End of Year Summary

Traditionally one sums up the year that has gone by. I'm very glad I took this chance of living here in Norway. Overall it's been a very positive experience. The negative aspects are mostly weather-related. Since mid-November we've had ice everywhere. It's treacherous to walk. One peave I have is Norwegian drivers. They are mostly polite but not much better than the drivers in Boston. There is something called "forkjørsrett", meaning the driver on the right side has right of way, even if he is coming out of a side street. There is often confusion and accidents. One just has to drive with caution. My Norwegian is getting better but it's a slow process. The people here are great, very helpful, even the workers in non-church related offices are friendly and eager to assist if asked. To sum it up in one sentence: Northern Norway is a land of extremes.

In the next week or so I have to decide how long this adventure in Norway will last. My predecessor has given notice that he won't be coming back. The upshot is that the job is mine if I want it. I've been given an extension to my leave from Harvard-Epworth Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts until July of 2012. I feel torn because my sense of belonging to a place will change yet again and I will be in a kind of limbo, not belonging in the U.S., and not really belonging here in Norway since I didn't grow up here. One of the goals of this year in Norway was to help me get over my partner Dan's passing in 2006. It has helped enormously. If this «sabbatical year» ends in April I would be completely satisfied with this adventure. There also is a new development: I'm beginning a new relationship. My inclination is to stay here to find out where this is headed. It may not lead anywhere but at least I'm happy, even if I feel I don't belong to any group. To sum it up, my sense of adventure has trumped my sense of belonging. I'm willing to try another year here.

The first day of 2011 was very quiet. I didn't hear any left-over fireworks. On Sunday, the 2^nd, there was a church service at Åsheim Terrasse, the large room on the 8^th floor of Åsheim Retirement Center. The best views of Sandnessjøen are from here. During the first week of the new year there were two funerals. The weather had been tranquil since Christmas. During this week we had terrific wind storms. The bridge was periodically closed. On Thursday the airport was closed. More snow came at the end of the week. People say that last year there was hardly any snow. It seems as though we're making up for two winters, and we aren't even halfway through winter yet. On Sunday evening I had to drive to Tjøtta for a church service. A storm blew through Sunday afternoon, closing the road toward Tjøtta. But at 5 pm it was cleared. Because of the storm there were few people in church: 4 in the congregation, plus the 3 employees (minister, organist and sexton). Sunrise on 9 January is at 10:21 am, sunset at 2:13 pm. The length of the day is almost 4 hours.

Week 2: Fairly quiet at the church office but the weather is changing. Whenever it gets mild it usually snows (or rains). At least the winds have abated. Fortunately there were no funerals this week. I'm taking yet another step toward a longer residence here: I have to get a Norwegian drivers license. My license from Massachusetts is only valid for a year after I entered Norway, so it will expire here in April. When I went to apply for a license I had to give up my Mass. license. It feels odd not having a drivers license. (I have a receipt from Vegvesen saying they took my license, so it's perfectly legal for me to drive in Norway). Now there is more paperwork here: I need to get a contract/agreement from the church saying that my position has changed from temporary/interim to something more permanent. And from the Immigration Service here I need to apply for another year of residency. (I can only apply for residency one year at a time.)

Since there's so much snow here I hope to buy a spark sled and cross-country skis this coming week. This past week marks the end of the first half of winter. Surise on 16 January is at 10 am, sunset at 2:38 pm. Length of day: just over 4 ½ hours.

Christmas and New Year's

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.

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.

Advent

Tuesday was overcast with snow. Both Wednesday Thursday were clear. The sun is now hiding behind the mountains. We won’t get direct sunlight until the end of January. The quality of light is very unusual. It seems like a very long twilight. You can see the sun shining on the mountains to the north. As of Thursday, the 18th of November, the sun rise is at 9,05 am, the sun sets at 2,40 pm.




