January 2013 In The Arctic

How are you all doing in the new year? We're kind of pale these days.

Looking forward to the sun coming back in a couple of weeks!

My father celebrated his 75th with us this Cristmas. He had ordered what his father had for his 75th birthday:  meatball soup with vegetables, beer and aquavit. This is the traditional feat dish for the middle region of Norway.

As you can see: our garden is filled with snow now. My daughter looked outside the window this morning and asked when will summer arrive, mum?

I said it's a while to.

Wishing you a great January! 

Why Do You Need The Sun When There's So Much Light?

All the kindergartens around here marked the time we have entered by lighting candles in the dark, in self decorated glass holders.

Children in reflector vests sang together, nothing religious, nothing big. Only wishing Polar Night welcome.

This time is magical in it's own way. I don't think I would want it any different.

But I certainly need to follow my own advice. Vitamin D here I come!

And tonight I will run. With a head torch. And spikes.

I wish you a good week!

Happy Sun Day!

At noon we dressed well and walked the three minutes to the pond. We met neighbours and tourists with cameras. And we met the sun.

How can I express how it felt to see the sun after two months of darkness? Most of all I felt alive, moved and present in the world. Like I'm part of something big. Like we all are.

You really feel the change of seasons here. I wouldn't want anything else.

Are any of you on Instagram? Come find me! I'm Arcticmum.

Polar Night Crash Course: Last lesson

 

 

 

Lesson 5: Make sure you have something to look forward to. Small or big

I look forward to:

* Sopranos season 5 and 6 (I'm so late to this party)
* Holiday planning: We're house exchanging in Bretagne!
* Dinner at fancy restaurant with bookcircle
* The return of the sunbun
* The Filmfestival (if manages to get Anna's sleep sorted out)

As we speak it is only fourteen days to the sun is back. I've been known to be more impatient. This year I'm enjoying the last period of the magical time.

Because Polar Night is simply beautiful.

Have you not entered my sister's giveaway of gorgeous jewellery? Still time.

Polar Night Crash Course: Lesson four

Lesson four: Team up!

By no means you should be alone at this time of year, it's just too dark. And the sun-waiting-time is so much shorter when you spend it with others.

Team up with someone: a friend, the neighbour, family, your work mate, a running buddy, a stranger, a dog, the internet, a glass of red (just one glass mind you. Ok then - two).

I have teamed up with a group of women with babies, for long walks and baby talk that could not be of interest for anyone else (food, teeth, sleep. Sleep, don't get me started on that subject). Love it!

As you can see from the view to our big, small town: Polar Night can be beautiful too. Even if it's one of those days when it doesn't really get light at all.

P.S Did you know we have a butter crisis here? I may just make my own as very easy apparently. I've heard rumours they used to do it at home back in the days...

Bright Lights, Big City

My favourite spot on my walk to kindergarten: Standing on the top of the hill I get the big city feeling. Rio. London. Calcutta. The bright lights.

In reality it's just the hospital and the university. And 70.000 in the Arctic.

But for a moment I'm somewhere else.

Good luck with your Christmas preparations. Just take deep breaths, you will survive.

P.S: These guys (one of them is my daughter's friend's dad) on the South Pole Expedition hope to get home by the 24th.

Polar Night Crash Course: Lesson three

Lesson three: slow down.

It's impossible not to notice the changes the Polar Night does to your body. The pace is different, there's no way you can rush. So you better slow down and be kind to yourself. I guess life is easier when you accept the things you cannot change. Like that it's dark no matter what.

Make a cup of tea. Watch American Pickers, my latest obsession.

This is just not the time to start new projects (ask me what I'm doing in the end of May - I'm turning the house upside down).

Do not act crazy and clean the windows for Christmas. Light a candle and no one can tell.

On the down side I have a baby who has trouble knowing if it's day or night. I try to tell her she should be sleeping in the evenings.

Have a good weekend, friends!

Polar Night Crash Course: Lesson two

Lesson two: Keep a regular lifestyle: eat healthy, like fish as pictured above from local shop (I pass the liver, but you shouldn't - it's good for you).

Go to bed at the same time every night, get up at the same time in the morning.

Excercise.

I know, I sound like I'm ninety.

But keeping a steady pattern works, and I truly believe that it helps against Polar Night depression. Do not for all sake go to sleep in the middle of the day, you'll wake up not knowing if it's day or night. And your body will be even more confused than normally this time of year.

Only 58 days to sun is back. Yay!

(PS: You should check the comments in the last post for more vitamin tips!)

Polar Night Crash Course: Lesson 1

Today was the last day of the sun. I'll be ready when it returns the 21st of January 2012. Ready as can be.

But in the meantime I will stay sane (ok, fairly) and happy while embracing the Polar Night.

And now you can too. Not easy you say? Easy peasy with Arctic Mum crash course in five parts!

Lesson 1: Make sure you get some daylight.

Many work places let you take a walk during the day, if not make up a doctor's appointment or the dentist, not leg waxing as we don't do that this time of year. Do not skip this task.Otherwise you'll be a zombie soon, and your mental state will be frayed at best.

Soaking up some light every day will keep you from hitting the internet and ordering holidays in Hawaii or Florida, that will only hurt your wallet deeply and leave you in despair.

Ok?

