Posten Pulls Through for a Touchdown

It's here.  My Kitchenaid Stand Mixer came yesterday.  Incredibly fast, in my opinion, these posten people have their act together.  My husband says, it's only a couple hundred miles, why are you so impressed.  I'm easily impressed, I guess. It's sitting in my kitchen now, yelling "Stare at me, Stare at me!"  I'm trying to determine what I will make with it first... I got lots of ideas but most revolve around sweets, and I've notice this new bulge around my mid section so think I need to cut them out.  Worst timing possible, I know.  humm,  what to make?

KitchenAid, Heck Yah

New Years Resolution #2: Buy the ever illusive Kitchen Aid stand mixer.  Use it to make lots of things from scratch, including: a cake, cinnamon rolls and ground beef.  Find it a wonderful prominent place on my counter, for me to stare at with glee whenever I walk past the kitchen. 

This has been along time coming. I first decided I wanted one ages ago; well maybe not that long time.  I wanted one for a wedding present, so 9 months ago.  I wanted one since I borrowed my grandma's to make the best layered cake I've ever made.  With mom's help, of course.  I know some people swoon over this mixer for years and never get their hands on one.  For me, 9 months seemed like an eternity.

The stand mixer is half the price in the USA, but my hubby said "Nope, we get one overseas so it's 220-240V. We aren't having a voltage convertor in the kitchen."  Then we are in Norway,  and they cost so so so much.  How much, 6000NOK retail, which is about $1,000.00 USD; for something that costs $275 - $350 in the USA. 

So for Christmas I am to get my Stand Mixer, actually after Christmas in post-Christmas sales.  Then nowhere really put them on sale.  So no Stand Mixer.

Then, my parents are coming, my parents are coming. Out of the blue, next week already!  So I bought my hubby a meat grinder for the stand mixer, in the USA.  He said he wanted one,  for our new stand mixer, that we hadn't purchased yet...  So I might as well have my parents bring it over, as it's less than half price in the USA. Well, obviously under pressure, due to my initiative to start purchasing accessories for a device we don't own.  He bought one online.  It was a bit over 4000NOK; so 33% off of Norwegian retail with shipping.  Only double that which we would have paid in the USA. 

Today I was blessed with tracking numbers.  How excited am I?  This is how I explained it to my sister on facebook chat:

yah, got tracking numbers
i'm the s**t
i'm aweseome
i have something every housewife wants
a sexy man and a machine that can make cakes!
i am the s**t
yes i am
sh*t sh*t sh*t
that is me

Ok, It's been a long time coming. Forgive my enthusiasm.  I can not wait to fulfill my resolution.

How to pick out the American?

How to find your own among a sea of Vikings?  A game for those yanks abroad.

1) White Trainers (or as the Yanks say, Tennis Shoes)? with Socks?  Do they look like they are going to the gym, but they aren't.  Clear sign #1.

2) Big Shiny New Baseball Caps.  Do they look like a walking billboard for a sports team, brands or places they have visited? Are they supporting their employer, does it say #1 DAD?  Yah, no one else does that.  Just Americans.  The rest of the world wear sunglasses, by the way.

3) Affiliated Coats.  Walking billboard, once again.  Are you advertising people?

4) Crocs.  According to 99% of the world outside of the USA, Crocs are for gardening.

5) Overly Casual.  In T-Shirt & faded Jeans when everyone else is in Khaki's or Crisp Dressier Jeans & Polos or Button Downs.

 6) Camouflage.  Enough said.

 7)  Pump up the Volume.  Can you hear him/her the whole way across the restaurant?  Typical new-to-abroad American trait.  You can't hear the very intense conversation at the table just 2 feet away from you; but you can hear every word the American is saying the whole way across the room. Yah, be shhh....  Tone it down, lady.

