Moving forward

So last weekend we got away for a planned quick break without the children under the guise of  coming to check on the building works - of course we also planned some fun things to do!

However, before some sneaky skiing,  there was the slight issue of putting up curtain poles, hanging the curtains and generally making the kids rooms feel a bit more homely and less like a shoe making workshop before our next family trip at Easter. (For those who join us from new, the  2 main rooms of the upper floor of the house, we think, were solely (pardon the pun) used for making shoes and weaving work and for drying leather and dyed fabric. This is due to the fact that all of the paraphernalia from 2 looms, drying racks, vices, work benches etc were still all in place prior to us subdividing one of the spaces into a more manageable size!)

Our flight was delayed and we were an hour late arriving in Trondheim, so we stumbled to the hotel and fell into bed - just remembering to set the alarm.

A leisurely shower, to make the most of the hotel facilities as we don't have running water at the house, a quick breakfast, hire car collected and we were off to our second home in Norway - IKEA.

IKEA is so much better without children, although I (Kath) was suffering from a distinct lack of caffeine, so was a little bit grumpy. Bathroom bits, laundry room bits and 12 curtains poles later; a very heavily laden down hire car hit the road.

The day was beautiful - snow covered trees, frozen icicles at the side of the road, snow covered rivers and this sort of blue light, it was lovely to be coming back without the kids.  Although just to make sure we didn't miss them too much I did occasionally ask 'Are we nearly there yet?', 'Can I have a snack?' and other gems our kids say. It was the same weekend last year when Jim and his dad arrived into the middle of a huge arctic storm which brought excessive snowfall, closed roads (almost unheard over here and resulted in being rescued from the road outside the house by a friendly neighbour - who is now our plumber - takk Kjetil!)

We arrived at the house to discover 2 of the building team just packing up, Mads and Einar, and insulation carefully packed into the kitchen & bathroom windows. Prior to travelling Jim had emailed Magnus to see how the work was coming on and despite an answer still had no idea of what we expected to find.....(the message got slightly lost in translation!) When we arrived to see the builders packing up, Jim asked if they had finished for the day and they happily replied "no we are finished!" which was quickly then followed by the ultimate question! "Have we got water?" ........".yes " came the reply, "you just turn it on here!"

Well to say we were both happy was understatement of the year and even better still, not only did we have running water but also a fully plumbed in kitchen and finished (bar the accessories) bathroom! 

I don't think we stopped smiling! I (Kath - Lol) very nearly kissed them both.  So we have a boiler, hot and cold running water, kitchen and bathroom sinks plumbed in, a flushing loo and a shower! Those who have followed (well, put up with) our freezing barn pooing experiences will now be delighted that we no longer have to endure sub zero backdrafts and can (like normal people) enjoy a warm seat.......ah bliss... (although I think Jim will secretly miss it and the kids never disturb you when you are in the barn).

Despite ensuring that we skied saturday afternoon finally enjoying our local ski slopes (just 2 km away) we managed to clean out the kids rooms, hang the curtains and poles, lampshades as well as hang the curtains and blinds down stairs, assemble a coffee table, kitchen unit and utility room sink......phew....its beginning to feel like a house and not a hut at last.

So here are some pictures taken inside of the bathroom (not great photos but at least show some progress!)

...........vi snakkes!........

Stick man.....

Best job ever?

Driving along the snowy road to our house, we noticed flashing lights up ahead so we slowed down, not really being sure what they were for and given that Norway has quite strict (and expensive) traffic laws we erred on the side of caution.

However, we hadn't committed some expensive traffic violation it was just the man who knocks snow off the road signs!

There are 2 men; one drives and the other leans out the window with a brush on a big stick, and knocks the snow off.

Jim wants that job..........

Surely the best job?