Welcome to 2009

Another year. Pretty much like the old one. :-)

I spent New Year's Eve out in the boondocks - sorry, guys! but I live in the city, my perspective is skewed, I can't help it - with some friends and some strangers. NyxRo and her husband N. and I were invited to some friends of theirs who live in a farmhouse (a very nice and spacious farmhouse) an hour or so outside of Oslo. An hour and a half? Anyway. Our host had also invited two old friends of his, so altogether we were seven adults and two children (one toddler, one baby). We had a great dinner and afterwards just sat around and talked and ate even more. :-) At midnight we went outside to watch such fireworks as were visible from other houses, to send up our one rocket and to play with sparklers. I took some pictures of the fireworks (there's a special setting on my camera) which were pretty much beyond sucky, and some of the sparklers which turned out pretty cool. We went to bed at around 2am (everyone stayed the night, there's no shortage of room in that house :-).

This morning we had a long breakfast with good food and various political discussions ... then the two 'other' guests :-) left and the rest of us bundled up for a little hike down the road. I took lots and lots of pictures today of a very beautiful winter landscape. I could hardly stop taking pictures. See, the way it looked out there, with the snow-covered ground and the frosty trees, that's exactly the way I want to present Norway this time of year. :-) It was soo pretty ... ! I'm going to post lots of pictures pretty soon ... and the post will be called Winter Wonderland ... :-)

A good time was had by all! It was a nice and quiet evening with good friends, good food and interesting conversation. I'm so not a party girl, the only party I really like is a dinner party like the one we had yesterday. So I was pretty happy. :-)

I hope all the rest of you spent a good night too and enjoyed yourself in whatever way you prefer. :-) Happy new year 2009. :-)