8)  Complaining about things being different than home.  America is only the greatest country in the world, if you are from America or trying to immigrate there.  There is nothing wrong with things being a bit different.  If they are complaining about the smallest of differences, yah probably American.  Example of an American at a cafe:  "Why is there no sugar and milk for my coffee?,  Why is the service so slow?,  Why is it so expensive?  I shouldn't have to pay for water and ice.  Bring me Tap Water. In America these things are free.  In America the service is better, in America....  blah blah"  You get the point.

9)  Fanny Packs. Big no no.  Would you wear one at home, then why do you wear one here?'

10) Cannot use their knifes and forks without switching hands and having to put them down constantly.  Americans!, look around, there is a better way.

I do some of these things, I am loud, I wear my tennis shoes when my feet hurt, I definitely complain.  But, it's ok, because I recognize that I am American.

Hope you have enjoyed the spotting game.  Have a great day!

Parents R Coming ?!?!

Today, I found out that on a whim, my parents are coming in 2 weeks.  We think.  Not to be selfish or needy, but what is the first thing I think...   What do I need?  What can I not bring myself to purchase in Norway.  Amazon.com for random normal things in life here I come.  Oh, and, oh crap, I need to clean the house, deep clean style!!!

Jalapenos

Today, at my local grocery I found FRESH Jalapenos.  Today is a good day.  I have been able to find them only at one international grocery store about 10 KM from my house, but that's a bit too far for my Jalapeno obsessions.  They were about 130 NOK/KG which in US dollars is about $10/pound, but I don't think that's worth getting me down.  What's a bit of typical Norwegian overpriced shopping, when compared to the wonderful Jalapeno.   Let's hope they are spicy, crossing our fingers.

 Tonight, I plan on incorporating them into my sushi rolls.  Yummy Yummy in my tummy.

Repurposing Vintage Hankies

I am SO SO SO very upset that I left all my extra Vintage Hankies in the USA and didn't bring at least the amazingly special ones with me to Norway.  Note to self: bring hankies back with you.  One, I am trying to incorporate wedding decor and pictures into a cohesive look throughout my home.  Two, Vintage Hankies are cool. Three, It's Cold, my nose is constantly running thus hankies are starting to actually seem like a useful device.

If you don't know how cool are, just read my post about Hankies in my Wedding.

So, there I was cruising the internet, as I normally do, procrastinating laundry and dishes, once again.  Looking for economical crafty ideas, things I can paint and spray and hang, and paint again.  Then, wait, all of a sudden, Apartment Therapy threw me a curve ball.  There is was, my dream, my dream wall. It had, Hankies, Hankies, Hankies everywhere.  Pretty colors, and organized and Oh my, it was the wet dream of my dreams.  Yes, I am a total Hankie Dork.

I would have already made a trip to IKEA for cheap frames and had this hung all over my living room, if only my leftover hankies were in the same hemisphere. What an amazing way, to incorporate your family history or wedding decor into your everyday life and style. 

I might have been a bit overly gushy in this post.  But, I really get excited about hankies.

(Image: House & Home via Say Yes to Hoboken via Apartment Therapy)

Thumbprint Art

Looksie what I made.  It's quiet large, about 2 foot by 2 foot and hanging in my dining room currently.  It's so "Happy" to look at.

I just took string and tied a piece around the canvas every two inches vertically and horizontally, until I had a complete grid pattern.  Then with a light pen marked every intersection of the grid, so I would be able to evenly space my thumbprints.  I removed the strings, and started pouring paint and making thumbprints.  It was a good time.  It was like being a kid with finger paint all over again.  Not too shabby a result.  I wish I could take better pictures of things I made, so you could get the full effect.

Job Hunt, Take 1

For the last 2 months, I've spent my time moving in (almost done unpacking, almost)  and spending time with my husband's 12 year old son.  Today my first weekday of freedom. And today I decided to get a job.  Ok, Ok, I decided I needed a job along time ago.  But, with my newly found empty nest; I'm actually going to do it.

