About missing home

It's been six and a half years since I left Norway now. I never thought I would be gone for this long.

I left life as a student in Bergen, where we would stay up all night, drink a lot, go dancing and walk home at dawn, to live as a student in London, where the tube stops running at midnight, you're always looking over your shoulder after dark, going out takes a lot of planning, and I found myself studying at a big, competitive music college where taking care of your voice took precedence over anything else.

I left the open sea to live by a dirty river. I really missed the wide open horizon and the fresh breeze on my face.

I grew up near the sea, next to the forest and the hills, and suddenly I was living in a busy city where there was nowhere to escape the great masses.

The English are not the easiest to make friends with. They are very friendly, and will invite you out for a drink, but it's hard to get past their polite exterior. Norwegian people will invite you into their homes, English people will generally not. It takes time and perseverance to get to know the English well. At times I was yearning for a good old waffle in someone's living room, or a proper Norwegian- style 'vorspiel'.

But then again I met some wonderful new friends, and Husband, of course! I lived in a city with the best shopping in the world (when I had the money for it), wonderful museums and markets, world class concerts and wonderfully tasty food. I had some amazing opportunities and experiences whilst doing my music degree. I would stroll along the Thames on a Sunday afternoon whilst sipping my coffee and holding Husband's hand. I would become bilingual. And most importantly, I would have a wonderful baby daughter.

It is as it is with most things in life: you win some, you lose some. But right now I am really missing home.

Valentine

We didn't do much for Valentine's day, I'm not a big fan of the whole thing, but as I do like things heart shaped, I will take any excuse to make little hearts. So I made brownies, served on a Wedgwood 'Queen of Hearts' plate. Very tasty they were too! I used this recipe.

Alice in Wonderland

A friend of mine bought me these earrings, and I absolutely love them! 

Weekend breakfast

I realise I'm writing a lot about food these days, and this might be (or rather certainly is) because I find myself craving sugar and carbohydrates these days, more so than I ever did when I was pregnant. Breastfeeding and sleepless nights will have that effect on you. This weekend I made French toast for breakfast. Not just French toast, but heart shaped French toast, which is even nicer. Served with cinnamon, banana and maple syrup.

My favourite kind of breakfast; pretty and tasty! A very happy Sunday to you!

Cambridge is only an hour away from where we live, and as Husband is on winter half term we went there the other day. The sun was shining, birds singing, people were enjoying their coffee outside and it felt just like spring. Bliss!

Literature baby

I recently got a few books for little F, adding to her little library. I have always loved reading books, as a child I loved being read to, and I really want to pass on that to my daughter. This book about Audrey Hepburn is so lovely, with beautiful illustrations. And this Pride and Prejudice counting book is just great!

Rocket pesto

I have written about this recipe before, but it is worth repeating. Rocket pesto (or ruccola pesto) is so tasty, and lot cheaper to make than basil pesto! This recipe is from 'The Vicar's Wife's Cookbook' by Elisa Benyon:

50g pine nuts (roasted in a dry frying pan)

1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled but left whole

zest of 1-2 lemons

125g rocket (I use less than this)

ca 100ml olive oil

70g grated Parmesan or Grana Padano

Put the ingredients into a food processor (or a pestle and mortar) and put it on full speed until you have a sloppy pesto (not runny). I never follow the measurements to the point, it all depends on how you prefer it- I prefer more garlic and less lemon. Taste it and maybe add some more olive oil until it looks and tastes right. 

This pesto is lovely with spaghetti and prawns, or on bread with ham and avocado. Or cut open a couple of chicken breasts and fill them with it, and bake in the oven with a bit of mozzarella on top. 

Yum!

Weekend

 I found some clothes in my closet that I haven't worn in a very long time, so it felt a bit like wearing a brand new outfit!

 Pretty Valentine's roses on half price offer, and I thought 'Why not?'. It would be a shame not to buy them, really.

Husband had started making bread again, and now the house is filled with the most wonderful smell every Sunday. He makes the best sour dough bread from his very own starter, and it is very impressive and very tasty!

Did you have a nice weekend?

Things I look forward to

I love my daughter more than anything, and I really love the connection we have because of me breastfeeding her, but there are still a few things I haven't been able to do for a while, that I'm looking forward to doing again. Here are a few:

- wearing clothes that don't have convenient openings for breastfeeding.
- drinking more than half a glass of wine.
- leaving the house for a few hours on my own, without worrying about feeding when I'm gone.
- that she might learn to take a bottle of breast milk, so that I can get a bit more rest at night.
- not having to breastfeed in public. British people can sometimes be a bit awkward and weird about me getting my breast out in public to feed my baby.
- wearing pretty clothes and not worrying about getting vomit all over them (one can at least hope!)

Weekend

I love weekend breakfasts. When you have time to do that little bit extra because you're not on your own looking after the baby..

