An update from long ago.

Julie, Mary Lee, Christie and Ruth sitting in front of the rather fabulous Buckingham Palace.

Me and Nommy, outside Christchurch University in Oxford. This is where parts of the Harry Potter films were filmed for your general info. I particularly like the tractor wheel in the bottom left hand corner!

A while back now, cant remember exactly when, but some time in the autumn, when I was back home in England, some VERY good friends of mine from Alaget came to visit. We had a ball, at the same time as being extremely busy, squeezing in a trip to Taunton, London, Oxford, Didcot town centre (that was special) and we nearly reached the duck pond in Blewbury, but I forgot the way. Dad will never let me live that down!

I think they had a good time, and it was really nice for Christie and me to spend some time here, cuase Christie is gonna be living here once she is a married woman!

But now I must sleep, got to make the most of my 5 and a hlf hours of sleep. Im going! Thats all for now folks.

A Didcot Tradition.

Naomi and I braved the freezing cold, and managed to get a half decent picture of ourselves, despite chattering teeth!

The main street in Didcot, ('Broadway') all lit up for Christmas.

The churches stall, supplying punch, toffee apples and that all important BBQ. Lester looking very important as head sales man!

Naomi ready to rock n' roll on a ride called 'Spin ball!'

Me on the same ride, somewhat concerned about the rickety, and decaying appearance of said ride. A bit iffy, that!

In the background, a not so very good singer, belting out renditions of all carols in living memory, and in the foreground, a rather cute couple who seemed inspired to do a jig:)

Naomi and one of the many stalls. I do love candyfloss!

A couple of weeks ago, somewhere at the end of November, was the auspicious night of the "Street fair".

Its a tradition, (well, come on, this is England) and this tradition is that in Didcot every year the main street of the town becomes a fair, hence the name ... to celebrate Christmas, and make a big deal of turning on the town's Christmas lights. Anyways, all manner of wacky stalls set up, along with a number of screwy rides, and a fair share of strange people, and an unhealthy dose of chavs!

If you don't know what a chav is then I can't tell you ... you'll just have to come and experience them here in the heart of England, and you'll get the idea pretty quickly. But I'll just say that chavs are not good!

But enough of unpleasant topics. Some time after dark, Naomi and I ventured out, Naomi in search of thrills, and me just biding my time till my shift of selling toffee apples on the church's stall, which me and a number of girls had painstakingly made the night before (that's the toffee apples I mean, not the stall.) When it came to me selling toffee apples, I don't have much to say, except that I trundled up the street a little, basket on arm before quickly deciding that I was going to fail miserably, and swiftly returning to said stall. Ha ha, I know, I know, I'm a failure, and I'm ashamed of myself and it smarts even more, cause Lester did promise to buy me 1 if I sold 6, and I didn't even manage to sell that! Its alright though, because all of the blasted toffee apples where sold by the end of the evening, due to more experienced and confident salesmen, (like my father.) Another triumphant evening for the street fair!

Well, I just want to add in here, as its Christmas, and at Christmas you tell the truth ... that I really am missing you all. To my sisters not living at home, I think of you all everyday, and miss you more than words can say. (Didn't mean for that to rhyme. I am a poet and I did not know it!) To all my Alag friends, I miss Alag life so incredibly much, its sometimes painful to think about, and to my friends in Horten, I miss the cosy times we used to have. I am extremely thankful for all of you, and what you mean to me, and for all the good memories we've had together!

So if I don't get a chance to update before Christmas which is highly likely, let me merely say,

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

God bless us, every one.

A musical EXTRAVAGANZA!

Yes, it is December, so I am fully within my rights to be as Christmasy as possible! I can re-decorate the house with twinkle lights, listen to Christmas carols all day long, and watch "Its a wonderful life" till I'm blue in the face!

And my favourite Christmas film, or indeed musical, of them all (which is saying an awful lot)is "Scrooge, the Musical".
It is in a word, Brilliant and guaranteed to make you feel festive, so I have changed my video bar from the legend of "The Court Jester" to the aforementioned vid.
(Just had to pop that word in somewhere, it seems to be quite popular at the moment!)

Go check it out.

A favour, if you please.

