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Thuesday March 31st |
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Tonight we got
some snow again. Heavy wet snow. But it's 3 degreez over zero
Celsius, so there are no snow on the roads, only on the lawns
and fields. On the roads, the snow melts in the same second
it's landing.
It
has continued with sleet showers during the day. I wonder how
Joakim's day have been. His class is spending this day
outdoors today. But he is wearing warm clothes, so I hope that
he have had a great day.
Joakim brought hammer, saw and boards to school today. They
were supposed to make "houses" and nests for the Eider (a kind
of duck). In our area, the people has done this for ages and
ages. Made "houses" for the Eider, and taken care of the ducks,
while the ducks has given the people eider down, when they
have finished brooding.
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Every
year when spring arrives the eider keepers return to
look after the ducks. They prepare nests and protect the
eider ducks from dangers during the breeding season. As
a reward the ducks return year after year and provide
their keepers with valuable eider down, eggs and lasting
memories of nature experienced.
Eider
duck = female
Eider drake = male
Eider run = house for several ducks
Eider house = house of stone or wood for a single duck
Harp = stringed instrument for cleaning eider down
No other duvet filling is so light and
gives off so much warmth as eiderdown. The fluff from
the eider duck’s breast has a special quality. In
contrast to down from ducks and geese, eider down has
small barbs which keep it together. This provides
eiderdown duvets with a unique capacity to insulate. The
keepers make sure that the Eider are not disturbed by
mink, otters, eagles or ravens.
When the eggs have hatched, the eider
duck takes her ducklings down to the water, then the
collecting of down can begin. The down has to be
collected, cleaned of egg shell and laid out to dry.
Afterwards it must be shaken out, sieved on the harp,
and then given a final thorough cleaning before it is
transformed into the world’s best eiderdown duvets.
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I
have baked rolls during this morning. It is very good to relax
after the surgery, but I am much better now, and able to do
this and that. But if I gets tired, I just lay down on the
couch for a while.
Later
this week, I will try to go to work for a few hours a day. I
don't have to do this, but if I feel like it' I am able to do
so. I think that I will try, for some hours.
Update:
Joakim came home from the trip together with his class. He
have had a wonderful day. They had put up houses for the
Eider, and had a nice day!
When
Joakim and Cecilie came home, we enjoyed homemade rolls.
This day started
with cloudy weather and wind, but luckily, no rain. As the
hospital told me that I could go for some short slow walks, I
took Rex for a little walk, during the morning.
Rex enjoyed our
walk.
When
Rex and I came indoors, I sat down by my computer, and I was
very happy when I got an e-mail from Kia, with the most
wonderful Spring Sig tag!
Thank you SO much,
Kia!
I have posted lots of photos of Rex
taken from Fall 2008 to Winter 2009
Unfortunately,
during the evening, it started to rain, and the temperature
were falling from 5 to 1 degrees Cesius.
Lovely weather
today, but, unfortunately, very cold.
Today
I called the hospital, and asked if I could go for a little
walk. The doctor told med that I could do that. I am not
allowed to cycle, go skiing, dancing and practice at the gym,
but a little walk was okey, he said.
Joakim took Rex, and we went for a walk. It was lovely to out
and go for a walk, I think.
This
afternoon, Charles, Joakim and another man, went to a cottage,
that the dog club have at their disposal. They will be back
tomorrow. Cecilie and I are staying at home, but next time we
probably will go there too.
I
have made some new pages today, with
photos from "good old days" when I was I
kid.
Since I just
have had a surgery, I have to take it easy, so after I came
home from the hospital, I have spent most of the days, reading
in old garden magazines, watching gardening programs on TV and
drawing and planning our own garden. 2009 will be the 4th year
that we have our garden, and I have SO MANY planes, but time
and money makes it hard to fulfil my planes as fast as I wish.
Today
I strolled through our garden (pretty fast, it was very cold),
and took some photos. I have posted the photos at the
following pages:
Spring photos,
photos of our new terrace
and
photos of my new project.
