Eta når ein er svolten, sova når ein er trøytt ....

Natta mellom vesle julaftan og sjølve julekvelden har eg brukt å vera vaken - og vore god og trøytt utover julenatta. Dette året vart det annleis. - Eg måtte kjempe mot svemnen medan steika godgjorde seg i omnen, og kjende meg både "oppblesen", slapp og trøytt då eg krabba under dyna berre ein god time etter midnatt. Klokka var litt før 10 då eg vakna. Ein liten rusletur kring hjå grannane greidde eg - men svemnen tok atter overtaket, og i 5 timar frå 'midt på dagen' var eg atter i draumeland .. Langt borte- både frå gryter, telefon og tastatur!

Målsetjinga om å laga ei lita julehelsing - til å sende til kjenstfolk gjennom 'nettet', vart såleis eit Julenattsarbeid ... som no går mot enden.

Når ein set seg til å bla i bildemappene frå året som snart er omme, kjem mange trivelege minne fram att frå gøymestadane i minnet. Eg nyttar høvet til å takke dykk alle, både 'gamle' og 'nye' kjenningar for trivelege møter og helsingar gjennom året vi snart har lagt bak oss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

De får la auga gli over den 'framandlandske' teksta - det er inga samsvar denne gongen.

Like Olav Åsteson from "Draumkvedet" I started sleeping on Christmas Eve ....(around noon) ... But instead of maintaining the sleep for two weeks, I came out of the sleep about 5 hours later (17.00).

My intensions had been to compose this years Xmas greeting in the night 23.-24. December. Unfortunately, my stomach was not in link with the calendar, (probably 24 hours ahead) and gave me sympthoms like I had too much to eat in a short time..... - So - no fingers has entered the keyboard in 24 hours ... until now !

As you might observe from the pictures above, the decorations has not changed much over the years (Jul2005), but one year ago new 'XMas curtains' entered the home ! Collected around the "nissehus" are, as you probably observe, a strange bunch - from left a Chatolic Saint ?, carved by a man from Poland, a drummer from the 'Fanti'-tribe in Ghana, a 'Matruska' bought in Praha 36 years ago - and on the right flank, recognizable by the birth mark, President Gorbatsjov, obtained in Moscow in the 90'. This 'gallery' spans over a long period of time - and a wide area of the globe - BUT, they are, all of them, connected to certain episodes of my life, and they all bring back a lot of memories when I let my thoughts 'run free' ...

Looking back at the year which soon has passed, destiny has moved me (residing at 61 degreesN) across 22 latitudes [49-71 N]. - Inside my 'own' habitat, I have had the pleasure of meeting many travellers, seeking their roots in Valdres. - - - Sarah, Marion, Jan Erik, family Olson, the Cin's, fam Peterson, fam. Evensen etc. - In the afternoon of August 7. two eager Genealogists from 'over there' Jean Marthaler and Darin Flansburg were presented with the 'ValdresLogo silver pin' for their efforts to keep strong ties between our area and our relatives on the opposite side of the Atlantic ocean.

An invitation brought me to Oslo last weekend. After enjoying my breakfast on Sunday morning, my feet took me down to Stortorget. When the rest of the group left for the Bus-station,one person was missing - but - joined the 'gang' by the "Valdres-express", Where had I been - look at the list - a lot of people from Valdres had frequented this building before me ! - But .. some eyebrows were raised ....