30 Jun 2023 – Below Or  Wonder

Tue: what an amazing evening, tusen takk to Linn’s childhood friends(must have been 40+yrs ago we last met!) for taking time to catch up before everyone takes off for the summer holidays. Thomas with 3children and Rasmus also 3children – such charming young ppl. Tkx to Thomas for this jersey for #3 who has been looking for something like this.

Wed: road trip towards the south with the first stop for the puppy to peep. Lovely surprise to literally having Tager&Mette crossing our paths@Risør at the midway break for our drive.

One night Lindesnes Havhotell@Båly just 5mins walk to

Under, an underwater restaurant in Lindesnes. Its dining room is found 5.5m below sea level. The eating floor is 495 sqm making it the biggest underwater restaurant in the world, with a capacity of 40ppl. Under has the dual meaning of below and wonder.

https://www.snohetta.com/projects/under

A very amazing memorable belated 70thBday 17-Course dinner.

We chose this wine with the 4starter courses –

served on the level just above sea-level

The rest of the menu were served below sea-level and this was one of the wines chosen

seafoods

The last wine was a red for the meat

Desserts, including ants on them… and for once we are the ones biting them, revenge time! – hahaha!!

Ending this 4hrs once-in-a-lifetime meal.

Thu: sad news from BillCrouse who lost his wife, Tanja in an accident while climbing in the mountains they so loved and where she was her happiest – condolences to him and her family. A short early morning walk in the area with #6 before continuing on the road trip.

Lindesnes fyr=ligthhouse(1656) is the oldest in Norway at the southernmost tip of Norway. http://www.laguide.no/lindesnesfyr/Facts/dynamic-en.html

Picking up grocery,lunch&shopping@Vigeland(family of the artist GustavVigeland and his brother Emanuel both originally came from Vigeland) village in Lindesnes before heading to the cabin.

Arr safe&sound in wet weathers but with a cabin named The Fairytale Castle midst in the woods and in the middle of nowhere, may make you wonder if fairytales can come true. Once upon a time and that is how all stories begin!  https://wildcabins.no/en/the-fairytale-castle/

Fri:  woke up to this idyllic view from the front windows in glorious weathers.

A day to explore the surroundings and it sure is my kind of paths to be walking on.

Folded sculptured towels and some of the yummy foods bought at REMA1000@Vigerland.

Fairytales can come true
It can happen to you
If you’re young at heart
For it’s hard you will find
To be narrow of mind
If you’re young at heart
You can go to extremes
With impossible schemes
You can laugh when your dreams
Fall apart at the seams
And life gets more exciting
With each passing day
And love is either in your heart
Or on it’s way
Don’t you know that it’s worth
Every treasure on earth
To be young at heart
For as rich as you are
It’s much better by far
To be young at heart
And if you should survive to 105
Look at all you’ll derive
Out of being alive
And here is the best part
You’ve had a head start
If you are among the very
Young at heart
And if you should survive to 105
Look of all you’ll derive
Out of being alive
And here is the best part
You have a head start
If you are among the very
Young at heart… Songwriters: Carolyn Leigh / Johnny Richards

26 Jun 2023 – To A Delightful Afternoon In Asker

Fri: started yesterday, one paying adult is allowed to have 4 no-charged accompanying children on public transport in OSL. Took the tram getting off@Holberg’sPlass and a short stroll to the palace – somehow there always seem to be a pigeon on the equestrian statue of CarlJohan standing in the square in front of the Royal Palace which overlooks the street that carries his name.

Linn&#2 decided to go shopping while #3&6+me headed to Rådhuset=CityHall. Unfortunately it was closed for an event to mark the shooting a year ago.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61933817

Had our packed-lunch and the boys had a good time climbing here –  thought it to be quite an appropriate shot to have the Rådhuset in the background which their great great grandfather MagnusPoulsson was the architect to. Subway from Nationaltheatret-Forskningspaken on the way back.

Was told that it has been too dry here to permit any bonfire tonight for Sankthansaften(MidSummer’sNight). As it is the gang was exhausted after a warm afternoon in town and personally would not like to be anywhere near, in or with crowds.

The Oslofjord got a new attraction on Wed. However, the giant squirrel must not end its days as a bonfire on Fri, as originally planned – vartoslo.no

Sat: shopping at Majorstua/Bogstadveien for Linn&#2 and Rådhuset=CityHall,Sporveismuseet=TramwayMuseum (largest collection of vintage trams here in Norway) for #3&6. Fun place to be for the boys and you can go on to all the trams except for the horse-drawn one(#6Hestesporvogen1875 rebuilt 1889-1913) quite understandable as this is the oldest, an antique.

