Sunday

I just finished reading "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz, and it was beautiful and horrible and mysterious and grounded all at once. I loved it. A truly good book.

It's been a gloomy, rainy day today. Mostly read my book, and the newspapers and slept and had tea and watched Helge play games. We were out last night, at The Villa (whohoo!), was cool place. A little trendy, shit expensive of course, but what would you expect? Really?

Feeling a slight bit under the weather and haven't even brushed my hair, but there you go. It is what Sundays are for*.

We are going over to my brother's tonight, which is nice!

*They are not, contrary to what the church believes, for making a hella noise and being mean to other people. Seriously. Stop bashing my brains in.

...

Rest in Peace Cleo :(

I love you so much. And thanks everyone for your support! And mama I am so sorry, I wish I could be with you and hug you all day.

Cleo

Cleo, the best dog in the universe

I don't know how to say this.

Cleo's liver is failing, and she doesn't eat much. She weighs less than 28 kilos now.

She is on a liver-improving diet and she's getting some pills, but she wont eat much, and she wont consistently take the pills. Whenever she gets up, Ulla gets all excited and starts licking Cleo's face as much as she can. Cleo doesn't even have the enthusiasm to tell her to piss off.

I am getting pretty certain that this is the end for her, and I wish it wouldn't be so slow and humiliating. Starving herself to death. She really was meant to eat herself to death. Salmon and waffles and all the love she could handle.

I try to tell myself that she is only a dog, but she is so much more. She is family and such a great friend, and I know she's had a good life, and I know it can't last forever. But I wish it could.

I will keep you all posted!

My trip to Istanbul

Some delicious looking mosque

Okay, flay me alive and call me a suitcase! I actually came home from Istanbul on SUNDAY, which is several days ago. And I am so sorry for not telling you "all about it" and posting pictures, or anything at all. Accept my humble apologies!

But yes. I wont bore you more. Here are all the juicy, not so juicy and all the dry details!

Dad and stepmum enjoying some  Lokma Tatlisi

I travelled with my dad, my stepmum and Helge last Thursday like at the crack of dawn. The trip was originally a gift from my dad for my 18th birthday, which is three years ago. And now we had finally found the time to go! We had a flight connection through Riga, Latvia and landed at the Ataturk airport in Istanbul where we sat and watched our own perspiration for half an hour because the driver was stuck in traffic. They really do drive like mad men those Turks! I tell you that much. But somehow he got us to our small hotel close to Sultanahmed on the Golden Horn (which we may consider the "old" part of town, even though most of the city is so old anyway that it really doesn't make that much sense).

Balik Ekmek! Nom nom!

The staff at our hotel were so strange. During a power cut one night we approached the hotel doors and the receptionist pretended to give us a sci-fi face scan in the dark with sound effects and all to see if we would be allowed to enter. It was hilarious! And the waiters at the rooftop restaurants were so animated and gesticulated so wildly that we were entertained every minute we sat there. It would appear the Turks have a really inclusive sense of humour.

All over Istanbul there were old Hamam's (Turkish baths), mosques, remnants of Byzantine city walls, fantastic wooden palaces and parks, pavilions, side walks the size of dachshunds, and stalls selling assorted Turkish fast food. Of which I loved the most the Simit (the skinny bagel-shaped breads covered in toasted sesame seeds),  Lokma Tatlisi (sweet, deep fried doughnuts smothered in syrup, cinnamon and ground pistachio), and the Balik Ekmek (fresh grilled fish sandwiches with onion).

They also had stalls all over selling grilled or boiled sweetcorn, roasted chestnuts and their famous "stretchy" icecream, Dondurma. Of which the latter the Turkish eat a staggering 2,8 litres each a year! This strange icecream is made of a product derived from orchids called "salep" and also arabic gum ("mastic" - not the same as gum arabic!), which is why it is so stretchy. I thought it was quite nice, but as with all other Turkish desserts it is intensely sweet. I wonder what they think of our desserts.

