Jul 31, 2016

42 Things Every Foreigner Must Learn About Norway... Part 3

Most of my important lessons about life have come from recognizing
 how others from a different culture view things..










If you think I made this up, just click on the link below.
Travel Guide For Foreigners

This all being said, Arvid and I are having a very good summer here in Norway.
To all a very good day and greeting once again from the land of the midnight sun.

Yesterday was another day spent with family.  This time we were all gathered at Michelle
 and Emil's home.  Once again we had excellent food, lots of shared laughter and more
 memories were made.  Memories like I have said before, "will last a lifetime."


We all ate more than we should have.  Same as we did at VM.  Who can blame us?
 The food was delicious and when you are having a good time it just seems natural to spend
 it with good food and good company.  Family.. these are the moments that will forever be
 engraved in our hearts.  Time is now going fast, but we still have some days left to enjoy
with everyone.  Today we see Arvid's brother and girlfriend and Arvid's cousin and wife.


It rained a little yesterday in Horten, but it only made the place cleaner and the air fresher.
The sunset from the living room was also spectacular.  Good morning everyone.
May we all live in interesting times and may we always be kind to each other.


~Nadiya~

It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there 
is beauty and there is strength.  Diversity is the magic. It is the first manifestation,
 the first beginning of the differentiation of a thing and of simple identity. 
The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection...

~Nadiya~

Jul 30, 2016

A Beautiful Country...

I'm 100% Norwegian. 
Three generations removed and all continuous inbreeding 
of Norwegian of Minnesota and Iowa, so I traveled to Norway before...


Norway is a small country, about half the size of Sweden, but it has a very
good film climate because they have municipal cinemas, so even in the smallest
towns you have a cinema that shows art house films from all over the world.


Honestly, I was looking for something interesting online on Norway and I found
the above.  Although I don't "get" it I guess it pretty much sums up Norway.
One thing though, Norway has beautiful mountains as you can see below,


and beautiful Fjords.  You know they say that life ain't always beautiful, but it's a
 beautiful ride.  Like Noway, it's a beautiful country.  One I wish to explore more one day


Tourists flock to do the Norwegian Fjord Cruise. As their advertising goes, 
there are few destinations in the world that inspire and captivate as much as Norway. 
This land of soaring peaks, crashing waterfalls and gigantic glaciers 
is best viewed up close – from a Celebrity Cruises® ship. 
Yep..free advertising, but one worth it I think!

Yesterday was one of those days that will forever be a special memory.  
Everyone was gathered at Victoria and Michael's.  As usual they out did themselves. 
 From the moment we stepped into the home it was as I have said before,
a feast to the eyes.  Then came the food and boy was it good.



Arvid and I ate so much we did not have room for dessert.  Sad because she does
 an outstanding presentation for that as well.  It was a good time.  Relaxed.  Laughter 
and just a lot of warmth in the room.  Some of my favorite times in Norway is 
spent at Villa VM, (Victoria & Michael's)  I am forever grateful to them.

We come back to our place and it was a little wet and cold, but did not stop Arvid from
 going out for a while and having some "guy" time with friends from long time ago. 
Guy time went on for several hours.  Guess it was good to meet old friends.
 I was happy to stay in and call my mom and sisters.  Good for both of us.

Today we go to Michelle and Emil's.  Looking froward very much to that.
Little Michelle is an outstanding cook, mother and woman.  Love them all to pieces.



Well friends, greetings from Norway.
May you live in interesting times.



Change is like that: you are no longer where you were; 
you are not yet where you will get; you are nowhere exactly...

~Nadiya~

Jul 29, 2016

Oslo... A Special Place ~

Breathe it's just a bad day.  Not a bad life.
Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations...

One of my favorite outings when visiting Norway is going to Oslo, which is what we did 
yesterday.  It's about an hours drive from Arvid's hometown of Horten, but that's only good
 as far as I'm concerned. I get to enjoy more if the scenery and take a lot of pictures.


I love cities and Oslo certainly is that. Buildings, restaurants, people moving around and
 life all around you. Love it and miss it right now.  When in Oslo we walk around the main 
street called Karl Johans gate.  It's just bursting with activity and people in constant motion. 


 If I had to live in Norway I would choose to live in Oslo, but of course not practical because 
Arvids family are in Horten.  Horten does have its appeal.  His mother, Molly lives in the 
perfect spot.  From her place you are right in town and everything is within walking distance.  
Plus she has one of the best views in all  of Horten, so it is not bad.  Not in a long shot.


Our first try to get to Oslo had to be cancelled because of the rain.  Yesterday the perfect day.
  A little on the cold side when not in the sun, but if you stay in the sun, nice and warm.  
Best of all no rain.  Here in Norway it's starting to feel like fall.  Time to go home soon. 


 Both Arvid and I are ready.  Few more days to go. Luckily we there is always next year.
For the next few day we have things planned everyday with family so we will be busy.

