March 1
I didn't realize how much I missed
companionship until I saw P's smiling face on the bus! And she's
going to get me out and about. I wimped out about the car, again. But,
I need to get the bus pass thing figured out. The folks at the tourist
place topped off the Ruter card, but the drivers say it only works in
Oslo. One of them was able to to make it work for me, but the rest just
wave me to a seat in disgust and give me a free ride. Quite
frustrating.
What I should do is just get some cash, and now
that I have a debit card, courtesy of the G&P delivery
system, I should be able to do that.
Spent the afternoon
yesterday in the Bibliotek, revising my work. I couldn't get online,
though, as the system requires a Norwegian phone number. All the little
glitches get frustrating.
I sent a message to my hosts asking
for more wood, and offering to pay. P has been cranking the stove
(she's cold blooded) and I must admit it's nice to be warm. Leo was
stretched out in front of the stove, blinking in ecstasy. Enclosed is a
picture of me petting him: no selfies for awhile!
Fickle Lily spent the night with P, but she's keeping me company now.
I'm
also enclosing a picture of the kick sled I saw locked outside the
grocery store. I've seen a few people using them, but never had the
nerve to take their picture. Yesterday, from the bus, we saw a horse
and sleigh!
We were talking about ancestry, and I was describing Grandma
Shapira's Asisatic cast of features, and she suggested that there was
Sami blood. Sami are the Scandinavian version
of the Native American..a Finnish-Urgic race, across Norway,
Sweden, Finland, and northern Russia. My sister had her DNA checked, and we had a speculative .1% Native American but I doubt that translates to Sami.
March 2
P has totally stolen Lily's affections. Lily sleeps with
her, sits in her lap (and hey, that's just not fair, with me she
insisted on lying across my windpipe and getting in the way of my
laptop). We had a laid back day, as she is recovering from jet lag. We
eventually walked to the store. She brought her GPS, so now I know the
distance is 1.26 miles, one way. I'm impressed with myself! We made
some plans for things to do, using the many maps around the house. I
think today we're going to Lillehammer I have to dig out the car: the
plow doesn't go all the way to the garage doors, and they don't open all
the way.
Yesterday the weather was glorious, today it's cloudy. We're sitting around, while my
tutor.com clock ticks away.
March 3
We're just sitting around. I have no tutoring, but I do
have a little left on the book and should really be doing that and
practising but...
P is tending to the fire and reading
news reports, punctuated with curses. I keep telling her she's on
vacation and shouldn't distress herself with things she cannot help but
no go.
Last night we watched "Thor." Filmed in New Mexico, discussing the Norse pantheon....you can't get more appropriate than that.
We drove to Lillehammer yesterday (or rather P drove and I navigated with Siri's help), and I bought some gloves and yarn
(the gloves I have are not cutting it, and the host's mittens are a
little too small for me.) We did not find the Norwegian sweater she
wanted, and my quest for the Norwegian dancing dolls also struck out.
Apparently, it's a kitschy old fashioned thing. One clerk said, "I have
some out at the cabin, but...." and another at the tourist shop
suggested I look at second-hand stores. Little troll
statues sell, but dancing dolls do not. Linda wanted me to find these for her, so I'll keep looking, but I'm not sanguine.
We
saw some very cool dishes at a high-end store, and ate some baby
pancakes the traditional way, with a slab of butter and powdered sugar,
and one little sprig of mint. They were called poffertjes, and the place
was Den Lille Pannekakehuset. But it was Dutch, not Norwegian. Oh
well.
I'm including a fjord pic just to prove they are here! The landscape is so monochromatic here.
I
bought a SIM card at the Lillehammer 7-Eleven, and was lucky enough to
be helped by a Canadian who did all the set up work for me. He's lived
here for 6 years: came over for a girl and stayed after it fell apart.
His Norwegian sounded fabulous. Most of the
folks here do speak English, more than US citizens speaking Spanish. I
feel so arrogant, waltzing in and expecting people to understand me, but
it's truly what it's like here.
Actually, the Glaswegian accent was harder to understand than the Norwegian one!
p.s.
Hey E, to clarify my language comments...I was thinking
more of the fact that our neighbors speak Spanish and we don't. I
wasn't saying that we need to speak the language of all immigrants (nor
that the Library is right to insist on hiring multi-lingual staff,
although it makes it easier in certain neighborhoods.) Europeans tend
to learn all the nearby languages, US citizens not so much. I just
think it's courteous to pay attention to neighbors, and if you are
traveling to pay some attention to the culture and language of the
locals. Although, as V mentioned on one of our trips, English is
the current language of business. She sat next to a Swiss or Swedish
(yes, I know they are not the same) businessman who derided the idea
that English speakers need to learn other languages. Then again, she
learned Italian before traveling there, so she personally likes being a
polyglot.
I do appreciate that life is easier for me, as a traveling white middle-class American, but I also feel guilty. It's what I do.
March 3-4
I said P would be getting me out and about, and she is! After a
day of reading and writing, she decided it was time for some exercise,
and we got out the snowshoes. She was wearing 5 layers of
moisture-wicking wool, and I was wearing two sweaters and a cotton
shirt. We both got soaked, but were comfortable for the entire jaunt.
