A couple of weeks ago I received a mail about interpreting during a two-days case in Stavanger and although I answered within an hour, they´d already found someone else. I have to admit I was a bit beat up about it, not that much for the money itself, but for the opportunity to travel. Besides, what made me really upset was that the trial is in November, but an interpreter is not seen as worth more than a couple of minutes’ waiting, if you’re not available, someone else will be. So when I got a call on Friday afternoon about traveling there yesterday for work, I immediately said yes, although it took a couple of arrangements to make it. And since I never check the weather, I put on an extra thick jacket (last time I was in Stavanger there were 13 degrees in July, so I had to buy a sweater), socks and oxfords, a scarf and I was ready to go. To my big surprise, the weather was amazing and I only worked for 1,5 hours, so my “business trip” turned out to be  a fantastic holiday. Stavanger is a lovely town on the Western coast of Norway, with all the charm of “Sørlandet”- Southern Norway: wooden white houses, winding roads and lovely sea food. First stop was coffee at Bøker og Børst in Fargegata, the Colorful Street. I had a book with me that seemed promising “How To Be Both”, until I completely lost track of what it tried to say, I got so angry I could have thrown it away at once. But I didn´t. Instead I´ll give it to a flea market. I don´t have time for anything I don´t enjoy, unless it´s compulsory, like accountancy and showering. haha!After coffee, I went to the Court House to work for a bit. The courtroom was so stuffy I had trouble staying awake. I had to pinch my hands and I yawned like a bored cat after dinner. Luckily it didn´t take too long and I could go outside again, this time looking for a place to have lunch. Sørensen didn´t open until 16 and this other terrace was bustling with life, so I left moules marrinières to another summer day and had fresh shrimps with ciabatta and mayo. And a glass of rosé wine. 😉Warm from the sun and “tamed” by the wine, I felt all New Age about it all. I thought about how love is love, there´s no old love and new love, love never really dies it just transforms. And I felt truly happy, although many of my days still are pretty much a struggle to reconcile past and present, although it hurts that “we of that day are no longer the same”.  (Pablo Neruda)And so, walking through the old town, camera in my hand and the world´s biggest smile on my face, I let the sun caress my cheeks and felt all light and free and deserving of all the best life has to offer. People were sunbathing in their gardens, trees were heavy with fruit and tourists hadn´t got all the way up there yet. I said hi to the ladies outside a ceramic workshop and tried to get some coffee in a small coffee shop, but to my disappointment they didn´t take cards.  I found some coffee on my way to the airport shuttle and couldn´t wait to get home to my love.Today I´m in court again, this time in Oslo. I´m working with a good colleague and friend and we laugh so much our stomach hurts. Outside was lovely to begin with, but now the weather gods remembered September is supposed to be fall, so they took back the sun.

Going home at four and making that veggie lasagna again. Friends are coming over for dinner. I´m slowly sliding back into my routine. Have a lovely day!

xxx, Alina