Getting ready to go (in my fashion)

Today is my last full day off from work to get ready for the show and trip. It's past noon now, and not much of my to-do list has been touched, this does not bode well. The good news is that I've gotten many emails wishing me bon voyage, and the comments section of this blog seems to be working now. Yay!

In preparation for my trip, I've been trying to learn Norwegian. My grandma never spoke Norwegian with the exception of teaching her 3 sons to tell her in Norske that her slip was showing (horror of horrors for her generation) and "takk for maten" - thanks for food and "velbekommen" - you're welcome. The takk for maten routine is all that survives for me and my daughters. I understand that Norwegians today speak English very well, I just think it will amuse them to see me struggle with their language. What better to offer a host than amusement?

So I have been listening to audio lessons on my 18 minute drive home from work. (On the way to work I listen to NPR so I have some bit of world orientation.) I started the lessons 2 years ago, when I first got this grant, then the economy went bust and it seemed not the best time to leave a job that seemed tenuous for 3 weeks, so the trip was postponed.  I resumed the lessons in earnest in June, and I'm not quite back to the place I left off last time. I can order beer or wine, count to ten, and exchange pleasant greetings with some confidence.

The result of learning a language via audiobook in a car, however, is that I cannot read Norske very well. Keep in mind this is a language where the word for "I" is pronounced "y-eye" and is written "jeg". Just like it sounds. To a Norwegian. They also have several more letters in their vocabulary, Å, Æ, Ø. I've got the Norwegian keyboard option on my iPhone, but haven't yet figured out how to get that on my desktop iMac. So essentially, I speak Norwegian like a 2 year-old who can order wine... Or beer, and quite politely, though my language lessons have also pointed out that beer and wine can be very expensive in Norway. We'll see.

Now I'm off to finish glazing the last storm window that was falling apart, weave some rugs, clean the house and start packing. First I'll need to set up the loom, but I've got a solid 12 hours left before falling into bed, right? Good thing I'm so good at ignoring reality.