Whilst checking my mail a couple of days ago, my attention was caught by an advert, advertising a competition by 'Red Bull' for people to write short stories. I was intrigued and clicked on the link, to find out more! Having read some of the stories being written, I perceived that serious writers (like me;) with good vocabulary and impressive sentence structure where taking part, so I hastened to add a contribution.

My short story is called "Something to shout about!" and it pokes some gentle fun at boffins and mathematicians in general. Its not hilarious or anything, but I;m certain you'll appreciate the language and it made me giggle. It soon appeared on the website, shortly after I posted it. The best one will be made into a commercial. Your encouraged to get your friends to vote, so please, Dear reader, take time out of your busy schedule to give me 5 stars. I'd be ever so grateful:-)

The website is www.redbulltallstorycontest.co.uk , so just click on this link and enjoy ...

My quote for the day is from 'Cranford';

"I suddenly have a headache of phenomenal dimensions."

Estella Julie.Jo and Abbi.

My Papa and the girls.

Went for a meal at 'The Bear at home'. Great little english pub! Jo and Ems and Chel in the backround!
My little brother, Andy.
Ma and Stella.

My lovely parents.
My lovely Nana.

Phoebe the headless having fun with her aunty.

Ahh, there she is!
Stella wrapped up nice n' warm.

The best of friends, Dorry and me.


The happy couple, Jo and Ilyam.
Love this pic. It gives me a warm glow inside:]
Dancing in the kitchen.

Just a few pics from recently. They are mainly from back in England.

Hope you can feel the swing that comes with these pictures ... they were uploaded to Russ Conway.

Ha ha, I know I know ... I am a loser!

1am Turkey time.

Its 1am and everyone is asleep. Outside, a huge storm is raging, wind howling round the corners of the building and rain lashing down. I saw on the news tonight that there has been severe flooding in Greece and Turkey recently, and I'm hoping against hope that it doesn't get that way here.

Inside, however it is cosy and peaceful. I've just come from watching a segment of 'Our Mutual Friend', another Dickens classic, which is even more glorious in full technicolour. Now I'm listening to 'Lux aeterna' by John Rutter and feeling extremely cultured and well learned. Lol, what a snob I sound.

Getting back to the subject tonight, being here in Turkey is fab! I do seem to always come at the un-warm time of year,but I suspect that's a good thing because when I did come when it was hot, I got terribly sunburned. That was a brilliant holiday though, in Bodrum. If you ever get the chance, go there. The scenery is spectacular and there is watermelon in abundance!

Thinking about spectacular scenery, its all like that here. Whether your looking at the city or countryside, its always interesting. The city seems to be being built everywhere you look, and half finished projects are as common as are the stray dogs and cats that roam the streets. Huge Turkish flags are flying everywhere and its not church steeples that make a skyline here but mosques.

Roads are something completely different, and I'm pretty sure they're gonna go into gridlock soon, its all just a matter of time.

I cant help but notice all these things, I'm such a watcher, and extreme when it comes to people watching. I had to check myself many times at the airport, specially when it concerns the women cover from head to foot in black, with only their eyes showing ( I forget what they are called.)

But yes, I think Turkey is a very unique country and civilisation. And I think my sister Jo is a very special person to be able to live here. She's flourished amazingly and is bringing up two insanely cute little girls. Estella with astonishing confidence and Phoebe with so much love to give.

So cheers to Turkey and traveling!

General nothings.

I would like to note at this point that thinking up a title for a post when your not really writing about anything is quite difficult.



Today I have one humongous cold,. It seems to have swallowed the entirety of my head, starting somewhere in the throat and travelling up to my hairline. Because of this, Ive become a bit of a brat, complaining at the slightest provocation, sniffing incessantly, and spouting self sympathy to anyone who will listen. Sorry for such a miserable start to a post, but there is nothing bigger in my life at the moment. That and the fact that the Internet connection here has also gone down the toilet. If I'm lucky it stays on for all of five minutes, which kinda saves me from prattling away too long on this blog, and boring you all senseless.

Memo to self, must be more positive! I do have a lot to be happy about though. I was offered a job on the first interview I had, and the conditions are pretty good, so I should be earning piles of money very soon. Another thing, I'm jetting of to (not so sunny cause its November) Turkey for a week of shopping and living it up in that nearly un-European civilisation. Quite exciting I suspect.

