Things I have learned being home alone for the first time in forever:

1. Do not watch a zillion episodes of Criminal Minds, with an emphasis on home invasions by serial killers like Tim Curry’s creepy stalker, the week before everyone leaves.
2. Do make a list of everything you want to accomplish when everyone (spouse, mother, both sons) scatters east and west.
3. Do not expect to get anything done on your list. Mmmm…clean the kitchen cupboards, come up with a brilliant new writing project, bag up clothes for Goodwill, and recycle old magazines or watch dozens of episodes of Bulging Brides and Last Ten Pounds Boot camp dvr’d from the Fine Living Network in anticipation of said alone time? Guess what I chose?
4. Do not think just because everyone is gone that you can lose the last ten pounds in five days, even eating your own (wretched) cooking. It’s just not possible.
5. Do know you can lose a couple of pounds by counting the calories of every morsel you put in your mouth and by walking excessively in your lovely flat neighborhood.
6. Do sit on the couch in the middle of the afternoon and read…and don’t feel guilty.
7. And these things I knew already: it’s truly a blessing my mother has lived with us for more than a decade; in addition to loving them, I really like my husband and children; friends are invaluable, in-town and out; and I am ready for my vacation!

Darth Vader in a Bunad?

Ever have one of those days where, for one reason or another, it’s difficult to decide what to wear to the office? That was my dilemma yesterday. It was casual Friday at the Sons of Norway Home Office, so my options were more expansive than usual. In the end I picked this shirt. As most any kid who grew up in the late 70’s/80’s can relate, Star Wars is the be-all-end-all of youth culture. I wear my SW gear proudly and have no shame in showing off how nerd-core I am every chance I get.

Now I bet you are wondering what on earth this has to do with Sons of Norway or Norway in general, right?

Simple. This month marks the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back being released.

Still not connecting?

Back in May of 1980, Norway was rocketed into forefront of SW culture upon the release of Empire. You see the small town of Finse and the Hardangerjøkulen glacier played host to most of the SW cast, as the shooting location for the far-flung ice-planet, Hoth. Even 30 years later stories are still told of how nearly 18 feet of snow fell and temps plummeted to -20 F during the filming. Apparently the weather was so sever that the entire cast and crew were trapped in their hotel, at times, because the large amounts of snow falling blocked all doors and exits.

Thanks to Norway I, and many other SW geeks out there, spent many a winter day reenacting all the Hoth scenes. Whether it was pretending to be riding a Tauntaun across a snowfield, hiding from a probe droid or fighting a Wampa with a pretend lightsaber, it was the stunning landscape of Norway that fed my imagination and the imaginations of a million other kids in the 80s!

Thank you, Norway, for being the inspiration for so many great childhood memories! With that, I leave you with one last thought for the day:

What would Darth Vader have looked like in a Bunad?