Podcasts about Jorunn

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Skandinavian Folklore and Feast Days.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Syv Slags Kaker. (or, Seven Sorts of  Cookies)December 22nd – Evening, Five Days LaterJorunn said, “Well, Gunnar, we are back at our starting point, and this concludes the tour. We got off to a rough start on the first day, but since then, I have enjoyed spending time with you. After my mom got divorced, I stopped dating. Sure, I went out in mixed groups with my friends, but I cannot remember the last time I went somewhere, by myself, with a man. The divorce made me lose all confidence and trust in men. Why enter a relationship, and give my heart to a man, knowing it is going to fail? My father hurt my mother and me so badly, that neither of us have recovered. You were so wonderful to me this week, and showed me that not all men are like my father.”Jorunn looked at me with pleading eyes, “I don’t want this tour to end. I don’t want you to leave. Can you please stay in Oslo at least a few more days?”Jorunn didn’t want me to go. And I didn’t want to leave her either. I replied, “Jorunn, I cannot think of anyone or any place I would rather be than here in Oslo, with you.”Jorunn said, “It’s still early enough that we may be able to find seating without a reservation. I know a great place for seafood.”“Lead on,” I replied.Jorunn and I discussed the now-completed tour while enjoying a delicious dinner at a small kafé. I offered suggestions for the tour, but otherwise let her know I enjoyed seeing Norway, and I told her what a wonderful guide she was. After returning to America, I promised to recommend her tours to everyone I knew.As I looked over the dessert menu, I asked Jorunn, “I’m willing to stay a few more days. Are there any other Norwegian Christmas traditions or activities worth doing over the next few days?”“If you put down that dessert menu, there is one called Syv Slags Kaker. I baked seven kinds of cookies to celebrate Jul. If you come to my house, we can have coffee and you can sample all seven kinds.”“That sounds great,” I replied. Jorunn was inviting me to her home. She was beautiful and funny, and I admit I developed fantasies about her as I watched her vlog videos back in the nursing home. Heck, I even created new fantasies over the last week. She was much warmer toward me at the end of the tour. In Tromsø, we shared a blanket as we rode in a sleigh pulled by an actual reindeer. But after the Nutcracker ballet, I held back and did not cross any lines. Could a 56-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have a sexual relationship? I managed to keep up with Jorunn all week and didn’t see any reason not to. I reached below the table to carefully re-position myself before standing up.We made our way to the Train Station and rode to Jorunn’s neighborhood. As we walked to her house, I noticed many homes with a lighted star in one of the windows.“What are those stars,” I asked.“They are a tradition in Norway. A star is lit on the first Sunday of Advent to help guide the Three Wise Men.”We stopped in front of a modest house. There was no star in the window, but I saw sheaves of oats hung from one of the trees. I was familiar with the tradition of putting out something for the birds in the frigid days of December. As we stepped inside, I was suddenly surprised. “Hi, Mom! I would like you to meet Gunnar Larsen.”“Good evening, Mr. Larsen. Jorunn has been sending me text messages all week about your exciting travels. I hope you enjoyed your tour. My name is Leah.”This was not what I expected. I hoped to be alone with Jorunn. The family resemblance was striking and quite apparent. Leah’s straight hair was a bit shorter than Jorunn’s but matched her daughter’s pure blonde color. Her blue eyes stood out from her attractive face. She was wearing a multi-colored Norwegian Dale sweater and green trousers. I possessed absolutely no experience telling how old Norwegian women are. She must be in her forties but looked younger.I said, “I enjoyed Jorunn’s tour very much. Your daughter is quite talented in many ways. Please, call me Gunnar.”Jorunn said, “Gunnar was asking about other Jul traditions and activities here in Norway over Christmas. I thought Syv Slags Kaker would be a good one, and your cookies are the best ones in Oslo. I’ll make us some coffee.”Leah looked at me, “Please sit Gunnar. How much longer will you be staying in Norway?”I replied, “About two more weeks. I wanted to celebrate the New Year here before returning to America.”I talked about the completed tour, and she seemed interested enough that I rambled on.“I really enjoyed visiting Lillehammer. It brought back memories of watching the 1994 Winter Olympics, probably my favorite one. The music was fantastic, and the woman who sang the Olympic Hymn at the opening ceremony possessed such a wonderful voice.”Leah replied, “Her name is Sissel Kyrkjebø. She is still extremely popular today, and we consider her a national treasure. I was 18 at the time, and worked at those Olympics.”“I’d love to hear more about that,” I replied. “It was nice to see many of the venues still being used. I also enjoyed the Olympic Museum in Maihaugen, which told the history of the 1994 Olympics. I was surprised to learn that Norway has won more Olympic medals than any other country. But the highlight for me was riding the chairlift to the top of the Lysgårdsbakkene ski jump. The views were amazing. I can’t imagine anyone being brave enough to make such a jump.”“I agree with you on that!” laughed Leah.I continued, “We also flew to Tromsø, and I got to see the Northern Lights. We can sometimes see them in southern Minnesota, but they were much more impressive here with the clear Norwegian air. Jorunn and I took a ride in a sleigh, pulled by actual reindeer. Reindeer are much larger than I thought. We visited a Sami farm, where we ate reindeer stew and learned about the Sami culture.”“I’ve never been, but I hear it’s really fun,” replied Leah.“Bærums Verk was also a highlight. You may already know that the town dates to the 1600s. I loved the old buildings and cobbled streets. Although the Christmas Market was small, I found it unique, with artisans selling handmade crafts. It was nice to see the old crafts like glassblowing, ironwork, and woodworking.”Jorunn returned with a large tray, holding coffee and cookies, and we began sampling.Leah asked, “Did you take Gunnar to Pepperkakebyen in Bergen? It’s a marvelous gingerbread village in my hometown. There are over 200 small gingerbread houses, and with the tiny lights turned on, it looks so real.”Jorunn replied, “A week goes by quickly, mamma. There is only so much time. The gingerbread houses are very nice, and I have fond memories of going there with you.”As we continued talking and munching cookies, I looked around at the decorations. There was an advent calendar, wreaths, angels, gnomes called nisse, hearts, stars, and candles. The decorations looked more natural, perhaps a bit less commercialized than in America. There was a real tree, complete with its wonderful pine smell, a star at the top, garland, tinsel, ornaments, and white lights.I looked at Leah, “I noticed that you don’t have a Christmas star in the window as many of the other houses do.”Leah replied, “I found my former husband in bed with another woman. I immediately divorced him. Among the many things he took from Jorunn and I, was our Christmas Star.”Leah sounded deeply hurt and from more than just the missing star. After tasting the last of the seven cookies, Leah asked how I liked them. “The waffle-like Krumkaker was probably my favorite. We tried making them in Minnesota, but yours turned out so much better. And, of course, the Pepperkaker gingerbread stars were great.” I held up another cookie and said, “I don’t know the name of this one, but it was also excellent.”Leah replied, “That one is Serinakaker, a Norwegian butter cookie.”I realized the inevitable, “It is getting late. Thank you both, Leah and Jorunn, for a wonderful evening. I need to get back to my hotel and figure out what to do over the next few days.”I saw Jorunn look at her mother, who nodded. As I stood up, Leah did too. “Nonsense, Gunnar. I won’t have it. Come, spend Christmas with Jorunn and me! Nearly everything in Oslo shuts down in the afternoon on Christmas Eve and stays closed until the 27th. No restaurants or shops will be open. I have an unused bedroom upstairs. Come celebrate Jul with us.”I caught the signal between mother and daughter and wondered if this was pre-planned. But spending Christmas alone in my hotel sounded almost as bad as spending it alone in the nursing home. It was an easy decision. “I accept.”Leah said, “Good. I’ll stop by your hotel tomorrow and help you move your things. Perhaps we can have lunch as well at one of the restaurants along Karl Johans gate.”“It would be my pleasure, ” I replied. “Let’s say, about 11:00 AM”Little Christmas EveDecember 23rd - MorningIt was December 23rd, known in Norway as Lille Julaften. Spending Christmas with Leah and Jorunn created a problem for me. I needed to find at least one Christmas present for each, just in case they bought a gift for me. I got up early and headed out to search. Reflecting on last night, and indeed, the last week, it ended up being far simpler than I feared. I soon found a gift for each, along with reusable cloth gift bags in Christmas colors.I heard a knock on my hotel door and opened it. Leah stood there, holding a coat over her arm. She was wearing a traditional Norwegian folk costume called a bunad. Her blonde hair, simply styled, was highlighted by two attractive braids.I smiled and said, “What a pleasant surprise. You look like you just stepped out of a fairy tale.”She looked past me into the messy room, then took a step toward me and surprised me with a kiss on my cheek. She stepped back and started laughing. “It didn’t work. I am a fairy tale princess, but you are still a frog! It looks like we have some work to do cleaning up your lily pad.”As Leah entered the room, I said, “I already packed a small bag, enough for a few days.”Leah walked over to the pile of clothes from my week-long trip. She picked up a shirt and sniffed it. Then she pulled a wool sweater out from the pile. “Keep your wool sweaters away from the rest of your dirty clothes. Wool is harder to clean and may pick up the smell. Let me see what else you packed.”Leah dumped out my small gym bag onto the bed and then began tossing things aside. “This won’t do. We need to take all of your clothes back to my house and wash them.”Fond memories returned. Whenever we went on a trip, Solveig would always dump out my suitcase and re-load it with other clothes. Solvieg would also pick out clothes for me to wear whenever we dressed to go out to weddings or a party.Leah said, “Don’t expect me to wash them for you. I have other things to do to get ready for Christmas. You’ll have enough free time you can wash them yourself. We will gather everything up after we come back from lunch.”What a woman! I can see where Jorunn inherited her strong personality. We left my hotel, and Leah took me to one of her favorite kafés. As we walked, Leah’s bunad drew eyes, and attracted smiles, as if she were a magnet. As we waited for our food, I asked Leah about her bunad.Leah replied, “I don’t get to wear my bunad very often. I usually wear it for National Day in May, and for weddings and baptisms, but I haven’t been to many of those lately. Christmas is also an acceptable time to wear it.”Leah wore the traditional white blouse with a silver neckpin. Her vest was bright red with a handmade breastplate. Her navy skirt was trimmed with intricate embroidery, and covered in front by a white apron. Around her waist and running down the front was a decorative handwoven belt.“I grew up east of Bergen, in the Hardanger region, so my bunad is in the Hardanger style. While details may vary, you can tell where someone is from by which style of bunad they are wearing. It would not be proper to choose a bunad from a different region simply because you prefer a different color.”“That’s a lovely silver brooch you have on. It looks very old.”“It was my grandmother’s. Norwegians have a spiritual connection to silver, and silver brooches are handed down for many generations. One day, it will be Jorunn’s.”The food was excellent. I have not eaten a bad meal here in Norway. Leah was a great conversationalist, and she freely shared her humor and wit. Her stories from the 1994 Olympics were fascinating, and even though Jorunn and I were just there, I wanted to go back. I learned Leah worked as a radiology technician at a local hospital here in Oslo and took the entire holiday off. The meal finished too quickly, and we returned to my hotel.As we gathered my assorted clothing, I saw one of my socks on the floor, so I walked around Leah to pick it up. Turning quickly, I found myself face-to-face with her. We stared at each other for a moment, then moved at the same time. Our lips came together, and we kissed. Not a gentle kiss, but a passionate one, long and deep. Intentions were clear on both sides.We separated. Leah said, “I have not had sex since divorcing my husband nearly three years ago. That bastard took away more than my Christmas Star, he took away my trust in men. I am forty-seven years old. I never go out on dates, because I’m afraid to open my heart again to another man. Jorunn texted me every night for the past week and would send short videos she took during the day. She kept repeating how much fun she was having with you, and how nice a man you are. I know it sounds funny, but after watching and reading what Jorunn sent me, I feel like I already know you, and have made it past the first date. I know you lost the woman you loved. I cannot replace her in your heart, but if you are ready, I would like to share mine.”This was unexpected. “When I was in Minnesota, I watched Jorunn’s vlog almost every night. She is so sweet and funny and does such an excellent job. Even though I never met Jorunn, I felt like I knew her. To use your dating analogy, it’s one of the reasons I picked her as a tour guide. I felt comfortable with Jorunn and was too afraid to trust another tour company. When I came to Norway, I left my past behind. It is time for me to find something, or someone, to love.”Our bodies came together, and our lips re-joined. Any fears of rejection vanished as I locked my lips onto those of this beautiful Norwegian woman. Our tongues danced with each other, while our hands moved quickly over each other’s bodies.“Help me take off my bunad,” pleaded Leah.Together, we unclasped, unbuckled, unbuttoned, and untied, removing one layer at a time of the intricate bunad and laying it over a chair. It was like slowly opening the best Christmas present I have ever gotten, as more of Leah’s body slowly revealed itself to me. Her breasts were small, but firm, and went well with her slender frame. I forgot how delicate a woman’s features are, and Leah’s body was perfect in every way. Below her waist, I found a mound of pure blonde hair, barely darker than the color on her head.“I have no other words, you are truly a gorgeous woman, Leah.”“Thank you, Gunnar. Now it’s my turn to have fun.”Leah approached me. With small steps, she moved gracefully. She lifted my pullover shirt, pausing as it obscured my eyes. “Don’t take your shirt off. Just enjoy the sensations.” In the darkness, her fingers teasingly played with the hairs on my chest. A fingernail flicked back and forth over my nipple, drawing it to an erection. Moving lower, Leah unbuckled my trousers and slid them down, taking my knickers with them. I was not yet erect, but moving rapidly in that direction. Cool fingers wrapped around my cock and lifted, while a single fingernail twirled against my ball sack. Her tongue dragged across the tip of my cock. Then, Leah’s hands moved behind me to cup and squeeze my bum cheeks. Her warm breath washed over my cock.Leah stood and pulled my shirt the rest of the way off, and I stepped out of my trousers. We remained like this, both naked, looking longingly at each other. Leah reached up and touched my hair. “You have just a touch of grey. I like that. Few mature men are as blessed as you, with a firm, lean body. I see all kinds of patients. You look like a forty-year-old.”I suppose that was one benefit of eating the low-fat, low-sugar, and tasteless nursing home food. I lost nearly thirty pounds. “I am older than I look, and you should know that I had a stroke two years ago. I am doing much better, but still have a balance issue, and sometimes slur my words."Slurring your words might just be because you have a lazy tongue. Perhaps we can find a way to fix that later.”For a moment, I wondered what she meant, then hoped my notions might come true. Leah dropped to her knees directly in front of me and ran a finger along my nearly erect shaft. “It feels so nice to touch a real one again. What a lovely cock you have.”I said, “I’m sorry. I don’t have a very large penis.”Leah laughed, “Anything more than a mouthful is just wasted. Now let’s begin. I will say a Norwegian word, and you repeat it. Listen carefully to my pronunciation and maybe we can fix your American accent.”Leah said, “Penis.” Then she grabbed my cock with her right hand.This might be fun, so I replied, “Penis!”Leah whispered, “Rub.” Then she began gently sliding her hand along my shaft. Without any lubrication, there was quite a bit of friction.I replied, “Rub!”Leah said, “Lick.” Leah extended her tongue, and starting near the base, began leaving wet trails along each side of my glistening cock. The warm softness of her tongue brought me to full erection.It felt fantastic, and I gasped out, “Lick!”Leah said, “Suck.” She opened her mouth wide and took in the head of my cock, using her tongue to tease the underside. Bringing her lips together, I felt the insides of her mouth pressing inward and squeezing tightly against me. When her suction began, she pulled the head of my cock deeper into her mouth. Leah’s head pulled back ever so slightly, allowing her soft lips to glide over me until my cock was almost freed. But not quite. Using the extra room, Leah teased my opening with the tip of her tongue. From the way her tongue easily twirled around, I was certain I contributed my pre-cum.Then her suction pulled me deeper into her mouth. She look

Skandinavian Folklore and Feast Days.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Syv Slags Kaker. (or, Seven Sorts of  Cookies)December 22nd – Evening, Five Days LaterJorunn said, “Well, Gunnar, we are back at our starting point, and this concludes the tour. We got off to a rough start on the first day, but since then, I have enjoyed spending time with you. After my mom got divorced, I stopped dating. Sure, I went out in mixed groups with my friends, but I cannot remember the last time I went somewhere, by myself, with a man. The divorce made me lose all confidence and trust in men. Why enter a relationship, and give my heart to a man, knowing it is going to fail? My father hurt my mother and me so badly, that neither of us have recovered. You were so wonderful to me this week, and showed me that not all men are like my father.”Jorunn looked at me with pleading eyes, “I don’t want this tour to end. I don’t want you to leave. Can you please stay in Oslo at least a few more days?”Jorunn didn’t want me to go. And I didn’t want to leave her either. I replied, “Jorunn, I cannot think of anyone or any place I would rather be than here in Oslo, with you.”Jorunn said, “It’s still early enough that we may be able to find seating without a reservation. I know a great place for seafood.”“Lead on,” I replied.Jorunn and I discussed the now-completed tour while enjoying a delicious dinner at a small kafé. I offered suggestions for the tour, but otherwise let her know I enjoyed seeing Norway, and I told her what a wonderful guide she was. After returning to America, I promised to recommend her tours to everyone I knew.As I looked over the dessert menu, I asked Jorunn, “I’m willing to stay a few more days. Are there any other Norwegian Christmas traditions or activities worth doing over the next few days?”“If you put down that dessert menu, there is one called Syv Slags Kaker. I baked seven kinds of cookies to celebrate Jul. If you come to my house, we can have coffee and you can sample all seven kinds.”“That sounds great,” I replied. Jorunn was inviting me to her home. She was beautiful and funny, and I admit I developed fantasies about her as I watched her vlog videos back in the nursing home. Heck, I even created new fantasies over the last week. She was much warmer toward me at the end of the tour. In Tromsø, we shared a blanket as we rode in a sleigh pulled by an actual reindeer. But after the Nutcracker ballet, I held back and did not cross any lines. Could a 56-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have a sexual relationship? I managed to keep up with Jorunn all week and didn’t see any reason not to. I reached below the table to carefully re-position myself before standing up.We made our way to the Train Station and rode to Jorunn’s neighborhood. As we walked to her house, I noticed many homes with a lighted star in one of the windows.“What are those stars,” I asked.“They are a tradition in Norway. A star is lit on the first Sunday of Advent to help guide the Three Wise Men.”We stopped in front of a modest house. There was no star in the window, but I saw sheaves of oats hung from one of the trees. I was familiar with the tradition of putting out something for the birds in the frigid days of December. As we stepped inside, I was suddenly surprised. “Hi, Mom! I would like you to meet Gunnar Larsen.”“Good evening, Mr. Larsen. Jorunn has been sending me text messages all week about your exciting travels. I hope you enjoyed your tour. My name is Leah.”This was not what I expected. I hoped to be alone with Jorunn. The family resemblance was striking and quite apparent. Leah’s straight hair was a bit shorter than Jorunn’s but matched her daughter’s pure blonde color. Her blue eyes stood out from her attractive face. She was wearing a multi-colored Norwegian Dale sweater and green trousers. I possessed absolutely no experience telling how old Norwegian women are. She must be in her forties but looked younger.I said, “I enjoyed Jorunn’s tour very much. Your daughter is quite talented in many ways. Please, call me Gunnar.”Jorunn said, “Gunnar was asking about other Jul traditions and activities here in Norway over Christmas. I thought Syv Slags Kaker would be a good one, and your cookies are the best ones in Oslo. I’ll make us some coffee.”Leah looked at me, “Please sit Gunnar. How much longer will you be staying in Norway?”I replied, “About two more weeks. I wanted to celebrate the New Year here before returning to America.”I talked about the completed tour, and she seemed interested enough that I rambled on.“I really enjoyed visiting Lillehammer. It brought back memories of watching the 1994 Winter Olympics, probably my favorite one. The music was fantastic, and the woman who sang the Olympic Hymn at the opening ceremony possessed such a wonderful voice.”Leah replied, “Her name is Sissel Kyrkjebø. She is still extremely popular today, and we consider her a national treasure. I was 18 at the time, and worked at those Olympics.”“I’d love to hear more about that,” I replied. “It was nice to see many of the venues still being used. I also enjoyed the Olympic Museum in Maihaugen, which told the history of the 1994 Olympics. I was surprised to learn that Norway has won more Olympic medals than any other country. But the highlight for me was riding the chairlift to the top of the Lysgårdsbakkene ski jump. The views were amazing. I can’t imagine anyone being brave enough to make such a jump.”“I agree with you on that!” laughed Leah.I continued, “We also flew to Tromsø, and I got to see the Northern Lights. We can sometimes see them in southern Minnesota, but they were much more impressive here with the clear Norwegian air. Jorunn and I took a ride in a sleigh, pulled by actual reindeer. Reindeer are much larger than I thought. We visited a Sami farm, where we ate reindeer stew and learned about the Sami culture.”“I’ve never been, but I hear it’s really fun,” replied Leah.“Bærums Verk was also a highlight. You may already know that the town dates to the 1600s. I loved the old buildings and cobbled streets. Although the Christmas Market was small, I found it unique, with artisans selling handmade crafts. It was nice to see the old crafts like glassblowing, ironwork, and woodworking.”Jorunn returned with a large tray, holding coffee and cookies, and we began sampling.Leah asked, “Did you take Gunnar to Pepperkakebyen in Bergen? It’s a marvelous gingerbread village in my hometown. There are over 200 small gingerbread houses, and with the tiny lights turned on, it looks so real.”Jorunn replied, “A week goes by quickly, mamma. There is only so much time. The gingerbread houses are very nice, and I have fond memories of going there with you.”As we continued talking and munching cookies, I looked around at the decorations. There was an advent calendar, wreaths, angels, gnomes called nisse, hearts, stars, and candles. The decorations looked more natural, perhaps a bit less commercialized than in America. There was a real tree, complete with its wonderful pine smell, a star at the top, garland, tinsel, ornaments, and white lights.I looked at Leah, “I noticed that you don’t have a Christmas star in the window as many of the other houses do.”Leah replied, “I found my former husband in bed with another woman. I immediately divorced him. Among the many things he took from Jorunn and I, was our Christmas Star.”Leah sounded deeply hurt and from more than just the missing star. After tasting the last of the seven cookies, Leah asked how I liked them. “The waffle-like Krumkaker was probably my favorite. We tried making them in Minnesota, but yours turned out so much better. And, of course, the Pepperkaker gingerbread stars were great.” I held up another cookie and said, “I don’t know the name of this one, but it was also excellent.”Leah replied, “That one is Serinakaker, a Norwegian butter cookie.”I realized the inevitable, “It is getting late. Thank you both, Leah and Jorunn, for a wonderful evening. I need to get back to my hotel and figure out what to do over the next few days.”I saw Jorunn look at her mother, who nodded. As I stood up, Leah did too. “Nonsense, Gunnar. I won’t have it. Come, spend Christmas with Jorunn and me! Nearly everything in Oslo shuts down in the afternoon on Christmas Eve and stays closed until the 27th. No restaurants or shops will be open. I have an unused bedroom upstairs. Come celebrate Jul with us.”I caught the signal between mother and daughter and wondered if this was pre-planned. But spending Christmas alone in my hotel sounded almost as bad as spending it alone in the nursing home. It was an easy decision. “I accept.”Leah said, “Good. I’ll stop by your hotel tomorrow and help you move your things. Perhaps we can have lunch as well at one of the restaurants along Karl Johans gate.”“It would be my pleasure, ” I replied. “Let’s say, about 11:00 AM”Little Christmas EveDecember 23rd - MorningIt was December 23rd, known in Norway as Lille Julaften. Spending Christmas with Leah and Jorunn created a problem for me. I needed to find at least one Christmas present for each, just in case they bought a gift for me. I got up early and headed out to search. Reflecting on last night, and indeed, the last week, it ended up being far simpler than I feared. I soon found a gift for each, along with reusable cloth gift bags in Christmas colors.I heard a knock on my hotel door and opened it. Leah stood there, holding a coat over her arm. She was wearing a traditional Norwegian folk costume called a bunad. Her blonde hair, simply styled, was highlighted by two attractive braids.I smiled and said, “What a pleasant surprise. You look like you just stepped out of a fairy tale.”She looked past me into the messy room, then took a step toward me and surprised me with a kiss on my cheek. She stepped back and started laughing. “It didn’t work. I am a fairy tale princess, but you are still a frog! It looks like we have some work to do cleaning up your lily pad.”As Leah entered the room, I said, “I already packed a small bag, enough for a few days.”Leah walked over to the pile of clothes from my week-long trip. She picked up a shirt and sniffed it. Then she pulled a wool sweater out from the pile. “Keep your wool sweaters away from the rest of your dirty clothes. Wool is harder to clean and may pick up the smell. Let me see what else you packed.”Leah dumped out my small gym bag onto the bed and then began tossing things aside. “This won’t do. We need to take all of your clothes back to my house and wash them.”Fond memories returned. Whenever we went on a trip, Solveig would always dump out my suitcase and re-load it with other clothes. Solvieg would also pick out clothes for me to wear whenever we dressed to go out to weddings or a party.Leah said, “Don’t expect me to wash them for you. I have other things to do to get ready for Christmas. You’ll have enough free time you can wash them yourself. We will gather everything up after we come back from lunch.”What a woman! I can see where Jorunn inherited her strong personality. We left my hotel, and Leah took me to one of her favorite kafés. As we walked, Leah’s bunad drew eyes, and attracted smiles, as if she were a magnet. As we waited for our food, I asked Leah about her bunad.Leah replied, “I don’t get to wear my bunad very often. I usually wear it for National Day in May, and for weddings and baptisms, but I haven’t been to many of those lately. Christmas is also an acceptable time to wear it.”Leah wore the traditional white blouse with a silver neckpin. Her vest was bright red with a handmade breastplate. Her navy skirt was trimmed with intricate embroidery, and covered in front by a white apron. Around her waist and running down the front was a decorative handwoven belt.“I grew up east of Bergen, in the Hardanger region, so my bunad is in the Hardanger style. While details may vary, you can tell where someone is from by which style of bunad they are wearing. It would not be proper to choose a bunad from a different region simply because you prefer a different color.”“That’s a lovely silver brooch you have on. It looks very old.”“It was my grandmother’s. Norwegians have a spiritual connection to silver, and silver brooches are handed down for many generations. One day, it will be Jorunn’s.”The food was excellent. I have not eaten a bad meal here in Norway. Leah was a great conversationalist, and she freely shared her humor and wit. Her stories from the 1994 Olympics were fascinating, and even though Jorunn and I were just there, I wanted to go back. I learned Leah worked as a radiology technician at a local hospital here in Oslo and took the entire holiday off. The meal finished too quickly, and we returned to my hotel.As we gathered my assorted clothing, I saw one of my socks on the floor, so I walked around Leah to pick it up. Turning quickly, I found myself face-to-face with her. We stared at each other for a moment, then moved at the same time. Our lips came together, and we kissed. Not a gentle kiss, but a passionate one, long and deep. Intentions were clear on both sides.We separated. Leah said, “I have not had sex since divorcing my husband nearly three years ago. That bastard took away more than my Christmas Star, he took away my trust in men. I am forty-seven years old. I never go out on dates, because I’m afraid to open my heart again to another man. Jorunn texted me every night for the past week and would send short videos she took during the day. She kept repeating how much fun she was having with you, and how nice a man you are. I know it sounds funny, but after watching and reading what Jorunn sent me, I feel like I already know you, and have made it past the first date. I know you lost the woman you loved. I cannot replace her in your heart, but if you are ready, I would like to share mine.”This was unexpected. “When I was in Minnesota, I watched Jorunn’s vlog almost every night. She is so sweet and funny and does such an excellent job. Even though I never met Jorunn, I felt like I knew her. To use your dating analogy, it’s one of the reasons I picked her as a tour guide. I felt comfortable with Jorunn and was too afraid to trust another tour company. When I came to Norway, I left my past behind. It is time for me to find something, or someone, to love.”Our bodies came together, and our lips re-joined. Any fears of rejection vanished as I locked my lips onto those of this beautiful Norwegian woman. Our tongues danced with each other, while our hands moved quickly over each other’s bodies.“Help me take off my bunad,” pleaded Leah.Together, we unclasped, unbuckled, unbuttoned, and untied, removing one layer at a time of the intricate bunad and laying it over a chair. It was like slowly opening the best Christmas present I have ever gotten, as more of Leah’s body slowly revealed itself to me. Her breasts were small, but firm, and went well with her slender frame. I forgot how delicate a woman’s features are, and Leah’s body was perfect in every way. Below her waist, I found a mound of pure blonde hair, barely darker than the color on her head.“I have no other words, you are truly a gorgeous woman, Leah.”“Thank you, Gunnar. Now it’s my turn to have fun.”Leah approached me. With small steps, she moved gracefully. She lifted my pullover shirt, pausing as it obscured my eyes. “Don’t take your shirt off. Just enjoy the sensations.” In the darkness, her fingers teasingly played with the hairs on my chest. A fingernail flicked back and forth over my nipple, drawing it to an erection. Moving lower, Leah unbuckled my trousers and slid them down, taking my knickers with them. I was not yet erect, but moving rapidly in that direction. Cool fingers wrapped around my cock and lifted, while a single fingernail twirled against my ball sack. Her tongue dragged across the tip of my cock. Then, Leah’s hands moved behind me to cup and squeeze my bum cheeks. Her warm breath washed over my cock.Leah stood and pulled my shirt the rest of the way off, and I stepped out of my trousers. We remained like this, both naked, looking longingly at each other. Leah reached up and touched my hair. “You have just a touch of grey. I like that. Few mature men are as blessed as you, with a firm, lean body. I see all kinds of patients. You look like a forty-year-old.”I suppose that was one benefit of eating the low-fat, low-sugar, and tasteless nursing home food. I lost nearly thirty pounds. “I am older than I look, and you should know that I had a stroke two years ago. I am doing much better, but still have a balance issue, and sometimes slur my words."Slurring your words might just be because you have a lazy tongue. Perhaps we can find a way to fix that later.”For a moment, I wondered what she meant, then hoped my notions might come true. Leah dropped to her knees directly in front of me and ran a finger along my nearly erect shaft. “It feels so nice to touch a real one again. What a lovely cock you have.”I said, “I’m sorry. I don’t have a very large penis.”Leah laughed, “Anything more than a mouthful is just wasted. Now let’s begin. I will say a Norwegian word, and you repeat it. Listen carefully to my pronunciation and maybe we can fix your American accent.”Leah said, “Penis.” Then she grabbed my cock with her right hand.This might be fun, so I replied, “Penis!”Leah whispered, “Rub.” Then she began gently sliding her hand along my shaft. Without any lubrication, there was quite a bit of friction.I replied, “Rub!”Leah said, “Lick.” Leah extended her tongue, and starting near the base, began leaving wet trails along each side of my glistening cock. The warm softness of her tongue brought me to full erection.It felt fantastic, and I gasped out, “Lick!”Leah said, “Suck.” She opened her mouth wide and took in the head of my cock, using her tongue to tease the underside. Bringing her lips together, I felt the insides of her mouth pressing inward and squeezing tightly against me. When her suction began, she pulled the head of my cock deeper into her mouth. Leah’s head pulled back ever so slightly, allowing her soft lips to glide over me until my cock was almost freed. But not quite. Using the extra room, Leah teased my opening with the tip of her tongue. From the way her tongue easily twirled around, I was certain I contributed my pre-cum.Then her suction pulled me deeper into her mouth. She look

