Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Behind the Mountains

Dawn and I met my aunt Bev, uncle Bob, and cousin Kaye-Lani for brunch Christmas morning at the Moana Surfrider. It was one of those silly perfect days - a calm ocean, bright blue skies, and a gentle breeze. It was nice seeing family out here again - it's been awhile - and I got a few more pieces of family gossip.

There was nothing outright scandalous this time, though I did finally learn why my grandfather lost his pilot license [something about flying a passenger jet sideways over the grand canyon]. I did hear a bit more about the Norwegian side of my family, including that my aunt Barbara still goes back to visit the Gletne home village every couple years. This was news to me; I thought that my aunt Anna was the last to maintain contact.

My uncle and I vowed to join Barbara next time she goes. I don't even know the name of the place, just that it's a small village east of Bergen. And I don't know anything about the family beyond that the first immigrant, Skora [my grandmother's grandmother], left behind a twin & that her descendants still live somewhere behind the mountains.

That, and that they are short, don't drink, and eat lots of pastries.

Which doesn't sound like my family at all, so it should be interesting.

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