For Terry and Bernie

I found this cute picture and thought of you Terry and Bernie.

Have a good week everyone.

For All Of the Sisters....

Birthday Girl Twins..May 26 2010

you know that mrs. mac is still behind times, eh?
it is almost 1am here although her idaho clock says almost 10pm...
so it is high time that we say happy birthday to our dear sisters char and deb, our dear sisters who are twins...happy birthday!...don't mind that there is a two year difference in their ages..the main thing is that their DATE is may 26..



here they are, our two girls who are still spring chickens if you ask me!
two spring chickens playing in the sun that the lilac princess of idaho has finally given to us!
isn't that cute..they each have a dolly in their arms..and they each have a real live dolly in their homes!


this birthday has cost plenty.
two chocolate cakes had to be googled in and there wasn't any day old cakes to be found and so here are two fresh ones.
don't eat too much you guys and don't forget to share!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY CHAR AND DEB!!...love from all of the sisters

The Lilac Princess Of Idaho

seeing as miss apron is flying toward the next host sister, and seeing as we all KNOW how she takes her sweet old time, i figured that this photo of the lilac princess of idaho 2010 should take up this empty space.
the sweet lilacs convinced the idaho snow queen to hang up her crown for at least another seven months!
as it was, mrs. mac DID manage to sprinkle a little snow on the blooming flowers but all was well when this photo was taken!
have a beautiful summer mrs. mac and please let us all have a good summer TOO!

Parting Glass

I have already started harvesting the ransoms.I'm cutting them and put them in the freezer. Some grind the leaves and mix the with olive oil and sea salt. Imagine May is soon coming to an end. Today is Pentecost Eve. Tomorrow and Monday all shops will be closed. It's holiday for real.
Some how the pansies are called step-mother flowers. They are a tough breed. I bought mine in Mars, and they have been fighting for their lives through frost and snow, and come out victorious.

Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans,John Lennon said.

Being a hostess for Miss Apron was pretty much like that.
So many things craving my attention and thoughts.
The carpenters turning upside down four rooms and our garden.
The two Iraqi sisters.
Serina had some allergic problems and sinusitis. So had Gunnar.
Someone managed to hurt and upset my mother severely. She is such a great woman, extrovert and giving, but thin skinned, as is Serina, as am I.
We just have to find a way to deal with it.
The wheels of life are turning on and on and on.
All the things I would have loved to show you, simply could not be done.

Nevertheless we had a "jolly good" time together.
Yesterday we had a parting glass in the upper garden about 10P.M.
I made a bitter grass wreath, which Miss Apron denied to wear.
Gunnar on the other hand took them both in his care.
I wonder what the neighbors thought?
Who cares? I don't.

A nice shampoo wash for Miss Apron. My friend Martje taught me that back in the 70ies, always use shampoo when you wash delicate clothes.(I still have the knitted dress she made me in 1973 because of that. Only used Christmas Eves nowadays.)
My mother has likewise taught me to use vinegar both to bind the colors in the fabric, and for anti bactericide effect.

I let Miss Apron rest the night over on the ironing board, and hope she isn't too crunched when she arrives her next destination.
Who knows where? Mrs. Mac, Gunnar, who delivered her at the post office this morning and me.
I won't tell a word. I know she'll be happy to arrive though. And I am sure she'll have a "jolly good" time where she comes.

Goodbye for now.
I'll have to use the next couple of days to catch up with my other friends in Blogland and my own blog as well.
Perhaps do some weeding in the garden, hopefully read a book and take some sun set tours by the sea.
Meanwhile I salute you with the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Our "King Song" goes on the same tune as "God save the Queen".
I have once visited Scotland and Edinburgh Castle. It was a great event, even without the Tattoo.