We saw numerous tracks on the lake, plus a little tent that we think
held ice fishing supplies, or maybe even an actual ice fisher. We didn't
get too close, though. On the trip to Lillehammer, we had been
discussing whether it was possible to walk across on the ice of the
fjord, and then I saw two moose dashing across. So this much smaller
lake shouldn't have been a problem, but we stuck to a previous skiers
tracks where we could.
It's a leetle bit warmer now: Yesterday was only around -6 degrees
C. Today it's snowing and -9.9. I don't know what she wants to do after
our morning of coffee and reading and tutoring. I am hoping to finish
the book texts today.
 |
| meanwhile, back at home |
March 4/5
Today's Library link was about library staff who are now
trained to help combat the opioid crisis: they use naloxone to treat
patrons who have OD'd.
Yet another reason I'm glad I no longer
work in the public library. I get that the library is now a first
responder site, but I mourn the loss of the old mission.
P is checking out the news and sharing info about the Oscars. I've heard of few of the movies and fewer still of the actors and directors. When I'm around people like her, I feel like a cultural ostrich. Or maybe amoeba: just unaware and, to some extent, uninterested. How can that be? I love movies. I love the books and ideas they discuss. But I don't actively study them or seek them out, and I fall asleep when I watch them at home. And when I read, I'd rather escape difficult ideas. Still, I've never read
Mrs. Caliban, which has been reissued to take advantage of
The Shape of Water's win. And both are right up my ally.
Yesterday we went out a little earlier and snowshoed across the lake and into a groomed trail through the woods.
I ran into a young man with very good English who was skiing with a kid and a really cute puppy. He said it was part Lapp-hound and part wolf, and then said he didn't know, actually. Phyllis met with an elderly gentleman who was riding a kick sled down the hill. His English was less good, but apparently we're at a temperature that can cause cracks in the ice: 27 degrees F. Odd. I asked my host, and she said it has to be several weeks of higher temps first.
   |
We cross the lake and
Walk into the woods and back.
The ice does not crack. |
P led me into a brief bushwhack to get back to the lake, and I reminded her that she is MUCH shorter than me. Oh well! We made it.
March 6
Didn't send much of a message. We drove around the lake towards highway 33, going past Odnes and through Dokka to Fagernes and E16. Ultimate goal was Laerdal for the night, but we stopped at various stave churches, all of which were locked: Lomen, Hore, Oye, Vang (whose stave church and been removed and reassembled in Germany/Czechoslovakia, but whose rune stone remained behind) and Borgund (which was covered with spiky dragon heads.) The clouds and snow lessened as we went up and up, and we could see a white rounded peak which we assumed was Jotunheim. Once in Laerdal valley, the snow was pretty much gone, just a slight dusting on the rounded hills. The river ran through ice caverns, and we pulled over to look at it, ending up on an ancient route that was closed to vehicular traffic. The river ice was a deep turquoise and the water a brilliant emerald.
Laerdal is at the end of the Sognefjord, and our cabin windows gave us a view of the ice locked boats and the V of the fjord. We were in a cheap hostel, around $60, not including the bedding. There were cabins and camp sites and boat docks. Our cabin was two stories, with 4 apartments: we had a tiny kitchen with a fold-up table affixed to the wall, which was good: the only restaurant in town was closed. We bought some bread and cheese and turkey for sandwiches, with an extremely strong Dijon mustard that would have cleared out our sinuses if we'd needed that. Also a citron cake and some pasta and pesto. All good. I spent most of the evening editing pictures, but didn't finish. I took way too many.
March 7
We took our time leaving Laerdal. P slept in while I took a shower and walked over to the little resort store for coffee. Then she read her online news while I edited and posted pix. We got the car packed around 11:30, dropped of the key, and walked around the fjord and into town for more coffee. I found a lokal dish called lefsekling: it was like a lefse baklava with butter and sugar instead of honey. The lefse is not made with potatoes, either.
We walked through Motorikpark and Phyllis walked on the scary balance rocks. After we left, we saw the sign that said we had to purchase a ticket and that it was unsafe. Oh well.
Then, a trip through the 7 km tunnel to the ferry, a few pix, and the rest of the day at the Ancient Road near Seltun.
 |
She let me go out
In public looking like this
But I still love her |
March 7/8
Gonna miss that lady
We got back late from our overnight. It was glorious, and even
more glorious was the fact that P did the driving. I'll post a
blog of the ice sculptures that I photographed: we found an ancient
road along an icy emerald green creek and both sides of the gorge were
covered in frozen rivulets in varying shades of blue, green, and ochre.
Our overnight was at the end of the Sognefjord. We decided to not take
the fairy over to Urnes and Kaupanger stave churches, because everything
seems locked up in the winter. But we did drive the 7 km tunnel over
to the ferry landing to take a look at one of the branches of the
fjord.
We did NOT take the 24.8 km tunnel towards Bergen. It
was right there, but....no. World longest tunnel. But. No. instead,
we found some donkeys on a sweet farm and the incoherent message I sent
yesterday was meant to say there was a picture of Balthazar for
Vicki. We also found an old Viking site with a big stone. And
waterfalls and fjellen (mountains) and lovely red two-story barns with
ramps leading to the second floor doorway. And, I had a truly yummy
local desert called lefsekling. The lefse has nothing to do with
potatoes. hmmm.