A spontaneous picnic@Frognerparken is always a good idea when in this area with this kind of glorious summer weathers. #2 chose Gravlaks, picked up chicken wings for #3&6 @Jacob’sColosseum, and salad for me – not forgetting desserts, Norwegian Skolebrød. Sculpture of a man juggling 4babies ManChasingFourGeniuses – the grandchildren call TheAngryFather! Suggests a man struggling to cope with the responsibility of parenthood…

Sun: shopping trip to Sweden for the younger ppl. What a pleasant surprise to have Cathrine&Torgrim for a short visit – they were on their way back to Tromsø after a vacation with friends in Sweden. Nice for #2,3&6 to catch up with their Norwegian paternal grand auntie. Have known Cathrine since she was a baby and now she is a grandmother!

Mon: 30mins train to Asker RT-SeniorNOR64S$8.

Nice new shopping mall, Trekanten=The 3Corners where an ATM machine was finally located to get some cash.

Coffee&Napoleonskaker@BakerHansen,pizza-lunch@Glorioso – delightful afternoon catching up with Kari and a nice surprise that Bjørn joined us later. Time went by quickly when we go back to 50+yrs ago from our Dublin/Ireland student days. Kari&I gave birth to our first babies one day apart in 1974/Dublin,Ireland! And now our babies will be 50 next year!!

SykkelHotell=BicycleHotel by the train station made an impression – if only more cities can adapt this idea.

A pleasant afternoon on foot exploring this area by Asker train station and a wet evening by the time back in Oslo after being on the go for 12+hrs.

22 Jun 2023: Linn, Ellie#2 & John#3

Mon: picking up some grocery bit by bit to feed 7ppl for this coming week,

Tue: very productive day despite of a wet morning. Interesting buildings@HallingsGt, the mural painting of the basement to a restaurant and the bicycle signage(pix not clear to see) to an art gallery.

When the rains were at their wettest, popped into some of my favourite shops, Husfliden, GlasMagasinet – such lovely displays for this pair of eyes.

The coffee machine@NAF was impressive, at first glance thought it was a tap for water, but after observing others, I too learnt to use this high-tech coffee to enjoy a free cup of  Caffè latte.

Changed dosage of prescribed meds(Dr’s office),top-up transport card,I nternationalDrivingPermit@NAF, bought OW-train ticket for Jul@OsloS to Bergen&such a deal for seniorsNOR298/S$36, and in time to welcome #2 who flew in from France.

Wed: enjoyable time walking around the neighbourhood with lovely peonies in full bloom to welcome #2.

Delightful grandmother&grand-daughter lunch at ExpressoHouse@UllevaalStadion. Looking forward to the arrival of her mother&brother after midnight tonight,

Thu: first-born+#3 arr safe&sound late last night after 7+hrs layover in Heathrow/LondonAirport where #3 enjoyed his fish&chips – pix credits to Linn.

Welcoming them to a relaxing day for chilling, walking&acclimatizing to time&weather.

Hammock is out&up, peonies in full bloom with a breeze and temps could not be better – sun is out again after 2wet days. #6 last day of school and the cousins are having a lovely reunion sharing goodies from both countries – grandmother is again in 7thHeaven!

My Shadow – RobertLouisStevenson
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.

He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

Those celebrating the DragonBoatFestival today, enjoy your Bakchang/Zongzi/StickyRiceDumplings.

18 Jun 2023 – Happy Father’s Day

Thu: in loving memory of my beloved father LAM TinYue(1911-1996) who would have been 112, a man who I have admired,loved&respected all my life and always in my heart as long as my heart beats.

Beautiful wild roses in the neighbourhood and only one non-wild-rose has bloomed in time to say goodbye as we leave this house today.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet – Shakespeare

Fri: an unusual sweet&touching story that happened to friend of family, too long an article to translate – Jonas Estensen (44) suddenly became a father of eight when a mother duck laid her love on his terrace and hatching them there where Bjørn&#6 helped to get them back safely to nature@Sognsvann. #6 was more than thrilled to be a part of this and said that this will be something he will always remember.

https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/ble-plutselig-andefar/79551023

Sat: welcomed by the blossom of this first Peony and looking forward to the blossoms of the others in this garden where more will be in bloom to welcome the US-family next week. The Peony is a beautiful and fragrant flower that symbolizes love, honor&prosperity with these qualities to continue for the family.

