Monday, December 24, 2007

God jul

that is, "Merry Christmas" in Norwegian.

That reminds me, I have a new goal or two this year. Now, I'm totally anti-New Year's Resolutions - I firmly believe that if you want to change something, there's no need to wait until New Year's. Plus, I think they are jinxed and doomed to failure. I've never known anyone's New Year's Resolutions that were kept, not to mention seen through for over a month. When I quit smoking, it was actually on January 6th (the anniversary of my Dad's birthday. Not sure why I picked that date...he didn't ever smoke, but I'm sure he didn't like that I did. I guess it was my own little way of making him proud of me, even though he had passed away many years before.) I've been smoke-free ever since. It was actually a gloomy March day that I made the decision to put down the meatball sandwich with sides of cheetos and mashed potatoes that I was having for lunch and to get in shape. As I've gotten to know myself, I've figured out that when I decide to change something in my life, the date on the calendar means very little. So, today, Christmas Eve, I'm making some new goals:

1. Learn Norwegian - this should be great fun, given my academic background in German and various Germanic languages, both currently spoken and those preserved only in writing some 1,200 years ago.

There are some others, but they aren't exactly bloggable. (bloggable? is that a word? yikes...I hope I'm not slipping down the Troy Aikman-slippery-slope-of-language-misuse.)

I've wanted to learn Norwegian for a number of years, and there is no time like the present. I've regretted that, during all my various trips to Europe, I never once went to Norway. I wish, in fact I did this very morning, that I could just pack up and go live in Bergen or Trondheim. When I was 7 or 8, I left a note on my parents' bed that I wanted to runaway and live in Norway. It's about time I learn the language, and definitely time that I set myself to visiting there. Wouldn't it be wonderful to bike through mountains overlooking the fjords?

As a little Christmas gift to myself, I bought Selbuvotter: Biography of a Knitting Tradition by Terri Shea.
One search through Ravelry's pattern and project library for mittens and this gem shows up everywhere. The mitten and glove designs are inspired by actual pieces knit in the 19th century in the Selbu region of Norway. Sounds divine. The patterning is exquisite and will be a great way to hone my stranded knitting skills. In fact, now that my pre-Christmas chores and last present is wrapped, I think I'll go wind up some yarn and dive right in.

Speaking of diving right in, here's my darling Maddie-girl, knowing just what to do on a chilly winter's afternoon:


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