The donkey pic was on
a side road, Mosvegen, accessed at Ljoskund ? East
of the Lærdal tunnel and west of the Seltun tunnel, just a little west
of vikingstaden Bjorkum (archeological site off E16, just fields, a big
stone, and some informational signs
March 8
To the hosts:
Home from our jaunt past Jotunheim to Sognefjord. Stopped to look at icy green water on the ancient road by Seltun. Now, P is cuddling Leo, whose drool she finds adorable: “A drooling cat is a happy cat.”
Marc 9
I’m staying overnight at the Scandic Oslo Airport hotel: I meant to
drop Phyllis off for her dismally early flight out tomorrow and zip back
for dress rehearsal, but time got away from me. We went into Oslo for a
walk through Frogner Park and by the time we returned it was 6 pm.
Rehearsal started at 5 and I didn’t fancy a drive through strange areas
on a dark Friday night. So I’m staying over.
 |
| Phyllis’ farewell...I inspect the roof to see how much the neighbor removed....not much |
March 10
A productive day:
Drove home from Oslo, dress rehearsal and concert, finished a book,
finished my hat. Now to start on the yarn I bought in Lillehammer!
Included is a pic of my stand partner’s nifty case and the principal cellist whom I met on the bus
  |
I made some music
On a sunny afternoon
In the wintertime. |
March 11
Looking for a new project
I finished the book today! I suppose that R will have some questions and comments, and she may want me to proofread, but they apparently have fact checkers, too. So I'm basically done with that and now that I'm alone again, I need to find something to occupy my time. Tutoring only goes so far, and the connection was being wonky today, also.
You'll be stunned and amazed that I managed to drive all the way back from Oslo on a windy snow-packed road (I was avoiding the toll roads), and that I also made it back from Gjovik in the dark. I won't say that my fellow travelers weren't testy with me, though. I was driving slower than they wished, I think. But, the tickets for speeding are very expensive, and they don't tend to indicate the speed limit. Everyone else must just know.
I'm attaching a pic of the sunrise, which was quite gorgeous this morning, but it's been grey and cloudy ever since. I finished the book and tutoring by 2 pm and now I'm just taking it easy, doing laundry, and reading for the rest of the day. The cats are being cuddly again. I think they miss Phyllis. I know I do.
 |
| Red Sky at Morning |
I'm also attaching pix of the program for yesterday's concert, in case you were curious about the music. I found myself humming the Per Spellman, and I was told that now I know a Norwegian folk song. But of course I don't know the words. The audience sang along at the director's prompting, so I'm assuming it's very well known. Since it was a kid's concert, the pieces tended to be story pieces. In addition to Peter and the Wolf, there was the 3 billy goats gruff, or some version thereof and something about a marriage to a fly. Don't ask me, I just live here.
March 12
In which I apologize to my twin:
 |
Years ago I scoffed
When she said gjeitost tastes like
Caramel. She’s right. |
And other events....
 |
It’s been snowing since
My visitor left, now that
I’ve time to shovel. |
    |
He climbs all over.
No I will not sniff your butt.
It’s not a class act. |
E and M, I’ve started working on the haiku book...
March 13
Read and knitted for most of the day. Some problems with tutoring connectivity.
Sent letter to L:
My friend P has left, the concert is over, and my part of the book is done. So, I'm trying to figure out how to spend the last half of my stay. It's so pleasant just hanging around, though.
I just finished writing in my blog about an overnight trip to Laerdal at the end of Sognefjord. We drove up the Valdres valley to Fagernes, then along the Kongevegen. It's the old road, now a hiking trail, that goes past fjords and up the mountainsides. Our road paralleled it, going into long tunnels (2-7 km) at intervals. We stopped at several stavkirken, but none were open during the winter, so we just saw the outsides and the carvings on the portals and doors.
I was entranced by the ice: frozen waterfalls streaked the cliffs and ran into the roadsides. They were colored green/blue and ochre.
I looked for the dancing dolls at various traditional shops in Lillehammer, but apparently no one sells them. Trolls, yes. One woman said she had dancing dolls at her mountain cabin but couldn't remember where she got them. Another suggested a 2nd hand store. I'll keep looking but am not sanguine.
I didn't realize that I was lonely until P came and then left. It's not an aching loneliness, just a realization that I enjoy sharing experiences, and that I need someone to get me off the couch.
Oh well. That's my news. Hope you are well? I haven't heard from R or E in some time. I hope they are enjoying the wintry weather in London! E posted a picture of Leyton in snow, so perhaps.
And to the gang:
I got so used to P tending the fire, that I'm
letting it go out at regular intervals. That's okay, though. It was
too warm under her command, and I promised to conserve wood after she
left.
I lost connection in the middle of another tutoring
session, but was happy about it, because the student was extremely
unresponsive.
Somehow I developed a rash. I did
bring some hydro-cortisone cream. So irritating (literally) but least it's not life-threatening. And not a detached retina: EB just had laser surgery for that problem. Uff da.
no
real news. I wrote a blog about the trip over the mountains, if you
want details. I decided to not illustrate it with pix, as those are in
the journal blog. My deathless prose and links to informational sites
will have to suffice.
