I have been remiss in not reporting the FANTASTIC weather we’ve been having here in southeastern Norway. The warmer temperatures began in early April and the thermometer has been inching up every day since. Yesterday was like a summer’s day! It felt like 20C (68F) in the sun in our garden yesterday afternoon---sooo nice. We deserve this weather after the long, cold winter we put up with.

All of the snow has melted around here, save for a stubborn patch in the schoolyard adjacent to our property.



The grass is starting to turn green, little flowers have bloomed, and still more are popping up here and there. The trees around our place haven’t begun to bud yet but look like they’re thinking hard about doing so.





It’s amazing how quickly the memory of -20C, ice-filled days can vanish from my brain. To think the street looked like this just a few weeks ago:



Yesterday was the first day of the annual week-long Easter break for school children in Norway; they will be joined by most everyone else in Norway on Thursday, the first day of the five-day Easter holiday celebrated here. Yes, that’s five days, because the Monday after Easter is a holiday, too. It’s called Second Easter and even though I don’t know the religious origin of the day, I’ll gladly accept it as time off.

I could use a break, too. I’ve taken on a couple of extra projects at the school where I work and the time commitment required has really been kicking my ass. It has been enlightening for me, though, in a weird way. For one of the projects, I have to submit written “progress reports,” which is easy enough, no problem. BUT…two weeks ago, one of the people who read one of my reports came to me and said something like, “Wow, Michele, I read your report! It’s so astute and articulate! I was surprised!”

I was confused by this remark. I responded with, “Um, thanks?”

He said, “Yeah, I read it and thought, this isn’t the Michele I know.”

WTF? And then it dawned on me…. He thinks I’m stupid! Ouch!

This isn’t the first time this has happened to me. I think I must give off the impression of being a bit dim. Maybe it’s the blond hair, or the way I talk like a cross between a Valley Girl and a surfer? Or because I joke around too much? Or talk too much? I don’t know. I asked Husband if I come across as thick and he said no, but that I do smile a lot and say chirpy, nice things and act goofy sometimes and probably some people take that “the wrong way.”

In any case, that comment at work hurt my feelings. I mean, making a first impression as a dimwit is one thing, but I’ve worked at the school for almost a year now, so first impressions should have gone by the wayside ages ago. So the only explanation is….he thinks I’m stupid! Do other people at work share that opinion? Is it because I’m a 48-year-old kindergarten assistant? Do people think I do that job because I’m not capable of doing anything else?

Ah well, it’s too nice outside to worry too much about this bullshit. I really like working with the kids at school, so I’ll concentrate on that and think about the rest when I get back to work next week. I’ve got some homework to do right now and then it’s into the garden for me. Spring is here!!