Skandinavian Folklore and Feast Days.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Syv Slags Kaker. (or, Seven Sorts of  Cookies)December 22nd – Evening, Five Days LaterJorunn said, “Well, Gunnar, we are back at our starting point, and this concludes the tour. We got off to a rough start on the first day, but since then, I have enjoyed spending time with you. After my mom got divorced, I stopped dating. Sure, I went out in mixed groups with my friends, but I cannot remember the last time I went somewhere, by myself, with a man. The divorce made me lose all confidence and trust in men. Why enter a relationship, and give my heart to a man, knowing it is going to fail? My father hurt my mother and me so badly, that neither of us have recovered. You were so wonderful to me this week, and showed me that not all men are like my father.”Jorunn looked at me with pleading eyes, “I don’t want this tour to end. I don’t want you to leave. Can you please stay in Oslo at least a few more days?”Jorunn didn’t want me to go. And I didn’t want to leave her either. I replied, “Jorunn, I cannot think of anyone or any place I would rather be than here in Oslo, with you.”Jorunn said, “It’s still early enough that we may be able to find seating without a reservation. I know a great place for seafood.”“Lead on,” I replied.Jorunn and I discussed the now-completed tour while enjoying a delicious dinner at a small kafé. I offered suggestions for the tour, but otherwise let her know I enjoyed seeing Norway, and I told her what a wonderful guide she was. After returning to America, I promised to recommend her tours to everyone I knew.As I looked over the dessert menu, I asked Jorunn, “I’m willing to stay a few more days. Are there any other Norwegian Christmas traditions or activities worth doing over the next few days?”“If you put down that dessert menu, there is one called Syv Slags Kaker. I baked seven kinds of cookies to celebrate Jul. If you come to my house, we can have coffee and you can sample all seven kinds.”“That sounds great,” I replied. Jorunn was inviting me to her home. She was beautiful and funny, and I admit I developed fantasies about her as I watched her vlog videos back in the nursing home. Heck, I even created new fantasies over the last week. She was much warmer toward me at the end of the tour. In Tromsø, we shared a blanket as we rode in a sleigh pulled by an actual reindeer. But after the Nutcracker ballet, I held back and did not cross any lines. Could a 56-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have a sexual relationship? I managed to keep up with Jorunn all week and didn’t see any reason not to. I reached below the table to carefully re-position myself before standing up.We made our way to the Train Station and rode to Jorunn’s neighborhood. As we walked to her house, I noticed many homes with a lighted star in one of the windows.“What are those stars,” I asked.“They are a tradition in Norway. A star is lit on the first Sunday of Advent to help guide the Three Wise Men.”We stopped in front of a modest house. There was no star in the window, but I saw sheaves of oats hung from one of the trees. I was familiar with the tradition of putting out something for the birds in the frigid days of December. As we stepped inside, I was suddenly surprised. “Hi, Mom! I would like you to meet Gunnar Larsen.”“Good evening, Mr. Larsen. Jorunn has been sending me text messages all week about your exciting travels. I hope you enjoyed your tour. My name is Leah.”This was not what I expected. I hoped to be alone with Jorunn. The family resemblance was striking and quite apparent. Leah’s straight hair was a bit shorter than Jorunn’s but matched her daughter’s pure blonde color. Her blue eyes stood out from her attractive face. She was wearing a multi-colored Norwegian Dale sweater and green trousers. I possessed absolutely no experience telling how old Norwegian women are. She must be in her forties but looked younger.I said, “I enjoyed Jorunn’s tour very much. Your daughter is quite talented in many ways. Please, call me Gunnar.”Jorunn said, “Gunnar was asking about other Jul traditions and activities here in Norway over Christmas. I thought Syv Slags Kaker would be a good one, and your cookies are the best ones in Oslo. I’ll make us some coffee.”Leah looked at me, “Please sit Gunnar. How much longer will you be staying in Norway?”I replied, “About two more weeks. I wanted to celebrate the New Year here before returning to America.”I talked about the completed tour, and she seemed interested enough that I rambled on.“I really enjoyed visiting Lillehammer. It brought back memories of watching the 1994 Winter Olympics, probably my favorite one. The music was fantastic, and the woman who sang the Olympic Hymn at the opening ceremony possessed such a wonderful voice.”Leah replied, “Her name is Sissel Kyrkjebø. She is still extremely popular today, and we consider her a national treasure. I was 18 at the time, and worked at those Olympics.”“I’d love to hear more about that,” I replied. “It was nice to see many of the venues still being used. I also enjoyed the Olympic Museum in Maihaugen, which told the history of the 1994 Olympics. I was surprised to learn that Norway has won more Olympic medals than any other country. But the highlight for me was riding the chairlift to the top of the Lysgårdsbakkene ski jump. The views were amazing. I can’t imagine anyone being brave enough to make such a jump.”“I agree with you on that!” laughed Leah.I continued, “We also flew to Tromsø, and I got to see the Northern Lights. We can sometimes see them in southern Minnesota, but they were much more impressive here with the clear Norwegian air. Jorunn and I took a ride in a sleigh, pulled by actual reindeer. Reindeer are much larger than I thought. We visited a Sami farm, where we ate reindeer stew and learned about the Sami culture.”“I’ve never been, but I hear it’s really fun,” replied Leah.“Bærums Verk was also a highlight. You may already know that the town dates to the 1600s. I loved the old buildings and cobbled streets. Although the Christmas Market was small, I found it unique, with artisans selling handmade crafts. It was nice to see the old crafts like glassblowing, ironwork, and woodworking.”Jorunn returned with a large tray, holding coffee and cookies, and we began sampling.Leah asked, “Did you take Gunnar to Pepperkakebyen in Bergen? It’s a marvelous gingerbread village in my hometown. There are over 200 small gingerbread houses, and with the tiny lights turned on, it looks so real.”Jorunn replied, “A week goes by quickly, mamma. There is only so much time. The gingerbread houses are very nice, and I have fond memories of going there with you.”As we continued talking and munching cookies, I looked around at the decorations. There was an advent calendar, wreaths, angels, gnomes called nisse, hearts, stars, and candles. The decorations looked more natural, perhaps a bit less commercialized than in America. There was a real tree, complete with its wonderful pine smell, a star at the top, garland, tinsel, ornaments, and white lights.I looked at Leah, “I noticed that you don’t have a Christmas star in the window as many of the other houses do.”Leah replied, “I found my former husband in bed with another woman. I immediately divorced him. Among the many things he took from Jorunn and I, was our Christmas Star.”Leah sounded deeply hurt and from more than just the missing star. After tasting the last of the seven cookies, Leah asked how I liked them. “The waffle-like Krumkaker was probably my favorite. We tried making them in Minnesota, but yours turned out so much better. And, of course, the Pepperkaker gingerbread stars were great.” I held up another cookie and said, “I don’t know the name of this one, but it was also excellent.”Leah replied, “That one is Serinakaker, a Norwegian butter cookie.”I realized the inevitable, “It is getting late. Thank you both, Leah and Jorunn, for a wonderful evening. I need to get back to my hotel and figure out what to do over the next few days.”I saw Jorunn look at her mother, who nodded. As I stood up, Leah did too. “Nonsense, Gunnar. I won’t have it. Come, spend Christmas with Jorunn and me! Nearly everything in Oslo shuts down in the afternoon on Christmas Eve and stays closed until the 27th. No restaurants or shops will be open. I have an unused bedroom upstairs. Come celebrate Jul with us.”I caught the signal between mother and daughter and wondered if this was pre-planned. But spending Christmas alone in my hotel sounded almost as bad as spending it alone in the nursing home. It was an easy decision. “I accept.”Leah said, “Good. I’ll stop by your hotel tomorrow and help you move your things. Perhaps we can have lunch as well at one of the restaurants along Karl Johans gate.”“It would be my pleasure, ” I replied. “Let’s say, about 11:00 AM”Little Christmas EveDecember 23rd - MorningIt was December 23rd, known in Norway as Lille Julaften. Spending Christmas with Leah and Jorunn created a problem for me. I needed to find at least one Christmas present for each, just in case they bought a gift for me. I got up early and headed out to search. Reflecting on last night, and indeed, the last week, it ended up being far simpler than I feared. I soon found a gift for each, along with reusable cloth gift bags in Christmas colors.I heard a knock on my hotel door and opened it. Leah stood there, holding a coat over her arm. She was wearing a traditional Norwegian folk costume called a bunad. Her blonde hair, simply styled, was highlighted by two attractive braids.I smiled and said, “What a pleasant surprise. You look like you just stepped out of a fairy tale.”She looked past me into the messy room, then took a step toward me and surprised me with a kiss on my cheek. She stepped back and started laughing. “It didn’t work. I am a fairy tale princess, but you are still a frog! It looks like we have some work to do cleaning up your lily pad.”As Leah entered the room, I said, “I already packed a small bag, enough for a few days.”Leah walked over to the pile of clothes from my week-long trip. She picked up a shirt and sniffed it. Then she pulled a wool sweater out from the pile. “Keep your wool sweaters away from the rest of your dirty clothes. Wool is harder to clean and may pick up the smell. Let me see what else you packed.”Leah dumped out my small gym bag onto the bed and then began tossing things aside. “This won’t do. We need to take all of your clothes back to my house and wash them.”Fond memories returned. Whenever we went on a trip, Solveig would always dump out my suitcase and re-load it with other clothes. Solvieg would also pick out clothes for me to wear whenever we dressed to go out to weddings or a party.Leah said, “Don’t expect me to wash them for you. I have other things to do to get ready for Christmas. You’ll have enough free time you can wash them yourself. We will gather everything up after we come back from lunch.”What a woman! I can see where Jorunn inherited her strong personality. We left my hotel, and Leah took me to one of her favorite kafés. As we walked, Leah’s bunad drew eyes, and attracted smiles, as if she were a magnet. As we waited for our food, I asked Leah about her bunad.Leah replied, “I don’t get to wear my bunad very often. I usually wear it for National Day in May, and for weddings and baptisms, but I haven’t been to many of those lately. Christmas is also an acceptable time to wear it.”Leah wore the traditional white blouse with a silver neckpin. Her vest was bright red with a handmade breastplate. Her navy skirt was trimmed with intricate embroidery, and covered in front by a white apron. Around her waist and running down the front was a decorative handwoven belt.“I grew up east of Bergen, in the Hardanger region, so my bunad is in the Hardanger style. While details may vary, you can tell where someone is from by which style of bunad they are wearing. It would not be proper to choose a bunad from a different region simply because you prefer a different color.”“That’s a lovely silver brooch you have on. It looks very old.”“It was my grandmother’s. Norwegians have a spiritual connection to silver, and silver brooches are handed down for many generations. One day, it will be Jorunn’s.”The food was excellent. I have not eaten a bad meal here in Norway. Leah was a great conversationalist, and she freely shared her humor and wit. Her stories from the 1994 Olympics were fascinating, and even though Jorunn and I were just there, I wanted to go back. I learned Leah worked as a radiology technician at a local hospital here in Oslo and took the entire holiday off. The meal finished too quickly, and we returned to my hotel.As we gathered my assorted clothing, I saw one of my socks on the floor, so I walked around Leah to pick it up. Turning quickly, I found myself face-to-face with her. We stared at each other for a moment, then moved at the same time. Our lips came together, and we kissed. Not a gentle kiss, but a passionate one, long and deep. Intentions were clear on both sides.We separated. Leah said, “I have not had sex since divorcing my husband nearly three years ago. That bastard took away more than my Christmas Star, he took away my trust in men. I am forty-seven years old. I never go out on dates, because I’m afraid to open my heart again to another man. Jorunn texted me every night for the past week and would send short videos she took during the day. She kept repeating how much fun she was having with you, and how nice a man you are. I know it sounds funny, but after watching and reading what Jorunn sent me, I feel like I already know you, and have made it past the first date. I know you lost the woman you loved. I cannot replace her in your heart, but if you are ready, I would like to share mine.”This was unexpected. “When I was in Minnesota, I watched Jorunn’s vlog almost every night. She is so sweet and funny and does such an excellent job. Even though I never met Jorunn, I felt like I knew her. To use your dating analogy, it’s one of the reasons I picked her as a tour guide. I felt comfortable with Jorunn and was too afraid to trust another tour company. When I came to Norway, I left my past behind. It is time for me to find something, or someone, to love.”Our bodies came together, and our lips re-joined. Any fears of rejection vanished as I locked my lips onto those of this beautiful Norwegian woman. Our tongues danced with each other, while our hands moved quickly over each other’s bodies.“Help me take off my bunad,” pleaded Leah.Together, we unclasped, unbuckled, unbuttoned, and untied, removing one layer at a time of the intricate bunad and laying it over a chair. It was like slowly opening the best Christmas present I have ever gotten, as more of Leah’s body slowly revealed itself to me. Her breasts were small, but firm, and went well with her slender frame. I forgot how delicate a woman’s features are, and Leah’s body was perfect in every way. Below her waist, I found a mound of pure blonde hair, barely darker than the color on her head.“I have no other words, you are truly a gorgeous woman, Leah.”“Thank you, Gunnar. Now it’s my turn to have fun.”Leah approached me. With small steps, she moved gracefully. She lifted my pullover shirt, pausing as it obscured my eyes. “Don’t take your shirt off. Just enjoy the sensations.” In the darkness, her fingers teasingly played with the hairs on my chest. A fingernail flicked back and forth over my nipple, drawing it to an erection. Moving lower, Leah unbuckled my trousers and slid them down, taking my knickers with them. I was not yet erect, but moving rapidly in that direction. Cool fingers wrapped around my cock and lifted, while a single fingernail twirled against my ball sack. Her tongue dragged across the tip of my cock. Then, Leah’s hands moved behind me to cup and squeeze my bum cheeks. Her warm breath washed over my cock.Leah stood and pulled my shirt the rest of the way off, and I stepped out of my trousers. We remained like this, both naked, looking longingly at each other. Leah reached up and touched my hair. “You have just a touch of grey. I like that. Few mature men are as blessed as you, with a firm, lean body. I see all kinds of patients. You look like a forty-year-old.”I suppose that was one benefit of eating the low-fat, low-sugar, and tasteless nursing home food. I lost nearly thirty pounds. “I am older than I look, and you should know that I had a stroke two years ago. I am doing much better, but still have a balance issue, and sometimes slur my words."Slurring your words might just be because you have a lazy tongue. Perhaps we can find a way to fix that later.”For a moment, I wondered what she meant, then hoped my notions might come true. Leah dropped to her knees directly in front of me and ran a finger along my nearly erect shaft. “It feels so nice to touch a real one again. What a lovely cock you have.”I said, “I’m sorry. I don’t have a very large penis.”Leah laughed, “Anything more than a mouthful is just wasted. Now let’s begin. I will say a Norwegian word, and you repeat it. Listen carefully to my pronunciation and maybe we can fix your American accent.”Leah said, “Penis.” Then she grabbed my cock with her right hand.This might be fun, so I replied, “Penis!”Leah whispered, “Rub.” Then she began gently sliding her hand along my shaft. Without any lubrication, there was quite a bit of friction.I replied, “Rub!”Leah said, “Lick.” Leah extended her tongue, and starting near the base, began leaving wet trails along each side of my glistening cock. The warm softness of her tongue brought me to full erection.It felt fantastic, and I gasped out, “Lick!”Leah said, “Suck.” She opened her mouth wide and took in the head of my cock, using her tongue to tease the underside. Bringing her lips together, I felt the insides of her mouth pressing inward and squeezing tightly against me. When her suction began, she pulled the head of my cock deeper into her mouth. Leah’s head pulled back ever so slightly, allowing her soft lips to glide over me until my cock was almost freed. But not quite. Using the extra room, Leah teased my opening with the tip of her tongue. From the way her tongue easily twirled around, I was certain I contributed my pre-cum.Then her suction pulled me deeper into her mouth. She look