The Bagdad pavillion inside the palace

Detail from a door inside the harem

Anyway, we visited the Topkapi palace which was the home of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years. It was extremely big, and we got to hear of the grand viziers and the concubines - which was exotic to say the least. By the way the audio tour is a grand ripoff and it basically just reads you what it says on the plaques positioned around the palace. Actually - it doesn't even do that. It said less. Anyway. We didn't get to see the treasury because of all the crazy tourist people that had formed a line the length of the great wall of China. We did however get to see the relics - including a golden cast of the hand of John the Baptist, the turban of Joseph, the sword, a cloak and some of the Prophet Mohammed's beard(!). Oh, and of course the staff of Moses - which if I may add - looked very springy despite being about 3500 years old.

Detail from one of the harem windows.

The view from the palace was grand, the harem was the most interesting bit, we saw the guards gigantic mirrors that allowed them to keep watch around corners - the hamam (Turkish bath) of the concubines, the sultan's mother's quarters and even the sultan's toilet! We also visited the large swimming pool "where the dwarves did tricks" according to the audio guide. The dwarves were not mentioned before nor after this statement was made during the tour. But apparently it was probably good entertainment when you were sick of toying with your 300 concubines. 

We also saw the Blue Mosque which wasn't really as impressive as I'd expected. First of all it wasn't nearly blue enough, and though the grand dome and the intricate iznik tiles were very splendid indeed - the spectacular mosque seemed somewhat smaller on the inside because of the low wrought iron chandeliers that hung low above the floor. But now I've been there and at least that's one more thing checked off my list!

One of the gold streets in the Grand Bazaar

We did spend hours traversing the Grand Bazaar which is one of the largest indoor markets in the world. They mostly sold a lot of junk to be honest, we did buy Turkish tea, teacups and a gunmetal hookah that is quite awesome if I may say so myself. I also got a longer gold chain for my opal necklace. The carpets and the jewellery was simply amazing and among the things that are definitely worth purchasing when in Turkey.

Iskender kebab. Really nice!

I would've bought tons more myself, I am just not cut out for haggling it appears. And being a naive Norwegian I absolutely hated to make purchases. They were always trying to rip you off, quite nastily. And because everything is so sickeningly expensive where I come from - then how could I possibly tell? Luckily my stepmum is a badass haggler and dad drove a carpetseller to the edge of madness. He wanted to sell his 250€ carpet for 50€ because he got so desperate when dad didn't want it. Giggle.

So the haggle culture was what I disliked the most, definitely - that and that it felt as if I couldn't trust anyone, they would take my tourist money without blinking if the situation allowed it.

Constantine's Pillar was really nice, and positioned quite near one of the Grand Bazaar entrances. Constantine himself had it brought over at around year 330 to mark the transfer of the seat of the Roman empire from Rome to Istanbul (Constantinople). He also supposedly buried some relics beneath the fantastical porphyry pillar, like the axe Noah used to build the Ark. Yay!

The Bosporus strait

We went on a boat trip up the Bosporus (the strait separating east from west) and saw all the fantastic luxury hotels and houses, the old fortress, a graveyard and countless amazing mosques and wooden palaces.I will definitely recommend such a trip to anyone who wants to see as much of Istanbul as they can if they don't have a lot of time on their hands.

Hagia Sophia from a distance

But there you go. We saved the Hagia Sofia (Aya Sofia) for last. Thank goodness, or nothing else would've seemed impressive. The huge structure is a 1500 year old church that served as a mosque during the 1500s and is now a museum. Kind of both, but neither. Underneath painted plaster are amazing, ancient mosaics of Christ and standard motives - while the world's biggest calligraphy plaques are hung in four corners of the dome. The stained glass are with calligraphic motives, there is a mihrab, minbar and outside is an Islamic washing font. A religious fusion cocktail. At the southern entrance there are Byzantine bronze doors that were added around year 800, really beautiful.

The dome of the Hagia Sophia, if you enlarge it you can see the masked and unmasked angels - the faces were discovered earlier this year!

The dome which is almost 60 metres above the floor took my breath away. It was created by some Greek architects that also decided that the centre of the earth was within the church, slightly to the right in the main hall. It was seriously huge. From the outside it looked like a city all in itself, and it still holds many uncovered secrets as a lot of the original mosaics are still plastered up. It was built with a lot of stolen goods from plundered pagan temples such as some incredible Hellenistic porphyry columns. You see the Byzantine were incredible at recycling. It was the most amazing thing we visited that didn't include food on this trip!