March 13-4
I skipped a day. But nothing much happened. Instead of making a
pie for Pi Day, I made a Piku and posted it to Facebook and then my
childhood classmate proceeded to count syllables and letters and force
me into editor mode.
I guess it's good that someone pays attention. Here's the final revision:
In
honor of Pi Day, a Piku (a haiku with 3, 14, 15 syllables, reflecting
the first digits in pi; written in Pilish: the number of letters in each
word reflects the digits in Pi.) Not as easy as it looks. 
How I roll:
A cocoa satisfies my desire (fully) for yummy
Salutory beverages. Jamocha qualifies too.
I
also tutored, worked on the haiku book, read, and knitted. Midday sun
got me outside: I walked past the store to the end of the lake for a
new perspective, did a small shop, and came home. It was warm, but I
wore my newly-knitted hat. Two tracks in the road went down to bare
pavement, and a crashing avalanche sound drew my eye to the hill, where I
saw the last bit of snow sliding off a large barn roof. But, it's
snowing again today.
Jody says:
It still seems like your time there is a study in excellence.
 |
| field groomed for cross-country ski practise |
March 15
Hi L!
I've been wondering how you are
doing with your writing goals! I re-read blog you wrote after 6 months
at your current residence; you had just passed probation and were
happily settled for two years. And now those 2 years have passed and
you are pondering next steps.
So am I. I've finished the book
I've been writing for R and am trying to decide what to do next.
My sister E has pushed me towards another unfinished book: the
haiku/photo book about the year I spent with EK. A few years back
she took some time to pick out the haiku that she thought were good and
also showed a theme of growth and healing. That document has been
sitting in my email folders, untouched.
So, I got it out
and looked, then I started going through my blip photo journal. Now I'm
looking at the blog posts from that time, and I see constant references
to you and your creative and introspective life. You inspired me so
much as I pursued my path towards something that did not produce
low-level depression and disconnection. I read those words and remember
how sad I was. Although I'm still wondering what I'm doing with my
life, and I miss my friends so very much, I have clearly moved on, at
least a little. I can't remember when I last sat with tears rolling
down, too exhausted to sob, unable to know just why I was crying.
Anyway,
I wanted to thank you for your support, then and now, and to share some
words of encouragement that you sent to me, over 4 years ago:
Questions like that used to freak me out too (still occasionally do, but
I hear them less often these days). But you CAN in fact potter around
without a goal, no matter what your age. You are in the enviable
position of being able to take as long as you need to figure out what
you want to do next. Make the most of this; don't let other people's
anxiousness create crises for you that don't exist. Goals will emerge
organically, and they'll be more satisfying to follow because they're
your own!
March 16
According to my app there was a 26% chance of seeing Aurora. Instead I saw Orion climbing up over the lake with Sirius at his side and the Pleiades a frosty bit of fuzz. Not a bad exchange. I saw a neighbor come out onto her deck, while I was out, so apparently I’m not the only stargazer.
The sun, like Phyllis,
Drags my ass outside to wade
Through snow for two hours.
I walked across the lake following footprints that may have been a fox or may have been deer. Whatever it was went to old ice fishing holes, perhaps to drink. Once I was across the lake I turned south and walked to the end, following animal tracks along the unplowed road. It was beautiful but grueling. I wasn’t sure I’d make it without frostbite.
March 17
Nice mellow sunset. Spent this lovely day binge watching
Altered Carbon. Was -20C when I
got up, mellowed to -4. Forecast to get into positive numbers this
week, so I’ll need to lighten the roof load before the melting adds to
weight. Physics is so complicated!
March 18
Hi Spider folks,
I was
wondering how you all are doing. I know G is just coming back from
another trip to points west (or is that east? Guess it depends on the
flight). And B has found a new camera: fair play to you! (I've
been reading the Dublin Murder Squad books). But C? What's
happening in Colorado Springs? And all of you, what else is going on?
I think of you often, but the reason I'm writing today is that I came across the following Facebook post from 2013:
He says, "it's sul G,
All the way. It's not that high..."
Glad I don't play first.
comment from G I pictured myself at the symphony, and all of the violinists were in g strings. Quite a sight!
Always salutary to see your comments, G. :)
Why was I
looking at FB posts from 2013, you ask? Well...I've finished my Famous
Faces book (now it's in the hands of the illustrator and the editor), so
I need a new project. My sister E encouraged me to finish the
haiku/photo book of "My year with Esther" (working title.) A few years
ago she had pulled together 150 haiku that she thought created a theme,
and my job was to find pix. Sadly, most of the pix from that time were
not high enough quality to reproduce (one of the reasons I took that
photoshop class at UNM Taos was to learn how to rescue low res pix....)
But, meanwhile, I've been going through old posts from Facebook,
blogspot, and blipphoto.
It's a little frightening how many
whiny, self-absorbed words I shared. You are long-suffering friends. I
don't see the healing and growth that E insists are to be found, but
I do see that I am so fortunate to have such loving and supportive
people in my life. Thank you!
