England

I thought I'd start this year off by writing in English.
A tribute to my British ancestry.

(Some of you might frown with a slightly humerous gaze, and consider this a "show off" post of my English skills, but my goal with this is to have a post that is readable for my grandparents, my aunt Tracy and any other anglosaxens out there with a deficit in norwegian.)


This is a very green section of The Pennine Way hike in England which i did with my father and brother in 2003. Dad and Thomas ahead.

So what is there to say about England? Or more precisely: What is my relationship with England?

Well, the short version of the story is this:
"Mi dædds bån'n reisdin nåtting'm."

Or as you might write it:
My dad is born and raised in Nottingham.


A very hobbit-like part we walked in scorching sunshine and a boiling 36C in the shade.

The slightly longer version of the story is that my mum and dad met at a scout camp in Norway, which resulted in dad moving to Norway, marriage and the family evolving into a group of six.

So:

England is the country I without question have spent the most time in, not counting Norway. But i have never actually lived there. It's the islands of football, pints, pubs, Queens, knights, Londons, roadworks and musicals. At least from a tourists point of view. From my point of view it's the place where I spend fantastic holidays with grandma, grandad, Tracy and Sophie at least once every year, it's the country I've traveled the most (geographically I've seen more of England than of Norway), it's The Pennine Way, and it is where I have copious amounts of jolly and friendly aunts and uncles, of whom -I am sorry to say- I have hardly any clue considering who is related to who. None, what so ever. No offence. 

But trust me, I try.


The yellow brick road. And Thomas.

It's actually quite wierd to think about. The fact that I'm half English. It's not something that a think about on a daily basis, it's really nothing to consider at all.

It's just something that is. It is who I am.

But the thing about me not thinking about it, sometimes makes me jump. I sometimes suddenly realize that I used to have an English passport, and that I am half English. And I think "Hey, that's really neat". It's close to the feeling you get when you're awakened by your alarm early in the morning, only to remember that it's a saturday morning, and you fall back to sleep again. 

A little feeling of gratification. A personal re-discovery.


These are my grandparents. Sheila and Brian.

The most frequent and trustworthy passengers Ryan Air have ever had.
They are utterly fantastic people.

Grandma with all the personal knowledge the world can fathom. What she might lack in altitude, she balances with love and respect. She has always got advice for everyone, everywhere, anytime. And if you have any problems, she won't just give you advice, she will do anything in here power to actually fix what is bothering you. I wouldn't like to be a thug trying to rob her in a dark alley. Of all the people in the world i know of, grandma is the only one that could send big strong thieves and robbers crying home to there mothers by letting them know how bad they have been. She is fantastic.

Grandad is the only one i know of that wakes up in the morning, puts on a clean white shirt and a tie and pulls a jumper over, when he's going out to fix the car. If he sits still for too long, he falls asleep, which can answer for the everlasting joy he finds in fixing things. Always. He is also very good at complimenting your intelligence, often by comparing you to his infamous college students, which allegedly aren't the sharpest of knives. They are also the source for some of his abundant jokes. He always has something funny hidden away. He's fabulous.


My cousin Sophie (as seen in an earlier post, here).

My aunt Tracy also deserves mentioning. Dads little sister. She's the one who keeps us kids entertained! She used to (and still does!) take us to Alton Towers (easely the best theme park in the world) and Drayton Mannor Park and we've gone to the cinema and played squash and almost everything else of entertainment in Nottingham and surrounding areas. She is always a lot of fun and a good friend. And now she's got Sophie, my cute little cousin, and lives with Steve on a riverboat. I haven't got a picture of it here, but it's got a gas fireplace and a flat screen TV. I don't think i have ever seen a home as cool as that. 

So that is my connection with Nottingham. My home away from home in England. Where half of me came from.


The end of The Pennine Way. It says on the sign that this is the start, but we spent 18 days walking 427 km the wrong way. Cheers.

So to you jolly people out there:
I wish you all a fantastic new year, and may all your hopes and goals be reached.
God bless you.


By the way.
"I love the Beatles!"