Our Little *SECRET* Up On the Hill

~Where we'll walk every step of *forever*, together.

To His Glory.







mandag 20. oktober 2008

Second Day of the Challenge

Reading:
Jeremiah 4-6

What it meant to me:

Here Jeremiah speak God’s word telling of the treath from North, what is to come (Jerusalem’s ruin and the people being taken captives in Babylonia) is told with great detail.
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He also tell that God sees the people and their ways, he see how they choose to do evil and refuse to do good, as I often do.
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He show them the right way, the way of doing good and reverence the Lord, but the people of Israel is stubborn and say “we don’t want to walk there”, just as I often do.
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He tells them the truth, but they refuse to listen, just as I often do.
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And even when He tells them of great dangers from the North (and yes, it’s quite scary) they won’t listen.
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Then he tries to remove the evil from the good, but it’s not possible. Evil is a part of the people, they, in a way, really don’t want to come to Him and be rescued. So they are not.
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The people praise Him with words, but behind their words are false hearts. And they try to fix the problems in their attitude in easy ways. Just as we do when we complain that there’s not enough forgiveness in the church, not enough love… What’s really missing is not enough hearts truly seeking the Lord, with all their hearts.


Peace to you,
åslaug

søndag 19. oktober 2008

First Day of the Challenge

Reading:
Jeremiah, chapter 1-3
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What it meant to me:
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The first chapter tells of Jeremiah’s call from God, how He knew him before He created him in his mother’s womb. Jeremiah’s protests reminds me of my own, how it’s so easy to say to God;
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I’m too young, too busy, I don’t know how to do this!!
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And yet God reminds Jeremiah over and over again:
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I will be with you, I will guard you, they will fight you, but they won’t win. Don’t be afraid of them!
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In the next chapters Jermiah speak from God of Israels unfaithfulness, of the people’s love towards other gods, and how disgusting God thinks it. How impossible it is for Him to take her back as His beloved bride.
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Yet, in the very last chapter, He turns His anger away and look with mercy upon her. And Israel understands her betrayal, and she is disgusted and ashamed from her behavior. And God receives her.
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It reminds me of how unworthy I am of His love, of His mercy, His forgiveness. And how much in my life that compromises Him, how disgusting it is to Him, and how I still can repent and ask forgiveness.

Peace to all of you,

åslaug


Bible Reading Challenge


I have decided to do a one year Bible reading.

I got the challenge at Rachel's blog.

If you'd like to join it would be great, just visit the link above.

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Here is what you have to do:

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*Read the three chapters a day - after reading them, pray for at least 15 minutes, for anyone who needs prayers and for your heart to be opened, and whatever else you need.

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*Post about what you read on your blog when you read your Bible, giving the Scripture you read and what it meant to you.

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*Make a category for this on your blog to post your posts in.
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*Announce the Challenge on your blog, using the icon and banner I made.


*Sign the Mr. Linky, which will be on every one of Rachel's Bible reading posts, with the link to

your post (So she can check it out!)

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Her reasons for posting the challenge is as following:

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*I know there was the 90-Day Bible Reading Challenge blog that Jenna set up for the people who wanted to read the Bible in 90 days, and some of you may have done that. But I don’t want to just zip through the Bible and not understand what I am reading. I tried reading the 12 chapters a day for the 90-Day Challenge, but I couldn’t keep up. I think 3 chapters a day gives you enough to think on and is enough to understand what you are reading.

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*I plan on getting up early in the morning and doing my Bible Time then and my Prayer Time also. But you can do it before you go to bed or during the day. I would recommend that you do it in the morning when you get up. I feel more refreshed in the morning when the gray dawn is approaching and the birds are starting to sing. Don’t you? :)

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*Well, I hope you join me. You don’t have to post about your Bible Reading everyday if you can’t, but that is one of the requirements. I would like to read over your posts is all and comment on them.