THE LEAVING OF SAUDA

In my first blog about Miss Apron in Sauda I made a link to my birth-town for those who wanted to learn more. Before leaving I thought we could make a tour to see more of the Canadian/American cornerstone factory areas where most of the inhabitants of Sauda earn their living. I present you to Mr.Sneath, founder of the factory, and the park where his statue still is standing. I had a summer-job as a gardener back in 1968 here, and did we put down a real work to groom the park. It took us three weeks to cut the hedges by hand, plant, weed the gravel paths and move the lawns. Back then there were a staff of six gardeners and summer-help as well to keep the company areas, parks, playground and houses for the employees flawless. Now the factory has changed owners twice, and the houses have been sold for a farthing to the workers.
The houses are made by an English architect, mostly in the 20ies and 30ies. Two movies have been made in this area and a third is about to be shot this summer.
Another view from the park.
The park and the factory down by the fjord.The white snow is still covering the mountain tops.

Down by the quays.Miss Apron is not willing to leave quite yet. She tied herself to a bollard.When I grew up the roads were so bad, we would rather go by boat to get to the nearest big town.
The high pyramids of raw material at the factory site are being melted to steel components, for car, airplane and weapon production. The bridge was built by Russian prisoners of war during ww2. A little train used to drive through town and unload fill-mass for building new roads of.My grandfather had a house not far away. We kids used to sit by the kitchen window and admire the locomotive.


The Saw Mill waterfall. The four years my father was crippled, we would lift his bed so that he could admire the waterfall from his bedroom window every morning.He took such an interest in how the water flow sunk and rise in the fall depending on the weather.When he was just a kid he and his comrades would row over the fjord and take a bathe by the Saw Mill .
On our way out of Sauda we had to stop to admire the Bridal Veil Waterfall. Miss Apron was enchanted by the clean air, the green birches and the roar from the fall.
She also persuaded me to pick some more white anemones.
Oh, that Miss Apron, she would like to take a dive, but I held her firmly to my bosom.
Gunnar leaning over the steep cliff to shoot a boathouse.

Sauda in the background. Miss Apron clinging to my arm, afraid I might take one more step back.
Parting is never easy.

UPDATE ON BABY KIERSTEN

Facebook Update from Chelsey on Kiersten

Kiersten is doing wonderfully! Actually at her well-child check up the Doctor said she's doing, "FANTASTIC." On Saturday we will be ending her Trileptal and she will continue to stay on her Phenobarbital for awhile. She's been walking around and is slllloooowwwwlllyyyy learning the word "...No." :) She's smiling and happy, and I couldn't be more happy with her progress!! She has had quite a few ear infections lately, so I will be making an appt this week to get tubes put in. This should hopefully stop the ear infections from coming back. (Worked great when Caleb when we had them put in) This will also be good because when she gets sick, that's when the chances increase for her to have a seizure.

So thank you for the continued prayers and concern for my baby girl! She is doing so well right now! Thank you Jesus for your forever love and comfort! /We're on our knees, Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest!/

Miss Apron in my birth home

My mother and Miss Apron went very well together. My mother still likes to use an apron while she works, and embraced her new friend kindheartedly. Here she stays in the doorway. After her severe brain stroke two and a half years ago, she has had grab handles installed, to keep the balance in the staircase. Nevertheless she balances loads of wood for her fireplace up and inside the house.She has decided she wants to manage on her own in the home she and my father built up, and I agree with her.(After having gone some rounds with myself about safety, fear, lack of control e.t.c. We would like her to stay with us.)My mother is born free, and I have to respect that. A saying from monastery brother Ole, "Do not fill your life with years. Fill your years with life."That's my Mom in a nutshell.

Somethings she'll always do better than me. Like ironing the white linen shirts for the bunads.
Such artful ironing demands strength, accuracy and patience. I immediately left my shirt in my mother's skilled hands.

My mother has crouched the white curtain and painted the porcelain coffee service. she likes sitting by the kitchen window and follow life at the outside, her plants, the birds and the neighbor's horses, all while reading the paper and solving the crosswords.

