Volvo on its Side

Sat. a.m.

Dear ones,

I have a little over an hour before the Post Office closes so will attempt to get this written – otherwise, it won’t go out until Monday.

It has been a full week and I will start with the least desirous news to hear. We skidded on icy and snowy roads, put the car into the ditch on its side. Luckily, neither one of us got a scratch, and the car is drivable though it is estimated to have about $1000 damage. It won’t be able to be fixed until May 13 and then the garage will need it for 3 days. Every once in awhile I say or think if only – this or if only that, but then I think about how much worse it could have been! It was scary and it is inconvenient, but -!

A week ago tonight we went down to Oddvar’s mom’s for supper. She lives in As, not too far from where Oddvar farms. His brother, wife and little girl where there, too. Also, the pastor of the As church and his wife. Their English was very good – he had been an exchange pastor in a small town in N.W. Iowa (Inwood) a few years ago – for a year, I think. He has visited the states other times, too. He has even lectured at Symra in Decorah. Small world! He was also a courier for the Norwegian Resistance and carried messages to Stockholm to be relayed to the exile gov’t in England W.W.II. He also escorted 20 some Jews to safety in Sweden. I guess he is one of Norway’s war heroes.

Mrs. Bjerke started the meal by serving sea trout, scrambled eggs, spinach, and crescent shaped rolls. Seconds were passed – we’d had a similar meal except salmon instead of trout. Imagine our surprise when she next passed a platter of meat – pork and carbonade (a hamburger mixture) – and a fresh vegetable salad. And that was passed again. Then we had strawberries and tyttebaer and a cookie-cracker. Shortly after, it was suggested we go see the church – this was a new one, for a change. And it was suggested we walk – think we all needed it! The church was very pretty – knotty pine interior. When we got back to the house, we had coffee, the typical layer cake, kranskaka and cookies. We had eaten enough for 2 days, but we were invited out for 1 p.m. luncheon on Sunday – this time to a relative of Vince’s grandpa Johnson’s mother’s line. She is an only child, but she had also invited 2 of her first cousins, and some of their family. We had smorbrod (the famous Norwegian sandwiches), and then coffee with layer cake. There was lotza visiting! We were really glad it was a lighter meal. We were home again by 6 or so.

Monday Jene had class and I met her afterwards for a McDonald’s before we went to the lecture. We were walking along the street when we happened to see the same young fellow we had talked to on the palace grounds on the Friday before. He recognized us and came over to visit with us again. Vince stayed home all day – he may have eaten too much, or it is his hiatal hernia acting up or something. Think he did some studying or writing at home.

Wednesday Vince and I drove out northeast of Oslo – we stopped at Arnes to inquire as to the whereabouts of the old Husmofarm. The road was even called Husmovegen. We knocked at a couple of doors but got no answer. One of them had a nameplate “Husmo”. So we were on a Husmo farm and a lady bicyler we stopped and she though it was called “south” Husmo which is the one we wanted. So we are assuming we were on the right one. From there we drove thru Kongsvinger to Brandval area – we found the Sander farm (Vince’s Grandma Johnson was a Sander) according to a picture in the old ‘bygdegok’. Then we continued a little further north and came to the Grue church. Here we were looking for a Huseby farm, but had no real maps to go by. So we stopped at the city hall, figuring there might be an office there who would have records. The women working in the office knew where this farm was and attempted to give directions. They ended up by saying it was too difficult – they would show us. It was close to 3:30, closing time. By then it was beginning to snow just a little. They drove out to the farm – we followed. And they went to the door to tell or ask if this was the right place. The lady invited us in, and the 2 women as well; she got out her history book – and told us which of the farms were which – there were 5 or 6 all Huseby – divided for several sons maybe. All we wanted were pictures – we ended up with the neighbor lady who lived also on a Huseby farm being invited down to visit with us, too. And all the while snowing more and more. The 2 women left after about an hour. But we were offered coffee and donuts. The farms were sold out of the family when they came to the U.S. and so far we haven’t traced any for distant relatives in the area. It was six o’clock before we got away. Vince snapped 3-4 pictures and we were on our way. It must have been 7 or 7:30 when we slid into the ditch. Needless to say, that set us back for awhile – guess it was 11 p.m. when we finally got home.

Thursday we spent finding out what to do about getting the car repaired – it always seems to take several phone calls. We went to a Volvo garage for an estimate, and then downtown to the insurance company for their estimate.

Friday night (last night) the church choir gave a concert – but Jene and I were invited to coffee at a ‘cousin’ from Grandma Hoganson’s side. Their daughter had called Jene about a week ago, and they had met downtown on Tuesday. The cousin (Aase)’s husband works for Customs, and knows and uses English. Aase said she understood us when we talked, but it has been so long since She’s used her English that speaking it was difficult. We had waffles with whipped cream and strawberries. They were served cold – Jene and I used our forks but I noticed that they picked them up in their fingers (the smorbrod they use a fork). Then we had a layer cake. After some visiting and looking at pictures and checking family history, etc. we were served cheese and crackers. It was another interesting evening.

We haven’t decided what we will do or where we will travel from here. Guess we will wait and see what develops. Norway seems to be safe – we will see about Germany and England later on. We could spend the time seeing more of Norway, stopping longer in Denmark, or in Sweden.

See I missed a side, but guess I will let it go. Dawn called while we were gone on Wed – she talked with Jene.

Love, Verla and Vince