First week

Today is Saturday. I’ve just completed my first week at work. Saturdays and Mondays are my days off. Last Monday we had a raging snowstorm. I trudged into town and bought some supplies for the kitchen. I also looked around at stores for a mobile telephone, a bicycle, and a sofa. The first item of business at the office each morning is to have a cup of coffee and informally discuss what is coming up. I got my e-mail account set up for the church office, despite an ancient computer. Wednesday the whole staff went to Tjøtta, on the other end of Alsten Island to help clean up the cemetery. The collective work is called “dugnad”, a community project. I only got one blister from all the raking. The other organist with whom I work, Venera Holm, a Russian lady, had two blisters. I got a glimpse of Alstahaug Church, a medieval stone church, about 12 miles from Sandnessjøen. I can’t wait to get there again and explore. Thursday the dean of the parish, Olav Rune who is an avid cyclist, took me to a bike shop. I picked out a nice bicycle. Olav Rune told the clerk that I should get a discount on the accessories. After everything the price wasn’t that bad, despite the rotten dollar. Friday was a gorgeous day, with only a cloud or two. This weekend is Båtmesse – a sort of blessing of the fleet. The harbor is filled with small and large boats. Everyone is milling about. People can buy food including shrimp right off the boat. In a large tent many tables are set up for boat & fishing equipment. The weather was perfect on Friday evening. A cold, damp day is forecast for Saturday. This area continues to astound me in is rich natural beauty.

Sunrise is at 4 am, sunset at 10:13 pm. Total daylight is just over 18 hours. Dusk is at midnight, twilight at 2:15 am. It is no longer completely dark at night.

Sunday morning we had snow on the lawn, but it melted by the afternoon.