Onion Breath....

So I've gotten hooked on this meat that you can put on your bread which the Norwegians call, Ribberulle...hmmm....how can we translate this? Rib meat (pork) rolled up with a little gelatin to keep it all together..sounds gross but it really tastes better then my description. I eat it with some red onions and pickles on top..mmmmm... so I had some today before I went to work and even though I brushed my teeth I felt like onion was just ooozing from my breath today at work. I apologized to my co-worker and she was nice enough to say she didn't smell anything. She was probably lying so she wouldn't hurt my feelings and I appreciate that but I still felt like one giant onion stink bomb! To try and make conversation I asked her how you make rolled meat...and she began to describe the process. Will have to try it sometime, didn't sound too complicated and I actually found a wooden press which you need to press the meat together, in the newspaper today, only 200 kroner! Hmmm...tempting.

This weekend we will do some baking and decorating...I am wanting to make gingerbread men and hearts and start getting lights and such up. Last year I brought home those brown paper bags from the states and we filled them with sand and lined our driveway with them and put tea light candles in them. It was really lovely to see, the first night or two...but then it became a pain in the butt to go out and light all of them, it was windy and cold and it would snow and the snow would get into the bags...then the farmer came and used his tractor to shovel the snow from our driveway and the bags disappeared until spring...so I think we will drop the bag idea this year...not to mention I've been using them as my lunch bags all year long so they are diminishing quickly. But I think we will also look for some christmas decorations this weekend that we can add to our collection. I really love doing a lot of lights outside but of course this is Norway and it's expensive and to run a BUNCH of lights outside like any good American I'd be in debt for half of next year to the electric company....so everything in moderation right? The Norwegian motto...

I am also going to make advent calendars for the kids this year, not just buy the 10kroner chocolate calendars they are use too...I thought this would be a very cozy new tradition to try out since we finally have some extra money to buy 52 tiny gifts for three kids. I decided I'd do a little chocolate or Christmas candy, some little things like deodarant, socks, things like that, and then some proposed activity notes. Little white pieces of paper with red string around them and inside there is a Christmas activity we can do together, bake cookies, see a Christmas film together, make Christmas cards or something like that. So I will look for stuff for these calendars this weekend.

Sunday we are going to the Christmas market in Lillehammer at Maihaugen...I've read about it online and I think it could be fun and hopefully kick off the Christmas holidays in a festive way...we will see. I love farmers markets and homemade things, people who can knit and sew and do handicrafts are like pop idols too me...I admire their abilities more then I can write. I keep thinking I'd love to learn to sew with a machine and I've found some cheap machines for sale...I wouldn't need anything fancy when I'm just beginning, would I? I'm thinking pillows and maybe some curtains would be fun to make...summer dresses for the girls? Uff...I'm thinking big I guess with that last one, but still.....I think it would be fun to try. When I came to Norway in 1989, the family I stayed with in Lena were trying to teach me to knit....which is technically impossible when you have two left hands....but I managed to knit the body and they did the arms and neck and bottom and then put it all together for me. I was so proud of that green furry sweater....still have it somewhere here...and it fits!!! But I have never once picked up knitting needles and tried to do that since....but I admire people who can do it. They are such wonderful artists.

Hope everyone has a great weekend...Until next time folks- be good!!!