As for the haiku book, I
don't know if I have the wherewithal to wade through that pile of angst,
but I might be able to write about Esther. She's so amazing and
funny. So, en avant!
Meanwhile, I have 30 days left before
the next house-sitters arrive. The temp is due to rise into the
positive numbers this week, and I hope to do a little more exploring in
the area, as well as the usual tutoring and writing and cat cuddling.
It was great to have Phere for 10 days, getting me out and
about. But I need to do a bit myself.
Please let me know how you are doing. Love you!
arachnidally yours, K
To the gang. Worked on roof and made a snow thing. Outside temp reached 5 degrees C. Sore after 2 hours with the hoe and shovel. H says that the pix look like I did a fine job. whew!
March 19
Just realized that I missed the window for seeing my cousins: they're back in Spain. Sent out letters to them and to family regarding a potential visit to the Nordfjord homestead. Connected with Sigrid, the retired Librarian in Hedalen who was working with the Klemmetsrud genealogists in the family. No one knows where the Hauges originated. Brother says Dad mentioned Sognefjord, but it's a huge area, south of Nordfjord. hmmm.
To the T's
I have not been very active. I've done some
snowshoeing on the lake here at Landasbygda, and I played a concert with
Gjoviksymfoniorkester on March 11. A friend from Albuquerque got me
out for 10 days: we went to Lillehammer, Laerdal (looking at mountains
and stavkirken in the snow), and Oslo (Frogner Park.) But mainly I've
walked, shoveled snow, kept the wood stove burning, cuddled the cats,
and tutored. And I've read and I've finished the book that my cousin
commissioned. So, I guess I've been busy, even though I have not been
exploring.
I fell in love with the area around Vang. Do
you think there's a job to be had there? I still need to decide what
I'm doing with the rest of my life! It feels so right being here, but
it's too expensive. My retirement income is okay for some places, but
not here. What am I saying? I can't live here, there's the Schengen
rule of 90 days.
Walked to the store: very cold wind offset the 14-22 degree temps. (When I left, the outdoor temp was 22 degrees, when I returned at 3 pm, it was 14. Shouldn't it have been higher?)
I'm really going to miss the snow, but it'll be interesting to see what a spring thaw looks like.
A pic of the cats before I disturbed them:
 |
Time to add some more
Wood to fire, coffee to cup.
I'm sorry, Lily. |
March 20
To the Gang:
Most of you heard from me yesterday:
I was sharing a snowfall video with P, and G got tagged on by
my software. And I am researching routes to ancestral homes, so E heard about that (thanks for the address: once I know how you
transgressed regarding the apples, I will move forward.) M got info
about the blog post I wrote yesterday (Sauntering with the Buddha) in
response to her lovely link about Thoreau. So, sorry for the radio
silence, V
I've been messaging with my hosts about the
best routes to Nordfjord, and they suggest that, if I take the car, I
pack it with sleeping bags in case the road is closed for the evening.
Apparently I may encounter a guide car on some of the mountain roads.
The joys of traveling in the off season continue to accumulate! I'll
probably wait until April for that excursion: give it a few more weeks
to thaw out.
I wonder why I wait until I'm here to start
researching the possibilities? P was so organized, complete with
special traveler's insurance and special re-entry checkin. She also
brought 2 pairs of boots and several coats and hats and neck gaiters.
She actually had more clothing for her 10 days than I do for my 3
months. Or rather, 4 months, if you include the time in England before I
got here. I think she managed to use them all.
Attached is a
video of me with Simba, the downstairs cat: I was trying to take a
snowfall video, and she was trying to get inside.
    |
We could happily
Spend all day listening to
Du Pre. Wait, we did! |
      |
Icicles lengthen
As the temperatures rise.
Tulips are store bought. |
March 21
Today's Drama, or, Why One Needs a House-sitter
So I get up to feed the cats. As the fish is poaching, I visit the
bathroom. I hear a soft dripping, see that the bath mat is wet. I
check the shower and it’s fine. Then I check under the sink and see the
drip:
So I try to finger-tighten the joint, and the drip becomes a spray. I
go down to Ina so we can turn off the water. That done, we dither a
bit. Then turn the water back on and gather up water for drinking and
coffee production:
Ina calls the plumber and he sends a young guy who takes out the stripped screw. He says the hard water was the problem.
That’s horse hair, instead of plumber's tape.
Now I must clean up after Leo. He sprays when he’s stressed. :(
response to M's comment:
Re: poached fish..it's for the cats, of course, but a daily assault on my olfactories. :)
I
didn't remember this is the first day of spring! It's cloudy and cold
here. I've been going through old Facebook posts, culling pix for the
haiku book. And the cats are cuddling close after the trauma of the
morning. ;)
response to E:
Lily is sleeping on my knitting, so I had no choice but to work on the
haiku book. I've been going through Facebook posts, looking for pix,
and I didn't see any of the haiku you pulled out for me. What was your
source? Not that I need to directly match pix and haiku: there are many
haiku that did not accompany a pic. But I'm curious.
March 22
   |
A dusting of snow
Softly outlines the branches.
It melts by midday. |
March 23
 |
I am so sleepy.
They have no problem with that.