Hagia Sophia seen from the side

We ate insane amounts of kebab and köfte (Turkish meatballs) and drank litres of Turkish apple tea whenever possible. We journeyed home, had some depressing "Soviet-pizza" at the airport in Riga (although it tasted nice!) and when we came home our house wasn't on fire. That's nice.

So yes. I don't think I could've made that any more informative and dry. Sorry. But it's all true what happened. And I am thoroughly fascinated, so forgive me. I am guessing it is TLDR anyway.

Sunset over Istanbul.

Thanks for a fantastic trip everyone!

Games I've played

Mum was notorious about getting involved with what games we played when we were kids (to some extent, she is still very involved actually). Which meant we didn't play the same ones as the other kids in the neighbourhood. Nor the violent or the lame. The only reason we ever got our sticky fingers on GoldenEye for the N64 eventually, was because of peer-pressure from all the other kids - and it was never something Mama willingly allowed.

So when I was little I played games like "Peke og Klikke" ("Point and Click"), "Dr. Seuss' ABC", "Harry and The Haunted House", "Bub & Bob" and the demo version of "The Tortoise and The Hare" (the latter, probably a gazillion times). And as I grew up a little, I played "SimCity", "Diddy Kong Racing", "The Settlers (II, III and IV)", "Super Mario 64", "Donky Kong 64", "Banjo Kazooie", "The Legend of Zelda: "Ocarina of Time"/"Majora's Mask"/"The Wind Waker"/"Twilight Princess". And not to forget "Banjo Tooie", "Theme Park World", "Wave Race", "Jet Force Gemini", "Star Fox 64", "Theme Hospital", and several more, but I can't remember them all.

Of course I also played "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance", "Black & White", "Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life", "Rayman: Raving Rabbids (and the following titles)", "Pikmin" and "Pikmin 2" Tink and I really rock at this, "Rollercoaster Tycoon 2" and "3", "World of Warcraft", "Spore", "Sim: Civilization", "Theme Park Inc", "Zoo Tycoon", "Age of Empires II", "1080 Avalanche", "Luigi's Mansion", "Soul Calibur II" and "Soul Calibur IV". Of course I wouldn't go without admitting to have enjoyed countless hours of "The Sims" and "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 3" as well. Of course most of my gaming career has been spent as a spectator, watching my superior big brother break all the scores or simply fly around with Mario's flying hat in Super Mario 64 for hours on end.

For some time I was the smallest of my siblings, so no wonder there was no patience to watch me struggle past the bosses or attempt foolishly to get from platform to platform when my siblings were committing harakiri by my side. And I really enjoyed being on the side-line and just immerse without the actual danger of holding the controller. So it was great. And they needed someone to help solve the puzzles through the Zelda games, or keep them company while ploughing through blue ant-like aliens in "Jet Force Gemini". I was usually lying half beneath the big basement sofa, for what reason I can't recall at all. I hate spiders!

But gaming has always been a very social thing in our household. Whenever we bought a new game we would gather up and wait for everyone to be settled in front of the television set and watch the intro together. And mum would do the ironing and  we'd invite Sigrid's friends over to help with collecting all 121 stars in Super Mario 64, tempting them here with waffles. And that is the most important part of playing games for me. I have enjoyed those hours in solitude - just building "The Most Beautiful Park in The Country" in "Theme Park World" or gathered treasure in "Pikmin" by myself.

So I think there is a reason why people bunch up to watch films together - which is for the same reason people bunch up together at a LAN party. Because everything is worth so much more when enjoyed with someone else. We are pack animals, and we like to share special experiences with our own kin. I hope this is something that will remain in the future of game developing and gaming. And I don't mean in the sense that all games from now on should be MMO's or only playable in coop, not at all. Just that we as people shouldn't think that gaming means to be sitting in a dark room alone, drinking red bull and shooting zombies.

