Day in the park

Today we all went to the St. Fagans Museum of Welsh Life (or something like that). It was free to get in (always a bonus!), so we brought a picnic lunch and spent the day here. Auntie Sioned met us here too, so we were a large happy family this day. Here are: Rhodri, Sioned, Cris, Nia holding Valentin, Gabriel, Rhiannon and Tryfan in the foreground.
Rhiannon and Gabs were more interested in chasing each other around and laughing together, while Tryfan was just engrossed with this Fireman Sam magazine that Auntie Nia gave him.
Around dinnertime, back at Cris and Nia's house, baby Valentin was awake!
One of Tryfan's other older cousins (Dewi) handed down this Fireman Sam shirt which Tryfan has insisted on wearing everyday since he got it! Here he is showing it off to Auntie Sioned.
3 of the 4 siblings: Rhodri, Sioned and Nia... Trystan would make it a complete picture but he wasn't with us down south in Cardiff.

Road trip through Wales

On Saturday we drove down to see the southern contingent of Rhodri's family who live near Cardiff. We left Saturday morning and were on the road for ~6 hrs including our stops. We stopped at the Halt Cafe which had a wooden train in the garden.
Very fun to drive the train in the rain! We had a little picnic in one of the gazebos and got to run around a little bit before driving the last hour or so to Nia and Cris' house.
We were heartily greeted by a bouncing cousin Gabriel ("Gabs" as our troops call him) and after some initial playing inside the house, Nia and I figured we would be better letting them play and wiggle outside at the playground at the top of their road. This little spinny thing was very popular for all three to ride on, although Tryfan soon figured out that he can go a lot faster if it is just him alone on it.
Before dinnertime, Rhiannon got to hold her newest baby cousin, Gabs' little brother Valentin.
Rhiannon so loves babies and she kept giving Valentin kisses on his forehead, nose, cheeks, hair, and cuddling him close to her chest. So very sweet.
Then we had a delicious dinner that Auntie Nia had prepared, and the 3 cousins got to sit at their own table.
But by the end of the evening when it was actually after their normal bedtime, all three of the bouncy cousins were ready to call it a day!

Traveling to Wales

Today we traveled by car, train, plane and then car again to get to North Wales. For the first time ever, it was actually enjoyable to travel with the troops! Here they are at the Asker train station.
We got to Nain and Taid's house ~4pm and there was still time to play outside or at least do some digging for worms in the back garden with Taid.
Tryfan was proud of the worm in his shovel but he didn't want to touch it. Eventually he did, though.
We were thinking of Aunt Heidi in California all day today though, since it is her birthday! Happy Birthday, Sis :-)

Our friends' birthday

On Sunday, our friend Fiona and Karl-John and their twin boys Finn and Magnus came over for the afternoon. Although it was *really* cold, we went sledding around the corner down the road. Here are the boys and Rhiannon pulling their sleds to the start of the hill.
It's all fine going down but it's hard work walking back UP the hill. Fiona got roped into pulling all three of them!
We didn't last more than 45 minutes or so outside - it was about -12 C so everyone's noses were getting cold. We played inside for a while and then had a traditional Sunday dinner along with a birthday cake that Rhiannon and I had made earlier in the day. Finn and Magnus turned 4 on Feb 19th.
At the table - it was a grand afternoon!

Wind, snow and boller (and a joke)

We don't have any intention of going skiing or anything this weekend - we just planned to lay low, and its a good thing too! Today we are having actually really nasty weather: -14C, windy and snowing. The kids and I made some boller this morning (baked rolls that are slightly sweet).
Here is the view from the kitchen out to the back deck -- it is actually two steps down from the kitchen floor level to the deck! Crazy snow that has fallen naturally, slid off the roof, and been blown from the side. Pretty soon we won't be able to see out the living room windows
Here is the view out one of the other windows in the kitchen. I love the dune ridge that has been created by the swirling wind. There are lots of crazy snow piles around the neighborhood right now but it's not so fun to walk around and see it all. Anyway, we have to take the dogs out a few times a day so we have to make the most of it.
And now, since I have been on the lower end of the humor spectrum, I will insert a story that was emailed around. I will bleep out the bad words! Here it is for your reading pleasure:
The Diary of a Snow Shoveler

December 8: 6:00 PM. It started to snow. The first snow of
the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9: We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the Whole World? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had. Shoveled for the first time in years, felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life.

December 12: The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment. My neighbor tells me not to worry, we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14: Snow, lovely snow! 8" last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15: 20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and two extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16: Ice storm this morning. Fell on my [bum] on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17: Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for five hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20: Electricity's back on, but had another 14" of the damn stuff last night. More shoveling. Took all day. Goddamn snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower, and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22: Bob was right about a white Christmas, because 13 more inches of the white [stuff] fell today, and it's so cold it probably won't melt 'til August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel, and then I had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel! Tried to hire Bob, who has a plow on his truck, for the rest of the winter; but he says he's too busy. I think the [guy] is lying.