Brambly Hedge

I first encountered Jill Barklem's Brambly Hedge books when I moved to England, and I have grown to love these books so much. If you haven't read these lovely children's stories yet, I suggest you do! Not sure if they exist in Norwegian translation. This cup with pictures from the Winter Story is one of my favourite cups these days!

Fat Tuesday

You're tired after too little sleep, the baby is screaming and feeling unwell after having vaccinations the day before, your attempt to give her painkillers ended up with her throwing up all over you and all over the carpeted floor, and you're still in your pyjamas at 2 in the afternoon.. What do you do? Put the baby in a sling and make 'fastelavensboller'. The baby is entertained, and you have something tasty to get you through the rest of the day!

Dreaming..

I love winter. I love freezing cold weather, wrapping up warm, snow, frost and ice. But I also long for more daylight, warmer weather and to be outside all day. I dream of:

 - wearing bright colours again.

- not having to wear warm coats and scarves.

- wearing pretty dresses I haven't worn for a couple of years because of pregnancy. Oh joy!

- not wearing tights, but feel the breeze on bare legs.

- having most meals outside.

- the smell of barbecues everywhere.

- feeling grass between my toes.

What are you dreaming of?

Fastelaven

There was no time to make 'fastelavensboller' today, so I made pavlova instead. Pavlova is so easy and so tasty. I use Lorraine Pascale's recipe for the meringue, but for the topping I use whipped cream and whichever fruit I have available. Simple!

So close you can smell it

Spring is definitely not far off now! Longer days, more light, warmer weather...

Holga SLR

Like I've said before, I recently bought a Holga lens for my digital SLR. I love the way the photos come out, ans I'm having so much fun experimenting. And the best thing is that I don't have to use expensive film to play with it! Love it!

3 Happy Things

1. New wellies (LOVE them!)

2. Sunny weather

3. Drinking hot chocolate after being out in the cold

Shades of purple

Breakfast scones

These scones are delicious for a weekend breakfast (or any day, really). I've stolen the recipe from Ingvild. They are delicious with brown cheese or homemade jam. Homemade apple jam is so easy to make, just peel a couple of apples, take out the core, cut it into pieces and put it in a pan on the stove. Add a couple of spoonfuls of sugar (as much as you like) and a tiny amount of water. Let it cook until the apples are really soft, then gently mash the apples with a fork. Done! You can also add a bit of cinnamon, if you're that way inclined. Here's the recipe for the scones:

2dl flour
2dl wholemeal flour, or seeded grain flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
0.5 tsp salt
a handful of seeds or chopped nuts
2 tbsp butter
2-3 dl buttermilk or normal milk

Mix all the dry ingredients, knead in the butter and add the buttermilk. If the dough is too sticky add a bit more flour.

Use a spoon to put the dough into 6 'muffin holes' in a muffin baking tray, or simply make them as you would 'normal' scones. This recipe makes 6-8 scones.

Bake in the oven ar 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy with a cup of tea or your morning espresso!

Tulips

Not long until spring now!

Happy Friday!

Word

I wish babies did too..

Joy on a Friday

My old wellies have lasted me almost 10 years, and on Friday my new ones arrived. Oh joy!

Disguise

Maybe if I wear this pretty bow in my hair people won't notice the big, dark bags under my eyes from lack of sleep....?

Who are you?

I know I have lots of readers from all over the world, and I am really curious about who you are! Not many of you leave comments, but I would love to hear from you.

Let me introduce myself.

-Things that make me smile: snow, coffee in the morning, sunshine, cake, good friends, a smile from a stranger, reading a good book, frost on windows, home-cooked food, dressing up, a good hug, spending a day with my sewing machine, my daughter's smile, pretty flowers.

-What I dreamed of doing when I was little: being a singer or a writer.

-My dreams and hopes for the future: It may sound a bit boring, but my main wish for the future is good health for the people I love. I also hope that the politicians around the world will get their  act together and start doing something good for our planet, before it's too late.

-What I am reading at the moment: As usual I am reading a lot of different things at once: Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami, The Baby in the Mirror by Charles Fernyhough, Bilingualism in Development by Ellen Bialystok and Bleak House by Charles Dickens, which I've been reading for about 9 months. I love Dickens' characterisations and vivid descriptions.

-Things that inspire me: creative people, poetry, black and white photography (such as Edward Steichen, David Bailey, Henri Bresson, Robert Doisneau), old films, jazz and walking in the hills and mountains back home, my husband.

-Places I would love to visit right now: home in Norway, Paris, Copenhagen or New York.



Now it's your turn!

Sugar rush

After sleepless nights (and days) I am usually craving some sugar to get me through the day withut collapsing. If I'm lucky, I'll have enough time in between naps and feeding and playing to make some of these. Or even better: make enough to keep a few in the freezer so that all I have to do is defrost for instant joy. A Norwegian favourite: buns with vanilla custard. Sunshine in a bun.

Pinhole

I've bought a Holga lens for my SLR, and I'm really loving the photos it takes!