On our way up to the attic, I saw her old painting brushes stored away together with my Dad's old ski shoes.
The door leading to my room. I've slept there since I was 7. Now a new bed has made place for Gunnar too. My mother has decorated the door, in what Gunnar calls "Cowboy Laila style".
Miss Apron impulsively paid a visit to my mother's sewing machine.Something familiar her, she thought. Old Serina drawings are taken care of by a loving grandmother.
Many, many years ago it seemed unlikely that my mother would ever get a grandchild. However, she has always loved dolls. "Maybe because I had so few when I was a girl", she says. My good friend Turid bought her this doll years ago. Thedoll in fact looks very like Turid, and was named the Turid-doll. When Serina came, my mother let her play with the doll and dressed it in baby clothes. The bed is actually Serina's. My Dad repaired it once and it remained in Sauda.Now Miss Apron slept there for the three nights we spent in Sauda. They slept friendly together, no noise at all. I cannot think of a better place to sleep either. With the window open, the river is singing be to sleep so peacefully. The Bible says,"Your peace shall be like the flood." It sure is, in Sauda.
My aunt Gerd was 85 today, May 19th.She loves flowers and we brought her some. Miss Apron demanded giving her a hug on her left side.
My father and his younger brother Leif (husband of auntie Gerd) died within 10 months. Theywere close on earth and now they shall no longer be separated in heaven.

MISS APRON CELEBRATING SYTTENDE MAI

Syttende Mai, May17th,is the day Norwegians are celebrating themselves, their identity as a free nation and "The Fathers On Eidsvoll", who signed the Norway's new constitution May 17th 1814.

When I say celebrated it is no exaggeration.
All Norwegians are participating, from the oldest to babies.First it's the morning parade, when the flags are put up all over town, by scouts mostly.Then the most important parade; the children's parade. Schools are parading under their own banner, Kindergarten kids and their parents come a last. That is, first and last,comes the Norwegian flag.The Children's parade was introduced while Norway was still under Danish, than Swedish regime. Two of our most famous poets, first Henrik Wergeland, later Bjornstjerne Bjorson where the ones who kept the children's parade alive. Later on the Folk's parade will take place, with people from any imaginable organization represented.Last it's the Russe- parade where the blue and red students fulfilling examen artium are having a show, clowning and mocking local people and situations. The brass bands are marching in all four parades. One can imagine what a phycical challenge that must be.In Oslo, our capital, the King, Queen, the Crown prince and Crown princess and their children are greeting school children for four- five hours from the Royal Castle's balcony. I guess that's one of the reasons every Norwegian love them so highly. Our Miss Apron has also dressed up, wearing a Syttende Mai needle.She's so looking forwards to celebrating our day in my home town, Sauda..



We were up about seven in the morning. It takes lot of dress properly, with all the silver in proper places. Gunnar drove us down to the home for elderly. It's tradition that the parade makes a stop there to play and sing some of the most treasured National anthems and hymns.Miss Apron is resting in my mother's lap.

Here comes the parade of this years confirmees. They usually get their first adult bunad for their confirmation earlier in May.


Standing in front of the home of the elderly.

The Kindergarten children and their parents. As you can see, the weather was rather gray, but Luckily no rain.I remember Serina 4 crying on a rainy May 17th in her new child bunad."Oh, mother, what about the flags, and the music sheets of the musicians." Luckily God had mercy and let the rain stop during the school parade then and now.

A primary school class mate of mine standing with her mother,while Miss Apron and I are keeping my mother company.


Lots of flags are also important.My friend Elisabeth, who celebrated May17th in the Norwegian Seamen's Church in New York this year, brought a flag with from home. In the background the primary school where my father and his siblings, ten of my 14 cousins, my brother and I went for seven years. I had such a good time there, and therefor I think the building is so beautiful too.


This was Gunnar's first time celebrating our National Day in Sauda. When he was a teacher, he always had to lead his class in the school parade in Haugesund.I think he had a good time, only three women to take care of.