Everyone I meet says I'll be able to find a job easy, even though I don't speak Norwegian. This is because of my previous oil field experience.  However, I'm slightly skeptical.  I met a girl with offshore experience who couldn't find a job here for a year, and ended up taking a rotational position into Nigeria.  I will say her experience was specialized, but still.  

Since I know nothing about the job market, and really don't know how much I'm worth or what my experience is really valued at here;  I walked into a Head Hunter / Oil Field Recruiters office today.  It went well, he seemed happy enough with my experience, and told me he would start sending things my way.  We'll see.  Wish me luck.

p.s. As a reward for my aggressive nature towards employment today, I have allowed myself to drink one of my coveted Dr Peppers.  Oh the joy.   Yummy yummy in my tummy.

Almost Legal.

The joy, oh the joy.  Yesterday a letter came in the mail, my immigration letter. It said, I was to go to the police station with my passport.  So off I went to this place called UDI this lovely windy cold morning.  Of course, I was told that they would have to book me an appointment, and that I would have to come back on February 6th!!! The first available appointment.

About to walk off in disappointment the lady said "oh, now you go to the tax line."  "The tax line?", I say.  A little smirk started to come out in glee.  She said "for your number."  "Oh, yes of course, thanks", I'm sure my joy was overcoming me by this point.

After waiting in the tax line, a very lovely pretty darn cute young man told me that "no, no number today,  but you will get one in the mail. Along with information on getting a doctor."  He told me in less than 1 week, I should have my number.  However, I highly doubt however that I will get anything in the mail for at least 2-3 weeks.  Immigration is notoriously slow about everything.  And, he says, that I can start working immediately if I wish.  Work!  Finally!  Now I just have to find a job!!!

The joy a letter and almost a number can bring.  Now I can think about work.

Bored? Nope. Oh, how life has changed.

My husband's son has been staying with us over his Summer break in Australia,  6 weeks.  Usually he despises going into to town for errands.  Yesterday he was up and ready and enthusiastic about our trip to town.  He told me he was ready to go because he was "Bored."  Once we got home, yep, he is "bored" again.  Apparently only so much fun can be had from jumping around the house like a mad man between PS3 games and Legos.  He got this real miserable look on his face, like "save me from the torture, I have nothing to do."  Other than play outside, play his endless video games, use his PS3 to facebook and everything else out there in that internet world, he especially likes you tube surfing,  read, put up his stuff from the pile he made on the living room floor.  Of course he had nothing to do.  Silly me, for thinking anything differently.

Then, I realized.  I don't get that feeling anymore.  I remember being a kid, and getting that painful feeling of boredom.  Like the hours will never pass, because I have nothing to do.  At least nothing I wanted to do.  I don't get that anymore.  Not at all.  Even though I have been in Norway for almost 3 months now without a job, I keep myself busy.  The closest thing to boredom that occurs is the time between paintings sitting on the kitchen counter, when I have to get up the gumption to bring out another idea I can only see in my head and no one else understands yet.  That can take a while of be pondering and procrastinating; it feels mildly like boredom.  Of course, when I'm staring blankly into the fridge wondering what to cook for dinner.  Then sitting down pondering it.  Yah, it's kinda like boredom, but not really.  When I stare out the window procrastinating laundry or the dishes, or hanging a painting.  That is kinda like boredom,  but more a lovely quiet time to enjoy peace and watch the neighbors.

I don't know when my life changed.  When my life went from including boredom, to boredom being more a time for quite reflection before the next big project or task.  Boredom is now the joyful time that is hard to find time for.  No matter how much or how little we have to do, boredom as a 12 year old knows it, no longer exists in my life.

Mona Lisa's Toosh

Stavanger is full of "street art".  One of the great parts of walking through town is running across works of art like this.

Doesn't that make you just smile.  I can't find a story or anything behind Mona, I'd love to know more about her.  But she makes me smile just the same.

Canning Museum

I asked some other expat ladies what the Canning Museum was like.  The answer a resounding single word answer, "odd."   Followed by, "it's great, I've been 5 times, you have to go."  This was repeated and reinforced by more than one lady,  "it's odd, you just have to go to see, it's just odd, and great at the same time."

