December

Week 49: This past week we had milder weather, but that usually means precipitation in one form or another. It snowed a little. Fortunately there was no rain. It is very odd to go to work in the morning when it is dark and come home when it is dark in the evening. On Thursday we began «Julevandring», almost like a Christmas pagaent, but without an audience. It is just for kids, ages 4 through 7, plus a couple school teachers and a teaching assistant. I dressed up as the Angel Gabriel and had a few lines to recite (in Norwegian), and a few carols to play on the piano. Helga was in charge of these skits. She is the religious education person on our staff. There were 2 presentations on Thursday and 3 on Friday. Next week there will be only 2. The heating problem in the church seems to be fixed. Today the sun rose at 10:05 am and set at 1:50 pm. (Dawn begins at 8:40 am and dusk ends at 3:15 pm). Just two more weeks of decreasing light.

Week 50: Nothing unusual this week. I heard that my oldest friend passed away: Hugues Cuenod, age 108 died at the beginning of December in Vevey, Switzerland. I first met Hugues in 1983? when Dan (my late partner) and I went to Europe. Everytime we went to Europe we would visit him for a few days at his summer residence in Morges. I think the last time we saw him was in 2003 when he was 101. Dan first met him in the 1950's. They recorded many of Schutz' solo sacred songs. Back in Sandnessjøen there are more preparations for the big Christmas services. Fortunately there were no funerals this week. Sunday was a busy day. There was the usual 11 am service here in Sandnessjøen. Then a 6:30 candlelight service in Tjøtta. Then a rehearsal back in Sandnessjøen with Pianissimo, a choral group that will be participating in a big service on the 19^th. On Sunday the 12^th of December the sun rose at 10:30 am and set at 1:35 pm. Total daylight is just over 3 hours.

Week 51. This is the final week of decreasing daylight. There were 3 funerals this week, a big rehearsal on Thursday evening with 5 combined choirs, a large devotional service at Zahl Gården, an institution for Alzheimer patients, and a big staff party on Friday. And on top of all this activity my Gmail e-mail account was hacked and taken over. They said I was stranded in London and asked for money to be sent there. Fotunately I had most of my e-mail addresses and sent out a message that my e-mail account had been hacked and to ignore the message. I am perfectly fine, I'm not in London and I don't need money. What a headache. It's now in Gmail's hands. They are working on returning the account to me, but it may take days or weeks. Saturday marked 4 years since Dan passed away. I'm very happy I chose to be in Norway for a year. Now I feel I can get on with my life when I return.

Sunday is probably the busiest day so far: no 11 am service, but a 2:30 service at a shopping center (Skansa) and the huge service/concert at 6 pm. 5 choirs and the band are participating. At the end all the choirs sing «O Holy Night» in Swedish (O helga natt). Oddly enought that is the traditional version here, made popular by the Swedish tenor, Jussi Björling. I look forward to when it's over. Today the sun rose at 10:45 am, and set at 1:30 pm. Total daylight is 2 hours, 45 minutes. Monday is actually the shortest day, but only by 1 minute. On Tuesday the days will slowly begin to increase.