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One of my favourite Scriptures is in 2 Timothy, chapter 3, verse 15-17 -

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15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

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Some more Scriptures I like are about the wisdom that comes from God and reading His Word.

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Psalm 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

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Proverbs 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

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Proverbs 9:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

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To fear the Lord is to begin to have knowledge. We all need to remember that.
The Lord is greatly to be praised, as 1 Chronicles 16:25

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For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods,”

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says. One way we can praise Him is by reading His Word and by acting on it. Jesus and Paul tell us how to act in the New Testament. You can find all about it if you go read the Word for yourself. :)
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I hope you join the challenge. If you write in Norwegian, I'm sure that's no problem, it will anyway be so fun to share thoughts of what we read.

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Peace to you all,

åslaug
**PS! (Almost) all text in this post is copied from Rachel's blog. I did not write it myself.

onsdag 15. oktober 2008

We who live in quiet places...







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“We who live in quiet places have the opportunity to become acqainted with ourselves, to think our own thoughts, and live our own lives. “
Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Not that it’s really quiet.
Little girls are laughing, it’s the sound of the rain on the roof of the greenhouse.
A barking irish setter, running feet, an eight month old’s steady and merry talking. There’s singing, children singing, adults singing.
The sound of the mail dropping to the floor through the door.
Nursery rhymes, the stirring of a spoon in a cup of tea, the sound of sweeping on the tiles, the sound of the wind, the sound of talking.
Sound of splashing water, sound of scary trolls, of wood being chopped, dancing feet. Lovely sounds, homely sounds. Sounds of blessings.
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Peace to all of you,
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åslaug

søndag 12. oktober 2008

A strange thing to do…

With the Creator of the Universe by my side,
can you imagine they call it alone?
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With His stars and moon, His face shining upon me in grace,
can one possibly call it the dark?
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Walking with He who made me and knows me and loves me the best,
How can you call it strange?
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With the warmth of His arms around me, His hand closed around mine,
Is that what is referred to as cold?
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Spending time with He who made time, in the early morning of our love together,
Is that late?
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Pouring my heart out to Him who is nearest to me and always will be,
If this is what you calling a strange thing to do, walking alone in the dark, late at night.
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By all means, I am guilty.
But that is not the way I would put it.

torsdag 9. oktober 2008

Enya and Ireland



dette er altså vakre Irland... Can you believe I live in such a beautiful country??
The cutest little hobbit house I've seen, it's right outside Derrinturn...
My new, beautiful, deilige, varme, blue socks.


First pictures from Ireland!!!
No, I haven’t fixed my camera, but guess what, I have a cell phone!
Today have been a lovely day. I was finished working at about half two (2.30) and I have since been on the phone and reading lots of lots of stuff on the ylcf-website. It’s a cold day today, rainy and windy. I can’t remember the last time I had this many thick clothes on, tucked up in bed, drinking hot tea and still were freezing. Well, must have been last winter.. No really, I can’t remember.
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The kids (and the parents) came home from Germany today. They brought me socks. Blue, fluffy ones. They’re absolutely lovely, and since my feet have been freezing all day I’m very very pleased with the gift.
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This evening I’ve been talking to Dylan, which now recognizes me when I’m smiling to him (or maybe he just recognizes funny looking face in the same height as his, what do I know..).
Later I watched Bianca falling asleep on her mother’s knee, thinking how on earth can anyone sleep with all this noise? Then I remembered from when I was a child (and still to be honest) and couldn’t think of a better place to fall asleep then snuggeled up against a dear someone, listening to their voices and laughter and all the sounds of home.
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I had the most lovely meal I’ve had in many many weeks: Ryvita with cheese and orange pepper slices (paprika) and hot Irish tea with milk.
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L.O.V.E.L.Y.
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I’m content and oh-so-happy here.
I’m really thriving and if you look at the facts, there’s no reason I should be so:
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no friends,
no activities,
no people my age,
noone to go for walks with,
a seemingly everlasting cold,
non-familiar food,
no family,
nothing happening,
lots of tasks I don’t feel at all qualified to.
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Well, to be honest, a completely different world than the one I used to live in. But I am content, and that should prove once and for all (at least for me) that contentment comes from God, and NOT circumstances.
Right now, I’m very very happy for that.
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I’m listening to Enya today, and it makes me feel well, so I switched blog-music.
Gladiator is my favourite, if you wondered.
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Good night all my friends,
(Marita, eg håpar du gadd å lesa dette sjølv om det var på engelsk =)
Peace to you,åslaug

