We were sitting around the other night and Jorgen informed me that he and Klas had their own language. The "Hmm Language", he said. I asked him to tell me more about it. He proceeded as such, "Well, we say things like "hmm and hmm hmm if we want to show each other something." He was quiet for a few seconds and with a bit of surprise in his voice, said, "I guess there's only one word in our language". They'd been communicating this way, and since they understood each other so well, it hadn't occurred to him how simple "their [View Full Entry]

---

---

When in Sweden, you should totally get the massage. I've just returned, moments ago, from my first, but not my last. A few different lead-ins for this blog were racing through my head. "I'm leaving Jeff for a woman named Mari" or "Hurts So Good" (Mellencamp MUST have had a Swedish massage) or maybe, "What were you waiting for? You're in flippin' Sweden, get the massage!". Oh yeah, I got the massage. O.k., so you can't judge an entire country or practice by one experience, that wouldn't be fair. So just to be sure that Sweden deserves the credit for Swedish [View Full Entry]

---

---

Lord, let this vacation come to an end. Amen. Yes, it's been Christmas Break since December 19th. Everyone we know back in the states had the glorious sight of the school bus pulling away from their homes yesterday. Alas, today is a holiday in Sweden, Epiphany. The teachers have a "work day" tomorrow and the kids will head back to school on Thursday...this will not be a moment too soon, and I hope it's not too late. Part of the beauty of Christmas break back home is the whole "over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go". [View Full Entry]

---

---

"This is the tree", read a hand scrawled note topping the poinsettia. Signe was afraid that Santa wouldn't know where to put the gifts. I'm not sure she even fully believes anymore, but she wasn't taking any chances. She also worried about our stockings that were hung (with care!) on the drapery rods..."how would Santa get them? They're up so high.". "Signe", I replied, "he manages to get around the world in one night, I don't think stockings hung high will deter him.". Good old St. Nick, he found us and delivered. Clearly, this Christmas is different. That has been the [View Full Entry]

---

---

As I sit down to write this blog, I'm sniffling like crazy and my head is cloudy...some things are the same all over the world. The Swedes aren't immune from the common cold any more than we are. However, according to Emma, they are wimpier about it. She says that the kids don't participate in gym if they have a cold, and some don't come to school at all. I don't know if that's wimpy or smart...I got my cold from the kids, who picked it up at school. I guess if everyone stayed home when they had a cold, it [View Full Entry]

---

---

This isn't an entry about some new location...it's about an old one. The exotic locale is exactly between my two front teeth, the source of teenage angst and adult vanity. I think part of this year's lessons include a lesson (or two) for me about being humble. Geez, I'm getting a lot of humble lessons. I spent junior high and much of high school, stretching my lips in an ugly smile in order to cover the gap between my two front teeth. I didn't need braces, my teeth are lovely and straight, if I do say so myself. However, I have [View Full Entry]

---

---

We finally made our way the the land of Jeff's forefathers, and Father Norway didn't disappoint. We left our home in Sweden Friday morning, planning to travel in the daylight...which is fleeting these days. We really hadn't looked at a map, just programmed our friend, Ingrid's, home address into Phyllis and hit the road. About an hour and half into the drive we knew we were heading the right direction when the flags turned from yellow and blue to blue, red and white. Because we wanted to travel in daylight, that put us arriving in Oslo at 3:30 pm...twilight. Unfortunately, it's [View Full Entry]

---

---

No photos this time, sorry for that. It's 6:00 pm on Thanksgiving and the only turkeys in sight are the ones on the napkins I brought from the states. It's 11 am in Minnesota and South Dakota right now...I expect that my Mom is occasionally basting the turkey and Jeff's Mom is wrapping up the pumpkin pies to take to his sister, Beth's, house. The Jessen's skyped us earlier...I assume they were all up early getting the turkey on. We miss your ham, but not as much as we miss you! Honestly, I'm not as sad as I thought I would [View Full Entry]

---

---

Yes, I'm homesick. It's Thanksgiving week and there's no turkey defrosting in my fridge. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, hands down. I love the fact that you gather with people you care about with no expectation of gifts, there's absolutely no reason to hurry through the meal. I always try to host Thanksgiving, and have been lucky to do so for several years. Typically, our guests consist of Jeff's side of the family, our close friends and anyone who just needs a good meal. I do miss being with my family, but I hope that one day they'll agree to join [View Full Entry]

---

---

This is Jorgen's account of the Pergine Castle, which we woke up to every morning in Italy. Jeff took the kids one afternoon. I had to sit this one out, as I was battling some severe hip pain and knew I wouldn't be able to make the hike in. Just to give you a little background, apparently many of the castles in Italy are privately owned as they are expensive to maintain. Many are "converted" to art galleries, restaurants and hotels. This one is all three, but I personally think the "art" might be pushing it! "When I saw the castle [View Full Entry]

---

---