Some Bad Photos And A Story To Tell…

We’ve had a lovely weekend so far…my friend who had been on the Scandinavian Biggest Loser show with me came by yesterday and spent the evening with us and left after breakfast this morning. We had a lovely visit and she is very inspiring as she has been able to maintain her weight loss the whole 5 years since the show and she’s become quite the athlete within the sport of biking. She gave me tons of tips for keeping active and losing weight, which was exactly what I needed! Before she left today we took a lovely walk with the dogs and then after she left, Stig and Julia and I went toward Hamar to go cross country skiing on the Mjøsa (it’s completely frozen now)..on the way I was looking around at all the animal tracks in the snow and thinking- SOMEWHERE out there is my moose!!! I’m GOING to capture a great shot of her- SOMEDAY! As we rounded a corner I was looking up into the woods and noticed two very large brown objects and squealed with utter delight for Stig to STOP!!!! I looked frantically around for Stig’s camera which is a little pocket camera I gave him for Christmas. There was my moose….

I started taking some photos through the window of the car, it was a mamma and her baby and they watched us carefully.

I was so upset I didn’t have my camera with the 200mm zoom but I was hoping I was getting something…Stig rolled his window down and I leaned across his lap snapping photos and then finally I decided to get out of the car and start walking around to Stig’s side so I could try and get closer photos….

Yeah, I’m one of those stupid people who gets out of the car not thinking the giant beasts of nature will do anything too lil’ ol me…..

Thankfully this time I was right and as soon as they saw me go around to the front of the car they high tailed it back into the woods and as far from me as possible…Stig said it was my hat….I have no idea what he’s talking about…I thought I looked adorable…

We continued on our way to Hamar and finally got to where we were going when Stig suddenly cried out- NO NO NO!!! What is it I asked?? He proceeded to enlighten me to the fact that he had left the keys to the ski box at home….

There was nothing to do but turn around and drive the half an hour back to the house and by that time we were hungry- so we grabbed a quick roll with some meat and cheese on it and then headed back to Hamar with the keys…

Once we got there the Mjøsa was stirring with life…there were people ice fishing, people walking their dogs, people skiing with and without dogs. We had brought little miss Jenny with us as the big dogs had gotten a walk after breakfast but not her. So she came with us. There were so many people and it was very festive. The weather was gorgeous but the sun was already getting tired of being up and looking like she wouldn’t last long…

It’s an extremely weird feeling to walk- let alone ski on frozen water…you just keep hoping that it’s really true what people say about it being completely safe right now and the more people you see the more you are convinced you’ll be ok also, but you just can’t help it when you see a crack or two in the ice, to think- hmmmm…will it hold?

Well, it held and it was a lovely day and a lovely ski trip. We weren’t able to go all the way into Hamar from where we were (outside of Brumunddal) because it was getting dark quickly….

We managed to snap some photos for posterity’s sake and roll out a mat to sit on and drink some yummy warm cocoa and eat a cookie I had made yesterday…Peanut butter-oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies which I found at the Brown Eyed Baker…now one of my favourite baking blogs…

After our little rest we decided to head back as it was getting dark quickly and this ol’ body felt like the hour we used to get to where we had our rest spot was PLENTY and would mean almost an hour back as well…

I wasn’t the only one getting tired- thankfully- Julia was up ahead of me on the ski path laying flat out on the snow…I went to grab Stig’s camera to take a shot when she saw me and sat up and tried to get up before I could take a shot- she didn’t want anyone to think she had fallen. I told her if she had just laid still, people would have just thought she was tired but as it was…she looked like she fell….which she didn’t…

She’s like a professional skier…she is really good and her dad is too- they like to show off….

That’s quite alright though, despite not being able to lift my ski to my tounge as this young wipper snapper did…I managed to not fall the entire time and I was so proud of myself…granted skiing on the Mjøsa lake is a flat ordeal…no mountains on the Mjøsa…so it was a straight shot- which I was glad for…but let me assure you, this sport looks a HECK of a lot easier on TV then it actually is in person. I’m totally excited to see how my body is tomorrow…I could feel it around the top of my thighs, where they meet my pelvis…and in the back of my arms…but let me tell ya folks- this was a great way to exercise and experiencing the beautiful nature in Norway was just the icing on this fitness cake! I’ll definitely be skiing again on the Mjøsa in the weeks to come!!

Now..I’ve noticed that not many people are participating in my giveaway…is it the prize, are y’all just not interested….have you not been in and seen that I’m having a giveaway? If you haven’t seen it you can check it out here.

You don’t have to become a follower unless you want too- but I’d love for you to leave me a comment, your words always bring a smile to my face, and if you tell people about my giveaway I’ll give ya a second chance at winning and if people come from your blog and tell me that you sent them, I’ll give you a third chance! It’s really simple!! Hope more of you will want to participate and if not, then the few who have already participated will have even better chances!!!

Have a wonderful Sunday folks- my pj’s are on and my sheepskin slippers…I’m settling down for the evening very content with my fitness efforts today and looking forward to a busy week ahead and more chances to capture my moose with my camera- sorry for the bad photos…but I will remember my camera next time!!

Until next time my friends….