In a different age sardine canning has been Stavanger's Golden Ticket and when the fish mysteriously went away, it caused much hardship and despair.  Stavanger has a museum inside a former canning factory and it's definitely a sight to see.  It's a bit different than a normal museum, not much reading signs and see things behind glass shields.  Machines, tools, and displays of a different era are viewed up close.  The museum is set up with little plastic sardines, so you can actually see how the fish were decapitated, smoked, etc.  I know it sounds odd and gruesome.  But, it is really really was interesting.  If you go on Tuesdays an Thursdays in the summer, or the first Sunday of the month they have some true life demonstrations of canning.  I can't wait to go back an see more.

Racks for the fish to be processed on... I found it hard not to poke the fish with my finger.  Weird little plastic fish everywhere...

Fish being smoked...

Sardine Can Labels, some very interesting marketing. These bad boys kept be entertained and spinning the squares around in circles for way longer than appropriate for any adult.

Go have a look; it's definitely and "odd" museum.  I'll be going back myself.

Mesmerized by a HORSE

We took a drive up north on E39, as far as the first fairy to Bergen. So many wonderful farms and isles.   I was mesmerized by this lad's glory and had to stop the car say "hi."  He loved having his picture taken, pretty sure he knows how handsome he is.  lol

Pink Cow NYR #8

I've been so busy pumping up all my wedding posts from last year, and filling in the holes.  That I have totally been ignoring the "here and now."

Plus, I have another excuse.  My husband has been sick, so we haven't been getting out much.  Not that being sutck at home hurts my feelings too much, the rain kinda puts a damper on my desire to go conquer the world.  Or leave the house basically. lol

As part of trying to decorate our new house here in Norway, I took the opportunity to get to painting.  Here is my cow.  And whats extra great about him, I started to conquer my New Years Resolutions.  #8  Paint Pretty Pictures.

I really like him.  He is going to be a very proud hung cow, once, I find a place for him.  :)

Drive to Snow (Sirdal)

On the weekend, after sleeping in most of the morning, we decided to take advantage of the Sunny day.  We drove to see SNOW.  Yes, it is very odd to us that we moved to Norway and have no Snow,  apparently this is almost normal in Stavanger.  We decided to drive to Sirdal, it's a ski field about 1.5 hours from Stavanger.  It was a beautiful drive. We traveled up valleys, with lakes, rivers, & villages frequently breaking up the views of the wonderful cliffs along the way.

Although, the sun went away and the fog came out the further we got from Stavanger.  It was really a lovely way to venture out and see the scenery from the comfort of a warm and cozy car!  When I got out to snap this picture,  the freezing wind was blowing so hard I could barely hold the camera in my hands.   It looks like a calm and relaxing town, hey... not....

Then, all of a sudden, there was snow.  Not a couple inches, like 3 feet (a meter) of SNOW!  It was gorgeous and beautiful and white everywhere.  It made me want to get out and make snow angels, of course I was enjoying the comfort of a warm and cozy car, thus didn't dare.  We made it to the Sirdal resort,  saw tons of people cross country skiing with their children and it seemed a lovely resort town full of people enjoying what Norway has to offer.

This was another one of those quick snaps trying to escape the cold shock after emerging from the comfort of a warm and cozy car.  What's amazing is it's taken in COLOR.  Just the serenity of all the snow and water washed the picture out.  It really was like this, so white everything was taken aback by it.  I like how it's blurry due to my quick snapping, it makes it almost seem fake or like a painting. 

Not too bad, for a last minute trip to get out and see the scenery.

It's a New Year

It's that time of the year,  the time to look back on the year gone and look forward to the future.  The time when one actually stops and says,  "wow time flies, what did I do with it all?!?"

The last year was an awful year and an amazing year all in one;  it was a roller coaster.   Last year my life changed upside down.  I spent the year waiting for my new life, looking forward to the future.  Being optimistic about what was ahead.  And waiting, lots of waiting. Months were spent in the US avoiding the previous country.  I missed my hubby so very much.