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Thuesday March 24th |
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I came home from
the hospital today, after having my surgery.
Surgery
yesterday, and home today. But I am in good shape. Of course
the operating wound hurts, and I get tired often. But apart
from that, I am okey.
My
trip to the hospital took over 3 hours, by busses and ferries.
I brought 6 small books to read during the trip, my stay at
the hospital and the trip home again.
I
finished book number 6, about one hour before I came home,
today, so I belive that bringing 6 books, was well planned.
It was wonderful to come home again. When I
came home Cecilie and Joakim were at school and Charles was at
work. But Rex was wishing me welcome home, and that was
pleasant. Actually it was nice to have the house for myself
for a few hours. I spent the first hours after I came home, to
eat lunch, drink coffee and watch some garden programs at TV.
We have a wonderful weather
now, but it's cold (only 1-2 degreez Celsius).
.jpg)
I am not able to spend time
outdoors (because of my surgery, I have to take it easy), but
I can enjoy our "Spring window".
As you can see, it is
almost no snow at our lawn. But it has not turned green, yet.
When Charles was finished
at work, and after eating dinner, he went out, and fixed
something on his motorbike. He also went for a little "test
drive". His first drive on his motorbike this year. It was
very cold, so he could not drive long, but he was very happy,
so I belive that it was worth it, even if it was a bit cold.
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Saturday March 21st |
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As I am going to
have a surgery on Monday, and have to be careful for 6-8 weeks,
after the surgery, I have started with working in our garden,
today. It's a bit early. We still have some snow on our lawn,
but in the flowerbeds there are no snow. I know myself well
enough that I would have felt terrible, if I had to sit and
look at our bad flowerbeds. The flowerbeds do not look very
pretty after a long winter:
That's why I
have started a bit early with the garden. It was very nice to
start working in the garden, even if we had some snow, betveen
the moments with sun, during the two hours I was outdoors.
After a couple of hours in the garden, I was exhausted and
very hungry. I decided to be satisfied with tha fact that I
finished the two largest flowerbeds in our garden. Then the
other 6 smaller flowerbeds have to wait a month or two.
It's not much
sprout in the flowerbeds yet. It's only March. But, now I have
prepared these two flowerbeds for the flowers that are going
to come up, here. Besides, it looks a bit nicer, when all the
withered are gone.
Rex was in the
garden, together with me. He got a bone to enjoy, while I was
working. As you can see, we still have some snow on our lawn,
but not much. But in the flowerbeds, there are no snow.
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Friday
March 20th |
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We are still
having sad days here, after we lost Chico. We miss him a lot.
But we know that he is in no pain, now, and that is good.
Besides we are very glad that we have Rex. He can not replace
Chico, but it's very cozy to have Rex, now.
We have had a
terrible rain this entire day, but during the afternoon, it
started to sledd. This is something that I am not very happy
about. I want to have spring now!
We have got a
new
photo of our sponsored child, Mbali.
On Monday I am
going to the hospital to have a small surgery. Nothing big. I
am going home the day after the surgery, and the doctor told
me that I have to stay home from work a few days, but I don't
know for how many days. We'll see.
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Wednesday
March 18th |
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I have a very
sad thing to tell you:
On Monday (March
16th) we had to go to the vet and put Chico to death. He was
10 years old, a month ago. Chico has been like Cecilie and
Joakim's little brother, and Charles and mine little boy, so
we have very sad days here, now.
The
last days we have noticed that Chico have been stiff in his
legs and back. The last few days he did not even enjoy his
walks, and on Sunday we had to break off our walk and return
home, after walking only for a few minutes. When we came home,
Chico was shaking, and he did not want to go up the stairs, so
I lifted him up on the terrace. When we came indoors, Chico
was relaxing for a long time, before he stood up and came into
the living room. After about one hour, he was almost as
normal, but we could see how stiff he was moving.
We
went to the vet on Monday 16th of March, and we were very
worried about what she (the Vet) could tell us about Chico.
