December 5

A little garden project Axel and I've started on. Some one told me we have to bring a candle into the igloo to melt the snow on the walls into ice and get them more sturdy.

December 4

Cool outlook from the terrace.

December 3

Axel and some of the other boys in the band was asked to play at the lightning of the local Christmas tree. They did quite well considering it was freezing cold. They had brought the score for 2 songs and they got to play them a lot since Santa was late...

December 2

"The disappearance of Santa's beard" was the title of a terrific show Rita's class did at school. Rita both acted and played the flute.

December 1

I know it's a bit political uncorrect but I've always wanted Christmas lights for the house. Now we have a house and the lights to go with it. I enjoy it every evening when I return from work. It really brings the Christmas spirits to the neighbourhood - I think.

Adventurous Rita

From our fall vacation in Sweden. Rita just loves to climp trees. The higher the better.

Bacon

A little projekt I have been tinkering with. A while back I read about some one making home made bacon. If he could, I could - I thought. The meat was cured with two different kinds of salt in 4 days. Then cold smoked for 36 hours in the Weber grill. The latter part was a bit difficult because the embers in the wood chips kept going out. The result: Very salty but nice. It was fun, so I will try it again sometime.

And then snow

Apart from the mishap with the car it was an excellent fall vacation. What better way than to end it with jostling in the snow.

Kåldolmer

Axel making stuffed cabbage. Vacation is a great time to experiment with the recipes.

Stubborn girl

Fall vacation in Sweden. Rita with stick. Stick on two mile walk. Stick in car. Lars smacks door. Window fracture :-(

It was heavy and long but Rita carried it all the way by herself.

Another room done

It's not a fashion statement but great teamwork putting up shelves in our coat room. Couldn't have done it without my little helper.

And the final result:

Rainy day

Typical Axel!

Faster Ellen

Last picture from the visit in Canada. Faster Ellen is now 99 years old. It was great seeing her again.

Green and colorful

Vancouver really impresses me with it's greenery and many many colors. We had a meeting in Chinatown yesterday and since it was at the end of the day, we had the opportunity to walk around a bit. I paid a visit to Dr. Sun Yat Sen's chinese garden. It was a spectacular little oasis in the city with small ponds and impressive rocks and bonzai trees.

I've enjoyed the city and the food in particular. Lunch yesterday was a fish taco made of blackened fish. It was incredibly taste- and colorful.

The purple garnish was red cabbage which had been pickled in a marinade with among other things fennel seeds. I have never tasted anything like it. Yum.

Finally a little impression from my morning walk.

Vancouver sushi

I've been dying to go to one of the conveyor sushi places. Imagine that the first time had to be a place halfway round the world and then it wasn't even conveyor belts. I did'nt get the name of the restaurant but it was so fun with the small boats going around with the fresh sushi. Too bad I didn't manage to get a better picture.

We had excellent seafood in Toronto, but I just can't wait to let my taste buds get a taste of the fresh catch from the Pacific.

Niagara

Tomorrow we are on a tight schedule meeting with bunches of immigration representatives but due to Labor day we had a visit with the Danish ambassador and then Niagara! It was truely fascinating experiencing those millions and millions of liters of water dropping 50 m plus in to the Niagara gorge. And wet! Lots of water was whirled into the air so you got wet walking on the walkway on the top of the falls.

Toronto II

Sunday morning was on our own. I had the chance to walk around Toronto. Among other places I visited the Royal Ontario museum. The museum originally is situated in the old university but opened a new spectacular entrance designed by Liebeskind in 2007. I wasn't able to get a decent picture of the entrance. But there is one here http://images.rom.on.ca/public/images/ROM2007_9327_4.jpg Otherwise Toroto architecturally seems mayhem compared to fx. Chicago. It reminds me a bit like Brussels were old and new, tall and short is just tossed around in what seems a disorganised fashion.

But the museum was awesome. They had a special exhibition of the Chinese terra cotta graves. It kind of tickled me to think about the distance both the exhibit and I had travelled to meet each other.

I was particular impressed with the standing exhibition on Canadian culture and identity, fx. the set on the death of general Wolfe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ulg6TFoFZk

Toronto

First time to Toronto. The CN tower fills the view from my hotel room. We went to the restaurant on the top last night. The food was delicious and the view of Toronto and lake Ontaria magnificent.

Next gen

Axel has been growing like a bean sprout this summer. I guess it comes with the teenage. And now he officially is taller than Ellen.

What's this?

Suddenly those two guys showed up in our backyard looking spooky.

Northridge tribal wars

First photos of Erik's adventure is tribal war - an event at his host family's church. It looked fun and wet! We talked to Erik yesterday. He is doing fine and having a swell time!

Privilige of a big garden

Before Rhodes Farmor gave us a small pool for the garden. Once home again it was an immediate request to have it installed. Alas 3000 l (750 gl) of water takes a few hours to pump out so it didn't take more than a split second from me turning off the water until the pool was full of kids. Needless to say the water was freezing.

Parlez vous francais?

Axel returning from band trip in Provence. It sounded like a wonderful trip with many experiences. A bed of white flowers which turned out to be plants covered with small snails. Finding the floor at the end of a week in the room he shared with 3 other boys. Giving a concert in the local town square for 4 old people and many many other stories.

Hip Grandma

I don't know about you, but I know some grandchildren who can't wait to get a ride in Grandma's new car.

Butterflies and Good byes

Erik ready for take off. We just got info he made it sound and safe and went straight to bed when he arrived in Owatonna.

Pool

I don't believe I ever have done so little. In two consecutive days we have just been marinating in the pool. It must be those teenage vibes rubbing off.

No liquids on the plane

The kids didn't seem to mind their last morning in Rhodes feasting on leftover watermelon and sodas for breakfast.

Old town Rhodes

Typical tourists touring. We had a lot of fun with the shopkeepers inviting us to their stores to dell us "stories" and sell their goods. One was really impressed since I travelled with 4 children and left the wife at home. Another was certain he had seen Rita in a movie. The Greeks love a bargain nowhere is the price what it seems.

Warm day

A magnificent start on a hot day. Breakfast on our balcony with a view of the mountains on the Turkish coast. All day at the beach and red and sore shoulders despite plenty of suntan lotion. There is a lesson to be learned.

Butterfly valley

A canyon vits through the landscape in the center of Rhodes. It was a great experience walking upstream witnessing the thousands of butterflies resting on branches, rocks and what not oe just whirling around to find a new place of rest. We made it a sport to spot the crabs in the creek.
Magnificent traditional Greek lunch at a gaverne in a small village. I'll never tire of that tomato salad!

Thirteen

Another teenager in the house. Morning was broken with a full English Breakfast. The day spent at the pool - a who knows an evening swim in the Sea?

Wonderful

Up at 3 AM and an afternoon in the Mediterranean - ah life is wonderful and vacation even so!