My holiday to Singapore

This is the short version, mind. But if you want the long one you just have to ask. I just figured two weeks mashed into one post would be a little exhausting for you to read.

Singapore was really really hot! I had a great time, and I hope my grandmother and my sister, Sigrid did, too! We ate a little (too much) excellent food and saw a lot of museums, went shopping, saw the botanical gardens, ate some more, did some tours and visited Sigrid's office. Mmh! And we had lots of prata, nom nom!  It was really warm in the peak hours of the day, and we walked and walked - through shops and museums. It was lovely. I don't think I know a place with so many shopping malls as Singapore. And because we were there during the last part of their Chinese new year celebration there were crazy decorations all over the place. Oh oh! And we had a manicure and pedicure done! That made me feel very feminine. I am not known for being that.

We also spent a weekend in Cambodia (Siem Reap), which was incredible. I am so in love with the place, the people were so friendly and happy all the time! A clear contrast to Singapore (they are mostly happy there, that's not what I meant) but skyscrapers and a sleek metro is replaced by shacks on sticks, and tuktuks.

We saw a lot of rice fields and lotuses in Cambodia, I mean, how many times do you see that in Europe? And the rainforest foliage of Singapore is incredibly exotic. So much green mashed in with all that modern architecture. The food in Siem Reap too, was excellent - so fresh and so much delicious fruit! The ruins of Angkor wat were absolutely unbelievable. We also saw a vast amount of other ruins, like Bayon, Banteay Srei and Ta Prohm. The latter being my favourite I think. And we have been very fortunate to go these amazing places. Despite the fact that we were sweating our own brains out - it was still a very humbling experience. This is the sun setting over the floating village in Cambodia.

If you want to hear more, I'd be happy to tell you! Those are my feet :( You should see them without the bandages!

Last but not least, as I had journeyed far and slept little, turned the corner and discovered that my block was on fire!

And this is one of those very unsettling feelings I think I'll have a hard time getting rid of. It is truly unbelievable  to return from holiday and be met with such a sight. I can't even leave you guys for two weeks without you causing a rumpus! Four fire engines, three people taken away in an ambulance, one man rescued out of the window, and across the street, Helge is trying to call me, in shoes with no socks. And what can I do? I laugh.

I mean, worst thing that can happen is that my house burns down and that I lose all my stuff, which would be a true pain in the ass - but what can I do about it? As long as all living things are safe, the rest is just... stuff! And sentimentally valued and irreplaceable stuff at that, I know. But I was standing across the street with two suitcases, freezing - watching the flames lick their way up outside the building.

We've been incredibly lucky, after being evacuated by the police we waited for a few hours as the flames ceased and the firefighters cleared the area. I was given a jumper by a kind neighbour who also took hand of my luggage for me - I gave her a bottle of wine as thanks! And then a firefighter told us we should go check out our apartments and return if they were destroyed. We just went straight up and found our place completely unscathed. That is where I am sitting now. So, yay! And this is what I see when I walk out my door. Close!

Keep dreaming of the dogs

I miss the dogs soo bad. How people can live without them at all.

IIh, and my jaw hurts so bad! It even hurts to talk and eat, my two favourite things! It's that darn tooth growing through my gums, I can see why babies have a strong need to inform everyone about their pain. Uaah!

But anyway, that doesn't really matter, a bit of warm water and some wok sorts it out for a bit. And anyway I don't really have the time to think of teeth when NaNoWriMo starts on monday and I still have no clue what to write about. To save time and energy I might have to take one of my previous stories and just rewrite it. But how dull is that? Any ideas? Sci-fi was excellent fun last year, but I don't really think it is my genre as I had to research a lot - and seeing it's NaNo - there's no time to! Anybody else joining this year? 30 days of literary abandon? It is magical, I'm freaking out and looking forward to it at the same time.

OOooh, and on friday it's Halloween, what'cha all going to dress up as? I dreamt I had the best idea ever and I was so relieved, but I've forgotten what it was so I'm back to square one again. Iih. But we have a party to see to on Friday and we definitely have to go out on Saturday as well, I love dressing up - Halloween is like my second Christmas!

