest cat since Bamse (my grandparents' old cat, looked a lot like this as well).

 Sunrise in Oslo at 6:30 on Sunday morning. Yawn. Beautiful moment only ruined by strange man who wanted me to come to an after party in his flat. I declined.

 Walking home supertired on Sunday morning (yes, I had a great Saturday night now you're asking), this deer suddenly jumped out from the side of the road. Beautiful. Only sad I didn't bring my camera out on Sat night. Then again, someone might have stolen it and I would have had to take this with my phone anyway.

At home (hah! MY home!) last night, just chilling in my rocking chair. That's right.

I've been a short trip to Oslo, happy times

Photos to come, once I find them all (my phone likes to mix up old and new photos, it's great fun)

Some random photos, just for you

 Some urban knitting in town, covering at least 6 ft of this banister.

 My first official food shop brought back to the house.

 What I said earlier about pretty things; I insist on having a nice colander. Of all things. And hearts on my chair.

Dinner at my parents' after hauling a rocking chair, two normal chairs, and other small things, from our old attic. One of the last sunny days...

Saturday two weeks ago, my mum and I met in town to get stuff for my apartment. As we went into Åhlens (Freya: where you got the mini alarm clock), I realised two things: I wanted almost everything they had, including a tiny Muji writing desk, and I could hardly afford anything, including the tiny Muji writing desk (which was 250 pounds). So I went out of there with some clothes hooks and my lovely colander, and the world's tiniest frying pan which my mum got for me (it's the size of one fried egg!).

Exterior, quickly

 This romantic effect produced by the old bus windows, filled with condensation between the two layers of window.

 The old garage just below my house, Tony would love it, it's all old tractors and rust and debris.

These flowers are so beautiful, and everywhere in Tromsø at this time of year. Wikipedia tells me it's called Rosebay Willowherb in Britain, that's such a romantic name. In Norwegian it's called goatherb (geitrams).

Interior, quickly

 View from my bedroom window, I've got some very close neighbouring houses, but also green gardens, pretty idyllic.

 Quick photo of my bed one of the first days. Now I just need to get some photos up on the wall, and it will look quite nice, I think.

 My new chest of drawers! I am absolutely in love with it. It is part of my new plan to only buy things if I'll like looking at them. From the Salvation Army charity shop, Fretex.

My current arrangement for books and dvds. Not very elegant, but much better than cardboard boxes.

I am feeling more and more at home here everyday. I enjoy living by myself (although that might change come winter), being able to use my time exactly how I want to.

Fest og folk

 Drinks and smoke and bright bright nights.

 Predrinks at my new place, I love being able to invite people, since I now live in town.

Here: My friend Ida's Danish friend Cæcilie, very sweet girl.

 Ingebjørg, whom I almost never see, but enjoy seeing when I do.

Ida's Danish friend Daniel, trying on my (Viktoria's) silver sequin dinner jacket. He usually wears mostly black and muted colours, I tried getting him to wear it when we went out, but no luck.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday last week, I spent my evenings with Ida and her visiting friends from Copenhagen, where she's been studying for the past year. Both Thursday and Friday I stayed up way too late for someone who has to get up at five the next morning, but I had a good time, so who cares? I did the mornings after, but oh well. Saturday I had people at my new place for predrinks, and it went rather well I think, I just need to get more chairs for people to sit on. Daniel was going to play his elektronika music at a bar in town later (which was really good, and I became completely lost in the music), so we all went to this bar, and stayed there until they closed. Then night time... And I could not get up on Sunday morning.

That's right, I've moved!

My collection of broken sunglasses, I think I managed to throw one of them away. I'm too nostalgic.

 I love love love this photo. Five years ago...

 One of the last days before I moved (Norwegian sweet bun with brown cheese, nam nam). The day I left my parents house I reached up for my Moomin mug and manage to drop it and break it. This was still early enough for me to go "well, my family and friends and myself are all alive, I don't care" and just laugh. I miss it though.

 My mum and I carried this onto one bus, then another, then up to my apartment. We had our own seat at the bus stop, very handy.

 I spent a whole weekend packing down what I had just unpacked from England, in addition to looking through the rest of my stuff. Luckily, I've moved several times before, and I've already got all my school books and such in my parents' old attic.


Also: The reason we were carrying chairs on the bus: The very day I was going to drive some of my stuff over to my place, our car broke down. I ended up having to move everything, including myself, that same day, since that was the day we could get my uncle to help with his van. So since then it's been a slow carry-what-you-can move, meaning I have almost no furniture or book shelves. I do have a kitchen chair though, so I don't have to eat in bed anymore and feel like such a lazy student.

Time for fun things again

a) I've been busy, and
b) it's felt completely wrong to write about having fun and good times with my friends when it's only been a week or two since the attacks.

I think I need to now though, so my blog doesn't completely stop... And I am having fun and good times with my friends, so I might as well show it.