Pawing Through Old Photos

I'm rummaging through boxes of old photos, and thought I'd post a few pictures from younger days--Laurie and friends holding new puppies (a mix of our dachshund and the local basenji breeds).

Burundian women carrying loads of firewood and produce home from market--notice their excellent posture! Also, I now realize how much strength it takes to carry those loads any distance. Amazing.

Happy 23rd Birthday

Happy July birthday to Danielle:

History buff,
black tea drinker,
dog-hugger,
étudiante de Français,
wonderful oldest daughter,
shoe-hoarder,
service project volunteer,
Gilmore Girls watcher,
gear shift driver,
raspberry chocolate fiend,
avid reader,
world traveler,
DANIELLE!

Time to Play Tag

Ginger at Joyful Woman tagged me to write eight random facts about myself. Without too much extended thought, here you go:

1. I’m the oldest child of four, and somewhat compulsive about knowing what’s going to happen in the near future (surprise parties throw me for a loop, fyi).
2. I love Tandoori chicken, Tazo Earl Grey tea with milk and sugar, dark chocolate, Thai chicken pizza, and, I guess, pretty much any type of food. When my youngest challenged me to tell her a food I didn’t like, I replied, “Umm, brains on toast?”
3. My brother’s nickname for me as a kid was “Truck.” As in lorry=Laurie. Those Brits out there will understand. Also, I got called “Professor” at boarding school when I started wearing glasses.
4. Like Ginger, I enjoyed climbing trees constantly as a child. Tall, bendy, spicy-smelling eucalyptus trees. I also liked lying in our tree house, listening to the wind blow.
5. Bumblebees are another one of my loves. They’re just so much fun to watch, bumbling among the blossoms. They’re like clumsy planes which somehow manage to become airborne.
6. As far as I know, I’ve never broken a bone or had strep throat. I did take tons of malaria medicine growing up and suffered my fair share of immunizations.
7. In high school, I skipped countless afternoon classes my junior/senior years and drove the country roads around Gresham. (Not recommended, for you students out there).
8. Choir concerts in old cathedrals and African drumming both make me happy.

I’m tagging :

Betsy at Blog Ness Monster
Holly at And Sew It Is
Laura at Today On My Wanderings
Milton at Don’t Eat Alone

The rules:
* Players start with eight random fact about themselves.
* People who are tagged need to write their own blog about eight things and post these rules.
* At the end of the blog, choose eight (or less!) people to tag and list their names and blog addresses.
* Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged.

What's Your Idol?

Just returned from gassing up the car at our local Esso station. While there, I glimpsed a bright yellow pickup with this logo on the side:

"IDOLATERS OF CLASSIC SCOOTERS" and in smaller letters underneath,
"Lambretta, Piaggio"

Did they maybe mean "Worshippers of Italian Scooters?" I'm guessing, here. But it made me look twice!

The Latest Harry Movie

Took our two daughters to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix tonight. I think this one turned out to be my favorite movie so far--maybe because it felt so realistic--all that teen angst and Harry's struggles with grief and rejection. Good photography, too.

Ah, you gotta love German movie theatres, though. We reserved our seats ahead of time online (can you do this in the States?) and claimed our nice middle row, not-to-close-to-the-front spots. I had the option of purchasing Welde beer at the concession stand, along with nachos and sweet popcorn. What really threw me for a loop--Anna ordered a chocolate bar, and the snack person asked her, "from the Kühlschrank?" (from the fridge?). Apparently, if you like, the candy's precooled so it doesn't melt in your clammy, hot hands.

Anyway, a nice outing. If you send me an email at the address listed in my Blog profile, I'll mail you a Harry Potter postcard in German. Picked up three, so first come, first served.

Murphy's Chin-Rest

Our dog loves to rest his jowls on the bottom rung of our wooden dinner chair. Also, on the rockers of our rocking chair. I guess he just needs a little extra support now and then. Doesn't it make him look thoughtful?

Jeff and I have been discussing a few intense topics lately: where we might live in the future, types of jobs to consider, family finances, etc. Our discussions are helpful; however, I'm feeling the desire to mix a bit of lightness and humor into our daily lives. Jeff and I need to laugh more on a regular basis, especially with each other.

I like watching comedies with Jeff, and he reads the funnies from the newspaper to me on Sunday. We chuckle together about silly quirks in people, and the odd habits of our corgi.

My big question, thrown out into the blogosphere—
What ways have you found to laugh together in your relationship with a friend or family member? I’d love to hear some fresh ideas. Please leave suggestions in the comments below. Remember, you can sign in as Other, you don’t need a Blogger account to comment.

The Park of Naked People

If you've never had an opportunity to visit Vigeland Sculpture Park, just on the outskirts of Oslo, Norway, here are a few photos from our trip to Oslo a few weeks ago. Jeff is half Norwegian on his mother's side, and he finally got to see the land of his ancestors. He thought the country beautiful but didn't care so much for the Norse fixation on fish for most meals. I have to say, on the bus from Torp airport, someone opened a packet of smoked salmon and munched on it on the drive to town. Had me salivating the entire way!

I loved Vigeland and could easily have spent all day there. On the other hand, my daughter Anna said, after a brief hour in the park, "I don't like it--isn't it kind of creepy to stare at a bunch of naked people, standing around in different poses?" I guess art appreciation truly is a matter of individual taste.

One of the things I noticed--Vigeland sculpted men, women, and children of all ages and shapes. Not only people in the prime of life, but those near life's end and just at the beginning. Genius, as far as I'm concerned.