a-bleh

Sorry, I couldn't come up with a fancy title, so that's all you get....

I am not in a blogging mood... and I don't really think I have much to say or anything fun to tell...

So here is my boring week.... I'm just finally getting over this nasty "cold" I've had for two weeks now. YAY.. it's tireing though, being sick takes a lot out of ya!
Well, since I've been so miserable for two weeks, I decided to have some Line Pampering this week, and I will admit, I've been feeling a bit sorry for myself, having had to been sick on my birthday and all....

So I went to my favorite place, Barnes and Noble, bought myself a BOOK!!!!! :) Happiness indeed! It's one I've read before, but I like it.

Wednesday I tended little Max. He is such a sweet, funny little guy, and we're becoming fast friends. I had dinner with them afterwards, and Gayle taught me how to make little rosettes, called yo-yo's. By the way that is the craft project I was talking about earlier this month.. and I will post pictures soon, I promise. They are fun and easy to do, the fabrics I've got are beautiful, I am very excited!

And then yesterday I went and hung out in the Fashion District.. well... "hung out" meaning shopping... I got some AWESOME deals, and I am excited to be back into the sewing again.. Still miss all my stuff that is in storage, but I'll get over it I am sure.

So there it is, now I am going to finish watching Rachael Ray, then I am off to Barnes and Noble and their Starbucks Cafe for some yummy hot chocolate...
Ohhh it's going to be nice when this stupid winter is over...

I WANT SUN!!!!!!

quickie update

Just a quickie update, I am SICK!!!

AGAIN!!!!!

Life is not fair!
It hurts when I walk, it hurts when cough, and I have to cough alot because my lungs also hurt... it even hurts when I breathe... can someone shoot me now, please!
My head aches from all the shaking (due to all the coughing)... and I swear I might get a whiplash from all this violent shaking..... okay, so that might be a slight exhaguration but still...

At least I am not alone.... Dyl has "walking pneumonia" or so the doctors say (who at first told me they couldn't hear anything in his lungs...), Z is coughing up half his lungs, and so am I.

Bunch of sicko's!!! *sigh*

did I mention it hurts??

oh, and don't get me started on my sinuses....

Craftiness....

Now, I remember vaguely that I posted a blog like this a while ago... the sad part is that since then nothing much (iow. NOTHING else) has happened in the craft department.... Sure I've started projects, but not finished any... I'm part of a lovely craft group that meets around town a few times a week, and I haven't attended one of them yet!! (Sorry Diana!)

So with the danger of Jinxing myself, I hereby declare another start on another project! 

Pictures to come..... :)

Amazing

Thanks to BT.no I found this fantastic picture of the FishMarket in Bergen (Fisketorget).. Taken by an american tourist sometime in the 1890's
There are quite a few of these taken from all over Scandinavia, and it was a great treat for me to go through them and see... This is the Bergen my great Grandparents knew... Here my great-great grandmother brought the vegetables and the milk to trade for things they needed at the farm.

Shortly after this, my granddads' brother took off on a ship perhaps like the ones we see in the distance of this picture....never to return to Norway again.

I LOVE history, and Geneology! Thanks to the us government for putting these pictures online for us all to watch!

Jazz

Last Saturday (the 10th) I attended an "Urban Folk/Jazz" Jam at my favorite BN. It was an evening long music festival with artists from the area as well as surrounding cities. Musicians such as Thomas Doncker, Richie Goods, Allan Harris, Jana Herzen, Bujo Kevin Jones, Charnett Moffett and Kuku with "[his] cousin from the irish part of Nigeria: John Smith".

It was AMAZING!!!
The music was fantastic, each artist brought their own "flavor" and humor to the scene. There was clearly camradery between everyone, and though it was labeled a "performance" it felt relaxed and down to earth like no other concert I've been to. Artists wandering around talking to us in the audience, listening and cheering for each other, helping out with instruments and stuff... truly a special special event. I was very impressed. And the music? FANTASTIC!!!!

The only spot on the otherwise perfect evening was that the concert was cut short, because B&N was closing early due to a "winter storm"..... (which wasn't all that horrible at all!!!!)

Normalcy

School has started, SwimTeam has started, Religious Class starts on Saturday and today, I got a call from the school nurse about D's cough.... Yep, we're back to normal... oh and did I mention they've had headlice over the holidays?!?!?!?! YUCK!!!! and yes, I am ITCHING all over everywhere..... first bed bugs, now lice.... AND cocroaches in the kitchen....
I'd definitely say we're out of the fog that can be the holidays!!!

TIGER!!!!

