[lesmore49]

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I just ordered this....

Wahl Canada Elite Pro High Performance Home Hair Cutting Kit, At home Haircutting, Electric Hair Clipper, Grooming Kit for Men, Electric Hair Clipper, Certified in Canada, Model 3145: Amazon.ca: Beauty

I think you'll like it. He cuts his hair very short and the Wahl kit paid for itself after a couple of uses. He couldn't see the sense of getting hair stylist to cut his hair very short, when he could do it himself. About 2-3 'hair styles' paid for the Wahl.

[StiffLegged]

That Scottish mackerel is missing his bagpipes.

Now there’s a funny thing: I live by the sea and mackerel are among the fish which may be caught locally. In all the years of noticing sea anglers or professional fishermen landing their catches, or anglers discussing the size or quantity of fish caught, none have ever mentioned, alluded to or vaguely hinted at the simultaneous or coincidental presence of bagpipes. Even though culturally significant and occasionally important in the Land of the Fire and the Flood, bagpipes are just not found among Scottish mackerel. And as one who has witnessed the interior of a smokehouse I know bagpipes are not added to the smouldering oak chips therein or hung with the curing fish.

The reason is perfectly simple: bagpipes do not play underwater. An eccentric piper - well, one more eccentric than the usual - did try it once and it didn’t go well: he was also chancing things by attempting to play I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles which is ill-suited to the instrument. And that is why Scottish smoked mackerel don’t include bagpipes. Also bagpipes make very poor eating.

But smoked mackerel makes a very fine kedgeree and I do hope we have some soon!!

[savoche]

Congrats to Norway and you.

Norway being a very old country, I bet has some interesting traditions....some of which may be still part of the the historical rituals of government, in terms of how your parliament procedures take place. Any trappings leftover, from Viking days, for instance ?

Why, thank you!

Norway is both an old and a young country. We were a nuisance to the (known) world in the Viking era, but after that things went downhill. From 1349 onwards, the Black Death hit us harder than most, it seems - they estimate that between half and two thirds of the population died, including the governing class. We entered a union with Denmark and Sweden - which Sweden left after a while - and gradually came under Danish rule. In 1536 we changed from being in a union to becoming a Danish province (although were sort of restored as a separate kingdom in 1660 when absolutism became all the rage - having to do with the power struggle between king and aristocracy, and the fact the while Denmark was an elective monarchy Norway had been a hereditary monarchy.

Anyway, Napoleon came along and set fire to Europe. Even though Denmark was neutral she had a large fleet, and the British did not like the thought of that fleet falling into the hands of Napoleon should Denmark decide to go that way - which was not at all impossible as Denmark and Russia were on friendly terms and Russia all of a sudden jumped in bed with France (for a while). So the British navy simply entered the harbour of Copenhagen and captured almost the entire Danish fleet ("The Battle of Copenhagen"). This being an act of war forced Denmark to side with Mr Bonaparte, of course, while Sweden sided against.

After Waterloo and all that the victors found that Denmark needed to be punished, and Sweden likewise rewarded - and the prize would be Norway. So we went from being part of Denmark to enter a union with Sweden (a promotion, at least, as we now was a separate country but in a union). We didn't go entirely go willingly, though, so there were a few skirmishes until the Swedish army put all that nonsense to rest (Sweden being a major power back then). During all this unrest we managed to gather a sort of general assembly and write down a new constitution, though, on the 17th of May 1814 - and also elect the Danish crown prince as new king! - and while the Swedish king sent the pretender back to Denmark he was too tired of the bickering and accepted the new constitution (with some changes), including our own parliament, and thereby more autonomy than was intended originally.

Through the 19th century there was a lot of nationalism going on. We got a bureaucracy intent on paving the way for independence by establishing national institutions - and by modernising the armed forces. Through political manouvering the Norwegian "home rule" managed to establish parliamentarism - no government could exist unless the parliament sanctioned it - in the 1880ies. In 1905 a situation arose where a minister fell out of favour with the parliament, and they refused to accept the king's new appointee. This led the Norwegian prime minister to state that the king had failed his duty as king (by not managing to appoint a new member of the government) and as such was no longer king of Norway. The coup d'état was a fact.

So yes, an old country, but a young country.

The Norwegian constitution leaned heavily on the US constitution and was rather radical for that era.

As for Viking leftovers, our parliament is named after the Thing (assembly) that the Old Norse used for making and enforcing the laws. Stortinget means "the great assembly" - much like the Icelandic Alþingi, the oldest surviving parliament in the world (established in 930 AD).

Anything else? Nah, no beheading the king, no holmgang... sorry

About the Icelandic parliament, though, they used to assemble at Þingvellir. And the Manx parliament is called (the Court of) Tynwald. Yep, same word.

Ok, about time I stopped my Les-ish wordiness

[savoche]

I seem to remember reading something about very long term mortgages in some European countries to a point that they are handed down to following generations....but maybe it's all mis-information!

No, you're probably right. Traditions are very different in different parts of Europe. I believe France is very different (who'd have thunk it!). All I meant to say that here, in Norway, 20-25 years is the norm.

[savoche]

My hair is a long COVID way past is #4 standard length. I finally bit the bullet and ordered hair clippers from Amazon. Hopefully the Missus will be cutting my hair later this week!

I cut my own hair, as short as is possible with a clipper. About every three weeks is good.

Low maintenance.

