30 Apr 2018 – So Long April 2018
Sat: russefeiring=russ celebration is a traditional celebration for Norwegian high school pupils in their final spring semester. Pupils that take part in the celebrations are known as russ. The russefeiring usually starts on around 20Apr and ends on 17May, the Norwegian Constitution day. Participants wear coloured overalls – red (general studies), blue (business admin), or black (vocational courses). Pix downloaded, still too early to catch them in big groups.
Most russ have personalized calling cards featuring their name, their photograph and a short slogan. These cards are swapped with other russ and handed out to children and family members. To many children, collecting russ cards is an important activity during this period.
#6 is no exception to one of those many children collecting these cards. So far he has 40. An afternoon in town to hunt for russ and was pleasantly surprised by the music marching bands heading to the castle – must be practicing for 17May and so lucky to see them as I will not be here then. An early night for me, jet-lag is hanging in the air!
Sun: a beautiful morning on this last Apr Sun. Many churches in Norway are located on the best sites including Vestre Aker (1855) Arkitekt HE Schirmer, one of the church-grounds on my regular walking paths. Most Norwegians I know have a sensible approach to religion.
It is better to go skiing and think of God, than go to church and think of sport – Fridtjof Nansen.
Lunched with Ellen and my last lunch with her on Nesøya – she will be moving to Tromsø in Aug. Will try to make a trip to Tromsø before heading back to SIN this year. Strange to see this 1969? B/Wpix of Nils, Catherine&I@Møsvann when looking thru’ the albums. Good bye to this first house we lived in 1974 when we moved to Norway then.
Det er med store menn, som med de store trær i skogen når de faller, man står på den åpne plass og tenker, hvor tomt er her er blitt… GA Signal 15.11.1934
Mon: must get my hands on this book (family-tree) printed in 2017 – Søren Anton Poulsson 1847-1943, L&M great-great grandfather! written by Jan Henning L’Abée-Lund, one of Ellen’s nephews. Need to learn from his style to do a family tree which has been in my mind for many years. His book has certainly given me some inspiration and hope to maybe continue with my own roots where I left off…
You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you – Frederick Buechner
Not a Ship of Fools but a Bus Of Fools: a foreign worker, his wife+a screaming toddler with the woman sitting next to me trying to teach these ppl how to bring up their toddler! At the same time, a man walked down from the upper deck complaining that there were ppl standing on the upper deck!
He somehow tapped his card more than he should, still complaining about the ppl standing and arguing with the poor driver who tried to tell that he had to go to an MRT Sta to explain the situation as the bus driver was unable to reverse what was charged. He just kept complaining relentlessly and holding a line at the stop where ppl were trying to get on. Eventually the driver had to tell him to get off the bus.
Acer
Mon: glad to leave these barricades, constructions and mess behind. Also quite prepared that there will be some dust within my 4walls when I return. Doing my best to cover up the place, but dust will be dust and gets everywhere unless things are sealed. These are the stuff on and with me the next 6months, will manage fine as there are 2bags in storage, one in Norway and another in the US.
Someone have commented and asked why have I stopped rating my eating experiences with*****What 
TGIF – time to get some thoughts together for packing and closing up the 4walls here in SIN for the next 6months.
Lunch@TanglinClub and dinner with Hong, 
To those who were unable to be there, sorry to miss y’all and see you end of the year! Thank you Yoshie for my favourtie sake, made by her uncle from their hometown’s clear mountain spring water and rice from their own paddy-field.
Walking thru’ some back alleys reminded me of an incident about 20yrs ago when I first returned to work in SIN. Was meeting up with Leo&Co at the bowling ally@Katong. Early as usual and saw a sign for Massage and thinking what a wonderful idea to have one! Asked them if there was an available slot for me then…
At CC and appreciations to Estella for hosting TequilaNight+beef, chicken&pork quesadillas and to Calvin for the prawns&octopus – chips and dips by me. Tequila likes these should be taken neat. It is made from the agave plant (not related to cacti or Aloe as thought by many, including myself!) in the state of Jalisco/Mexico. How much is too much – no menos de tres, no mas de seis = no less than 3, no more than 6 is the conventional Mexican wisdom!