And Sigrid is coming home from Singapore for a brief encounter (read: brunch) at my mums place on Saturday - whiii! And on Sunday I'm going to do absolutely nothing. Maybe I'll go for a walk up to the church, it's lovely there, all the autumn colours, and then go vegetate in our sofa with a blanket and just relax for once. Odds are - it wont happen. Not a chance. But I don't really mind, we can rest in the grave!

Look at Ulla, look how small she is! My, has she grown fast!

Ga-BLAH!

We made this huuge salad today with apples and tomatoes and cucumber and salad and lish - with crisp chicken and some rice with sour cream. Yum! I also bought some ridiculously cheap imported mango juice that's really rich and delightful.

It's so cold outside and everyone hates it. It's so unfair because the last few days it's been bright and sunny which makes you want to go out and then the wind bites you in the nose and it hurts. Ow!

The weirdest thing about moving out is not having dogs anymore. I was prepared for missing them a lot, but not THIS much. You know. I miss them loads! :( It just seems strange and empty, so maybe I'll get an electronic robot-pig, you know the cheap ones and just stuff a battery in it and throw some cheese at it to see if it helps fill the void. It is the weirdest thing how much a dog means to a family. I couldn't quite imagine mine without one! (Or two).

In other neeews, any good ideas for what to dress up for on Halloween? I was thinking Old Gregg at first, then maybe someone else out of the Mighty Boosh, Tink wanted to be Mr. Susan, which is a great idea, really. The mirror wooorld!

This is the view from our bedroom window, with creepy clouds.

Autumn in Oslo, the leaves are so beautiful.

Doesn't look natural at all, really

And this is another romantic autumn picture I took.

Weirdos and Children

A strange man with a walrus mustache (it really made him look like a walrus!) was peeking into the shop today, while talking to himself. This side of town surely has its rich selection of originals, I must say. There's the one-legged guy playing fetch with his invisible dog, the hairy one who sits in the park and drinks beer, the one with the glasses taking the bus back and forth all day, drinking chocolate milk - and there's the creepy lady with the shopping bags that really does look like a living dead, but who surprisingly talks and behaves frighteningly sane and actually quite nice. That is, when she is not wandering around slooowly, staring right ahead. So far on the other side to where I have moved now, I have noticed nothing weirder than the old drunks sitting on the railroad-bridge far up the main street.

But I suppose I'll find them soon enough, and I mean, the stereotype football-supporters are definitely there, and I think they are quite weird. I do. Speaking of weird there is also a primary school near us and all these first graders are walking alone to school - which is fine, but it hit me how small they are. I mean, this might seem like an outrage to you, but - children are tiny! They really are! I don't know at what point I was supposed to realize - because as a child I always thought grown-ups were so enormous - and obviously I am one of them now. But it just hasn't quite set previously.

I remember as a child whenever I was with my dads side of the family who are all part American or American - or Norwegian and they would often speak English to each other. I guess sometimes you can just express yourself a lot better in English, but I was always frightened when they were talking over my head like that, I never told anyone but I was convinced they were plotting to eat me. I was actually really scared.

That's a way growing up, huh? Later I have discovered that they usually just say uninteresting things when talking above the childrens heads anyway, well - at least not half as interesting as it would be if they were planning to eat someone.

The clouds from the car.

Efterklang at Chateau Neuf, it was lovely.

Shared two buckets of beer with Ulrik.

Random grafitti about the bird flu.

Happy!

I am so excited, for whatever reason - I need to think of something to cook for dinner, and I really want to do something fun tonight! My room is an awful mess, worse than it's been in a looong time. My things are everywhere, and yet I wake up and I look out the window and take a picture instead of tidying up. It is just that there's so much to do. So much. And as usual I am fraying at the edges because I can't get myself to do any of it - seeing it's impossible to find a place to start.

I like to put icecubes in my juice, it's very refreshing.

Yesterday I hung out with Helge, we watched comedy central clips and listened to drum n' bass. It feels weird that I have to go home when I've been at his place, even though it is pretty much a cupboard, I already feel at home when I'm with him! So it's unnatural that I have to leave. But I'm moving out soon, which'll be really weird to say the least, I can't wait. Even though nobody thinks that I should. It's difficult when I don't get any support either, everyone thinks I'm making a mistake and that I'll hit a wall and regret it all my life. Thank you.