My coffee gets cold |
 |
| We doze, listening To a distant bird calling, “TWEE, twi twi twi twi. |
The change in weather is making me even more slothful, if that’s
possible. We got about half an inch of snow on Wednesday. Yesterday I
woke up to a thin snowy coating on everything.
By sunset it was all melted, and I could see patches of wooden deck flooring for the first time.
Yesterday I read, knitted, and watched Jessica Jones. Today I may do
the same, and I make no apologies. I revel in the ability to be a lump.
M's response
A ten legged six eyed creature with slowly moving parts. An unapologetic
lump. on a couch. reading. watching. munching. dozing. clicking.
writing. listening. ears perking to the twee of birds. alert enough to
connect w those who care. a miracle creature.
March 24
No news is good news, right? It continues to be warm (comparatively speaking) and
cloudy, and I continue to sit around and read and research the haiku
book. I'll go for a short walk, just to keep my muscles active. (There,
now I have to do it!)
 |
| doggie ski suit: met at end of the lake road |
I checked weather reports: tomorrow
should be sunny, so I may go out for an excursion. Sadly, Rondane seems
to be predicting more snow. Monday, more snow here. I have booked a
concert in Oslo in April, and I've sent a message to the Appelsets, so
some plans are in the offing. But, I really don't feel like doing much
of anything. Not sure why. I just like hanging out and reading, I
guess.
Just tutored a vet whose essay is about the need
for the Marine Corps to prepare for war in North Korea. Thesis:
current training is based on counter insurgency tactics in the desert;
they need to train for the mountains and jungles of Korea, too, because
they'll be fighting in both places.
Yikes!
March 25
Re: yesterday's walk
Although it was cloudy, the wind was only cool. Lots of snow melt: dirt and lost items are coming to view, but spring wildflowers will be a long time coming.
Just tutored for 3 hours, and am now debating whether to restart the fire for another day of lounging or get dressed and go out to explore. So far, the lounging has more appeal, especially since its too late to catch the stave churches that open for Sunday services: the closest is an hour away. Next week is Easter, and I'll attend service at the Hedalen stavkirk. (Think I already mentioned that to you.)
I have booked another housesit for 2019, this one being a week in Wales with little rescue dogs who don't go on walks. So far I'm booked in Worcester, Feb 12-Mar 7, Wales March 16-23 (I can come earlier they say), Lac La Nonne (Alberta Canada) from April 2--May 4. Then a 2-month gap. Back at Worcester July 23-30, and Swindon Aug 6-27. I continue to check the site for other gigs, but maybe I should leave that gap for other possibilities. It'll be my 60th birthday, perhaps time for another sister trip or several visits with other people I love as well.
I guess there's time to ponder that. First get through the 9 months at Ghost Ranch, right?! And look at my finances after that. So far I'm a little over budget, but not much. Averaging $2100 a month in the last 9 months, but that leaves out all the travel expenses incurred in April and May, which included the stays in Minneapolis and San Francisco. A more inclusive average is $2400 a month in the last 12 months.
Staying put has its advantages: Since Jan I've averaged $1200 a month, in expensive Norway! And that includes Glasgow, Macclesfield, some spendy restaurants and overnight stays. Also, Feb is a short month, and March isn't over yet, so I factored that in. Does not include air fare. That's probably my big expense.
And that's the news and pondering for today. Time to make the big decision... to lump or not to lump?
(reply to M's comment about the finances:
Yes, I'm very pleased with how this is working out, both financially and
emotionally. The psychic said I needed a lifestyle that included a lot
of change, and this certainly qualifies! But I'm also looking forward
to spending some time in one place and saving some money, too. )
I
listen to books,
While a heavy sleeping cat
Lies across my throat.
The
other cat bats
At the tethered ball of yarn.
I cannot stop him.
March 26
Yesterday’s snow melt
Followed by today’s snow fall:
Fickle spring weather.
March 27
To P (and various other folks: wrote to the gang, E, LH, MS, and Paragon Jams)
I have a pounding headache today....it's been coming on for a few days; I was nauseous yesterday. I have a couple of thoughts about the cause:
1. Weather has been changing
2. I've been sitting and listening to audio-books: no exercise, possibly awkward position
3. I've been reading negative things on Facebook
4. My year of travel is almost up and I'm dreading 9 months of a regular work schedule (even at beautiful Ghost Ranch)
5. My eyes are tired of looking at computer screens
(Sister E votes for this one)
Or it could just be the resurgence of the mystery headache that has plagued me for the last couple of years. Probably a brain tumor. Or psychic trauma. ;)
Maybe I need to go for a road trip!
I've worked out my next year or so,
and am currently booked through August 2019, with a 3-month break May
5-July 22. Since my twin and I turn 60 during that time frame, and my
Mom turns 90 in February, I'll probably leave those months free to
organize some family celebrations. Meanwhile, I'm debating what to do
with the stuff I've left with G, and whether I should keep him as
my mailing address. He hasn't said anything, but I'm guessing he wants
me out of his hair. He didn't sign on for 2+ years of this. I guess I
should just ask him.
I return to NM on Th, April 26,
at 11 am. Can I stay with you while I gather together stuff? They
expect me at Ghost Ranch on Sunday, April 29. I'll need to take a taxi
to G's to retrieve my car, and I need to somehow get the card to
let myself in, although I guess I can just hover with my bags until a
car drives in.
