No Matter Where You Go, There They Are

This was on the front page of one of Norway's biggest papers yesterday.



As an American journalist, my first inclination is to say "Must have been a slow news day."

As a American expat, my first inclination is to say "Husband was totally right. Weather here, especially sunny weather, is a big deal."

Weather is such a big deal that pretty much the second thing Norwegians ask any newcomer is "How are you finding the weather." *

(Here's a tip: Always say something positive. Even if it has rained for 40 days and 40 nights. Even if you are wishing you lived in an ark and not a renovated sardine factory, say "It's great to get such use out of my galoshes." Or perhaps, "It's going to be so green and lovely come spring.")

Right after you answer whatever it is you'd like to say, (Keep it positive. See tip above), a Norwegian will usually laugh and say, "Have you heard our famous saying?"

(Here's a tip: Say no and let them tell you. It's fun for them. Seriously. If you just want to say it anyway, make a joke about it. Perhaps, say "Of course I have. It's practically part of the entry process. If you don't know it, you can't come.")

Then, if you wait and let them tell you, they will say "There is no bad weather, only bad clothes."

Next you laugh.

But it's true, the weather here lately is gorgeous.

And, according to Husband and other people who know, it's summer now.

Spring happened on about ten days last month. And for the curious, I do not mean ten consecutive days. Just ten days and they happened in April.

But now it's summer.

These are a few things that Lillie and I have seen over the past few days.

From the top of our hill on Sunday afternoon, the actual day the newspaper said Summer arrived:





But this morning, we walked Husband to work. And after we dropped him off pretty close to his office, we walked onto a pier that extends out into the middle of the harbor.

This is what we see to our left.



During the summer, loads of ships park in the harbor. Sometimes they are giant tour boats. Sometimes commercial fishing boats or oil boats. And other times just private boats filled with people hanging out.


This is what is happening behind us.



The morning activity is in full swing. Cafe workers are putting out the tables. People are heading to their offices and the flower vendors are setting up.


This is what we see to our right.




And a little closer up, there is Husband's office.


Look at the lowest row of windows. He is sitting on the other side of the wall next to the third window from the left. He is working. Lillie and I are still sitting on the pier in the middle of the harbor. We're just hanging out.


This is what we saw on the way back home. Next to the oil museum is the Geo Parken. It's a playground with all the necessary things, swings and bouncy places. School must be on holiday this week because it was packed.



But along with sure signs of summer---the boats and the blue skies and the temperatures--- guess what else I saw last night? Really, I saw about six, right on our back porch...


(Ignore the insanity you see on our neighbor's back porch. Concentrate on the flying object in the top center.)


Yep, it's a mosquito.

Dammit.






*
The first thing they say is "How are you finding Norway?"