Its so funny, cause Ive been going through my old file on my home computer, reading old essays and letters of resignation, and browsing through all the music I used to listen to, like 'The Verve- Drugs don't work', 'The Corrs- Summer Sunshine', and 'DJ Casper- Cha cha slide'. Hehehe, I still love the Corrs, some things will never change I suppose!

Lol, I'm now getting distracted by my sister who is pretending that a towel is attacking her. Its amazing what you'll do to amuse children.
Seems like a perfect thought to end this post on, so Ill be seeing you, and have a very good weekend!

Turks and Brits!

Me and my gorgeous niece, Estella. In abit of a plonkerish mood!

Ahh, sisterly consolation.
Phoebe Jane, she with the amazing eyes.

At Warick Castle, Ice skating. This is a few Christmas's ago, but I love the pic.

Phoebe inspecting underneath the table, (or maybe she's asleep, hehe!)

I'm back in England and loving it, I have to say! There certainly is no place like home, somewhere where you can instantly be at ease, and just feel very content and at peace with the world. Its very nice atm, cause my sister Jo, (married to a Turk, and therefor living there) is visiting with her Turk, (I mean her husband Ilya) and two daughters. My other sister Nommy and I looked after them, this last weekend, due to them, my parents and many a couple taking a trip to Brunstad. Cant think why!

Anyway, we had lots of fun, with a fair dosage of tiredness, plus a double helping of laughter. Estella, has got to hold record for the most infectious laughter ever (and ear, for that matter, but that's another story.) And she sure does have a pair of lungs on her! If I can I'll try to post a recording of it, cause EVERYONE should hear her laugh. I think it would brighten up anyone'sday, even the most humourless auditor!

I'm also trying to find a job, an trying not to panic when I think about all the things there are out there that could be done. I feel like I could do any job, (not in an arrogant way) but merely because I have no particular leanings to any particular job yet.Tis rather bewildering and any advice you could give would not fall on deaf ears.

Now I have no more to say now, other than that I hope you are all in good health, and that we have been enjoying very fine weather.

My last day living in Norge!

The midnight sun.

First of all, sorry for not posting yesterday! The computer cord snapped and the battery doesn't work, so I had to content myself with twiddling my thumbs all evening, and getting irritated, by thinking of things to write, and not being able to!

But today is Thursday, In the immortal words of Jojo the Clown,"Torsdag hele dagen". That really is a stupid sentence, I mean, I realise that its from a cartoon designed for children, but come on ... what else is it going to be the whole day. I think someone had a bad case of writers block when they wrote that line!

But anyway, I digress.

I spent most of today packing, and its amazing cause I managed to pack all of belongings into two suitcases. I tell ya, it was a miracle of packing! I am forsaking this land for good at approximately 10:25pm, on the legend that is a Ryanair Boeing 747, flying directly to Stansted airport, and thence to a little town in Oxfordshire, known as Didcot.

I would simply like to say a fond farewell to Norway, a land in which Ive spent such a long time in, and come to respect and love, (although I may not show it). I will miss Norway and all my friends that live here. I always feel safer in Norway, than anywhere else in the world, and the fact that children can still play on there own in the streets with comlete safety should not go unappreciated. There are not many countries left in the world like that.

Day 7: A funny day.

The funniest picture I've ever seen.

Meh heh heh heh. I've spent most of today giggling! It started last night, when Tim decided to get a high in the middle of the night. We've all been high ever since, lol!!

Writing this post, I'm still giggling.

A good friend and philosopher said to me yesterday;

"The funniest person you can imagine is yourself."

Had to think about it for a while, and not getting their line of thought straight away I had to ask them to clarify! Now, upon understanding I completely agree.

You laugh at what you think is funny and when you tell a joke, you wouldn't tell it unless you thought it was funny. You always appreciate your own sense of humour, right, so therefor you will always find yourself hysterical. I'm probably not explaining this very well, but think about it, and you'll get it. In any event, I was rather bewildered when I heard this, cause Ive never thought about it before, in fact, I don't think anyone ever has.
And I definitely didn't expect such a intelligent remark to come out of the mouth of a blond.

