 |
| Dian painting Laara's table and chairs with a varnish |
Thankfully the 15-year-old’s birthday party with thumping bass coming through Laara’s walls didn’t last too far into the night and we all got a good night’s sleep. Nicole and Dian were pretty much over their lingering colds and so we decided we were up for a trip to a nearby island. How lucky we were to be invited to secluded Brunoya Island. We had to pull our little ferryboat over by winding a cable! The day was gorgeous and before we left we all did some chores.
 |
| More Russ buses |
Dian was given a paintbrush and quickly weather proofed a table and chair for Laara’s patio while Charles made breakfast eggs with cilantro, sausage and cheese. Nicole washed up dishes and Laara figured out the directions to her friends Chris and Ragnhilv's house all while sweeping the floors.
We walked up to the brand new mall to buy groceries then packed Laara’s car, which Charles drove. We opted to drive by downtown Oslo before heading further out into the wooded area where the island was. Dian kept a weathered eye out for a moose but no dice. (A neighbor had told her that moose sightings WERE possible).
 |
Working for our vacation! The only access to the island was
by way of a hand-powered ferry. It is in operation rain or shine. |
 |
| A tree trunk going against the grain! |
 |
| We didn't see a moose, but we did find Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs |
When we arrived at the island after waiting for our turn on the ferry, we still had a mile hike in front of us. Oh, what a beautiful path we took to the little house where Laara had been invited many times but had never had a chance to visit. On the way we nodded hello to a large group passing the other way and Laara, who was looking down at her GPS didn’t notice it was the friends we were visiting (plus another woman, Kristine and her baby Sarah). It was comical when they all trooped back a half hour later and found us ensconced on their couch (dry, while they unfortunately got a bit wet in the rain).
 |
| Kristine and Sarah |
Chris, Laara and their friend Eivind all huddled together in the kitchen for a couple of hours of business talk while the Happy Trails Gang met Ragnhilv’s mom who proudly held her first grandchild, Jasio. Dian immediately did a sketch with water color of the two babies but having forgotten her paint brush, had to dip her finger in the coffee and then paint. The family seemed to like the finished effect though.
The portraits Dian did of the babies:
Nicole sketched in her sketchbook and while we were sitting in the sun (that had decided to come back out) Ragnhilv’s mother made waffles in two irons which were served with her homemade raspberry jam. BLISS! We were honored to be asked to sign or draw in their guest book and Nicole came up with an illustration of a Troll eating jam and waffles and Tusen Takk (Thousand Thanks).. (Laara said the Trolls in Norway can turn into rocks so we left a painted Troll rock under a tree near the pathway.)
 |
| A little troll we planted by the foot a tree |
 |
| A sort of sled used to transport groceries in the snow |
We left at about 5:30 for home where Laara made us DELICIOUS fresh caught cod for dinner with roasted fennel, broccoli and pesto pasta with wine. Fageddaboudit! We were definitely living the high life. After a quick call to Colleen, (Laara’s mom and our friend), we chatted about LIFE then brought out the guitar for some Joni Mitchell and other folk songs that the four of us harmonized on (minus a thumping bass).
 |
| Trying to keep the candles straight was a group effort |
We walked up to the brand new mall to buy groceries then packed Laara’s car, which Charles drove. We opted to drive by downtown Oslo before heading further out into the wooded area where the island was. Dian kept a weathered eye out for a moose but no dice. (A neighbor had told her that moose sightings WERE possible).
No comments:
Post a Comment