Future Neuroscientists Cuddling their Experiments?

Here is a crowd of 10 year old neuro scientists at the Brain research center here in Trondheim. The best part of the trip - subject petting. In this case, friendly rats. This one is named Rodey.

We're studing the brain and how people learn during this unit in our grade five class. We went to the cetner to learn about brain mapping and generally show kids how very cool science is.

There is a huge demand for scientists in all areas in Norway right now. So much that the government not only pays for the schooling of graduate students in the sciences, but funds their living expenses at a salary higher than I make teaching. (Not that that says much...)

Anyhow, we saw rats, and microscopes, and brain drills, and held rat brains, and watched a brain slicer, and touched some super-cold-bain-freezing liquid. And, this sign on one of the freezers in the surgery room. It was sweet.

I don't think the kids quite made the connections between their cuddly little buddies downstairs and the brains that they put in the slicer.

Happy Birthday to Nan! The big 05!

Little Nan had her big bithday the day after we returned fom Barcelona. Our little senorita was giddy with excitement that morning, waking to fancy waffles and colorful streamers. After her chose spaghetti dinner she opened her two gifties - a set of Barbie princess sisters and a baby doll.

After helping her unwrap, her brother and sister couldn't keep their hands off the dolls. Peter had to play with the Island Princess Barbie, because Maggie and Anna had to be the "real sisters because they are sisters in real life. " It was a rare 15 minutes of peace between the siblings, as Anna was getting all of the attention and had no need to fuss get more.

Anna cuddled and fed her new baby with the attention of a new mother. Until it needed its diaper changed. Then, Anna tenderly carried her baby over to Daddy and asked, "Daddy, will you please take care of this part. Because you know how. And you must be really good at it." Sly little minx.

On those dark days our imaginations grow...

Amazing giants - Norwegian trolls, even - roam our house most days. Luckily, the bottom half of the troll has a very strong back!

Spaghetti Fest!

Maggie and Frøy made spaghetti at Frøys house last week. Happy, happy girls. Yummy, yummy spaghetti.

Solstice Walk Success?

Our solstice walk this year yeilded quite different results from our past experiences - namely a large chunk of ice and a cat.

This shining December day we had sun for almost two hours! Our happy little procession left home as soon as the yellow orb peeked over the horizon line and slid down the walk to the little forest near our apartment. Normally, we walk around Tennant Lake on solstice, picking up cat tails, ferns, interesting mushrooms, and pebbles with which to honor mother earth.

Pickin's were slim this year, but we all teetered home with something. Maggie found an amazing and surprising tiny blue flower. Peter found an enormous chunk of ice. Anna found a cat.

The path was absolutely treacherous and the grass was frozen too. So, Mike and I carried our bruised tooshies home along with a handful of fragile baby ferns and an interesting red leaf. Ahhhhh, Norway.

Our Sweet Princesse

Little Nan has been quite the performing pincess for the past few months. Whenever visitors join us, Anna gets herself ready for quite a while, augmenting her sparkling outfits with whatever makeup of mine she can find. Its crazy how well she can put on brown eye shadow - better than Momma, that's for sure!

Daddy turned 40 on Saturday. We had mango cake and smoothies to celebrate. We were going to go bowling, but it cost $10 a game, per person, and Mike couldn't make himself spend so much on something none of us are sure we like to do. On the up side, my dad and I bought Mike an itouch and Maggie made him a card that read, "Happy Birthday Old Man" Totally classic.

AND GUESS WHAT? Mike has come to they gym for thee days in a row! Amazing!

That would be City CENTER...sorry.

Holidays in City Ceter

Downtown Trondheim really dresses up for hte holiday season. The holidays here last from Christmas Eve to the second week on January. New Years was a fantastically huge occasion. Mike wrote about it, so check out his pictures of popcorn around the city.

There are two features of the holiday season that stand out to me as beautiful pieces of Norwegian culture during this time of year. First, there are candles everywhere. This image of the big statue of St Olaf is right at the center of town. Candles cover the downtown walkways. They welcome one into every store and every home. Its charming and cozy.

The other thing is the Norwegians desire to make everywhere a haven for outdoor activities. Take this picture of the mall right down town. The Commune set up temporary bumper boundaries and created an ice skating rink right in the middle of town. Anyone can skate, any time. Many schools around do the same thing - filling up an indent in the ground with water and creating their own skating rink. It's really cool.

Already? You're Kidding Me.

This drawing was on the kitchen table last week. Could it be the early emergence of the adolescent poetic soul. God, I hope not. She's only ten.

