Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was Summer's 11th birthday. It was a really big day. It began with Nora leaving to go back stateside. Her son is graduating from Northwestern University. Summer was a little sad, but once I explained that her mom would be back really quickly, she perked right up. We worked really hard in the morning and then after lunch I made a cake.
Once the cake was out, I had completely lost her attention. We read some, but not a whole lot of working. Sometimes you need a break. I went out an got her a couple of small gifts for her to open.
She celebrated her birthday before I got to the island with her parents and grandfather, but even so, it is still nice to open something on your actual birthday. Especially when you are a kid.
For dinner we went to a pizza place just up the way called Dolly Dimples. You are not going to believe we paid $9 for cokes and $27 for a personal pan pizza. It was the first time I paid for anything, I did not use my money, but I say the bill for the first time. I knew things were expensive, but if we spend over $100 for a meal out for 5 people, we are eating really nice, not just pizza.
When we got back to the house we sang karaoke until it was bed time. I think Summer had a really nice birthday. She keeps telling me today that, "Now she is an 11 yr old."

So late last I met up with the Texas boys. Only 3 of them went out, but I also met their work buddies. Their names are Justin (TX), Chris (TX), Marcus (NO), Thorgrim (NO), Kirk(the one I sat next to on the airplane, and Ronnie (NO). This is a picture of Kirk, for those of you who are interested. We look awful becasue we had to walk in the rain. He is originally from St Louis, and he moved to Texas 2 yrs ago. He is 30 yrs old and he asked when my birthday was and he used the oldest line in the book. He said, "Oh you are a Cancer, I am Pisces, we will get along great!" But it actually turned out true, we have a lot of things in common, it was kind of shocking. I told him i was going to make fun of him for that line.
It was fun hanging out with all the guys, they tried to give me a hard time, but you know me, I gave give it right back. We went to 2 different clubs and met up with more Americans on accident. I met a girl named Ashton, and she is from S. Carolina. She married a Norwegian and is living here. I know, everyones biggest fear. I was talking to her about the weather, and she said that on Friday, if we go to the same bar to call her and she will bring an extra coat.
Marcus taught me how to count in Norwegian. I can now count to ten. Often when I talk to Norwegians and they teach me a little bit of their language, and I speak it, I am told that I speak very well. Almost every time I am complemented and they look surprised that I can repeat the words with the correct pronunciation. I talked to one guy last night and he said his name, I repeated it and he replied, "Oh my you are the first American to get my name right." Haha. Also I was approached several times last night by guys and they would speak to me in Norwegian and then when I replied in English, they said, "Oh you are American, I did not know, you look Norwegian." I have had this happen in the stores here also. Who knew?
After we left the club we went to a kabob place. I was thinking shish-kabob, but really they meant flat bread with lettuce, meat and thousand island dressing. We ended up running into a New Yorker at the kabob place and he was hanging out with a prostitute. She was very drugged out and very crude. She had horrible language, I don't know really what she said, but it sounded not very nice.
That was interesting, we left very quickly. Then all the boys walked me home the 6 blocks and said good night at the door. They had their company limo pick them up at the hotel down the street.
They were a lot of fun and we have plans to go out again on Friday. They leave Sunday to go North of here for a week. They will be back to Norway in August through October.
Well talk to you all later.