[savoche]

My wife and I do a very similar IT job and so both of us can luckily work from home. Retirement was supposed to happen this July for me but I decided to wait one more year. A trailer needs to be purchased and tickets to Argentina bought.

Yes, my IT job is "mobile". My wife's professor duties less so, with her students and all that.

Argentina, eh. If we ever get out of Africa...

[lesmore49]

Why, thank you!

Norway is both an old and a young country. We were a nuisance to the (known) world in the Viking era, but after that things went downhill. From 1349 onwards, the Black Death hit us harder than most, it seems - they estimate that between half and two thirds of the population died, including the governing class. We entered a union with Denmark and Sweden - which Sweden left after a while - and gradually came under Danish rule. In 1536 we changed from being in a union to becoming a Danish province (although were sort of restored as a separate kingdom in 1660 when absolutism became all the rage - having to do with the power struggle between king and aristocracy, and the fact the while Denmark was an elective monarchy Norway had been a hereditary monarchy.

Anyway, Napoleon came along and set fire to Europe. Even though Denmark was neutral she had a large fleet, and the British did not like the thought of that fleet falling into the hands of Napoleon should Denmark decide to go that way - which was not at all impossible as Denmark and Russia were on friendly terms and Russia all of a sudden jumped in bed with France (for a while). So the British navy simply entered the harbour of Copenhagen and captured almost the entire Danish fleet ("The Battle of Copenhagen"). This being an act of war forced Denmark to side with Mr Bonaparte, of course, while Sweden sided against.

After Waterloo and all that the victors found that Denmark needed to be punished, and Sweden likewise rewarded - and the prize would be Norway. So we went from being part of Denmark to enter a union with Sweden (a promotion, at least, as we now was a separate country but in a union). We didn't go entirely go willingly, though, so there were a few skirmishes until the Swedish army put all that nonsense to rest (Sweden being a major power back then). During all this unrest we managed to gather a sort of general assembly and write down a new constitution, though, on the 17th of May 1814 - and also elect the Danish crown prince as new king! - and while the Swedish king sent the pretender back to Denmark he was too tired of the bickering and accepted the new constitution (with some changes), including our own parliament, and thereby more autonomy than was intended originally.

Through the 19th century there was a lot of nationalism going on. We got a bureaucracy intent on paving the way for independence by establishing national institutions - and by modernising the armed forces. Through political manouvering the Norwegian "home rule" managed to establish parliamentarism - no government could exist unless the parliament sanctioned it - in the 1880ies. In 1905 a situation arose where a minister fell out of favour with the parliament, and they refused to accept the king's new appointee. This led the Norwegian prime minister to state that the king had failed his duty as king (by not managing to appoint a new member of the government) and as such was no longer king of Norway. The coup d'état was a fact.

So yes, an old country, but a young country.

The Norwegian constitution leaned heavily on the US constitution and was rather radical for that era.

As for Viking leftovers, our parliament is named after the Thing (assembly) that the Old Norse used for making and enforcing the laws. Stortinget means "the great assembly" - much like the Icelandic Alþingi, the oldest surviving parliament in the world (established in 930 AD).

Anything else? Nah, no beheading the king, no holmgang... sorry

About the Icelandic parliament, though, they used to assemble at Þingvellir. And the Manx parliament is called (the Court of) Tynwald. Yep, same word.

Ok, about time I stopped my Les-ish wordiness

Wonderful history lesson and I complement you....particularly..... for your fascinating writing style....what did you call that now...oh yes....." Les-ish wordiness" .

You mention that Iceland has the longest surviving parliament in the world (established in 930 AD) and if I'm correct, Iceland was a country originally peopled by Norwegian Vikings and also people from Scotland and Ireland. Think modern DNA studies have indicated that to be the case, if I remember right .

So if this is the case, Norwegians of the Viking variety, were very much part of establishing the oldest surviving Parliament, that of Iceland.

Les

[robtcorl]

We have been watching the companion series Bosch.

I found out about Bosch last year and watched all episodes. I didn't binge watch, but watched a bit each night on a tablet set up bedside.
It helps me fall asleep. I used to read instead, but this works even better.
I think the last season of Bosch airs on Netflix later in June.

[robtcorl]

Now there’s a funny thing: I live by the sea and mackerel are among the fish which may be caught locally.

I had a tin of King Oscar mackerel fillets in olive oil for lunch.
Toasted bread, mayo, and jalapeno slices below the fish.

[robtcorl]

I think the last season of Bosch airs on Netflix later in June.

Season 7, the last one, starts airing Friday, June 25.

[MarkJerling]

My hair is a long COVID way past is #4 standard length. I finally bit the bullet and ordered hair clippers from Amazon. Hopefully the Missus will be cutting my hair later this week!

I'll just leave this here.....

You Tube

You Tube

[bertwert]

(your straw home has a basement??)

Indeed it does, plus two stories above - basement is ICF construction.

[Parallax]

I didn't binge watch, but watched a bit each night on a tablet set up bedside. It helps me fall asleep. I used to read instead, but this works even better.

I've never seen Bosch so when I can't fall asleep I find a British movie.

[bertwert]

COVID, like the Flu, will never be over, but hopefully, by then, the vaccination program will have opened things back up.

I hope things will be opened back up enough by September to allow the school to hold in person classes. Have I mentioned I don't like the online learning?

[bertwert]

My poor kids....

They're just waiting for you and Mrs CharLac to kick the bucket, then they'll have a place to live