Grandpa and I - too!

It's not like Bajas is the only one getting some time with Grandpa!
For some reason the humans had a laugh because of my crossed paws..
You're not finding this funny? Right?

Purrs,
Virus

Grandpa and I

Sometimes Grandpa will play with me and my stuffie!
I love that! (Mom say I'd love any kind of attention.. hmpf..)
The'd bought this stuffie especially for me to have here while vacationing. I sure hope I get to bring it to Hamar, though..

Bajas & the little hippo.

The view from the afternoon!

This is the view from grandpa's terrace.. Not bad, huh?
His knee isn't beeing very good to him, so he can't walk too much, but he can carry his kayak down to the beach and go anywhere on the fjord!
Mom and I stayed on the solid ground.
That wasn't too bad either!
Now isn't that rather idyllic? :)

I hope you're still all having FUN!

Kisses,
Bajas

Our Christmas Eve

Stockings on the table in the morning - the ones Grandpa use when skiing, actually.
After dinner we piled the gifts on the coffee table - the tiny tree didn't leave much room underneath for it for gifts so we decided to go practical this year.
Virus found a comfy spot.
We all got lots of pressies.
Even the various animals - but this one wasn't for Virus even if he tried to steal it.

Hope you all have great a Christmas!

snorts,
Bajas

Merry Christmas!

It's almost 5PM here - and when the clock turns 5 all church bells across the country will ring to mark the starting of the Holiday. Poor Rudolph is roasted and potatoes and all the other extras are on the stove... Soon there will be yummy, yummy dinner.. (Sorry about Rudolph.. BOL)

From Bajas, Virus & Ane

"Little Christmas Eve"

So... It's the day before Christmas in Norway. Usually refered to as "little Christmas Eve".. I don't think this day has a name of its own in English.. but then again most English speakers celebrate on December 25 and not 24. We've all travelled to Grandpa's house and settled in... and done the traditional decorating!


Yesterday Mom baked some gingerbread cookies. Actually they're not completely the same, but not too different. Norwegian ones (pepperkaker meaning pepper cookies(cakes)) just tend to contain more spices.

Tonight the humans decorated (rather quick and not too elaborate.. lol..) a little house, too! It's all rather exotic looking with elephant and crocodiles... Mom likes her cookie cutters and tend to collect the weird shapes...

God jul = Merry Christmas

Remember we told you Grandpa has a REAL tre - that is still alive? It's been out on his terrace all summer and is now in during winter.. Ha ha.. How cool is that? It's still a pretty tiny tree, though, but we don't mind too much. Mom mumbled something about it being nice having it up on the table where none of us furkids will destroy anything.. Hmmm...


Isn't it looking rather cute when it's decorated? It's just in a plain black plastic pot so Mom put som alu foil around it (and when decorating it tied some decor, too) to make it look pretty(ier) on the table.

Now we're about to head off for bed. Technically it's after midnight and allready Christmas Eve (in the morning.. ironically..). Tomorrow morning mom and auntie will be getting stockings! Haha... They were so annoying when they were kids Grandpa and Grandma continued giving stockings after they lived in Canada to get some peace and quiet while doing preparations. And they still do - with fruit, candy and perpaps one of Norways many Christmas cartoon magazines.

I hope you're all doing great and apologize for not visiting you all nearly enough... It's just hard to get time in on the computer with all the stuff going on.

Snorts,
Bajas

Christmas traditions - Risgrøt

So.. In Norway there's this tradition of making rice porridge - risgrøt - around Christmas. We have it for dinner (! I'm sure lots of you find that weird ;) ) all through the year really - usually on Saturdays - but it's something special for Christmas. Traditionally people on the farms all around Norway would make a bowl for the "nisse" for Christmas so he'd be happy. Many still do! We have a rice-porridge based dessert after Christmas dinner in my family (my favourite!) and so do very many other Norwegians on Christmas Eve. Usually you make a big batch on December 23rd, have it for supper and then use the rest to make dessert!

I won't be making dessert around here, but I made some today! Yum!

300 ml water
150 ml short grain rice
700 ml whole milk
1tsp vanilla sugar
pinch of salt

First you bring the water to the boil along with the rice and let it simmer until the water is absorbed. Add the milk and simmer at minimum heat for 40-60 minutes until the porridge is just pourable in consistency - it should not be stiff/lumpy but not watery either. Stir in salt and vanilla. Traditionally it's served with a sprinkling og cinnamon and sugar and a little knob of butter in the middle.

Look -a "nisse"gang is preparing for Christmas on the milk carton.