I miss my little Sniffer and I miss life in the USA.  The other night I had a really bad time. 
Suddenly I missed my Brutus so much. I just needed to see him and hold him. And I freaked 
out over Shadow. Sniffer is doing good. We get updated everyday on him. He is just the
 most lovable kitty is what we are told.  Makes me smile because we can picture 
his moves, and yes he is just adorable and there is no other option but to
 love him.  We miss you little Sniff Sniff and can't wait to come home.


i look forward every year to going to Oslo, but somehow this year even though the weather
 was perfect, the crowd was bursting with energy and there was laughter and life all 
around us, I just felt like going home.  Weird, because I really like the city.  


We also went to a very nice restaurant on the water called The Edge.  Yes it's almost 
at the edge of the fjord, but somehow neither Arvid nor I were that impressed with it.
  I guess it means that we are ready to go home.  Also I think I'm getting a cold.


After lunch we were ready to head back to Horten, where we went straight to our 
maybe favorite place here n Norway.  At least the little of Norway I ave seen.  We went to
 Fishland.  Arvid loves it there.  Says he can relax and just look out at the boats without
 having to do anything else.  I like it as well.  The Créme Brûlée is great as are the cafe
lattes, and definitely when the sun is out it makes for the perfect outing.  A few beers for
  Arvid and then we are relaxed.  He says those are our best outings.  They are good.


Today we all go to V-M for a BBQ.  As always looking forward to that very much.
On Saturday we go to Michelle and Emil's for dinner.  Taco's made with love and her
 special recipe.  Can't wait either.  Everyday we have a full schedule as Arvid says.  

Our days are now numbered.  Yes, I am having a very good time.  Weather could not
 be better.  Always good times with everyone and good food.  We have had some very good 
days with Molly, but I also am excited about Tuesday.  Tuesday we go home.


Wishing everyone a very good Friday and a very good weekend ahead.  Ours is 
looking to be full with friends and family.  Yes it is looking pretty good.


Some moments are nice, some are nicer, some are even worth writing about.
Life is not made up of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years, but of moments. 
You must experience each one before you can appreciate it...

~Nadiya~

Jul 28, 2016

Having Fun Times...

Do not take life too seriously.  You will never get out of it alive...

When Arvid is not hiding from the camera and from me, I can usually get him to go along
 with just about anything.  For him this is hard to do because he always protests.  Especially when
 I try to take his picture in "not normal" settings.  Here I managed because he was too tired.


He tried protesting.  Covering his face, but in the end it was of no use.  He was tired.

We are enjoying our days here in Norway with everyone.  Temperatures are cooler,
but I am loving it.  There is no need for A/C and one can snuggle up under a blanket.
Our days are now limited and we are of course trying to do as much as we can with everyone.

Good morning everyone. Greetings from Norway.


Challenges are what make life interesting and 
overcoming them is what makes life meaningful...

~Nadiya~

Jul 27, 2016

42 Things Every Foreigner Must Learn About Norway... Part 2

Strength lies in differences.  Not similarities.
How you look at it is pretty much how you'll see it...

Nothing wrong with being different.  In fact my entire life I have strived to be different. 
 I never wanted to be part of the crowd.  I would rather stick out than just be one of the same.










Remember being different is what makes us unique.  Makes us different.  Makes us 
stand out from the crowd.  As I said before, I strive to be different.  I am not
 one who necessarily wants to fit in just to please someone.

To all a good day and soon coming with the rest of what every foreigner should
 know about Norway.  Even Arvid was not aware of a few of these "facts"


Yesterday we had a very very good day.  We spent time with Victoria and Michael at
their home.  As always it is a pleasure being there.  Enjoying their home, view and always
 excellent food. We were also lucky because we were able to see Loffen, their kitty.


Later in the day we met with Michelle and Emil.  We also had a very good time with them.
 We had good food and lots of laughter.  One of our very best days so far, and we
 have had a few of them already, and look forward to more coming.


Differences simply act as a yarn of curiosity unraveling until we 
get to the other side.  I know there is strength in the differences
 between us. I know there is comfort where we overlap...

~Nadiya~

Jul 26, 2016

To Travel...

Traveling.  It leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller...

To travel is to experience life in it fullest.  To meet new people.  To see new 
things and places.  To experience new adventures.  It does not matter so much where you go,
 what matters it that you live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment as you go along.


My favorite places have been right here in the USA.  This is a beautiful country and 
every time we visit a new State I discover and learn more about people and about these
 United States. I love the Caribbean, but I will take the USA any day as my place to visit.

Arvid and I go many places that takes us out of the USA, but in all honesty
 I always look forward to coming back home.  Home to the USA.  Where
Brutus once lived, and where we now share a home with Sniffer.  

It's now vacation time in Norway for us.  We've lookd forward very much to it,
at the same time we also look forward to the day we will be coming back home.
 Arvid has already made plans for us to go to Buddy Guy's on the day we return.


To all a good day.  Remember that the real voyage of discovery consists not in 
seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.  Whatever you do make it a amazing.
It's time to continue to have a good time with friends and family here in Norway,
 land of the midnight sun.  The days are now going by fast.  Very fast.


Missing my little Sniff Sniff.  In my heart there is a hole that only Brutus can fill,
and a heartache that will never leave because of Lil' Shadow's short life.  Love you all.