Back to today, this morning's memory's are summed up with Benjamin singing "Spideey man, Spideey man, Fwendly eyborood Spideeyman"..and so on and so forth, etc etc etc.
I'm not entirely sure what Timmy did the whole day, but I know for damn sure what he didn't do. HE DIDN'T SAY LAURA!
He knows me, and everyone else as "Mama". Now to you that might not seem like a serious defect, but as it has been my mission in the last few days to get him to say my name the fact that he didn't is getting quite frustrating. Nah, I pretend to find Timmy annoying, but it is categorically impossible to be angry with the little cherub.

The rest of the day's memory is swallowed up in a the memory of a conversation I had with Ben.

Ben- "Vet du hva?" (D'you know what?)
Laura- "No, what?"
Ben- "Pappaen min har hår i nesa!" (My Dad has got hair in his nose!)
Laura; *Stifled chortling.*
Ben- "Og vet du hva, jeg skal også få det når jeg blir stor." (And you know what, I'm gonna get it too when I grow up.)
Laura- *Still stifled chortling* "Is that right?!"
Ben- "Og vet du hva, du skal også få det når du blir stor!" (And you know what else, your gonna get it too when you get big!)
Laura- *Moment of panic overcome with general hilarity basically!*

And so, dear reader, the day continued with much beaming, chortling, chuckling, cracking up, crowing, dying laughing, giggling, grinning, guffawing, hee-hawing, howling, roaring, screaming, shrieking, simpering, smiling, smirking, snickering, sniggering, snorting, splitting, teehee-ing, tittering, whizgigging and whooping!
Long may it continue.

*Note to reader: apologies for the over use of the thesaurus, but it really is a wonderful tool.

Day 6: A Monday.

Mark Twain; author of quote.

Sorry, but today's post is gonna be teeny tiny, cause I'm being press ganged into going to bed early (which I might add, I need.)

Today was good, an busy. Time goes so quickly when your having fun. It flies right on by! But that's a good thing too, cause the kids are beginning to miss their dear Mother and Father!

Quote of the day;

"Better to keep your mouth shut and look stupid, than to open it and remove all doubt!"

It comes from a magnet which has been on our fridge at home in England for years. Remembered it today for some reason, and it made me smile. Hope it has a similar effect on you!

Day 5: A day of rest.

Yes, today was Sunday all over the world (just incase you were unaware of the fact.)
At least in Norway, Sunday still holds tradition of being the day of rest with most places being closed, excepting petrol stations which are of course above contestation. Generally the roads are deserted of cars and its as if the people have gone into hibernation. I've decided that this is a good thing.
Its so lovely to go somewhere public and enjoy the place without masses of people swarming everywhere, incessant noise, and the constant drive of mankind to make money!

"Ooh, that was rather well put, Laurie!"

"Why thankyou, I guess it was a pretty good line."

You see folks, Ive been reduced to complementing my own work. Actually, talking to myself is getting to be quite a habit, cause living with Sofie you can often be talking to her, but you may as well be talking to a wall. On the fifthteenth recurance of this circumstance I gave up, and just answered myself, because in doing so you manage to retain some level of self respect, at the same time as it being really quite amusing!

But, getting back to today, it was indeedily-deed a gorgeous day. The sun shone fervently, and there were pancakes for breakfast, good moods all round, and a trip to what has become my favourite place in Norway, 'Verdens ende' (spelling corrections welcome.)
This was all followed up with a meeting at Dal gård, and lots of fun with good friends.
So, to this end, Sunday has got to be my favourite day of the week.

By the way, Dorit, thanks for your message Hun. 'My first avowed intent to be a pilgrim!' And I'll have you know, that I sacrifice my precious sleep time, to update everyday, but its well worth it cause I love to write. Type. Whatever!
Nuff said, Goodnight.

Day 4: A sunshiney day.

Looking back over my last couple of posts, they do seem to be a little miserable.

But one must remember that most of my writing carries a heavy portion of sarcasm and exaggeration.

I must clarify, dear reader, that I am in fact not miserable, and am having a wonderful time, looking after my two adorable nephews. They really are droll little chaps. And they're actually hilarious, and provide first class entertainment. However, the point I was trying to put across by writing so, was that being a mother is the hardest job in the world, and I take my hat off to all mothers!
Its amazing how much energy kids have. I noticed that today as I watched Ben throw and chase a coin across the kitchen floor for at least the twentieth time in a row. I wish I had that kinda energy, and could bomb around like a superhero! But its a proven fact that if adults moved as much as toddlers then we would all be always exhausted.
But like Sverre Riksfjord would say; "If your over 20, and you wake up with no pain anywhere, your probably in heaven!"