She told us that Chico was in very much pain, and that he
probably had
articular
arthritis in his entire body. She offered us painkillers for
Chico, to help him keep on for about two weeks or so, but she
recommended us not to do this. Both the kids and Charles and
me agreed that this would be animal cruelty to do, and decided
to end it at that time. We were sitting by Chico, all four of
us, until it was over.
It was terrible.
Completely terrible. But, we were, all four of us, satisfied
and pleased that we choose to be with Chico.
When we came
home, Rex was remarkable calm. We let him sniff on Chico's
collar.
Before we went
to bed, Rex went a round in all the rooms in our house, almost
as he wanted to check out that Chico really was gone. He did
the same, next morning. But, in other ways it seems that Rex
is okey. He is eating his food. Not at eager as before, but he
is eating it. Rex has been very restless lately. But now he is
much more relaxed. Perhaps he had noticed that Chico was in
pain, and that he is relaxed now, as he knows that Chico is in
no pain anymore.
I have made a
memorial page for Chico here.
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Saturday
March 14th |
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Unfortunately we
did not get the same nice weather today, as we had yesterday,
and the day before yeaterday.
I have
photographed our new
coffee table.
(The photo was taken before I ironed the cloth, but it was
nicer after ironing.)
The plant and
the flower pot on the table are also new. We bought them today.
It's nice to renew a bit, when the Spring is approaching.
When it's too
early to do something outdoors, and in the garden, one just
have to make it cozy indoors, while we are waiting for
Spring.
Between the rain showers, I have been taking a walk in our
garden. I was very happy to see that the Snow drops I got from
a lady, last year, has started to sprout:
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Friday
March 13th |
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Today it's 15 years since Cecilie was
baptised.
We
have had another day with wonderful Spring weather. It's not
very warm yet, only 3-4 degreez Celsius, but the birds are
chirping and the seagulls are screaming, and today we spottet
the first sign of a typical Spring bird here in Norway, called
"Tjeld" (Haematopus ostralegus).
Now I hope thta all the snow in our garden will melt soon, so
I am able to start working in our garden.
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Thursday
March 12th |
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Yesterday I sold our coffee table and the cupboard in the same
sort as the table. This table was very low, so it was upleasant
to sit by the table and drink coffee and eat. In addition to
this, the glass table has often irritated me. It looks very nice
with glass tables, but it's not very useful. Luckily someone
wanted to buy both the table and the cupboard, and they seemed
very happy about buying this.
In January I worked overtime 3 Saturday's, and I wanted to buy
something nice for these money. I decided to buy a new coffee
table. this is made of wood, (it's called walnut wood), and is
much taller than the old table. We had lots of glasses and bowls
in the cupboard. I will try to find other places for this stuff,
so that we don't have to buy another cupboard. It's nice to have
better space in the living room, I think.
Today we have a wonderful weather. Sun, and almost no wind. It's
a pity one have to spend days like this indoors at work. I hope
that the weather will be like this during the weekend too.
Tonight I am going to dance again. I am looking forward to this.
Last Thursdag, we were at school in the evening, to see the kids
entertain, and to enjoy coffee and cakes.
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Thuesday
March 10th |
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This week, my kids
has their winter holiday. Both Charles and I are at work during
daytime, but Cecilie and Joakim are 15 and 13 years old, and big
enought to stay at home by themselves, while we are at work.
Yesterday I spotted the first Coltsfoot. (This is the first flower
to come, here in Norway, during Springtime.)
My pages of Coltsfoot is
here.
Today I have been at the
gym after work. It was hard work, but pleasant when I was finished.
Since we put away the
Christmas decorations, early January, we have had purple curtains,
purple table cloths and runners, and other purple decorations in our
living room. This afternoon I have put away the purple curtains, and
put up light curtains, and changed all the other purple stuff, with
real Spring colors: Light green, yellow and orange.
Tomorrow I am going to
buy two light green runners, to make it all complete. It was very cozy
and nice to get a Spring feeling into our living room.