We're creating these characters for a game-concept at school and I spent the whole of last week just wringing my brains out for an idea. As usual I got it when I'd gone to bed, and it was as if it had been obvious all along to me, then. But it was a long walk to the nearest pen and paper so I had to lie and think about it for hours and then sleep restlessly until I could work it out in the morning. OH! Yes, and we were in Sweden at our new summerhouse this weekend. Torstein and mum and my stepdad have been there the past few weekends, but this was my first time there. Such a cozy, quiet place, we ate lots of good food and Torstein and I played cards. The dogs absolutely steam down there, they're everywhere and snoring in the grass at the same time. It is such a joy to see them that happy. The worst thing about going home was that they like it so much there. I took pictures, I'll post them. Promise!

Apart from that, it's a sunny day! Let's do some laundry and see what other mischief to get up to!

Two white doors and a dead orchid

Today the weather is absolutely stunning!

And when my brother and I finally stumbled our way down from our rooms - belsebub had wrecked complete havoc in the livingroom. I should've taken a picture, but really that wasn't relevant in my brain at the time.

She had ripped one of the orchids down from the windowsill, and it lay splayed on the carpet, leaves torn off - bark and cracked pottery everywhere. On top of this lay her pink pig toy, tied up in the remains of my wesc bongo headset. She had also managed somehow, to spray one of the armchairs in more bark and orchid limbs. Her path of destruction followed us into the kitchen, where she had tipped over Cleo's food container. It appeared to be so much left that Cleo couldn't possibly have discovered it. I was mostly horrified by my headphones in pieces. Luckily they still work, I just need to substitute some chewed out bits and then glue it all together. *Snort*

In other news, here is some music for you. It'll be something mood-less, it could either be a happy song, or a sad song - depending on your mood. Quite nice. Today I chose them being happy songs!

A Love Story by Thomas Dybdahl (Spotify)

Things That I Don't Understand by Coldplay (Spotify)

Soul Meets Body by Death Cab for Cutie (For you, Tink!) (Spotify)

And completely out of context; Melt by Way Out West. (Spotify)

I've been searching around the web for more Gordon Ramsay recipes, as I am always pleased when cooking them. Like his Yorkshire Puddings! Delicious. Anyone have any recipes they'd like to share? Yum!

These are two doors. In Oslo somewhere.

900 - Letter to Singapore

Dear Sigrid

I wouldn't say a lot has happened since you left. It has after all only been two days. But truthfully it kind of feels like a long time. Maybe because we've known about it and thought about it for such a long time it was if you already belonged in Singapore. Though of course, you do belong here, too. The weather's been rather gloomy, we're all slowly getting ill. Torstein is, Hamre and me, too. So the house is now just filled with snot, and dog's hair. Hamre, Torstein and Mum are driving down to Sweden tomorrow to take over our new summerhouse. They are bringing so much stuff with them that they've rented a van. We're all quite looking forward to seeing it and spending time together there. If the dogs knew what was going on, they'd be psyched too.

As for school we are already working on a case project in teams. Preparing a complete high conceptual design for a browser-based computergame in relation to the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. We have this one German guy in the group, he's good fun, but his ideas are pretty far out most of the time. And the introduction to the project was rather poor - so the teams are running about, frustrated and confused about what we are actually supposed to be doing. And there's a lot of formalities and paperwork that is time consuming, but most of it is fun to do, and some time in the future of the project we'll be pleased to have all that documentation. ... I hope.

Ulla is getting her hair cut today, it's necessary actually. And tomorrow night there'll be this huuge party at Betong for the entire school. Though I am not sure too many will show up. I wonder if anybody know it's happening, that's usually were we go wrong. Forgetting to hand out the invitations. But oh well.

We miss you and we think of you all the time, we'll all come visit sometime too, and then we'll bring you Norwegian necessities. And you have to take me to the botanical gardens because we didn't get a good look at the bonsai tree garden!

With love, Tora.

