August 28th~ One Step Closer To Home

The ache for home lives in all

 of us, the safe place where we can go

 as we are and not be questioned...

Today is our last day in Horten,

 Norway for this summer.  I will

 not lie, I am really looking forward

 to going home.  I miss my Sniff 

too much.  It's been too long.

  At the same time, it will be very

 sad to say goodbye to everyone.

  I have had a great time with our

 granddaughters, Michelle, Emil,

 Victoria and Michael.  I will miss

 them, but home is calling.

Back home in Florida a little kitty

 is patiently waiting for us to return.  

Both Arvid and I are looking so forward

 to going home.  Thank you to everyone

 that made this another memorable

 Norwegian summer #2026

Summer 2026 in Norway will always

 remain of of the best times I have had.  

I was able for the first time to actually 

speak with our granddaughters.

Home is any four walls that

 enclose the right person...

~Nadiya~

Kristiandstand August 27th~

People forget the good that 

zoos do. If it weren't for zoos, 

we would have so many species 

that would be extinct today...

 By now everyone probably knows

 that I love zoos. Kristianstand has

 a zoo I have always wanted to go to. 

I finally made it to the zoo.  It is 

Norway's most frequently visited

 attraction, covering an area of

 60 hectares or 148,263 acres.

The zoo has a famous chimpanzee 

I learned about just recently. Julius

 is a famous chimpanzee, often referred

 to as a monkey by the general public

 born on December 26, 1979, at the 

Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement

 Park (Dyreparken) in southern

 Norway. I had to see Julius.

Rejected by his mother as an infant,

 he was raised by the zoo director's 

family and human handlers, becoming

 a massive national pop-culture icon

 with his own TV shows and hit song.

Today Arvid has a surprise in 

store for me.  He's excited about it, 

and would not give me a clue as to

 what to expect.  I don't like surprises.

  I always want to know. But....

The best part of the journey is the

 surprise and wonder along the way...

~Nadiya~

Road Trip to Kristiandsand ~ August 26th

Norway: where nature whispers

 its most beautiful secrets...

Another beautiful day begins. I'm

 awake, the sun is shining and we are

 soon off to discover a new "adventure"

  Best I can soon see myself home.

 Kristiansand is the sunny capital

 of southern Norway and the sixth

largest municipality in the country,

 with a population of about 118,000.

 Founded in 1641 by King 

Christian IV, the coastal port city

 is famous for its warm summer

 climate, white wooden houses,

 and vibrant maritime culture.

Today Arvid and I take a trip 

to Kristiandsand.  In the twenty

 something years that I have been 

coming to Norway, I have never

 once been there before.

One year we got close, but 

then the rain came and why I

 do not know, Arvid turned around. 

I think it was because we were 

going to the zoo with Michelle.  

Then she was just a little girl,

 and both she and I really 

wanted to go to the zoo.

Visit Norway-Kristiandsand

Looking forward to our little trip. 

 Something new for me to see.  Happy 

and very excited.  Also it's getting

much closer to seeing my Sniff.

In the land of fjords, 

mountains, and northern lights,

 find your true north...

~Nadiya~

Summer In Norway Coming to an End ~ August 25th

To say it was a beautiful summer

 would not begin to explain it. It was that

 day when the end of summer intersects

 perfectly with the start of fall...

 Summer in Norway has come is

 soon over of us.  I will not lie, I am

 so happy to be going back home to

 Sniff and back to the USA.  At the same

 time, I will definitely miss everyone. 

 Especially our 3 granddaughters.

Tonight we all gather at Michelle's

 and Emil's.  Always a good time. We

 are looking forward to that. They

 make one good looking family.

I arrived to Norway and was greeted 

at the airport by Arvid and Vanessa, 

our second granddaughter, holding

 up a big sign with a huge smile on

 her face.  I will never forget that

 moment.  It was the best welcome.

We have spent a lot of time with 

family.  The whole point of summer

 in Norway, at the same time it was 

very nice when we had a few moments

 on our own.  Just the two of us. 

The time spent with family has

 been more than what I could have

 hoped for.  I loved every moment.

Last night we enjoyed dinner at Vidar

 (brother) and Siv's home. It was delicious,

 but always the bet times are those when

 we just sit and chat.  Share stories.

Arvid's brother and Siv live in the 

condo that was once their mothers. 

The best location in Horten.

If you want to see one of

 the most scenic places in the

 world, Norway is a must.

I met Arvid in 2000.  When we

 met his routine was to go to Norway

 in May and in the summer.  That year

 he asked me to go with him, but I

 said no.  Too soon. But from 2001,

 I have been coming to Norway 

with him  I have been fortunate

 in so many ways.  Grateful.

Morning is here.  A good day 

awaits us with everyone together. 

Time spent with family is good.

Another summer has come 

and gone, leaving behind 

some sweet memories...

~Nadiya~

Monday August 24th~

In Norway seagulls, their eggs,

 and chicks are legally protected,

 meaning you cannot remove noisy

 nesting birds from city rooftops...

A new week begins here in 

Norway.  It is our last week. 

 Soon we will be home with Sniff, 

but for now we still have more 

time to enjoy with everyone.

Arvid and I had some time

 to do just as much or as little as

 we liked.  Spent the day like we 

would normally do back home in

 Florida.  Relaxed and then had an 

outing.  Quiet and very enjoyable.

 These Norwegian seagulls are 

definitely not shy.  Just take a look

 at these two.  The first one is at

 a restaurant on the marina. 

