Anne 18, and her sister Inger-Marie 19, both from Norway, always travel to see their grandad Arne who’s 90, twice a year. Here they share their experiences and thoughts of the time they spend with him……..
Inger-Marie -
“As far as I can remember my Easters are, and always have been filled with loads of excitement and fun. We have always celebrated Easter in Hardanger at my grandad’s. I live in a city called Stavanger and Hardanger is a good four hour drive away, and we have to get on two ferries. My grandad is 90 years old and is in good health. When we arrive at my grandad we eat
Fleskasos - a Norwegian dish which tastes really good! It is a tradition that we eat that for dinner when we arrive. Afterwards, we help do the dishes, because he doesn’t have a dishwasher. We then go outside to get our stuff from the car, and then we unpack.
My grandad lives in a large house, all by himself, but he says he doesn’t get lonely, because he invites friends over. He is also very good at baking cakes, so after we have unpacked, he asks us to come downstairs for some cake and a chat. He goes to bed early, so he wants to talk with us first. We only see him every six months so there’s a lot of catching up to do!
He was in the Second World War, fighting for his country and has a lot of memories, but he doesn’t like talking about them. If we ask him gently though, he tells us. This is because he used to have nightmares which used to wake him in the night. Because of the trauma caused by the war, my dad tells him that it is good to talk about It, and that he shouldn’t be keeping everything locked up in his mind.
If the weather is nice, we drive up to the mountains. The landscape is so beautiful, and must be seen! I like all the seasons. In Spring, everything is coming to life, the heat in Summer, Autumn colours and the snow in Winter. There is a lot of snow in the mountains all year long and it is even there in May!
We don’t have to drive too long to get to the ski resort which is located at a beautiful place with loads of snow! I do slalom, and I love it! It is such a great feeling to be skiing down a hilltop!
On Easter afternoon we get Easter eggs from the Easter bunny. I don’t believe in him, but I think that the sweets inside the egg are tasty.
I really like going to Hardanger and seeing my grandad in the Easter, and can’t wait to go there again next year!”
Inger-Marie -
“As far as I can remember my Easters are, and always have been filled with loads of excitement and fun. We have always celebrated Easter in Hardanger at my grandad’s. I live in a city called Stavanger and Hardanger is a good four hour drive away, and we have to get on two ferries. My grandad is 90 years old and is in good health. When we arrive at my grandad we eatFleskasos - a Norwegian dish which tastes really good! It is a tradition that we eat that for dinner when we arrive. Afterwards, we help do the dishes, because he doesn’t have a dishwasher. We then go outside to get our stuff from the car, and then we unpack.
My grandad lives in a large house, all by himself, but he says he doesn’t get lonely, because he invites friends over. He is also very good at baking cakes, so after we have unpacked, he asks us to come downstairs for some cake and a chat. He goes to bed early, so he wants to talk with us first. We only see him every six months so there’s a lot of catching up to do!
He was in the Second World War, fighting for his country and has a lot of memories, but he doesn’t like talking about them. If we ask him gently though, he tells us. This is because he used to have nightmares which used to wake him in the night. Because of the trauma caused by the war, my dad tells him that it is good to talk about It, and that he shouldn’t be keeping everything locked up in his mind.
If the weather is nice, we drive up to the mountains. The landscape is so beautiful, and must be seen! I like all the seasons. In Spring, everything is coming to life, the heat in Summer, Autumn colours and the snow in Winter. There is a lot of snow in the mountains all year long and it is even there in May!
We don’t have to drive too long to get to the ski resort which is located at a beautiful place with loads of snow! I do slalom, and I love it! It is such a great feeling to be skiing down a hilltop!
On Easter afternoon we get Easter eggs from the Easter bunny. I don’t believe in him, but I think that the sweets inside the egg are tasty.
I really like going to Hardanger and seeing my grandad in the Easter, and can’t wait to go there again next year!”
