Christmas week: (Week 51). Usually I have Mondays off but there was a church service for school children that I had to play for. I also had a rehearsal with a trumpet player who will play for the Christmas Eve services. Tuesday is my usual choir rehearsal day, plus a rehearsal with a soloist who will sing for the Christmas Eve services. Wednesday and Thursday I had off. Friday was a long day: 2 devotional services (11 and 12), and two large Christmas Eve services. The one at 2 pm was packed – standing room only. Officially, the seating capacity of the church is 475, but at this service there were 340 and many had to stand. The were about 100 + from Hurtigruten (boat). The next service (4 pm) was a bit better, at least all could sit. Everything went well. After the 4 pm service I drove to Tjøtta to spend Christmas Eve with Katrin and Elizabeth. There were just 3 of us and we are all non-Norwegians: German, British and American (US). Elizabeth prepared a great feast: pinnekjøtt, sausages, potatoes, turnip, carrotts, with champagne, red wine and aquavit. Since one dare not drive a car after drinking I spent the night in Tjøtta. The next morning I drove back to Sandnessjøen for the big Christmas Day service. The participants were the Mens' Chorus, the church choir, and a trumpeter – Rune S. Everything went well. There were about 80 to 100 in the congregation. Sunday I had another service – in Tjøtta. Thea S (who sang at the Christmas Eve services) sang for this service in Tjøtta. She has a beautiful voice, is only 16 and is studying music in Mosjøen. The service was fairly long with a baptism, communion and the special vocal music.
Finally Christmas is over. I don't think I've had to work so hard for Christmas in many years.
The weather has been very tranquil – cold but clear. While Europe is having travel nightmares because of the snow storms, here in northern Norway everything is fine. Sunrise on 26 December is at 10:45 am, sunset at 1:35 pm. Total daylight is 2 hours 50 minutes. The days are slowly getting longer.
The final week of 2011. Not much is happening at work. We have a short work week. On Wednesday there was a servie and Juletrefest (Christmas Tree Festival) at the Bedehus (Prayer House) on Blomsøy. Of course there were sandwiches and sweets afterward. Thursday there was a funeral. My friend Bjarne couldn't make the New Year's Eve dinner so I had to change plans. The party was moved to Magnar's house with Lill joining us. We ate turkey, red cabbage, mashed rutabaga, potatoes, and curried mushroom sauce. There was a lot of turkey left-over. I helped Magnar eat it up in the few days into the new year. A little before midnight we went outside to see the fireworks. I was amazed at the amount of fireworks which were privately set off/sent up. I wonder how many millions of crowns went into the dazzling display of firewords. At the office I heard that Venera (the other organist for Alstahaug Community) will take the month of January off for sick leave. It means extra work for me but won't affect the Sunday I have free, or my trip back to the US in February.
On the last day of the year the sun rose at 10:40 am and set at 1:45. Total daylight is 3 hours, 5 minutes.
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