 When the customers left,

 the seagull decided to indulge

 in the garlic sauce.  Luckily a

 man stepped in and covered 

all of the leftover food.

  Can't have the bird dying in

 front of us.  The other two are the

 same bird.  He's siting on the

 fence waiting to be fed.  

 Seems like this is the routine

 that birdie knew exactly what

 to do when the hot dog came 

flying out. Grab and run.

One day as we were walking

 through the park we saw this 

huge crow with white shoulders.

 Pretty interesting wildlife here. 

If you know you know.  Jackie

 the Bald Eagle from Big Bear Mountain

 has inspired the world.  Maybe the world

 for a while became a better place

 because of one Eagle.  Jackie

In a world that so often struggles

 to find something to agree on, 

you Jackie gave us something

 beautiful to love together. 

 Your life inspired millions,

 generating profound tributes

 from wildlife organizations and

 devoted fans worldwide.   

To all a very good day.  Home 

is getting closer and closer.  For 

now we enjoy another day in

 Horten with family.  Life is good.

Jackie is no longer just a Bald Eagle

 from Big Bear... she has become a

 global symbol of resilience, hope, 

and wildlife conservation...

~Nadiya~

Sunday August 23rd~

Going home' is a journey to

 the heart of who we are, a place 

where we can be ourselves...

 

It is getting closer and closer to

 going home.  At the same time 

I have had an amazing time with

 the girls and with everyone.

  Still lots more to come. 

Vanessa has been amazing. 

 She spoke with me in English 

to my heart's content.  The little

 one, Amelia also surprised me in 

that she took to me withing seconds. 

 No hesitation. I love them so much. 

 Aleah our eldest in in those 

teenager years.  Being a teenager

 is different for everyone.  She was 

more reserved with us.  Very quiet, 

but what ever I was able to get out 

of her I cherish with all my heart. 

The girls together with everyone

 else has made this summer unforgettable.

  That being said, I still enjoy having 

some alone time with Arvid. 

 Yesterday evening we were at 

a concert in Drammen.  We saw

 dance with a Stranger. Had a very

 good time and the weather was 

so much better than expected.

We have not had much time on

 our own this summer, but that is the

 whole purpose of coming to Norway.  

It's to see and be with family, even 

so we do like and enjoy having

 a little time alone. I may need

 to come for a longer time 

Today we get to spend the day

 alone doing something relaxing.

  Alone time is when I distance myself

 from the voices of the world so I 

can hear my own. It's necessary.

Alone time is also when I miss

 my Sniff most. It's now time 

for us to go home.  

Where we love is home 

 home that our feet may leave,

 but not our hearts...

~Nadiya~

Saturday August 22nd~

After silence, that which

 comes nearest to expressing

 the inexpressible is music... 

Yesterday was Aleah's turn to 

go with us to the mall and choose

 a few things from everyone's

 favorite store, called Normal. 

 It's similar to a Target but 

on a much smaller scale. All 

of Horten seems to shop there.  

The is a little bit of everything 

and prices are reasonably. 

 The girls love this store.

Of course after every outing

 there is always ice-cream.

Today Arvid and I go to a nearby 

city called Drammen. Drammen

 is a major port and river city in 

Buskerud county, Norway, located

 about 40 kilometers southwest of

 Oslo.   Around 103,000 people, 

the seventh most populous

 municipality in Norway.

We go with his brother and

 brother's girlfriend.  Checking the

 weather it appears that it is going

 to be very cold in Drammen today. 

 It's really time to go home.  

We talked to my parents today

 and they told us how they missed 

us, and Arvid replied that he misses

 them as well.  Said he was ready

 to go home when my dad told 

him to get home soon.

Everyday is a new beginning.

  Take a deep breath, smile,

 and begin again...

~Nadiya~

Friday August 21st~

This place, this cemetery provides 

both comfort and sorrow...

 Going to the cemetery is a

 must when we are in Norway.

  Arvid has been there a few times

 before I arrived and the other 

day we were there together.

 Before we go back home to

 Florida I know we will be going

 back.  It is always a pleasant walk

 from the apartment.  Once there it is

 peaceful.  Like most cemeteries

 it is very well maintained.

 I don't know what is going

 through Arvid's thoughts at that

 moment but I see it in his eyes and 

in his facial expressions.  At that 

time I am just happy to be there

 for him.  To hold him.  To hug 

him and to make sure he knows

 how much I love him. 

 After the cemetery we usually 

walk through the park.  Beautiful

 park.  Kids are everywhere playing 

and having fun.  Norway is safe for 

raising children.  I know Horten is.  

We always meet one of his friends 

no matter where we go.  Horten is

 not that big.  On our walk we met Siv,

 his brother's girlfriend and Dixie their

 dog.  Dixie was having his maybe fourth 

outing for the day.  Like all our pets,

 Dixie is spoilt, but so so cute.

We went to the marina to get a 

soft ice-cream but the ice-cream 

shop was closed.  Bummer.  We then

 went to the bakery in the mall and

 enjoyed a Napoleon cake, Arvid did

 and I just had a frozen beverage. 

 Norway is expensive, but when 

Arvid saw the bill he almost passed 

out. All I know is that we both enjoyed

 what we had.  Made it worth it.

We saw our eldest granddaughter 

play soccer yesterday.  She is good.

Morning is here.  I go to sleep

 thinking of my Sniff.  I wake up 

doing the same.  Yes, I miss him

 very much.  It's time to go home.

When I look around this 

place, I see immense loss, 

but I also see the abundance

 of love that still remains...

~Nadiya~