Skandinavian Folklore and Feast Days.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Syv Slags Kaker. (or, Seven Sorts of  Cookies)December 22nd – Evening, Five Days LaterJorunn said, “Well, Gunnar, we are back at our starting point, and this concludes the tour. We got off to a rough start on the first day, but since then, I have enjoyed spending time with you. After my mom got divorced, I stopped dating. Sure, I went out in mixed groups with my friends, but I cannot remember the last time I went somewhere, by myself, with a man. The divorce made me lose all confidence and trust in men. Why enter a relationship, and give my heart to a man, knowing it is going to fail? My father hurt my mother and me so badly, that neither of us have recovered. You were so wonderful to me this week, and showed me that not all men are like my father.”Jorunn looked at me with pleading eyes, “I don’t want this tour to end. I don’t want you to leave. Can you please stay in Oslo at least a few more days?”Jorunn didn’t want me to go. And I didn’t want to leave her either. I replied, “Jorunn, I cannot think of anyone or any place I would rather be than here in Oslo, with you.”Jorunn said, “It’s still early enough that we may be able to find seating without a reservation. I know a great place for seafood.”“Lead on,” I replied.Jorunn and I discussed the now-completed tour while enjoying a delicious dinner at a small kafé. I offered suggestions for the tour, but otherwise let her know I enjoyed seeing Norway, and I told her what a wonderful guide she was. After returning to America, I promised to recommend her tours to everyone I knew.As I looked over the dessert menu, I asked Jorunn, “I’m willing to stay a few more days. Are there any other Norwegian Christmas traditions or activities worth doing over the next few days?”“If you put down that dessert menu, there is one called Syv Slags Kaker. I baked seven kinds of cookies to celebrate Jul. If you come to my house, we can have coffee and you can sample all seven kinds.”“That sounds great,” I replied. Jorunn was inviting me to her home. She was beautiful and funny, and I admit I developed fantasies about her as I watched her vlog videos back in the nursing home. Heck, I even created new fantasies over the last week. She was much warmer toward me at the end of the tour. In Tromsø, we shared a blanket as we rode in a sleigh pulled by an actual reindeer. But after the Nutcracker ballet, I held back and did not cross any lines. Could a 56-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have a sexual relationship? I managed to keep up with Jorunn all week and didn’t see any reason not to. I reached below the table to carefully re-position myself before standing up.We made our way to the Train Station and rode to Jorunn’s neighborhood. As we walked to her house, I noticed many homes with a lighted star in one of the windows.“What are those stars,” I asked.“They are a tradition in Norway. A star is lit on the first Sunday of Advent to help guide the Three Wise Men.”We stopped in front of a modest house. There was no star in the window, but I saw sheaves of oats hung from one of the trees. I was familiar with the tradition of putting out something for the birds in the frigid days of December. As we stepped inside, I was suddenly surprised. “Hi, Mom! I would like you to meet Gunnar Larsen.”“Good evening, Mr. Larsen. Jorunn has been sending me text messages all week about your exciting travels. I hope you enjoyed your tour. My name is Leah.”This was not what I expected. I hoped to be alone with Jorunn. The family resemblance was striking and quite apparent. Leah’s straight hair was a bit shorter than Jorunn’s but matched her daughter’s pure blonde color. Her blue eyes stood out from her attractive face. She was wearing a multi-colored Norwegian Dale sweater and green trousers. I possessed absolutely no experience telling how old Norwegian women are. She must be in her forties but looked younger.I said, “I enjoyed Jorunn’s tour very much. Your daughter is quite talented in many ways. Please, call me Gunnar.”Jorunn said, “Gunnar was asking about other Jul traditions and activities here in Norway over Christmas. I thought Syv Slags Kaker would be a good one, and your cookies are the best ones in Oslo. I’ll make us some coffee.”Leah looked at me, “Please sit Gunnar. How much longer will you be staying in Norway?”I replied, “About two more weeks. I wanted to celebrate the New Year here before returning to America.”I talked about the completed tour, and she seemed interested enough that I rambled on.“I really enjoyed visiting Lillehammer. It brought back memories of watching the 1994 Winter Olympics, probably my favorite one. The music was fantastic, and the woman who sang the Olympic Hymn at the opening ceremony possessed such a wonderful voice.”Leah replied, “Her name is Sissel Kyrkjebø. She is still extremely popular today, and we consider her a national treasure. I was 18 at the time, and worked at those Olympics.”“I’d love to hear more about that,” I replied. “It was nice to see many of the venues still being used. I also enjoyed the Olympic Museum in Maihaugen, which told the history of the 1994 Olympics. I was surprised to learn that Norway has won more Olympic medals than any other country. But the highlight for me was riding the chairlift to the top of the Lysgårdsbakkene ski jump. The views were amazing. I can’t imagine anyone being brave enough to make such a jump.”“I agree with you on that!” laughed Leah.I continued, “We also flew to Tromsø, and I got to see the Northern Lights. We can sometimes see them in southern Minnesota, but they were much more impressive here with the clear Norwegian air. Jorunn and I took a ride in a sleigh, pulled by actual reindeer. Reindeer are much larger than I thought. We visited a Sami farm, where we ate reindeer stew and learned about the Sami culture.”“I’ve never been, but I hear it’s really fun,” replied Leah.“Bærums Verk was also a highlight. You may already know that the town dates to the 1600s. I loved the old buildings and cobbled streets. Although the Christmas Market was small, I found it unique, with artisans selling handmade crafts. It was nice to see the old crafts like glassblowing, ironwork, and woodworking.”Jorunn returned with a large tray, holding coffee and cookies, and we began sampling.Leah asked, “Did you take Gunnar to Pepperkakebyen in Bergen? It’s a marvelous gingerbread village in my hometown. There are over 200 small gingerbread houses, and with the tiny lights turned on, it looks so real.”Jorunn replied, “A week goes by quickly, mamma. There is only so much time. The gingerbread houses are very nice, and I have fond memories of going there with you.”As we continued talking and munching cookies, I looked around at the decorations. There was an advent calendar, wreaths, angels, gnomes called nisse, hearts, stars, and candles. The decorations looked more natural, perhaps a bit less commercialized than in America. There was a real tree, complete with its wonderful pine smell, a star at the top, garland, tinsel, ornaments, and white lights.I looked at Leah, “I noticed that you don’t have a Christmas star in the window as many of the other houses do.”Leah replied, “I found my former husband in bed with another woman. I immediately divorced him. Among the many things he took from Jorunn and I, was our Christmas Star.”Leah sounded deeply hurt and from more than just the missing star. After tasting the last of the seven cookies, Leah asked how I liked them. “The waffle-like Krumkaker was probably my favorite. We tried making them in Minnesota, but yours turned out so much better. And, of course, the Pepperkaker gingerbread stars were great.” I held up another cookie and said, “I don’t know the name of this one, but it was also excellent.”Leah replied, “That one is Serinakaker, a Norwegian butter cookie.”I realized the inevitable, “It is getting late. Thank you both, Leah and Jorunn, for a wonderful evening. I need to get back to my hotel and figure out what to do over the next few days.”I saw Jorunn look at her mother, who nodded. As I stood up, Leah did too. “Nonsense, Gunnar. I won’t have it. Come, spend Christmas with Jorunn and me! Nearly everything in Oslo shuts down in the afternoon on Christmas Eve and stays closed until the 27th. No restaurants or shops will be open. I have an unused bedroom upstairs. Come celebrate Jul with us.”I caught the signal between mother and daughter and wondered if this was pre-planned. But spending Christmas alone in my hotel sounded almost as bad as spending it alone in the nursing home. It was an easy decision. “I accept.”Leah said, “Good. I’ll stop by your hotel tomorrow and help you move your things. Perhaps we can have lunch as well at one of the restaurants along Karl Johans gate.”“It would be my pleasure, ” I replied. “Let’s say, about 11:00 AM”Little Christmas EveDecember 23rd - MorningIt was December 23rd, known in Norway as Lille Julaften. Spending Christmas with Leah and Jorunn created a problem for me. I needed to find at least one Christmas present for each, just in case they bought a gift for me. I got up early and headed out to search. Reflecting on last night, and indeed, the last week, it ended up being far simpler than I feared. I soon found a gift for each, along with reusable cloth gift bags in Christmas colors.I heard a knock on my hotel door and opened it. Leah stood there, holding a coat over her arm. She was wearing a traditional Norwegian folk costume called a bunad. Her blonde hair, simply styled, was highlighted by two attractive braids.I smiled and said, “What a pleasant surprise. You look like you just stepped out of a fairy tale.”She looked past me into the messy room, then took a step toward me and surprised me with a kiss on my cheek. She stepped back and started laughing. “It didn’t work. I am a fairy tale princess, but you are still a frog! It looks like we have some work to do cleaning up your lily pad.”As Leah entered the room, I said, “I already packed a small bag, enough for a few days.”Leah walked over to the pile of clothes from my week-long trip. She picked up a shirt and sniffed it. Then she pulled a wool sweater out from the pile. “Keep your wool sweaters away from the rest of your dirty clothes. Wool is harder to clean and may pick up the smell. Let me see what else you packed.”Leah dumped out my small gym bag onto the bed and then began tossing things aside. “This won’t do. We need to take all of your clothes back to my house and wash them.”Fond memories returned. Whenever we went on a trip, Solveig would always dump out my suitcase and re-load it with other clothes. Solvieg would also pick out clothes for me to wear whenever we dressed to go out to weddings or a party.Leah said, “Don’t expect me to wash them for you. I have other things to do to get ready for Christmas. You’ll have enough free time you can wash them yourself. We will gather everything up after we come back from lunch.”What a woman! I can see where Jorunn inherited her strong personality. We left my hotel, and Leah took me to one of her favorite kafés. As we walked, Leah’s bunad drew eyes, and attracted smiles, as if she were a magnet. As we waited for our food, I asked Leah about her bunad.Leah replied, “I don’t get to wear my bunad very often. I usually wear it for National Day in May, and for weddings and baptisms, but I haven’t been to many of those lately. Christmas is also an acceptable time to wear it.”Leah wore the traditional white blouse with a silver neckpin. Her vest was bright red with a handmade breastplate. Her navy skirt was trimmed with intricate embroidery, and covered in front by a white apron. Around her waist and running down the front was a decorative handwoven belt.“I grew up east of Bergen, in the Hardanger region, so my bunad is in the Hardanger style. While details may vary, you can tell where someone is from by which style of bunad they are wearing. It would not be proper to choose a bunad from a different region simply because you prefer a different color.”“That’s a lovely silver brooch you have on. It looks very old.”“It was my grandmother’s. Norwegians have a spiritual connection to silver, and silver brooches are handed down for many generations. One day, it will be Jorunn’s.”The food was excellent. I have not eaten a bad meal here in Norway. Leah was a great conversationalist, and she freely shared her humor and wit. Her stories from the 1994 Olympics were fascinating, and even though Jorunn and I were just there, I wanted to go back. I learned Leah worked as a radiology technician at a local hospital here in Oslo and took the entire holiday off. The meal finished too quickly, and we returned to my hotel.As we gathered my assorted clothing, I saw one of my socks on the floor, so I walked around Leah to pick it up. Turning quickly, I found myself face-to-face with her. We stared at each other for a moment, then moved at the same time. Our lips came together, and we kissed. Not a gentle kiss, but a passionate one, long and deep. Intentions were clear on both sides.We separated. Leah said, “I have not had sex since divorcing my husband nearly three years ago. That bastard took away more than my Christmas Star, he took away my trust in men. I am forty-seven years old. I never go out on dates, because I’m afraid to open my heart again to another man. Jorunn texted me every night for the past week and would send short videos she took during the day. She kept repeating how much fun she was having with you, and how nice a man you are. I know it sounds funny, but after watching and reading what Jorunn sent me, I feel like I already know you, and have made it past the first date. I know you lost the woman you loved. I cannot replace her in your heart, but if you are ready, I would like to share mine.”This was unexpected. “When I was in Minnesota, I watched Jorunn’s vlog almost every night. She is so sweet and funny and does such an excellent job. Even though I never met Jorunn, I felt like I knew her. To use your dating analogy, it’s one of the reasons I picked her as a tour guide. I felt comfortable with Jorunn and was too afraid to trust another tour company. When I came to Norway, I left my past behind. It is time for me to find something, or someone, to love.”Our bodies came together, and our lips re-joined. Any fears of rejection vanished as I locked my lips onto those of this beautiful Norwegian woman. Our tongues danced with each other, while our hands moved quickly over each other’s bodies.“Help me take off my bunad,” pleaded Leah.Together, we unclasped, unbuckled, unbuttoned, and untied, removing one layer at a time of the intricate bunad and laying it over a chair. It was like slowly opening the best Christmas present I have ever gotten, as more of Leah’s body slowly revealed itself to me. Her breasts were small, but firm, and went well with her slender frame. I forgot how delicate a woman’s features are, and Leah’s body was perfect in every way. Below her waist, I found a mound of pure blonde hair, barely darker than the color on her head.“I have no other words, you are truly a gorgeous woman, Leah.”“Thank you, Gunnar. Now it’s my turn to have fun.”Leah approached me. With small steps, she moved gracefully. She lifted my pullover shirt, pausing as it obscured my eyes. “Don’t take your shirt off. Just enjoy the sensations.” In the darkness, her fingers teasingly played with the hairs on my chest. A fingernail flicked back and forth over my nipple, drawing it to an erection. Moving lower, Leah unbuckled my trousers and slid them down, taking my knickers with them. I was not yet erect, but moving rapidly in that direction. Cool fingers wrapped around my cock and lifted, while a single fingernail twirled against my ball sack. Her tongue dragged across the tip of my cock. Then, Leah’s hands moved behind me to cup and squeeze my bum cheeks. Her warm breath washed over my cock.Leah stood and pulled my shirt the rest of the way off, and I stepped out of my trousers. We remained like this, both naked, looking longingly at each other. Leah reached up and touched my hair. “You have just a touch of grey. I like that. Few mature men are as blessed as you, with a firm, lean body. I see all kinds of patients. You look like a forty-year-old.”I suppose that was one benefit of eating the low-fat, low-sugar, and tasteless nursing home food. I lost nearly thirty pounds. “I am older than I look, and you should know that I had a stroke two years ago. I am doing much better, but still have a balance issue, and sometimes slur my words."Slurring your words might just be because you have a lazy tongue. Perhaps we can find a way to fix that later.”For a moment, I wondered what she meant, then hoped my notions might come true. Leah dropped to her knees directly in front of me and ran a finger along my nearly erect shaft. “It feels so nice to touch a real one again. What a lovely cock you have.”I said, “I’m sorry. I don’t have a very large penis.”Leah laughed, “Anything more than a mouthful is just wasted. Now let’s begin. I will say a Norwegian word, and you repeat it. Listen carefully to my pronunciation and maybe we can fix your American accent.”Leah said, “Penis.” Then she grabbed my cock with her right hand.This might be fun, so I replied, “Penis!”Leah whispered, “Rub.” Then she began gently sliding her hand along my shaft. Without any lubrication, there was quite a bit of friction.I replied, “Rub!”Leah said, “Lick.” Leah extended her tongue, and starting near the base, began leaving wet trails along each side of my glistening cock. The warm softness of her tongue brought me to full erection.It felt fantastic, and I gasped out, “Lick!”Leah said, “Suck.” She opened her mouth wide and took in the head of my cock, using her tongue to tease the underside. Bringing her lips together, I felt the insides of her mouth pressing inward and squeezing tightly against me. When her suction began, she pulled the head of my cock deeper into her mouth. Leah’s head pulled back ever so slightly, allowing her soft lips to glide over me until my cock was almost freed. But not quite. Using the extra room, Leah teased my opening with the tip of her tongue. From the way her tongue easily twirled around, I was certain I contributed my pre-cum.Then her suction pulled me deeper into her mouth. She look

Sledges, Corkscrews, and other fears.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Once at the starting point, we both sat down on our sledges. I was grateful only a few others were preparing to ride, but gasped again when I saw how youthful their faces were. I doubted anyone here was over thirty years old. I wondered whether Jorunn was punishing me, or perhaps was hoping I would voluntarily quit the tour.“I don’t know if I can do this, Jorunn. I’m afraid.”Jorunn looked me in the eye with a grim look on her face.“Afraid is coming home with my mother, and finding my father sleeping with another woman. Afraid is watching how he broke apart my family and wondering how my mom and I would go on. Afraid is me cutting off my father and not wanting to ever see him again.”“Afraid is quitting a dead-end job and trying to earn a living as a vlogger in one of the most expensive countries on earth. Afraid is checking every morning for clicks, likes, and followers, and finding out the numbers did not change.”“Afraid is starting a private small-group tour company, all by myself, and weaving my way through the many regulations, laws, and insurance requirements. Afraid is knowing I have to book at least one trip a month just to cover those costs.”“Afraid is taking a group of six to Svalbard for a glacier hike in early summer, and spotting a polar bear less than 200 meters away lumbering towards us. Afraid is watching our guide fire off the last of her flares, but seeing the bear still coming. Afraid is the look in our guide’s eyes as she reached for her rifle.”“You don’t need to be afraid of sledging, Gunnar. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try sledging. Meet me at the bottom of the hill. Either make the run or turn in your sledge and take the Metro down the hill.”I watched Jorunn push off and head down the run, then thought about her words. I lived a good life in Minnesota, meeting Solveig in college and then stepping right into a lifetime job with the 3M company. Adventure was going to our lake cabin where the only challenges were fighting off mosquitos, and figuring out how to remove burnt marshmallows off the end of a stick. After our first child, Solveig and I stopped doing anything like sledding, and instead sat and watched our kids having all the fun.What am I doing here in Norway? Why am I here? Jorunn answered that question for me. I pushed off and started my run.I fought my way down the mountain, and as I approached the end of the run, I was happy to see it level off. I saw Jorunn standing next to her sledge, her small camera pointed at me. I raised both hands over my head, waved, then yelled, “I did it!” I coasted to a stop three meters past her.Jorunn ran up to me, and as I stood, she hugged me. “I’m proud of you Gunnar.” As we hugged, under the clear blue skies and chilly temperatures, I closed my eyes and went back 35 years to a small hill in Minneapolis, where I hugged Solvieg after sledding. Jorunn released me and stepped back.I yelped, “It was wonderful! I kept to the side as other people whizzed past me. A few sections were bumpy, and my teeth rattled. The only time I was scared was when there was a steep drop-off on one side. Don’t you use guardrails in Norway?”“You may have seen a few small concrete walls, but we believe in personal responsibility here in Norway. If you cannot manage a sledge, you should not make the run. The authorities do monitor the conditions and sometimes close the run when it is too icy.”“Does that mean you believed in me? Believed I could make it down the hill?”“There is nothing wrong with you, Gunnar. While I was waiting here at the bottom of the hill, I read about your Iron Range in Minnesota. You are rusty. There is a Wizard of Oz Museum there. You are the Tin Man. This tour is the Oil Can. Figure it out. The Oil Can only works if you pick it up and use it. Stand tall and walk proudly for as long as you can. If you fall, get up and keep going.”It was an interesting way to look at life. I was only 56 years old, but for the last few years, I acted like I was 80. I still have many years to go sledging, if only I was not afraid to try.I turned to Jorunn. “Let’s go again!”Pea SoupDecember 16 - Mid-DayAfter three more runs, Jorunn and I turned in our sledges and ate lunch at the beautiful Frognersteren Restaurant on top of the hill. I followed her suggestion of a thick pea soup with meatballs and potatoes. It was delicious. As we sipped hot chocolate, it felt good to be alive again.“A week ago, I was in a nursing home in Minnesota. After my wife died, no one visited me, not even my adult children. I was alone. It was a terrible place, run by a terrible nurse. I had to get out. I made plans with my lawyer, then walked out the front door and got on a plane to come to Norway. What’s the worst place you have ever been?”“Dublin, Ireland. After the divorce, my mother and I were struggling financially. We had gone from living a comfortable life to living paycheck to paycheck. I saw a post on the Internet for a job as a body double for a Vikings television program. I wasn’t sure what a body double did, but it paid well for a short gig. I took all my clothes off while a dozen people stared at me and took photos and videos. I hadn’t been naked in front of any man in over a year, since before the divorce. They must have liked me because I got the part, and they flew me to Dublin. The next morning, I went to the studios. I sat there in a robe while they cut and styled my hair to match the actress I was portraying. Then off to the makeup department, where I removed my robe while they applied fake tattoos and full body makeup so I would look dirty in all the right places.”“After lunch in the studio, the costume department placed me in a white linen tunic. When it was time to film, they told me to stand in front of the lead actor while he lifted the tunic off me and tossed it aside. He was much older than me, and with his beard, he reminded me of my father. He exuded the same swagger as if the world revolved only around him. I would be fully exposed to him, and to the camera crew, who were filming me from behind. They told me to act submissive and let the lead actor hug me. It took several takes and a few tweaks before the director was happy.”“Next, I was ordered to lay down on a stylized Viking bed covered with furs. The sex scene was to be filmed twice. Once for television, then for an unrated video release. The make-up people gave me a once over, then thankfully positioned a flesh-covered patch over my vagina. In the first shot, I was naked, but the lead actor remained fully clothed. He stood and positioned himself between my legs, and they told me to keep my vagina pressed tight against his crotch as he bucked against me. We needed to make the audience believe we were having sex while showing them nothing. I remained in this position while they adjusted the lighting and camera angles, and beneath his trousers, I felt the lead actor’s erect cock pressed against me.”“The director yelled, ‘Action’. Once again, they told me to be submissive, and let the lead actor take charge. He started humping against me. Looking up at him, he was still a handsome man, and I wondered how many women around the world dreamed or fantasized about being in the same place I was. I wasn’t one of them, but I understood this was why they hired me, so I accepted it. Like earlier, it took several takes. The director would review the shot and make small adjustments each time. After the last take, I saw a large wet spot on the front of the lead actor’s trousers.”“Then it was time for the unrated scene. A host of costume and make-up people swarmed around the actor while I lay there naked. This time, he was to be naked as he approached the bed. The camera angle was off to the side to avoid full frontal and he used his left hand to shield his erection, thankfully contained in a flesh-covered sock. The scene began with the lead actor approaching me, and once in position, he began humping against me. His covered cock slid against the covering over my vagina, but the sensations passed right through. My nipples became erect, and I felt my wetness building.”“After several takes, the director was happy, and we moved on to the last scene for which I was needed. In this one, the lead actor would be laying on top of me, his arms extended and propping himself up with his hands placed on either side of my body. This scene was more challenging because it needed to be mixed with prior facial cuts shot separately with the lead male actor and lead female actress. The scene would be filmed from several angles including above and below. As the director reviewed the earlier footage, the makeup people worked on my face and hair.”“The next thing I felt was the lead actor lying on top of me, his body pressing his erect cock against the patch covering my vagina. I wanted to turn away, but he told me to look at him because it would help him release his creative juices. I feared the possible double entendre. Here I was, face-to-face with the avatar of the man I hated more than anyone, the man who destroyed our family. When the director was ready, he said to go at it and try to simulate real sex. He yelled 'Action’. I was sweating under the lights, and the patch covering my vagina began to slip, aided by the movement of the lead actor’s covered cock. As my pussy became more exposed, I was afraid his cock might slide into me, so I yelled 'Cut!’. Everything stopped, and I pushed him off.”“That was enough. I yelled I was through, gathered my things, and headed for the front door. I paid my own way back to Oslo, and thought about filing a protest, but later learned what they did was mostly proper. Most sex scenes are between two body doubles. It is rare, but sometimes a lead actor will film such scenes if they have it in their nudity clause. I had a new appreciation for body doubles, but my own acting career lasted one day, and looking at the final scenes after release, I was on screen for eight seconds, and no one knew it was me!”I said, “Wow. We have something in common. The nursing home did everything properly, but like you, I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I headed for the front door. I’m sorry for your terrible experience.”Jorunn shook her head, “Don’t be sorry. The experience ended up changing my life for the better. After I got back to Oslo, I swore to never work for anyone else again. I wanted to direct my own scenes, so I started doing vlogs. That led to the creation of my tour company. As things turned out, I walked out one door and right into something I loved. Plus, I walked out wearing this really cool, braided leather Viking headband I have on now. You are halfway there. You have walked out the front door. Now you must find something, or someone, to love.”A profound statement from someone so young.SpikersuppaDecember 16 - AfternoonI noticed the sun getting low on the horizon. Jorunn caught my glance and said, “The sun sets early here in Oslo, around 3:30 in the afternoon. In some of the northern cities, it set last month and will not rise again until spring.”I didn’t want to spend the rest of the day looking at museums, and flushed with my success on the hill, I took a chance. “Do you ice skate?”Jorunn replied, “I do, but not very well.”I said, “If you know of a skating rink with lights, maybe we can go there and skate.”“There is a nice lighted one in downtown Oslo called Spikersuppa,” said Jorunn. “When the sun goes down in Oslo, the twinkling lights are turned on, bringing with them their magic. The ice-skating rink is close to the Christmas market, which is our agenda for tonight.”“That sounds great to me,” I replied.We took the T-bane back to downtown Oslo and arrived as the sun was setting. There weren’t any clouds, but the multi-layered horizon was still beautiful. Orange along the bottom, and above it, increasingly darker hues of blue and purple, before turning to black in the night sky. After leaving the train station Jorunn and I walked along a pedestrian-only street named 'Karl Johns gate’ passing high-end stores and restaurants. Jorunn either pointed to, or mentioned, notable downtown buildings such as the Royal Palace, Parliament, the National Theatre, the Grand Hotel, and the original University of Oslo buildings. We also passed the brilliantly lit Freia clock, associated with the long-time Norwegian chocolate maker, and the unofficial symbol of Oslo.We rented skates and then stepped tentatively onto the ice. It wasn’t a big rink, and fortunately, not crowded. In the middle was a frozen water fountain. Christmas music was playing and twinkling lights glowed all around us.“I played ice hockey in Minnesota when I was in high school, but haven’t skated since.”“My father used to take me to figure skating lessons when I was young, but I stopped. I kept falling when trying to do spins.”“Maybe we can help each other out. Have you ever tried ice dancing?”Jorunn laughed. “No! Never!”“Neither have I. But a wise woman once told me that I should not be afraid of ice dancing. What I should be afraid of is being too afraid to try ice dancing.”Jorunn smiled, “A very wise woman, indeed! Let’s try it and see what happens.”I remember watching the wonderful British duo of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean ice dancing in their last Olympics in 1994. The Olympics were here in Norway, in Lillehammer. I was not about to try any lifts or spins, but I reached my right arm behind Jorunn and placed my hand on her right hip. Taking her left hand in mine, I held her left arm across my body.“Ready?” I asked.Jorunn nodded, and together we pushed off. Right. Left. Right. Left. We moved slowly, side-by-side, in a steady rhythm, and made it around the rink making only a few wobbles. After three more passes, my ancient muscle memory awoke, and I wanted to do more. We separated and I joined my right hand to her left. “We can take longer strides and skate a little faster this way.”After another trip around the rink, we added a slow weaving pattern. Coming out of the last turn, I told Jorunn, “Here is your chance to be a figure skater. I’ll hold your hand. Try a spin.”I skated slightly just ahead of Jorunn, then pulled her forward so she would have enough speed. I raised her hand into the air as she went past, and she started spinning. She yelled, “I’m doing it.” And she was, at least until her speed slowed and she fell into me. “Dam toe pick!” she yelled. With her arms around me, our eyes met. Then she wrinkled her nose, her signature facial expression on the vlogs indicating she didn’t like something. Just as quickly, her face lit up and her big smile glowed. “I’m laughing too hard inside. That was such fun!” She burst out laughing and I joined her. We finally broke the ice, here on the ice.Jorunn separated from me and said, “It is time for Christmas Market.” I helped her up and we turned in our skates. The nearby lights and sounds beckoned.The Christmas MarketDecember 16 - EveningThe sun set long ago and was now just a memory. It was completely dark, but downtown Oslo turned into a Christmas wonderland. There were twinkling lights on almost every tree, with the large and stately buildings surrounding us outlined in white lights to accompany their dramatic uplighting. Oslo was so different than Minneapolis. In downtown Minneapolis, 30-year-old buildings were being torn down to build taller ones in the same location. Here, the buildings were massive, centuries-old, covering an entire block, and they were still in use, letting everyone appreciate the history and architecture. Jorunn and I saw glass-covered buildings in Oslo, with their clean modern architecture, but this was the heart of the city. The life, the pulse, and vitality of Oslo all sprang from here.Towering above everything at the Christmas Market was a brilliantly lit Ferris wheel, each spoke outlined in white lights. I looked at Jorunn and she nodded. She took my hand, and we ran for the Ferris wheel, artfully dodging between the growing number of people.When we boarded, we found each of the seats enclosed in a glass bubble, possibly as a safety measure, or just as likely, protection from the cold. One of the benefits of this was being able to move around a bit, which afforded us a 360-degree aerial view of downtown Oslo. We paused near the top, where Jorunn pulled out her camera.Jorunn said, “It’s rather romantic up here. We should do a selfie.” She sat down right me. “Kiss me. On the lips. Just a quick one. I have the timer set for three seconds. We’ll put our lips together and hold them for a few seconds until the flash goes off.”“Jorunn, I am much older than you. I don’t think it will look very romantic.”“Gunnar, you’re not too old to kiss someone. And if I need to, I can do a little digital touchup, or just flash a quick cut. It will be perfect.”“How do want me to kiss you? Do you want my eyes open or closed? Should I look at the camera or…”Jorunn quickly reached behind my head and pulled me to her. As our lips met, I closed my eyes, and my mouth responded. I felt her softness and a quick tease as Jorunn’s tongue glazed over my lips. A flash went off. But Jorunn did not separate, nor did I. I opened my eyes, and saw that Jorunn’s eyes closed. As our lips pressed together, it felt so warm and comfortable.We separated, and Jorunn said, “Perfect!” Then she looked at the photo just taken. I thought about the sequence of her words and her actions. Jorunn switched over to video and began doing her vlog. She was speaking in English. Immersed in Norwegian for three days, it almost sounded like a foreign language to me. When Jorunn finished, I asked her why she didn’t record her vlogs in Norwegian.She surprised me by continuing in English. “Norwegians already live here. Who would watch my videos if I recorded them in Norwegian? If someone in Norway wants to see the view from the top of this Ferris wheel, they will come here and ride it. People from every continent watch my videos and speak at least some English. It used to bother me when I would get comments on my videos complaining I spoke with a Norwegian accent. Now I just laugh.”I asked her, “Every continent? Including Antarctica?”“Yes. The Norwegian Polar Institute has a year-round research station in Antarctica named 'Troll’. Their mission is to study the polar regions and the effects of global warming and pollution. It’s not a tourist destination, but they have talked to me about possibly going there. They want to do more outreach, to spread the word to younger audiences on social media. I have followers there, but we haven’t been able to work out the permissions and details. The

