Godt nytt år til alle!
As I write this, we're currently unable to get off Dønna due to the weather. The ferry to the mainland doesn't run when the wind comes from the East. I thought this was very strange because although yes, it is windy and very choppy and my goodness it is cold, it didn't look that bad that the ferry from Bjørn couldn't sail. I learned yesterday it is because of difficulties docking at Sandnessjøen rather than any problems at this or the actual crossing. You live and learn.
The Christmas period, unsurprisingly, was quite busy although it didn't end up being as busy as it should have been as I was a bit under the weather and didn't want to go into the care centres etc and wipe out the population.
On the 11th I had a wee jaunt to Vandve for a service with Jørg and Ingrid. Finally a chance to banish the embarrassment of my previous visit when I'd forgotten the keyboard. We pretty much had the ferry to ourselves both ways and it was a lovely wee trip.
When I got back after the service it was straight up to Norvik for my first "live" concert with guess appearances by Bjørn and Cecile.
On the ferry ride back from Vandve I wrote my programme notes for the little spiels I planned to give. I wrote them in English but spoke them in Norwegian. Or at least my version of Norwegian. This meant that I had to keep it fairly basic I really just wanted to use words that I already knew rather than lots of cheating with google translate. Jørg and Ingrid very patiently listened to me as I practiced.
Unfortunately, at some point between then and the concert I started adding a stray "r" to one of words I was using. My own investigation afterwards revealed that instead of saying "this piece" or "the next piece" I was in fact saying "this iron" or "the next iron" etc. Everybody was very polite and never mentioned it. That aside, the concert seemed to go well and people were very kind afterwards. It can be seen here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=pqc0K-qFjdw&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
I really enjoy my Norwegian classes on a Monday morning and feel much more part of it now. The class is almost exclusively Ukrainian with one other person from Ethiopia I think. At the last session we did a work sheet on New Year traditions in Norway. I just assumed it was a private thing so in my shallow manner, when it got to resolutions I wrote "don't eat so much cake". I don't know the word for less yet hence beginning with a negative. Imagine my horror when we had to go round the class and my classmates were reading out (and being genuinely upset by) "ending the war"/ "finding my husband" etc. I quickly added "speak more Norsk" and I like to think I added a bit of light relief to the whole thing.
The next day I was off to Lurøy where I was accompanying Chris Eva's choir as they gave their Christmas Comcert. It was a lovely wee programme (with a couple of hopefully appropriate organ solos) though due to ferry times I had to leave before the end. I always look forward to seeing new places as I explore Norway but alas due to the short days I mostly just saw blackness (see pic below) as I travelled back and forth.
The next day was the first of my dreaded appearances as an angel - this one being in Herøy. Apart from vague recollections of singing Burlington Bertie at a primary school concert (and when I say vague, I mean I've got a vague recollection of waiting to go on but nothing after that which doesn't bode well for it being a roaring success) the only other "acting" I've done was a Star Trek thing in the 90s where we filmed our scenes and then they were dropped into real Star Trek clips. I was Spock as he was unemotional and I thought that would suit me. However, my acting performance made the Thunderbirds puppets look like Oscar wining performances full of nuance and subtlety. Shudder...
Anyway, it transpired that it was only to the kids and not their parents etc which was a relief. The kids went out the church and as they walked round to the entrance we put on our costumes and moved to greet them. I was initially promised a non-speaking role but at short notice was given promotion to a speaking part. I was to say "Welcome" and "What do you want" which I'm sure sounds less aggressive in Norwegian. Suffice to say the warmth of my greeting was fully appreciated by the troops and they all ignored me. It was fun to watch them all get absorbed into the story as Trine led them through it wonderfully well and a relief to be able to sit at the piano and bash out the tunes for singing.
The procedure was repeated in Dønnes Kirk the next morning while in the evening I was across in Sandnessjøen for a rehearsal for the concert I was meant to be playing at on the Sunday. I was to participate in a couple of numbers - playing the organ for one and singing tenor in the Hallelujah Chorus. I'd forgotten how high the tenor part was and was dreading it as I hadn't sung in any proper fashion for a good while. Much to my delight I seemed to be hitting all the top notes and was feeling rather chuffed myself. Only later did I realise that the whole thing was being played ar least a tone lower, hence the ease.
I really started to feel ill at this point and was v desperate to get home. As I was waiting for the ferry in the shelter beside the quay, a wee girl of about 3 inexplicably took a shine to me and we ended up playing catch with her hat. Bless her cotton socks. V strange though.
I retired from public life for a few days after that, only appearing at things where I wouldn't have to be anywhere near anyone so not risking passing on my germs. I had to miss my 3rd performance as an angel and the above mentioned concert but I did go and tootle for the event held in Dønnes Kirk for the Ukranians. The organ is up in a loft so I didn't have to be near anyone. Sadly,it did mean I had to miss the cake and coffee afterwards - yes I was that ill.
I gradually resurfaced as my symptoms eased and played for Herøy school's end of term service in the church very early (well for me) on the Wednesday morning.
Christmas Eve is the big day here in Norway and there were 3 services to be played for. First there was the Care centre service which I had to leave early from to make it up to Hestad for the 1pm service and straight after that we had to zoom up to Dønnes Kirk for the 3pm service. Dønnahorn were to play the bulk of the service. Unfortunately their conductor was ill so I ended up conducting which was fun. We had bit of a panic when it transpired that a crucial part was missing but with a judicious bit of re-writing, all was well.
The week after Christmas continued to be busy with services and Juletrefester (Christmas tree parties). The tradition is to join hands and sing while walking/ dancing around the tree. Followed by the invevitable food including coffee and cake. Suffice to say my "don't eat so much cake" resolution crashed and burned very rapidly after New Year.
I was asked to give a New Year's Eve concert in Dønnes Kirk so I put together a wee programme of about 1/3 organ music and then 2/3 piano. It's a charming little organ but there are no pedals and a restricted manual so the repertoire is somewhat limited. I also figured that it wouldn't be fair to anyone who came along to subject them to an hour's worth of serious organ music hence the piano. Was quite pleased with my choice of programme and in general it seemed to go well and the audience (much more than I expected) seemed to enjoy it as well.
As I write this on the 7th of January, I've still got one more Juletrefest to go (tomorrow up in the Glein care centre). There was one in the Herøy care centre yesterday and there was also a lottery at which I won an embarrassing number of prizes- again undermining my New Year resolution. Hopefully after tomorrow.....
