A Means to an End -

This friday the trip to the cabin was almost hell. A major accident had blocked the only road north out of Bergen and we were stuck in the middle of it.

With no way out.

With four hungry kids in the truck (we took two extra just to be sure the experience would be as extreme as possible).

And no way out.

And myself looking at the gas guage which says I have less than a quarter tank of deisel.

And no way out.

But we made it out.

When we got to our cabin it was freezing could. A lovely north wind was blowing, which guarantees sunny skies, but not the cloud cover to hold in the heat.

So I gave each of the kids a small suitcase, while I loaded myself up with a big backpack, two grocery bags of food and a large duffle bag of washed linens from our last stay. We all hurried along the pathway to our cabin, rushed in and closed the door behind us. I made dinner and we all ate like wolves (everyone was excused their lack of politeness at the table tonight).

And then I dressed the kids in winter jackets and hats and sent them out to play for a bit.

And then I made myself coffee, poured it into a thermos mug and went out myself.

And saw this:


(stage left)

(stage center left)

(stage center right)

(stage right)

In an instant everything is vanished: clutching in and out of first gear for over an hour, 4 kids asking how much longer it is before they can get out of the truck, me wondering if I'm going to make it to the gas station before I need to call a tow-truck, me getting very hungry and very irritated at small, little people who are also very hungry and very irritated.

It's just me, my coffee and my breath rising from my lips. Not bad for a Friday evening.