I planned a wedding, which I loved and was super fun.  I found so many talents for crafts and creativity that were bursting to get out.  I had many wonderful days with both my parents making and creating, and telling them how to glue what to what, lol.  Please forgive me, mom & dad.  I got to bond with my parents as an adult.  It's something I wouldn't give up for the world, I know them on a totally different level than before.  It was a beautiful blessing in disguise.  I got married, it was all I could have ever dreampt of. My beautiful day to celebrate our love.  I built 2 vacation homes in Southern Oklahoma,  they are currently on the vacation rental market.  Building helped me find myself and some hidden talents.

I reflected on my life.  Resulting is a massive life changing change of heart, I now have a totally different outlook.  I am much more focused on doing things to make "me" a better person, to expand myself, to challenge myself, being creative, being the "real" me not the me I think I'm suppose to be.  I loved working for myself this year.  I look back on my previous career with a degree of self-pity.  Corporate oriented ambition seems unproductive and, well, evil.  I'm trying to make the most of my new country, Norway. I'm excited for 2012, I'm excited about our new life.

Goals for 2012:

1. Get a job.  I picture it a bit like this: Somewhere to spend my time, something to challenge my brain.  Something with projects and where I can make an impact.  Somewhere I can be proud to work.  Probably something engineering and oilfield oriented to use my previous experience.  However this time, I'm not going to let it control my life.  Family WILL come first.  I will not work for months on end every single day without a break, I will not be bullied by my company or it's employees.  I will apply myself to make my company a better place and to achieve our goals.  I will spread my happy cheer to my co-workers.  I will not they them bring be down to their level.  I will work for a happy company, full of happy people, with smiles and honorable goals.  I actually think this will be quiet easy.  Norwegians have a good work ethic based on family time and it is not based on "the corporation is #1."  Plus, they actually have labor laws and believe in them.
2. Buy the ever illusive Kitchen Aid stand mixer.  Use it to make lots of things from scratch, including: a cake, cinnamon rolls and ground beef.  Find it a wonderful prominent place on my counter, for me to stare at with glee whenever I walk past the kitchen.  
3. Improve my cake icing skills. (They currently suck.)
4. Learn what all the settings on the stove actually mean.  Learn to cheat the induction stovetop, or get a new pots and pan set.  My current set doesn't work on the stovetop, most frustrating.
5. Throw a couple dinner parties.  
6. Learn to make sushi.
7. Make friends outside of work, mine and my husbands.
8. Paint pretty pictures.
9. Make my home a little less clean modern style and a bit more India Sari soft.  More "home" like.  I need to figure out what that means myself.
10. Become a better photographer; use light better, fill the image, work with my angles.

It's a brand new year!   It's not usually so exciting.  But It's time for a new year.  2011 you will never be forgotten.



Hope you have honorable goals going into 2012, and have a wonderful New Year!

Slingbox

Culture Shock Prevention Tool #1.

We've done this before, lived in another country.  At the end of that experience we didn't have many good things to say about... gosh the word is hard to say,  about... Azerbaijan.  Yes, some things there are great (tomato's - downright to die for tasty amazingness) and some things were once in a lifetime experiences (buying handmade carpet, while drinking tea in some dark basement).  But, overall not that great a place.  Among other things we suffered from an obvious case of culture shock; although at the time I had no clue.

What is culture shock:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock

This time, we have prepared ourselves to in the fight against "culture shock."  Both, mentally and with goodies from home.  Our favorite goodie from home is a Slingbox.  We have installed our Slingbox in a property back in the USA.  We have connected it to a full satellite suite of TV channels and a DVR (digital recorder).

What does this mean to us:

1. We can use our computer to stream live US TV to our television here in Norway. 
2. We can record US TV shows and watch them whenever we wish. 
3. I can get US style football!!!  Go Packers!