Today there are
blowing a very strong wind here. Our house is squeaking and
cracking. Very unpleasant.
I have
spent this morning doing some housework, and put a dough for
rising. I will bake coarse rye rolls, later. I have also
finished reading a new book. This time I read a book written by
a Norwegian author called Unni Lindell. The book is translated
into English too. In English it's called The Dark Angel.
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In one of
Oslo’s poorer suburbs, fiftyseven year old Britt Else
Buberg has been found dead in front of the high-rise she
lived in, apparently after falling down from her own
balcony. She had been a lonely woman with no friends,
apart from an old lady at the nearby nursing home. But
what had first looked like a suicide, is deemed a murder
when a witness claims to have seen her being pushed.
Approximately at the same time nineteen year old Lilly
Rudeck disappears from a rural camping ground south east
of Oslo. A Polish season worker, Lilly is reported to
have had a feeling of being spied on at night in the
cabin where she lived. The police quickly discover that
the owner of the camping ground lives in the same
high-rise as Buberg did. But again things are not the
way they seem.
The police
are close to giving up, when they suddenly discover that
a young girl was raped and murdered at the very same
camping ground in 1972. The victim was only 16, and
Lilly bears a disturbing resemblance to that girl. Could
there be a link between the disappearance and the murder?
And is there a connection with the murder of the older
woman? |
The
book was very exiting, and it was nice to read more about Cato
Isaksen, and to get to know Marian Dahle better.
Luckily I am better from my cold, and I was at work both
yesterday and today.
We are five ladies who have been saving some money each month
for 2 years now. We have planned to use this money for
travelling. Yesterday we ordered a vacation trip to Greece!
We
are leaving in September. We are very exited and are looking
very much forvard to our trip.
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Wednesday
March 4th |
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Today I am sick. I have been home
from work. My head aches and I have a sore throat.
Yesterday we had a beautiful
sunrise. I took this photo from our house
about 7 AM in the morning.
I have posted
a photo of our house.
Kia gave me a
blog award!
Follow the link, to see it.
Now I have finished the book
by Mary Higgins Clark. It was very exiting, and had a surprising
end.
I did not read the book in
English. I read it in Norwegian. It has been translated into
Norwegian. I am a member of a Norwegian book club, and got it
from there.
Now it's March, and we gets a little hope that
the Spring is on it's way, even if it don't look like that yet, outdoors, with
all the snow that we have got. Today we have had a very strong wind, and even if
the temperature only has been around zero (Celsuis), is has been freezing
outside.
I have done some housework
today, and then I have just been relaxing. I am tired, after working overtime
yesterday. I have also started to read a new book this weekend: Mary Higgins
Clark "Where are you?"
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It has been
ten years since 21-year-old Kevin MacKenzie, Jr. ("Mac"),
has been missing. A Columbia University senior, about to
graduate and already enrolled in Duke University Law
School, he walked out of his room in Manhattan's Upper
West Side without a word to his college roommate and has
never been seen again. However, he does make three ritual
phone calls to his mother every year: on her birthday, on
his birthday, and on Mother's Day. Each time, he assures
her he is fine, refuses to answer her frantic questions,
then hangs up. Even the death of his father, a corporate
lawyer, on 9/11 does not bring him home, or break the
pattern of his calls.
Mac's sister Carolyn is now 26, a law school graduate, and
has just been hired as an assistant district attorney in
Manhattan. She has endured two family tragedies--her
brother's inexplicable disappearance, and the loss of her
father. Realizing that neither she nor her mother will
ever be able to have closure and get on with their lives
until they find her brother, she sets out to discover what
happened to Mac, and why he has found it necessary to hide
from them.
Her journey into the world of people who willingly
disappear from their own lives leads her to learn about
others who may or may not still be alive, and ultimately
to a deadly confrontation with someone close to her who
suddenly becomes an enemy--and cannot allow her to
disclose his secret... |
The book is
wery exiting. We are going to have homemade pizza for dinner
today, and I think that exept for making dinner, I will use
rest of this day reading.
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