Christmas Message 2021

 

After a few years absence (did anyone miss it???!!!) it's back, the Christmas Message.

As everyone is aware, a lot has happened in the world in the last couple of years. We as everyone else have not gone unaffected but have been fortunate to come out the other side, or at least well on the way hopefully, mostly nothing but the wiser.

The time before Covid was full of activities for the boys, dancing, music, football and then on Kai's 4th birthday, the 12th of March 2020, everything stopped. Living as we do, social distancing was not such a problem and we managed home schooling and kindergarten pretty well, all in all. We (Mari and Andy) both ended up on home office. The government increased the parental sick leave, so we were able to work 50% each and take time off to look after Kai and manage the bigger boys with their school work. The biggest shock for us came when things started up again and all the activities and daily logistical challenges hit us pretty hard!

The family has not travelled overseas since Christmas 2019 and we've not seen Andy's family since then. However, family Zoom quizzes every other week for the duration of Lockdown meant that we had much more frequent contact with everyone all the same. Not being able to travel has meant that we have seen a lot more of Norway during the summer holidays! 

Mari and Liam on their way to Liams first 2000m top on Valdresflya.

Kai ready to go "off-road".

Une on the Downhill track in Beitostølen.

Andy marvels at the genial simplicity of the lighthouse glass on Utsira Islands, Norway's smallest municipality 18km off the west coast from Haugesund.

Both of our work situations remain unchanged. Andy has be "lucky enough" to have travelled a fair bit, which has involved plenty of Covid testing and days in quarantine.

At this time, everything in Norway is fairly normal, Une has started "Ungdomskole" (Secondary school) and is still dancing, playing football and doing well on the piano and the cello, Liam plays football and the piano and Kai, who is in his last year of kindergarten, has started dancing. 

Here are a few more photo highlights. I encourage anyone who has actually read this to leave a little "Hi" in the comments! Good to know if anyone actually finds their way here!!!

Cross Country Skiing.

Kai's 5th Birthday party, outdoors again! 

 

17th May, Norway's national day. Social Distancing meant DIY activities for a 2nd year running.

Andy has resurrected his RC plane flying dreams and has clocked up a decent amount of flight time over the field from last cut until the things start growing in the spring. 

Home produce from the boys vegetable beds.
 

The Spitfires gearbox has ended up as a "bag of bits" so Andy has plenty to do this winter!

It's not only Andy who is mad for Unicycling, Here's Une out for a ride!