This weekend will be adapting, cleaning, unpacking, etc into another house which takes time, especially when it is an old house and has never been renovated, ie a real fixer-up! Am excited just seeing the potential here, but who knows if I will still be around to see what my imagination can see now! These magnificent big trees in the neighbourhood caught my camera’s attention.

Sun: Happy Father’s Day(USA) to all fathers with special appreciations to my own beloved father LAM TinYue(1911-1996), the father of my children and the fathers of my grandchildren. Not able to locate pix of just my father&I from the 1950s, an era when children are left more to the mothers. Found some from 1967 when he visited Dublin/Ireland and also it was the year we drove around Europe the whole summer all the way to Norway, my first visit then! Who could have known that it became home to me for many years later!! The other pix was after he had a stroke and could not travel – we made a trip back to SIN in 1979.

14 Jun 2023 – Time to Meet With Friends

Sun: Årungen is a lake in Norway in the municipality of Ås about 18 miles south of OSL which is notable for being an environment containing microscopic creatures called collodictyons. The area of ​​the water is 1.17km² and it is 34m above sea level. Was hoping go bird-watching with #6&his father, but had such a lousy Sat night sleep, decided to skip it to sleep most of the morning.

Mon: a glorious walk into town feasting the eyes with these and the nose with their fragrance, no do not know the names of them! The eyes are slightly teary and the nose snuffy, but that too shall pass…

OsloTransportMuseum@Majorstuen(Norway’s largest collection of vintage trams&buses), ChatNoir/OlavVs-gate with NinaSundbyes sculpture  of LeifJuster. Having time to sit quietly to notice the tigers near the top of the lamp-posts@FridtjofNansensPlass.

Thank you to Leng for lunch@GoldenMountain – have been told that it was one of the first Chinese restaurants set up here! First experience here and the fried-rice was decent, have not had rice since I left SIN! Looks like one of the CityHall’s blocks is covered either for cleaning or otherwise?

A short visit to the new stunning Deichman main library(5-levels) where the architecture actually compliments the OperaHouse with such a Nordic feeling in my eyes – imagine what it can look like when there is a lot of snow outside on the ground, the real WinterWonderLand.

Nice view towards the OSL-fjord on the upper levels and unusual ceiling lightings on the ground-level.

Drama on the way – many fire engines and road block to later read that there was a fire@Grensen17, Too long an article to translate, but looks like things are under control with no one hurt and thank goodness no one lives there.

https://www.aftenposten.no/oslo/i/0QOlLB/brannen-i-oslo-sentrum-ikke-slukket

Tue: appreciation to Stein&his lovely daughter Ida for taking the time to drive from Tønsberg(~105k from OSL.) and thank you for lunch@EgonUllevål. Have known Stein since our Dublin student days, and half a century is a long time ago, but sometimes it seems like yesterday. It was 10yrs ago since we last met,  https://amylamsg.com/2013/07/11/tonsberg/

Wed: everything to be moved into the other house so that our last day in this house is ready for the cleaners to do their work. Not being of any help, will try not to be in the way –

memories of the stress with all the moves when the children were younger, and hopefully to not have to make another move of this sort in this life-time!

Will miss seeing this beautiful garden and the window filled with glass-bottles. Looks like the neighbour across the street is having their windows painted&cleaned.

Peaceful&quiet thru’ VestreAker Church&Churchyard, first time noticing this horse+horseman sculpture headstone despite having been many times thru’ here.

JacobAall’sGate where the family used to live and Sorgenfrigata=SorrowfreeRd, a road with such a name must be a good place to live – hahaha.

Bogstadveien for a refreshing ice-latte@ExpressoHouse

Norrøna a Norwegian brand of outdoor clothing&sports gear has their tagline Welcome To Nature in 20Languages. How many of the 20Languages are you able to really read&understand besides Norwegian #1, English #6?? Could not afford this expensive brand unless on sale, but was pleased to get a pair of shoes on sale a few shops down.

Take away pizza to eat outside and puppy training school around this lovely woods on another glorious day.