Sledges, Corkscrews, and other fears.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Once at the starting point, we both sat down on our sledges. I was grateful only a few others were preparing to ride, but gasped again when I saw how youthful their faces were. I doubted anyone here was over thirty years old. I wondered whether Jorunn was punishing me, or perhaps was hoping I would voluntarily quit the tour.“I don’t know if I can do this, Jorunn. I’m afraid.”Jorunn looked me in the eye with a grim look on her face.“Afraid is coming home with my mother, and finding my father sleeping with another woman. Afraid is watching how he broke apart my family and wondering how my mom and I would go on. Afraid is me cutting off my father and not wanting to ever see him again.”“Afraid is quitting a dead-end job and trying to earn a living as a vlogger in one of the most expensive countries on earth. Afraid is checking every morning for clicks, likes, and followers, and finding out the numbers did not change.”“Afraid is starting a private small-group tour company, all by myself, and weaving my way through the many regulations, laws, and insurance requirements. Afraid is knowing I have to book at least one trip a month just to cover those costs.”“Afraid is taking a group of six to Svalbard for a glacier hike in early summer, and spotting a polar bear less than 200 meters away lumbering towards us. Afraid is watching our guide fire off the last of her flares, but seeing the bear still coming. Afraid is the look in our guide’s eyes as she reached for her rifle.”“You don’t need to be afraid of sledging, Gunnar. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try sledging. Meet me at the bottom of the hill. Either make the run or turn in your sledge and take the Metro down the hill.”I watched Jorunn push off and head down the run, then thought about her words. I lived a good life in Minnesota, meeting Solveig in college and then stepping right into a lifetime job with the 3M company. Adventure was going to our lake cabin where the only challenges were fighting off mosquitos, and figuring out how to remove burnt marshmallows off the end of a stick. After our first child, Solveig and I stopped doing anything like sledding, and instead sat and watched our kids having all the fun.What am I doing here in Norway? Why am I here? Jorunn answered that question for me. I pushed off and started my run.I fought my way down the mountain, and as I approached the end of the run, I was happy to see it level off. I saw Jorunn standing next to her sledge, her small camera pointed at me. I raised both hands over my head, waved, then yelled, “I did it!” I coasted to a stop three meters past her.Jorunn ran up to me, and as I stood, she hugged me. “I’m proud of you Gunnar.” As we hugged, under the clear blue skies and chilly temperatures, I closed my eyes and went back 35 years to a small hill in Minneapolis, where I hugged Solvieg after sledding. Jorunn released me and stepped back.I yelped, “It was wonderful! I kept to the side as other people whizzed past me. A few sections were bumpy, and my teeth rattled. The only time I was scared was when there was a steep drop-off on one side. Don’t you use guardrails in Norway?”“You may have seen a few small concrete walls, but we believe in personal responsibility here in Norway. If you cannot manage a sledge, you should not make the run. The authorities do monitor the conditions and sometimes close the run when it is too icy.”“Does that mean you believed in me? Believed I could make it down the hill?”“There is nothing wrong with you, Gunnar. While I was waiting here at the bottom of the hill, I read about your Iron Range in Minnesota. You are rusty. There is a Wizard of Oz Museum there. You are the Tin Man. This tour is the Oil Can. Figure it out. The Oil Can only works if you pick it up and use it. Stand tall and walk proudly for as long as you can. If you fall, get up and keep going.”It was an interesting way to look at life. I was only 56 years old, but for the last few years, I acted like I was 80. I still have many years to go sledging, if only I was not afraid to try.I turned to Jorunn. “Let’s go again!”Pea SoupDecember 16 - Mid-DayAfter three more runs, Jorunn and I turned in our sledges and ate lunch at the beautiful Frognersteren Restaurant on top of the hill. I followed her suggestion of a thick pea soup with meatballs and potatoes. It was delicious. As we sipped hot chocolate, it felt good to be alive again.“A week ago, I was in a nursing home in Minnesota. After my wife died, no one visited me, not even my adult children. I was alone. It was a terrible place, run by a terrible nurse. I had to get out. I made plans with my lawyer, then walked out the front door and got on a plane to come to Norway. What’s the worst place you have ever been?”“Dublin, Ireland. After the divorce, my mother and I were struggling financially. We had gone from living a comfortable life to living paycheck to paycheck. I saw a post on the Internet for a job as a body double for a Vikings television program. I wasn’t sure what a body double did, but it paid well for a short gig. I took all my clothes off while a dozen people stared at me and took photos and videos. I hadn’t been naked in front of any man in over a year, since before the divorce. They must have liked me because I got the part, and they flew me to Dublin. The next morning, I went to the studios. I sat there in a robe while they cut and styled my hair to match the actress I was portraying. Then off to the makeup department, where I removed my robe while they applied fake tattoos and full body makeup so I would look dirty in all the right places.”“After lunch in the studio, the costume department placed me in a white linen tunic. When it was time to film, they told me to stand in front of the lead actor while he lifted the tunic off me and tossed it aside. He was much older than me, and with his beard, he reminded me of my father. He exuded the same swagger as if the world revolved only around him. I would be fully exposed to him, and to the camera crew, who were filming me from behind. They told me to act submissive and let the lead actor hug me. It took several takes and a few tweaks before the director was happy.”“Next, I was ordered to lay down on a stylized Viking bed covered with furs. The sex scene was to be filmed twice. Once for television, then for an unrated video release. The make-up people gave me a once over, then thankfully positioned a flesh-covered patch over my vagina. In the first shot, I was naked, but the lead actor remained fully clothed. He stood and positioned himself between my legs, and they told me to keep my vagina pressed tight against his crotch as he bucked against me. We needed to make the audience believe we were having sex while showing them nothing. I remained in this position while they adjusted the lighting and camera angles, and beneath his trousers, I felt the lead actor’s erect cock pressed against me.”“The director yelled, ‘Action’. Once again, they told me to be submissive, and let the lead actor take charge. He started humping against me. Looking up at him, he was still a handsome man, and I wondered how many women around the world dreamed or fantasized about being in the same place I was. I wasn’t one of them, but I understood this was why they hired me, so I accepted it. Like earlier, it took several takes. The director would review the shot and make small adjustments each time. After the last take, I saw a large wet spot on the front of the lead actor’s trousers.”“Then it was time for the unrated scene. A host of costume and make-up people swarmed around the actor while I lay there naked. This time, he was to be naked as he approached the bed. The camera angle was off to the side to avoid full frontal and he used his left hand to shield his erection, thankfully contained in a flesh-covered sock. The scene began with the lead actor approaching me, and once in position, he began humping against me. His covered cock slid against the covering over my vagina, but the sensations passed right through. My nipples became erect, and I felt my wetness building.”“After several takes, the director was happy, and we moved on to the last scene for which I was needed. In this one, the lead actor would be laying on top of me, his arms extended and propping himself up with his hands placed on either side of my body. This scene was more challenging because it needed to be mixed with prior facial cuts shot separately with the lead male actor and lead female actress. The scene would be filmed from several angles including above and below. As the director reviewed the earlier footage, the makeup people worked on my face and hair.”“The next thing I felt was the lead actor lying on top of me, his body pressing his erect cock against the patch covering my vagina. I wanted to turn away, but he told me to look at him because it would help him release his creative juices. I feared the possible double entendre. Here I was, face-to-face with the avatar of the man I hated more than anyone, the man who destroyed our family. When the director was ready, he said to go at it and try to simulate real sex. He yelled 'Action’. I was sweating under the lights, and the patch covering my vagina began to slip, aided by the movement of the lead actor’s covered cock. As my pussy became more exposed, I was afraid his cock might slide into me, so I yelled 'Cut!’. Everything stopped, and I pushed him off.”“That was enough. I yelled I was through, gathered my things, and headed for the front door. I paid my own way back to Oslo, and thought about filing a protest, but later learned what they did was mostly proper. Most sex scenes are between two body doubles. It is rare, but sometimes a lead actor will film such scenes if they have it in their nudity clause. I had a new appreciation for body doubles, but my own acting career lasted one day, and looking at the final scenes after release, I was on screen for eight seconds, and no one knew it was me!”I said, “Wow. We have something in common. The nursing home did everything properly, but like you, I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I headed for the front door. I’m sorry for your terrible experience.”Jorunn shook her head, “Don’t be sorry. The experience ended up changing my life for the better. After I got back to Oslo, I swore to never work for anyone else again. I wanted to direct my own scenes, so I started doing vlogs. That led to the creation of my tour company. As things turned out, I walked out one door and right into something I loved. Plus, I walked out wearing this really cool, braided leather Viking headband I have on now. You are halfway there. You have walked out the front door. Now you must find something, or someone, to love.”A profound statement from someone so young.SpikersuppaDecember 16 - AfternoonI noticed the sun getting low on the horizon. Jorunn caught my glance and said, “The sun sets early here in Oslo, around 3:30 in the afternoon. In some of the northern cities, it set last month and will not rise again until spring.”I didn’t want to spend the rest of the day looking at museums, and flushed with my success on the hill, I took a chance. “Do you ice skate?”Jorunn replied, “I do, but not very well.”I said, “If you know of a skating rink with lights, maybe we can go there and skate.”“There is a nice lighted one in downtown Oslo called Spikersuppa,” said Jorunn. “When the sun goes down in Oslo, the twinkling lights are turned on, bringing with them their magic. The ice-skating rink is close to the Christmas market, which is our agenda for tonight.”“That sounds great to me,” I replied.We took the T-bane back to downtown Oslo and arrived as the sun was setting. There weren’t any clouds, but the multi-layered horizon was still beautiful. Orange along the bottom, and above it, increasingly darker hues of blue and purple, before turning to black in the night sky. After leaving the train station Jorunn and I walked along a pedestrian-only street named 'Karl Johns gate’ passing high-end stores and restaurants. Jorunn either pointed to, or mentioned, notable downtown buildings such as the Royal Palace, Parliament, the National Theatre, the Grand Hotel, and the original University of Oslo buildings. We also passed the brilliantly lit Freia clock, associated with the long-time Norwegian chocolate maker, and the unofficial symbol of Oslo.We rented skates and then stepped tentatively onto the ice. It wasn’t a big rink, and fortunately, not crowded. In the middle was a frozen water fountain. Christmas music was playing and twinkling lights glowed all around us.“I played ice hockey in Minnesota when I was in high school, but haven’t skated since.”“My father used to take me to figure skating lessons when I was young, but I stopped. I kept falling when trying to do spins.”“Maybe we can help each other out. Have you ever tried ice dancing?”Jorunn laughed. “No! Never!”“Neither have I. But a wise woman once told me that I should not be afraid of ice dancing. What I should be afraid of is being too afraid to try ice dancing.”Jorunn smiled, “A very wise woman, indeed! Let’s try it and see what happens.”I remember watching the wonderful British duo of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean ice dancing in their last Olympics in 1994. The Olympics were here in Norway, in Lillehammer. I was not about to try any lifts or spins, but I reached my right arm behind Jorunn and placed my hand on her right hip. Taking her left hand in mine, I held her left arm across my body.“Ready?” I asked.Jorunn nodded, and together we pushed off. Right. Left. Right. Left. We moved slowly, side-by-side, in a steady rhythm, and made it around the rink making only a few wobbles. After three more passes, my ancient muscle memory awoke, and I wanted to do more. We separated and I joined my right hand to her left. “We can take longer strides and skate a little faster this way.”After another trip around the rink, we added a slow weaving pattern. Coming out of the last turn, I told Jorunn, “Here is your chance to be a figure skater. I’ll hold your hand. Try a spin.”I skated slightly just ahead of Jorunn, then pulled her forward so she would have enough speed. I raised her hand into the air as she went past, and she started spinning. She yelled, “I’m doing it.” And she was, at least until her speed slowed and she fell into me. “Dam toe pick!” she yelled. With her arms around me, our eyes met. Then she wrinkled her nose, her signature facial expression on the vlogs indicating she didn’t like something. Just as quickly, her face lit up and her big smile glowed. “I’m laughing too hard inside. That was such fun!” She burst out laughing and I joined her. We finally broke the ice, here on the ice.Jorunn separated from me and said, “It is time for Christmas Market.” I helped her up and we turned in our skates. The nearby lights and sounds beckoned.The Christmas MarketDecember 16 - EveningThe sun set long ago and was now just a memory. It was completely dark, but downtown Oslo turned into a Christmas wonderland. There were twinkling lights on almost every tree, with the large and stately buildings surrounding us outlined in white lights to accompany their dramatic uplighting. Oslo was so different than Minneapolis. In downtown Minneapolis, 30-year-old buildings were being torn down to build taller ones in the same location. Here, the buildings were massive, centuries-old, covering an entire block, and they were still in use, letting everyone appreciate the history and architecture. Jorunn and I saw glass-covered buildings in Oslo, with their clean modern architecture, but this was the heart of the city. The life, the pulse, and vitality of Oslo all sprang from here.Towering above everything at the Christmas Market was a brilliantly lit Ferris wheel, each spoke outlined in white lights. I looked at Jorunn and she nodded. She took my hand, and we ran for the Ferris wheel, artfully dodging between the growing number of people.When we boarded, we found each of the seats enclosed in a glass bubble, possibly as a safety measure, or just as likely, protection from the cold. One of the benefits of this was being able to move around a bit, which afforded us a 360-degree aerial view of downtown Oslo. We paused near the top, where Jorunn pulled out her camera.Jorunn said, “It’s rather romantic up here. We should do a selfie.” She sat down right me. “Kiss me. On the lips. Just a quick one. I have the timer set for three seconds. We’ll put our lips together and hold them for a few seconds until the flash goes off.”“Jorunn, I am much older than you. I don’t think it will look very romantic.”“Gunnar, you’re not too old to kiss someone. And if I need to, I can do a little digital touchup, or just flash a quick cut. It will be perfect.”“How do want me to kiss you? Do you want my eyes open or closed? Should I look at the camera or…”Jorunn quickly reached behind my head and pulled me to her. As our lips met, I closed my eyes, and my mouth responded. I felt her softness and a quick tease as Jorunn’s tongue glazed over my lips. A flash went off. But Jorunn did not separate, nor did I. I opened my eyes, and saw that Jorunn’s eyes closed. As our lips pressed together, it felt so warm and comfortable.We separated, and Jorunn said, “Perfect!” Then she looked at the photo just taken. I thought about the sequence of her words and her actions. Jorunn switched over to video and began doing her vlog. She was speaking in English. Immersed in Norwegian for three days, it almost sounded like a foreign language to me. When Jorunn finished, I asked her why she didn’t record her vlogs in Norwegian.She surprised me by continuing in English. “Norwegians already live here. Who would watch my videos if I recorded them in Norwegian? If someone in Norway wants to see the view from the top of this Ferris wheel, they will come here and ride it. People from every continent watch my videos and speak at least some English. It used to bother me when I would get comments on my videos complaining I spoke with a Norwegian accent. Now I just laugh.”I asked her, “Every continent? Including Antarctica?”“Yes. The Norwegian Polar Institute has a year-round research station in Antarctica named 'Troll’. Their mission is to study the polar regions and the effects of global warming and pollution. It’s not a tourist destination, but they have talked to me about possibly going there. They want to do more outreach, to spread the word to younger audiences on social media. I have followers there, but we haven’t been able to work out the permissions and details. The

Sledges, Corkscrews, and other fears.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Once at the starting point, we both sat down on our sledges. I was grateful only a few others were preparing to ride, but gasped again when I saw how youthful their faces were. I doubted anyone here was over thirty years old. I wondered whether Jorunn was punishing me, or perhaps was hoping I would voluntarily quit the tour.“I don’t know if I can do this, Jorunn. I’m afraid.”Jorunn looked me in the eye with a grim look on her face.“Afraid is coming home with my mother, and finding my father sleeping with another woman. Afraid is watching how he broke apart my family and wondering how my mom and I would go on. Afraid is me cutting off my father and not wanting to ever see him again.”“Afraid is quitting a dead-end job and trying to earn a living as a vlogger in one of the most expensive countries on earth. Afraid is checking every morning for clicks, likes, and followers, and finding out the numbers did not change.”“Afraid is starting a private small-group tour company, all by myself, and weaving my way through the many regulations, laws, and insurance requirements. Afraid is knowing I have to book at least one trip a month just to cover those costs.”“Afraid is taking a group of six to Svalbard for a glacier hike in early summer, and spotting a polar bear less than 200 meters away lumbering towards us. Afraid is watching our guide fire off the last of her flares, but seeing the bear still coming. Afraid is the look in our guide’s eyes as she reached for her rifle.”“You don’t need to be afraid of sledging, Gunnar. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try sledging. Meet me at the bottom of the hill. Either make the run or turn in your sledge and take the Metro down the hill.”I watched Jorunn push off and head down the run, then thought about her words. I lived a good life in Minnesota, meeting Solveig in college and then stepping right into a lifetime job with the 3M company. Adventure was going to our lake cabin where the only challenges were fighting off mosquitos, and figuring out how to remove burnt marshmallows off the end of a stick. After our first child, Solveig and I stopped doing anything like sledding, and instead sat and watched our kids having all the fun.What am I doing here in Norway? Why am I here? Jorunn answered that question for me. I pushed off and started my run.I fought my way down the mountain, and as I approached the end of the run, I was happy to see it level off. I saw Jorunn standing next to her sledge, her small camera pointed at me. I raised both hands over my head, waved, then yelled, “I did it!” I coasted to a stop three meters past her.Jorunn ran up to me, and as I stood, she hugged me. “I’m proud of you Gunnar.” As we hugged, under the clear blue skies and chilly temperatures, I closed my eyes and went back 35 years to a small hill in Minneapolis, where I hugged Solvieg after sledding. Jorunn released me and stepped back.I yelped, “It was wonderful! I kept to the side as other people whizzed past me. A few sections were bumpy, and my teeth rattled. The only time I was scared was when there was a steep drop-off on one side. Don’t you use guardrails in Norway?”“You may have seen a few small concrete walls, but we believe in personal responsibility here in Norway. If you cannot manage a sledge, you should not make the run. The authorities do monitor the conditions and sometimes close the run when it is too icy.”“Does that mean you believed in me? Believed I could make it down the hill?”“There is nothing wrong with you, Gunnar. While I was waiting here at the bottom of the hill, I read about your Iron Range in Minnesota. You are rusty. There is a Wizard of Oz Museum there. You are the Tin Man. This tour is the Oil Can. Figure it out. The Oil Can only works if you pick it up and use it. Stand tall and walk proudly for as long as you can. If you fall, get up and keep going.”It was an interesting way to look at life. I was only 56 years old, but for the last few years, I acted like I was 80. I still have many years to go sledging, if only I was not afraid to try.I turned to Jorunn. “Let’s go again!”Pea SoupDecember 16 - Mid-DayAfter three more runs, Jorunn and I turned in our sledges and ate lunch at the beautiful Frognersteren Restaurant on top of the hill. I followed her suggestion of a thick pea soup with meatballs and potatoes. It was delicious. As we sipped hot chocolate, it felt good to be alive again.“A week ago, I was in a nursing home in Minnesota. After my wife died, no one visited me, not even my adult children. I was alone. It was a terrible place, run by a terrible nurse. I had to get out. I made plans with my lawyer, then walked out the front door and got on a plane to come to Norway. What’s the worst place you have ever been?”“Dublin, Ireland. After the divorce, my mother and I were struggling financially. We had gone from living a comfortable life to living paycheck to paycheck. I saw a post on the Internet for a job as a body double for a Vikings television program. I wasn’t sure what a body double did, but it paid well for a short gig. I took all my clothes off while a dozen people stared at me and took photos and videos. I hadn’t been naked in front of any man in over a year, since before the divorce. They must have liked me because I got the part, and they flew me to Dublin. The next morning, I went to the studios. I sat there in a robe while they cut and styled my hair to match the actress I was portraying. Then off to the makeup department, where I removed my robe while they applied fake tattoos and full body makeup so I would look dirty in all the right places.”“After lunch in the studio, the costume department placed me in a white linen tunic. When it was time to film, they told me to stand in front of the lead actor while he lifted the tunic off me and tossed it aside. He was much older than me, and with his beard, he reminded me of my father. He exuded the same swagger as if the world revolved only around him. I would be fully exposed to him, and to the camera crew, who were filming me from behind. They told me to act submissive and let the lead actor hug me. It took several takes and a few tweaks before the director was happy.”“Next, I was ordered to lay down on a stylized Viking bed covered with furs. The sex scene was to be filmed twice. Once for television, then for an unrated video release. The make-up people gave me a once over, then thankfully positioned a flesh-covered patch over my vagina. In the first shot, I was naked, but the lead actor remained fully clothed. He stood and positioned himself between my legs, and they told me to keep my vagina pressed tight against his crotch as he bucked against me. We needed to make the audience believe we were having sex while showing them nothing. I remained in this position while they adjusted the lighting and camera angles, and beneath his trousers, I felt the lead actor’s erect cock pressed against me.”“The director yelled, ‘Action’. Once again, they told me to be submissive, and let the lead actor take charge. He started humping against me. Looking up at him, he was still a handsome man, and I wondered how many women around the world dreamed or fantasized about being in the same place I was. I wasn’t one of them, but I understood this was why they hired me, so I accepted it. Like earlier, it took several takes. The director would review the shot and make small adjustments each time. After the last take, I saw a large wet spot on the front of the lead actor’s trousers.”“Then it was time for the unrated scene. A host of costume and make-up people swarmed around the actor while I lay there naked. This time, he was to be naked as he approached the bed. The camera angle was off to the side to avoid full frontal and he used his left hand to shield his erection, thankfully contained in a flesh-covered sock. The scene began with the lead actor approaching me, and once in position, he began humping against me. His covered cock slid against the covering over my vagina, but the sensations passed right through. My nipples became erect, and I felt my wetness building.”“After several takes, the director was happy, and we moved on to the last scene for which I was needed. In this one, the lead actor would be laying on top of me, his arms extended and propping himself up with his hands placed on either side of my body. This scene was more challenging because it needed to be mixed with prior facial cuts shot separately with the lead male actor and lead female actress. The scene would be filmed from several angles including above and below. As the director reviewed the earlier footage, the makeup people worked on my face and hair.”“The next thing I felt was the lead actor lying on top of me, his body pressing his erect cock against the patch covering my vagina. I wanted to turn away, but he told me to look at him because it would help him release his creative juices. I feared the possible double entendre. Here I was, face-to-face with the avatar of the man I hated more than anyone, the man who destroyed our family. When the director was ready, he said to go at it and try to simulate real sex. He yelled 'Action’. I was sweating under the lights, and the patch covering my vagina began to slip, aided by the movement of the lead actor’s covered cock. As my pussy became more exposed, I was afraid his cock might slide into me, so I yelled 'Cut!’. Everything stopped, and I pushed him off.”“That was enough. I yelled I was through, gathered my things, and headed for the front door. I paid my own way back to Oslo, and thought about filing a protest, but later learned what they did was mostly proper. Most sex scenes are between two body doubles. It is rare, but sometimes a lead actor will film such scenes if they have it in their nudity clause. I had a new appreciation for body doubles, but my own acting career lasted one day, and looking at the final scenes after release, I was on screen for eight seconds, and no one knew it was me!”I said, “Wow. We have something in common. The nursing home did everything properly, but like you, I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I headed for the front door. I’m sorry for your terrible experience.”Jorunn shook her head, “Don’t be sorry. The experience ended up changing my life for the better. After I got back to Oslo, I swore to never work for anyone else again. I wanted to direct my own scenes, so I started doing vlogs. That led to the creation of my tour company. As things turned out, I walked out one door and right into something I loved. Plus, I walked out wearing this really cool, braided leather Viking headband I have on now. You are halfway there. You have walked out the front door. Now you must find something, or someone, to love.”A profound statement from someone so young.SpikersuppaDecember 16 - AfternoonI noticed the sun getting low on the horizon. Jorunn caught my glance and said, “The sun sets early here in Oslo, around 3:30 in the afternoon. In some of the northern cities, it set last month and will not rise again until spring.”I didn’t want to spend the rest of the day looking at museums, and flushed with my success on the hill, I took a chance. “Do you ice skate?”Jorunn replied, “I do, but not very well.”I said, “If you know of a skating rink with lights, maybe we can go there and skate.”“There is a nice lighted one in downtown Oslo called Spikersuppa,” said Jorunn. “When the sun goes down in Oslo, the twinkling lights are turned on, bringing with them their magic. The ice-skating rink is close to the Christmas market, which is our agenda for tonight.”“That sounds great to me,” I replied.We took the T-bane back to downtown Oslo and arrived as the sun was setting. There weren’t any clouds, but the multi-layered horizon was still beautiful. Orange along the bottom, and above it, increasingly darker hues of blue and purple, before turning to black in the night sky. After leaving the train station Jorunn and I walked along a pedestrian-only street named 'Karl Johns gate’ passing high-end stores and restaurants. Jorunn either pointed to, or mentioned, notable downtown buildings such as the Royal Palace, Parliament, the National Theatre, the Grand Hotel, and the original University of Oslo buildings. We also passed the brilliantly lit Freia clock, associated with the long-time Norwegian chocolate maker, and the unofficial symbol of Oslo.We rented skates and then stepped tentatively onto the ice. It wasn’t a big rink, and fortunately, not crowded. In the middle was a frozen water fountain. Christmas music was playing and twinkling lights glowed all around us.“I played ice hockey in Minnesota when I was in high school, but haven’t skated since.”“My father used to take me to figure skating lessons when I was young, but I stopped. I kept falling when trying to do spins.”“Maybe we can help each other out. Have you ever tried ice dancing?”Jorunn laughed. “No! Never!”“Neither have I. But a wise woman once told me that I should not be afraid of ice dancing. What I should be afraid of is being too afraid to try ice dancing.”Jorunn smiled, “A very wise woman, indeed! Let’s try it and see what happens.”I remember watching the wonderful British duo of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean ice dancing in their last Olympics in 1994. The Olympics were here in Norway, in Lillehammer. I was not about to try any lifts or spins, but I reached my right arm behind Jorunn and placed my hand on her right hip. Taking her left hand in mine, I held her left arm across my body.“Ready?” I asked.Jorunn nodded, and together we pushed off. Right. Left. Right. Left. We moved slowly, side-by-side, in a steady rhythm, and made it around the rink making only a few wobbles. After three more passes, my ancient muscle memory awoke, and I wanted to do more. We separated and I joined my right hand to her left. “We can take longer strides and skate a little faster this way.”After another trip around the rink, we added a slow weaving pattern. Coming out of the last turn, I told Jorunn, “Here is your chance to be a figure skater. I’ll hold your hand. Try a spin.”I skated slightly just ahead of Jorunn, then pulled her forward so she would have enough speed. I raised her hand into the air as she went past, and she started spinning. She yelled, “I’m doing it.” And she was, at least until her speed slowed and she fell into me. “Dam toe pick!” she yelled. With her arms around me, our eyes met. Then she wrinkled her nose, her signature facial expression on the vlogs indicating she didn’t like something. Just as quickly, her face lit up and her big smile glowed. “I’m laughing too hard inside. That was such fun!” She burst out laughing and I joined her. We finally broke the ice, here on the ice.Jorunn separated from me and said, “It is time for Christmas Market.” I helped her up and we turned in our skates. The nearby lights and sounds beckoned.The Christmas MarketDecember 16 - EveningThe sun set long ago and was now just a memory. It was completely dark, but downtown Oslo turned into a Christmas wonderland. There were twinkling lights on almost every tree, with the large and stately buildings surrounding us outlined in white lights to accompany their dramatic uplighting. Oslo was so different than Minneapolis. In downtown Minneapolis, 30-year-old buildings were being torn down to build taller ones in the same location. Here, the buildings were massive, centuries-old, covering an entire block, and they were still in use, letting everyone appreciate the history and architecture. Jorunn and I saw glass-covered buildings in Oslo, with their clean modern architecture, but this was the heart of the city. The life, the pulse, and vitality of Oslo all sprang from here.Towering above everything at the Christmas Market was a brilliantly lit Ferris wheel, each spoke outlined in white lights. I looked at Jorunn and she nodded. She took my hand, and we ran for the Ferris wheel, artfully dodging between the growing number of people.When we boarded, we found each of the seats enclosed in a glass bubble, possibly as a safety measure, or just as likely, protection from the cold. One of the benefits of this was being able to move around a bit, which afforded us a 360-degree aerial view of downtown Oslo. We paused near the top, where Jorunn pulled out her camera.Jorunn said, “It’s rather romantic up here. We should do a selfie.” She sat down right me. “Kiss me. On the lips. Just a quick one. I have the timer set for three seconds. We’ll put our lips together and hold them for a few seconds until the flash goes off.”“Jorunn, I am much older than you. I don’t think it will look very romantic.”“Gunnar, you’re not too old to kiss someone. And if I need to, I can do a little digital touchup, or just flash a quick cut. It will be perfect.”“How do want me to kiss you? Do you want my eyes open or closed? Should I look at the camera or…”Jorunn quickly reached behind my head and pulled me to her. As our lips met, I closed my eyes, and my mouth responded. I felt her softness and a quick tease as Jorunn’s tongue glazed over my lips. A flash went off. But Jorunn did not separate, nor did I. I opened my eyes, and saw that Jorunn’s eyes closed. As our lips pressed together, it felt so warm and comfortable.We separated, and Jorunn said, “Perfect!” Then she looked at the photo just taken. I thought about the sequence of her words and her actions. Jorunn switched over to video and began doing her vlog. She was speaking in English. Immersed in Norwegian for three days, it almost sounded like a foreign language to me. When Jorunn finished, I asked her why she didn’t record her vlogs in Norwegian.She surprised me by continuing in English. “Norwegians already live here. Who would watch my videos if I recorded them in Norwegian? If someone in Norway wants to see the view from the top of this Ferris wheel, they will come here and ride it. People from every continent watch my videos and speak at least some English. It used to bother me when I would get comments on my videos complaining I spoke with a Norwegian accent. Now I just laugh.”I asked her, “Every continent? Including Antarctica?”“Yes. The Norwegian Polar Institute has a year-round research station in Antarctica named 'Troll’. Their mission is to study the polar regions and the effects of global warming and pollution. It’s not a tourist destination, but they have talked to me about possibly going there. They want to do more outreach, to spread the word to younger audiences on social media. I have followers there, but we haven’t been able to work out the permissions and details. The

