second week in norway

The day we left Tonsberg (childhood area of my mom) we headed via train to a quick lay over for five hours spent with my mom's cousin Gunborg. Gunborg is an amazing sculptor and photographer is has had countless of shows selling as well has received many awards for her work. She is now in her late seventies, loosing her eye sight and has arthritis. Even though she has aches and pains in her hands, she is still sculpting a little and her past work is being requested by Oslo galaries and sold like hotcakes. There you have that artistic gene on my mom's side again. I only wish I had taken my camera out, shot some digital pictures of the sculptors and her and my mom. I do have pictures from other times visiting, but those need to be scanned and uploaded..... Something I will have to do later.

In Oslo we were met at the pier by my friend Ingeborg. This is a trip with TWO Ingeborgs.... my Aunt and my friend. Ingeborg, my friend, used to live on my street with her husband Scott. Scott is American and Ingeborg grew up in Telemark Norway. They met while Ingeborg was here in college, fell in love, married, move to a house on my street and had THREE BEAUTIFUL BABIES... all of which I got to snuggle and hold as newborns. The joke is that on my day off, I would knock on the door, see if the kiddos were awake, and either go in to snuggle, and play or head home with the explaination that I had lots to do..... These kids were so cute and it was so much fun hanging out with Scott and Ingeborg. Ingeborg was the one who challenged me to adopt. First by keeping the plant she gave me alive, then get a dog, and then to adopt a baby!!! When they decided to move to Norway, I sooooo missed them and was delighted that I could hang out with them in their beautiful home and see those amazing and beautiful kids. The kids are now 10 (B in white), 8 (M in pink) and the snuggle boy who I used to kiss and hug all the time, now is too big (just turned 5) and too cool for me to snuggle with..... I did gradually get a hug and snuggle by the end of the week. Scott and Ingeborg live in a beautiful house overlooking the Oslo fjord. To get to work, Scott takes a 20 minute ferry to Oslo and will have a 10 minute walk to his office. Life is so healthy and active in Norway!!! Besides the beautiful views, right out their door is forests that families walk (hike cause it has incline) in the Summer and Cross country ski in the Winter. The schools are right on the edge of the forest and the kids will spend all day learning and playing in these forests. While I was there, the snuggle boy who is in pre-school spend two full days hiking into the forest to play and prepare for the winter by building lean-tos of pine bows for winter shelter and play. The snuggle boy was full of excitement telling me of his adventures each day after Barnehagen (Children's preschool)..... What a healthy way for children to grow up. I really can only think of one time that these kids had the TV on.... this was to distract a cranky 5 year old because his best friend and my new boyfriend could not play. In the blue above you see the snuggle boy and in the green is the buddy (S who is almost 5) and my new boyfriend. The snuggle boy had a Birthday party on the Saturday I was there. It was so precious because the kids all came dressed up. One little boy came in a dark blue suit.... kind of looked like when the Jehovah Witnesses come a knocking. S decided to dress up in his Hawaiian shirt, long khaki shorts and two mismatched blue socks..... SPORTING THIS FIN..... and looking so cute and COOL!!!! I asked if he would be missed if I took him home.... Unfortuately he would have and those plans were squached!!! Ingeborg took me to Ikea and we shopped and ate lunch and shopped some more. We will be getting an Ikea here in SLC next year so this just wet my appetite for clever storage solutions and house stuff!!! I will post more soon with pictures of the yarn and Norwegian dress that I got (from Ingeborg and her girls)..... caused teary eyes.... MORE TO FOLLOW!!!!