Midnight, 12 o'clock, The End Of A year and The start Of a New Year. The Sky Lit Up!!

---

Oh Boy. Did It Ever.

I wish everyone a Happy, Safe and Prosperous New Year. Here in Norway I have welcomed the New Year in, in a very spectacular way. I was treated to an amazing sight by just standing in Chris and Hege's house watching the surrounding hills, valleys and waters light up to welcome the New Year. Wherever you looked there were rockets lighting up the sky, there were people standing on veranda's / decks of nearly every house waving sparklers in the air, watching fireworks on the ground, and the sky was alight. Every household appeared to have lots and lots of rockets that appeared to be of such a high standard that they seemed to be commercial ones. A show that started with the sporadic rocket at about 4pm {it's dark then } and continued to build to a magic climax at Midnight when the sky went berserk for another hour or so. And all done by households celebrating this past year and hoping for the best for the coming year. Honestly, the sky would have rockets exploding in all directions as far as we could see. To me, it was wonderful, for the kids, delightful. A great evening.

We have enjoyed the trip to Geilo ski field for a few nights and returned to Chris and Hege's to see in the New Year. Gelio is a magic ski area where Chris and Hege go with the kids, so Lilly is already a competent skier and Stella is by her self on the learners slope. Great to watch them doing their thing. Holly and Ella were kitted out with ski's and then Hege and Chris spent sometime with them so by the end of the day they were doing the learners slope on their own, just, although there were a few mishaps. The kids had so much fun in this winter wonderland, especially Holly and Ella, as this was a real novelty for them, while Lilly and Stella are far more used to it.

Back to Bergen were we had more lovely meals and get togethers, a couple of walks around Bergen, and just enjoying being together. We have had so much fun and just watching the girls doing their own thing has been terrific. Chris and Hege, as always, made our invasion of their home so good and comfortable and, as always, it is very difficult to leave and say goodbye, although the goodbyes won't happen until they leave London. So now it's all off London. Pip/Rod

---

Photos

Stella, Di and Ella.
Enjoying a winter wonderland.

Lilly.
Overmuch at home on the slopes.

Lillian, Rune and Di.
On the slopes of Geilo

The Easy Way Up.
Ella Heger and Stella making their way up to the top to have another go.

Stella Loving It
And very much at home.

Cousin Ski Team.
They had so much fun and enjoyed each others company so much.

Lilly and Holly.
Meeting a couple of the local trolls.

Defending Their Mountain.
The girls had to keep the trolls from reaching the top. They worked so hard at it and the trolls came of second best. Such a laugh.

Lilly and Holly.
When there is snow you have to make a snow man.

Hege and Lillian.
Racing down the slope and having a ball.

Ella and Hege.
Here teaching Ella what to do.

Stella.
Very much at home on her ski's.

Holly Doing Well.
She loved it and persevered.

A Magic Sleigh Ride.
A trip around the town on a sleigh in the evening was very special. Cold but special.

New Years Eve. A Tradition.
The kids all dressed up to go carolling. They knocked on doors, sang some songs and got given lollies. They had a lot of laughs and meet some nice people.

Fireworks.
Amazing evening.

Comments

[jon]

fantastic
love it how the youngest of the grandies are almost as tall as you now Di!