Sledges, Corkscrews, and other fears.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Once at the starting point, we both sat down on our sledges. I was grateful only a few others were preparing to ride, but gasped again when I saw how youthful their faces were. I doubted anyone here was over thirty years old. I wondered whether Jorunn was punishing me, or perhaps was hoping I would voluntarily quit the tour.“I don’t know if I can do this, Jorunn. I’m afraid.”Jorunn looked me in the eye with a grim look on her face.“Afraid is coming home with my mother, and finding my father sleeping with another woman. Afraid is watching how he broke apart my family and wondering how my mom and I would go on. Afraid is me cutting off my father and not wanting to ever see him again.”“Afraid is quitting a dead-end job and trying to earn a living as a vlogger in one of the most expensive countries on earth. Afraid is checking every morning for clicks, likes, and followers, and finding out the numbers did not change.”“Afraid is starting a private small-group tour company, all by myself, and weaving my way through the many regulations, laws, and insurance requirements. Afraid is knowing I have to book at least one trip a month just to cover those costs.”“Afraid is taking a group of six to Svalbard for a glacier hike in early summer, and spotting a polar bear less than 200 meters away lumbering towards us. Afraid is watching our guide fire off the last of her flares, but seeing the bear still coming. Afraid is the look in our guide’s eyes as she reached for her rifle.”“You don’t need to be afraid of sledging, Gunnar. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try sledging. Meet me at the bottom of the hill. Either make the run or turn in your sledge and take the Metro down the hill.”I watched Jorunn push off and head down the run, then thought about her words. I lived a good life in Minnesota, meeting Solveig in college and then stepping right into a lifetime job with the 3M company. Adventure was going to our lake cabin where the only challenges were fighting off mosquitos, and figuring out how to remove burnt marshmallows off the end of a stick. After our first child, Solveig and I stopped doing anything like sledding, and instead sat and watched our kids having all the fun.What am I doing here in Norway? Why am I here? Jorunn answered that question for me. I pushed off and started my run.I fought my way down the mountain, and as I approached the end of the run, I was happy to see it level off. I saw Jorunn standing next to her sledge, her small camera pointed at me. I raised both hands over my head, waved, then yelled, “I did it!” I coasted to a stop three meters past her.Jorunn ran up to me, and as I stood, she hugged me. “I’m proud of you Gunnar.” As we hugged, under the clear blue skies and chilly temperatures, I closed my eyes and went back 35 years to a small hill in Minneapolis, where I hugged Solvieg after sledding. Jorunn released me and stepped back.I yelped, “It was wonderful! I kept to the side as other people whizzed past me. A few sections were bumpy, and my teeth rattled. The only time I was scared was when there was a steep drop-off on one side. Don’t you use guardrails in Norway?”“You may have seen a few small concrete walls, but we believe in personal responsibility here in Norway. If you cannot manage a sledge, you should not make the run. The authorities do monitor the conditions and sometimes close the run when it is too icy.”“Does that mean you believed in me? Believed I could make it down the hill?”“There is nothing wrong with you, Gunnar. While I was waiting here at the bottom of the hill, I read about your Iron Range in Minnesota. You are rusty. There is a Wizard of Oz Museum there. You are the Tin Man. This tour is the Oil Can. Figure it out. The Oil Can only works if you pick it up and use it. Stand tall and walk proudly for as long as you can. If you fall, get up and keep going.”It was an interesting way to look at life. I was only 56 years old, but for the last few years, I acted like I was 80. I still have many years to go sledging, if only I was not afraid to try.I turned to Jorunn. “Let’s go again!”Pea SoupDecember 16 - Mid-DayAfter three more runs, Jorunn and I turned in our sledges and ate lunch at the beautiful Frognersteren Restaurant on top of the hill. I followed her suggestion of a thick pea soup with meatballs and potatoes. It was delicious. As we sipped hot chocolate, it felt good to be alive again.“A week ago, I was in a nursing home in Minnesota. After my wife died, no one visited me, not even my adult children. I was alone. It was a terrible place, run by a terrible nurse. I had to get out. I made plans with my lawyer, then walked out the front door and got on a plane to come to Norway. What’s the worst place you have ever been?”“Dublin, Ireland. After the divorce, my mother and I were struggling financially. We had gone from living a comfortable life to living paycheck to paycheck. I saw a post on the Internet for a job as a body double for a Vikings television program. I wasn’t sure what a body double did, but it paid well for a short gig. I took all my clothes off while a dozen people stared at me and took photos and videos. I hadn’t been naked in front of any man in over a year, since before the divorce. They must have liked me because I got the part, and they flew me to Dublin. The next morning, I went to the studios. I sat there in a robe while they cut and styled my hair to match the actress I was portraying. Then off to the makeup department, where I removed my robe while they applied fake tattoos and full body makeup so I would look dirty in all the right places.”“After lunch in the studio, the costume department placed me in a white linen tunic. When it was time to film, they told me to stand in front of the lead actor while he lifted the tunic off me and tossed it aside. He was much older than me, and with his beard, he reminded me of my father. He exuded the same swagger as if the world revolved only around him. I would be fully exposed to him, and to the camera crew, who were filming me from behind. They told me to act submissive and let the lead actor hug me. It took several takes and a few tweaks before the director was happy.”“Next, I was ordered to lay down on a stylized Viking bed covered with furs. The sex scene was to be filmed twice. Once for television, then for an unrated video release. The make-up people gave me a once over, then thankfully positioned a flesh-covered patch over my vagina. In the first shot, I was naked, but the lead actor remained fully clothed. He stood and positioned himself between my legs, and they told me to keep my vagina pressed tight against his crotch as he bucked against me. We needed to make the audience believe we were having sex while showing them nothing. I remained in this position while they adjusted the lighting and camera angles, and beneath his trousers, I felt the lead actor’s erect cock pressed against me.”“The director yelled, ‘Action’. Once again, they told me to be submissive, and let the lead actor take charge. He started humping against me. Looking up at him, he was still a handsome man, and I wondered how many women around the world dreamed or fantasized about being in the same place I was. I wasn’t one of them, but I understood this was why they hired me, so I accepted it. Like earlier, it took several takes. The director would review the shot and make small adjustments each time. After the last take, I saw a large wet spot on the front of the lead actor’s trousers.”“Then it was time for the unrated scene. A host of costume and make-up people swarmed around the actor while I lay there naked. This time, he was to be naked as he approached the bed. The camera angle was off to the side to avoid full frontal and he used his left hand to shield his erection, thankfully contained in a flesh-covered sock. The scene began with the lead actor approaching me, and once in position, he began humping against me. His covered cock slid against the covering over my vagina, but the sensations passed right through. My nipples became erect, and I felt my wetness building.”“After several takes, the director was happy, and we moved on to the last scene for which I was needed. In this one, the lead actor would be laying on top of me, his arms extended and propping himself up with his hands placed on either side of my body. This scene was more challenging because it needed to be mixed with prior facial cuts shot separately with the lead male actor and lead female actress. The scene would be filmed from several angles including above and below. As the director reviewed the earlier footage, the makeup people worked on my face and hair.”“The next thing I felt was the lead actor lying on top of me, his body pressing his erect cock against the patch covering my vagina. I wanted to turn away, but he told me to look at him because it would help him release his creative juices. I feared the possible double entendre. Here I was, face-to-face with the avatar of the man I hated more than anyone, the man who destroyed our family. When the director was ready, he said to go at it and try to simulate real sex. He yelled 'Action’. I was sweating under the lights, and the patch covering my vagina began to slip, aided by the movement of the lead actor’s covered cock. As my pussy became more exposed, I was afraid his cock might slide into me, so I yelled 'Cut!’. Everything stopped, and I pushed him off.”“That was enough. I yelled I was through, gathered my things, and headed for the front door. I paid my own way back to Oslo, and thought about filing a protest, but later learned what they did was mostly proper. Most sex scenes are between two body doubles. It is rare, but sometimes a lead actor will film such scenes if they have it in their nudity clause. I had a new appreciation for body doubles, but my own acting career lasted one day, and looking at the final scenes after release, I was on screen for eight seconds, and no one knew it was me!”I said, “Wow. We have something in common. The nursing home did everything properly, but like you, I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I headed for the front door. I’m sorry for your terrible experience.”Jorunn shook her head, “Don’t be sorry. The experience ended up changing my life for the better. After I got back to Oslo, I swore to never work for anyone else again. I wanted to direct my own scenes, so I started doing vlogs. That led to the creation of my tour company. As things turned out, I walked out one door and right into something I loved. Plus, I walked out wearing this really cool, braided leather Viking headband I have on now. You are halfway there. You have walked out the front door. Now you must find something, or someone, to love.”A profound statement from someone so young.SpikersuppaDecember 16 - AfternoonI noticed the sun getting low on the horizon. Jorunn caught my glance and said, “The sun sets early here in Oslo, around 3:30 in the afternoon. In some of the northern cities, it set last month and will not rise again until spring.”I didn’t want to spend the rest of the day looking at museums, and flushed with my success on the hill, I took a chance. “Do you ice skate?”Jorunn replied, “I do, but not very well.”I said, “If you know of a skating rink with lights, maybe we can go there and skate.”“There is a nice lighted one in downtown Oslo called Spikersuppa,” said Jorunn. “When the sun goes down in Oslo, the twinkling lights are turned on, bringing with them their magic. The ice-skating rink is close to the Christmas market, which is our agenda for tonight.”“That sounds great to me,” I replied.We took the T-bane back to downtown Oslo and arrived as the sun was setting. There weren’t any clouds, but the multi-layered horizon was still beautiful. Orange along the bottom, and above it, increasingly darker hues of blue and purple, before turning to black in the night sky. After leaving the train station Jorunn and I walked along a pedestrian-only street named 'Karl Johns gate’ passing high-end stores and restaurants. Jorunn either pointed to, or mentioned, notable downtown buildings such as the Royal Palace, Parliament, the National Theatre, the Grand Hotel, and the original University of Oslo buildings. We also passed the brilliantly lit Freia clock, associated with the long-time Norwegian chocolate maker, and the unofficial symbol of Oslo.We rented skates and then stepped tentatively onto the ice. It wasn’t a big rink, and fortunately, not crowded. In the middle was a frozen water fountain. Christmas music was playing and twinkling lights glowed all around us.“I played ice hockey in Minnesota when I was in high school, but haven’t skated since.”“My father used to take me to figure skating lessons when I was young, but I stopped. I kept falling when trying to do spins.”“Maybe we can help each other out. Have you ever tried ice dancing?”Jorunn laughed. “No! Never!”“Neither have I. But a wise woman once told me that I should not be afraid of ice dancing. What I should be afraid of is being too afraid to try ice dancing.”Jorunn smiled, “A very wise woman, indeed! Let’s try it and see what happens.”I remember watching the wonderful British duo of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean ice dancing in their last Olympics in 1994. The Olympics were here in Norway, in Lillehammer. I was not about to try any lifts or spins, but I reached my right arm behind Jorunn and placed my hand on her right hip. Taking her left hand in mine, I held her left arm across my body.“Ready?” I asked.Jorunn nodded, and together we pushed off. Right. Left. Right. Left. We moved slowly, side-by-side, in a steady rhythm, and made it around the rink making only a few wobbles. After three more passes, my ancient muscle memory awoke, and I wanted to do more. We separated and I joined my right hand to her left. “We can take longer strides and skate a little faster this way.”After another trip around the rink, we added a slow weaving pattern. Coming out of the last turn, I told Jorunn, “Here is your chance to be a figure skater. I’ll hold your hand. Try a spin.”I skated slightly just ahead of Jorunn, then pulled her forward so she would have enough speed. I raised her hand into the air as she went past, and she started spinning. She yelled, “I’m doing it.” And she was, at least until her speed slowed and she fell into me. “Dam toe pick!” she yelled. With her arms around me, our eyes met. Then she wrinkled her nose, her signature facial expression on the vlogs indicating she didn’t like something. Just as quickly, her face lit up and her big smile glowed. “I’m laughing too hard inside. That was such fun!” She burst out laughing and I joined her. We finally broke the ice, here on the ice.Jorunn separated from me and said, “It is time for Christmas Market.” I helped her up and we turned in our skates. The nearby lights and sounds beckoned.The Christmas MarketDecember 16 - EveningThe sun set long ago and was now just a memory. It was completely dark, but downtown Oslo turned into a Christmas wonderland. There were twinkling lights on almost every tree, with the large and stately buildings surrounding us outlined in white lights to accompany their dramatic uplighting. Oslo was so different than Minneapolis. In downtown Minneapolis, 30-year-old buildings were being torn down to build taller ones in the same location. Here, the buildings were massive, centuries-old, covering an entire block, and they were still in use, letting everyone appreciate the history and architecture. Jorunn and I saw glass-covered buildings in Oslo, with their clean modern architecture, but this was the heart of the city. The life, the pulse, and vitality of Oslo all sprang from here.Towering above everything at the Christmas Market was a brilliantly lit Ferris wheel, each spoke outlined in white lights. I looked at Jorunn and she nodded. She took my hand, and we ran for the Ferris wheel, artfully dodging between the growing number of people.When we boarded, we found each of the seats enclosed in a glass bubble, possibly as a safety measure, or just as likely, protection from the cold. One of the benefits of this was being able to move around a bit, which afforded us a 360-degree aerial view of downtown Oslo. We paused near the top, where Jorunn pulled out her camera.Jorunn said, “It’s rather romantic up here. We should do a selfie.” She sat down right me. “Kiss me. On the lips. Just a quick one. I have the timer set for three seconds. We’ll put our lips together and hold them for a few seconds until the flash goes off.”“Jorunn, I am much older than you. I don’t think it will look very romantic.”“Gunnar, you’re not too old to kiss someone. And if I need to, I can do a little digital touchup, or just flash a quick cut. It will be perfect.”“How do want me to kiss you? Do you want my eyes open or closed? Should I look at the camera or…”Jorunn quickly reached behind my head and pulled me to her. As our lips met, I closed my eyes, and my mouth responded. I felt her softness and a quick tease as Jorunn’s tongue glazed over my lips. A flash went off. But Jorunn did not separate, nor did I. I opened my eyes, and saw that Jorunn’s eyes closed. As our lips pressed together, it felt so warm and comfortable.We separated, and Jorunn said, “Perfect!” Then she looked at the photo just taken. I thought about the sequence of her words and her actions. Jorunn switched over to video and began doing her vlog. She was speaking in English. Immersed in Norwegian for three days, it almost sounded like a foreign language to me. When Jorunn finished, I asked her why she didn’t record her vlogs in Norwegian.She surprised me by continuing in English. “Norwegians already live here. Who would watch my videos if I recorded them in Norwegian? If someone in Norway wants to see the view from the top of this Ferris wheel, they will come here and ride it. People from every continent watch my videos and speak at least some English. It used to bother me when I would get comments on my videos complaining I spoke with a Norwegian accent. Now I just laugh.”I asked her, “Every continent? Including Antarctica?”“Yes. The Norwegian Polar Institute has a year-round research station in Antarctica named 'Troll’. Their mission is to study the polar regions and the effects of global warming and pollution. It’s not a tourist destination, but they have talked to me about possibly going there. They want to do more outreach, to spread the word to younger audiences on social media. I have followers there, but we haven’t been able to work out the permissions and details. The

