Nothing Spectacular

5 April 1986

Dear ones,

This has been a quiet week with nothing spectacular going on.

Last Saturday we had snow and rain. It helped melt some of the snow. Downtown Oslo has very little snow left. Up here we still have piles along the streets and in places where its been piled that are from 3 to 5 feet high. I noticed yesterday that on the roof of the garages which we look down on it is down to about 3 or 4 inches. It had been at least a foot ever since we came. The days this week have been in the 40’s; today the weatherman said it would be 50. Noticed on the SE side of the bldg, the other day that there are some small flowers blooming.

Last Saturday evening we went to Koppang’s for cheese and crackers. She had a variety of cheeses, most of which I’ve forgotten the names. She offered to get Vince some gammel ost, but he said he’d pass. We left at 10 so we could drop Vince off at church for choir practice. The choir sang at the 11 p.m. Easter Eve service. There were six in the choir and about 20 in the congregation.

Sunday morning we went to the American Lutheran Church – it was the first English service we had been to since we came. In the evening Vince and I went downtown on the trikk and went to the Oslo Cathedral to hear Bach’s Easter Oratorio – sung in German with a Norsk translation printed in the program. The cathedral doesn’t compare to the ones we saw in Uppsala or Stockholm. But then Norway has been the step-child for a long time. It was under Danish rule from 1300’s to 1814, and under Swedish rule from 1814-1905. The church was full; people stood in line to get in.

Mark called Monday morning – we went on daylight saving time last weekend, so it was 7:30 Mon. a.m. here (he thought it would be 6:30 and we would be getting up for school.) Monday was still a national holiday so there was no school, no stores, banks or post office open. It was fun to hear from him – they sound busy. He had auditioned for a couple of summer jobs and was waiting to hear. Amy is finishing her Master’s and applying for jobs.

Did I tell you Vince has been invited to be a guest lecturer at the Royal Dental College at Arhus, Denmark. His fame continues to spread. A student from there had been at U of I last year, and guess he recommended Vince. So now we will or he will try to work that into our schedule. We may do it on our way to Germany in May.

Have I told you Lyle and Exene are flying over May 2 – 12? Vince has planned a trip to the fjord country for about 6-7 days while they are here.

Checking your letters to see if there are any questions to answer. On Tuesday when the mail was finally delivered again, we got letters from most of you.

Hey Mom, I’ll give you something new to dream about – Vince made me step on the scale the other day he was also concerned about my weight. And he was right – I’d lost 2 or 3 pounds.

Guess our loss was your gain – glad you all enjoyed Dawn and Heather. It’s hard to understand how anyone could choose to visit Minnesota instead of Oslo. No one mentioned struggling with the weather while she was there so it must have presented no major problems.

It’s a nice bright day, so we should decide to do something here in Oslo – think the stores close at 1 p.m. so shopping might be out. Shopping doesn’t mean buying.

Heard from Laurene – Terri wrote, too. She wants some stuff about Norway she can take it(?) school. So I’m collecting a few things and will get it in the mail soon.

Now that I started a new page, I’ve read through your letters. But just checked the mail and had a letter from Laurene. Sounds like she’d enjoyed seeing Dawn and Heather, too.

Also got another form. We needed to file our tax. Hadn’t brought it along – a business expense form – so called the Embassy. They had the forms and sent me one. So will have to get busy and finish it – wonder if the April 15 postmark is valid even if it’s from Norway.

Better get going on the day – it is slipping away.

My Dec. perm is beginning to look pretty shabby. But don’t think I want to try a perm here. So will have to start setting it more often or something. Maybe I should have Jene cut it – she gave Vince a haircut, and when the fellow downstairs heard about that, he asked her to give him one, too. So she did!

Love, Verla and Vince

P.S. Thanks for the pictures of Heather, Sharon. She is growing up!