A front picture of Flogstad skole (school) Built from 1926 till 1936.

Crossing the School Bridge on my way to church. Gunnar and my Mom went by car. My Dad's sister Elly used to balance on the rail on her way to school. She was challenged by her elder brother Kaare. Imagine grand mother Jenny, when she eventually found out what was happening.

Salem is the Pentecostal Church where my grandparents and all their children went, and all the cousins went to Sunday school.The North River is also passing our home 2 kilometers further up in the valley.

A recruit soldier home one leave. In Norway 12 months of military service is obligatory to all men. For women it's optional.Very few women volunteer as soldiers.The soldiers are in his Majesty, The King's Army. Therefore doing military service is called "Dress in the Kings Clothes". Execpt for the Royal Guardsmen in Oslo, there's no display of arms or military in any part of the country on May 17th. We are kind of proud of that.
The Ljung family in the Main Church the celebrate the Day. From left, Gunar, my mother, cousin Grete, aunt Gerd and Alf, Grete's husband...n


.Yours truly has replaced Gunnar with Miss Apron on my lap.

.My mother carrying Miss Apron on the roller to visit my Dad's grave before we're heading home for dinner.



Well home my mother prepared Norwegian dinner, meat cakes, green pea stew, brown sauce and potatoes and for dessert whipped cream with cloud berries, blackberries and strawberries. Wonderful. Alas I was too hungry to take more photos.One more perfect day of so many May17ths!
Oh, my Terry, you really knows how to put an elderly woman to work!Here's a link to my blog of May 26th 2007!

MISS APRON PREPARING SYTTENDE MAI

Breakfast in Norway. No famous LP, but our everyday first meal. Miss Apron sitting on Gunnar's place, he's not up yet.
Here's how it's done: One slice of bread or rye crispbread is buttered, then covered with one's favorite sandwich-spread.Gunnar will have one with Norwegian honey and yellow cheese, one with cloud jam, and one optional; ham, tomato and cucumber may be an alternative. Always Two soft boiled eggs. I like smoked salmon, fresh berries, yellow cheese, one soft boiled egg. Yogurt, milk and orange juiced, topped with strong coffee.Miss Apron would just have a rye crispbread and some yogurt.
A close up of our most frequently used kitchen tool, the cheese slicer.
Time to search for my bunad. It has been stored away since last May 17th. Where can it be? The wardrobe where it hung last year has been torn town and moved to the wash room. We have to telephone Serina. Any suggestions? Maybe in her wardrobe in the hallway. No. Both Gunnar and Miss Apron are also involved. Finally Gunnar triumphantly appear with a overloaded coat hanger; the bunad consists of 8 heavy, elaborate parts, they were hidden by me in Serina's closet. Miss Apron embraces the bunad apron.

Macro shot of the linen shirt, the embroidery is done twice(in two times) with white silk thread.
The shawl.My mother has sewed every stitch. Home colored wool thread on wool fabric.
Red undergarment.
The waist and the skirt have been sewn together.Wool and wool jacquard. Silver ribbons and black velvet also mounted by hand.
The woman's belt leather with silver plaques.
Also in pure silver,cuff links, earrings and filigree brooches.
A purse and a hood are also parts of the bunad.
It's considered important that the right silver is used with the bunad from the different counties. I believe my county, Rogaland has seven different bunads, all different equipped. The bunad "police" is quick to criticize when things are not correctly made..
A quick plate of dinner, no dessert while we are working. I was out of rice, so I used spaghetti instead, then roasted chicken, curry sauce, ramson and tomatoes.
The lawn has been severely neglected while the carpenters were here. Now it's almost barbarous to cut the cuckoo flowers or meadow bitter grass.
Nevertheless it had to be done before our Independence Day. Behind Gunnar six new glasses, not yet red painted.
Miss Apron is also trying on her Syttende Mai outfit; a classy needle with a flag on.