The Homeland calls for Gunnar, And So Does Love.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.‘You are the Tin Man. This tour; is the Oil Can. Figure it out.'A recently widowed Norwegian American plans his escape from a Minnesota nursing home to travel abroad and join a ‘Christmas in Norway Tour’. While battling his fears, he meets a beautiful young tour guide and her divorced mother, who years later, still bears scars from her unfaithful husband’s affair. This story is about overcoming those fears to let healing begin. This story picks up after that, and shows the lingering effects of a husband’s extra-marital affair on his family. This is also a Christmas story, so expect to travel to locations in Norway, encounter Norwegian Christmas traditions, and maybe even get sprinkled with pixie-dust!“A man has only one escape from his old self: to see a different self - in the mirror of some woman’s eyes” - Clare Booth LucePrequel: The Ruined ChristmasOslo, Norway - Three Years AgoMy name is Jorunn. As a Norwegian landsby girl, Mamma and I spent Christmas week in Bergen, visiting her family and celebrating my 22nd birthday. We decided to leave Bergen two days early so that Pappa would not have to celebrate New Year’s Eve alone. During the week, while we were away, Pappa told us how he missed us.We arrived back home in mid-afternoon, just as the sun was setting, and saw our Christmas Star lit up in the window. After entering the house, we heard Pappa moaning upstairs and went up to see if he was all right. Opening the bedroom door, we saw him humping a strange woman!“What are you doing?” shouted Mamma.Pappa replied, “Leah, you’re home early.”“Who is this woman?”“She’s just a slut. She means nothing to me.”The woman yelped, “I am not a slut! I am a happily married woman.”Mamma yelled, “I can see what keeps you happy.”Pappa yelled back, “I still love you, Leah. Let me get rid of this slut. She’s only here because I was lonely. We can talk.”Mamma replied, “You can talk to my advokater. We’re through! How can I ever trust you again, you bastard? Do you realize what you have done to our family!”Mamma began sobbing and ran down the stairs.Pappa looked at me and said, “Jorunn, none of this would have happened if your mother hadn’t come home early and seen us.”I looked at Pappa and saw his slime-covered beard slick with the woman’s juices. “You’re wrong Pappa. It did happen. Mamma and I just wouldn’t have known. You said you didn’t want to be seen by us. That works both ways! I don’t ever want to talk to you or see you ever again!”I ran downstairs to Mamma, and with our suitcases still in the boot, we drove to a friend’s house.Gunnar and Nurse RatchedDecember 13 - MorningMinneapolis, Minnesota - Present DayI pressed the button on my cell phone and hung up after talking with Roger Mans, my long-time friend and attorney. My two adult children texted a few days ago they wanted to visit me here in the nursing home. I had not seen them since the funeral of my wife, Solveig, and that was two months ago. Their plan was for me to sign their power of attorney forms, giving them full control over me and my affairs. But my plan was different, and now was time to put it into place.Two years ago, at just 54 years old, I had a stroke. A devastating paralysis left me needing a lot of care, and therapy to regain my mobility, speech, and other functions.I realized Solveig was unable to care for me at our home. She tried with all her heart, but she was also fighting her own battle with cancer, and undergoing her own rigorous treatments.So I decided to enter a nursing home, while I continued to get rehab. I wanted a facility with a stroke recovery unit. This limited my nursing home choices. The only thing making life bearable here, was Solveig faithfully visiting me, and sneaking an occasional home-cooked meal past the head nurse and her staff. Sadly, Solveig succumbed to the cancer while I was still a resident at the ‘Bethel Retirement Center'. At Solveig’s funeral, my children promised to visit often, but as usual, I could never count on them for anything.Without my wife here to check on things, my decent clothes never came back from the laundry, and instead, the staff returned excuses. I put on old sweatpants and an old sweatshirt. It would do for now. I prepared myself for this day by walking the halls of the nursing home, attending physical therapy sessions, and taking care of myself without help from the staff. Still not fully recovered, but like my clothing, it would do for now.I said goodbye to Alfred, my shared roommate. He nodded, wished me luck, and said he would love to go with me. I felt sorry for him. He was a great storyteller but needed to use his walker, and physically, he required the kind of care they provided here.I walked down the hall to the nurse’s station and found Molly Turner, the rather brusque chief nurse, and her two assistants sitting behind it. “Good morning, Nurse Ratched,” I said.“Good day to you, Gunnar,” she replied.“I’m checking out,” I said.“Be serious, Gunnar. No one ever checks out of a nursing home, unless they are flat on their back with a toe tag.”I looked at her and smiled, “I only hope that will be your Fate, Molly.”“That’s not a nice thing to say, Gunnar. Now, return to your room or I will have dietary take away your rice pudding for a week.”The rice pudding here was a pale imitation of the riskrem, which Solvieg would make every Christmas. I would miss it this year. I gave Nurse Ratched a one-fingered salute, then walked toward the exit. There was a scramble of squeaky chairs and shouts behind me, and I heard their footsteps closing in on me. As I pushed the two doors open to the main lobby, there was Roger, standing next to the nursing home administrator. I walked up to my lawyer, and shook his hand, “Thank you, old friend.”I turned to see a stunned Nurse Ratched. “Allow me to escort Mr. Larsen back to his room,” she meekly pronounced.The nursing home administrator said, “That won’t be necessary, Molly. Mr. Larsen is leaving us. He isn’t taking anything with him. You may clear out his room and get it ready for the next resident.”I looked Nurse Ratched in the eye and saw the fires of hell blazing within. Then, it was my turn to smile back.All my therapists had agreed that my rehab was successful. My speech skills were quite restored. My left arm and leg took longer to restore. But it was good enough to ditch the wheelchair, then the walker, then the cane. What really set me back was the grief of losing my wife, and the guilt of not being there when she needed me most.Gunnar’s HouseRoger drove me to my house. I hadn't been there in two years. It looked pathetic. No one bothered shoveling the snow on the walkway, and I feared what my children may have done to the inside. I found the hidden key I placed under a rock years ago and used it to enter through the front door. The living room and dining room furniture were mostly gone, or should I say, stolen. They had rifled through the small office nook next to the kitchen, with papers scattered over the kitchen countertops and floor.I turned and said, “You’re going to have your work cut out for you, Roger.”“This is exactly what you said would happen, Gunnar. Our firm will take care of it for you.”I opened a small drawer in the office nook and thankfully found my passport intact. It was useless to my children. I went to the master bedroom and saw the dresser drawers partially opened, with clothes scattered all about the floor. On top of the dresser was Solvieg’s jewelry box. I opened it, and few things remained. I was glad to see the gold charm bracelet I gave her 35 years ago for Christmas. She wore it a couple of times, then stopped, complaining it turned her wrist green as the fake gold coating wore away. But she kept it all these years. A worn-out trinket to my children, as precious as the Sauron’s Ring of Power to me. I picked it up and put it in the pocket of my sweatpants.I went into the walk-in closet and picked out some clothes, tossed them into an old gym bag, and said, “I’m done. We can go.”Roger said, “The locksmith and security company will meet me here this afternoon. Once they are done, your children will no longer have access.”“I’d rather not have an auction of whatever is left in the house. I don’t think Solveig would have liked that. Once you go through the papers, just throw everything left in a dumpster and haul it away. Whatever the two pirates plundered will be the only inheritance they will ever see from me.”Miller And Mans Law OfficeRoger and I next went to his office. I said hello to Jane, the long-time receptionist. I have always suspected that Jane knows everything that goes on here, and secretly runs the whole place, not unlike the way Nurse Ratched does in her domain. However, Jane does so with more efficiency, happiness, and joy for both clients and staff.Jane asked, “Can I get you anything, Gunnar?”“I’d love a cup of decent coffee, and an Apple Fritter if you have one.”“I’ll bring them to Roger’s office. Two creams and no sugar, if I remember right.”“Perfect, as always, Jane.”We went into Roger’s plush office, and I sat down in a chair more comfortable than any I sat in for the last two years.“Are you actually going to go through with this?” Roger asked.“Every bit of it,” I replied.I signed multiple papers, removing my two children as beneficiaries from my life insurance and investment accounts. I also gave Roger limited power of attorney to sell my house and dispose of its possessions.Jane arrived with the coffee and Apple Fritter. “Norway? Why would anyone want to go to Norway in December?”“Did Roger spill the beans?” I asked.Jane replied, “Every piece of paper that comes into this office passes through my hands. I opened your travel visa when it came in.”“Jane, I can’t spend Christmas here in Minnesota. The bitter wintry weather pales in comparison to the cold hearts of my own two children. The further away from them I am, the better. I’ve never been to Norway and have always wanted to see the 'home country’ of my ancestors.”Like I said, Jane knows all. The coffee tasted great, and the deep-fried Apple Fritter, one of Nursed Ratched’s 'prohibited foods’, was outstanding. Roger slid me a packet labeled 'Gunnar - Norway’. As Jane left, I opened it and looked at the contents. As planned, there was an international cell phone with a different number, a stack of krone, and three new credit cards bearing the name of a fictitious business. I handed Roger my old cell phone.“We’ll dispose of this for you. Your children will have no idea where you are unless they hire a private detective with exceptionally good connections. Legally, they have no rights to any of your assets, so even if somehow they track you to our law office, they will not get past Jane.”I believed Roger on that.“The tour company you asked us to sign you up with seems pretty sketchy. Their contract looks like something generated off a free online legal site. We reviewed it, it is crude, but legal and binding. If you back out, they still get paid. Why did you pick this tour company? There are many larger and more reputable companies we might have booked you with.”“It’s silly, Roger. I know it’s only a one-person company, run by a young vlogger in Norway. It was terribly boring in the nursing home, so I would spend evenings watching her videos as she traveled around Norway visiting various places, and leading small groups of tourists. It looked like the people were having fun and she made me laugh. Watching her videos was one of the few things that brought me any happiness.”“Why did you reserve for four persons?” asked Roger.“I wanted to make sure her Christmas in Norway tour wouldn’t be canceled. She has a four-person minimum.”“You won’t get those other bookings back, even if more people are going.”“I don’t need the money, Roger, but I do need this tour.”“How about clothing? You don’t have many clothes in that gym bag, Gunnar. Do you want to stop somewhere before we get to the airport?”“No. I’ll travel light. It’ll be easier when going through airport security. I’ll buy more clothes when I get to Norway.”“How about after you come back?”“I’m going to someplace warm and sunny. Maybe visit a mouse in Florida. I’ll be in touch if I need anything while I’m in Norway, and call you when I get back in three weeks.”Jorunn, The Tour GuideDecember 15 – Morning, Two Days LaterI spent yesterday shopping for the new clothes I would need. The tour is a mix of city and outdoor activities, so I bought a basic wardrobe, along with good walking shoes, snow pants, a warm jacket, and gloves. I ate lunch and dinner at two smaller restaurants. The food was good, but I felt lonely eating by myself, in a city I didn’t know, in a strange country. I missed Solveig very much and wished she were here with me.The next morning, I walked to the nearby hotel where the tour group would be meeting and followed the “Christmas in Norway Tour” sign to a small room off the lobby. There she was! Jorunn. My vlogger! She was about as tall as I am, at least when I can stand straight, with long blonde hair parted in the middle, clear blue eyes, and her signature radiant smile. She wore a Norwegian Dale sweater and brown pants.Jorunn spoke to me in Norwegian. “Excuse me, sir, this room is reserved for a tour group.”I hobbled closer. “Yes, and I’m one of the people taking the tour.”“We have a pretty active schedule for the next seven days, from December 15th through the 22nd. Do you think you are well enough to take this tour?”I wasn’t sure if I was, but I didn’t want to tell her that. “I won’t slow you down,” I replied.“What is your name?” she asked.“Gunnar Larsen.”She opened a small notebook and flipped through the pages. “It says here you are in a group of four. I see three other names. When are they coming?”“There won’t be any others from my group. One of the names is my recently deceased wife, the other two are my estranged adult children. I’m all there is.”Jorunn looked puzzled. “Only four people in total signed up, including you, all from your group. If the others aren’t coming, then you will be the only one. I don’t… I can’t… I mean, I have reservations I cannot cancel. You’re going to cost me a fortune whether I go through with the tour or not.”I replied, “The contract states that you have a four-person minimum. I am paying you in full for all four people. You won’t lose any money.”Jorunn smirked and looked like she was thinking. “I don’t know if you’re some kind of dirty old man, but if I agree to continue this tour, you should know that we will have separate rooms every night and there will be no sex of any kind. Judging by the way you look; I hope you can at least wipe your own butt!”“Your terms are acceptable. I had a stroke two years ago, but I have mostly recovered. I can walk, talk, and listen. I have trouble with my balance at times and sometimes slur my words. If you think something is too strenuous for me, I am willing to skip that part of the tour.”“Well, Mr. Larsen of Minnesota, you need to sign some release forms. As stated in the contract, I get to film the tour group for my vlogs, so I expect smiles when I am filming you. For now, go help yourself to breakfast. There is coffee, brunost, bread, and milk. Enough to feed four. Don’t expect me to serve you, and if you don’t know how to use a cheese sliver, learn fast.”She looked puzzled earlier but was now the confident Jorunn with whom I spent virtual evenings. I was delighted we worked this out. Smiles would not be a problem.OsloDecember 15 - MorningJorunn left the room and returned shortly with a small basket of food. “We have a lot of brunost left over, so I am going to make us a food packet for lunch called matpakke. I have a place in mind where we can sit and picnic.”“We will use the Vy app and Oslo Pass and travel by train and Metro. But today, we will mainly walk around Oslo. You will need to check into this hotel under the tour name if you have not done so. We will be in Oslo for two nights. The prepaid room is part of your tour package. I will try to cancel or change some reservations. Meet me back here in one hour.”I went back to my hotel to retrieve my belongings, then checked into the one Jorunn requested. It was not as nice as the one I left, but it was clean, and I did not want to make a fuss on the first day. I purchased a surprising amount of clothing yesterday and needed to make two trips to bring everything over. Then I returned to the meeting room and found Jorunn waiting.Jorunn and I walked from the hotel to Oslo Central Station and took a tram to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. Jorunn told me it is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist, Gustav Vigeland, with over two hundred sculptures combining the human form with an element of fantasy. Most figures were naked, with a mix of vagueness and rather notably open precision. The most prominent sculpture was a 17-meter-high monolith consisting of 121 intertwined human figures clambering to the top, carved from a single stone block. We spent over an hour walking the grounds, and while it was interesting, I told Jorunn that I didn’t see much in the way of Christmas here.A combination of walking and a short bus ride brought us to the grounds of the Akershus Fortress. Constructed in the 13th century, it protects the waterfront and Oslo harbor. Also on the site was the restored Akershus Castle, which was formerly a residence of prior kings of Norway. Jorunn said it serves today as an entertainment and event center for the Norwegian government, and this close to Christmas was not open to the public.I found it challenging to walk the grounds of the Fortress, as there were steep inclines mixed with stone steps and cobblestone paths. Remnants of a prior snowstorm still lingered in shady areas and under arches, making the footing treacherous. We did stop at places offering magnificent views of the city of Oslo, the bay, and the fjord, and several ramparts still bore cannons. Jorunn was rather businesslike and did not seem to be enjoyin

The Homeland calls for Gunnar, And So Does Love.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.‘You are the Tin Man. This tour; is the Oil Can. Figure it out.'A recently widowed Norwegian American plans his escape from a Minnesota nursing home to travel abroad and join a ‘Christmas in Norway Tour’. While battling his fears, he meets a beautiful young tour guide and her divorced mother, who years later, still bears scars from her unfaithful husband’s affair. This story is about overcoming those fears to let healing begin. This story picks up after that, and shows the lingering effects of a husband’s extra-marital affair on his family. This is also a Christmas story, so expect to travel to locations in Norway, encounter Norwegian Christmas traditions, and maybe even get sprinkled with pixie-dust!“A man has only one escape from his old self: to see a different self - in the mirror of some woman’s eyes” - Clare Booth LucePrequel: The Ruined ChristmasOslo, Norway - Three Years AgoMy name is Jorunn. As a Norwegian landsby girl, Mamma and I spent Christmas week in Bergen, visiting her family and celebrating my 22nd birthday. We decided to leave Bergen two days early so that Pappa would not have to celebrate New Year’s Eve alone. During the week, while we were away, Pappa told us how he missed us.We arrived back home in mid-afternoon, just as the sun was setting, and saw our Christmas Star lit up in the window. After entering the house, we heard Pappa moaning upstairs and went up to see if he was all right. Opening the bedroom door, we saw him humping a strange woman!“What are you doing?” shouted Mamma.Pappa replied, “Leah, you’re home early.”“Who is this woman?”“She’s just a slut. She means nothing to me.”The woman yelped, “I am not a slut! I am a happily married woman.”Mamma yelled, “I can see what keeps you happy.”Pappa yelled back, “I still love you, Leah. Let me get rid of this slut. She’s only here because I was lonely. We can talk.”Mamma replied, “You can talk to my advokater. We’re through! How can I ever trust you again, you bastard? Do you realize what you have done to our family!”Mamma began sobbing and ran down the stairs.Pappa looked at me and said, “Jorunn, none of this would have happened if your mother hadn’t come home early and seen us.”I looked at Pappa and saw his slime-covered beard slick with the woman’s juices. “You’re wrong Pappa. It did happen. Mamma and I just wouldn’t have known. You said you didn’t want to be seen by us. That works both ways! I don’t ever want to talk to you or see you ever again!”I ran downstairs to Mamma, and with our suitcases still in the boot, we drove to a friend’s house.Gunnar and Nurse RatchedDecember 13 - MorningMinneapolis, Minnesota - Present DayI pressed the button on my cell phone and hung up after talking with Roger Mans, my long-time friend and attorney. My two adult children texted a few days ago they wanted to visit me here in the nursing home. I had not seen them since the funeral of my wife, Solveig, and that was two months ago. Their plan was for me to sign their power of attorney forms, giving them full control over me and my affairs. But my plan was different, and now was time to put it into place.Two years ago, at just 54 years old, I had a stroke. A devastating paralysis left me needing a lot of care, and therapy to regain my mobility, speech, and other functions.I realized Solveig was unable to care for me at our home. She tried with all her heart, but she was also fighting her own battle with cancer, and undergoing her own rigorous treatments.So I decided to enter a nursing home, while I continued to get rehab. I wanted a facility with a stroke recovery unit. This limited my nursing home choices. The only thing making life bearable here, was Solveig faithfully visiting me, and sneaking an occasional home-cooked meal past the head nurse and her staff. Sadly, Solveig succumbed to the cancer while I was still a resident at the ‘Bethel Retirement Center'. At Solveig’s funeral, my children promised to visit often, but as usual, I could never count on them for anything.Without my wife here to check on things, my decent clothes never came back from the laundry, and instead, the staff returned excuses. I put on old sweatpants and an old sweatshirt. It would do for now. I prepared myself for this day by walking the halls of the nursing home, attending physical therapy sessions, and taking care of myself without help from the staff. Still not fully recovered, but like my clothing, it would do for now.I said goodbye to Alfred, my shared roommate. He nodded, wished me luck, and said he would love to go with me. I felt sorry for him. He was a great storyteller but needed to use his walker, and physically, he required the kind of care they provided here.I walked down the hall to the nurse’s station and found Molly Turner, the rather brusque chief nurse, and her two assistants sitting behind it. “Good morning, Nurse Ratched,” I said.“Good day to you, Gunnar,” she replied.“I’m checking out,” I said.“Be serious, Gunnar. No one ever checks out of a nursing home, unless they are flat on their back with a toe tag.”I looked at her and smiled, “I only hope that will be your Fate, Molly.”“That’s not a nice thing to say, Gunnar. Now, return to your room or I will have dietary take away your rice pudding for a week.”The rice pudding here was a pale imitation of the riskrem, which Solvieg would make every Christmas. I would miss it this year. I gave Nurse Ratched a one-fingered salute, then walked toward the exit. There was a scramble of squeaky chairs and shouts behind me, and I heard their footsteps closing in on me. As I pushed the two doors open to the main lobby, there was Roger, standing next to the nursing home administrator. I walked up to my lawyer, and shook his hand, “Thank you, old friend.”I turned to see a stunned Nurse Ratched. “Allow me to escort Mr. Larsen back to his room,” she meekly pronounced.The nursing home administrator said, “That won’t be necessary, Molly. Mr. Larsen is leaving us. He isn’t taking anything with him. You may clear out his room and get it ready for the next resident.”I looked Nurse Ratched in the eye and saw the fires of hell blazing within. Then, it was my turn to smile back.All my therapists had agreed that my rehab was successful. My speech skills were quite restored. My left arm and leg took longer to restore. But it was good enough to ditch the wheelchair, then the walker, then the cane. What really set me back was the grief of losing my wife, and the guilt of not being there when she needed me most.Gunnar’s HouseRoger drove me to my house. I hadn't been there in two years. It looked pathetic. No one bothered shoveling the snow on the walkway, and I feared what my children may have done to the inside. I found the hidden key I placed under a rock years ago and used it to enter through the front door. The living room and dining room furniture were mostly gone, or should I say, stolen. They had rifled through the small office nook next to the kitchen, with papers scattered over the kitchen countertops and floor.I turned and said, “You’re going to have your work cut out for you, Roger.”“This is exactly what you said would happen, Gunnar. Our firm will take care of it for you.”I opened a small drawer in the office nook and thankfully found my passport intact. It was useless to my children. I went to the master bedroom and saw the dresser drawers partially opened, with clothes scattered all about the floor. On top of the dresser was Solvieg’s jewelry box. I opened it, and few things remained. I was glad to see the gold charm bracelet I gave her 35 years ago for Christmas. She wore it a couple of times, then stopped, complaining it turned her wrist green as the fake gold coating wore away. But she kept it all these years. A worn-out trinket to my children, as precious as the Sauron’s Ring of Power to me. I picked it up and put it in the pocket of my sweatpants.I went into the walk-in closet and picked out some clothes, tossed them into an old gym bag, and said, “I’m done. We can go.”Roger said, “The locksmith and security company will meet me here this afternoon. Once they are done, your children will no longer have access.”“I’d rather not have an auction of whatever is left in the house. I don’t think Solveig would have liked that. Once you go through the papers, just throw everything left in a dumpster and haul it away. Whatever the two pirates plundered will be the only inheritance they will ever see from me.”Miller And Mans Law OfficeRoger and I next went to his office. I said hello to Jane, the long-time receptionist. I have always suspected that Jane knows everything that goes on here, and secretly runs the whole place, not unlike the way Nurse Ratched does in her domain. However, Jane does so with more efficiency, happiness, and joy for both clients and staff.Jane asked, “Can I get you anything, Gunnar?”“I’d love a cup of decent coffee, and an Apple Fritter if you have one.”“I’ll bring them to Roger’s office. Two creams and no sugar, if I remember right.”“Perfect, as always, Jane.”We went into Roger’s plush office, and I sat down in a chair more comfortable than any I sat in for the last two years.“Are you actually going to go through with this?” Roger asked.“Every bit of it,” I replied.I signed multiple papers, removing my two children as beneficiaries from my life insurance and investment accounts. I also gave Roger limited power of attorney to sell my house and dispose of its possessions.Jane arrived with the coffee and Apple Fritter. “Norway? Why would anyone want to go to Norway in December?”“Did Roger spill the beans?” I asked.Jane replied, “Every piece of paper that comes into this office passes through my hands. I opened your travel visa when it came in.”“Jane, I can’t spend Christmas here in Minnesota. The bitter wintry weather pales in comparison to the cold hearts of my own two children. The further away from them I am, the better. I’ve never been to Norway and have always wanted to see the 'home country’ of my ancestors.”Like I said, Jane knows all. The coffee tasted great, and the deep-fried Apple Fritter, one of Nursed Ratched’s 'prohibited foods’, was outstanding. Roger slid me a packet labeled 'Gunnar - Norway’. As Jane left, I opened it and looked at the contents. As planned, there was an international cell phone with a different number, a stack of krone, and three new credit cards bearing the name of a fictitious business. I handed Roger my old cell phone.“We’ll dispose of this for you. Your children will have no idea where you are unless they hire a private detective with exceptionally good connections. Legally, they have no rights to any of your assets, so even if somehow they track you to our law office, they will not get past Jane.”I believed Roger on that.“The tour company you asked us to sign you up with seems pretty sketchy. Their contract looks like something generated off a free online legal site. We reviewed it, it is crude, but legal and binding. If you back out, they still get paid. Why did you pick this tour company? There are many larger and more reputable companies we might have booked you with.”“It’s silly, Roger. I know it’s only a one-person company, run by a young vlogger in Norway. It was terribly boring in the nursing home, so I would spend evenings watching her videos as she traveled around Norway visiting various places, and leading small groups of tourists. It looked like the people were having fun and she made me laugh. Watching her videos was one of the few things that brought me any happiness.”“Why did you reserve for four persons?” asked Roger.“I wanted to make sure her Christmas in Norway tour wouldn’t be canceled. She has a four-person minimum.”“You won’t get those other bookings back, even if more people are going.”“I don’t need the money, Roger, but I do need this tour.”“How about clothing? You don’t have many clothes in that gym bag, Gunnar. Do you want to stop somewhere before we get to the airport?”“No. I’ll travel light. It’ll be easier when going through airport security. I’ll buy more clothes when I get to Norway.”“How about after you come back?”“I’m going to someplace warm and sunny. Maybe visit a mouse in Florida. I’ll be in touch if I need anything while I’m in Norway, and call you when I get back in three weeks.”Jorunn, The Tour GuideDecember 15 – Morning, Two Days LaterI spent yesterday shopping for the new clothes I would need. The tour is a mix of city and outdoor activities, so I bought a basic wardrobe, along with good walking shoes, snow pants, a warm jacket, and gloves. I ate lunch and dinner at two smaller restaurants. The food was good, but I felt lonely eating by myself, in a city I didn’t know, in a strange country. I missed Solveig very much and wished she were here with me.The next morning, I walked to the nearby hotel where the tour group would be meeting and followed the “Christmas in Norway Tour” sign to a small room off the lobby. There she was! Jorunn. My vlogger! She was about as tall as I am, at least when I can stand straight, with long blonde hair parted in the middle, clear blue eyes, and her signature radiant smile. She wore a Norwegian Dale sweater and brown pants.Jorunn spoke to me in Norwegian. “Excuse me, sir, this room is reserved for a tour group.”I hobbled closer. “Yes, and I’m one of the people taking the tour.”“We have a pretty active schedule for the next seven days, from December 15th through the 22nd. Do you think you are well enough to take this tour?”I wasn’t sure if I was, but I didn’t want to tell her that. “I won’t slow you down,” I replied.“What is your name?” she asked.“Gunnar Larsen.”She opened a small notebook and flipped through the pages. “It says here you are in a group of four. I see three other names. When are they coming?”“There won’t be any others from my group. One of the names is my recently deceased wife, the other two are my estranged adult children. I’m all there is.”Jorunn looked puzzled. “Only four people in total signed up, including you, all from your group. If the others aren’t coming, then you will be the only one. I don’t… I can’t… I mean, I have reservations I cannot cancel. You’re going to cost me a fortune whether I go through with the tour or not.”I replied, “The contract states that you have a four-person minimum. I am paying you in full for all four people. You won’t lose any money.”Jorunn smirked and looked like she was thinking. “I don’t know if you’re some kind of dirty old man, but if I agree to continue this tour, you should know that we will have separate rooms every night and there will be no sex of any kind. Judging by the way you look; I hope you can at least wipe your own butt!”“Your terms are acceptable. I had a stroke two years ago, but I have mostly recovered. I can walk, talk, and listen. I have trouble with my balance at times and sometimes slur my words. If you think something is too strenuous for me, I am willing to skip that part of the tour.”“Well, Mr. Larsen of Minnesota, you need to sign some release forms. As stated in the contract, I get to film the tour group for my vlogs, so I expect smiles when I am filming you. For now, go help yourself to breakfast. There is coffee, brunost, bread, and milk. Enough to feed four. Don’t expect me to serve you, and if you don’t know how to use a cheese sliver, learn fast.”She looked puzzled earlier but was now the confident Jorunn with whom I spent virtual evenings. I was delighted we worked this out. Smiles would not be a problem.OsloDecember 15 - MorningJorunn left the room and returned shortly with a small basket of food. “We have a lot of brunost left over, so I am going to make us a food packet for lunch called matpakke. I have a place in mind where we can sit and picnic.”“We will use the Vy app and Oslo Pass and travel by train and Metro. But today, we will mainly walk around Oslo. You will need to check into this hotel under the tour name if you have not done so. We will be in Oslo for two nights. The prepaid room is part of your tour package. I will try to cancel or change some reservations. Meet me back here in one hour.”I went back to my hotel to retrieve my belongings, then checked into the one Jorunn requested. It was not as nice as the one I left, but it was clean, and I did not want to make a fuss on the first day. I purchased a surprising amount of clothing yesterday and needed to make two trips to bring everything over. Then I returned to the meeting room and found Jorunn waiting.Jorunn and I walked from the hotel to Oslo Central Station and took a tram to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. Jorunn told me it is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist, Gustav Vigeland, with over two hundred sculptures combining the human form with an element of fantasy. Most figures were naked, with a mix of vagueness and rather notably open precision. The most prominent sculpture was a 17-meter-high monolith consisting of 121 intertwined human figures clambering to the top, carved from a single stone block. We spent over an hour walking the grounds, and while it was interesting, I told Jorunn that I didn’t see much in the way of Christmas here.A combination of walking and a short bus ride brought us to the grounds of the Akershus Fortress. Constructed in the 13th century, it protects the waterfront and Oslo harbor. Also on the site was the restored Akershus Castle, which was formerly a residence of prior kings of Norway. Jorunn said it serves today as an entertainment and event center for the Norwegian government, and this close to Christmas was not open to the public.I found it challenging to walk the grounds of the Fortress, as there were steep inclines mixed with stone steps and cobblestone paths. Remnants of a prior snowstorm still lingered in shady areas and under arches, making the footing treacherous. We did stop at places offering magnificent views of the city of Oslo, the bay, and the fjord, and several ramparts still bore cannons. Jorunn was rather businesslike and did not seem to be enjoyin

