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.