The Best Thing About Today — Oslo, Norway

September 9, 2016

The best things about today are COMFORTS. All of these comforts, we take for granted at home. We’ve had major marvelous experiences, overlooking small inconveniences. Many times, that means just living like a typical European. Refrigerators are small, dishwashers uncommon, we’ve never seen a garbage disposal and showers splash all over the bathroom. Sometimes, we have adapted to what is there. We have slept in the bottom of a bunk bed, and on futons on the floor. We have had a bedroom the size of a walk-in closet. We’ve cooked in a kitchen so small only one person can fit in it. We’ve lived under ceilings so low, Martin had to duck every time he entered a room. We’ve shared a house with a Norwegian mother, her friend, a toddler and two Germans. And, we haven’t watched television for 40 days.

And now, we are in Oslo, in the best apartment we’ve had all trip. We have it all to ourselves. There is a deep, long sofa in front of a huge flat screen TV. Not only does the shower contain the water, but the bathroom is heated from under the floor. Right now, the clothes are tumbling gaily in the washer and the dryer is doing what it otherwise takes days to accomplish.

Did I forget the king size bed? (Rare!) Miraculously, there is a continental comforter that stretches all across the bed (two twin comforters is the norm in Scandinavia, on a double bed). We have closets! This is only the second time we have had closets. The apartment is light and bright, on the top floor. And we could go up on an ELEVATOR with the luggage! Our refrigerator was full of breakfast food upon arrival, and today we walked a short way to the food store, and filled it up the rest of the way. Life is so good!

P.S. If you read yesterday about our sudden attempt to escape from the rain, you may be wondering what weather greeted us here. Yes, my dear ones, it did rain. But there was no wind, and it was brief. The sky actually turned gray-blue for awhile. You can’t really flee the rain in Scandinavia. The National Art Museum, a walk in the Queen’s Park, and a good lunch out took care of us just fine.