mandag 6. oktober 2008

Vandring i mørket

Hei =)
No er eg akkurat tilbake frå ei vandring til Derrinturn og tilbake igjen.
Eg lånte filmar i går (PS! I Love You og Passion of the Christ), så eg var nøydd til å levera dei igjen i dag før åtte.
Eg såg den første i går kveld, men eg rakk ikkje å sjå The Passion, så eg lånte den igjen, og er dermed sikra ein god tur i morgon òg.
Det vil sei at eg i morgon har gått 4 km om dagen i fire dagar i strekk =)
Nice!
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Eg starta litt seint på turen min, for då eg begynte på heimvegen begynte det å mørkna og innan eg var heime var det mørkt og regna.
Så eg gjekk fort for ikkje å bli våt/påkjørt/ete av sinte hundar.
Då eg kom inn, raud i ansiktet og ganske våt og pjuskete, var dei andre i starten på middagen.
Eg er ikkje så veldig glad i så mykje oppmerksomhet som ein får når ein kjem inn i et rom og med ein gong får fem par auge festa til seg, så då eg i tillegg presterte å mista ei flaske i golvet, blei eg så flau at eg gjekk opp på rommet mitt utan middag.
Så eg er litt for flau til å ete middag.
Eg sit på rommet og et sjokolade (70% sjølvsagt) og les bloggar i staden.
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Dette sitatet får meg alltid til å le høgt:
"The days of knights and fair maidens are long gone.
For many young women the question, “Can I carry that for you?” sounds more like, “Prithee, fair maiden! Allow me to relieve thee of thy luggage.”
To which they respond, “What century are you from?”"
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Det var kveldens tankar.
Å, jo, eg har kjøpt Pride & Prejudice i dag! For Fem euro =)
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Mange Virtuelle Klemmar frå
åslaug

By the Table on a Monday

It's three o'clock monday evening.
I'm sitting by the kitchen table, cradling my eight month old little miracle in my arms. Rocking him softly to sleep. His soft little fingers touching my face, his beautiful blue eyes watching me more and more sleepily.
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The five year old in the sitting room is in a Christmas mood and is playing "Oh! Night Divine!" (O helga natt) on the tv.
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The three year old is in bed and peace is touchable around us.
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My tea is all cold, but do I mind? Carrying a sleeping baby boy upstairs. More cradeling as he wakes up from the Christmas music as we enter the hall. Putting him carefully to bed. Watching his eyes close and his breath calm.
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Going downstairs, snuggle up on the sofa beside the five year old, talking about Christmas. Helping her get the last lumps of chocolate powder dissolve in milk in her bottle of hot chocolate.
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Smiling tired. Sipping cold tea.
Reading thoughtful blogposts on the internet. Commenting.
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Publishing my post.

lørdag 4. oktober 2008

A Wå:k to Iden `derry og buss til Derrin`turn

Her kjem oppdateringa frå forrige innlegg:

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I dag har eg gått til Edenderry. Eg brukte 1, 5 timar på dei 4 kilometrane, så eg er ikkje sikker på om det er avstanden. Nå måtte eg stoppa eit par gongar og late som om eg såg på kyr, for at trafikken skulle gli nokonlunde greit (det var ikkje plass til to bilar og eit menneske på vegen, og endå køyrde dei i 80, ikkje sånn, me gjer jo og det).

