Thursday, March 06, 2008

LIFE ON A ROLLRCOASTER

Just one more week and daughter Serina will be home for her Easter vacation. I miss her so. This pic is from her first day at her school far east in Norway. On their way to Serina's new whereabouts they passed this ancient stave church from year 1200.
It's made of wood, impregnated with tar and in remarkable good condition.There aren't many left though. 15-20 in the entire Norway. Just a decade ago some screwed up satanists set several old churches on fire.
Gunnar and aunt Lilly in her home. She made him this heavy woolen sweater just before she went to hospitale for a major aorta op. last Easter.
A favorite local dinner, KOMLE, consisting of potatoballs, meat from lamb and smoked pork, bacon cubes, Swede turnip, carrots.
The dish is always served on a Thursday, cause even though Norway seized to be catholic about 1540, fish is still served in Fridays, (then one of
course had to be properly filled up on beforehand.)
Serina and two friends from her school at the February ball. I'm so happy about the dress, she said, I can use it more than once.
(My main argument against expensive dresses has been: They are only used once)
My Mom sewing some newly washed pillows that she crocheted for Serina some Christmases ago.
Last week we had snow,- for one day only. It was freezing and Gunnar did a man's work cleaning up the fireplace before burning a sack of birch wood.

Waffles of thick sour cream made my Mom. She's getting stronger all the way. Here fighting a glass of cloud berry jam.
Mom also has to train her fine hand movements.
What's better than mending big wholes in Gunnar's socks? I never have learned that skill.
Haven't needed to, My Mom was always there.

Gunnar is dreaming about his mother-in-law's waffles.
Outside the home for the first time since Jan the 7th. Mom could not climb the two stair steps down to the yard. That became a huge obstacle.
Her she has triumphantly won.

More cafés. How wonderful to be out for the fun, not only for medical treatment.

Serina was her. Indeed she was. In her winter vacation two weeks ago. And in six more days she'll return.

One of my very best friends, Elisabeth, was recently 50. She celebrated with her boyfriend in Sweden. Later she came home to celebrate with her old friends.
Gunn,sister of Elisabeth and nearest camera Mia also a life long friend. In the background a litho
Elisabeth was rewarded (with a special prize) for having fought a victoriously battle for the mental retarded. King Olav was the first person in Norway to receive this prize and his grand son the tenth and last. Elisabeth got number prize number nine. There will not be shared out more of this very exclusive reward. Well Elisabeth for sure deserved her prize. It was a skin and knuckle fight with too may casualties. But the mentally retarded's rights were ensured by a new law as a result of this conflict.
Elisabeth and her very best friend, Siri.
Turid, friend, hiker and fighter on one of this year's rare hikes.
My Mom, brave, but skinny. She has gained some kilos by now.
Aunt Lilly is in hospital, again. This time an infection in a vein by her eye, also maybe heart angina. She is the loveliest among women. Always socializing and caring, making new and keeping old friends. "Oh, I met this sweet, sad young nurse at the emergency ward.She was going to break up with a boy friend. I urged her to think twice, as I strongly felt she was about doing a mistake." This is our aunt Lilly, midst in a chaos of EKGs and tubes she CARES.
No wonder we want her to stay with us for a little longer.

Second hike this year went on the roof top of our city. What a day and what a view.
Wherever there's a view point, there are traces of German bunkers. Gee, were they building the five years Norway was occupied.
30 000 souls live in our city. Until a decade ago foreigners were a rarity. Now about ten percent are refugees or East European workers.
They are different in culture and belief. (Muslims and Catholics mostly.) We'll have to do a lot of adjustments to learn to cope with the times a'changing.
One by one My Mom's old hobbies are revived. X word puzzle is a favorite. Along with watching Bonanza.
My very , very best uncle Leif. A better man I never knew. He's a rolemodel for three generations of inhabitants of Sauda.
Now he's gotten Alzheimer's and has to live in a home. He misses his wife and she feels so lonly without him. Sometimes life just is too harsh.
Serina has made selfportraits for a school exhibition. I know myself best, therefor I'm best fit making my own portraits, she states.
Second day of snow this year. 2 cm, lasted one day.

Sunshine and wind on our Lord's Day. We are off to church this evening, listening to a Requiem by Brahms.
Praying that will be a good time in church for my Mom as well.

7 comments:

Amrita said...

Hi Felisol lovely reading about family, friends, Norway and caring relationsips.

All the phots are lively.
Mother looks so good she has recovered well it seems.So glad she could come out with you. You are so supportive and taking care of her. The waffles look good, I 've never had one tho.