Here in Horten it rained yesterday, but even so the view is unbeatable.
I like to watch the rain fall and see how it makes people act.  Just entertaining.


Good morning everyone.  Temperatures are dropping a little.
Makes for cooler days and cooler nights.  I'm loving it.

I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list.
Once a year go someplace you have never been before...

~Nadiya~

Jul 25, 2016

Løvøya ~ Rørestrand Outing...

There is no better feeling than going to bed at night and 
not having to set an alarm for tomorrow morning...

Yesterday was a pretty relaxed easy going kind of day to the point where we did not know
 what to do the rest of the afternoon. We walked everywhere we could think of we 
ate out and even so we still had many hours left with nothing to do.


We were supposed to take Arvids mom out to eat, but when we called she said she was 
not feeling good. Bummer.  Lunch nonetheless was good. Arvid had his pizza and
 I had the usual a salad.  Starting to feel like a rabbit, a chubby rabbit that is.

Since coming to Norway I have eaten quite a lot of salads. Setting a new record here. 
Of course we had excellent food, drinks and desserts at VM.  We always do. 
 I enjoy her food better than I enjoy going to any restaurant.  
Both Arvid and I are now tired of eating out.


Back home I cook just about everyday and we eat out 1-2 times a week.  Arvid and I 
went driving to every place we could think of.  We went to a place called Rørestrand 
 It's a beach here in Horten and supposedly fast becoming the best beach in Norway. 


Arvid was not impressed.  At least I thought it was pretty but he kept wanting to leave. 
 Said it was too packed. Too small. Me I saw many pretty things about it. Granted
 I would NEVER swim in it.  The water is clear but there is weeds and a fungus type 
of thing growing in it.  Guess after going to the beaches in the USA 
and Bahamas nothing can compare to it.  That's just my opinion. 


The beach was packed in the water and out of the water.  Here in Norway 
like in all cold places, summer is limited and one has to make the most of it.
  Everyone was laying down taking sun.  Many are very wrinkled.

We also went to a place called Løvøya.  We used to go there a lot when Michelle
 was little now not that often.  We both like it better at Løvøya.  More space and 
more to do.  The "beach" was also packed but we had a walk into the
 forest and saw another side of Norway that for me is strange.


It's the camping lifestyle. Seems like camping is the thing to do in the summer. I see none
 of the attraction and all I see is boredom. Probably would shoot myself if I had to do 
this. Even for a day, but then everyone is different. I'm just glad Arvid and I think alike.
  He said he could never understand either what people see in this camping lifestyle.

The trailers and the campsites kinda cute. Has "amenities". Garden. Flowers. TV.
 Internet just about everything you could ask for, but boy the boredom just kills it for 
me.  As I told Arvid I see it and I'm crying inwardly. He said he also.  All I saw was 
half naked people. Sitting outside of the camper drinking coffee, eating cake,
 and smoking!!!  No thank you. Not for me. Not EVER!!!


One thing I can't complain about is the beauty of the nature. There is beauty 
at every turn you make. Trees. Water. Birds. Families. Just pretty sites. 
Makes up for the boredom.  At least I get to take lots of pictures!


Overall it was a good day. Not too much running around. Just him and I
 discovering some of the hidden beauty right here in his hometown of Horten.  
We're having a good time with family, but we are ready to go home!


Good morning everyone.  It's Monday.  Start of a new week. Wishing you all a 
productive week ahead.  If you were in Norway you would be on vacation right now.  
Technically the entire country shuts down during the summer.  Bizarre if you ask me.


Sometime you don't always need a plan.  Sometimes you just need to 
breathe, trust, let go and see what happens.  You are living your story...

~Nadiya~

Jul 24, 2016

Relaxed Day..

Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and 
look around once in a while, you could miss it...

Yesterday was just a very good day.  We spent time with Michelle and family.  We played
 and played with our 2 granddaughters and it made for the perfect start of the day.


The two little ones are BUSY so catching them in a still moment is pretty hard to do,
 but picture or no picture we had a day to remember.  The best part was when Aleah called 
me back for kisses and hugs not one time, but 2 times.  I'm still smiling and that
 moment is forever staying in my heart like so many others.  I'm HAPPY!

Their smiles, their laughter, their hugs is enough to melt anyone's heart and to make 
everything in the world seem better.  We love them and I am grateful that they love me as well.

We also spent time with Arvid's brother and girlfriend.  Dinner, drinks and a little pub
outing made for a very good Saturday evening/night.  Of course no matter where we go,
 we meet people who according to Arvid he has not seen in years.  Horten, Arvid's
hometown is very small.  Not much happens without everyone knowing.


Not many places yo can go without meeting someone.  For us it works out great.
Arvid gets to catch up with friends from childhood, and makes for a trip down memory lane.
 For him.  Once a year I guess it's not so bad.  Don't think either of us could live in
 a place where everyone knows your business and your movements.



To all a very good day.  Sunday in Norway.  Little different from our usual Sundays,
 but nevertheless still OK.  Relaxing and peaceful.  I'm missing home already.

Sunday, a day to refuel your soul and be grateful for your blessings.
Take a deep breath and relax.  Enjoy your family, friends and a good cup of coffee...

~Nadiya~