Boiling my porridge!
All done! I eat my "risgrøt" with sugar only.. I'm generally a bit weird, so I don't do it the regular way.. He he.. But it should preferably be served with a red, berry-flavoured drink (and I really mean something actuallly made of fruit...).

And Bajas get to lick the bowl. He always does, so he knows when I'm having this.. LOL!

Ane

Thank you!

So we've all been up by the lake this weekend. Fenris is doing better, thankfully. It would be good if they figured out the cause, though.. He's been my buddy since he was a tiny, annoying little thing.. not too different from Virus, really..

Bajas

Healing wibes for Fenris, please?

This September Fenris got back pains - loads of money to the vet's didn't provide anything other than "He's in pain, but we can't find the source." After a round of pain killers he just got back to his old self. A few hours before I was heading home today he started shivering and apparently his back pain has returned. Thankfully Lene had more of the painkillers and I checked with her just now when I got back home - he's feeling better.

But would you all send him some healing vibes? Hopefully he'll be allright after another round of the medication - but it's obviously something wrong in there...He relaxed under the chair most of the day until I was leaving - but Auntie packing her bags got him out of there and insisting he was feeling well enough to come along. He knew something was up. ;) Sweet little guy. He wasn't allowed to come, though.

Ane

Auntie-razzi...

Since I brought the SLR Lene asked me if we could try to take some pictures for their Christmas card. Fenris was very impressed with these... LOL!
He'd rather be back on the couch, thankyouverymuch!
Fenris and Morris... uhm.. This isn't working too well...
Leah was all dressed up, and would occationally sit still a few seconds.


We ended up with a lot of cute ones, though, including this one. So Lene will be making her cards today! And I will be heading home in a few hours..

Ane

Vacation! :D

So my exam is over and I've travelled to visit my friend Lene, everyones favourite puppy human and two cool MinPins. (Oh.. Sorry Fenris - you're my very, very favourithe Nephew of course and Morris really isn't cool. My bad.) It's almost 1 AM here in Trondheim and I've made up my bed on the couch and Fenris has already started warming it up for me.

Fenris - aka Frizz - is a real big manly MinPin and Aunties favourite little boy.

Lene and I used to share a flat - so I've known him since we picked up this little guy in Sweden!

I'll be travelling lots the next couple of weeks so I'll be a bit off and on from now on - and so will the boys! But hopefully we'll be able to stay fairly updated!

Ane

Truth

Thank you everyone for your comments on the last couple of pictures! We've been up by the lake this weekend and unable to read or comment but hopefully I'll be catching up tomorrow.. or.. My Am.Culture exam is on Tuesday so hopefully I'll wait until after that.. LOL!

There are some people coming here sometime in the next week to put up thermostate. Since I don't know what day they're coming and since I'll be in Trondheim from Tuesday (travelling right after my exam) to Thursday Bajas is with P.A. and Virus is still up by the lake (supervised by P.A.'s parents) until Bajas and P.A. go up there Tursday and I'll follow them sometime on Friday.

So to the truth part - I loved the silvery saturday pic - but the unimpressed impression is actually not quite representing the truth.


He was actually asleep under there - and getting rather boring so I attempted to wake him up to see if I'd get any good shots.. And I think I got a great one! ;)

Ane
AllAloneMom

Silvery Saturday

Oh the disgrace...

Virus

Loving Friday

We wish you all a great weekend!

Bajas & Virus

The Assistant

I'm not sure if my main assistant is a reason to study at home or at school.. LOL!

Now who's this guy, Mom?
All pix are taken with my phone - so that explains the quality. It's also pretty hard to take decent shots without actually seeing what's on the screen.. But at least you see a little butt and tail... LOL!
My little parrot doesn't really sit still very long...
Maybe he's just into the art.. Haha...

Now there's almost the entire cat on there!

I think I'll be doing my studying at school tomorrow.. LOL..

Ane

Christmas pix

Mom's been making us pose for pix (remember the eye incident...) and since we've just finished up our card we thought we'd share some more pix with you all! You'll get to see the card closer to the big day!

Notice one very handsome, patient and photogenic puggie, and one silly cat.

Meditating Monday

Sometimes I feel the desire to do some proper meditation. I generally prefer doing this up against a wall - or the book shelf. For some weird reason Mom find this to be funny. I just happen to want to read a book, but she's SO not helpful..

Bajas

CopyCAT

Okay... So I've totally figured out the origin of the term "copycat". My spot on the couch is on(in) the back cushions, right.. You all know that.

Now look what's been going on lately:

Uh...

Now isn't that just totally WRONG?

Virus: WHAT???

Bajas