Here is a picture of you, doing what you do best - be fascinated and soulful on something really weird. Like this magnificent castle in Portugal you are here studying the map of. Too bad it came out blurry!

Oh, and this is, incidentally my post number 900! Whoha.

Tuesday morning

Oh myy. If this lesson on Scrum gets any more interesting, we all might just exh-plode. Yesterday I bought Snow Patrol's "new" album (newest would be more appropriate, or most recent, obviously), that means "A Hundred Million Suns". And of course - Arctic Monkeys' "Humbug", which is actually still new. Though sadly, not as indie as I would ideally like it.

But then, I can't really win every time.

I'll have a good listen through, and then I'll tell you what I think. Not like you have a choice.

My sister went to Singapore today, or she is leaving today, that would be more accurate. I am truly happy for her because she's worked so hard all her life (she still does) and if anyone deserves such great career opportunities, it must be her. However it's really heart-breaking to be witnessing a couple like Sigrid and Axel being split across the globe once more. They don't deserve that.

My throat is all sore, so I had a Strepsils cough lozenge, but it really tasted awful, and it didn't make my throat any better either. I'd like some warm soup or some tea or perhaps some blackcurrant toddy. Today the forecast said rain. A perfect day to listen to "Pulling Our Weight" by Radio Department.

Here is a picture of dogs. They are Rottweillers. Meow. How cute is that? I want to be one too

Nice kitty

I find it amusing when people cuss and overreact. Really. Sometimes angry people can be so funny. And I guess that has to be the meanest thing ever, to laugh at someone who's upset. I can't say I've ever done it, not as far as I can recall. Not in their faces, at least - probably afterwards. But I've had my share of angry, several family members have the temper of a pregnant dragon, or a vampire breastfeeding. So I should know how to handle a sea urchin with all its spikes out.

Personally I can't even remember the last time I was angry. Like, really angry. I've been upset, annoyed, edgy - maybe a little splenetic, but I wouldn't say angry. No, I know what angry means and it is absolutely nothing like the above. Angry is something more. I'm thinking fuming, red-in-the-face, stomping, slamming, accelerating, fist clenching, unforgiving and tunnel-visioned angry. I think when I blow, I'm gonna blow so you hear it in the shower. In the locked bathroom, 3rd floor, your flat in Oxford. Actually Oxford, Boston (near Wai Wai Ice Cream). You gonna hear it, hopefully. I don't recall how angry I can be, so I might be disappointed when I find out.

Actually I think I might have used my quota of anger during my childhood. I wasn't angry often, I think, I usually never had to be. My parents gifted me with some kind of irresistable, manipulative charm that I abused to the fullest and that pretty much allowed me to do whatever I wanted to. It was only when it became apparent to me that I really wasn't going to get my will, that I blew up like an unbalanced soufflé. Actually I got so angry my eyes slid up my skull and I fainted, that's what happened. My temper was too overwhelming for my small body, I simply couldn't handle it.

Actually, in retrospect that kind of scares me.

Poodleh!

Our little bundle of hair has arrived, we picked her up yesterday. In fact she's quite a bully, and I think we're definitely going to have a handful with her. No doubt. But she appears to be getting housewarm fairly quick. She probably wishes there was more playfulness left in Cleo (which is already quite cheeky for being 10 years old), but there are limits for what even the most tolerant Rottweiller can take. Which is fair enough.

Sigrid and Axel are coming home for a bit to adore this little lump until they get sick of it and go back to Bergen.

We're still at loss with the name, but we have to settle on something soon!

What's new? Poodle-ooH!

It's getting so green outside so quickly! All the leaves are popping out as if they have nothing better to do. I couldn't possibly be more uninspired at the moment, but I figured that if I forced myself to update - maybe I'd think of something to write as I went along. But I think I was wrong, unfortunately. 

The only thing that's new is really that we are expecting our second dog soon! Cleo is getting older now and we wanted her personality to rub off on the next dog before she passes on. Seeing as Cleo is completely confused when it comes to the seasons - she pretty much shakes off her fur in big balls the whole year around. Unecessary to say this has required some intense vacuuming to prevent getting a black wall to wall carpet in our house. So we decided to get a poodle this time! A black one. Because as you may know they have hair instead of fur so we wont have that immensely "hairy" issue as we have had for the past ten years. And it's also my responsibility to cut the poodle's hair! whEEE!

blip.