Day 2 and 3: two days in one post cause I'm lazy.

'Oh no!' ... Meaning... Oh no!

Nothing particularly life changing has happened in the last two days, hence my slackness in updating regularly. But the following is worth noting.

Who knew that Lego could be so much fun. Also sticks. I never thought of all the infinite possibilities there are for them, I mean, the possibilities are endless! And; if you set a plate of spaghetti in front of a child they do not first think of the delights that lay in store for the pallet, but indeed how much mess they can creatively create, and therefor must be reminded that food is there to be eaten.
For a kid, to look at the fjord is not the same joy as to fall face first into the fjord, and to merely observe mud from a distance is not the same delight as applying as much said mud onto ones clothes. As my sister Jo would say, "Why just cook onions and potatoes when you can make a trail with them that leads throughout the house." That's much more inventive use for them!

I've had to stop myself forcibly many times in the last forty eight hours, and put myself into a child's mindset, to actually grasp the concept of what the kid is doing. The difference between kid, and adult is actually huge, but it doesn't matter at all.
I've found, it is suprisingly easy to love a kid, even if their face is covered in snot, or you are up for the tenth time in the night, or said child refuses to co-operate, or your just so tired that your eyes have been reduced to watering constantly.

All these childish actions and many more have I observed in the last days, and I cannot for the life of me work out which state is better. Blissful innocence, or tempered experience. I suspect both have their highs and lows, and I think the right honourable gentleman, William Blake (poet) would agree.

So, at this time in my life, when I find myself contemplating different Lego designs, and feeling that all of you reading (or not reading as the case may be), are really rather bored with my feeble ramblings I would simply like to offer this joke, which I think is brilliant, in the hopes that it will brighten up your day when you think about how much wittier you are compared to me.

Q: How do you make a blond laugh on Saturday?
A: Tell her a joke on Wednesday.

Get it? Heh heh heh!

Day 1: A long day.

Hvilken dag er det idag: er det Onsdag? Ja!

No better place to start but in the middle of the week. Today was the first day all on my own, looking after Tim and Ben. Well, not totally alone, as Fie is staying with me, which is helt top!!

The day starts at about seven am for me, as Tim had a bit of a coughing bout, and decides that its not worth sleeping one second longer, so we relocate to the kitchen to breakfast, whilst Ben sleeps blissfully on.

I tell ya, tick followed tock followed tick followed tock followed tick! Such a looong day at this point. Its dark, and miserable, and rainy. Cosy inside I suppose, but for the crippling coldness that overcome one, if one is stationary for more than five seconds. Therefor, Laura turns on all the heaters to full power. (I'm sure I'll regret that later, so I'll keep you posted.)

For lunch I cooked omelet, and at this point Id like to say a huge Whoop whoop! I didn't burn it, and it was tasty. Yup yup, for once, Laura had a success in the kitchen!

The same cannot be said for the walk we went on next, where, the drizzle grew to a full rain storm, high speed winds included. Timmy fell over repeatedly and cried. And Naomi... he lost his boot! Resulting in his foot becoming rather wet, as I didn't notice that he was hobbling along with one boot until about a quarter of a mile down the road. Exclaiming loudly I trudged back to said boot, and we proceeded home, in a rather despondent mood.

Once home however, the mood was very cheery again, as the kids played, Fie came home, dinner was eaten, baths given, supper eaten, goodnight kisses received and hopefully a restful night of sleep will ensue. Ill let you know all about that later.

That's all for now, Folks!

Congrats!

Some people think that I lack inspiration, as I haven't updated in quite a while now. But to prove those people (who will remain nameless) that they are wrong, Im writing this on the spur of the moment!

Firstly, I want to specially congratulate Sofia because she passed her driving test today! I know how much you wanted to pass, and you really deserve it. Like you say, it fits! Third time lucky, eh!

Passing your driving test is such a good day! I remember. And for the next year or so, you jus wanna drive as much as possible. So beware of the roads now that Sofi is let loose on them, heh heh heh. Huge CONGRATULATIONS and the same to everyone else reading who has recently had this joyous experience!