FYI, I went through my
finances, and am happy to report that I've basically stayed within my
$2000 monthly budget, depending on how one looks at it. I was
calculating on the travel expenses cancelling out the savings in rent,
and that seems to be what's happening. My monthly expenditures average
out at $2500, if you include my last few months in Taos, when I was
paying for vacations in Minneapolis and San Francisco. But if you look
at expenditures starting in June, when I stopped getting a paycheck,
it's more like $2000, which is spot on! If you look at the last three
months, when I wasn't paying for gifts or airfare or old medical
expenses, it averages to $1000, which is awesome, considering how
expensive Norway is. Of course, Feb is a short month, and March isn't
over. But still...I'm happy with my finances.
This means that I can
probably live on my remaining savings during my time at Ghost Ranch,
when I'll have minimal travel expenses and no room and board to pay. I won't need to call in the loan to E and R. In
December, 2019, I'll be 59.5 and can take IRA and NM pension money
without penalties. And, when I start taking my pension, it should cover
a nomadic lifestyle, always assuming I still want one. We'll see. Pix from my 1.5-hour walk. I took the Olamyrvegen road:
      |
| foxes, wolverines and bunnies? not deer probably: too heavy |
 |
| Saw a couple of crumpled houses: snow? |
 
 |
Covered piles of boards
Surround the trail head parking.
It’s a mystery. |
|
| remains of an old sawmill |
 |
Snow slides off the roof,
A corrugated roost for
A very large cat. |
March 28
Letter to my aunt:
I'm just checking in. I'm waiting for tutoring sessions,
drinking coffee, petting cats. Not a bad way to start the day. The
weather is typical March: one day sunny and warm, with snow sliding off
roofs, bare pavement finally peeking out, and lost items surfacing out
of the melting snowbanks, the next day horizontal winds and icy snow
pellets covering everything with a thin coating of white. Through it
all, I sit and knit and listen to music and audio books. The cats weigh
me down at the neck, and I'm fine with that. Sometimes I go out for a
walk, but often I don't. Probably that is not good for my health,
physical or mental. I had a headache the other day that reminded me of
the bad old days.
Re plans, I did an analysis of my
spending patterns, and it seems that I am staying within my budget of
$2000 a month. So, I'm continuing on with my nomadic lifestyle, which
is working quite nicely for me. After the 9 months at Ghost Ranch, I
have booked myself up through October of 2019, with a 3-month gap around
my 60th birthday which I am leaving open for the nonce.f
To the hosts:
They’ve deserted me for a joint chair snuggle. Outside temps were -14.5 at breakfast time, but Landåsvegen is bare pavement, and snow is sliding from roofs (though not ours). So, the thaw is commencing, I think.
To LH: I'm watching the fire burning merrily. The cats are
sitting in that bunched up football position, paws tucked under, head
bowed, eyes shut. I THINK that means they are happy. They have learned
that when I have the laptop in my lap, I'm not really available for
cuddles. Only took 2 months. :)
To the gang:
I heard from some Australian hosts: looks like I'll be spending 6
weeks in Victoria, for Fall 2019. Yes, I'm still planning ahead. Seems
I cannot just float. I told L that she should hire me as a live-in
caregiver for the animals while she and Bob are spending their lives
visiting kids and grand-kids. I was only partially kidding, and she is
open to the idea
Okay, another empty hour of tutoring is over. Time for a shower and breakfast.
  |
| door folded out and closed |
This is very typical of Scandinavian countries, I find. Shower is a
separate hand held unit, sometimes wall mounted. When I was in Sweden,
eons ago, a curtain was draped over a bar in the ceiling and let down
to protect towels and commode area. Here, and in the hotels, there are
movable doors with rubber bottoms to create a seal. The drain is in the
heated floor, and sits within the doors when they are opened. I squeegee
walls, doors, and floor after the shower. In Sweden, we did what Lisa
called “The Pippi Longstocking Thing,” mopping up with our towel,
manipulated with our feet.
It’s an excellent use of space!
March 29
I had a lovely walk yesterday, chanting my "let the Buddha breathe/walk"
meditation on the way out, and replaying Brahms' 4th on the way back. I
met two skiers and a couple of dog walkers. It was later than my usual
walk, so the roads were clearer of cars. Not that there are ever many. I
spotted a plowed road up the hill behind the Montessori school and
walked up to get a view over the village and lake. I could see the
Oppland spreading out, with a hint of snowy peaks in the distance.
Sadly, I couldn't go to the top, because the plowing ended and it became
snow shoe country.
Now I'm insomniac, which is weird because I took some gabapenten last
night.
But kept waking up from bad dreams. Hmmm. Something is going on,
clearly. Maybe it’s all this planning and taking stock. I need to stop
thinking, or start meditating. ;) I asked my friend Lisa for her sound
meditation, which she had shared during my "breakdown" visit to Kauai, a
year before I moved to ABQ. I tried it this morning, sitting in front
of the fire:
I sit on cushions that make my butt higher than my legs, legs crossed in
front, palms up on my knees. I either keep my eyes open and choose a
spot I can focus on without raising my eyes or head, or I just close my
eyes. I inhale like a singer, deeply filling my stomach, maybe 4 or 5
counts. I exhale 4-5 counts and intone the word nine.You can use any word that you like. Ohm would work :)
Supposedly the vibration of saying the word vibrates your spinal cord
and it is a good thing. Sometimes I try and clear my brain while I sit
there breathing and intoning, but most times I start with myself and
visualize life and light and all good things surrounding me, and then I
move on
to family and friends and those I think need it more...