We haven't thought of a name yet, it's a girl - so if you have any suggestions, please pop it in the comments box that is now (confusingly) on top of each blog post. Oh, and I found some wondrous images of various poodle haircuts, take a look:

I just thought this one was so cute that I had to put it here, too.

Cleo! Darling!

A Rottweiller doesn't usually get old. Our dog is the best dog in the world. She has the shiniest fur and the most contageous smile, sometimes she wags her tail and sneezes at you. She's the one a home that is always happy to see you! Isn't that quite something?

She turned 10 on March 8th, I'm considering every day extra as a gift - borrowed time. While she doesn't seem old, or behave maturly at all, she probably hasn't got long. Cleo was at the doctor today, for surgery (again). It has been some time since last, but again they removed some kind of bump that I found when scratching her tummy (which she loves a lot). She's out of surgery now, still a little confused from the haze of drugs, but she's getting better. I bet she'll be her usual self by tonight - at least by tomorrow morning!

I can't believe how grateful I am for having "grown up" alongside such a beautiful person as Cleo. It seems surreal that she - like everyone - will be gone one day. But I'll remember her forever, and I wont start grieving until she's gone, so as far as I'm concerned, I'm thrilled and happy as long as she's still alive. Every day is a gift, that is why it is called the present.

Pickle!

I am sipping from a small glass of Bristol Cream, it is very nice. Tastes just like Zul'Gurub. It really does. Right now I feel a little out of place, it is unusually quiet here at the moment. And Sigrid has gone back to Bergen, so she nor Axel are here to entertain me :(

I think I am going to draw something, yes yes, that will make the time pass quicker!

And what are everyone's plans for easter, anyway? I hope I get to do some decorations or something this year, because I've been bad at showing any kind of initiative at that for aaaages. And I took a picture of this excellent looking thingy in Germany, real tacky, sparkly, overdone, AND disgusting. I loved it to bits you know, that's exactly the way these things are supposed to look. I know I have said this before, but frankly it really can't be said enough, when it comes to decorations for any holiday - if it is actually in taste - it's bad taste. Okay? We green, here? I really hope so.

Thank you. 

Hmm.. And dark red has always been my favourite colour, I only just realized, but it's true. The warmth, the strength and the dominating qualities of this colour has always stunned me. It's royal and alive, kind of. I'm not sure I can explain! It's just so vibrant, it could have something to do with the cold here, and that the revitalizing heat of this shade of red feels so embracing against the chill, but it's also possible that I suffer from some kind of obsession with it. You never know. Right?

Happy new year!

This is another picture I took in Portugal, it is my sister in the corner there. I love this picture, the mood is fairytale-like.

In other news, happy new year! I don't have the time to write you another ridiculously strange post about nothing in particular, because I am writing a novel and my last will and testament. Not because I am expecting to die, but because if you are not prepared - how are you supposed to live? Enough about life and death, have some biscuits!

Feature post: Torstein: Go go Tora Rangers!

Bonjour! Since you all appreciated the last post, I thought I might make another one!

About Tora!

This very rare and twisted specimen makes you wonder; “What was going on in His mind when He created this… this… thing?” well… either He had too much of the Absolut*, or He fell down the stairs.
Already as a 5 year old, the Tora develops the strange phenomenon; Twisted-ness.
The twisted-ness is a hormone that goes to the brain, and obtains complete control of the body. The first sign is when the Tora cuts off ONE of her pigtails. Fascinating indeed.

Now… The Tora often has family. In this case; a little brother, a bigger brother and a bigger sister. Since I am the little brother, I must say; I am lucky to have a Tora as a bigger sister, but… have you EVER tried to do your homework while you sister is sitting next to you while trying to shove an entire orange into her mouth?

Though at the bottom, the exhausted squeaky toys that Tora is using as a heart-- are lovely beings.

Sincerely, Torstein.
*Vodka