Anne -
“When we leave to go to Hardanger to see my grandad we travel a long way from where I live in Stavanger. Inger looks out car in her own little world, my brother Hans never says much and I listen to my iPod. Sometimes we sing in the car to Hans’ songs but it’s usually quiet. Going to visit him is a bit dull, but we have to do it to please my dad.
When we arrive we have to unpack the suitcases and then after that, have dinner. We have a meal cooked by my grandad called Flaskasos and it doesn’t taste too good. It’s a potato meal and by the end of the fortnight at my grandad’s I get sick of potato as he always seems to have it for dinner.
After dinner we all avoid doing the dishes – especially me! I make something up like ‘I’m tired’ or ‘I’m going out for a while’ so somebody else does them.
My grandad makes us cakes and we eat them too, even if they were made years ago. He has made some nice cakes when he puts his mind into them, but with all the potatoes and the cakes; it can all become a bit too much.
Sometimes I make ‘new age’ food for him, and even thought he may enjoy the taste, his stomach can’t handle it and he becomes ill.
I always remember my grandad’s house being larger but it seems a lot smaller than how I remember it as a child. I think he must get quite lonely as he only invites people over about twice a month.
My grandad talks about the war, church and music, but we don’t really talk to him all that much. I don’t feel I can be myself around him and make jokes or have a laugh.
Recently he’s been telling us how he wants to die, and he’s bored of being in such good health. He just wants everyone to have a celebration of his life
when he’s not around any more.
Everyone has to go to bed at 9.00pm, but I stay up and talk to Inger or I invite a friend with me. Sometimes my grandad goes to bed very early -before 8.00pm.
The landscape around my grandad’s house is pretty. Norway is a beautiful country and I’m proud to be Norwegian.
When I am up in Hardanger in Easter I like to go skiing
and I love the snow! I’d like to point out; Inger is not as good at skiing as she makes out. I also enjoy the summer when we go fishing and making videos outside but it’s the same thing every year.
Nothing particularly exciting has ever happened during my visits to see my grandad. Once I nearly got caught smoking but that was it. Usually the best part of the vacation is watching a DVD on my Mac.
I’d much rather stay home with friends and go up the mountains and stay overnight in a rented room, but it’s traditional to go and see grandad and it has to be done.”
When we arrive we have to unpack the suitcases and then after that, have dinner. We have a meal cooked by my grandad called Flaskasos and it doesn’t taste too good. It’s a potato meal and by the end of the fortnight at my grandad’s I get sick of potato as he always seems to have it for dinner.
After dinner we all avoid doing the dishes – especially me! I make something up like ‘I’m tired’ or ‘I’m going out for a while’ so somebody else does them.
My grandad makes us cakes and we eat them too, even if they were made years ago. He has made some nice cakes when he puts his mind into them, but with all the potatoes and the cakes; it can all become a bit too much.
Sometimes I make ‘new age’ food for him, and even thought he may enjoy the taste, his stomach can’t handle it and he becomes ill.
I always remember my grandad’s house being larger but it seems a lot smaller than how I remember it as a child. I think he must get quite lonely as he only invites people over about twice a month.
My grandad talks about the war, church and music, but we don’t really talk to him all that much. I don’t feel I can be myself around him and make jokes or have a laugh.
Recently he’s been telling us how he wants to die, and he’s bored of being in such good health. He just wants everyone to have a celebration of his life
when he’s not around any more.
Everyone has to go to bed at 9.00pm, but I stay up and talk to Inger or I invite a friend with me. Sometimes my grandad goes to bed very early -before 8.00pm.
The landscape around my grandad’s house is pretty. Norway is a beautiful country and I’m proud to be Norwegian.
When I am up in Hardanger in Easter I like to go skiing
and I love the snow! I’d like to point out; Inger is not as good at skiing as she makes out. I also enjoy the summer when we go fishing and making videos outside but it’s the same thing every year.
Nothing particularly exciting has ever happened during my visits to see my grandad. Once I nearly got caught smoking but that was it. Usually the best part of the vacation is watching a DVD on my Mac.
I’d much rather stay home with friends and go up the mountains and stay overnight in a rented room, but it’s traditional to go and see grandad and it has to be done.”