Nothing unusual this past week. On Sunday there was a full moon. It was very beautiful both at sunrise and at sunset. The temperature dropped on Sunday. It was about 20 F (-6 C). The Norwegians don't say minus. If it's below zero Celsius they say cold degrees. Above zero they say warm degrees. I also learned the word for step ladder: curtain ladder (gardintrapp). The Sunday morning service at Alstahaug was well attended: the youth participated and sang several songs. The Sunday evening service in Sandnessjøen had to be moved into the parish center because it was too cold in the church (about 40 F). It is interesting that if the temperature goes below 17 C (about 60 F) a church service can be cancelled or moved. It looks like the Siberian cold snap will stay here a bit longer. At least the weather will be clear. Sunday afternoon I had a nice walk in the woods with my friends Magnar and Lill. They each have dogs.



This past week was very cold, but clear. It never got above freezing. I rode my bike to work each day, except for Friday. There was a funeral at Tjøtta at noon on Friday. It was so nice to see the sun there. Again the church was stone cold on Sunday morning, so we had to move into the parish house for the service. It appears that no one is taking responsibility to fix the problem. There is a funeral scheduled for this coming Wednesday. It had better be fixed. (Not that I can do anything, except quit). The weather patterns will bring milder weather this coming week, but with that comes precipitation. Who knows what form that will take. If it rains it will be very slippery with the deep frost we've had over the past two weeks. On the first Sunday of Advent (28 November) the sun rose at 9:45 am. It set at 2:10 pm. Total daylight is about 4 ½ hours, adding an hour on each end for dawn and dusk.



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 (5 Dec) 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.

Paris

After church on Sunday, the 7th of November I flew to Oslo. The flight was delayed due to a snowstorm in Bodø. I was pleasantly surprised that the airline offered me round-trip transportation back into town and a meal voucher. You would never get that in the U.S.  I finally arrived at Gardermoen Airport in Oslo at about 11 pm. Turid (a distant cousin) picked my up and I spent the night at their house in Jessheim. Monday afternoon I went down to Oslo to meet one of the professors at Oslo Conservatory of Music. We had a couple friends in common, in particular (the late) Einar Haugen and his daughter Camilla Cai. Professor Herresthal has just finished a 4-volume work on Ole Bull. Einar and Camilla published a book on Ole Bull in the early 1990’s. The meeting was very pleasant and fruitful.



That evening I had dinner and coffee with my friend Gjerulf, Tuesday morning coffee with Harry, then off to the music store, and finally back to Jessheim Tuesday afternoon. Gunnar (Turid’s husband) has a bad knee and it needs surgery. He’s now on canes and in pain. I hope it goes well.



Early Thursday morning I got the 8 am flight to Paris. I arrived at Jim’s apartment about 11:30 am. Fortunately I brought some smoked salmon with me and we had a delicious lunch. That afternoon we went to Notre Dame for a commemoration service for Armistice Day (11th of November). We were up in the organ gallery and had great views of the procession and pageantry.



On Friday morning I hit the music stores. I made my way back to the Mont Parnasse area where Jim and I had lunch with Jaqueline and Pascale. (Jaqueline is the daughter of André Marchal; Pascale is the granddaughter of Louis Vierne). After lunch we had a walk in the cemetery of Mont Parnasse and saw the graves of many famous composers (Franck, Saint-Saëns, Vierne & Guilmant) and the famous 19-century organ builder Cavaille Coll. That evening I went up to the 56th floor in the Mont Parnasse Tower and saw Paris by night. Mont Parnasse Tower is quite ugly, but it offers great views.



Saturday I spent the morning at the Pompidou Center for Modern Art. Jim and I had lunch with Brigitte, the biographer for Louis Vierne. That evening we heard a performance of Heinrich Schütz’ Musicalische Exequien.



Sunday morning Jim and I went to Saint-Sulpice to hear Daniel Roth. There were about 10 in the organ gallery. Roth played a few improvisations, but for the most part he played Bach. After church I took a walk in Luxembourg Gardens, then made my way to the Church of the Madeleine. From there I walked to La Trinité where I met Carolyn. She was a classmate at New England Conservatory. The Church of la Trinité was where Messiaen was organist. Carolyn and I made our way to St Roche for a solo-violin concert. Carolyn directed my way back to Notre Dame. Jim and I had dinner with a couple of his friends who were in Paris for a week (Jay and Izzy). Monday morning was early. I caught the 11 am flight back to Oslo, bought provisions at the duty-free store in Oslo, and spent the rest of the day waiting for my flight. After delays I finally arrived back in Sandnessjøen at about 11 pm.