December 23: Only 2" of snow today, and it warmed up to "0". The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What, is she, nuts!!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did, but I think she's lying.

December 24: 6". Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son-of-a-bitch who drives that snowplow, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls and beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over everywhere I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy watching for the Goddamn snowplow.

December 25: Merry F!=3D@x@!x!x1 Christmas. 20 more inches of the !=3D@x@!x!x1 slop tonight. Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's a fricking idiot. If I have to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to stuff her into the microwave.

December 26: Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27: Temperature dropped to -30, and the pipes froze. Plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him; he only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.

December 28: Warmed up to above -50. Still snowed in. The [woman] is driving me crazy!!!!!

December 29: 10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30: Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plow driver. He is now suing me for a million dollars; not for only the beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the broken snow shovel up his [backside].

The wife went home to her mother. 9" predicted.

December 31: I set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8: Feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me.

Snow and more snow

Ever since Sioned and Lorenzo left on Wednesday night, it has been snowing non-stop. This photo is the view of the backyard from the living room window. It's hard to appreciate just how much snow is piled up in the backyard without knowing that the seats of the swings are a couple of feet off the ground and they are well buried now.
We had a great time with S & L though! In fact, it almost feels like Auntie Sions is a regular part of the family because she has visited us 7 times since we have been living in Norway! I guess the novelty has worn off a little bit because I am ashamed to say that I hardly took any photos. Sorry, Sions! But also, this past week or two I have been feeling rather unsocial and moody. Our time left here in Norway is looking increasingly uncertain and I've been in a bit of a funk. And being in this state of mind doesn't really blend well with taking photographs, if you know what I mean...

Same time, same place

Today we went x-c skiing again at the usual place, but we got to have Sioned and Lorenzo with us as well!
Tryfan and Rhodri were skiing together down this little hill and then Rhodri carried Tryfan back up it.
In the afternoon, Rhodri, Lorenzo and Sioned went downtown Oslo to watch the rugby so the kids and I stayed home and played outside after naptime. We dug our way into the play house in the backyard.
And we also dug the picnic table out so that Tryfan could read his magazine and [pretend to] sell things from the shop.The afternoon light was gorgeous and for awhile we simply sat in the snow and ate icicles. Here are the troops harvesting some of them.

Rest of the week

We had a busy rest of the week! I ended up working at ski school again on Wednesday, the same day Auntie Sioned and her boyfriend Lorenzo arrived. Here are a couple of photos from my time at ski school: learning to sidestep up a hill
Lunchtime, sitting back-to-back on reindeer skins
As you can see, we had brilliant weather for it and I was so happy to be getting paid to ski all day Wednesday in lovely sunshine with this herd of 4 and 5 year olds.
Then I agreed to work again at the barnehage on Thursday even though Tryfan had to stay home sick :-( It was all a bit chaotic but we are so happy to have Sioned and Lorenzo here! Tryfan has a nasty cough right now that has been a lot worse at night and so we've had a string of long nights. On Friday I stayed home with Tryfan even though he was normal in happy spirit and energy. Friday was Carnival at barnehage and so everyone came dressed up in a costume. Tryfan got dressed up too even though he just stayed at home and hung around with me.

Ski School

Today I worked at the barnehage's "ski school" as one of 3 adults with a group of 12 kids. This is the group of 12 kids from the 'utegruppe' that would normally be in the forest this week, but every February the barnehage sends the 'utegruppe' to learn how to ski instead of playing in the forest. I was so thrilled to be invited as one of the 3 adults! (It was only because there was a meeting that day for the teachers that would otherwise have been there -- I'm not that special..)
I didn't take any pictures unfortunately, but it was a lovely day and we went to the Gulhella meadow (where our family used to ski last year quite a lot because it is close to our old house), which I know quite well. Anyway, first we all learned the proper way to get up after falling and we practiced that several times. Then we skied around the meadow a couple of times, then had lunch, skied some more, then had a rest on some reindeer skin rugs, then played a game. The game is called "the hawk and the doe" and it goes like this:
One person is the doe (deer) and stands between 2 poles some distance away from the group, which is standing between another 2 poles. Another person is the hawk and stands between the doe and the group.
The doe shouts "Ok my pidgeons, you must come home now"
the group shouts "No! We are afraid that the hawk will get us!"
The doe shouts "What does he eat?"
Group answers, "MEAT!".
Doe shouts, "What does he drink?"
Group answers, "BLOOD!"
And the doe shouts, "Well come home anyway!"
And then the group tries to ski home to the doe past the hawk. If the hawk touches you, you become part of the hawk force in the next round. If you make it home to the doe, you get to do it again. So the hawk force gets bigger and bigger until everyone has been tagged, and then a new doe and a new hawk are chosen and it starts again! Of course there was some pushing rather than gentle tagging, and some kids were always the first to be targeted by the hawk, but I found the whole game very interesting. I love the message that it's okay to be afraid of something but you have to go for it anyway! Anyway, that was my day :-)
Tomorrow Auntie Sioned is coming to visit for a week and we are so excited!