The Homeland calls for Gunnar, And So Does Love.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.‘You are the Tin Man. This tour; is the Oil Can. Figure it out.'A recently widowed Norwegian American plans his escape from a Minnesota nursing home to travel abroad and join a ‘Christmas in Norway Tour’. While battling his fears, he meets a beautiful young tour guide and her divorced mother, who years later, still bears scars from her unfaithful husband’s affair. This story is about overcoming those fears to let healing begin. This story picks up after that, and shows the lingering effects of a husband’s extra-marital affair on his family. This is also a Christmas story, so expect to travel to locations in Norway, encounter Norwegian Christmas traditions, and maybe even get sprinkled with pixie-dust!“A man has only one escape from his old self: to see a different self - in the mirror of some woman’s eyes” - Clare Booth LucePrequel: The Ruined ChristmasOslo, Norway - Three Years AgoMy name is Jorunn. As a Norwegian landsby girl, Mamma and I spent Christmas week in Bergen, visiting her family and celebrating my 22nd birthday. We decided to leave Bergen two days early so that Pappa would not have to celebrate New Year’s Eve alone. During the week, while we were away, Pappa told us how he missed us.We arrived back home in mid-afternoon, just as the sun was setting, and saw our Christmas Star lit up in the window. After entering the house, we heard Pappa moaning upstairs and went up to see if he was all right. Opening the bedroom door, we saw him humping a strange woman!“What are you doing?” shouted Mamma.Pappa replied, “Leah, you’re home early.”“Who is this woman?”“She’s just a slut. She means nothing to me.”The woman yelped, “I am not a slut! I am a happily married woman.”Mamma yelled, “I can see what keeps you happy.”Pappa yelled back, “I still love you, Leah. Let me get rid of this slut. She’s only here because I was lonely. We can talk.”Mamma replied, “You can talk to my advokater. We’re through! How can I ever trust you again, you bastard? Do you realize what you have done to our family!”Mamma began sobbing and ran down the stairs.Pappa looked at me and said, “Jorunn, none of this would have happened if your mother hadn’t come home early and seen us.”I looked at Pappa and saw his slime-covered beard slick with the woman’s juices. “You’re wrong Pappa. It did happen. Mamma and I just wouldn’t have known. You said you didn’t want to be seen by us. That works both ways! I don’t ever want to talk to you or see you ever again!”I ran downstairs to Mamma, and with our suitcases still in the boot, we drove to a friend’s house.Gunnar and Nurse RatchedDecember 13 - MorningMinneapolis, Minnesota - Present DayI pressed the button on my cell phone and hung up after talking with Roger Mans, my long-time friend and attorney. My two adult children texted a few days ago they wanted to visit me here in the nursing home. I had not seen them since the funeral of my wife, Solveig, and that was two months ago. Their plan was for me to sign their power of attorney forms, giving them full control over me and my affairs. But my plan was different, and now was time to put it into place.Two years ago, at just 54 years old, I had a stroke. A devastating paralysis left me needing a lot of care, and therapy to regain my mobility, speech, and other functions.I realized Solveig was unable to care for me at our home. She tried with all her heart, but she was also fighting her own battle with cancer, and undergoing her own rigorous treatments.So I decided to enter a nursing home, while I continued to get rehab. I wanted a facility with a stroke recovery unit. This limited my nursing home choices. The only thing making life bearable here, was Solveig faithfully visiting me, and sneaking an occasional home-cooked meal past the head nurse and her staff. Sadly, Solveig succumbed to the cancer while I was still a resident at the ‘Bethel Retirement Center'. At Solveig’s funeral, my children promised to visit often, but as usual, I could never count on them for anything.Without my wife here to check on things, my decent clothes never came back from the laundry, and instead, the staff returned excuses. I put on old sweatpants and an old sweatshirt. It would do for now. I prepared myself for this day by walking the halls of the nursing home, attending physical therapy sessions, and taking care of myself without help from the staff. Still not fully recovered, but like my clothing, it would do for now.I said goodbye to Alfred, my shared roommate. He nodded, wished me luck, and said he would love to go with me. I felt sorry for him. He was a great storyteller but needed to use his walker, and physically, he required the kind of care they provided here.I walked down the hall to the nurse’s station and found Molly Turner, the rather brusque chief nurse, and her two assistants sitting behind it. “Good morning, Nurse Ratched,” I said.“Good day to you, Gunnar,” she replied.“I’m checking out,” I said.“Be serious, Gunnar. No one ever checks out of a nursing home, unless they are flat on their back with a toe tag.”I looked at her and smiled, “I only hope that will be your Fate, Molly.”“That’s not a nice thing to say, Gunnar. Now, return to your room or I will have dietary take away your rice pudding for a week.”The rice pudding here was a pale imitation of the riskrem, which Solvieg would make every Christmas. I would miss it this year. I gave Nurse Ratched a one-fingered salute, then walked toward the exit. There was a scramble of squeaky chairs and shouts behind me, and I heard their footsteps closing in on me. As I pushed the two doors open to the main lobby, there was Roger, standing next to the nursing home administrator. I walked up to my lawyer, and shook his hand, “Thank you, old friend.”I turned to see a stunned Nurse Ratched. “Allow me to escort Mr. Larsen back to his room,” she meekly pronounced.The nursing home administrator said, “That won’t be necessary, Molly. Mr. Larsen is leaving us. He isn’t taking anything with him. You may clear out his room and get it ready for the next resident.”I looked Nurse Ratched in the eye and saw the fires of hell blazing within. Then, it was my turn to smile back.All my therapists had agreed that my rehab was successful. My speech skills were quite restored. My left arm and leg took longer to restore. But it was good enough to ditch the wheelchair, then the walker, then the cane. What really set me back was the grief of losing my wife, and the guilt of not being there when she needed me most.Gunnar’s HouseRoger drove me to my house. I hadn't been there in two years. It looked pathetic. No one bothered shoveling the snow on the walkway, and I feared what my children may have done to the inside. I found the hidden key I placed under a rock years ago and used it to enter through the front door. The living room and dining room furniture were mostly gone, or should I say, stolen. They had rifled through the small office nook next to the kitchen, with papers scattered over the kitchen countertops and floor.I turned and said, “You’re going to have your work cut out for you, Roger.”“This is exactly what you said would happen, Gunnar. Our firm will take care of it for you.”I opened a small drawer in the office nook and thankfully found my passport intact. It was useless to my children. I went to the master bedroom and saw the dresser drawers partially opened, with clothes scattered all about the floor. On top of the dresser was Solvieg’s jewelry box. I opened it, and few things remained. I was glad to see the gold charm bracelet I gave her 35 years ago for Christmas. She wore it a couple of times, then stopped, complaining it turned her wrist green as the fake gold coating wore away. But she kept it all these years. A worn-out trinket to my children, as precious as the Sauron’s Ring of Power to me. I picked it up and put it in the pocket of my sweatpants.I went into the walk-in closet and picked out some clothes, tossed them into an old gym bag, and said, “I’m done. We can go.”Roger said, “The locksmith and security company will meet me here this afternoon. Once they are done, your children will no longer have access.”“I’d rather not have an auction of whatever is left in the house. I don’t think Solveig would have liked that. Once you go through the papers, just throw everything left in a dumpster and haul it away. Whatever the two pirates plundered will be the only inheritance they will ever see from me.”Miller And Mans Law OfficeRoger and I next went to his office. I said hello to Jane, the long-time receptionist. I have always suspected that Jane knows everything that goes on here, and secretly runs the whole place, not unlike the way Nurse Ratched does in her domain. However, Jane does so with more efficiency, happiness, and joy for both clients and staff.Jane asked, “Can I get you anything, Gunnar?”“I’d love a cup of decent coffee, and an Apple Fritter if you have one.”“I’ll bring them to Roger’s office. Two creams and no sugar, if I remember right.”“Perfect, as always, Jane.”We went into Roger’s plush office, and I sat down in a chair more comfortable than any I sat in for the last two years.“Are you actually going to go through with this?” Roger asked.“Every bit of it,” I replied.I signed multiple papers, removing my two children as beneficiaries from my life insurance and investment accounts. I also gave Roger limited power of attorney to sell my house and dispose of its possessions.Jane arrived with the coffee and Apple Fritter. “Norway? Why would anyone want to go to Norway in December?”“Did Roger spill the beans?” I asked.Jane replied, “Every piece of paper that comes into this office passes through my hands. I opened your travel visa when it came in.”“Jane, I can’t spend Christmas here in Minnesota. The bitter wintry weather pales in comparison to the cold hearts of my own two children. The further away from them I am, the better. I’ve never been to Norway and have always wanted to see the 'home country’ of my ancestors.”Like I said, Jane knows all. The coffee tasted great, and the deep-fried Apple Fritter, one of Nursed Ratched’s 'prohibited foods’, was outstanding. Roger slid me a packet labeled 'Gunnar - Norway’. As Jane left, I opened it and looked at the contents. As planned, there was an international cell phone with a different number, a stack of krone, and three new credit cards bearing the name of a fictitious business. I handed Roger my old cell phone.“We’ll dispose of this for you. Your children will have no idea where you are unless they hire a private detective with exceptionally good connections. Legally, they have no rights to any of your assets, so even if somehow they track you to our law office, they will not get past Jane.”I believed Roger on that.“The tour company you asked us to sign you up with seems pretty sketchy. Their contract looks like something generated off a free online legal site. We reviewed it, it is crude, but legal and binding. If you back out, they still get paid. Why did you pick this tour company? There are many larger and more reputable companies we might have booked you with.”“It’s silly, Roger. I know it’s only a one-person company, run by a young vlogger in Norway. It was terribly boring in the nursing home, so I would spend evenings watching her videos as she traveled around Norway visiting various places, and leading small groups of tourists. It looked like the people were having fun and she made me laugh. Watching her videos was one of the few things that brought me any happiness.”“Why did you reserve for four persons?” asked Roger.“I wanted to make sure her Christmas in Norway tour wouldn’t be canceled. She has a four-person minimum.”“You won’t get those other bookings back, even if more people are going.”“I don’t need the money, Roger, but I do need this tour.”“How about clothing? You don’t have many clothes in that gym bag, Gunnar. Do you want to stop somewhere before we get to the airport?”“No. I’ll travel light. It’ll be easier when going through airport security. I’ll buy more clothes when I get to Norway.”“How about after you come back?”“I’m going to someplace warm and sunny. Maybe visit a mouse in Florida. I’ll be in touch if I need anything while I’m in Norway, and call you when I get back in three weeks.”Jorunn, The Tour GuideDecember 15 – Morning, Two Days LaterI spent yesterday shopping for the new clothes I would need. The tour is a mix of city and outdoor activities, so I bought a basic wardrobe, along with good walking shoes, snow pants, a warm jacket, and gloves. I ate lunch and dinner at two smaller restaurants. The food was good, but I felt lonely eating by myself, in a city I didn’t know, in a strange country. I missed Solveig very much and wished she were here with me.The next morning, I walked to the nearby hotel where the tour group would be meeting and followed the “Christmas in Norway Tour” sign to a small room off the lobby. There she was! Jorunn. My vlogger! She was about as tall as I am, at least when I can stand straight, with long blonde hair parted in the middle, clear blue eyes, and her signature radiant smile. She wore a Norwegian Dale sweater and brown pants.Jorunn spoke to me in Norwegian. “Excuse me, sir, this room is reserved for a tour group.”I hobbled closer. “Yes, and I’m one of the people taking the tour.”“We have a pretty active schedule for the next seven days, from December 15th through the 22nd. Do you think you are well enough to take this tour?”I wasn’t sure if I was, but I didn’t want to tell her that. “I won’t slow you down,” I replied.“What is your name?” she asked.“Gunnar Larsen.”She opened a small notebook and flipped through the pages. “It says here you are in a group of four. I see three other names. When are they coming?”“There won’t be any others from my group. One of the names is my recently deceased wife, the other two are my estranged adult children. I’m all there is.”Jorunn looked puzzled. “Only four people in total signed up, including you, all from your group. If the others aren’t coming, then you will be the only one. I don’t… I can’t… I mean, I have reservations I cannot cancel. You’re going to cost me a fortune whether I go through with the tour or not.”I replied, “The contract states that you have a four-person minimum. I am paying you in full for all four people. You won’t lose any money.”Jorunn smirked and looked like she was thinking. “I don’t know if you’re some kind of dirty old man, but if I agree to continue this tour, you should know that we will have separate rooms every night and there will be no sex of any kind. Judging by the way you look; I hope you can at least wipe your own butt!”“Your terms are acceptable. I had a stroke two years ago, but I have mostly recovered. I can walk, talk, and listen. I have trouble with my balance at times and sometimes slur my words. If you think something is too strenuous for me, I am willing to skip that part of the tour.”“Well, Mr. Larsen of Minnesota, you need to sign some release forms. As stated in the contract, I get to film the tour group for my vlogs, so I expect smiles when I am filming you. For now, go help yourself to breakfast. There is coffee, brunost, bread, and milk. Enough to feed four. Don’t expect me to serve you, and if you don’t know how to use a cheese sliver, learn fast.”She looked puzzled earlier but was now the confident Jorunn with whom I spent virtual evenings. I was delighted we worked this out. Smiles would not be a problem.OsloDecember 15 - MorningJorunn left the room and returned shortly with a small basket of food. “We have a lot of brunost left over, so I am going to make us a food packet for lunch called matpakke. I have a place in mind where we can sit and picnic.”“We will use the Vy app and Oslo Pass and travel by train and Metro. But today, we will mainly walk around Oslo. You will need to check into this hotel under the tour name if you have not done so. We will be in Oslo for two nights. The prepaid room is part of your tour package. I will try to cancel or change some reservations. Meet me back here in one hour.”I went back to my hotel to retrieve my belongings, then checked into the one Jorunn requested. It was not as nice as the one I left, but it was clean, and I did not want to make a fuss on the first day. I purchased a surprising amount of clothing yesterday and needed to make two trips to bring everything over. Then I returned to the meeting room and found Jorunn waiting.Jorunn and I walked from the hotel to Oslo Central Station and took a tram to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. Jorunn told me it is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist, Gustav Vigeland, with over two hundred sculptures combining the human form with an element of fantasy. Most figures were naked, with a mix of vagueness and rather notably open precision. The most prominent sculpture was a 17-meter-high monolith consisting of 121 intertwined human figures clambering to the top, carved from a single stone block. We spent over an hour walking the grounds, and while it was interesting, I told Jorunn that I didn’t see much in the way of Christmas here.A combination of walking and a short bus ride brought us to the grounds of the Akershus Fortress. Constructed in the 13th century, it protects the waterfront and Oslo harbor. Also on the site was the restored Akershus Castle, which was formerly a residence of prior kings of Norway. Jorunn said it serves today as an entertainment and event center for the Norwegian government, and this close to Christmas was not open to the public.I found it challenging to walk the grounds of the Fortress, as there were steep inclines mixed with stone steps and cobblestone paths. Remnants of a prior snowstorm still lingered in shady areas and under arches, making the footing treacherous. We did stop at places offering magnificent views of the city of Oslo, the bay, and the fjord, and several ramparts still bore cannons. Jorunn was rather businesslike and did not seem to be enjoyin

The Homeland calls for Gunnar, And So Does Love.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.‘You are the Tin Man. This tour; is the Oil Can. Figure it out.'A recently widowed Norwegian American plans his escape from a Minnesota nursing home to travel abroad and join a ‘Christmas in Norway Tour’. While battling his fears, he meets a beautiful young tour guide and her divorced mother, who years later, still bears scars from her unfaithful husband’s affair. This story is about overcoming those fears to let healing begin. This story picks up after that, and shows the lingering effects of a husband’s extra-marital affair on his family. This is also a Christmas story, so expect to travel to locations in Norway, encounter Norwegian Christmas traditions, and maybe even get sprinkled with pixie-dust!“A man has only one escape from his old self: to see a different self - in the mirror of some woman’s eyes” - Clare Booth LucePrequel: The Ruined ChristmasOslo, Norway - Three Years AgoMy name is Jorunn. As a Norwegian landsby girl, Mamma and I spent Christmas week in Bergen, visiting her family and celebrating my 22nd birthday. We decided to leave Bergen two days early so that Pappa would not have to celebrate New Year’s Eve alone. During the week, while we were away, Pappa told us how he missed us.We arrived back home in mid-afternoon, just as the sun was setting, and saw our Christmas Star lit up in the window. After entering the house, we heard Pappa moaning upstairs and went up to see if he was all right. Opening the bedroom door, we saw him humping a strange woman!“What are you doing?” shouted Mamma.Pappa replied, “Leah, you’re home early.”“Who is this woman?”“She’s just a slut. She means nothing to me.”The woman yelped, “I am not a slut! I am a happily married woman.”Mamma yelled, “I can see what keeps you happy.”Pappa yelled back, “I still love you, Leah. Let me get rid of this slut. She’s only here because I was lonely. We can talk.”Mamma replied, “You can talk to my advokater. We’re through! How can I ever trust you again, you bastard? Do you realize what you have done to our family!”Mamma began sobbing and ran down the stairs.Pappa looked at me and said, “Jorunn, none of this would have happened if your mother hadn’t come home early and seen us.”I looked at Pappa and saw his slime-covered beard slick with the woman’s juices. “You’re wrong Pappa. It did happen. Mamma and I just wouldn’t have known. You said you didn’t want to be seen by us. That works both ways! I don’t ever want to talk to you or see you ever again!”I ran downstairs to Mamma, and with our suitcases still in the boot, we drove to a friend’s house.Gunnar and Nurse RatchedDecember 13 - MorningMinneapolis, Minnesota - Present DayI pressed the button on my cell phone and hung up after talking with Roger Mans, my long-time friend and attorney. My two adult children texted a few days ago they wanted to visit me here in the nursing home. I had not seen them since the funeral of my wife, Solveig, and that was two months ago. Their plan was for me to sign their power of attorney forms, giving them full control over me and my affairs. But my plan was different, and now was time to put it into place.Two years ago, at just 54 years old, I had a stroke. A devastating paralysis left me needing a lot of care, and therapy to regain my mobility, speech, and other functions.I realized Solveig was unable to care for me at our home. She tried with all her heart, but she was also fighting her own battle with cancer, and undergoing her own rigorous treatments.So I decided to enter a nursing home, while I continued to get rehab. I wanted a facility with a stroke recovery unit. This limited my nursing home choices. The only thing making life bearable here, was Solveig faithfully visiting me, and sneaking an occasional home-cooked meal past the head nurse and her staff. Sadly, Solveig succumbed to the cancer while I was still a resident at the ‘Bethel Retirement Center'. At Solveig’s funeral, my children promised to visit often, but as usual, I could never count on them for anything.Without my wife here to check on things, my decent clothes never came back from the laundry, and instead, the staff returned excuses. I put on old sweatpants and an old sweatshirt. It would do for now. I prepared myself for this day by walking the halls of the nursing home, attending physical therapy sessions, and taking care of myself without help from the staff. Still not fully recovered, but like my clothing, it would do for now.I said goodbye to Alfred, my shared roommate. He nodded, wished me luck, and said he would love to go with me. I felt sorry for him. He was a great storyteller but needed to use his walker, and physically, he required the kind of care they provided here.I walked down the hall to the nurse’s station and found Molly Turner, the rather brusque chief nurse, and her two assistants sitting behind it. “Good morning, Nurse Ratched,” I said.“Good day to you, Gunnar,” she replied.“I’m checking out,” I said.“Be serious, Gunnar. No one ever checks out of a nursing home, unless they are flat on their back with a toe tag.”I looked at her and smiled, “I only hope that will be your Fate, Molly.”“That’s not a nice thing to say, Gunnar. Now, return to your room or I will have dietary take away your rice pudding for a week.”The rice pudding here was a pale imitation of the riskrem, which Solvieg would make every Christmas. I would miss it this year. I gave Nurse Ratched a one-fingered salute, then walked toward the exit. There was a scramble of squeaky chairs and shouts behind me, and I heard their footsteps closing in on me. As I pushed the two doors open to the main lobby, there was Roger, standing next to the nursing home administrator. I walked up to my lawyer, and shook his hand, “Thank you, old friend.”I turned to see a stunned Nurse Ratched. “Allow me to escort Mr. Larsen back to his room,” she meekly pronounced.The nursing home administrator said, “That won’t be necessary, Molly. Mr. Larsen is leaving us. He isn’t taking anything with him. You may clear out his room and get it ready for the next resident.”I looked Nurse Ratched in the eye and saw the fires of hell blazing within. Then, it was my turn to smile back.All my therapists had agreed that my rehab was successful. My speech skills were quite restored. My left arm and leg took longer to restore. But it was good enough to ditch the wheelchair, then the walker, then the cane. What really set me back was the grief of losing my wife, and the guilt of not being there when she needed me most.Gunnar’s HouseRoger drove me to my house. I hadn't been there in two years. It looked pathetic. No one bothered shoveling the snow on the walkway, and I feared what my children may have done to the inside. I found the hidden key I placed under a rock years ago and used it to enter through the front door. The living room and dining room furniture were mostly gone, or should I say, stolen. They had rifled through the small office nook next to the kitchen, with papers scattered over the kitchen countertops and floor.I turned and said, “You’re going to have your work cut out for you, Roger.”“This is exactly what you said would happen, Gunnar. Our firm will take care of it for you.”I opened a small drawer in the office nook and thankfully found my passport intact. It was useless to my children. I went to the master bedroom and saw the dresser drawers partially opened, with clothes scattered all about the floor. On top of the dresser was Solvieg’s jewelry box. I opened it, and few things remained. I was glad to see the gold charm bracelet I gave her 35 years ago for Christmas. She wore it a couple of times, then stopped, complaining it turned her wrist green as the fake gold coating wore away. But she kept it all these years. A worn-out trinket to my children, as precious as the Sauron’s Ring of Power to me. I picked it up and put it in the pocket of my sweatpants.I went into the walk-in closet and picked out some clothes, tossed them into an old gym bag, and said, “I’m done. We can go.”Roger said, “The locksmith and security company will meet me here this afternoon. Once they are done, your children will no longer have access.”“I’d rather not have an auction of whatever is left in the house. I don’t think Solveig would have liked that. Once you go through the papers, just throw everything left in a dumpster and haul it away. Whatever the two pirates plundered will be the only inheritance they will ever see from me.”Miller And Mans Law OfficeRoger and I next went to his office. I said hello to Jane, the long-time receptionist. I have always suspected that Jane knows everything that goes on here, and secretly runs the whole place, not unlike the way Nurse Ratched does in her domain. However, Jane does so with more efficiency, happiness, and joy for both clients and staff.Jane asked, “Can I get you anything, Gunnar?”“I’d love a cup of decent coffee, and an Apple Fritter if you have one.”“I’ll bring them to Roger’s office. Two creams and no sugar, if I remember right.”“Perfect, as always, Jane.”We went into Roger’s plush office, and I sat down in a chair more comfortable than any I sat in for the last two years.“Are you actually going to go through with this?” Roger asked.“Every bit of it,” I replied.I signed multiple papers, removing my two children as beneficiaries from my life insurance and investment accounts. I also gave Roger limited power of attorney to sell my house and dispose of its possessions.Jane arrived with the coffee and Apple Fritter. “Norway? Why would anyone want to go to Norway in December?”“Did Roger spill the beans?” I asked.Jane replied, “Every piece of paper that comes into this office passes through my hands. I opened your travel visa when it came in.”“Jane, I can’t spend Christmas here in Minnesota. The bitter wintry weather pales in comparison to the cold hearts of my own two children. The further away from them I am, the better. I’ve never been to Norway and have always wanted to see the 'home country’ of my ancestors.”Like I said, Jane knows all. The coffee tasted great, and the deep-fried Apple Fritter, one of Nursed Ratched’s 'prohibited foods’, was outstanding. Roger slid me a packet labeled 'Gunnar - Norway’. As Jane left, I opened it and looked at the contents. As planned, there was an international cell phone with a different number, a stack of krone, and three new credit cards bearing the name of a fictitious business. I handed Roger my old cell phone.“We’ll dispose of this for you. Your children will have no idea where you are unless they hire a private detective with exceptionally good connections. Legally, they have no rights to any of your assets, so even if somehow they track you to our law office, they will not get past Jane.”I believed Roger on that.“The tour company you asked us to sign you up with seems pretty sketchy. Their contract looks like something generated off a free online legal site. We reviewed it, it is crude, but legal and binding. If you back out, they still get paid. Why did you pick this tour company? There are many larger and more reputable companies we might have booked you with.”“It’s silly, Roger. I know it’s only a one-person company, run by a young vlogger in Norway. It was terribly boring in the nursing home, so I would spend evenings watching her videos as she traveled around Norway visiting various places, and leading small groups of tourists. It looked like the people were having fun and she made me laugh. Watching her videos was one of the few things that brought me any happiness.”“Why did you reserve for four persons?” asked Roger.“I wanted to make sure her Christmas in Norway tour wouldn’t be canceled. She has a four-person minimum.”“You won’t get those other bookings back, even if more people are going.”“I don’t need the money, Roger, but I do need this tour.”“How about clothing? You don’t have many clothes in that gym bag, Gunnar. Do you want to stop somewhere before we get to the airport?”“No. I’ll travel light. It’ll be easier when going through airport security. I’ll buy more clothes when I get to Norway.”“How about after you come back?”“I’m going to someplace warm and sunny. Maybe visit a mouse in Florida. I’ll be in touch if I need anything while I’m in Norway, and call you when I get back in three weeks.”Jorunn, The Tour GuideDecember 15 – Morning, Two Days LaterI spent yesterday shopping for the new clothes I would need. The tour is a mix of city and outdoor activities, so I bought a basic wardrobe, along with good walking shoes, snow pants, a warm jacket, and gloves. I ate lunch and dinner at two smaller restaurants. The food was good, but I felt lonely eating by myself, in a city I didn’t know, in a strange country. I missed Solveig very much and wished she were here with me.The next morning, I walked to the nearby hotel where the tour group would be meeting and followed the “Christmas in Norway Tour” sign to a small room off the lobby. There she was! Jorunn. My vlogger! She was about as tall as I am, at least when I can stand straight, with long blonde hair parted in the middle, clear blue eyes, and her signature radiant smile. She wore a Norwegian Dale sweater and brown pants.Jorunn spoke to me in Norwegian. “Excuse me, sir, this room is reserved for a tour group.”I hobbled closer. “Yes, and I’m one of the people taking the tour.”“We have a pretty active schedule for the next seven days, from December 15th through the 22nd. Do you think you are well enough to take this tour?”I wasn’t sure if I was, but I didn’t want to tell her that. “I won’t slow you down,” I replied.“What is your name?” she asked.“Gunnar Larsen.”She opened a small notebook and flipped through the pages. “It says here you are in a group of four. I see three other names. When are they coming?”“There won’t be any others from my group. One of the names is my recently deceased wife, the other two are my estranged adult children. I’m all there is.”Jorunn looked puzzled. “Only four people in total signed up, including you, all from your group. If the others aren’t coming, then you will be the only one. I don’t… I can’t… I mean, I have reservations I cannot cancel. You’re going to cost me a fortune whether I go through with the tour or not.”I replied, “The contract states that you have a four-person minimum. I am paying you in full for all four people. You won’t lose any money.”Jorunn smirked and looked like she was thinking. “I don’t know if you’re some kind of dirty old man, but if I agree to continue this tour, you should know that we will have separate rooms every night and there will be no sex of any kind. Judging by the way you look; I hope you can at least wipe your own butt!”“Your terms are acceptable. I had a stroke two years ago, but I have mostly recovered. I can walk, talk, and listen. I have trouble with my balance at times and sometimes slur my words. If you think something is too strenuous for me, I am willing to skip that part of the tour.”“Well, Mr. Larsen of Minnesota, you need to sign some release forms. As stated in the contract, I get to film the tour group for my vlogs, so I expect smiles when I am filming you. For now, go help yourself to breakfast. There is coffee, brunost, bread, and milk. Enough to feed four. Don’t expect me to serve you, and if you don’t know how to use a cheese sliver, learn fast.”She looked puzzled earlier but was now the confident Jorunn with whom I spent virtual evenings. I was delighted we worked this out. Smiles would not be a problem.OsloDecember 15 - MorningJorunn left the room and returned shortly with a small basket of food. “We have a lot of brunost left over, so I am going to make us a food packet for lunch called matpakke. I have a place in mind where we can sit and picnic.”“We will use the Vy app and Oslo Pass and travel by train and Metro. But today, we will mainly walk around Oslo. You will need to check into this hotel under the tour name if you have not done so. We will be in Oslo for two nights. The prepaid room is part of your tour package. I will try to cancel or change some reservations. Meet me back here in one hour.”I went back to my hotel to retrieve my belongings, then checked into the one Jorunn requested. It was not as nice as the one I left, but it was clean, and I did not want to make a fuss on the first day. I purchased a surprising amount of clothing yesterday and needed to make two trips to bring everything over. Then I returned to the meeting room and found Jorunn waiting.Jorunn and I walked from the hotel to Oslo Central Station and took a tram to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. Jorunn told me it is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist, Gustav Vigeland, with over two hundred sculptures combining the human form with an element of fantasy. Most figures were naked, with a mix of vagueness and rather notably open precision. The most prominent sculpture was a 17-meter-high monolith consisting of 121 intertwined human figures clambering to the top, carved from a single stone block. We spent over an hour walking the grounds, and while it was interesting, I told Jorunn that I didn’t see much in the way of Christmas here.A combination of walking and a short bus ride brought us to the grounds of the Akershus Fortress. Constructed in the 13th century, it protects the waterfront and Oslo harbor. Also on the site was the restored Akershus Castle, which was formerly a residence of prior kings of Norway. Jorunn said it serves today as an entertainment and event center for the Norwegian government, and this close to Christmas was not open to the public.I found it challenging to walk the grounds of the Fortress, as there were steep inclines mixed with stone steps and cobblestone paths. Remnants of a prior snowstorm still lingered in shady areas and under arches, making the footing treacherous. We did stop at places offering magnificent views of the city of Oslo, the bay, and the fjord, and several ramparts still bore cannons. Jorunn was rather businesslike and did not seem to be enjoyin

Vi er inne i en taleserie kalt "Helt fri", og vi har besøk av Magne og Jorunn Bjørkhaug fra "Hel gjennom Kristus" (https://hgknorge.no). Først legger Magne et bibelsk grunnlag for hvordan Jesus kom for å sette oss fri fra tyngende synd, smertefulle sår, usunne bånd og plagende ånder. Deretter forteller Jorunn et sterkt vitnesbyrd om en venninne fra Uganda, som først ble satt fri fra mye smerte og sinne - og som nå hjelper andre ut i frihet!

