My new haircut

I had an appointment with the dentist today and it felt so great that I wanted to feel better about my hair too.. Quite satisfied, if you ask me!

Just a quick note

Spending some time in Dad's house to keep him and Alexia company since poor little Pauline is in the hospital for some tests.
I managed to fire up the fireplace, but now the living room stinks of smoke... I went through this hassle because I wanted to practice - which a did a bit (but I have headache and too much musical excitement wasn't really comfortable). I also managed to transpose the Nocturne piece by Tormod. The reason I had to transpose it is because I don't really enjoy pretending to be a viola player...

AND - I've had a great time at Ventehallen at Østbanen with Synne, Øyvind and Bente. Synne and Grete had been to Rome, and had some hours to kill before going to Trondheim. For a moment there I thought I was in Trondheim!
It was so great it felt like a celebration of some sort - and on my way home, even the bus were decorated for a party!

Walk to ... eh, forgot what it's called. But it's very cozy!

Yesterday Mamma and I walked to . It is one of two nearby which you can reach without skies during winter season. All cottages around has their own speciality (of food or beverage) and this one has buns (sweet bread rolls) with "blue sky" (caster sugar, coconut and blue color) - and bread rolls with herbs and cheese.
It is really cozy in there, and we grabbed two chairs under the elk - in front of the window. I think the elk is really cute from below!



Maybe not as cute as the cats -and the rabbit - outside. All animals can go wherever they want :)
One of the cats were really cuddly, but I don't think it liked to be photographed....

First walk with new skies!!

It is still snowing in the south-east part of Norway. The temperature is just below 0 but I hope it will be colder again soon. Then we might keep the snow for a while...
Since it was such a snowy morning, Mum prepared my skies with glider and wax while I made breakfast. (I don't dare to use a hairdryer on my new skies...) After breakfast (or lunch) Mum and I took the car to Solli Gård, and walked down to "Myggheim" (Mosquito home). We had spent only 15 min. until then so we decided to go down to Sandungen (a lake). I couldn't see anything downhill because of all the snow getting in my eyes, but it was such a nice experience anyway. My feet were warm!!!
The wind were so strong down at the lake that we turned immideatly. Back at Myggheim we bought a cup of hot cordial (solbærtoddy) and 4 doughnuts (because the guys in the cottage didn't have any change). Mmmm!


Mum in the track


We left the carpark around 3.30 and headed back home for shower, soup and 1 performance of "Lightfoot".
The whole thing (for us stringplayers) lasts for about 2 hours (for percussion and brass even shorter. Lucky dad!), so when I write this I've already done the dishes and eaten the rest of the soup.

I'm sure the performance was great, the audience were laughing, gasping, clapping and in general of really good spirit. I felt great too, possibly because of the little exercise earlier on.
The best thing, though, is that I really enjoyed it - despite the weather and the unpredictable waxing conditions (lots of people had trouble). My feet were warm and I had control of the skies - and I could brake down easily. Dad, I'm ready for you!

Location: Mums sofa
Drinkin: Rosehip tea
Eating: The "matpakke" from the walk (which we didn't eat)
Mood: Happy, but my thoughts are nagging me a bit with "go and practise!!"

Lightfoot rehearsal

My creative deskpartner this project. She designs her own clothes, and also take orders. Cheap, great, but at her pace.


Ragnfrid is waiting for the rehearsal to start. A bit frustrated??



The whole viola section is enjoying "Shutters Shut". I sometimes wish the cello section were sitting next to wall...

The good deed of the day

This morning, on our way to work, mum and I met a mum and her daughter on the bus. They were in Oslo for the daughters dance-lessons (a course) but had a day off and wanted to see some of the city. I had overheard that they were going to see the opera first, but apparently they didn't know where to jump off the bus. Mum and I brought them with us, and left them in the foyer. There I looked for a guide for them, but this turned out to be impossible - Out of season.
Luckily I saw some sweet ballet girls standing in a group and I asked them if they were going to watch the rehearsal (first rehearsal with dancers on stage) - and their leader confirmed. I felt quite naughty when I asked if it was possible for them to take one ballet girl more with her mum. "Yes, we have lots of tickets" she answered - and the two we met were granted a seat each in our rehearsal.

The rehearsal was 1/2 hour delaid because of some technical problems, and then - the mum were standing by the pit with a huge bouquet of flowers.


Tina and Nora, our guests today


Location: The opera house, "lounge" for the musicians
Eating: "Vørtebrød med brunost"
Drinking: Nothing yet, but I wish for a glass of alcohol free ale
Listenin to: A cellist practicing in the next room (or is it a mad double-bass player??)

