Visitors from Spain and Minnetonka

It's been a great week with Ryan and Gabrielle arriving on the 26th and Patti and Cornell arriving on the 28th. We have been eating like kings and it seems like all our days revolve around eating, buying food for the next meal, planning the next meal, cleaning up after the last meal and getting outside to walk off all the good food!

Friday evening, Knut and Ryan made a dinner of mussels, scampi, leek, tomato, chili, garlic, ginger and coconut milk served over fresh pasta.

After that yummy dinner we had a second Christmas, this time opening all the gifts from Spain, Minnetonka, Bruno and London. Gabriella got a Johnny Depp puzzel from Grandma and Grandpa that was a hit. We got it put together in just a few days.

Saturday was our Sherry tasting evening. Morten and Aud Jane came up from Vigrestad to join us. Ryan and Gabby fixed lots of tapas to eat with the different types of sherry. It was amazing for us amateurs who basically drink sherry before meals as an appetiser.

Here you see three types of paté; smoked, pepper, and dill salmon; cheeses from Jenni which were the same cheeses she had in her wedding cake; some fresh goat and sheep cheese from Spain; three types of sausage from Spain and Norway and salmarejo which is a gaspacho like cold soup which Ryan made. It was really fun learning about the making of sherry and tasting the different types.

The following day we met up wih Knut's sister and her three great kids. We drove south to a place near Sirevåg where there are ruins from the war where the Germans built bunkers and lots of tunnels for ammunition storage, living quarters and defense dring the war.

For Christmas, Arnlaug knitted mittens for all her grandkids. Here are several of them on display.

Ryan and RebPatti and Cornell

On New Years Eve during the day we took a walk at the place where we ususally go running. It's a great place with lots of trails to wander in. Here is patti, Ida, Knut, Cornell, Thomas and Linda.

While the day wore on and we were all waiting for knut's delicious pinnekjøtt dinner we played games and generally had a wonderful time together at home.

Just as the sun went down, Thomas, Linda and I went up to the top of Hana to discuss the top ten of 2007. We were freezing, so we didn't have as much time as usual. The lists are made, but not numbered as yet, so the true top 10 will come later. Until then, here is a picture of the three of us.

Reb