I suppose in a way it is more like a form of prayer. Anyway. I always feel better after :)
I just asked my
Norwegian hosts if my sisters and I could come visit for the 60th
birthday trip. Regardless of how that turns out (I know we have to
discuss that a bunch Emily), I do want to visit around that time. My
hosts
keep saying I must come back to see the cats, and I want to see what
it’s like without
snow. Despite the imminent thaw, I doubt I’ll experience that this
trip!
-14.5 degrees Celsius when I got up this morning. Brrr.
But it's at -3.9 now, so should be toasty warm in the afternoon
sunshine.
March 30
To L re more planning
Okay, since it's over a year away, we can leave the summer of
2019 to take care of itself. FYI, my Norway hosts are "hiring" me
again while they do some hiking in May of 2019, but I don't have dates.
We won't be doing the sister trip then, because E's not interested. Right now I'm thinking
that I'll drive to PDX after my Alberta Canada housesit, hang with
people (including you) until it's time to go to Norway, and I'll leave
my car in PDX while I'm gone. You can let me know when you want me to
take care of Georgette. I'll leave June and July clear.
To V and M:
I had made a date to drive to Fagernes with the downstairs tenant,
but she is incommunicado, and I'm not feeling well anyway. So, the day
is winding down: 4:34 pm, rice on the stove, drugs in my system. I've
been knitting and listening to Terry Pratchett audio books all day, but I
have a little research to do for R: she wants some introductory
material about family trees in general.
And, sometime
soon I need to do my taxes. I started last month, but hit a wall when
it looked like I was being taxed on the money I took out of the mutual
funds. I don't get it, I literally earned zero income from that. I
must be doing something wrong.
March 31
I'm still on some Portland email lists, and I don't unsubscribe because
sometimes they send things that lift my spirit. Capella Romana sent me a
link to a 3-year-old performance of Maximilian Steinberg's "Of your
mystical supper." I never heard of it before. So many things to
discover! There are not enough days to experience them, but we do what
we can. I love Capella Romana. They are unique, in my estimation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7oiknuQJRY
Yesterday
a Facebook acquaintance posted about her therapy blog and the terror
she felt about sharing her experiences. Being mistress of the TMI blog,
I messaged her privately and suggested she save drafts and wait to post
until she feels safer. I still have about 20 blog posts that remain in
draft form. I needed to write them, but no one needs to read them! I
bet none of you realized that even I have blog boundaries. :) That
being said, I realize that there is power in sharing vulnerabilities.
It explains the popularity of
Eat Pray Love. People want to know that even smart, funny, talented people are battling personal demons.
Today's walk:
Sunshine melts snowbanks;
Shaded roadsides turn to ice.
Stepping carefully.
 |
| took packed down trail over bridge, sans snow shoes |
 |
| still hanging on! |
 |
The wheeled carts park while
The horses shake out the bells.
Saturday shopping. |
So,
in case you were wondering, yesterday's journeys were internal, and I
have little to share about them. For now. (You have been warned.)
Happy Paske!
Message to MEJ:
I finally connect with my old friend! and send him the following update:
Thank you so much for responding! I know it's hard sometimes to dig out and connect with people. People can be so exhausting.
I'm
sitting under a cat, watching the fire and debating about my day, which
stretches out in front of me, unplanned. While that describes most of
my days, I feel like maybe today needs to be a bit more active than
listening to audio books and knitting, and writing. I had thought that
perhaps I'd do some interior work while I stayed here in Norway, since
there would be short days and lots of snow to keep me inside. But that
has not materialized, just as it didn't when I was living on the
mountain with Esther almost 5 years ago. And yet, there was healing and
growth then. So maybe I'll discover that there has been some this year
as well.
If you want the details, my blog is a good place
to browse. Meanwhile, I have 3 weeks left in Norway and plan to spend
them visiting the places where my family lived in the 1800s before
emigrating. It seems fitting that I've just finished writing a book
about family histories, many of which involve emigration. Maybe I
should do one of my own family? I can add it to the list of things I
want to write. I already wanted to write down some of the family
stories and legends.
I'm happy you have employment.
Myself, I am happy to not be employed. But it's nice to have money,
too. I'm glad for the book commission (and wow, I'm going to be a
published author!), and the 10 hours a week of tutoring. They add some
focus to my life (and a little $$ to the coffers) without taking over my
day. But I'm happy I saved enough in 30 years of working to be able to
stop with the regularly scheduled job, despite the lack of benefits and
stability. Even though life with D ate away my savings, I still have
pensions and part of the IRA (yes, he even got me to dip into that,
penalties and all). And selling the Portland house made me debt free
and gave me the money on which I am currently living. My needs are
simple, for the most part. I find I do not miss home ownership or a
settled life.