I denne episoden av 'I Pottemakerens Hus' møter vi Jorunn Lossius, en kvinne som har kjent på angst rundt sykdommen brystkreft, men har valgt å gå inn i storpolitikken. Hun deler sine erfaringer med tro, politikk og kampen for KrF, samt sin personlige reise gjennom kreftbehandling. Jorunn diskuterer også viktige politiske temaer som abort, dødshjelp og kjønn, og hvordan disse påvirker samfunnet. Hennes sterke tro har vært en kilde til styrke i møte med utfordringer.

Fra gudstjeneste 23.03.25

Employer branding handler om så mye mer enn bare rekruttering og å tiltrekke seg nyansatte! Men hva er det egentlig? Hvorfor er det så viktig at hele organisasjonen har samme mål? Og hvordan kan man jobbe på en måte som gjør at man lykkes?I dag har vi selebert besøk av Ellen Jorunn Bergem som er ansvarlig for Employer Branding i Rema 1000 og Reitan Retail, en organisasjon med 46.000 ansatte fordelt på 7 land!Ellen gir oss et fascinerende innblikk i prosessen med å bygge og implementere en solid og suksessrik employer branding strategi, hvilken innsikt hun har fått på veien og hvordan en slik prosess omfavner alle aspekter av organisasjonen. Og om du ikke har masse ressurser i organisasjonen får du hennes beste tips til:Hvordan komme i gang med employer branding arbeidettips til «low hanging fruits" - små ting man kan gjøre som ikke koster så mye, men som gjør en stor forskjell!Det enkle er ofte det beste – hva betyr egentlig det?Vi lover deg en inspirerende lytteropplevelse på temaet

I ukens episode kan du høre historien om Jorunn (88) som ble den første i landet til å motta digital hjemmesykepleie. Det er Tønsberg kommune som for noen uker tilbake lanserte den nye digitale hjemmesykepleien. Tønsberg og andre kommuner står overfor store utfordringer de neste årene. Vi lever lenger, og får færre barn. Kommunene mangler penger, og det koster samfunnet stadig mer å opprettholde et godt og trygt helsetilbud. Vi vet også at det ikke finnes nok fagfolk. Hvordan har det gått, hva kan andre kommuner lære av dette og hvordan løser vi de store flokene?Ukens gjester er Frode Hestnes, kommunalsjef helse i Tønsberg kommune, og Miriam Standal, virksomhetsleder i Tønsberg kommune, og Pamela Montero, rådgiver velferdsteknologi i Atea. Programleder er Christian Brosstad, Atea. Dette er et LIVE-opptak fra Norges største e-helsekonferanse, EHiN. Opptaket er bearbeidet ved hjelp av kunstig intelligens (AI). Redaksjonen: Peter Tryggestad, Marius Wang og Jonas Mathiassen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Første episode av vår bokklubb, T.U.L.L er nå tilgjengelig på vår Patron Podcast feed.  Fra første øyeblikk kastet vi oss ut i en engasjert diskusjon! I kapittel 1 presenterer forfatteren Irvin Khaytman en rekke grundige påstander som han mener beviser at Dumbledore la forholdene til rette for at trioen skulle komme seg gjennom utfordringene til de vises stein. Målet? Å gi Harry sjansen til å møte en svekket versjon av Voldemort. Anna og Jorunn, sammen med våre kjære Patreons, bryter ned argumentene og deler våre perspektiver på om dette faktisk kan stemme. Hva lander vi på? Er Dumbledore en godhjertet mentor eller en manipulerende mastermind?  Kunne du tenke deg å få tilgang til denne episoden, eller enda bedre; være med i diskusjonen, meld deg inn i vår Patreon som O.W.L eller N.E.W.T medlem og bli med når vi dukker videre inn i neste kapittel. patreon.com/user?u=80363061

Første episode av vår bokklubb, T.U.L.L er nå tilgjengelig på vår Patron Podcast feed.  Fra første øyeblikk kastet vi oss ut i en engasjert diskusjon! I kapittel 1 presenterer forfatteren Irvin Khaytman en rekke grundige påstander som han mener beviser at Dumbledore la forholdene til rette for at trioen skulle komme seg gjennom utfordringene til de vises stein. Målet? Å gi Harry sjansen til å møte en svekket versjon av Voldemort. Anna og Jorunn, sammen med våre kjære Patreons, bryter ned argumentene og deler våre perspektiver på om dette faktisk kan stemme. Hva lander vi på? Er Dumbledore en godhjertet mentor eller en manipulerende mastermind?  Kunne du tenke deg å få tilgang til denne episoden, eller enda bedre; være med i diskusjonen, meld deg inn i vår Patreon som O.W.L eller N.E.W.T medlem og bli med når vi dukker videre inn i neste kapittel. patreon.com/user?u=80363061

This week the SOL Citizens are joined by leaders Jorunn (890 Jump Club), Onidrem and Xillius (Black Star) and Togy (Overkill) as we discuss what it takes to build, manage and grow an organization while Star Citizen is in development! Featuring: CaptainSeriousFun, GrifinGamingRPG and JadeStarwatcher Merchandise: Streamlabs Store: https://streamlabs.com/solcitizens/merch Design by Humans: https://www.designbyhumans.com/shop/SOLCitizens/ SOL CITIZENS are supporters and backers covering the development of Cloud Imperium Games upcoming games "STAR CITIZEN" and "SQUADRON 42". Patreon: patreon/solcitizens Twitch: twitch.tv/solcitizens Twitter: twitter.com/solcitizens

Det er på tide med neste runde i vår interne konkurranse: Hvem er verst? Etter to runder hvor henholdsvis Umbridge og Filch stakk av med seieren. I denne episode setter Anna og Jorunn den pågående journalisten; Rita Skeeter, Dracos kjære pappa; Lucius Malfoy, den stammende professor Quirinus Quirrell og vår minst likte varulv (for ja, Anna og Jorunn kan godt like en varulv de); Fenrir Greyback, opp mot hverandre. Hvem er verst? Lett tenker du kanskje? Eller blir det en like overraskende seier som sist?

Det er på tide med neste runde i vår interne konkurranse: Hvem er verst? Etter to runder hvor henholdsvis Umbridge og Filch stakk av med seieren. I denne episode setter Anna og Jorunn den pågående journalisten; Rita Skeeter, Dracos kjære pappa; Lucius Malfoy, den stammende professor Quirinus Quirrell og vår minst likte varulv (for ja, Anna og Jorunn kan godt like en varulv de); Fenrir Greyback, opp mot hverandre. Hvem er verst? Lett tenker du kanskje? Eller blir det en like overraskende seier som sist?

Hvorfor har Goliat blitt én meter kortere? Og hva er grunnen til at oversetterne har valgt ordet «slave» istedenfor «tjener»? Bibelen blir mer sitert i offentligheten i dag enn for 100 år siden. Og med så mye spisskompetanse vandrende rundt Bibelselskapets podkaststudio, måtte vi bare lage en spesialepisode om den nye Bibel 2024. Norges fremste bibel og språknerder tar oss med bak bibelkulissene: Jorunn Økland - professor og leder av Bibelselskapets Oversettelsesutvalg og Julian K Lysvik - seniorrådgiver for Bibelselskapets oversettelsesseksjon. Samtalen ledes av forlagssjef og kulturmisjonveteran Arne Christian Konradsen. Abonner på Areopagos' nyhetsbrev: https://areopagos.no/bli-med/abonner-nyhetsbrev Musikk: David Pollen / Doydank og David Pollen og Kjetil Jerve, også kjent som Everhaunt.

Har du opplevd øyeblikk som er så intense at de skjærer gjennom hverdagens kjas og mas? At du plutselig ikke savner noe som helst og at alt har en egen fylde? Dagens gjest er Jorunn Bråten. Jorunn jobber som veileder og kursholder innen livsstilsendring og folkehelse. I episoden snakker vi om: - Tilstedeværelse som konsept og som indre klang - Om sang med indre klang - Om intensitet, delfiner og oppvask - Om forfengelighet og prestasjonstrang - Om avslappet oppmerksomhet

Endelig får vi en oppdatering fra Jorunn som du ble kjent med i episoden "Jesus-bildet på veggen", som kom ut 8. februar. Jorunn har undersøkt det hun fikk vite av Lilli, og særlig én opplysning viste seg å bli ekstra interessant... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jorunn hadde nettopp flyttet fra barndomshjemmet, og huset står helt tomt. En dag når hun skal tilbake for å sjekke at alt er greit, ser hun at det plutselig henger et Jesus-bilde på veggen. Men ingen andre hadde mulighet til å låse seg inn og henge opp bildet. Hvem har vært i hjemmet? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hva bør du som trener, lagkamerat eller forelder gjøre om du ser en utøver som sliter? Konsekvensene kan være store hvis idrettsutøvere får i seg mindre energi enn de trenger. Er relativ energimangel noe annet enn spiseforstyrrelser? Mellom-og langdistanseløper Andrea Modin Engesæth forteller om hvordan det er å gå gjennom en helseattest hvert år, og hvordan hun har kjent på utfordringen ved å få i seg nok energi.  Jorunn Sundgot Borgen og Anne Marte Pensgaard er eksperter på spiseforstyrrelser og idrettspsykologi. De forteller hva du bør se etter, hvem som er mest utsatt og gir deg sine best tips til hvordan du kan hjelpe.  Programledere er Christina Gjestvang og Gjermund Erikstein-Midtbø. Redigerer er Eskil Byrkjeland.

Denne uken utforsker Uglepost motivasjonen back Percys valg om å vende familien ryggen. Jorunn har nok en gang latt seg inspirere av TikTok og Reddit, og med utgangspunkt i teorier derfra diskuterer vi hva som ligger til grunn for Percys valg. Er det faktisk motivert av hans egne ambisjoner og opplevelsen av at Arthurs snodige interesser hindrer ham. Eller kan det være andre grunner som ligger til grunne? Vi utforsker familiedynamikken som en mulig dypere årsak, og drøfter også om valget kan være forankret i samfunnets etablerte hierarki og Percy sin opplevelsen av å være pureblood uten rikdom og status.

«Det norske vi var et annet før og etter aids», skriver Ketil Slagstad i sin nye bok Det ligger i blodet – epidemien som forandret Norge.Aids er et traume i det homofile miljøet som fortsatt sitter i: frykten, skammen, stigmatiseringen, dødsfallene. Men historien om aids handler også om synliggjøring av flere utsatte grupper, om store endringer i det norske helsevesenet, om utvikling av nye lover og medisinske metoder, om samarbeid mellom staten og aktivister, og om dannelsen av nye foreninger og fellesskap.I Det ligger i blodet tar Slagstad for seg aidsens historie i Norge, fra midten av 1970-tallet til effektive medisiner kom på banen mot slutten av 1990-tallet. Samtidig beskriver han hvordan epidemien endret det norske helsevesenet, forholdet mellom individ og stat, og hvordan den medisinske vitenskapen så på seg selv.Ketil Slagstad er lege og historiker, for tiden ansatt som postdoktor ved Charité universitetssykehus i Berlin. Han har lenge vært interessert i historien til hiv/aids i Norge, og Det ligger i blodet er resultatet av mange år med forskning, arkivarbeid og intervjuer.Jorunn Saatvedt Prusik ble smittet med hiv tidlig på 1980-tallet, og er en av de som har levd lengst med diagnosen i Norge. Hun er også en av grunnleggerne av organisasjonen Pluss, en av forgjengerne til HivNorge. Prusik kommer for å fortelle om sin erfaring fra hiv/aids-miljøet og møtet med helsevesenet på 80- og 90-tallet.Bjørn André Widvey er rådgiver ved Skeivt arkiv, hvor han blant annet har intervjuet flere tidsvitner om aids-epidemien. Nå møtes Slagstad, Prusik og Widvey til samtale om norsk aids-historie og utviklingen av det norske velferdssamfunnet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I tillegg til: Samlivstips fra jente 23 - Porselenspute - Prest skal ta hallis Episoden kan inneholde målrettet reklame, basert på din IP-adresse, enhet og posisjon. Se smartpod.no/personvern for informasjon og dine valg om deling av data.

Markus 10, 17 - 27 | Jorunn Bergo Aarvik | Søndagsgudstjeneste 25.6.2023 by Salem Bergen

Denne podcasten er et live-klipp av kunstnersamtalen mellom Ann Cathrin November Høibo & Jorunn Veiteberg som fant sted 27. april 2023. Den gir innblikk i utstillingen "Søvn er livets Sum" i Kristiansand Kunsthall.

Have you ever had your colors done? Do you know what colors look best on you? Does your wardrobe reflect the colors that you love to wear?Jorunn Hernes is a Personal Color Analyst and founder of the “Yes, I Woke Up Like This” - A Scandinavian Way Of Looking Quietly Fabulous. Jorunn is passionate about fighting impostor syndrome one color at a time, never tires of talking about the joy of dressing with less, can think of 57 reasons to keep your natural hair color and has a sourdough named Sébastien.In this episode, Jorunn and I discuss what it means to be comfortable in your own skin, how a proper wardrobe can be essential to women's empowerment, and how to combat the imposter syndrome.HERE ARE 3 TIPS TO HELP YOU ON YOUR ROAD TO SELF-EMPOWERMENTFind the colors that make you show up in your life like yourself and not like some wimpy copy of whatever is fashionable.Use your colors. It will help you feel comfortable in your own skin.Your colors (your Season) stay the same all through your life. Once you know them, you can always use them. In fact, it's even more important to use our best colors as we age.CONNECT WITH JORUNN HERNESWEB to learn about color and style https://www.nordicsimplicity.com/PODCAST to have fun listening to color https://www.chrysaliscolour.com/category/podcast/PINTEREST to explore Season images https://no.pinterest.com/fargeporten/boards/INSTAGRAM for sporadic bursts of color inspiration https://www.instagram.com/fargeporten/ARE YOU OR IS SOMEONE YOU KNOW CARRYING THE HEAVY EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE OF A DIVORCE? A WOMAN'S EMPOWERMENT JOURNEY CAN BE STOPPED DEAD IN ITS TRACKS BY DIVORCE, BUT THERE IS A SOLUTION. IT IS POSSIBLE TO TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE AND START YOUR OWN EMOTIONAL RECOVERY. I WAS ABLE TO, AND YOU CAN TOO!Curious to know where you are? To know what the answer is, you have to find the place to begin. Your first step is to assess where you are.Use this free tool to find out where you are and what's holding you back from a new and exciting life after divorce. Click here: https://herselfexpression.com/divorce-recovery-program-1/#DRQuizEmpowerment should be a goal for all women, not just those who have been through divorce. The Her Self Expression Podcast provides critical information and actionable steps to help you on your journey, whether you've been divorced or not. In addition to this episode, you can listen to all of our episodes at https://herselfexpression.com/podcastJOIN THESE TWO COMMUNITIES ON FACEBOOK AND LINKEDIN TO FIND OTHER WOMEN WHO YOU CAN CONNECT WITH, SHARE, AND GROW TOGETHER, Her Self Expression Sisterhood on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/herselfexpressionsisterhoodHer Self Expression Network on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14119012/WANT TO CONNECT WITH BEVERLY PRICE

In our final podcast of 2022, we talk about why we prefer habits to resolutions and how we make and keep up with our own habits. We also share our personal and colour intentions for 2023 and offer a colour challenge to the 4 main Season groups that may last the whole year! Duration: 36.39 min. SHOW NOTES Photo credit by Liveology Yoga Magazine: https://unsplash.com/photos/ITX5YZX4lV8 Christine's website is 12 Blueprints. Jorunn's website is Nordic Simplicity.  Project333 for building a habit of living with less clothes: https://bemorewithless.com/project-333/  Nordic Simplicity for Wardrobe Enchantment, a free online course to rejuvenate your wardrobe: https://www.nordicsimplicity.com/courses/wardrobe-enchantment  Duolingo for learning a new language: https://www.duolingo.com/  Book about building habits: Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/1847941842/ref=sr_1_1?crid=307QU6F6K1RPU&keywords=atomic+habits+book+james+clear+paperback&qid=1668756862&sprefix=atomic+habits+paperback+book%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1  The history of new years resolutions at History.com: https://www.history.com/news/the-history-of-new-years-resolutions New York Post article on how long resolutions last: https://nypost.com/2020/01/28/the-average-american-abandons-their-new-years-resolution-by-this-date/  Christine's workouts on YouTube with Sydney Cummings Houdyshell: https://www.youtube.com/@sydneycummingshoudyshell   Comments or Questions? Please visit Chrysalis Colour to find each episode in the Podcast directory and add your thoughts in the Comments box. We'd love to talk!  

Star Citizen discussion can be incredibly polarized, and while it's good to focus on the less extreme opinions surrounding the game, sometimes the best points are made in passion. For this episode I brought together voices of the Star Citizen community that tend towards different feelings about the game to discuss the best and worst parts of it.

We answer general and Season-specific questions from our audience about colour analysis and how to apply their colour palette to their own appearance. General: Should I change my lipstick with different outfits? (3.21) Bright Winter: How does an introvert wear bright colours? (10.01) Bright Winter: Choosing eyeglass frames. (17.55) Dark Autumn: Looking for new colour inspiration and combinations. (27.36) Light Spring and Light Summer: How to find clothes in cold weather? (37.54) Light Spring: Should  my jewelry be lightweight? (45.45) Light Spring: Will I look too young in my colours? (51.22) True Summer: How do I  wear a colour pop? (54.27) True Summer: Have I become a Soft Summer with age? (1.00) Duration total: 60 minutes SHOW NOTES Photo credit: Vadim Bogulov on Unsplash Email:  jorunn@nordicsimplicity.com Email: christine@12blueprints.com Jorunn Newsletter sign up: https://www.nordicsimplicity.com/get-nordic-style/ Christine YouTube channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWAl7a5sop4LfXMiQtEwWw Eyeglasses podcast: https://www.chrysaliscolour.com/episode-23-eyeglass-frames-with-debi-rushworth/ Changing Season with age podcast: https://www.chrysaliscolour.com/episode-3-changing-colours-with-maturity/ Fabric Colour Sets at 12 Blueprints: https://12blueprints.com/collections/fabric-colours-set StyleScience Pinterest Boards: https://www.pinterest.ca/florentinamossou/_saved/ Jorunn's  blog post on looking better with eyeglasses: https://www.nordicsimplicity.com/3-tricks-to-look-better/     

Apostlenes gjerninger 8, 26 - 40 | Jorunn B. Aarvik | Søndagsgudstjeneste 19.6.2022 by Salem Bergen

Most games aren't publicly developed for as long as Star Citizen, so most gaming communities don't develop the same way. Star Citizen's community is unique, and one of the best parts of the game. Let's look at how the community has changed as the project went from tech demo to proper alpha, and how the community might change in the future. Today's Guests: Jorunn: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StarCitizenJorunn Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/jorunnsc Yacht Club Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/YachtClubBC Stim Citizen: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Stim_Citizen Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/SpaceTomato Paypal | https://paypal.me/SpaceTomatoPays Ko-Fi | https://ko-fi.com/spacetomatogaming Follow Space Tomato on social media: Website | https://www.SpaceTomatoGaming.com Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/SpaceTomato My Other Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPYlj5jmsH2_cmumBB6Jv1w Instagram | https://instagram.com/SpaceTomatoGaming Twitter | https://twitter.com/SpaceTomatoGMG Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/Space-Tomato-104355834643773 Discord | https://discord.gg/DZ7tvSU --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/launchsequence/support

We discuss the values and limitations of Season stereotypes, those categories that describe 'average' or 'general' appearances of persons in each of the 12 groups of natural colouring. Where do they come from,  why do they exist, and how might they help or hinder us with our own colour choices? Duration total: 48.03 minutes   SHOW NOTES Christine's YouTube video, Autumn Progressions, Part 4.  Terry's blog post, The Misunderstood Season, at Chrysalis Colour.  Jorunn's blog post, Dark Autumn Inspiration Without Using Brown, at Nordic Simplicity. Jorunn's blog post, Soft Summer Inspiration Without Using Blue, at Chrysalis Colour.   Jorunn's book reference at Amazon:  Chrysalis Colour to find each episode in the Podcast directory and add your thoughts in the Comments box. We'd love to talk!

With the death of Aud the Deep-Minded and the marriage of her son Olaf Feilan at the end of last episode, you'd expect that we'd be following up on the trajectory of Olaf's life in this one. Instead, we stick to the saga's structure and dive into the life of Olaf's nephew, Hoskuld, the son of Dala-Koll and Olaf's sister, Thorgerd. But don't worry, there's plenty of drama to delight you, even if the saga is still holding back on the bloodshed. In this episode, the widow Thorgerd finds true love, and a new baby, in the arms of a Norwegian. Will this complicate things for her first-born son Hoskuld? You bet it will. And speaking of Hoskuld. How will he handle the responsibilities of running his late father's farm and acting as a leading man in the district? If you guessed that he would sail off to Norway on a shopping trip to make some home improvements, you were right! But the real drama of this episode starts when Hoskuld brings home a bit more than lumber. What could he have brought back to Iceland that sends his wife Jorunn into a sock-flailing rage? Listen and find out! For those of you who stuck around to the end of the episode, here's a link to The Travels of Reverend Olafur Egilsson: The Story of the Barbary Corsair Raid on Iceland in 1627. And for those of you who love a bit of bibliography, here are some of the sources mentioned and used during this episode: Brady, Lindy. “An Irish Sovereignty Motif in Laxdaela saga.” Scandinavian Studies 88 (2016), 60-76. Sayers, William. “Kjartan's Choice: The Irish Disconnection in the Sagas of the Icelanders.” Scandinavian-Canadian Studies 3 (1988), 89-114. Sayers, William. “An Irish Descriptive Topos in Laxdaela saga.” Scripta Islandica 41 (1990), 18-34. Torfi H. Tulinius, “The Matter of the North: Fiction and Uncertain Identities in thirteenth-century Iceland.” Old Norse Literature and Society. Edited by Margaret Clunies-Ross. Cambridge University Press, 2000. 242-265.   Thanks as always to Jacob Foust, otherwise known as @skarphedin_illustrator on Instagram, for his continued efforts to illustrate the sagas along with us. If you're looking to get one of his illustrations on a shirt or in a print, visit his Etsy page. Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Review Music - "The Royal Vagabond Medley" by Jocker's Dance Orchestra Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4421-stormfront License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  

The other day I caught up with a my great friend Jorunn from college.  We hadn't spoke in about 15 years and catching up, it was as if no time had passed.  The conversation was a tune-up for my soul that I didn't know I needed, and perhaps we all need a soul tune-up. In this episode, we'll discuss: Needing mindset realignment Ways to tune-up your life Being the soul tune-up for others

We chat with a style blogger with a focus on mature women about Personal Colour Analysis (PCA). Jennifer Connolly of A Well Styled Life tells us of her journey to know her colours through various eras, PCA systems, and results, and shares what sets the SciART system apart. Duration total: 43.30 minutes   SHOW NOTES Jennifer's blog, A Well Styled Life. Find Jennifer and A Well Styled Life on Instagram.   Find Jennifer on YouTube.   A Well Styled Life is here on Facebook.    Jorunn and Nordic Simplicity are here on YouTube.   Christine's video featuring Betty White on YouTube: Wearing Colours with Silver Hair    

Hun er egentlig utdannet kjemiker, men har livnært seg som fotograf og liker å skape. Det kommer tydelig frem når hun forteller hvordan hun jobber med huset sitt som er i stadig utvikling. Hun og familien har etter hvert bodd i det hvite trehus på landet en del år, men oppussingen gjøres stegvis, det er alltid noe på gang der. De siste årene har Jorunn jobbet som kreativ leder leder hos en leverandør av fliser, så hun har gode råd om hvordan man kan bruke nettopp fliser på badet, i gangen og på andre bruksområder. Fordi hun ikke fant et stuebord som passet, bygget hun like godt et selv og kledde det med store, keramiske fliser. Hør om hennes uvanlige karriere-vei og hvordan det har påvirket hennes måte å bo på! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Det er snart dags for julefering og en problemstilling mange par må ta stilling til er hvilken familie skal vi feire med? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Episoden kan inneholde målrettet reklame, basert på din IP-adresse, enhet og posisjon. Se smartpod.no/personvern for informasjon og dine valg om deling av data.

Med tårer trillende nedover kinnet, som elver av erfaringer og minner, forteller Jorunn om da livet ble snudd på hodet. Den dagen for ni år siden de fant ut at deres sønn ikke hadde hørsel. Hva gjør vi nå? Hvordan kommunisere og lære språk til en baby som ikke kan høre tale eller lyd? Jorunn og familien har siden da vært på en hørselsreise fylt med uante svinger og omveier. Hør hvorfor det å få muligheter til å kommunisere og inkludere er livsviktig, hvorfor tegn kun er en berikelse for oss alle, og hva Jorunn legger i at «språk er en inngangsbillett til livet».Jorunn ønsker å tilrettelegge for at flere kan imøtekomme hverandre gjennom tegn, og har startet plattformen Tegnhuset! Anbefales varmt og utforskes på tegnhuset.no