SUSAN BOYLE FIGHTS BACK

MY MOTHER

My friend Mia shot this pic 2 weeks ago.
I tell you, laying in my mother's arms made me feel like 6 instead of 60.

RUBY ISLAND

Our town, Haugesund, is situated at the utmost south-west in Norway, with only a few small islands outside to protect us from the rage of the North Sea.One of these islands, Roevaer, actually is a part of the main city, same mayor, same council e.t.c.

About 100 people have their home here. There's a school, a museum, a couple of painting artists, viking grave sites, a small store and a spa hotel.To keep the small society alive, they are advertising for new inhabitants, preferably with children. Some Dutch people have settle down and are thriving well. Main occupation is fishing combined with minor farming. The men go fishing, their wive tend the handful of sheep and cows. The women are a strong breed. Many a husband have not returned from stormy days at sea. Once 11 men drowned on their way to the mainland (Haugesund)to bury a friend there.
After the last disaster in the 1990ies, a light way was set up to mark all the dangerous under water rocks. The boat trip takes about a quarter of an hour from Haugesund's inner quay. The hiker ladies have been there repeatedly. We enjoy island jumping. These pictures are from early October this year. As you can see there's nothing but the endless sea that meats the eyes. Further west lies Shetland and the North Hebrides. During ww2 brave young men set out in small vessels to join the British Army from places like this.

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

FOR TERJE

Brother in law Terje was 70 November 2.
He was celebrated Monday and today by a large group of family and friends.
All his life he has worked hard supporting his family. Fishing, farming, nutrition engineering, a director of several smaller dairies, greengrocer and inventor. Love of music and arts as his major passions combined with continuous house reconstruction. 5 years ago he suffered two major brain strokes. With a will and strength beyond understanding he has worked with physiotherapists and speech teachers since then.
My respect and admiration have increased day by day these last 5 years.
This poem, written by a well known Norwegian author, who also knew how just staying alive craved hard labor, as well as a flaming dream, shall be my birthday greeting to Terje.

It is this dream we are carrying
that something wonderful will happen,
that it must happen,
that time must open
that hearts must open
that doors must open
that mountains must open
that fountains must spring-
that the dream must open,
that we one early morning dawn shall sail in
to a harbor unknown..

Det er den draumen

Det er den draumen me ber på
at noko vedunderleg skal skje,
at det må skje -
at tidi skal opna seg
at hjarta skal opna seg
at dører skal opna seg
at berget skal opna seg
at kjeldor skal springa -
at draumen skal opna seg,
at me ei morgonstund skal glida inn
på ein våg me ikkje har visst um

Olav H. Hauge