Serina looks like a Princess. I am so happy to hear she collecting money for the orphange in the midst of being mocked at. Such a brave and caring child.Hape she had a good holiday in Azerbaijan and got you some nice silk.

The old church is a masterpiece. To me its like out of a fairy tale.

Your friend Elizabeth is a wonderful woman having contributed towards the rights of mentally retarded people. Hats off to her.In my country lots needs to be done, but there are people working on it.

Aunt Lilly and Uncle Lief are all such special people.And Turid too.
Hope you enjoyed the music. i have only heard parts of it.

Thanking for adding the little girl on your prayer list.
There are many chuldren like this in india whi have to earn for their family.Christians and other organizations are able to help some of them.

You will be shocked to hear that some kids are physically disabled, their lombs damaged so that they can go out and beg on the streets.

Terry said...

Oh Felisol!!
How nice this all is....I will be back!!
Right now I have to introduce our Amrita to the Pilgrim Pals...
What do you think of THAT, eh?...Love Terry


Three cheers for your Little Princess and for Ruby!

Jim said...

Hi Felisol. Almost time to say another goodbye to Serina. I hope you all had a nice spring break!
'Bye, Serina!
..'

Felisol said...

Dear Amrita,
a heartedly welcome to the Pilgrim pals, with your genuine, deep felt engagement you will be an enrichment for all your fellow Wanderers.

My Mom is getting better, just a little, day by day.
I think she would like us to spend even more time training with her, but the day has only got 24 hours, and one's gotta eat and sleep as well.
I surely miss your maiden and gardener.
We are coping pretty well though.
today is what we call Palm Sunday, in remembrance of the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and people threw palm leaves before his feet to greet him.
Easter by us then lasts till Easter Monday, or as we say Second Easter Day. It's called the quiet week. Next Thursday, Friday Sunday and Monday are Holy Days with all
business closed (except for gas stations).
Many prefer to celebrate Passover in the mountains. For fifty years the Church of Norway therefor has held cervices in all the main resorts here. It's quite beautiful.
We are staying in the lowlands.
Mom does not bother much for snow, she loves spring with all its magic wonders.

I am proud of all my friends, they are a unique bunch of selected flowers.
Elisabeth is special though, she sacrificed so much in her battle for the rights for the mentally retarded. AN d she managed to be heard, won several trials in court and ended up in changing Norwegian law!

We did learn about the children disabled by their parents in school. I somehow thought that was a finished chapter in India.
I guess there are need and poverty beyond my imagination.
It's heartbreaking.
I'll continue to have that little girl on my list, 'cause I know that the Lord sees the individual, even in a billion Indians.
God bless you, my dear.

Dear Terry,
thank you for the magnificent work you did for little Erin.
It was so sad when she died, like a battle lost.
Then again when we heard of all the young people finding Jesus as their savior partly because of Erin, I once more must admit that the Lord's ways for sure are higher than ours.
Not one prayer was said in vain, that's for sure.
Hope you all will have a blessed Passover in Canada. Praying for Dad Golden as always.
Yours Felisol

Dear Jim,
oh, no sir, my princess just arrived yesterday and will not leave until Wednesday after Easter.
We intend to have a splendid time together. This Wednesday brother Kel will join us too. We then will be be a full house, two Kings and three queens!
Finally some card playing and checkers with four lousy loosers.
Gunnar is a masochist, he prefers to beat himself, in Formula 1 races on Playstation that is.
God bless your Easter celebration. That must be a fine time in Sundayschool as well.
From Felisol

Saija said...

i always love it when you share your life and times ... the Lord has blessed you so ... and the bigger blessing is that you know it & share it!

:o)

i will probably be " next door " to you at the end of the month ... but it will only be a quick trip (7 days), so i will just be attending my cousin's funeral and visiting thge aunts & uncles there ... so close, yet so far!

((hugs)) to you & the fam ...

Felisol said...

Dear Saija,
what a rare coincidence. I so wanting to meet you and you being that "close".
Are you sure that your traveling route could not be redirected via Bergen or Stavanger on your way back to Canada? Then we could easily pick you up to come and stay in Haugesund just for a couple of days?????
That would make me more happy than you could ever believe.
I know you've gotta think fast, but nevertheless you can think well.
Yours Felisol

Vicki said...

Hello dear Felisol,

Since I enjoyed visiting so much last time I was here, I came back for another little visit with you. All these wonderful photos are so nice and make me feel like I have met your sweet family and friends. Oh, and Serina is such a beauty and a joy! What a wonderful daughter.

I pray your mother continues to do a little better each day.

Sending hugs across the miles,
Vicki