Nature is not a place to visit. It is home — Gary Snyder

10 Jun 2023 – And Norwegian Peel To Eat Shrimps

Wed: dr appt@PilestredetPark with a new dr, but bumped into my former dr who was coincidently helping out there today. Have known EivindBorna since his pre-med days in 1968 RCSI,Dublin,Ireland! Nice to be able to catch up and to learn that his son(with 4children) also graduated from the same med-school in Dublin.

Another beautiful day to stroll about KarlJohanGt to Stortorvet – was into 3 different places trying to get varme pølser med lomper, rå løk+stekt løk=hotdog in potato-pancake with raw onions+fried onions – no luck, so not meant to have that today! Colourful flowers at the flower market on this glorious day, tempting but not getting any until they have moved into their new home.

Thu: nice to catch up with Mette – a delightful afternoon chewing the fat, reminiscing between the fairy-tales and the hunks of our lives, hahaha! Have been informed today that Haaland(the hunk!) is the world’s best footballer. As for fairytales, with road names like Eventyrvei=FairytaleRd&BukkenBruseevei (NorwegianFolkTale), do make me feel like LaLaLand, especially with this perfect weather to walk in.

Everything you look at can become a fairy tale and you can get a story from everything you touch ― Hans Christian Andersen

Fri: Happy 14Birthday#4, Sophie who will be starting HighSchool and has chosen to play an instrument to fit her height! Proud of her standing tall with her academic(Math+straightAs), musical(MasterProgram for HighSchool) & sports achievements(CC&TrackVarsity).

Appreciations&tkx to Ingrid&HansK for  yummy lunch in their beautiful home on a beautiful day. Nothing compares to Norwegian peel to eat shrimps. Cold water species caught in the deep waters of the N-Atlantic ocean, they are cooked in sea water and quick-frozen after cooking. Small and each one takes a few seconds to peel, but is certainly worth the effort.

Relaxing afternoon chatting, a walk peeping into gardens and to finally get a hotdogNOK50/S$6+ I like at a gas station on the way.

Sat: PorcelainFower or WaxPlant/HoyaCarnosa, is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae.  This plant has been handed down to me and now to 2nd-born. It also has a long history in the family: the mother plant is from the L&M paternal father’s grandmother who was named MonnaHEFFERMEHL/1871, (mother of their great-grandmother EmmaHALD/Mosken), ie L&Ms great-great-grandmother, and #1-6s great-great-great-grandmother!! Tkx to Cathrine for the info. I used to have that plant and it was given to me by L&Ms grand parents, but returned it to the family when I left Norway. Now 2nd-born too has one wrapped around the window. Flower pix downloaded, plant here not in bloom.

6 Jun 2023 – With Perfect Weather&Temps

Sat: oh! how I really dislike packing!! But looks like better to learn to deal with it when seeing the grandchildren is the priority, Nice that #1,2&3 want to have dinner together while #2&5 are at camp on this full-moon night. Tkx Linn for arranging and making dinner, was just too tired to even help. Time has gone by too quicky and its already the month of Jun, and #4s 14Bday next week.

Sun: missed AA-flight 0600hrs to DCA and the 1100hrs flight was full. Being on a non-refundable ticket, had to rebook a new oneway trip to OSL, an expensive trip that I have NO wish to remember!

On the phone all morning and waiting the whole afternoon@CAE airport, finally took off 2000hrs for ATL(full flight) connecting to AMS(full flight)-OSL. Flight from ATL-AMS was delayed and flight from AMS-OSL was held back 10mins, just in time for me to run, get thru’ immigration and was the last running on board, thank goodness that they delayed the flight so that I could make it, unlike when I missed the IAD-CAE flight because of 10mins delayed from connecting flight and had to wait 4hrs@IAD on my way to the US last month! This will probably be the most expensive&stressful trip in my life, but all worth it to have #6 in my arms.

Mon: arr safe&sound but no baggage, oh well! no worries as I have kinda expected it and do have whatever I need for an overnight. Nothing matters more than being safe and having a soft-ice-cream with #6 after puppy training.

Tue: 2nd-born must have green thumb, just being indoors at her place is like being in the Garden of Eden with Physalis, CalamondinOrangeTree? Purple Shamrock/OxalisTriangularis – she must talk to her plants and treat them with loads of TLC! Baggage is due to be delivered this evening, so back to another 7thHeaven again with #6 who is still in school until the middle of Jun, when summer holidays will then start here. Now with a puppy in their home and moving to a new home next week, life will be busy. Home is any four walls that enclose the right people.