Grandma's old artifacts

...are many and they're great. This time she found some of her daughters old beanies. Aren't we great?

Det snør, det snør, tiddelibom

Directly translated: it snows (is snowing), it snows, tiddelibom. (Winnie the Pooh sings this song together with Piggy when they are building a house for Eore. Yup)

When I had come at peace with the idea of a cold winter without any snow, had bought my skates and was ready for my challenge on the ice - it started to pour down like cats and dogs. Well, not really, since it is snow and not rain, but I'm not aware of any English saying that fits. I guess they don't really have this amount of snow anyway.

I had my daily practice when Mum and Grandma went to visit Granddad, our dinner were simmering on the stove (pinnekjøtt (stick-meat. haha), we're trying to eat the last remains of Christmas out of the house so to say), and the snow were starting to pour down. Eivind had left for Vietnam a few hours before (around 12.30) and then the ground was completely bare. When Mum and Grandma came back, there were app. 10 cm. of fresh snow. Grandma shoveled the courtyard. Then we ate our precious west-coast Christmas food, watched the news and then it was time for another round with the shovel. I'm not kidding - there was around 30 cm more snow! Eivinds car had changed colour - AND shape... Well, at least it got washed ;)


Grandma, the caretaker. She's a heroine!!


Our courtyard


And the high voltage mast

Location: My room
Mood: Happy
Eating: Apple from when the Opera were in Sandefjord
Drinking: Nada
Listening to: Nothing, but I've heard the high voltage mast in the corner of Mums garden

Skating like the Swedes do!

Amazing!!! It was great to be out on the ocean today. The ice was hard, quite even (though somewhere there were humps and bumps to make the walk more exciting...) and with 5 cm of snow to stabilize us beginners. Mum and I had a great walk from Strand to the Henie Onstad Art Museum, where we had a coffee and a muffin, and back.
We met quite a few people who were asking about our skates, some people fishing, other skaters and kite-users. The weather was "tjukt tåkeføre" -really thick mist, quite cold but not freezing. We experienced one fall, hosted by mum, and a lot of fun trying to understand the dynamics with our new skates.



At home, I found my brother who had lots to tell about his school - and he got the whole walk in words...
Robi - you'd have loved this!



Location: Mums livingroom
Mood: happy
Eating: Chocolate and licorice (our proviant, eaten at home)
Drinking: Not yet.

I'm so excited!!!

I have bought skates :D
They are what the swedish call "långfärdskridskor" - which means long distance skates. I needed to buy some shoes that fit them too, so i had to buy skiing shoes for mountain skies. And since they had a campaign for buying shoes with skies, I ended up buying mountain skies as well (quite short, but with iron edges).
Tomorrow (actually today, but..) I'll test either skates or skies. Depends of the amount of snow outside. Just now it seems to be better conditions for skies, but that can change overnight.
Now - bedtime!
Just came home from a long bustrip to Skien with the opera orchestra. Last New Years concert was a great success! Full hall, great audience and humorus conductor. Think I'll sleep good tonight!

Location: Mums livingroom
Eating: Hot curry made yesterday
Drinking: Uten (alcoholfree beer)
Listening to: silence
Mood: smiling, tired

Picture gallery 1

Tromsø:



Doughnut-making with Grandma:


Christmas at Dad's:

Slovakia:

Oslo, by Akerselva where the beaver is living:


My "artistic"cellocase:

Grandma was slow, but she was old...

This December has been quite busy, and I have also had problems with internet connections. My phone company is stupid, so the phone-blogging has turned out to be quite a hassle to set up but I still have my fingers crossed.
Short version of December:
-Nutcrackers at the Opera.
-Week in Tromsø during the dark season. Great for Christmas-shopping and gourmet lunches with Anna. Wish I had some skis with me, and that I could see some Aurora Borealis.
-23rd was of course "lutefisk" (Norwegian delicacy from dried cod made "normal" by putting in lye. Smells horrible, but tastes quite mild.) at mums place
-24th were spent together with dad
-25th was of course Aunt Anne Gro's buffet day
-26th I went to Slovakia and got engaged
-29th were spent inside Roberts apartment, because of illness - which lasted until 4th of January.
-Still got to try out the Slovak sleighs down a 3 kilometer long slope - in pitch darkness. Great fun!!
-And I've seen Miracle on 34th street dubbed to Slovak.

All I can say now is Happy New Year, and I'll try to upload my blog a bit more often than lately.