The plan for the day was for dads and kids to downhill ski while the moms did a big cross country trek, but it didn’t come to pass because the whole area lost power! We were just renting gear when the lights, and the lifts, went down. Because we are adaptable and resilient, we all took a cross country tour instead, stopping for a lunch break on the trail.
It’s pretty clear that these mountains were created when three trolls were caught in the sunlight.
Odin and Anders share a love of Mr. Lee’s cup-o-noodles on the trail. We didn’t bring forks, so they showed their adaptability by eating chopstick-style with sticks broken off trees! Odin shared the sad news that Mr. Lee had recently died, but his memory will live on in his noodles. Anders’ favorite flavor is kylling smak (chicken flavor), which got riffed into an english-mangled “killing smack,” a joke that will also live forever!
Nora chillin’ like a ski queen, coat open and sunglasses on.
Then we got another chance to be adaptable, because the power went out again as dinner was in progress! Kristine showed her homesteading skills by finishing the cooking over the wood stove. The kids finished up their epic Monopoly game, with Odin taking over the whole country, as is fitting. We heard that his big sister always wins, so he got a chance to be the capitalist king this time.
Then outside for an evening fire and the Easter mystery tradition! A campfire is just what you need when the power is out, the moon is full, and it’s easter holiday.
What a treat for the kids! It’s a tradition to enjoy mystery stories at easter. The radio plays mystery dramas and kids get a mystery or scavenger hunt to find their easter eggs. Tor and Kristine put together a clever mystery based on Mr. Lee’s reported death earlier in the day, riffing off of their earlier “kylling smak (chicken flavor) = killing smack” joke, the kids solved the mystery of who killed Mr. Lee. Then Kristine took them out on a night ski tour to find the eggs that she hid for them. Such an amazing experience!
Back inside with the easter goodies. Instead of hiding real hard boiled eggs, there are large decorated cardboard/plaster eggs that we filled with treats for each kid. Still in the dark, we strategized the bathroom and sleeping arrangements…until the power returned and we could turn on the heat in the cabin bedrooms again. After sharing more card games we had a good night sleep.
Thank you Kristine, Tor-Einar, and Odin for an unforgettable traditional påskeferie! We almost had the kids convinced that we cut the power just to make the mystery more exciting.
The next morning we had to pack our things and we put the cabins back in order. Nora showed off the room where the kids bunked. Also pictured is the hytta room where Ted and I slept. Every hytta on the trip was outfitted with lots of beds for lots of friends and family–so cozy and welcoming!
