30 May 2011 –  So Very Sad…

Taught English Language/American Culture at Auxiliar de conversacion, Ministry of Education/Spain. Studied International Relations at Texas Christian University. Lived in Manzanares, Castilla-La Mancha/Spain. Languages spoken English, Spanglish, Spanish.

Victoria, first-born to Kathryn & Michael passed away suddenly in Spain today where she had just completed her teaching assignment and was on her way back home to TX/USA. This wonderful young lady crossed my path in FL/USA in the early 1990s with fond memories.

Our last contact was regarding her concerns if the plane will be able to take off as the volcano ashes in Iceland were again getting in the way for the planes. Her travel itinerary was: Berlin, Cologne, Heidelberg, Hamburg, Rothenberg, Dachau, Neuschwanstein, Munich, Zurich, Basel, Madrid, TEXAS. Told her that all the fingers are crossed for her.

Oh Tori, you will be greatly missed and may you rest in peace. Such a charming young lady who was not afraid to live her life fully. Thank you for crossing my path and for your being. Sincere condolences, prayers and thoughts to her family, especially to her mom Kathy dad Michael, sister Samantha, brother Michael jr and aunt Nancy & the Bowmans.

Was so dreading to house painting and was online re-reading about a previous blog posting:

http://amylamsg.com/2010/03/27/butterflies/

Also posted in my FB comment to someone just before the news of her passing. In my next life, I want to be a butterfly, flying freely and sniffing at the beautiful flowers; looking gorgeous for 24hrs and die ●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●

And strangely as I received the news of her passing, a butterfly was outside my window. For Norway, it is too early for the butterflies (long winter&late spring this time round). Not sure if this makes any sense, had to edit (1 Mar 2013) as what was previously written was confusing as I was in a total state of shock.

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven… Ecclesiastes 3:1

30 May 2011 – How & Where to Start…

There is no emoticon for what I am feeling… – Oscar Wilde                                                                                                                              

Had a lovely time catching with Kristen & Geir on Fri. Observed on the walk home that the dandelions are done with their flowering stage and soon those seeds will be flying all over. Only a few days ago, the same pix was yellow as far as the eyes could see. The dandelions at the house are still at their flowering as they are on higher grounds.

When there are no tools in the house on a Sunday and none of the neighbours are home, forget even trying to borrow a screw-driver. All shops are closed in the area, so not much can be done until there are some tools.  Bjørn has this amazing ladder and it is now here in the house. No ladder to heaven but feels like in the circus when balancing on it to clean the walls 🙂

Painting walls sounds easy when all these procedures are already done! First to wash off stains, to be rid of all the nails screws etc, and fill in the holes, tape all the joins to doors & windows and to protect the floor. The ex-tenant had torn off bits and pieces of the wallpaper in the dinning area and this too has to be fixed. At least most of the stains are washed off and all the dandelions blooms have been cut from the lawn, for the time being this weekend!

Found the curtains for the living room in the attic which are good quality curtains from early 1980s and they were rather costly then! Well worth the money as they are still in good condition. Thanks to May & Bjørn 10 liters paint, brushes etc are in place and for misc odds & ends shopping@IKEA on Sat. Whoever says that cleaning and painting up a house is easy, has never done it! Unless the lottery is won there is no escape!! Does not get easier with age, the aches are felt in every joint, everyday but this too shall pass!!!

To win the Lottery, you must first buy a ticket – unknown