NCM to CNM

Tiny announcement. Today in Clallam County Court,  P.A. Washington, by order of a v.kindly and sweet County judge, my name was officially changed from Norma Claire, to Claire Norma. That is all. You may resume your normal activities. 

Snow Days!

Early morning view of snow along the Dungeness Spit

Inside of me there is a five-year old girl and she loves snow. More than once I've climbed out of bed, sluggish at 3AM. I slog towards the bathroom, but stop to stare out the upstairs hall window. There, by the miracle of ordinary weather I see a moonlit blanket of white covering everything as far as I can see. What can I do but shout 'YIPPY' and then skip towards the bathroom. 

Far off, the Olympic Mountains to the south,
as seen from my 'play room'

I wonder sometimes if I'm not just crazy, as my friends/neighbors HATE the dread white stuff, fussing on how difficult it is to drive on snow, how cold it is and yatta, yatta, yatta. But me? I'm all "Yay, SNOW!"

The Bushtits don't mind the snow,
as long as I keep the feeder full

Snow around here can be fleeting. Mornings I slump into the hall and peer through the window to see the snow fall of the previous night. Then, not a morning person, I'll crawl off to drink my coffee. A couple of hours later I'll check out the window, saddened to see the snow has already melted away. But this week we... or at least "I" am in luck. The snow fell and has lasted a few days. Nope. I don't build snowmen, I don't use a sled and I don't cross country ski. I just love looking at all that cold stuff. 

Can't even see the road under all that snow

The mountains on the other side of the San Juan Straits are in Canada

The old farm house

That's all she wrote. Just wanted to wax sympathetically over all that frigid, brrrrrr stuff. 

Ha Det Norway!

Bergen Airport directions

 On our last morning in Norway, we took a taxi to the airport Clarion hotel, located right next to the airport. Our flight out the following morning was an early one  so our hotel hop was for convivence. 

Clarion Lobby

Travel weariness had set in nicely, thank you very much. So after getting our room, neither Ila nor myself, felt too adventurous. We decided to walk over to the airport so as to avoid surprises in the morning, when we would be dragging our luggage along with us. 

And even more lobby

The hotel buffet area, with a string of gas lights along one side

When we returned from the airport trek, I noticed the hall on my floor had chairs set in front of a window facing the airport. Decided to do a little reading and jet watching. 

I think I was facing a side lot where out of service jets were stashed and/or serviced

There was a view of the parking lot, featured
here only for the colors & clouds in the sky

That night, we had dinner at the hotel's restaurant, which was - kind of funny to me - once again a decidedly NON-Norwegian fare. My dinner was in fact, a HUMONGOUS side of Louisiana BBQ beef ribs with a life-time supply of French fries and of course, a side of cabbage. Oh, and Ila had genuine Norwegian chicken tacos.

View from the hotel window, facing the airport across the street

The following morning we were up at 3:15AM (which is why we needed to stay near the airport!) and we slogged ourselves and our luggage over to the airport. The morning was cold and it was snowing, and for only the second time in my life I saw the moon with a rainbow halo. I'd have taken a photo but LUGGAGE and SNOW! 

Saw my final Norwegian Doggie, a traditional Norwegian Boston Terrier.

Airport Lady's Room

Our flight's only stop was the Amsterdam Airport (aka Airport from HELL). Both Ila and I opted to play the 'Old Lady Card' because that airport is too freakn' gigantic and scary-as-hell. Long story could follow up on all that but you are being spared. 

My view from the jet of the wings getting
a nice bath to remove the snow and ice before takeoff

After Amsterdam the flight back to Seattle was, to my mind, wonderful. I always enjoy long flights, short flights, whatever. I just like flying in general. Airports, not so much...

Bye Bye Amsterdam!

Suitably Iced, Iceland

Not exactly green, Greenland

I had at one point sworn off cruises, but I could totally do a  Hurtigruten cruise again some day. Ha Det Norway!