At April's - until New Year's Day

All photos: Siw Haugnes, pictures without people can be used, as long as source is given. Pictures with people may only be used by the people shown.

OK, I'll volunteer to admit I have been afraid to meet Arild's siblings, their children, in-laws and everybody here. Why? What if they didn't like me or I thought they were foolish.

We took our time during the drive, just as we use to: Breaks every second hour or so and relatively low speed. Maybe to try to postpone the inevitable.

Hertz Neverlost© brought us directly to April and Hakeem's front door, vi rang the bell, Zach and Donique opened up and yelled out "Mama, they're here!!!". From there on it was just nice.

Most of the pictures we have here are of people and as many know, I am skeptical to publishing pictures of people, so we'll have to wait and see how many are actually published.

I have rarely felt so popular, everyone is dropping by to meet us, both Arild's family and Aprils in-laws.

For my part, the celebration of New Year passed with frost shivers, blocked nostrils and headache, hidden in bed, so I missed the traditional and forbidden gun shooting at midnight. This year no one was hit by the returning bullets, thank god.

New Year's Day the whole Kansas City family gathered. In the picture to the left, you can see about one half of the guests, the first half had already left.

April had been up until 4 in the morning, cooking up several dishes, rose up at 7 for the turkey and then slept a little again. It is possible to roast a whole American Size Turkey when the oven is a whole meter (40") wide and taller inside than our 60 cm (24") wide small ovens. April said she couldn't survive with such meager equipment.

Tradition requires the luck bringing dish black eyed peas served on New Year's Day. Notice the pot, it's a separate foodboiler, specially designed for dishes that needs forever to simmer.

I want a crock pot. Mom, do you hear?

Cakes and pies were also produced, here's the cooking of a sweet potato pie. It was really good, but sorry April, Ann's cheese pie was better. Yummy. (Ann made an extra for me and forced Dion to drive to us with it, lovely girl, his Ann).

Let's see: Sweet potato pie, chocolate cake, apple pie and cheese pie, even I was satisfied with the selection of cakes.

The dinner looked like a buffet, all kinds of dishes placed on the kitchen units, ready to help your self.

All that is missing from the plate in the picture is cranberry sauce.