Although, we don't watch alot of TV.  I would be hard pressed to watch 2-3 hours a week, we have every channel you can imagine in English and all the newest shows from home.  When you start to feel out of the loop on the latest sports win, or when everyone is talking about some new show on facebook;  I can actually feel like I'm not so far from home by watching it myself.  AMAZING.

Hubby's Hair Cut

Our first attempt to get my hubbies hair cut.  It was getting crazy long, falling all over his ears.  But we had heard horror stories about what a hair cut could cost.  I asked some of the coffee ladies about where to get a hair cut, and one said her husband hot his done across the street from the coffee shop.

I made an appointment,  and 200 NOK (About 34 dollars US) he has shorter hair than I've ever seen him with.  It's not too bad, might take a couple days to get use to, but it might grow on me.   But, it was a try and in our opinion pretty cheap.  There is only 2 weeks between a bad hair cut and a good hair day, they say.

The World's Happiest Country

Norway, was repeated been voted "The World's Happiest Country."

Read: http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2011/12/07/the-worlds-happiest-and-saddest-countries/

Although, When I told people this Happy Fact they could still be negative about my then upcoming move to Norway.   Why? How? What were the reasons?  You ask.

This is how my interpretation of what some people may think of Norway who have never been.  And my first impressions of Norway. 

Isn't it cold?  Frozen Tundra?  Are you above the arctic circle?   They'd ask.   We'll yes, but it seems pretty warm.  It's the end of December and I've only seen snow once, it lasted 1 day and then melted.  It rains alot, and can have a windy day storm.  But, so far so good, no frost bite.  Not even dry skin.  I may be lucky,  I'm in Stavanger.

Don't all they eat is fermented fish?  We'll they do have some interestingly fishy food.  But, they have all the other things too, beef and lamb and yes fish, fresh even.  Right off the boat, for sale in the harbor.  Now, this is pretty awesome for a girl from Oklahoma.  Oh, and that have lovely breads and a pretty darn good produce selection too.  I could go on for days about food.  I'll save that for later.

Vikings?  Hummm...   Yah, they are Vikings.  They are the tallest people in Europe and a nice race of people,  once you get them to speak to you.

Isn't it expensive?  Ok, yes.  It's expensive.  Very expensive.  But the per capita income is through the roof to compensate for it.  So people know it's expensive, but still can maintain a standard of living despite the costs.

I heard if you drink and drive it's awful bad punishment?  Ok, seriously, what is wrong with this.  Seems like a pretty good policy to me.  There is plenty of public transport and taxis,  you can still enjoy yourself and be social with a little liquid courage;  you just get a ride home another way than driving yourself.

I think overall Norwegians, seem, so far, to be very happy people.  They like where they live, they enjoy their culture, and they don't complain.  You don't meet many Norwegian's who want to leave Norway. I take that as a pretty good sign, that Yes, Norway is a Happy Place.

At least it makes me very Happy so far.

In conclusion:  I think some people, think they must be from the best place in the world, and are negative because they want to convince you they are happy and they have the BEST lifestyle and country.  And I'm sure they are happy, and I'm sure their lifestyle and country is the BEST for them.  But, some statisticians think maybe as a whole population, not quiet as Happy as Norway.   And I haven't seen anything to prove them wrong yet.

Small Victories

Today something wonderful happened!  I ran into someone I know, in town. 

Well, ok...  This may not sound that wonderful or delightful.  But, I have been here for 2 months now and my friend group is very small; well basically non-existent.  It consists mainly of my husbands coworkers.  I have been going to a once weekly morning coffee social event.  It's an expat get-together /  meet & greet, type event.  It's been really nice, it's a group of people who are all trying to adapt to a new culture also.  So we share stories, complaints, small victories and enjoy a cup or 3 of coffee.

And then it happened,  while strolling around the post-Christmas sales, looking for my ever illusive Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer "On Sale";  I ran into a lady I met two weeks ago at coffee, oh the JOY I felt.  It's starting to feel like home.  :)