My friends.. I am a Tiger! And a Wood one at that!!! At least according to the Chinese Zodiac... So in the beginning of this new year, when everything is still new and fresh... I thought I'd just might find out exactly what lies ahead, as such I turned to the stars (naturally) and those who profess to know them.. Well, in the "western" zodiac I am an Aquarious.. and that's all fine and dandy.. but it doesn't really tell me much... so I turned to the Eastern "shores" and found this:

People who befriend the personable Tiger will never need to look for excitement anywhere else. This striped rascal lives for adventure and his reckless nature helps him find it.

 The third sign of the Zodiac is a handful of contradictions. Calm but quick tempered, warm-hearted yet fearlessly aggressive, Tigers are independent loners who desperately need attention. (..ahem....)

Hardworking and altruistic, the Tiger becomes completely wrapped up in projects and causes. This noble and powerful sign is said to protect homes from fire, thieves and ghosts. The same characteristics that make the Tiger so endearing are often the most annoying. He is intense and moody, but never dull.

Horses, Dogs and Pigs frequently make good companions for the Tiger; but Oxen, Rabbits and Snakes tend to rub his fur the wrong way.

Compatible: Horses, Dogs, Pigs 

Incompatible: Oxen, Rabbits, Snakes

So there you have it people! Anyone else who wants to share some insight feel free! ;) but be aware... I might bite if I don't like what you say...lol....

Belated Christmas "list" thingy...

This is one of those emails that get sendt around every so often... you know the drill.. copy, paste, delete and fill in your own answers...

Well, since the holidays are now behind us, and I am not so scrooge'ish anymore, I thought I'd post it!

Christmas checklist
Welcome to the 2008 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know You!You know the drill. Don't be a scrooge!!!
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate
2. Does Santa wrap presents or sit them under the tree? Wrap
3. Colored or white lights on tree and house? White maybe colored on other decorations (tables, etc.)
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No
5. When do you put your decorations up? Start the day after Thanksgiving, putting out a little at a time... tree shouldn't be decorated until the night between the 23rd and 24th though.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish not including dessert? Pinnekjøtt m. tilbehør
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Presents and the smell of the cooking... and church christmas eve.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I still believe in Santa, nobody told me differently.....
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Growing up I did.
10. How do you decorate? RED everywhere, christmas curtains, lights, lots of good smells...
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LOVE IT
12. Can you ice skate? yup... not anything fancy though..
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My first real baby doll... yes I think I was 3 almost 4yrs
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? My family/Loved ones
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Riskrem og Pumpkin Pie the best of both worlds..

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Being together with those I love.
17. What tops your tree? a STAR
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving!
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? a Norwegian one called "det Lyser i Stille Grender"
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? YUCK... don't like em!

...and back towards normal...

Yesterday, Barry, Annie and Zed left for Upstate New York and Kevin, Barrie and Shane came back from Ireland... The cats got a bit restless in the morning, as BAZ were packing their suitcases.... Apparently bags and suitcases are terrifying.. lol...

Fabio took out his nerves by chasing waterdrops in the sink. Jolie, was mewing and wandering restless around the place...
Then a few hours later when KBS came, there was rejoicing like no tomorrow... It's amazing how comunicative animals can be...without being able to speak... and fluffy Jolie, who hates human touch was snuggling with her dad as if her life depended on it.. I wish I'd taken pictures, because it was quite something to behold.

So tired, sick and jetlagged but happy to be home, there was happiness still around!
And with only two days left of the holiday vacation for the kids, things are slowly coming around and getting back to normal... Annie, Barry and Zed are leaving to go back to California later tonight. And my crew is coming back from their vacation at some point today as well.

Last night I could almost hear the collective sigh that settled around the city, as parents and children settled this last weekend before the normalcy picks up again....

Insanity or stupidity on a stick!!!

Today I witnessed something truly CRAZY!!!!! Last night, Barry was looking on the internet and came across this web-site about the Polar Bear Club he exclaimed "hey, hey that's what I want to do tomorrow....." So today after eating some Norskie Pannekaker (made by yours truly) we set out, to Coney Island....

Now you might think, okay? So what? There's a bunch of crazy people jumping in the water... so what..... Let me tell you... we had nice sunny skies, but the temperature (air) was 11 degrees F!!!!!! and in the water 34 degrees!!!!!!! And people were running into the water, dipping under, of their OWN FREE WILL!!!!! (I will post pics later to prove it!) Some even stayed in for a few minuets, playing and splashing around... it was the craziest scene I have witnessed in a looooong while!!!!!

And Barry... yup... he got in....submerged himself and came back out a few inches taller and with some more (possibly frozen) chest-hair..... TRUE STORY!!!

this was taken before....