Lolly-gagging

Saturday, 18 January 1986

Dear ones,

We are lolly-gagging around again this morning with nothing special on the agenda. It is about 20 degrees F. (heard you had it warm – a January that?) and snowing again. It is easy to sleep late. Daylight comes about 8:30 or so and dark about 4 p.m.

Jené and Erling Oluf, a son of the Koppang’s also 19 went to a movie in the sentrum (down town, loop) last night. It was an American one; they even had a coke at a McDonald’s. Jené enjoyed that. She is less adventuresome – gets bored with watching TV you can’t understand, looking at newspapers you can’t understand, looking for things in the grocery store not being able to read the labels. She has registered for an intensive 6-wk. Norwegian language course, meets 4 times a week in 2-hr. sessions. That starts on the 27th. We were watching an American movie on the TV when she got home – it had Swedish subtitles. That helps us learn the language, too.

Vince went in to the University yesterday. Was introduced around, etc. He has been given 2 offices to use, because he will be at 2 different locations. They even brought in an IBM computer for his use. He told me I could come down and use it, but I didn’t bring my softwear with me. And I haven’t learned the Basic Language.

Got a letter from Robyn last week, and one from Steve yesterday. Anxiously waiting for more. Jené got her grades from UNI – she was a little disappointed. They were about the same as the semester before, and she felt she was doing better.

We had a really good time at the Koppang’s last Saturday. Hanna served us mutton with cabbage (faar i kaal) and boiled potatoes. Our next course was rice in whipped cream with a raspberry syrup. Then we adjourned to the living room – oh I guess we had a tour of their flat – it is rather like a duplex or a 3-plex. They have 3 floors: 2 sleeping rooms and 2 “offices” on top floor, and bath, living room, dining area and kitchen on the middle floor. A work bench and room, laundry facilities and large TV room are on the bottom floor. Hanna keeps asking us if we have enough room – she knows our house is bigger. Then we sat at the coffee table where she also had quite a spread: coffee, of course, cookies, a fruit similar to a tangerine (called clementine) and finally a layered cake with whipped cream, bananas and pineapple between the layers. And it was 2 a.m. when we got home.

Sunday we walked to the church here in Osteras – I recognized the Lord’s Prayer and The Apostles Creed, but I didn’t get much out of the sermon.

Monday we attempted to report into the Police Station. This is required of anyone staying longer than 3 mos. The address we were given was right downtown – you can imagine what it was like – we can’t read the signs, most of the street signs are small placards on buildings, the roads don’t go like the map looks like, the traffic is bumper to bumper. We asked a couple-three times before finding it. When we asked one fellow if he spoke English, he said “Nei – what are you looking for?” When we got to the right building, and then to the right office, we found out the papers had been sent to Sandvika, because we live in Osteras. Vince was a little upset. He can’t figure out why they sent us the downtown address on the application. Oh well, Oslo bureaucracy, I suppose. That did us in for the day – we went home after getting to Sandvika and getting our passports stamped.

(I’ve) Written cards about our Holmenkollen ‘trip’ on Wednesday. Thursday we checked out where we got on the tram (rail) to go downtown. It’s maybe 3 blocks from here. Vince has been trying to decide if it is cheaper to buy gas or to use public. The bus stops close by, too. Gas is equivalent to $2.59 a gal. so it is expensive; but to take the tram downtown is about $3.00 round trip.

Think I have finally found a way to make my coffee. At first, we couldn’t find a coffee pot so decided they must use instant. Then one day back on a high cupboard shelf I found an old electric percolator. The inside was all coated with black and I didn’t [?] some scrubbing. Finally bought some edikk (vinegar) and percolated that through. That seemed to clean it up pretty good. Don’t think it has an automatic shut-off so now a I have to learn how long to let it perk and how much coffee to use. But I’ll figure it out – just give me time. Next I’ll tell you the story of the electric frypan.

Love to all – whoever gets these last should maybe save them. Might make an interesting chronicle.

Love, Verla and Vince