The best way to get a puppy is to beg for a baby brother, and they’ll settle for a puppy every time – do wonder if he asked for a baby brother or sister, hahaha!

Even the neighbour moved his office outdoors to make the best of a day like today! This perfect weather always get me thinking of the children’s paternal Norwegian grandfather, JohnHALD who once said during one of my the visits before he passed – Vi har bedt om dette været for ditt besøk=We have requested this weather for your visit…

Delightful stroll with #6 to his SecretGarden

and to where they will be moving to around these stunning Lilac/Syringa fragrance bushes&hedges with all the different colour-shades and magnificent trees – WildCherry, BloodBeech

2 Jun 2023 – #4’s Awards Presentation

Tue: got oil-change for the Jeep and Linn has been using ImportPlusLLC for as long as I can remember. Interesting interior now that it has been taken over by new owners who tells us that they will have to move soon as the road is due for widening. We got a loan of another car to run errands while they were changing the oil, this is SouthernHospitality for you – https://importsplus.net/

Got a bunch of errands done, including getting accessories for Fri. Linn&I managed to make 50+packages of party-favours.

Wed: its going to be a long day today, starting with #4AwardsPresentation for straight As and Math in her last year in MiddleSchool. HighSchool will be next for her.

Heading early into town to avoid the traffic and to find a good parking space.

Lunched@HickoryTavern, wanted to sit outdoors on the upper level, but it was not ready to receive anyone! Decent tart cocktail+burger(without the bun) with sweet potato-fries.

Ice-cream@DonutGuy that had my favourite FunnelCake there, but was too filled up for that.

Strolling about LincolnSt to get familiar in the area with random sculptures,monuments,etc…

and buildings.

15.30hrs – 1st in line to get into ColonialLifeArena to reserve a row of seats for the family. The Commencement started at 16.00hrs with 291students to receive their diplomas.

Here she is, standing beautiful&tall in her ChristianLouboutin receiving her HighSchool Diploma, and she managed to walk those few steps without tripping in those red-sole-heels!

Congratulations Elisabeth Iris HALL #2, and all the best to the next chapter in ClemsonU,SC,USA in this life’s journey. So nice to catch up with Cindy/SC, Dee&Terry/FL, and Kathleen/NC.

Thank you to the proud parents for raising such an amazing young lady and this fine family. Those shoes did not stay long on her feet, here already off for family pix – hahaha

What an achievement, and yes I counted all her 17 chords,medals,stoles – appreciations to #4 for providing me with the list so promptly when I only asked her for it at dinner – this young lady will certainly go far in life!

Chords:BetaClub,CasProject,DistinguishedHonorGrad, DoubleNationalHonors+EnglishHonorsSociety,FineArts,ForeignLanguage, IB-Diploma,PalmettoGirlsState,StudentAmbassador,Top5Individuals,

Stoles:BetaClub,FineArts&Humanities,IB-Dipolma,

Medals:AcademicAchievement,Salutatorian,Top5%GraduatingClass.

Appreciations to Linn&Jeff for a lovely dinner@BlueMarlin where they serve one of my favourite SheCrabSoup.

Next graduation will be@UofSC when #1 completes her UndergradDegree in 2024. Hopefully will be able to attend.

Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself — John Dewey

Thu: arranging&working on the graduation pix took most of the day, also a couple of hand-wash silk+other drip-dry clothes to be washed before packing again. Text to wish MortenHALD happy birthday and he tells me that there is 5cm of new snow in Tromsø/Norway today! bringing back memories when we had snow there on 17May1979!!

Fri: #2+friends’ Graduation FairyTeaParty was a big hit,

strange to not see any kids at the treehouse, but Bo the puppy! would probably have been up there if he could! 2grandkids(#1&2)in U and no more ElementarySchool grandkids on this beautiful full moon night.

1 Jun – Happy Bday Morten
2 Jun – Happy Bdays KK & RichardLee
4 Jun – Happy Bday Natasha
6 Jun – Happy Bday Dika & Harry
9 Jun – Happy Bday Sophie
15Jun – my father would have been 112. L&M’s paternal grandfather would have been 100
15Jun – Happy Bday AmyJ
19Jun – Happy Bdays JenLeng & ChengSong
22Jun – Happy Bdays Josh & Devon
25Jun – Happy Bdays Chon/John, Clement & Huang/HI,USA.
28Jun – Happy Bdays Jeff & JohnWilson
30Jun – Happy Bdays JenMun & AnnieKOH