Hmm, eg veit ikkje.

Eg kom i alle fall til Edenderry!

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På vegen såg eg traktorar og ekte irsk kumøkk (å, det lukta heimleg!!)

Utruleg kva tre år på ein gard kan gjera med deg.

Eg følte meg meir heime enn på lenge der mellom traktorar, høyballar, kyr, postman-Pat-sauer (suffolk), grinder, kumøkk og strømgjerder.

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Eg møtte ikkje fleire hundar enn dei fire eg visste om frå før. Mistanken min om at alle irske hus (ikkje gardane) er store, lyse murhus, med digre grønne forhagar, svære smijernsportar (alltid opne av ein eller annan grunn) vart svært bekrefta. I tillegg så har alle gneldrande hundar som, om dei kan, spring ut i vegen for å bjeffe på deg (som om du ikkje høyrde dei godt nok frå før..)

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Vegane er smale og svingete, det er stadig vekk gule "sharp bend" skilt. Men eg hadde ein nydeleg tur i regn og vind,

alt fra ikkje regn til duskregn til svært kraftig regn

og litt vind og litt meir vind.

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Då eg kom til Edenderry var eg ikkje så lite stolt, eg ringte min favoritt-Finnøybu og fortalte det. Eg trur (innbiller meg, vil tru) at det er litt norskt å kle godt på seg, smøre matpakke og gå ut i all-slags-vêr for å kjøpe sjokolade. Ikkje pga. sjokoladen, men berre det å gå ut, liksom.

Eg trur mange ville holdt seg inne i dag (det gjorde også de aller fleste).

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Eg fekk kjøpt Ryvitaknekkebrød og antibakteriell håndgel. Eg trur det er to ting som kjem til å halde meg litt friskare framover. Ryvita fordi det er større sjans for at eg byrjer å ete skikkeleg igjen viss eg kan ete grov brødmat heile dagen i staden for lyst brød og varmlunsj, og sidan dei er dårlege på å kjøpe håndsåper her i huset og desinfeksjonsmiddel berekna på badefliser er skadeleg for hendene når du skifter bleier heile dagen, er antibacteria ein god ting.

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Eg fekk og kjøpt Irlands svar på Milo (Woolite), så i kveld skal eg legge dei no ferdigstrikka tøflane i Woolite vatn og i morgon skal dei tørke, og så skal eg male dei med utståande maling (slik at eg får sklisokk-effekt) og på mandag er dei forhåpentlegvis ferdige.

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Eg gjekk i masaisko, så eg er støl i ryggen men absolutt ikkje så sliten eg burde vera (og eg kjenner ingenting i hofter, kne eller anklar etter eit par timar på asvalt, uvanleg). Men det er bra òg, så har eg ikkje sløst vekk 2000 kr på ingenting =)

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Eg har kjøpt Fox's mints, ein av dei verkelege gode grunnane til å flytte til dei britiske øyane.

Ein annan god grunn er at uansett vêr ser morgonane alltid ut som ei scene frå Pride & Prejudice.

Dei har KitKat-sjokolade (det trur eg dei har i Noreg og, men er ikkje sikker),

dei har eit avslappa kjøyre system,

dei snakkar finare engelsk,

tea-en er betre.

Det er ikkje noko 20 års grense på whisky

ein treng ikkje kjøyretimar.

ein kan bruke sjekk

kontaktane er meir allsidige (du kan bruke norske og engelske om kvarandre, men ikkje utan risiko),

bussjåførane er koselegare,

alle tiltaler deg a. høfleg (England) miss, please, b. kjærleg, love, dear (Irland)

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Lista er utarbeida i samarbeid med fetter Gunnar frå landet Kirkwall, Scotland

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Då vil eg gjerne få sei god natt.

See youse tumårrow, I'm snuggling up in bed any minute now.