On a different topic, I've recently been rebooted into the patriotic mindset. Was talking with someone about 'The Royal Tournament', a kinda marching band military tatoo, and my family used to go every year when I was younger, until the year 2000 when the labour party decided it was time to axe it and start a newer, cooler more ethnically friendly event. 'Political correctness gone mad' is the correct expression I believe. But it was brilliant, and somthing that truly makes me proud to be British. Im also reading a war novel atm, and its so strange cause Im completly affected by it. I get a lump in my throat everytime Im reading it, and thats most of the time, cause I cannot put it down. Its suprised me actually, cause Ive never been a big fan of those kinda books, and I avoided them like the plague during my last year studying English at college. That explains alot actually as thinking back the main bulk of the exam was about war literature. But this book is good, and I am well pleased in it. So, Go England, or at least the England that used to be (or maybe just the British troops!)

P.s. I'm practically a single Mum for the next week, so dont expect many updates!

To boggle your brain.

Chester chooses chestnuts.
Cheddar cheese and chewy chives.
He chews them, and he chooses them.
He chooses them as he chews them.
Those chestnuts, cheddar cheese and chives in cheery, charming chunks.

Around and round the rugged rocks the rugged rascal ran.

Sinful Cesar, sipped his snifter, seized his knees and sneezed.

And the grand finalee to give it all away...

Moses supposes his toes-es are roses.
But Moses supposes erroneously.
Moses he knows-es his toes-es aren't roses.
As Moses supposes his toes-es to be.

Yesterday in a nutshell!

Today was a drizzly, cold, grey day in Horten, and knowing that snow is on the way I'm feeling rather unprepared. The autumn has been so beautiful, almost like an extension of the summer.
My time in Horten is nearly up, tomorrow is my last day of looking after the boys, so this post is about a lovely day we had this week, and the usual antics we get up to.

8am, Ben is up and raring to go. Laura is up, but not entirely there. I have discovered a secret weapon, in the form of 'Playhouse Disney', and once its switched on and child placed in front of, it can render the child completely silent for at least half an hour. The downside is that I find myself singing 'Vi her en oppdrag' and 'en hyggelig by helt' and so on and so forth, all day long. Forferdelig!

Anyways, by this time, Timmy is voken, so we hasten to breakfast. Another strange Norwegian concoction, is Kaviar. Fish eggs in a tube isn't exactly appealing to me, but woefully Timmy loves it, so I always have a fishy lunch to look forward to.

By and by, the sun begins to shine so brightly, that it seems like a crime to stay inside any longer, so we all set out on a picnic. As previously stated, the sky was extraordinarily blue, (just to send that point well and truly home!)

Tim and Ben love being outside, and Ben talks nine to the dozen, about fairies, nuts, trees, lions, lamp posts, dragons, swords, and of course pirates! On the way home, Ben grabs my hand and says "Sliten, sliten....jeg er sliten"; translation being "Exhausted, exhausted... I am exhausted." Very cute, I'm sure, but I fail to see the humour as I'm pushing a very heavily laden pushchair, on an extremely rocky road, up a seemingly never ending hill!

Nicky gets home at 3pm, and the boys are always ecstatic to see her.

And so continues my day, in a very uneventful manner, but it doesn't bother me too much.

As my Dad would quote "Scrooge found that everything could give him pleasure", and that is because he saw things with new eyes, and appreciated every second given to him. And that is a big example.

I'm gonna miss the cheeky little numptys. They seem to look after me, way more than I look after them. Hope I'll always be thier favourite Aunty.

Ok, this has taken far to long to write. I'm being distracted you see, by Ben Hur, my favourite movie ever, and its quite impossible to concentrate on anything when Charlton Heston is glaring at you, with that lopsided grimace of his. He honestly looks like he's gonna cry sometimes.

Ahh well, that's all for now folks, but updates are in the pipeline! Snakkes.

Me and Ben get lost in the teppe, and tend to giggle an awful lot!

Tim wakes up so we get breakfast.



We went for a picnic, that day. The boys LOVED it!
Its impossible to describe how blue the sky was. I totally dig this little paradise I found, near to where we live. It reminds me of England in a way, what with its mighty oaks and rolling countryside.

Sofia came for a wisit! The boys lurve her, and she really is a jolly ol jenter.