Oh Christmas Tree!

To Plantasjan we go to hunt down our Christmas tree! After comparing tree upon tree, we finally found one that didn't make someone cry. A victory for mothers everywhere!
The whole process was just like at home, down to folks tying tree to the tops of cars and cursing at tangles of holiday lights.

The lights, however, cost more than the trees, with a signal set of white lights topping the expense list at $35 each. Zoweee Momma! Welcome to Norway.

The Dentist Appointment Two

Well, we went back to the dentist. And had another adventure trying to get into the dentist office.

Upon arriving we hit our first roadblock. As you see in picture two, the entrance into which we walked last time, was just gone. The little entrance way just drops off and the place where the door used to be, is now a window.

So, we continued down the driveway to the side of the building. There we found seven locked door. Finally, one opened. And into a different dentist office we came. But, the waiting room was empty and the the inner door was locked. No bell to ring either.

So, we went to another door, another dentist office. And, there was no one there. I even went into the inner office and hollered, "hello". No one.

Then to a wine store. Where no one spoke English.

So we went to a dry cleaners. There was no one there either. So, we walked through a construction site and saw...miraculously... a set of stairs! And behind them, an entrance! But, alas, the stairs were blocked off at the top with orange fencing. And, even if we hopped the fencing, it was 3 feet of nothing between the top stair and the entrance door.

After 15 minutes and walking around the building, no exaggeration, we found a small break in the fence where we squeezed through to a back door to a pharmacy. No one even looked s us strangely when we emerged from the storage room.

Once in the office, we found that we were supposed to be able to get in through one of the first seven locked doors. Somehow it had been locked to folks from the outside. Bad for business. But, hey, its free, so they don't care!

New Bathroom!

This is the pictureof the bathroom that I promised ages ago...

Enjoy!

St Lucia's Day Procession

So, all things Swedish aren't horrible to Norwegians. One of the rare things is the celebration of Santa Lucia on December 13. Santa Lucia (Lucy) was a virgin martyr from Italy who is said to be the Queen of Lights. Rumor has it that "peaceful" Vikings traveled to Italy in the fifth century and brought stories of a woman of radiant beauty who bears food for the starving people of Sweden.

Wearing virgin white and a red sash, Lucia traditionally travels from home to home in a city, bringing baked goods and lighted candles to the townfolk on the darkest night of the year. When she returns home at day break, the long nights of winter over.
Nowadays, and in the Norsk spirit of privacy, many families have a lussibrud (Lucy Bride) who wakes her family in the morning on December 13, wearing her costume and bringing saffron rolls and coffee to the rest of her family. Often, in school, younger kids have a procession through the other classrooms. Boys wear long white shirts and cone hats. They are called "Star Boys."

We had our own procession around the apartment complex. Breaking all social more's of Norway, the kids, in costume, went from door to door, delivering baked good like the olden days. Literally half the people didn't' open their doors to our knocks, though we knew they were home. But those who did peek through their cracked doors were gracious, surprised, and seemed genuine.

Amusingly, I introduced myself to four people and not one of them offered me their name in return.

It felt good anyways!

Check out Peter's voice at the end of the song Culture Vulture at http://www.myspace.com/likeratsfromasinkingship
He sounds so sweet doesn't he?

Just Tryin' to Get Around

Folks here in the wild and wooley countries of Scandanavia have learned to marry function with fashion. Hence, the Ski Board. Totally Norsk. Totally Hip. Totally Impossible to Do.

HERE is the little sushi fishie...

Anna gets new dress!

Here is Anna in her element - with a beautiful new dress that daddy brought from Gymboree in the States. She danced around for hours. It was cute at first. Then long. Then annoying. But, joy in a good thing.


Today Peter is wandering around the house making up melodies and dance moves for his song, "Never underestimate the power of greasy bacon." My favorite rendition is the angry voice that ends in operetic tones. He was trying that one out upstairs as he danced alone naked to warm up after sledding. I think it will be a hit.

LIttle sushi fishies

At the grocery store today I parused the paltry sushi take-out section near the huge vats of crayfish and shrimp one sees everywhere. I came upon these little fishies. Filled with soy sauce for take-away orders, they, and the food that surrounded them, exemplify Norwegian food to me. Elegant packaging with all the details precise and lovely - flavorless and efficient (and as in the case of the sushi, frightening) entrees.

Not to worry though, Mike brought me a suitcase full of candy last week, so my waistline will continue to rival the Nile river in inundation season. Cheers!