Snow snow everywhere.

There was so much snow in Sandefjord this year even the snow plows gave up!

They had been doing a great job until this recent snow fall that this is quite a disappointment. Throughout December and January the snow was cleared almost faster than it hit the sidewalk. This weekend February 21st (also my oldest son's 30th birthday) after three day's of continuous snow which accumulated to about 25cm there was no sign of any effort of snow removal.

After almost 3 months since my arrival here this did not dismay me as much as it should have. Obviously there shouldn't have been any more snow this year because the government had decided that snow will end prior to the 21st of February. When you live here for any length of time you begin to go along with the general view that the government is always right and their decisions are final and perfect.

The mind meld must be working.

Anyway as I observed earlier in the winter neighbors here, for the most part, do not help each other. I have walked past people with snow blowers happily clearing their driveways in record time oblivious to the fact that their snow is drifting on the wind into their neighbors driveway. Later in the day the neighbor comes out with a shovel and begins the labor intensive effort of clearing their own drive from the fallen snow and the additional neighbors snow. Sad!

I was trying to give Canada's reputation a boost by helping dig out cars and clear driveways like we do at home. The reaction is confusion which is replaced by amusement as Tormod explains that I am crazy and he is just dragged along with my pursuit.

Humph.

Memory is a Funny Thing

23 years ago my family and I waved goodbye to the shores of Norway as our ferry to Newcastle slipped away from the dock. What thoughts were with me then are faded now and as I had a 2 year old child holding on to my knees I was probably distracted. I seem to remember a feeling of relief mingled with nervous anticipation but I think the words "it's over" were in there somewhere. So why am I back after all this time, that is the question.

Memory is a funny thing, it systematically filters out the worst and enhances the best so I find myself looking back with rose coloured spectacles. Somehow I always wanted to remember Norway as a great place. I met so many great people in the seven years we lived there, some of them I am still in touch with sadly others vanished. I still see the faces but the names are missing or the names are with me and their whereabouts is a mystery. Lets face it, I am lazy when it comes to friends, you should never be lazy with friends!

Anyway this blog is really to record my thoughts, impressions, rants and life on this return trip. My husband, Tormod, and I plan to be here for a year or so, but who knows. We are the kind of couple who are blown about by life, lacking in anchors and still unable to commit to any single place to live.