All is well – Diary May 8th 2020
Here is a little update from Skjevik, Norway
I have had some messages asking about why I have dropped off the radar lately. I thought I’d give you a little update.
Like I indicated in the headline, all is well. I have experienced some health issues. Nothing serious or related to Corona. In addition, I just have not had the inspiration to write. I have, for three years, forced myself to put out new material on a fairly regular basis. I have gotten to the point that I decided I don’t have to do this anymore. My blog is never going to be anything more than a hobby, so I will write when I feel like it, and not feel any pressure when I don’t.
I have worked on some genealogies for people who contacted me by email. Some of them I was able to help. One I was not. If you consider paying to have your genealogy done and see a professional who promises “Guaranteed results!” you should back off. There are no such things as guaranteed results in genealogy. On the other hand, just because I am not able to find anything, doesn’t necessarily mean there is nothing to find. Another genealogist with more or different knowledge might be able to help. Anyway, I am always happy to hear from you and will do my best to try to help you.
It’s impossible to write this without mentioning the ongoing pandemic. I know that many of you have had your daily lives changed. Here in Møre of Romsdal, we have been fortunate to have had very few cases of Corona. My family’s life has not changed that much. I saw a posting on Facebook that made me laugh: “I’m a Norwegian. We have always practiced social distancing”. I guess many will experience Norwegians as a little distant. My wife moved her principal’s office home for a couple of weeks. The schools are now slowly getting back to normal. As many of you will know, I am a psychiatric nurse. We have had no Corona cases in my ward, but there is a lot of new routines put in place. For one, we started to use uniforms. I haven’t worn a uniform since nursing school. Karoline insisted that I send her a picture, so here is yours truly at work. I am not vain, but I really need to lose weight 🙂
Today is May 8th. This is liberation day in Norway. It is the day when the German forces in Norway capitulated in 1945. It’s an important day to remember. Today it’s not important who did what to whom. Germany is now one of our close allies and trading partners. However, we should always remember the concept of war. We should remember what atrocities people under certain circumstances are able to inflict. We need to be observant of the circumstances that might lead to such actions and practice the lessons learned from the past so that we never again will experience a world war.  I know that this might seem like empty words considering the fact that at any given moment there is a number of armed conflicts going on around the globe.
Another day we celebrate in May is the 17th. This day we remember the signing of the Norwegian constitution at Eidsvoll in 1814. As many of you will know this is a big day in Norway. It is celebrated with parades, speeches, entertainment, and a lot of ice cream. People dress up in their best outfits. many in national costumes. For a band musician like me it is a tiring, but fun day.
This year the day has to be celebrated differently. There will be no parades. The speeches and the entertainment will be broadcasted through television and streamed on the internet. Our band will travel to different parts of the community and play. This way as many people as possible gets to hear the traditional music without having to gather in large crowds.
Here you can hear some of the music we will play:
Ja, vi elsker dette landet – Norway’s National Anthem
I will end this little wishing you all well. Stay out of harm’s way and observe the recommendations your health officials publish.
