It's 11:30 p.m. here and the Superbowl has not started. One would think the powers-that-be would try to accommodate the Packers' international fans...I'm cheering for the Packers because, according to the NYT, they're taking concussions seriously.
We had a relaxing weekend. Watched Fritz Lang's Fury (1937), which offered a powerful indictment of mob violence and then tacked on a ridiculous Hollywood ending.
Had Irene and her two kids over for dinner on Sat. and went over to a colleague's house with the kids tonight. Mark and Walter wrote stories about Saratoga in English and Ole and Ida wrote stories about Ruffen, the softest, most placid but talkative of cats, who has the markings of a Holstein cow and a proud mouse-catching history . At the end of the evening, the kids read their stories, giggled and exchanged texts.
Bill is working on his reader, his Norwegian history blog, and hauling groceries up the hill.
Yours,
Martha
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Quick post--Annbjørg Lien
Hi All,
Sorry for the dearth of posts. We're all busy and happy...best year of our lives in fact. A new music building opened on campus and there have been free concerts all week. On Tuesday, we heard Annbjørg Lien, who plays traditional/contemporary Norwegian folk music on the hardanger fiddle:
That evening we heard Lynn Rice-See, an American pianist.
Love,
Martha, Bill et al.
Sorry for the dearth of posts. We're all busy and happy...best year of our lives in fact. A new music building opened on campus and there have been free concerts all week. On Tuesday, we heard Annbjørg Lien, who plays traditional/contemporary Norwegian folk music on the hardanger fiddle:
That evening we heard Lynn Rice-See, an American pianist.
Love,
Martha, Bill et al.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
We are still alive!
Hi All,
Sorry no posts for quite a while...just terribly busy but in a good way. I'm teaching two courses in American studies with five hours of lecture to prepare each week. Bill has been a great help and has given three lectures (for which the University pays him) on the Revolution, Constitution and the Civil War.
The kids are doing well. Mark has a skiing/hike this Sunday about an hour north of here with his scout troop (his Scout leader, Kjetil, is, I'm convinced, one of the nicest guys on the planet). Tomorrow we have to get him a pocket knife because icicle whittling is a standard activity when the boys stop for hot cocoa.
Tonight Mark told us that his school's music class listened to Pink Floyd's "We don't need no education" and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' "I love rock and roll." Hmmm....
Walter had a rough day because he didn't do well in his soccer practice. Some of the other kids are quite good, and while Walter can hold his own, he hasn't mastered some of the fotball moves that other kids his age have. He is pestering me every day for an Arsenal jersey. Usually Bill and I cave after 30 or so "Can I have this, can I have this please?"
Love to all,
Martha, Bill, Mark and Walter (Saratoga sends his love absentia)
Sorry no posts for quite a while...just terribly busy but in a good way. I'm teaching two courses in American studies with five hours of lecture to prepare each week. Bill has been a great help and has given three lectures (for which the University pays him) on the Revolution, Constitution and the Civil War.
The kids are doing well. Mark has a skiing/hike this Sunday about an hour north of here with his scout troop (his Scout leader, Kjetil, is, I'm convinced, one of the nicest guys on the planet). Tomorrow we have to get him a pocket knife because icicle whittling is a standard activity when the boys stop for hot cocoa.
Tonight Mark told us that his school's music class listened to Pink Floyd's "We don't need no education" and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' "I love rock and roll." Hmmm....
Walter had a rough day because he didn't do well in his soccer practice. Some of the other kids are quite good, and while Walter can hold his own, he hasn't mastered some of the fotball moves that other kids his age have. He is pestering me every day for an Arsenal jersey. Usually Bill and I cave after 30 or so "Can I have this, can I have this please?"
Love to all,
Martha, Bill, Mark and Walter (Saratoga sends his love absentia)
Friday, January 14, 2011
"I skied home from school today!"
Mark and Walter are getting lots of opportunities to ski...in school, in scouts and after. They love it. Walter made a boat in woodworking class with an Icelandic flag.
Monday, January 10, 2011
quick post--it's late
Hi All,
Please forgive the dearth of posts. Just frantically busy preparing lectures...on everything from King Philip's War to Jean Toomer's Cane.
Two city buses collided today downtown. The shifts between snowy and icy weather, even for Norwegians, has created turmoil.
Bill has just finished a lecture he is giving on the Revolution.
Good Night
Please forgive the dearth of posts. Just frantically busy preparing lectures...on everything from King Philip's War to Jean Toomer's Cane.
Two city buses collided today downtown. The shifts between snowy and icy weather, even for Norwegians, has created turmoil.
Bill has just finished a lecture he is giving on the Revolution.
Good Night
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Maps and Views
Bill's pic of the sky a few weeks ago.
Snow, snow, snow....slushy mostly. Bill said he felt lucky to have his knee-high rubber boots. Yesterday I stepped into a slush puddle up to my mid-calves.
I found this puzzle of a 16th-century map of Scandinavia at a resale shop and we all had a fun time working on it--lots of sea monsters attacking ships. Here's a description of the map: Carta marina, a wall map of Scandinavia, by Olaus Magnus. The caption reads : A Marine map and Description of the Northern Lands and of their Marvels, most carefully drawn up at Venice in the year 1539 through the generous assistance of the Most Honourable Lord Hieronymo Quirino.
Snow, snow, snow....slushy mostly. Bill said he felt lucky to have his knee-high rubber boots. Yesterday I stepped into a slush puddle up to my mid-calves.
I found this puzzle of a 16th-century map of Scandinavia at a resale shop and we all had a fun time working on it--lots of sea monsters attacking ships. Here's a description of the map: Carta marina, a wall map of Scandinavia, by Olaus Magnus. The caption reads : A Marine map and Description of the Northern Lands and of their Marvels, most carefully drawn up at Venice in the year 1539 through the generous assistance of the Most Honourable Lord Hieronymo Quirino.
Friday, December 31, 2010
New Years Eve
Hi All,
It's New Years Eve. All night, beginning at about 5:00 p.m. people all around Kristiansand have been launching fireworks. I'll try to get some pics.
Happy New Year!
Martha et al.
It's New Years Eve. All night, beginning at about 5:00 p.m. people all around Kristiansand have been launching fireworks. I'll try to get some pics.
Happy New Year!
Martha et al.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)