Tuesday was overcast with snow. Both Wednesday Thursday were clear. The sun is now hiding behind the mountains. We won’t get direct sunlight until the end of January. The quality of light is very unusual. It seems like a very long twilight. You can see the sun shining on the mountains to the north. As of Thursday, the 18th of November, the sun rise is at 9,05 am, the sun sets at 2,40 pm.

Half-way through

Week 42. I am now beginning the 2nd half of my adventure in Norway.




Tuesday began with rain. It gradually turned over to snow and got very cold. The winds were terrific. It was so raw. I bought a winter coat yesterday. I didn’t realize I would use it so soon.



Thursday morning I woke up to about 8 inches of snow. Am I ready for 7-8 months of winter? Today I feel like I’m in the Narnia Chronicles and the wicked white witch has declared perpetual winter.



Friday I bought “isbrudd”. They are cleats that fit over your shoe. On the bottom are metal studs so you can walk on ice.



On Saturday I decided to buy a car. It’s not cheap but in months left it will still be cheaper than if I lease by the month. It’s a little frightening: to buy a car (or any other major possession) seems like a step toward a move here. I’m not ready for that (unless the Republicans take control of Congress, gut the health care bill, abolish Social Security, and force through a pre-F.D.Roosevelt United States). I really think the next supreme court justice should be Anita Hill. When they announce that it will give Clarence Thomas a fatal heart attack and give Obama another choice for an open position.



There were about 70 attending church on Sunday, with a baptism. Sunrise today is 8:35 am, sunset at 5:10 pm. Total daylight is 8 hours, 36 minutes.



Monday, 25 October. Week 43. I picked up my car. Tuesday I drove to Tjøtta for a funeral. On Tuesday afternoon I got my absentee ballot and immediately sent it back. Thursday I finally decided to go with car insurance through the bank. The other possibility was through KNIF (Kristen-Norges InnkjøpsFelleskap – Christian Norway Purchasing Cooperative). I’m totally ready for winter: I got studded tires for my bicycle! Thursday evening Anna (one of the ministers on staff) and I drove to Mosjøen to see Eugene O’Neil’s “Long Day’s Journey toward Night”. Liv Ullmann and Bjørn Sundquist were leads in the Riksteater production. Fortunately I read the book a couple times so I didn’t have many problems following the dialogue (everything was in Norwegian, of course). It was great theatre. The drive back was hair-raising, as usual. The road is awful between Sandnessjøen and Mosjøen. They are building a new one but it won’t be ready until 2013. I had Friday free and drove down to Brønnøysund to visit my friend Bjarne. On Saturday we drove out to Torghatten and hiked up to the mountain with the hole. The hole is huge. It seemed as though a storm was brewing: the winds were very strong, but Bjarne explained that it is quite normal to have powerful wind gusts where the mountains create wind tunnels. Bjarne rode back to Sandnessjøen with me. He had a birthday party to attend. Sunday morning was the time change. (Spring ahead, fall back, or fall over!). Sunday was an exhausting day, plus my legs were so stiff from the hike up Torghatten the previous day. There was extra music for Sunday: a special day called “Prayer and Penance Sunday”. On Sunday afternoon Anna (the prosti minister) and I drove up north to Lurøy for a service at 5 pm. It took about 3 hours to drive there. The place is called Konsvik and it’s about 3 miles south of the arctic circle. A good crowd showed up – about 25 or 30 people in all. It took place in a “bedehus”, a meeting house which is less formal and smaller than a church. We got back to Sandnessjøen about 10 pm. This past weekend I saw most of the Helgeland coast: from Torghatten and Brønnøysund in the south to Lurøy and Rødøy in the north.



Sunrise on 31 October is at 8:00 am. Sunset at 3:40. Total daylight is 7 hours, 40 minutes.



The first week (44) in November was uneventful, except that my Macbook seems to be very sick. I can't get a wifi signal. So I bought a pc this week. At least I have a connection to the internet now.

