Merry Christmas to Family and Friends!

tara and tim are prepared for halloween

Tara is the one on the left.

surfing alone by moonlight

Has to be the most stupid thing I've done so far this year.

dare to be diff-erent

Elisabeth has a new hobby - swimming in the sea at least once a week. She was inspired by her friend Siri who has formed a group in Holmestrand on the Oslo fjord. Their group is called "Damer i Fri Flyt" (DIFF for short) which translates literally to "Women Floating Free" (as opposed to "Free Women Floating").

So in August Elisabeth formed the Rogaland Chapter of DIFF. To become a member you have to pass a few tests:

1. Be a woman.

2. Swim at least three strokes in the cold sea with a witness.

They have some other rules:

1. No swiming alone after the 1st September.

2. No swimming if you have a fever.

3. No hats (see below) to be worn from May until the end of August.

Members that show dedication by attending at least three or four sessions get presented with an ugly woolly crocheted hat; made with no pattern and lots of inspiration and enthusiasm.

After their swim they enjoy an old fashioned chin-wag over a cup of hot cocoa from their DIFF cups.

mystique

Enya has been taking loads of photos this term but we haven't had a chance to see them. Until now!
Here is a shot she took last week that earned her 4th place in a class competition.

flying alone for the first time

Tara's flight to Bergen leaves in 5 minutes. This will be her first time flying alone. She will be staying with Iselin and family for four nights.
And in just over a month she will be flying alone across the North Sea to visit Granny and Grandad.
Have a safe flight and a great time!

just hanging around

Tara relaxing in a mountain cabin at Børsteinen, 804 m above sea level.
We skipped the morning dip in the ice cold lake today as we had conveniently forgotten our towels.

breakfast at tara's

Tara and Ida enjoying a late breakfast in the unfinished lounge. Now they're outside going bananas on the trampoline.

the missing link (part two)

The missing link, this time being Enya, has moved away from home. She hasn't moved far but the house feels extra empty without her, leaving just three of us here (Tim, Elisabeth, Tara).
It's been nearly a week now and it sounds as though she's landed on her feet and is busy making new friends.
Enya has moved to Klepp (a village just 15 mins away from Sandnes) and is attending Jæren folkehøgskole where Esben is now working. Her main "subject" this year is photography. The students have to have their own cameras of course, so we bought her the recommended Canon 450d (with all the right bits). It puts our old Canon in the shade :-( We're now looking forward to seeing Enya's photographic angle on the world around her.
With a year of photography, travel, making new friends and no homework (added bonus: no parents on her back), we know this year will just fly by. So make sure you enjoy it while it lasts Enya!

esben now teaching full-time

Esben started working full-time today, for the first time in his life. We drove him out to Klepp Folkehøgskule as we did a year ago; not as a student this time but as a member of staff.
He will be working with the surf class (obviously), assisting Jan Bjarte. His official title was going to be "assistant teacher" but Jan Bjarte felt that this sounded too passive. They ended up agreeing on the new title of "veileder" which translates to "supervisor" in English. I don't think "supervisor" really captures the feel of "veileder" so I prefer to translate it to "guide".
This year will be a challenge for Esben but I know he will do a good job and learn a lot along the way. The best of luck Esben!

tara enjoying an easter kvikk lunsj

We're spending Easter at Svandalen near Sauda. Conditions are typical for the season: 5C, overcast with a hint of sun and lashings of heavy, slushy snow.

bonjour

Tara just after a stunning performance in the 'Bonjour' production at the Sandnes Kulturhus.

flat top

Thanks Enya.

t-t-t-t-twenty

Esben seems pleased with his new shortboard that we gave him for his twentieth birthday. He is hoping to be able to try it out for the first time on Friday if the forecast is to be trusted.

[Updated: Monday 2nd March 3009]

Well it was pants on Friday so we just had a good look at some of the local spots. Saw a total of three surfers in the water and none of them seemed to be having any fun. But I got a text message from Esben today (Monday) saying:

Just been to Bore (beach). Nice, surfable waves. Board works beautifully! No probs catching and standing up on waves on it.

n-n-n-n-nineteen

A silky smooth black run that luckily didn't end up as a brown run.

10am slight drizzle (of snow)

Here I am on my last day of snowboarding in Voss, waiting for the top lift to open in 30 minutes. TW left yesterday and SK left earlier this morning. So now I have time to sit and refle...

STOP IT THERE!

What a great week! Let's do it all again sometime before we retire.

proof that this has been a lads' holiday

After nearly a week here, we still haven't used up a complete roll of toilet paper. If there were three women here we would have used up all four rolls by now.
I think it's because we simply use a bit less.
Stu thinks it's because we use both sides.
TimW thinks it's because we use both sides and split each sheet down the middle.

one can never have enough stus

another day of extreme snow action has taken its toll

snowtastic in voss

Overcast and snowing today, much like the rest of Europe I suppose.
Stu and I have just had an hour's snowboard tuition with a local guru. She really knew her stuff and how to help us. So now we can carve and only fall over every other turn.

and then we were three

Tim Westall finally arrived yesterday after a total travel time of 27 hours, including 5 1/2 hours on the tarmac at LHR due to a freak 15 cm snowfall.

have a break, have a kvikk lunsj

Stu is getting introduced to classic Norwegian skiing snacks.

stu at 961 m

But where is Tim Westall? Still snowed in at Heathrow no doubt.

on my way to voss

Ready for take-off in my favourite seat, 13a, with plenty of leg room. Ahead is a week of skiing in Voss with Stu and Tim. Conditions are perfect, it is still low season and the forecast is good.
Stoked!