Ein blåsbort dag i Irland

Det er laurdag morgon (les lunsj).
Eg sit i senga mi i Ballyhagen, Irland og strikker. Eg er omgitt av lyselilla garn og sjøgrønt garn, ein halvferdig tøffel, ein ferdig tøffel, ei bok, ein Bibel og ein datamaskin og har det veldig bra =)
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Eg har mykje å tenke på, og ein del eg skal gjere.
Eg trur eg skal ta ein tur til Edenderry (iiiiden`derry, eg må øva meg på å sei det, slik at eg klarer å få kjøpt bussbilletten)
Iiiden`derry,
iiiiiden`derry,
iiiiden`derry
Okey, eg trur det skal gå bra.
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Så må eg øva meg på å sei Derrinturn.
Derrinturn.
Det var ikkje så vanskeleg.
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Eg tenker på om eg skal gå til Derrinturn (der busstoppen er).
Det er berre to kilometer unna.
Viss eg husker veien.
Viss eg tar sjansen på å gå forbi alle dei skumle hundane som bur bortover her.
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Men då må eg ha joggesko. Og dei er heilt nye, så det luraste er nok å dyppe dei i vann før eg går slik at dei formar seg til foten. Men dette er Irland, eg har på følelsen at eg ikkje treng å gå til Derrinturn. Kanskje eg bles dit istanden.
Og er det eigentleg så lurt å gå med våte sko i kald vind når ein allereie er litt småsjuk?
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Eg tenker på å kjøpe kamera i Edenderry.
Iiiden`derry.
Eg har så lyst på kamera nå, og så vil eg at mine kjære blogglesarar skal få sjå korleis Irland ser ut på innsida.
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Men så var det pengane då. Eg er usikker på om eg har råd til både kamera og bussbillett (Eg kunne jo gå til Edenderry, det er berre 4 km). Men viss eg har råd til både bussbillett og kamera, så har eg i alle fall ikkje råd til ny tannbørste og grove knekkebrød, eller ullvaskemiddel.
Hmm, kanskje eg må venta med det kameraet. Eg trur det.
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Skal eg gå til Edenderry?
Heilt ærleg. Fire kilometer er ikkje så veldig langt (Knudsen er nesten tre, sant?). Viss ein kan vegen vel å merke. Eg kan ikkje vegen. Skulle det gå heilt ille, kan eg jo berre gå tilbake og få nokon til å køyra meg til busstoppen. Når ein ikkje har fjelltoppar å bestiga (eg har ikkje sett eit fjell sidan eg kom hit), så får ein vel ta til takke med det ein har (4 km grus/asvalt til Edenderry). Ein kan ikkje slutte å gå lange turar berre fordi ein bur i Irland vel.
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Eg trur eg går til Edenderry.
Eg trur ikkje eg seier til nokon at eg har lyst til å prøve.
Eg trur eg prøver å finne eit kart før eg går.
Eg trur det er lurt.
Er det ikkje for tider som dette at ein har mp3-spelar?
Eg trur det.
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I verste fall går eg meg heilt vekk eller møter ein stor og farleg hund (det første er ikkje veldig sannsynleg sidan vegane her berre er lange og trange, og svært sjeldan kryssar kvarandre. Når det gjeld det andre, kan eg jo berre late som eg ikkje ser han og tenke på at eg aldri er overlatt til skjebnen men alltid er i Guds hender).
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I nest verste fall, får eg meg ein fin dag på opplevingstur i Ballyhagen.
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I beste fall kjem eg fram til Edenderry, kjøper grove knekkebrød, sjokolade (evt. til heimturen), ullvaskemiddel og tannbørste og vurderer å gå heim igjen.
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Eg skal holda dåke oppdatert. Forresten, dette blir jo ikkje verre enn å gå til Arild på ein fire timars søndagstur i oppoverbakke på asvalt, blir det Ingrid (H)? Eg trur eg går ned og et frukost og smører matpakke.
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Je je, see youse later, I’m goin’ for a wå:k.