A sunny day

Sunday we had full sun and it was so strange! We haven't had a really sunny day in a long time. Naturally everyone and their dog was out skiing! We went as well and had a great day. This is the ski path from the parking area to the fields and lake where we have been going lately.
We saw a bunch of our neighbors and so after we were done skiing, we had a little picnic with them. Wonderful!
Here is some footage of the action. Ha ha - its not really action! It's like going for a walk but with skis on and hot chocolate waiting for you when you get to the top of the hill (not pictured but to the left in this footage).

Slightly above freezing

Today we went x-c skiing again to the soccer field and beyond (the normal place we have been going with the kids). The temperature actually got up to around 35 deg F (+2 C) and the sun was shining and it was lovely. Tryfan and Rhiannon are getting so good at skiing!
Here is Rhiannon practicing going downhill the way she learned in the skogen (forest) during her 'utegruppe' session last week.
We had a little picnic at the top of the meadow before going home for resttime and lunch.
Although it is sort of nice to be on the + side of freezing, it sure wreaks havoc on our driveway. Going up and down it is so much easier when the snow is not squishy and slippery.

Frozen trip to Vollen

Today barnehage was shut so the kids and I had an excellent day together. After breakfast and so forth, we drove to Vollen to play on the beach (which was covered in snow of course) and let Bentley run free. Although it looks like Tryfan is standing on a patch of floating ice, he is actually on terra firma in the photo below, but behind him is a big patch of sea ice with downtown Oslo on the horizon (and not very visible).
We actually had a very traumatic beach trip! We very nearly lost Bentley as he ran after some seagulls across the large patch of sea ice (in the background of the previous photo) and fell into the open water of the fjord on the far side of the patch. He really struggled to claw his way back up to the surface and he was very shaken (and cold!). I would not have been able to go out to help him and we would have had to just leave him.... fortunately that didn't happen but it was really scary! Anyway, after that episode we sought refuge at the Vollen Bakery. We were the only ones sitting outside but we were all bundled up so it was just easier that way. The beach we went to was sort of behind the evergreen trees in the background of this photo (a beach we have previously launched the canoe from in warmer days).
Sunlight and cinnamon rolls make everything better!
After finishing our treats, we drove to our friend Hanne's house to pick up her dog Raja. Raja is going to stay with us for 3 weeks now while Hanne is away on vacation! Should be interesting....
Anyway, after getting Raja and coming home for resttime and lunch, we went swimming to the Risenga swimming hall with our neighbors Monica and Kristoffer. It was really fun - we haven't been there for probably 2 years and the kids are already asking when we can go back. So it turned out to be a busy and sort of stressful day, but at least it is Friday.

The New Fireman Sam

Tryfan's Auntie Nia sent these Fireman Sam jammies that used to belong to cousin Gabriel. Tryfan was SOOO excited to open this gift and he put them on right away. The legs are a little bit long still so when he walks he has to hold up the material.
It turns out that Nia sent the package on the very day that she went into labor with Tryfan and Rhiannon's newest cousin! Valentine was born early the next morning and everyone is doing great. Hurray for them!

Flying solo

These past 10 days I've been away visiting friends in the UK by myself. It felt great to fly solo but 10 days is a long time to be away from my sweet family. Here are some photos of the friends I was visiting... Here is Polly climbing over a fence with baby Joe on her back and her dog (I can't remember his name right now! *** Tully! That's her name***) in the background.
Self-take of Polly, baby Joe and me in front (well, actually obscuring) Easby Abbey in the Yorkshire Dales.
Easby Abbey on a gorgeous but brisk winter's day. I love the carpet of short soft green grass that was inside as well as outside the abbey walls.
My old friend Hiatt with her boy Sam and dog Megan. They live in a tiny seaside village very close to the England-Scotland border. It had snowed the day before so we got to play on a snowy beach.
On the beach with old castle remains in the background. Our plan was to walk the long way to the village pub for lunch, but we got to the pub too early so it wasn't open yet and we had to just make our own pub lunch back at Hiatt's house in Emberton.
I also visited Caroline up in Edinburgh and Naomi up in Fife, then flew back from Edinburgh to Oslo this afternoon. Yay! I am happy to be home but it was a great trip.