Still cold, but getting warmer!

The temperatures here have warmed up a little over the past week. We have actually had a few days when the mercury climbed above freezing, and it gave some of the road crews a chance to get things cleared up a bit. Sidewalks are still pretty slippery, so you do need to be careful of your footing when walking. Things apparently aren't like the U.S. where you either get a ticket for not having your sidewalk cleared no later than 48 hours after the snowfall, or you get sued by someone that slips on your walk.

We are supposed to go for our ski lessons this weekend at the resort where the cabin is located. We have not had an update on snow levels there recently, so hopefully things have gotten a little better and they have gotten some natural snow there. The forecast is not looking great for the area for the weekend, though, with temps forecast to be -12C (about 10F) for the weekend. I have been told that sometimes it is too cold to ski (though I am a little surprised by this!)






















The part of our fjord where our marina is has thawed, and the swans and ducks seem happier. The fjord on the other side of the peninsula does seem to have more ice on it, though. I took these pictures tonight at the "Sword Beach". This is a monument commemorating the bringing together of the three waring clans to form Norway about 1000 years ago. There is also a nice beach there that is usually pretty crowded in the summer time. Sidney is the one that deemed it to be the "Sword Beach."

One other item of note I had forgotten to mention before - the commuter train is up and running again between Sandnes (the town just south of us) and Stavanger. Our train station at Viking Stadium is between the two towns, so the train is about a 7 minute ride to either town, as opposed to a 20-30 minute drive, depending on traffic, and paying for parking once we are there. Sandnes has a very nice pedestrian shopping area downtown, and the train ride to either town is quite scenic as the tracks run directly along the edge of the fjord.

I am doing better on my lines for the pantomime, though I still don't have them completely memorized. Oh, well. I still have about 12 days before the first performance!