Lesson two soon. Have a good week, U lucky people with the sun!

Bye Bye Camera Light

 

 

 

I was walking to pick up my daughters at school and kindergarten, and by every step it got darker.

The season of disastrous camera light in the Arctic has started. I hope you don't mind, and stick with me to the light is back?

Next up is a Polar Night Tutorial: A keep -sane-and-happy-in-the-dark-how-to.

Big hugs to everyone stopping by!

It's D Time!

The light is almost gone, soon Polar Night will be over us. That means it's vitamin D Time for the Arctics: We get a bottle of cod liver oil (with lemon, mind you, takes the taste almost away) and enjoy ourselves.

Did I mention I've started making cushions from retro fabric? I like people with a past, and fabric too. I made the green one from a 70s curtain, it's been a witness to bowl-drinking parties, Roger Whittaker listening (at least that's what my parents listened to) and cigarette smoking in crazy coloured dresses while serving fondue, kids who had to watch themselves,(yes, I saw the brilliant The Ice Storm) while the women fought for equality, I have no idea what the men did.

(what's really in that cod liver oil?)

The Sun Shines on my Teak Cabinet

Guess what! I met the sun for the first time in a few months on Saturday. I felt renewed, fresh and happy. It's a wonderful experience, every single year.

The light fell beautifully on the beloved mid-century teak cabinet I fought over at an estate sale some time ago.

The light fell on the sofa too. And the plants, surprisingly surviving the Polar Night. I felt like capturing how the sunlight fell on everything in the house.

Playing outdoors is different now: Sun, snow and light. It's not even that cold anymore.

I hope you have a splendid week where you are!

A hot (and very cold) trip with the Spa Boat

 

I was in heaven on Saturday. Our four-hour trip with Vulkana started with drinks where they used to keep fish in the old days. Now it's a zen lounge and a hamam designed by the Finnish architect Sami Rintala.

 

Next was sauna and the hot tub on deck. The water was burning hot, but the air -6 degrees Celsius. No wonder we had our hats on!

 

The boat toured around the island. It was cold and clear and just fantastic.

 

The Northern Lights also made an entrance. Even though the picture conditions were not the best.

 

The baot made a stop for this girl who made a swim in the sea! I guess the water held a couple of degrees Celcius.

 

I don't know what material whe's made of, she may well be extra-terrestrial. She is the toughest one of us.

 

The American chef made us smoked whale with artichoke dip for starters and filet of reindeer on rocks (literarely)as main course. I recommend everyone to have dinner in bathrobes after sauna and a hot tube. It sure didn't hurt anywhere.

 

We ended the night with marinated pears in the lounge, before we entered the hamam for the last treatment.

Now I'm refreshed and (almost) ready for a new week of waking up too late, run out the door, kindergarden, work, ten-minute dinners and collapsing on the coach. Have a great week!

Waiting for the Sun

 

I admit that I start to crave the light now. But I'm not desperate, like I was this excact date last year.

15 days to The Return of the Sun Day.

While waiting my book circle (which happends to consist of my best friends)will place our tired, working bodies to a fishing boat turned restaurant and spa. We'll be sailing along, having dinner, sauna and a bubblebath on deck. I'll be enjoying every minute (I'll skip the jumping in the sea bit). Maybe I'll capture the Northern Lights? I'll give you a photo report on Sunday!

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year! Our night was spent with friends. On the menu: scallops, salmon, kamchatka crab, entrecôte, meatballs and chocolate mousse. And children staying up far too late, but oh all the fireworks!

My New Year resolutions: Find and buy a house. Leave the sofa more to go on dates with Arctic Dad. I wish you all the best for 2011!

The Blue Hour in the Gingerbread Village

 

 

 

 

 

We spent the blue hour at the public library today. It's freezing outside. There is a village of gingerbread houses there. My favourite is the slum area made by Amnesty International. To remind us how lucky we are to be free.

Will you like me run around to fix the last things this week? Note to both you and self: Breathe into your stomach.

A Herring Merry Christmas

 

We try to stay outdoors as much as we can these days. I'm craving that light at the moment.

 

Whereas you now know I'm not a baker, I'll reveal that I'm quite a fine herring dish maker! It might not be so useful on a daily basis, but tomato herring and mustard herring is very, very yummi on rye bread for Christmas.

 

We made (store bought dough) gingerbread this weekend, a lot of fun but with mixed results. Let's just say I won't quit my day job to become a full time gingerbread designer.

Enjoy your week!

Swinging in The Dark (and a confession)

 

 

Of course you can swing and play in the dark. Just add a couple of reflective vests or a headlamp!

 

I'm good at having the Christmas presents ready early. What I'm not good at is baking. I have to confess I think it's boring.

My bread rolls are flat and useless (except you can use them to knock a person out), the cakes are either dry or burnt in the ove. I once had to make three chocolate cakes to my daughter's birthday.

I just have lack of interest, (I also blame genetics, my mother's bread rolls were even heavier) and can think of a million things I'd rather do on a Sunday Morning. Even clean the house.

I feel quite alone in Bloglandia about this. Maybe there's a Boring Bakers Anonymous meeting I could go to? The good thing is that my children's teenage revolt probobly will be about baking.

There. I've said it. You'll never see a cupcake here.