Vince and I have been enjoying a TV series called Lilyhammer on Netflix. Frank, a former Italian mafia boss from New York, is put in the Witness Protection Program and sent to Lillehammer, Norway of all places. He opens up a nightclub, and befriends and swindles just about everyone he meets. The script is in English and Norwegian (with subtitles), so you really have to pay attention, but the dialogue is really funny. The humor is for adults only and offbeat. We have been laughing a lot lately at this kooky series. I've been told that Norwegians are enjoying it too. So, I guess you could say I'm in a Norwegian mood today. It really started yesterday when I received an undelivered Christmas card in the mail from Rorvik, Norway. I'm half Norwegian on my mother's side, and I had forgotten that one of my relatives is in a nursing home now. I spent the day wishing I could see everyone again.
In May 2008, my sister, mother and I met our relatives for the first time in Norway. We flew to Oslo, and celebrated Norway's famous Constitution Day with our family there.
 | ||||||
| Constitution Day, Oslo, Norway 2008 |
 |
| Our handsome family in Oslo, Norway 2008 (Everyone dresses up for the holiday) |
 |
(Beautiful Trondheim, Norway in May 2008) |
 |
| (That's me peeking from behind in the middle, mother in front and sister in red) |
From there we traveled north by car.....
 |
| (A Norwegian horse along the road) |
 |
| Rorvik, Norway. A statue in memory of all the women who faithfully waited for their men to return from sea. |
My sister asked the question, "So are we Viking women?" Our cousin Haldis just grinned. "Oh yes, you are Viking women!" We were pretty pumped after that!
Outside of Rorvik, we traveled to where my grandfather was born and raised. We saw the home where he lived.....
 |
| Grandpa's boyhood home |
Just wanted to share my Norwegian side. Looking back on that visit, it almost feels like a dream now. My grandfather was the only son (there were five boys) to immigrate to America. Meeting our family was a lifelong dream come true.
Next week is the big April A to Z blog hop, so I will be dropping out of the 'Celebrate' posts for the month. I know some of you are in the A to Z too, so I hope to see you then.
Happy Weekend Everyone!!
'Celebrate the Small Things' was started by Viklit at Scribblings of An Aspiring Author. Sign up below. Meet some terrific bloggers!
Sharon M. Himsl
Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011.
Published with Evernight Teen:
~~The Shells of Mersing
Wow, your trip to Norway sounds amazing! How cool that you got to meet your relatives there, and even where your grandfather had lived...
ReplyDeleteI still think back fondly to that 'amazing' trip and meeting our distant family. Hope you are having a good week, Heather!
DeleteThese pictures are gorgeous. It makes me want to write a book set there. Don't you want to, too?
ReplyDeleteHave always wanted to share more about my trip. Glad you enjoyed :) Yes, it would be fun to include Norway as a setting. Hmm....
DeleteThanks, Sharon, for sharing your "Norwegian mood." Great pictures of what sounds like a great trip.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks for posting your friend's articles from Africa. What an amazing woman on an even more amazing mission.
I'm glad you enjoyed this, Inge. My friend in Africa gets only a few comments but I know from the stats a lot are reading her story. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteThat must have been a truly incredible trip. Your new show looks great!
ReplyDeleteCheck it out. You might enjoy it too, Andrea. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteThanks Sharon for stopping by my blog. This is such a great post and such a good time for me to stop by as I love Norway. It is such a beautiful country and isn't it special to go back and find your roots? I grew up in Sweden, but I had never been to the place where my mother's grandparents lived and on one trip back, my cousin and I found it. Another red house.....
ReplyDeleteI thankful roots that allowed me to find my family....and it is probably no coincidence the house was red. They are all so colorful. I hope the work around in the upper left hand corner allows you to join. I've been dealing with problems all week until I discovered the solution. Apparently others have had problems too!!
DeleteP.S. I tried to follow your blog but it didn't work, so I will come back later and try again.
ReplyDeleteI like those colorful houses. That would never get past my neighborhood association.
ReplyDeleteI'm now following your blog. Didn't have any problem doing so.
Lee
Wrote By Rote
An A to Z Co-host blog
Thanks so much, Arlee. I have no idea why some are not having problems joining and the rest of us are. I've checked my settings and googled this more than once. The work-around I know of actually works. (Thanks to a fellow blogger; see upper left hand corner). See you in the A-Z!!
DeleteSounds like it was a fun trip. I had heard about that show, but I hadn't had a chance to catch it. Glad to hear it lives up to the hype.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what hype you have heard, but it is certainly different!
DeleteThanks for sharing these beautiful pictures. I should start planning to visit Norway, seems like a interesting place.
ReplyDeleteThank you. You would find it interesting too. When we went, it was during the midnight sun. It never gets dark during that time of year.....and it is quite strange to experience. Our family had to tell us it was time for bed, even though it was light out!
DeleteYou know, that's a series I wondered about on Netflix. Thanks for the heads up and review!
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are so lovely and serene. Makes me want to visit now. Thanks for sharing.
Oh and PS I've added your wonderful blog to my Bloglovin' Feed so I can keep up with you now. Yay.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Julie, and for your kind comments. "Serene" really describes the landscape well. I've added you to follow as well :)
DeleteHi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteDelighted to make your acquaintance at your blog :)
My dear Viking friend, the photos, the thoughts within your posting, are truly admired. Thoughts of Norway fill my head and not being that far from that magical land, I shall endeavour to visit one day.
Thanks for that link that mentions the Google Friend Connect workaround. It can take several times to get it to work. Finally, Google gives up and lets one follow. It appears that Mr. Alphabet aka Arlee, didn't have any problems.
Have fun with the A to Z.
Gary :)
Klahanie, I can't thank you enough for helping me solve my problem. There were so many blogs I wanted to join, and couldn't.....and then people were saying they were having trouble with mine. Enough already!! Grrr....about Google's 'big brother' control over this gadget. I guess they want us to drop it in favor of Google+, which I have by the way, but the problem with Google+ is it makes it exceedingly difficult to find one's blog! I joined because some blogs are Google+ and didn't realize they were cutting off Blogger commenters by checking that one box (which I didn't do btw). Anyway, I now add a link to my comments so people can find me! (I hope this helps others out there :-)
DeleteThanks for checking out my blog! I enjoyed reading your post about Norway as my husband has Norwegian heritage. Looking forward to A to Z to commence! www.thingsmymothertaught.com
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie. Thank you! I love your theme and know from experience there are indeed a ton of things we learn from our mother. Looking forward to your posts.
Delete