where have you been?: Norwegians and New Years

Despite the disputes between Swedes and Norwegians, I love them both just the same. The Palace became home to seven extra souls over New Years, four being from Norway, two from France and one from America. It was quite possibly one of the greatest weeks of my life and I don't say that lightly. In fact I, along with Sophie, Celine and Larissa loved having them so much that we didn't want them to leave. The other night we were plotting to make them miss their flights so they would have to stay. Alas, they're gone now and the house is quiet..and clean.

Craig the American arrived on Tuesday and twas then that the fun began. In the days that followed Anders the Norwegian arrived and brought with him Claes and Alex and Vegard. Arnaud and Sarah, our French guests arrived shortly after.

I was bound to my cafe during the days but when the evenings came around they almost didn't end. I think the last time I slept so little was at camp in the 11th grade and despite the feeling of waking up on three or four hours sleep I loved it. We listened to music much louder than we should have and made mocktails and laughed at anything and everything until our bellies ached. We also played guitar and shopped at Primark and went out after midnight because we're adults and we're not a part of your system.*

So many funnies. So many moments. So many people sleeping on the living room floor.

New Years Eve was perhaps the biggest adventure. We decided to go into town to watch the fireworks which we discovered to be a bad idea when the fireworks began and we couldn't see a thing on account of the National Theatre building was blocking our view. So we said Happy New Year to the ground* and made our way back to the palace, with great difficulty might I add. You would not believe how many people had the same idea we did. I was baffled and honestly quite afraid of the crowds. I held tightly to Claes in his fluorescent purple and orange jacket and thankfully didn't get lost.

Last night was also a favourite. We five Parsifal residents and the remaining two Norwegians sat in the living room and listened as Sophie told us a free style bedtime story which featured Asha as a girl trying desperately to cure an alien from an unknown illness and free him from her treehouse. I was an elf that sang but couldn't talk and danced but couldn't walk, Larissa was a floating light that spoke like a soul from the ghetto, Celine was a skeleton that lived in a cupboard in the basement, Anders was a rat and Vegard was the Wizard. It was brilliant. I'm going to miss nights like these..