The choir will be singing in church on Sunday so we've been rehearsing the pieces for Sunday.



The news from the U.S. isn't very cheerful (referring to the elections), but it could have been worse. Here in Norway the right-wing party (Høyre) is to the left of the mainstream Democratic party. There is one party here which is against everything that social democracy stands for. They are called The Progress Party (Fremskrittsparti). What a misnomer. Fortunately they are only about 20%, but the third largest party. I still think that Obama should nominate Anita Hill to the Supreme Court. That would give Clarence Thomas a fatal heart attach (hopefully) and another nomination for Obama. I heard from my mother that the church where I grew up is pulling out of the ELCA over the gay issue. How unchristian can you get? I hope I never have to set foot in that place again. And there is a burial plot for sale!



Sunday the sun rose at 8:25 am, sunset at 3:20 pm. Total daylight is just under 7 hours.

Winter Begins

The leaves are beginning to fall.  I’ll be sorry when they all fall off.  That means I will see more of that ugly Tine creamery building.  On Wednesday we had rain and high winds.  A few of the trees are now bare, although some are still green.

Nothing unusual this week: just one funeral.  I spent the week getting prepared for the organ recital I’m giving on Sunday evening.

Nikolai, the child of Ann-Kristin & Trond Edvardsen, turned 5 on Thursday.  (I rent their basement apartment).  On Saturday they invited me to a coffee party to celebrate the event.

Well, there’s never a dull moment at organ recitals.  The weather turned quite cold, the high was only about 42 F.  The church was so cold Sunday morning that they tried to heat the place up with space heaters, but it kept on blowing fuses.  The organ recital began at 7:30.  Everything was going well until we had a power failure.  Jon, one of the employees of the church, tried to fix it but they ended up calling an electrician.  After about a 45-minute delay I played the rest of the program.  Fortunately, everyone patiently waited while the problem was fixed.  

Sunday (10-10-10) the sun rose at 7:45 am and set at 6 pm.  Total daylight is 10 hours, 15 minutes.

Week 41: winter began.  Sunday morning there was a dusting of snow on the mountains.  It looked liked a sprinkling of powdered sugar.  Each day there was a little more snow.  On Thursday, the 14^th of October it snowed.  According to the Old Norse Calendar this day is the first day of winter.  Like clockwork winter began in northern Norway.  Most people now have their winter tires on.  Quite a few years ago tires with studs were outlawed in Massachusetts.  The headline in the Boston Globe read, “Stud tires out”.

On Friday I had two funerals: one in Sandnessjøen Church for a 65-year old woman, and one in the chapel at the hospital for an infant that was stillborn.  This last one was so sad, of a life never lived.

I’m having a few problems with my macbook (computer).  It wouldn’t connect to the internet.  (All the other programs work fine).  I took it to a shop.  They looked at it and made some adjustments.  It does seem better but every once in a while I lose the signal.  I know the problem is with the macbook.  My iphone and ipod work perfectly fine.  I may have to get a pc.  Macs are not much in use in Norway.

Saturday I met Vera and John on the south-bound Hurtigruten.  They began their journey in Kirkenes and saw a part of Norway they hadn’t seen before.  If the weather had been better we would have taken the ferry over to Dønna and driven up to Dønnes and over to Rølvaag.    But it wouldn’t cooperate.  Instead we drove around Alstahaug: over the Helgeland Bridge, down to Søvik and Alstahaug Church and Museum, and back to Sandnessjøen on the valley road.

On Sunday Vera sang at the two services that played for: Sandnessjøen at 11 am and Alstahaug at 6:30.  The 11 am service was well attended.  They had presentation gifts for the 4-year olds.  There must have been about 120 in attendance.  The evening service was very sparsely attended.  In any case, Vera sang beautifully for both services.  The song was “Det er makt i de foldede hender” (There is strength in folded hands).  Monday morning they caught the 7 am bus to Mosjøen and from there the train down to Trondheim.  It was a short visit but at least they got a flavor of Helgeland.

Sunrise on 17 October is at 8:10 am, sunset at 5:40 pm.  Total daylight is 9 hours, 30 minutes.